Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Pokerpops]

Damon Albarn is 57 (FIFTY SEVEN).

WTF?

Gotta be the coolest 57 year old on the planet. Even Thewy (similar age) is not that cool.

Noel & Liam have entered the chat!

Back to the 90s, just like that

The difference is Damon has talent, so GTFO outa here with your Oasis bilge.

Jarvis has to be in the conversation though

[tikay]

Late one last night Tony?

5/345 for a nice cash  

Morning Ralph, & thank you.

Given my nitty style & preference for the 4/5/6 card games, you'd think nothing would suit me less than a 15 minute clock super Turbo NLH which averages over 300 entries, & you'd be right, & yet thanks to the vagaries of variance, that's the third Friday night cash on the spin -  30th Jan, 13/342, £250, 6th Feb, 8th/267, £410 + £100 in bounties, & 13th Feb, 5th/345, £900. And yes, I had a whole bunch of luck along the road, which I'm sure you will have guessed.

And it continues my story of min or small cashes galore, and almost a total absence from the Winner's Enclosure.

Think I've mentioned this before, but there are so many things I adore about Tournament poker, & very little I don't. Bad beats don't bother me one iota, I just poll up, try to enjoy every moment, then poodle back home & start the next part of my day. Of course, I mostly just play small-ball stuff, but that does not matter, in fact it probably helps because like everyone who plays MTT's I lose more often than I cash. So if losing bothers you, to my mind you are better off not playing at all, after all it's only a hobby & hobbies are meant to be fun.

MTT's are in a vague way a little like chess, not in a cerebral way, obv, but both have phases which we might term "Opening Game, "Mid Game" & "End Game". Each are very different, & there's a sort of transition point between each. When I start an MTT, I have 2 clear targets - cashing (as opposed to winning, but very importantly to me getting a new Hendon) & enjoying myself, & it's the "End Game" - lets say the last 25% - where the most fun is. At that stage, we can see how many paid, how far off the money we are, & our stack size relative to the Blinds. In my case of course I'm always below average, & with sharp-structured MTT's that usually means I'm limited to squeezes, shoves & flips. (There's no "play" as such in the sharp end of 1 day Super Turbos) and each & every one gives a little dose of adrenaline. There's that moment when you attempt a squeeze & some fella is tanking, or it's All-In and a Call and Dealer says "on their backs" & there's that momentary surge of excitement waiting to see how we stand. I'm not sure the novelty of that stuff will ever wear off. Is that a little childish after all these years? Maybe, but IDGAF, I love it all.

And it's aural too, there's that clank of plastic chip trays, which signals another table breaking, & another step nearer our goal.

Bubbles are huge fun too, we don't dislike any of our opponents on this or other tables but we are dying for one to bust & we don't extend a moment of sympathy or thought to the bustee, instead everyone sort of rejoices, "job done", or partly. And when the FT Bubble busts, suddenly there's a warmth & sense of camaraderie between all the Finalists - WE MADE IT sort of thing.  

Hendons? I'm obsessed with notching them up, & I'm not sure why, but every now & then I like to peruse them & it triggers memories galore. And it's an "official" record of one's MTT achievements. It's meaningless of course, as it counts cashes but not losses, or profit, but it's the best we've got.

And there's another thing, when I play an MTT I'm almost certainly the oldest entrant. That should not matter but it really does give me some satisfaction to (occasionally) be able to hang in with the kids & young guns. I'm not exactly Eric Dalby, but I'm in the frame.

Bit of waffle there, but blame Ralph, he gave me the opening & I could not resist. Two brief lines from him and a 9 paragraph reply. I'm in a few WhatsApp groups, & whenever I cash, I secretly yearn for someone to say "I see you cashed last night" so I can have a little chirp. It's ridiculous really, but idgaf, we all like a little affirmation & massages of our self-esteem.

Oh, & tomorrow (Monday) will be an exciting day - the WSOP Schedule gets unveiled so I'll be mashing F5 all day.

[tikay]

ooh, MANTIS is online.

His retort to Cos's comments a page or so back will be something to behold, trust me, assuming he sees it.

[tikay]

Damon Albarn is 57 (FIFTY SEVEN).

WTF?

Gotta be the coolest 57 year old on the planet. Even Thewy (similar age) is not that cool.

Noel & Liam have entered the chat!

Back to the 90s, just like that

The difference is Damon has talent, so GTFO outa here with your Oasis bilge.

Jarvis has to be in the conversation though

That's spooky, Jarvis/Pulp are another, along with Damon/Gorillaz, I have happily rediscovered of late. It's light stuff but has aged well, & Jarvis always puts on a proper performance, with all the hand actions & strange oohs & ahhs. They've been around (on & off) over 40 years, & I think Candida has been there the whole time. She's so crippled with arthritis in her hands she can only play very basic note sequences, but it all works nicely & it's good that they've stuck with her, & unusual to see a lady in her 60's in a pop band. Hard to pick my favourite Pulp work but "Something Changed" is in the mix, & there's scores of versions of it on YT.

For any Pulp fans here, there's a thing on You Tube called "Tiny Desk Concerts" a sort of modern version of MTV Unplugged, The Pulp edition is excellent, with Jarvis at his theatrical best, Candida doing her repetitive note stuff, Webber hilariously cocking up a guitar riff, & Banks (drummer) using his chair as a drum. Well worth a watch, it's in my daily music mix.


Here you go...

[tikay]

One more rediscovered music thing before I sign off - Rick Wakeman.

I originally knew him from my days of idolising "Yes", especially the TOTO album, though when I revisit it now it all looks so pretentious, like so much Prog Rock now seems.

He also had his 6 Wives phase, & JTTCOTE (narrated by David Hemmings) before he sort of fell off my radar.

Then, recently, it seems he's re-invented himself as a pianist & plays quite beautifully, light classical stuff, Cat Stevens MHB, Beatles music etc. He really is very good indeed.


Try these for size, Clair de Lune (sp?), Morning Has Broken & a quite enchanting version of the Beatles "WMGGW". No sheet music to read either, all seems to come so naturally.

[tikay]

One more - a lovely sort of al fresco version of Melancholy Hill by Damon. Tell me he's not super cool.

[GreekStein]

ooh, MANTIS is online.

His retort to Cos's comments a page or so back will be something to behold, trust me, assuming he sees it.

Anthony Kendall.

Pretends he hates a ruckus on here.

Absolutely loved it.

What a stirrer.

[Pokerpops]

Have a look at Common People from their Glastonbury set last year.
With an accompanying fly past by the Red Arrows.

I’ve ‘done’ Glastonbury a few times and the last two years mystery sets have provided outstanding memories. The secret is rarely kept secure but the reveal is still a shiver moment.

[tikay]

Have a look at Common People from their Glastonbury set last year.
With an accompanying fly past by the Red Arrows.

I’ve ‘done’ Glastonbury a few times and the last two years mystery sets have provided outstanding memories. The secret is rarely kept secure but the reveal is still a shiver moment.

Yes, very good.

Jarvis always gives a full-on "show", full of effort, & it's never really changed since Day 1, but he always gives a performance. Think he'd make a great actor. Amazing how a few big hits can sustain a band for a lifetime, although most bands are not around long enough to cash in. He's in pretty good nick for a man of 62/63.

And he always does that thing where he intros all the band members, with Candida getting the loudest cheer every time. She was in her backless dress & her hair up, pretty brave for a mid-sixties girl.

Maybe I'm easily pleased, but bravo Pulp.

Here's that Glasto '26 rendition of Common People.

[celtic]

Mantis has gone soft.

[Mohican]

Heard you played the APAT at DTD the other week. I bust fairly early on day 1 and after a quick scan around a full casino, I couldn't see or hear you so decided to get on my merry way. Hope you faired better than I did.

[Pokerpops]

Damon Albarn is 57 (FIFTY SEVEN).

WTF?

Gotta be the coolest 57 year old on the planet. Even Thewy (similar age) is not that cool.

Noel & Liam have entered the chat!

Back to the 90s, just like that

The difference is Damon has talent, so GTFO outa here with your Oasis bilge.

Jarvis has to be in the conversation though

That's spooky, Jarvis/Pulp are another, along with Damon/Gorillaz, I have happily rediscovered of late. It's light stuff but has aged well, & Jarvis always puts on a proper performance, with all the hand actions & strange oohs & ahhs. They've been around (on & off) over 40 years, & I think Candida has been there the whole time. She's so crippled with arthritis in her hands she can only play very basic note sequences, but it all works nicely & it's good that they've stuck with her, & unusual to see a lady in her 60's in a pop band. Hard to pick my favourite Pulp work but "Something Changed" is in the mix, & there's scores of versions of it on YT.

For any Pulp fans here, there's a thing on You Tube called "Tiny Desk Concerts" a sort of modern version of MTV Unplugged, The Pulp edition is excellent, with Jarvis at his theatrical best, Candida doing her repetitive note stuff, Webber hilariously cocking up a guitar riff, & Banks (drummer) using his chair as a drum. Well worth a watch, it's in my daily music mix.


Here you go...

I think Banks is playing a Cajon - a Peruvian percussion instrument.

#Invalid YouTube Link#

Even after 20yrs I still can’t post a YT link

As an aside, he could have used a Dube.