Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

A readers request.

Piece of music by a band beginning with "C".

Coft Cell.

lovely thanks. and fyl.

This is one of my top 3 songs of all time.

Fantastic stuff.

What are the other two, Keith?

Not sure I could narrow mine down to 3, but  if I could have 25, this would be included. Cheesy, but special, & great memoriies for me as a young man in my 20's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNJysUv6OcQ

Can't believe you nearly got that one through, Hotel California came out in 1977....20's oh my.....

Shush. I was only a decade out.

You not pokering tonight?

[RED-DOG]

A readers request.

Piece of music by a band beginning with "C".

Coft Cell.

lovely thanks. and fyl.

This is one of my top 3 songs of all time.

Fantastic stuff.

Please tell me this is a level, it hardly even qualifies as music.

Unless that is we're discussing the comparitive merits of 1980's "music" which is generally considered to be the most dire musical decade since Joshua brought down the walls of Jericho with his trumpet solo.

At last. A sane voice.

[sovietsong]

An hour later, phone rings again.

"Natwest Bank here Sir, can we have a word?".

I just about contained myself.

"YES, if it's quick".

He said he was from Bank Security, & asked for validation, which I grumpily gave, almost under duress.

Then he said he wanted to check some of my Card transactions.

10 minutes later, after he had reeled off 5 transactions - all "immediate" (i.e., by telephone) I had made yesterday, I knew I was in trouble. I had not made a single transaction. My cards have all been "compromised", & a good bit of money charged to them, with an unknown amount possibly in the pipeline.

Fuck, I don't need this, I thought, not right now, please.

But the geezer was calm, & nailed it. "Don't worry Mr Kendall, we will reimburse the funds immediately, by this evening, cancel your cards, & send you new ones in the post tomorrow".

How good is that?

PS - Having been grimmed by Tighty for £470 on Monday, I'm thin on cash, & don't have any cards right now. Wiiiii, I'm poor! It'll do mer good to be skinto again. I've been there before. More than once.....

industry standard these days Tikay.

[The Camel]

A readers request.

Piece of music by a band beginning with "C".

Coft Cell.

lovely thanks. and fyl.

This is one of my top 3 songs of all time.

Fantastic stuff.

Please tell me this is a level, it hardly even qualifies as music.

Unless that is we're discussing the comparitive merits of 1980's "music" which is generally considered to be the most dire musical decade since Joshua brought down the walls of Jericho with his trumpet solo.

Not a level at all.

Marc has the most amazing voice.

First time I heard this song I could hardly breath I was so in awe of it.

[Eck]

Not long home and settled may jump in for a bit cash later if there is a fun game going.

[RED-DOG]

That's not a melody, it's a malady.

Physician, Cure thyself.

[Karabiner]

A readers request.

Piece of music by a band beginning with "C".

Coft Cell.

lovely thanks. and fyl.

This is one of my top 3 songs of all time.

Fantastic stuff.

Please tell me this is a level, it hardly even qualifies as music.

Unless that is we're discussing the comparitive merits of 1980's "music" which is generally considered to be the most dire musical decade since Joshua brought down the walls of Jericho with his trumpet solo.

Ralph, do your research properly, please, that's most unlike you.

The Eagles never existed in the 80's - they broke up in early 1980, & never reformed until '94.

Hotel Cal was from the golden decade of music - the 70's. (I wonder what % of blondes were even born then?).

I like The Eagles and have their "Greatest Hits" LP amongst my collection.

Soft Cell on the other hand.....

[mondatoo]

Where is the info for this weeks event please ? I tried googling it and also went on Sky poker site but couldn't find anything,is it a 1 day event ? what time does it start ? That's all a wanted to know really.

You should have received an e-Mail with all the details today, Ray. I did!

1 Day Event. (So, FAST).

2pm start, but arrive early, as I want to interview you for the TV cameras. That should be immense. I'm so gonna rip you. The part of the day I'm most looking forward to, actually. I'll have a translator in vision.

And please stay in the Tourney a while, because once I exit the Tourney, I'll be on the microphone, ready to abuse you. Promise.

All this tv malarky will go to my head See you there about 1-130 ish then.Can't make any promises on staying in but I'll stick around either way.

[tikay]

I head home today, which I'm dreading facing, then tomorrow, onwards to Newcastle for the SPT on Saturday.

I enjoy the SPT weekends enormously, but they leave me mentally & physically drained for days after.

The pre-start stress levels are pretty high, as there are always moans & groans about seat availability. Every Event could sell-out twice, so it's awkward. We try to be as fair as we can, but sometimes Rules need bending, they just do. We've had a big problem at Newcastle, as so many want to play it, so it all got a bit hot.

I have an allocation of seats for every SPT to allocate &/or donate as I see fit. I do so using my own moral & business code, & I tend to get a bit uppity when some ill-mannered oaf tells me what I can & can't do with Sky Poker's seats. For every Seat I give away, £100 goes into the Prize Pool. End of story afaic. "Oi, what about a seat for me, it's not fair, you have no right?" is not optimal.....

I fully expect some heat this weekend, as I've looked after a few people, who as far as I am concerned, ticked the right boxes. It's mainly, & usually, "regular" players who are in a hole, or had some misfortune. If I need to defend that, so be it. Sky Poker know my line on this. I won't be telling any porkies as to who got Seats from me & how.

The Newcastle leg of the SPT also gets a bit "beery". Marv. But I have a lot of good pals up there, too, with whom I've pokered for 10 years or more.

For the first time ever, I'm scheduled to actually play the event, which will be a novelty, though if there is any serious grief over seat allocation, I'll donate my seat, I can't be arsed with all that nonsense, I really can't.

Should be a good weekend, if we can avoid controversy over lack of Seats.

I plan to head South on Sunday morning, bright & early - maybe 7am - to kick on with sorting out my house. I might go to DTD in the afternoon, or Luton in the Evening, or just swerve both, as Sunday will be a very big night Online for SP, with the TSP Finals taking place.

Our very own Jakally is in with a shot at winning Membership of Team Sky Poker, so good luck to him on Sunday evening.  I cannot show bias, but......

I'm in for Saturday.

Really looking forward to it.

It's been a very very very long time since I played on your table Tikay, maybe we'll meet at the final!

The last time I recall was either.....

Deauville EPT, 2004.

I made a horrendous play with A-4 & got lucky, you said you were ashamed to know someone who played so bad. Penly was on the Table, too, as was Roland & Elky. Good week that - I made the semi of the Main, exiting after the worst play of my life, & Finals of two sideys. Young Lucky Jim Moult - BookieBasher -  won a nice sidey, too, the final of which included Willie Tann, & Devilfish, who tried to speech-play Jim. GG him. Jim cashed for €35k I think, & if he reads this diary, he'll recall the most wonderful story about how he lost the whole €35k.  He took the money home in a brown envelope, & stuffed it behind a wardrobe in his bedroom, best not to tell the missus about these windfalls, eh? Then something dreadful happened, & the missus decided to re-arrange the furniture one day......

We all took the train from Paris. Myself, Stu Fox & his g/f, Thewy, & Lucky Jim were in a compartment, nice & cosy, when Devilfish walked in & sat down, & regaled us with dreadfully corny stories for 2 hours. We got to the Hotel, & Devilfish followed Thewy & me to the room we were sharing, & before I knew what was what, he was on my PC, & had opened up my 'Stars account (perma-logged in) & done $4k. Then he went. Take care, Dave.

Thewy then decided it was time to go to the Restaurant & have a pot of Tea. We just KNEW it was a mistake when the waiter spread a starched linen tablecloth, & gave us napkins. Pot of tea for two, €45. Welcome to Deauville.

Luton, jan 2005, £1,000 Grand Challenge.

You, Thewy, & & were on my table in the early Levels, & a very odd hand went off, 3 way, & ? accidentally slung in 2 oversize chips. A Ruling was called for by Jon Shoreman, as the young Dealer never had a clue. You never uttered a word during all this, but it was ruled as "bet stands", & you snap-called with the absolute nuts. I remember being amazed that you kept totally schtum during the whole debate, & I've always done the same in such situations since.

A day later, the final 3 in the Tourney were you, Thewy, & Eric "The Screw" Barker, (who was later to "disappear" in THE most fascinating circumstances), & Thewy played that amazing hand v Eric.

Eric had Raised pre (there's a thing...) & Thewy had called with 9-2, or whatever, & he flopped the 2 for bottom pair. Eric bets the flop, Thewy calls, ditto turn, Eric pots it, Thewy calls, River, Eric sets Thewy in for plenty more, & Thewy snaps him off for his Tourney life, with bottom pair - the 2. That was the day I realised Thewy would win big stuff, & it was time for me to ease back on big money poker, as that play was completely out of my skillset.

It was Thewy's first really big score, & the Databases put it at £48,000, but in fact you & he chopped it. I was on 20%, too.....

At the time, you were in a hole, & that one result got you right out of it, & you were well pleased. I believe you settled a few peeps up (DC included) up, & never looked back.

PS - On Saturday, you will be joined by another of our Guests, Mr Carlo Citrone.  I'd love to dream of making the Final with you, & Mondy, but the Tourney plays way too fast for me, I'm a passive plodder & I'd need to get well lucky a lot of times.

[tikay]

Not long home and settled may jump in for a bit cash later if there is a fun game going.

You got it. about 11pm, I think. Go easy, eh?

[tikay]

A readers request.

Piece of music by a band beginning with "C".

Coft Cell.

lovely thanks. and fyl.

This is one of my top 3 songs of all time.

Fantastic stuff.

Please tell me this is a level, it hardly even qualifies as music.

Unless that is we're discussing the comparitive merits of 1980's "music" which is generally considered to be the most dire musical decade since Joshua brought down the walls of Jericho with his trumpet solo.

Ralph, do your research properly, please, that's most unlike you.

The Eagles never existed in the 80's - they broke up in early 1980, & never reformed until '94.

Hotel Cal was from the golden decade of music - the 70's. (I wonder what % of blondes were even born then?).

I like The Eagles and have their "Greatest Hits" LP amongst my collection.

Soft Cell on the other hand.....

Oh, I seeeeeee.

My bad Ralph, I apologise.

I thought you would be an Eagles man. I agree, Soft Cell is a bit of an acquired taste, but the arrangement of the song was quite beautiful, I thought.

[The Camel]

I head home today, which I'm dreading facing, then tomorrow, onwards to Newcastle for the SPT on Saturday.

I enjoy the SPT weekends enormously, but they leave me mentally & physically drained for days after.

The pre-start stress levels are pretty high, as there are always moans & groans about seat availability. Every Event could sell-out twice, so it's awkward. We try to be as fair as we can, but sometimes Rules need bending, they just do. We've had a big problem at Newcastle, as so many want to play it, so it all got a bit hot.

I have an allocation of seats for every SPT to allocate &/or donate as I see fit. I do so using my own moral & business code, & I tend to get a bit uppity when some ill-mannered oaf tells me what I can & can't do with Sky Poker's seats. For every Seat I give away, £100 goes into the Prize Pool. End of story afaic. "Oi, what about a seat for me, it's not fair, you have no right?" is not optimal.....

I fully expect some heat this weekend, as I've looked after a few people, who as far as I am concerned, ticked the right boxes. It's mainly, & usually, "regular" players who are in a hole, or had some misfortune. If I need to defend that, so be it. Sky Poker know my line on this. I won't be telling any porkies as to who got Seats from me & how.

The Newcastle leg of the SPT also gets a bit "beery". Marv. But I have a lot of good pals up there, too, with whom I've pokered for 10 years or more.

For the first time ever, I'm scheduled to actually play the event, which will be a novelty, though if there is any serious grief over seat allocation, I'll donate my seat, I can't be arsed with all that nonsense, I really can't.

Should be a good weekend, if we can avoid controversy over lack of Seats.

I plan to head South on Sunday morning, bright & early - maybe 7am - to kick on with sorting out my house. I might go to DTD in the afternoon, or Luton in the Evening, or just swerve both, as Sunday will be a very big night Online for SP, with the TSP Finals taking place.

Our very own Jakally is in with a shot at winning Membership of Team Sky Poker, so good luck to him on Sunday evening.  I cannot show bias, but......

I'm in for Saturday.

Really looking forward to it.

It's been a very very very long time since I played on your table Tikay, maybe we'll meet at the final!

The last time I recall was either.....

Deauville EPT, 2004.

I made a horrendous play with A-4 & got lucky, you said you were ashamed to know someone who played so bad. Penly was on the Table, too, as was Roland & Elky. Good week that - I made the semi of the Main, exiting after the worst play of my life, & Finals of two sideys. Young Lucky Jim Moult - BookieBasher -  won a nice sidey, too, the final of which included Willie Tann, & Devilfish, who tried to speech-play Jim. GG him. Jim cashed for €35k I think, & if he reads this diary, he'll recall the most wonderful story about how he lost the whole €35k.  He took the money home in a brown envelope, & stuffed it behind a wardrobe in his bedroom, best not to tell the missus about these windfalls, eh? Then something dreadful happened, & the missus decided to re-arrange the furniture one day......

We all took the train from Paris. Myself, Stu Fox & his g/f, Thewy, & Lucky Jim were in a compartment, nice & cosy, when Devilfish walked in & sat down, & regaled us with dreadfully corny stories for 2 hours. We got to the Hotel, & Devilfish followed Thewy & me to the room we were sharing, & before I knew what was what, he was on my PC, & had opened up my 'Stars account (perma-logged in) & done $4k. Then he went. Take care, Dave.

Thewy then decided it was time to go to the Restaurant & have a pot of Tea. We just KNEW it was a mistake when the waiter spread a starched linen tablecloth, & gave us napkins. Pot of tea for two, €45. Welcome to Deauville.

Luton, jan 2005, £1,000 Grand Challenge.

You, Thewy, & & were on my table in the early Levels, & a very odd hand went off, 3 way, & ? accidentally slung in 2 oversize chips. A Ruling was called for by Jon Shoreman, as the young Dealer never had a clue. You never uttered a word during all this, but it was ruled as "bet stands", & you snap-called with the absolute nuts. I remember being amazed that you kept totally schtum during the whole debate, & I've always done the same in such situations since.

A day later, the final 3 in the Tourney were you, Thewy, & Eric "The Screw" Barker, (who was later to "disappear" in THE most fascinating circumstances), & Thewy played that amazing hand v Eric.

Eric had Raised pre (there's a thing...) & Thewy had called with 9-2, or whatever, & he flopped the 2 for bottom pair. Eric bets the flop, Thewy calls, ditto turn, Eric pots it, Thewy calls, River, Eric sets Thewy in for plenty more, & Thewy snaps him off for his Tourney life, with bottom pair - the 2. That was the day I realised Thewy would win big stuff, & it was time for me to ease back on big money poker, as that play was completely out of my skillset.

It was Thewy's first really big score, & the Databases put it at £48,000, but in fact you & he chopped it. I was on 20%, too.....

At the time, you were in a hole, & that one result got you right out of it, & you were well pleased. I believe you settled a few peeps up (DC included) up, & never looked back.

PS - On Saturday, you will be joined by another of our Guests, Mr Carlo Citrone.  I'd love to dream of making the Final with you, & Mondy, but the Tourney plays way too fast for me, I'm a passive plodder & I'd need to get well lucky a lot of times.

Wow. I had totally forgotten about that Deauville run of yours. Very impressed I was really. It was a pretty strong field and you played really well.

I am pretty shocked about the Devilfish story. Not him doing your money of course, but you letting him loose on your laptop. Quelle niavity!

I do of course remember the Luton hand.

It was Skalie (pre WSOP final table run) who lobbed the big chips in.

Took the ruling like a proper man too. Tapped the table and said nice hand.

Not one word of recrimination or whining.

Made me chuffed for him when he got all that money in Vegas, there have been a few British big winners at the WSOP I have begrudged, but certainly not Jon. Top bloke.

[tikay]

I head home today, which I'm dreading facing, then tomorrow, onwards to Newcastle for the SPT on Saturday.

I enjoy the SPT weekends enormously, but they leave me mentally & physically drained for days after.

The pre-start stress levels are pretty high, as there are always moans & groans about seat availability. Every Event could sell-out twice, so it's awkward. We try to be as fair as we can, but sometimes Rules need bending, they just do. We've had a big problem at Newcastle, as so many want to play it, so it all got a bit hot.

I have an allocation of seats for every SPT to allocate &/or donate as I see fit. I do so using my own moral & business code, & I tend to get a bit uppity when some ill-mannered oaf tells me what I can & can't do with Sky Poker's seats. For every Seat I give away, £100 goes into the Prize Pool. End of story afaic. "Oi, what about a seat for me, it's not fair, you have no right?" is not optimal.....

I fully expect some heat this weekend, as I've looked after a few people, who as far as I am concerned, ticked the right boxes. It's mainly, & usually, "regular" players who are in a hole, or had some misfortune. If I need to defend that, so be it. Sky Poker know my line on this. I won't be telling any porkies as to who got Seats from me & how.

The Newcastle leg of the SPT also gets a bit "beery". Marv. But I have a lot of good pals up there, too, with whom I've pokered for 10 years or more.

For the first time ever, I'm scheduled to actually play the event, which will be a novelty, though if there is any serious grief over seat allocation, I'll donate my seat, I can't be arsed with all that nonsense, I really can't.

Should be a good weekend, if we can avoid controversy over lack of Seats.

I plan to head South on Sunday morning, bright & early - maybe 7am - to kick on with sorting out my house. I might go to DTD in the afternoon, or Luton in the Evening, or just swerve both, as Sunday will be a very big night Online for SP, with the TSP Finals taking place.

Our very own Jakally is in with a shot at winning Membership of Team Sky Poker, so good luck to him on Sunday evening.  I cannot show bias, but......

I'm in for Saturday.

Really looking forward to it.

It's been a very very very long time since I played on your table Tikay, maybe we'll meet at the final!

The last time I recall was either.....

Deauville EPT, 2004.

I made a horrendous play with A-4 & got lucky, you said you were ashamed to know someone who played so bad. Penly was on the Table, too, as was Roland & Elky. Good week that - I made the semi of the Main, exiting after the worst play of my life, & Finals of two sideys. Young Lucky Jim Moult - BookieBasher -  won a nice sidey, too, the final of which included Willie Tann, & Devilfish, who tried to speech-play Jim. GG him. Jim cashed for €35k I think, & if he reads this diary, he'll recall the most wonderful story about how he lost the whole €35k.  He took the money home in a brown envelope, & stuffed it behind a wardrobe in his bedroom, best not to tell the missus about these windfalls, eh? Then something dreadful happened, & the missus decided to re-arrange the furniture one day......

We all took the train from Paris. Myself, Stu Fox & his g/f, Thewy, & Lucky Jim were in a compartment, nice & cosy, when Devilfish walked in & sat down, & regaled us with dreadfully corny stories for 2 hours. We got to the Hotel, & Devilfish followed Thewy & me to the room we were sharing, & before I knew what was what, he was on my PC, & had opened up my 'Stars account (perma-logged in) & done $4k. Then he went. Take care, Dave.

Thewy then decided it was time to go to the Restaurant & have a pot of Tea. We just KNEW it was a mistake when the waiter spread a starched linen tablecloth, & gave us napkins. Pot of tea for two, €45. Welcome to Deauville.

Luton, jan 2005, £1,000 Grand Challenge.

You, Thewy, & & were on my table in the early Levels, & a very odd hand went off, 3 way, & ? accidentally slung in 2 oversize chips. A Ruling was called for by Jon Shoreman, as the young Dealer never had a clue. You never uttered a word during all this, but it was ruled as "bet stands", & you snap-called with the absolute nuts. I remember being amazed that you kept totally schtum during the whole debate, & I've always done the same in such situations since.

A day later, the final 3 in the Tourney were you, Thewy, & Eric "The Screw" Barker, (who was later to "disappear" in THE most fascinating circumstances), & Thewy played that amazing hand v Eric.

Eric had Raised pre (there's a thing...) & Thewy had called with 9-2, or whatever, & he flopped the 2 for bottom pair. Eric bets the flop, Thewy calls, ditto turn, Eric pots it, Thewy calls, River, Eric sets Thewy in for plenty more, & Thewy snaps him off for his Tourney life, with bottom pair - the 2. That was the day I realised Thewy would win big stuff, & it was time for me to ease back on big money poker, as that play was completely out of my skillset.

It was Thewy's first really big score, & the Databases put it at £48,000, but in fact you & he chopped it. I was on 20%, too.....

At the time, you were in a hole, & that one result got you right out of it, & you were well pleased. I believe you settled a few peeps up (DC included) up, & never looked back.

PS - On Saturday, you will be joined by another of our Guests, Mr Carlo Citrone.  I'd love to dream of making the Final with you, & Mondy, but the Tourney plays way too fast for me, I'm a passive plodder & I'd need to get well lucky a lot of times.

Wow. I had totally forgotten about that Deauville run of yours. Very impressed I was really. It was a pretty strong field and you played really well.

I am pretty shocked about the Devilfish story. Not him doing your money of course, but you letting him loose on your laptop. Quelle niavity!

I do of course remember the Luton hand.

It was Skalie (pre WSOP final table run) who lobbed the big chips in.

Took the ruling like a proper man too. Tapped the table and said nice hand.

Not one word of recrimination or whining.

Made me chuffed for him when he got all that money in Vegas, there have been a few British big winners at the WSOP I have begrudged, but certainly not Jon. Top bloke.

Thanks Keith, praise indeed. I must have run well all week, but I just played "opposite to table", everyone was mega-loose, & a little 3 or 4 bet every other Level, & a few good hands holding, is all it needs. My exit hand in the EPT Semi still gives me nightmares. Adrenelin was the cause. I'd just 2xup, & knew I could final now, & Bob Coombes - you would have known him well - Raised UTG. I had A-T, & I raised it up, another Frenchie joined the party, & Bob now pushes, which I took as a squeeze, but I was pot stuck by now. WTF was I beating? Bob, of course, was the tightest player on earth.  I was livid with myself - I KNEW it was a dumb play the moment I did it. I've regretted it so many times since. The winner was a lovely kid, who I keep in touch with even now, Brandon Schaefer (sp?), & the oddity was that he & the runner-up both came from the same small town in America, & qualified in the same Online Satellite. Nice kids, both of them. I'd never have won it, of course, but I'd love to have finalled in my only EPT, & that's te real regret.

My naivety & The Fish? Not wrong. In those days I was not so street-wise, & he was famous, so he must be trustworthy......

The Luton hand - ahh yes, Skalie, now I remember. As you say, he was devestated, but took it like a proper bloke & wished you well, genuinely.

Jeez, the kids will be hating this Memory Lane stuff. I'd love to write a book, actually, I have a thousand stories. All boring, too.

[pokerfan]

Jeez, the kids will be hating this Memory Lane stuff. I'd love to write a book, actually, I have a thousand stories. All boring, too.


Don`t quite qualify as a kid (maybe compared to you  ) but more please.

[The Camel]

I head home today, which I'm dreading facing, then tomorrow, onwards to Newcastle for the SPT on Saturday.

I enjoy the SPT weekends enormously, but they leave me mentally & physically drained for days after.

The pre-start stress levels are pretty high, as there are always moans & groans about seat availability. Every Event could sell-out twice, so it's awkward. We try to be as fair as we can, but sometimes Rules need bending, they just do. We've had a big problem at Newcastle, as so many want to play it, so it all got a bit hot.

I have an allocation of seats for every SPT to allocate &/or donate as I see fit. I do so using my own moral & business code, & I tend to get a bit uppity when some ill-mannered oaf tells me what I can & can't do with Sky Poker's seats. For every Seat I give away, £100 goes into the Prize Pool. End of story afaic. "Oi, what about a seat for me, it's not fair, you have no right?" is not optimal.....

I fully expect some heat this weekend, as I've looked after a few people, who as far as I am concerned, ticked the right boxes. It's mainly, & usually, "regular" players who are in a hole, or had some misfortune. If I need to defend that, so be it. Sky Poker know my line on this. I won't be telling any porkies as to who got Seats from me & how.

The Newcastle leg of the SPT also gets a bit "beery". Marv. But I have a lot of good pals up there, too, with whom I've pokered for 10 years or more.

For the first time ever, I'm scheduled to actually play the event, which will be a novelty, though if there is any serious grief over seat allocation, I'll donate my seat, I can't be arsed with all that nonsense, I really can't.

Should be a good weekend, if we can avoid controversy over lack of Seats.

I plan to head South on Sunday morning, bright & early - maybe 7am - to kick on with sorting out my house. I might go to DTD in the afternoon, or Luton in the Evening, or just swerve both, as Sunday will be a very big night Online for SP, with the TSP Finals taking place.

Our very own Jakally is in with a shot at winning Membership of Team Sky Poker, so good luck to him on Sunday evening.  I cannot show bias, but......

I'm in for Saturday.

Really looking forward to it.

It's been a very very very long time since I played on your table Tikay, maybe we'll meet at the final!

The last time I recall was either.....

Deauville EPT, 2004.

I made a horrendous play with A-4 & got lucky, you said you were ashamed to know someone who played so bad. Penly was on the Table, too, as was Roland & Elky. Good week that - I made the semi of the Main, exiting after the worst play of my life, & Finals of two sideys. Young Lucky Jim Moult - BookieBasher -  won a nice sidey, too, the final of which included Willie Tann, & Devilfish, who tried to speech-play Jim. GG him. Jim cashed for €35k I think, & if he reads this diary, he'll recall the most wonderful story about how he lost the whole €35k.  He took the money home in a brown envelope, & stuffed it behind a wardrobe in his bedroom, best not to tell the missus about these windfalls, eh? Then something dreadful happened, & the missus decided to re-arrange the furniture one day......

We all took the train from Paris. Myself, Stu Fox & his g/f, Thewy, & Lucky Jim were in a compartment, nice & cosy, when Devilfish walked in & sat down, & regaled us with dreadfully corny stories for 2 hours. We got to the Hotel, & Devilfish followed Thewy & me to the room we were sharing, & before I knew what was what, he was on my PC, & had opened up my 'Stars account (perma-logged in) & done $4k. Then he went. Take care, Dave.

Thewy then decided it was time to go to the Restaurant & have a pot of Tea. We just KNEW it was a mistake when the waiter spread a starched linen tablecloth, & gave us napkins. Pot of tea for two, €45. Welcome to Deauville.

Luton, jan 2005, £1,000 Grand Challenge.

You, Thewy, & & were on my table in the early Levels, & a very odd hand went off, 3 way, & ? accidentally slung in 2 oversize chips. A Ruling was called for by Jon Shoreman, as the young Dealer never had a clue. You never uttered a word during all this, but it was ruled as "bet stands", & you snap-called with the absolute nuts. I remember being amazed that you kept totally schtum during the whole debate, & I've always done the same in such situations since.

A day later, the final 3 in the Tourney were you, Thewy, & Eric "The Screw" Barker, (who was later to "disappear" in THE most fascinating circumstances), & Thewy played that amazing hand v Eric.

Eric had Raised pre (there's a thing...) & Thewy had called with 9-2, or whatever, & he flopped the 2 for bottom pair. Eric bets the flop, Thewy calls, ditto turn, Eric pots it, Thewy calls, River, Eric sets Thewy in for plenty more, & Thewy snaps him off for his Tourney life, with bottom pair - the 2. That was the day I realised Thewy would win big stuff, & it was time for me to ease back on big money poker, as that play was completely out of my skillset.

It was Thewy's first really big score, & the Databases put it at £48,000, but in fact you & he chopped it. I was on 20%, too.....

At the time, you were in a hole, & that one result got you right out of it, & you were well pleased. I believe you settled a few peeps up (DC included) up, & never looked back.

PS - On Saturday, you will be joined by another of our Guests, Mr Carlo Citrone.  I'd love to dream of making the Final with you, & Mondy, but the Tourney plays way too fast for me, I'm a passive plodder & I'd need to get well lucky a lot of times.

Wow. I had totally forgotten about that Deauville run of yours. Very impressed I was really. It was a pretty strong field and you played really well.

I am pretty shocked about the Devilfish story. Not him doing your money of course, but you letting him loose on your laptop. Quelle niavity!

I do of course remember the Luton hand.

It was Skalie (pre WSOP final table run) who lobbed the big chips in.

Took the ruling like a proper man too. Tapped the table and said nice hand.

Not one word of recrimination or whining.

Made me chuffed for him when he got all that money in Vegas, there have been a few British big winners at the WSOP I have begrudged, but certainly not Jon. Top bloke.

Thanks Keith, praise indeed. I must have run well all week, but I just played "opposite to table", everyone was mega-loose, & a little 3 or 4 bet every other Level, & a few good hands holding, is all it needs. My exit hand in the EPT Semi still gives me nightmares. Adrenelin was the cause. I'd just 2xup, & knew I could final now, & Bob Coombes - you would have known him well - Raised UTG. I had A-T, & I raised it up, another Frenchie joined the party, & Bob now pushes, which I took as a squeeze, but I was pot stuck by now. WTF was I beating? Bob, of course, was the tightest player on earth.  I was livid with myself - I KNEW it was a dumb play the moment I did it. I've regretted it so many times since. The winner was a lovely kid, who I keep in touch with even now, Brandon Schaefer (sp?), & the oddity was that he & the runner-up both came from the same small town in America, & qualified in the same Online Satellite. Nice kids, both of them. I'd never have won it, of course, but I'd love to have finalled in my only EPT, & that's te real regret.

My naivety & The Fish? Not wrong. In those days I was not so street-wise, & he was famous, so he must be trustworthy......

The Luton hand - ahh yes, Skalie, now I remember. As you say, he was devestated, but took it like a proper bloke & wished you well, genuinely.

Jeez, the kids will be hating this Memory Lane stuff. I'd love to write a book, actually, I have a thousand stories. All boring, too.

Of course I know Bob Coombes, he is one of my best friends in poker. He comes up to stay every August for the Ebor meeting at York.

Was kind of like a mentor to me when I first gave up work for poker. I owe him more than I can ever hope to repay.

One piece of advice always stays in my mind. I'll tel you it on Saturday.

I was chip leader for ages for that tournament. Won a huge pot on the bubble AA v KK, king on the flop, ace on the river.

I was chip daddy until the last two tables when I tried a huge bluff on Luckyblind. He'd flopped a set. The bluff failed.

I came 10th.

Back to Deauville in a couple of weeks. By far my favourite EPT venue. Awesome hotel, great restaurants and beautiful town.

Can't wait.