Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Just wanted to recommend a wildlife programme called Inside the animal mind on BBC iPlayer, I happened to catch the last ten mins or so of the third part of this series which contains some very moving scenes of elephants and dolphin behaviour. Well worth a watch even if you don't have time for the whole programme.

Only just seen this - thank you. Will take a look.

If this sort of thing interests you, I heartily recommend "Bizarre Animal Friends", which, despite a rather naff title, has some wonderful episodes, especially the one with the orphaned baby elephant, & the sheep.

The end was such a surprise - a twist in every sense of the word - & I cried my eyes out.

Do try & watch it.

[tikay]

Strayed on here as I just had a read through the Telegraph's story on the Ladbrokes results, what's your thoughts tikay? Any link to the raw results? How's their online poker doing?

Find the diary full of basketball! The first pic is Manute Bol with Muggsy Bogues, who was 5 foot 3. Nate Robinson is the guy dunking over people, he's 5'9 or 10, a veritable giant!

We discuss all sorts here Jeff, this is not Tom's Diary, this is a proper Diary, with an eclectic range of diverse topics.

Stay tuned.

[tikay]

Tourney report would be good too, if you can still remember it. No rush.

I did some brief notes the other day, but I want to jot down some notelets from that Omaha thing.

I was pretty stressed out all week, & everything is a bit of a blur, & even now, I'm struggling to remember much of what happened.

There was no room for the Omaha Tourney to start as planned @ 6pm, & there was a huge queue waiting to enter. Simon Trumper & I both decided we'd not enter until & unless everyone else was seated, & the Waiting List had cleared.  

In total, there were 79 Entries. Can't have been many £550 Omaha Tourneys in the UK of late which attracted a field of that size, surely? I had expected 40 at best.

The Tourney eventually began at around 8pm, & we both took our seats 3 hours later, just after 11pm. The structure was so good, it made no odds, really.

It was a Double Chance Freezeout, but I have no recollection at all of taking the 2nd Chance, but I suppose I must have done.

My opening Table was everything I had dared dream.

Chris Brammer, Zimnan Ziyard, Ben Vinson, Adam Picken, Kev Allen, some regular guys, & little me, sitting with the Big Boys. Just what I wanted, oooh. I have very low self-esteem & confidence as a rule, but I genuinely believed - daft, I know - that with a decent structure, I'd go deep in this. Not because I am good at the game, but because so many players - & I don't include those guys in that category - play Omaha so badly, like sort of 4 card Hold Em.

More..... (sorry, but blame Vinny, he asked).

[tikay]

This was, overall, a very tidy field.

In addition to Chris Brammer, Zimnan Ziyard, Adam Picken, Kev Allen & Ben Vinson, these lads (below) all played. Curiously, in an 80 runner field, I don't recall a single female playing it. Why that, I wonder?

Some of the field were just top notch NLH players trying a bit of 4 card, but even so, aggression is the key to these things, & they all do aggro real good, whilst I'm Lord Passive Nit.

John Burberry

Mad Turk

At It Bradley

Jerome Bradpiece (much respect)

Keith Johnson

Basha

Devilfish

Lord Gosney

Dave Lloyd

Simon Scobie (Scobie!) Trumper

Jamie Sykes

James Williams

Jeff Duvall. (Subject of my man love).


So, some tidy names, many of whom are pretty useful @ Omaha, but I suppose the bulk of the field were realy NLH players.

Not to especially diss him, but Jac Arama played, too. I've no idea if he used to be competent, but fair to say, he was either roffling around, or has "lost" his game, just as I have "lost" my NLH game. From what I saw, he played every single hand. Meanwhile, I tried to ensure I played at least one hand every Level. In a "who is worse" debate, it'd be nip & tick between he & I. Botrh of us need to learn to balance our rages a bit, suffice to say.

More follows.....(I know, I know. I still blame Vinny).

[tikay]

I used to play Live Poker 7 nights a week.

Now, well, this was my 2nd outing since Vegas last year.

And I was SO excited, my hands were shaking, with a mixture of nerves, & excitement.

For some reason, it bothers me a little that many recreationals have forgotten how to enjoy poker. Maybe play a little less, & the buzz will come back. And, lets be honest, 99% of us are recreationals. 

So I take my seat, my first hand is dealt......

I should add that I've been playing a ton of Online Poker laterly (by my standards), some 2,000 PLO8 SNG's in the last 4 months.

But this was LIVE Poker. With REAL cards. And REAL people.

There are very few similarities between Online & Live, it seems to me.

Anyway.....

My cards are dealt, & I get to "snap" them, that delicious feeling/sound when you lift the corner of a crisp playing card & then "snap" it. Strange how such things get taken for granted. It's a great feeling & sound, much like the riffling of chips by 2,000 players in the RIO on WSOP ME Opening Day.

I do a really geeky thing, too, which I'm sure causes some eye-rolling. I like to look at my cards one at a time. First one, then the next, da de da, to sort of prolong the moment, the thrill & buzz. Will it be a monster?

It does not waste the Table's time, as I look at each card as soon as I get it.

And I do another daft thing, too. I MUST place my hand in "ranking" order. Aces at the front (top), low cards at the back (bottom). When pairs exist, suited cards have to be in alphabetical order, too. C, D, H, S.

It's all about relishing every moment. I do that for every single hand. On a scale of ten, how daft is that?


More follows (Vinny....)

[tikay]

I wrote this bit Next Door, so I'll just copy it.

It involves Adam Picken. I don't know Adam THAT well, bumped into him a few times, but read all his stuff on blonde, & he's clearly a very very good PLO8 player. Crushes.  

He has amazing hair, it is all over the place, every which way, & I could not help staring at it. He never noticed, as he was engrossed in a poker magazine.

Jeez, years ago, when we were limited to Poker Europa, & Cardplayer, I used to read every line of those things. Doubt I've read one cover to cover for 10 years now, until around 6 months ago, when I started to read them again, more for "work" purposes than anything. I want to start writing articles for a magazine (please don't laugh, allow me my idle thoughts), so I thought I'd better feel the mood. I don't want to do strategy stuff, obv, but the Level One player is dreadfully neglected in the Poker Media, Print & Online, as is the psychology of poker, & the joy of poker. Incidentally, I happen to believe (lols allowed) that I teach Level One poker better than anyone in the game. I DO. Or I think I do. Lev 2 & up, forget it, I'm lost, I just can't do it. But 95% of the poker player base are Level One. No, don't argue, they ARE.

Anyway, I digress.

This was the Adam Picken tale.


Never give up.......

Towards the end of Day One, a lad named Adam Picken had been playing very snug, & had built a decent stack. He is an Online PLO8 & PLO Pro.

Suddenly, he & one other got the lot in, Adam calling all-in, cards went "on their backs".

Adam says "phew, I can't lose, we both have A-K for top two pairs, chop it up".

His hand was tabled. We all stared at it. I even walked round the table to see it better. A-K? What? I can't see the King?

Suddenly Adam physically jolted bolt upright in his chair, & picked his hand up.

"Oh no, (or words to that effect) I've misread my hand! I have A-Q, not A-K".

We've all done it.

So that was that, a classic misread, & Adam was out, busto, gone.

But when they counted his stack, he had 2.5 Bigs left. In truth, he would prefer to be out, it's such an embarrassing thing to happen in front of a table full of poker players, & now he had to wait another hand to lose the rest of his bowl.
 
Next hand, first to speak, & paying no heed to his mini-stack, (I'd not considered it really) I min-raised. And got THREE callers. Then Adam shoved over the top. So 4 of us all called the extra half a Big Blind, lol.

We check it down, all three streets, as you do.

"On their backs" says the Dealer. Everyone is reluctant to show, so we all know nobody has much.  I sheepishly show one pair, someone else does the same. Eventually, it becomes clear that Adam, with a rivered top two, has won the pot, & suddenly he has north of 10 Bigs!

Adam went on to finish 5th, for £2,400.

Fair play to him.

Never give up

[Junior Senior]

Not really into trains Tony but took the pics for this thread three years ago and as i have just learnt how to use photobucket i uploaded them.

[tikay]

Chris Brammer was on my Table.

You may already know this, but I have deep man-love for Chris.

I've "Updated" on him a hundred times, in the UK, & Vegas, but can't recall, at least not for 8 years or more, sharing tables with him. We move in different circles, him in £5,000 High Roller things, & bossing the Pocket Five Rankings, me in £5.50 & £11 PLO8 DYM's. Quite a gulf, there.

I still reckon that Chris's performance in 2011 (?) in Vegas was the greatest psychological performance I've seen in many a year. My view is biased, of course, as I had purchased a bit of his action, but even so, it was remarkable, especially when we see how lacking backbone so many players are when the going gets tough, "woe is me, I run so bad, I effing hate poker" stuff really gets on my tits, these people need to man up.

To remind you, Chris bricked 20 straight events on the bounce, never even made a single Day Two. That's bad enough on your own money, but when you have sold 50% of your action, the pressure must have been incred, that is far worse than if it is all your own cash.

And then he Finalled the $5,000 6 Max, in fact was v unlucky to bust.

He owed me, I seem to recall, $15,000, & within hours, he had looked me up in the Media Room, & handed over the lolly in crisp $100 notes.

I can watch Chris play poker all day. That applies to very few others, poker is not a spectator sport, & I've spent - literally - thousands of hours Updating Poker Tourneys, or commentating on them Next Door, 5 hours at a stretch. The only others who fascinate me so are Sam Trickett, Tom Dwan, Marc Wright, Sam Grafton, Lord Shallow, & Jeff Duvall.  

Anyway.....

Again from Next Door.....


Chris Brammer - I have a bit of man-love for Chris, I respect his game immensely - folded to me on the river on our opening Table in a most peculiar spot. EPT winner Zinayd Zimnan (sp?) was in the hand, as was Ben Vinson, so I was a bit out of my depth with those lads.  

The hand was weird, 4 way, & checked down to the river. I had top pair (Ace) queen kicker, but one pair 4 way is rarely any good, but I thought I'd take a stab as nobody seemed interested.

The Turn & river were BOTH deuces, & Chris dwelt for nearly a minute before folding.
 
I bumped into him later, & he said "I put you on Aces full once the deuces paired, & I folded the under-house, as you could ONLY have Aces full as played".

Err.......not quite.
 
This was one of those spots where we are against someone who does not quite know what they are doing, & get overly aggro with a poor hand, & force better hands to fold. Except I was the "bad player" on this occasion, & it was by accident rather than design that I got it through. Chris said "you could not possible do that with just an ace Tony".....

Whoops.  

I honestly felt so bad when Chris said that. I'm not sure I even confessed the truth to him.

Not a word to him, right? He might just harbour the suspicion that I almost know what I'm doing. Don't disullusion him, eh?

PS - How cool does he look in those geeky bins?

[tikay]

Not really into trains Tony but took the pics for this thread three years ago and as i have just learnt how to use photobucket i uploaded them.

What?

Is your name Red-Dog?

[tikay]

So, the Tourney ambled along, as slow as slow can be. I LOVE slow poker. What's with all this "speed it up guys, play faster" bollox? Savour the moment.....

It must have been 4am when we bagged up.

Is bagging up after Day One the best thing ever? Bar Bagging up after Day Two, I suppose, which I only recall doing twice, once in an EPT, once in a WSOP PLO8. Such a lovely, satisfying, feeling. Job done, tomorrow we start again. Heaven.

I must add, that whilst I was playing the Tourney, I was supposed to be "working". This mainly consisted of pieces to cameras with Anna Fowler, so I had to keep leaving the Table every hour or so & do a bit of work.

Dan, the Producer, & Anna, were both very understanding, & I wrote & thanked them both later.

On one occasion, on the Bubble, & with a break 20 minutes away, Anna came across, "We need to do a piece to camera, end of Day Wrap, Dan wants you now".

Err, OK.

"Would it help if I delayed Dan for 20 minutes by faffing with my make-up & hair?"  

Honestly, Anna is such a lovely kid, what you see is what you get, no airs & graces, freely self-depricating, and pure gold, not an ounce of bad in her.

Anyway, I got to bed at 5am, & was back @ DTD to sort stuff @ 10am. Tighty was already in place. I have no idea how he finds the energy.

Day Two began at 2pm, so Dan did all the stuff with Anna & I early, so I could continue to play with minimal interruption. God Bless them both.

Play ambled along, & soon, 5pm or somesuch, we reached the money Bubble, 12 left, 11 paid.

This, usually, is where I "freeze", but on this occasion, even though I was aching to cash, I just continued to play normally, & even abused the bubble (that's the kids term, right) a wee bit.

Hi Diddly Hi Flanders was the shortie, & he constantly patrolled both Tables to see who else was short. I thought that was a bit sad, but the irony was that I used to do that.

And the bubble went on.....and on....and on. Two & a half hours!

I got a lot of re-steals through in this period, I could barely believe I was doing it. Genuinely, no fear.

Also, this was when I found the BvB Fold with K-K-K-A, & got shown, remarkably, A-A-A-K. Don't ever recall seeing that before.

So my foot was on the pedal, but not silly, I still had good balance, & was totally focused. I doubt I've ever player better. Or run better, truth to tell, all my hands "held". Very very rare in Omaha, that.  

So, to a degree, that "sharpened" the structure up a bit, & in truth, I think that helped me in the Final. Short-stacked poker is what I most enjoy, the decisions seem so much simpler.

Anyway, the bubble eventually went pop, & soon we had a Final Table. Including me.

Wow, almost a dream come true. Remember, this was only my 2nd Live outing since Vegas last year, & I adore Live Poker, & especialy Omaha.

Fairy tale stuff in my little world.  

More. (Vinny.....).

[tikay]

So, The Final, which was held on the Feature Table, that great big monstrosity at the very front of DTD.

Rewind 3 months now.

I went on several recces with the TV Crew to suss out DTD for the TV Series.

From the outset, I was dead set AGAINST using the Feature Table, as it is not (imo) player-friendly. It is WAY too big, the Dealer cannot reach, we can't reach, it's bloody horrible. That was my view, & I stated it forcibly. DTD agreed, NO Feature Table. The Tourney is first & foremost for the PLAYERS, & the "experience" it gives them, not the TV Series. Tails should not wag dogs, right?

But I got pressurised, & like a wimp, I gave in. With surly bad grace, I might add. OK, OK, we use the effing Feature Table.

And when I first sat at that Table - first time in several years - I KNEW I was right. It was bloody horrible. Ugh.

But........within 20 minutes, I had plum forgotten abooit it, & it was perfectly fine. The occasion was bigger than the Table.

So, I was wrong, & felt the need to apologise to the TV lads. They must hate me at times.

The thing is, once I "felt" the experience, & then, when the Main Event Final began, I saw all the cameras in place, it all made better sense - the TV shots are truly fantastic, as there was room for all 5 (!) Cameras to get cracking close-ups. And the playing experience was just fine, as I was lost in the moment, I suppose. And none of the players complained, so I got that one as wrong as wrong can be. Not for the first time...... with age, I appear to be developing a slightly stubborn & obdurate streak. Not much, but a bit.

More (Vin......)

[Bad Beat]

 just seeing the Status Quo stuff.

 I had an early-morning meeting at Starbucks today. The bloke was late and I waited outside with my coffee. Another bloke was doing the same thing, (playing with his phone and checking his watch).

 His coffee cup said Paul and it was definitely Paul Weller. Smoked at least three Marlboro Red before his mate turned up. I was very torn about whether to speak to him. Totally starstruck. He looked well.

[Karabiner]

Lovely trip report Tony, I've not read one of yours for quite a while now but there is one small detail that I feel the need to pull you up on if you will indulge me.

I like to do that thing with my cards where they are all in order too. Aces on top dueces at the bottom, but alphabetical order for the suits is just plain wrong Tony and you should be ashamed of yourself.

Suits must be in BRIDGE order; Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs.

[DaveShoelace]

just seeing the Status Quo stuff.

 I had an early-morning meeting at Starbucks today. The bloke was late and I waited outside with my coffee. Another bloke was doing the same thing, (playing with his phone and checking his watch).

 His coffee cup said Paul and it was definitely Paul Weller. Smoked at least three Marlboro Red before his mate turned up. I was very torn about whether to speak to him. Totally starstruck. He looked well.

Maybe somewhere on the internets a poster called 'TheModfather' is bragging about seeing that poker bloke who always wears a karate suit off of the telly in Starbucks.

[rfgqqabc]

I'd have bet a lot of money prior to reading your report that it came A22, Zimmy bet the flop and you called. Brammer tanked for ages and called the flop, I was very surprised, I couldn't really see him having a 2 having limped the cutoff but it felt like a possibility. (You limped utg and it went about 7 ways to the flop I believe) I thought the turn was something like a 7, and it checked around. River 9 perhaps, and you led. At this point I had the money in my pocket on you having squarely aces. Whilst Brammer was tanking I felt like rolling my eyes. The word trivial sprang to mind like a rather short Geordie lad who'd bounced up to me earlier.

I'd never give up 2.5 big blinds. That was the worst I'd felt at a table but primarily because I've got a lot of respect for many of the players at the table. Kev Allen, Mr.Vinson, yourself and anyone else I might be forgetting. I was absolutely gutted. It was a great time to make an appearance on the UK poker scene and I really wanted something. I felt the same about UKIPT Nottingham but had bust very early. I felt in the zone, but maybe a little too much

What did you have when Mr.Vinson opened the cutoff/btn, I 3bet to 75k I believe, playing about 400k and you shoved for 245k effective? You had a wry smile as you shoved but I didn't know what to make of it. Really well played on the final and on day 1. Beautiful competition, I really enjoyed it.

I wasn't a fan of the final table at all but it did just become normal fairly quickly. The players were good with helping the dealers out which prevented any annoyance.

P.S I'm glad someone caught the comedy in my misread, I actually picked up my own hand off the felt to get a closer look. Rofl.