Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Sportsman has a £250 freeze on a Monday night 8 pm......40+ runners

I'm liking it

Is the Pass from SWMBO sorted?

[RED-DOG]

Sportsman has a £250 freeze on a Monday night 8 pm......40+ runners

I'm liking it

Is the Pass from SWMBO sorted?

GM suit dry-cleaned?

[Dingdell]

Sportsman has a £250 freeze on a Monday night 8 pm......40+ runners

I'm liking it

It often sells out though - get there in time for the free dinner - very nice - so be there by 7.15 to ensire a seat.

[tikay]

In London all day, & did the Sky Show tonight. The time seemed to fly past, usually a sign of a half-decent Show, & Sean Boyce is very good indeed to work with. Wardrobe issued me with my plum jacket, but the Poducer - skrikera - made me take it off, as she felt it clashed with Sean's wardrobe. Don't wanna outdress the Presenter I suppose.

On next Monday's show, Michael Greco is the Guest, & Sky asked me to find a "suitable" co-guest. I managed that with a bit to spare I think - I rung Willie Tann, & he agreed to come on. That's some coup for Sky, & I'm delighted. It's not widely known, but Bracelet Winner Willie is the all-time biggest Tourney Casher in Grosvenor Casinos. Some record, he's a real legend, & a jolly nice man. I rung him to ask him, & he just said "I always said, if you want anything, you only have to ask, I'll do it". Let's hope no snags get in the way, because Willie & Michael on the same Show would be magic. But let's not tempt fate, so fingers are crossed.

Des Wilson wrote to me today, his new book comes out in October, "Ghosts at the Table", & he wanted my address to send me an advance copy. I asked him for a spare copy, he agreed, so we'll put it up on blonde as a Competition Prize. Deciding to strike while the iron was hot, I asked Sky if they'd be interested in having Des on the show, & they jumped at it, the deal was done within minutes, & he does the Show on September 10th.

I suppose Des is best known in poker for his previous tome, "Swimming with the Devilfish", an anecdotal tale of British poker players. He's actually quite an extraordinary guy, apart from his two poker books, he has had 5 other, non-poker books published. I don't know his age, but I imagine he's had a bus pass for a year or more. How about this for an eclectic CV?

Founded "Shelter", the Charity for the homeless.

"The Observer" Columnist.

Ran "Friends of the Earth".

Campaigned (& wrote books) for Lead-Free Petrol, & the Freedom of Information Act.

Director of the Royal Shakespare Company.

President of the Liberal Party.

Director of BAA.

Chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board.

I can only stand in awe of his life & career, & most of us have much to thank him for. I wonder why he's never been Knighted?

Back to basics, I was flattered by an invitation today to do a little monthly column in WPT Magazine, which Nick Wright asked me to do. No big deal, but I've been give free rein to blather on as I wish, on any subject. But they are keen for it to be unusual stuff, not "Bertie Big-Star won the GUKPT",  but more the tales of lesser knowns & behind the scenes stuff, & bringing attention to interesting problems in the Game. My life these days seems to be one long series of coin-flips all falling my way.

On which note, I got my Sky Poker Show September allocation today, & I've been given 6 shifts in all, the most I've ever had. Everything is going too well, & I'm quite sure that very soon, out of a clear blue sky, something nasty is gonna happen. I can't keep winning these coin-flips.

It's the Travelodge for me tonight, here at Feltham, than across London in the morning to rail Chili in the "Party Poker Ladies World Open" in East London. Finalists already through include Bev Pace (no surprise there), Jackie Vaswani, & I'm delighted to note, my colleague & friend Kara Scott. Let's hope Chili & Jen can join them.

[bobby1]

Im loving your diary mate, keep it going and don't worry about the coin flips, as Gary Player once said 'the more I practice the luckier I get'

[KingPoker]

Would love to see willie tann on the open, what a legend.

And i knew i should have taken heed on kara at 100-1!!!!

[snoopy1239]

In London all day, & did the Sky Show tonight. The time seemed to fly past, usually a sign of a half-decent Show, & Sean Boyce is very good indeed to work with. Wardrobe issued me with my plum jacket, but the Poducer - skrikera - made me take it off, as she felt it clashed with Sean's wardrobe. Don't wanna outdress the Presenter I suppose.

On next Monday's show, Michael Greco is the Guest, & Sky asked me to find a "suitable" co-guest. I managed that with a bit to spare I think - I rung Willie Tann, & he agreed to come on. That's some coup for Sky, & I'm delighted. It's not widely known, but Bracelet Winner Willie is the all-time biggest Tourney Casher in Grosvenor Casinos. Some record, he's a real legend, & a jolly nice man. I rung him to ask him, & he just said "I always said, if you want anything, you only have to ask, I'll do it". Let's hope no snags get in the way, because Willie & Michael on the same Show would be magic. But let's not tempt fate, so fingers are crossed.

Des Wilson wrote to me today, his new book comes out in October, "Ghosts at the Table", & he wanted my address to send me an advance copy. I asked him for a spare copy, he agreed, so we'll put it up on blonde as a Competition Prize. Deciding to strike while the iron was hot, I asked Sky if they'd be interested in having Des on the show, & they jumped at it, the deal was done within minutes, & he does the Show on September 10th.

I suppose Des is best known in poker for his previous tome, "Swimming with the Devilfish", an anecdotal tale of British poker players. He's actually quite an extraordinary guy, apart from his two poker books, he has had 5 other, non-poker books published. I don't know his age, but I imagine he's had a bus pass for a year or more. How about this for an eclectic CV?

Founded "Shelter", the Charity for the homeless.

"The Observer" Columnist.

Ran "Friends of the Earth".

Campaigned (& wrote books) for Lead-Free Petrol, & the Freedom of Information Act.

Director of the Royal Shakespare Company.

President of the Liberal Party.

Director of BAA.

Chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board.

I can only stand in awe of his life & career, & most of us have much to thank him for. I wonder why he's never been Knighted?

Back to basics, I was flattered by an invitation today to do a little monthly column in WPT Magazine, which Nick Wright asked me to do. No big deal, but I've been give free rein to blather on as I wish, on any subject. But they are keen for it to be unusual stuff, not "Bertie Big-Star won the GUKPT",  but more the tales of lesser knowns & behind the scenes stuff, & bringing attention to interesting problems in the Game. My life these days seems to be one long series of coin-flips all falling my way.

On which note, I got my Sky Poker Show September allocation today, & I've been given 6 shifts in all, the most I've ever had. Everything is going too well, & I'm quite sure that very soon, out of a clear blue sky, something nasty is gonna happen. I can't keep winning these coin-flips.

It's the Travelodge for me tonight, here at Feltham, than across London in the morning to rail Chili in the "Party Poker Ladies World Open" in East London. Finalists already through include Bev Pace (no surprise there), Jackie Vaswani, & I'm delighted to note, my colleague & friend Kara Scott. Let's hope Chili & Jen can join them.

Do you know what's Des' new book about?

[Compo]

Sportsman has a £250 freeze on a Monday night 8 pm......40+ runners

I'm liking it

Is the Pass from SWMBO sorted?

SWMBO  is ok.  I'm more worried about TBM

[ripple11]

On next Monday's show, Michael Greco is the Guest, & Sky asked me to find a "suitable" co-guest. I managed that with a bit to spare I think - I rung Willie Tann, & he agreed to come on. That's some coup for Sky, & I'm delighted. It's not widely known, but Bracelet Winner Willie is the all-time biggest Tourney Casher in Grosvenor Casinos. Some record, he's a real legend, & a jolly nice man. I rung him to ask him, & he just said "I always said, if you want anything, you only have to ask, I'll do it". Let's hope no snags get in the way, because Willie & Michael on the same Show would be magic. But let's not tempt fate, so fingers are crossed.









.

LOL...the Sportsman have two Sky TV screens in the poker area....and usually do requests !!

[Jon MW]

...
Back to basics, I was flattered by an invitation today to do a little monthly column in WPT Magazine, which Nick Wright asked me to do. No big deal, but I've been give free rein to blather on as I wish, on any subject.
...

People are going to be surprised by a monthly train column in a poker magazine, aren't they?

[Zukertort]

and a picture of a laaarrrggge crane too-i can't wait!

[boldie]

Beppe and Mr Tann on the same show..that's gonna be a good one and WOW @ that CV..that is some seriously impressive stuff.

[tikay]

Thursday, & I left the car in Feltham & caught trains across London to rail Chili in the Ladies World Open thingy. It was filmed at 3 Mill Studios, in Bromley-by-Bow, which is a 19th century mill. Behind Tescos.

A lovely place actually. The Matchroom Promoted Events (of which this was one) used to be filmed at Orient FC, but this is an altogether more professional jobbie.

I arrived & hardly before I had stepped into the "Green Room" a Gent came up & introduced himself to me. "Hi tikay, nice go meet you at last, I'm really liking your TV work, fancy a cup of tea?"

It was one Eddie Hearn. I confess, I sort of bundle the sons of milionaires into the little box in my mind which says "could well be a spoilt brat with no social graces", but this man most certainly was not. Stunningly handsome, 6' tall & a bit more, solidly built, sort of rugby player body, & smartly turned out in well-cut jeans, Burberry shirt & crocodile skin shoes. Warm & friendly, too, & what's more, a straight talker, & we got on fine. Within 5 minutes, we'd moved on to discussing some little issues that have risen in the past between Matchroom & blonde, & they were soon sorted. We swapped e-Mail addy's, & I think I may have his babies.

His Dad, Barry, has been phenomonally successful in everything he's turned his hand to. In snooker management he began with Geoff Foulds, & then Steve "Interesting" Davis & Tony Meo, & soon pretty much ran snooker, just about every top player except Hendry was under his wing. Then it was Boxing, & he's probably best remembered for his Promotions which headlined Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank & Herbie Hide. Next came Pool, Darts, Fish-O-Mania, & finally he began to dominate televised Poker. It rankles with Barry that his Productions are not always appreciated by us poker geeks, but he don't 'arf do it efficiently, & makes pots of money at it. Wikipedia rather cruelly describe his Poker Events as "low-grade", but I think that's a mite unfair - TV does not really suit slow-structured Events. Working for Sky Poker, I guess I would take that line......And there's nothing low-grade about the line-ups his Events attract, he gets the best generally, & folks wanna watch the best players, even if they are only emptying their duistbin.

I've written some very nice stuff about Barry, & some not so nice stuff. I like to think it's fair. Mad Marty got very cross with me about this once, but you can't have it both ways.

Anyway, it seems Eddie runs the shop now, & he seems to me to have the right attitude, & he'll do really well I hope. Top bloke, liked him a lot.

Also spotted was Shannon Elizabeth, who made few friends today, & Mrs Arama, with hubbie Jac toddling along in tow. She's stunningly beautiful, Russian, or certainly from the Russian side of Southend. They seem to rub along very nicely. Danielle Lloyd, Teddy Sheringham's partner(?) was there too, as were three rather loud German Ladies, guffawing & smoking strange ciggies through cigarette holders. And Liv Bouree, who, strangely, is a "friend" of mine on Facebook. I can't recall where we met previously, which is odd, as she's really rather beautiful. Oh, & Chili.........you know ALL about her!

Jackie Vaswani was there too, with the baby, who's changed a lot since I last saw her. That was in Deauville in 2006 I think, but the baby seems to have got bigger since. Lovely eyes. Ram was in Luton, she told me.

Oh, & Shelly Rubenstein, the Poker Journo, Debbie Rogers, & young Matt Dale of course. Though he was not in the Event. He & I played Heads-Up & he took a fiver off me, but he cheated, the scoundrel, though I loved his method. We began with 5,000 chips each, & after two levels, I had 5,200, & could not figure out how he had 15,000. Until I saw the chip-set box next to him. Smart boy that Matt. And he sponsored Chili for the Event, so he had a result, & good luck to him.

We watched the whole event on a plasma, hole cards, the lot. We could hear Mad Marty, during a break, telling one of his stories, the one about the Robin. All his stories are excellent, especially the other two. Jesse May was doing the "lead" commentary, assisted by Shelly this afternoon, & none other than Chili this evening.

I anticipated the whole thing would be over in 2 or 3 hours, but it took more like 6 hours.

Then it was back on the puffer to Feltham, where my car was, & I decided to pop into the Studios to see The Paces, who were doing the Pace Family Special tonight, & most of all, to congratulate Bev on winning her Heat. With Bev, Kara, & Chili through to the 6 person Final already & Jen Mason still to play, the blondes will have a strong say in this. $50,000 to the winner, too, & even 6th gets $5,000. (Though it did cost $3,000 to Enter).

[tikay]

Oh, & Dena, who looked just stunning in an all-black trousers & top affair.

In horse racing circles, particularly with fillies, they sometimes say, after emerging from their 2 year old winter, that they've "come to themselves", or "grown into their frame", meaning the fleshy bits have grown & given shape & mass to the body. Dena has certainly done that. She's off to home - real home, Saudi, not Cardiff - in a week, & there for 2 weeks, but she'll be at Luton this Saturday & Sunday.

And I must just mention Norm & Bev Pace's two boys, lovely lads both of them. Polite to a fault, athletic bodies, smart, good-looking, with a lovely strength of character all teenagers should have. You can see the pride in Mum & Dad's eyes. Bev is well excited about making the Ladies World Open Final, & whoever beats her - if anyone does - will know they've been in a game.

Mr & Mrs Kalmar were there too, they are big friends with the Pace's. Sky Poker hits the big time!

Chili has just rung, she has just finished the Commentary for tonight's Heat - 7 hours! All the players get given rooms at an Hotel in Waltham Abbey, where the England Footballers stay, so she's staying there tonight.

I'm off to Luton in the morning, a meet at Noon, another at 2, then to play the GUKPT. I feel strangely pessimistic about my chances of even making Day Two,  but we shall see.

[AndrewT]

Also spotted was Shannon Elizabeth, who made few friends today,

Oooh, can we have more info on this? I read tales of her being some kind of bitch out in Vegas and in Australia, so a London hattrick would complete the set.