Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[boldie]

Well, I'm that far behind, I dunno where to start.

But here's a poser to start with.

Which is bigger - Europe, or the World?

Thing is, Flushy rung today. He's crowing & chirping big-time. He's Ranked 8th apparently. Only in Europe, mind. Not in the World.

So who'd be the better player? 8th in Europe, or 1st in the World, one wonders?

And trust me - he's reading this. And he's hurting.

8th in Europe? Hell, if I win the tenner rebuy at stanley on a Fridaynight I'll be ranked 7th..8th doesn't mean a thing

[tikay]

So, back to last Thursday, & the WSOP-E Press Conference Compere jobbie.

There were about 80 hacks & journos present, plus the Harrahs, Betfair & LCI Big Knobs. Oh, & Dana.

It did not go quite as well as I'd hoped - they are a very tough audience - journalists - to rev up. After half an hour of Corporate blurb, they just wanna get to the Bar. I'd hoped for lots of questions, but they needed a lot of prodding.

Devilfish & Mr Hellmuth did their banter thing. Not special, but it's stage-managed, nothing like the real thing.

Jeffrey Pollack -WSOP Commissioner - impresses me greatly, he's a real shaker & mover, & he gets the job done. David Yu - The Betfair Big Suit - is another really clued up, whizzo pop bang Chief Executive. It's easy to see why Betfair do so well.

Everyone (being those who paid me) said the nicest things about my Compere debut - well they would I suppose, eh? I really REALLY wanted to do it well - it's natural enough desire to do something properly. But being insecure, I decided I'd fluffed it, & that was my first & last Compere gig for Harrah's & Betfair. Until I got a request for a repeat performance yesterday, whahoo! It was never in doubt........

[tikay]

Well, I'm that far behind, I dunno where to start.

But here's a poser to start with.

Which is bigger - Europe, or the World?

Thing is, Flushy rung today. He's crowing & chirping big-time. He's Ranked 8th apparently. Only in Europe, mind. Not in the World.

So who'd be the better player? 8th in Europe, or 1st in the World, one wonders?

And trust me - he's reading this. And he's hurting.

8th in Europe? Hell, if I win the tenner rebuy at stanley on a Fridaynight I'll be ranked 7th..8th doesn't mean a thing

Flushy is gonna go ballistic when he reads that boldie......

[boldie]

Well, I'm that far behind, I dunno where to start.

But here's a poser to start with.

Which is bigger - Europe, or the World?

Thing is, Flushy rung today. He's crowing & chirping big-time. He's Ranked 8th apparently. Only in Europe, mind. Not in the World.

So who'd be the better player? 8th in Europe, or 1st in the World, one wonders?

And trust me - he's reading this. And he's hurting.

8th in Europe? Hell, if I win the tenner rebuy at stanley on a Fridaynight I'll be ranked 7th..8th doesn't mean a thing

Flushy is gonna go ballistic when he reads that boldie......

he can come find me in Cardiff on the 13th and 14th of October

[kinboshi]

Well, I'm that far behind, I dunno where to start.

But here's a poser to start with.

Which is bigger - Europe, or the World?

Thing is, Flushy rung today. He's crowing & chirping big-time. He's Ranked 8th apparently. Only in Europe, mind. Not in the World.

So who'd be the better player? 8th in Europe, or 1st in the World, one wonders?

And trust me - he's reading this. And he's hurting.

8th in Europe? Hell, if I win the tenner rebuy at stanley on a Fridaynight I'll be ranked 7th..8th doesn't mean a thing

Flushy is gonna go ballistic when he reads that boldie......

he can come find me in Cardiff on the 13th and 14th of October

[tikay]

After the Press Conference (we are still on last Thursday) I changed roles & put my Poker Week hat on to interview Devilfish & Phil Hellmuth. Not a bad life I have, eh?

Mr Ulliot, well, I reckon I could predict any answer to any question put to him. Wrong! He threw me a curve-ball, but you'll have to wait for the Interview to be shown. Hehe......

Once we'd finished, we had to do the "noddies", where, for effect only, & to Camera, but with no sound, we nod intelligently & all that sort of stuff. And THEN he really opened up. If only we'd left the sound switched on, I'd be worth a fortune.......

Next up, Mr Phil Hellmuth Jnr. Now, this was odd, because after we'd done (good interview I think) he sorta lost it, & completely flipped. We were in the Cardroom, it was 1 hour before the HORSE started, Europe's first ever WSOP Jobbie, & they were preparing the cards, chips, da de da. And they were chatting amongst themselves. Hardly a hanging offence, talking, but PH just lost it. "Who do they think they are, I'm TALKING". Opps.... "In America, the Press demand good facilities. What is it with you Brits?"

"Err, sorry Phil, but we have to accept what we are given over here".

"What? WHAT? Not when I'm being interviewed you don't". And off he harumped.

Ah well, that was another job finished, just one more now, the Sky Show at Feltham. My car was still up in Luton  I can't recall why, so it was the tube to Waterloo, & a class 45 (they are very quiet, if a little boring) to Feltham, then a taxi to the Sky Studio. The Show went OK, we were done for about 1am, & then I went across to my room at the St Giles Hotel.

So, that was 4 jobs in 24 hours, for three different employers. If you are a jobbing media plodder, that's as good as it gets really.

But Friday was a day off, & the plan was to leave the Hotel at 5am, & catch the first train from St Pancras up to Luton, pick up my car, & be home in Derbyshire by 10am Friday.

At least, that was the plan.....

[kinboshi]

more more more more more more more more

[boldie]

more more indeed!..BTW watched the Marcel Luske on pokerweek thing, GREAT stuff!

[Karabiner]

 

[tikay]

Gotta go - duie at Norman Pace's Play, in Richmond, in an hour.

More later.

[celtic]

norman who?

<sticks bottom lip out and crosses arms with the huff>

what bout something from red to keep us going?

[tikay]

But Friday was a day off, & the plan was to leave the Hotel at 5am, & catch the first train from St Pancras up to Luton, pick up my car, & be home in Derbyshire by 10am Friday.

Plan B had to be used - I could not get out of bed, & it was midday before I'd got back to Luton & collected the car. And I was wrecked. I'm trundling up the M1 & suddenly feel I want to go & spend half-an hour at Tom's place, I almost pass it on the way home.  Going to Tom's is like a holiday to me, it's just achingly beautiful there, he has his own little nature reserve, Mrs Red makes a smashing cuppa - in bone china mugs, if you please - and they make me so welcome, but at the same time, ignore me. At Sky, you know, they make my tea, wash & iron my clothes, lay out my wardobe, give me a private dresing room, generally make a fuss. And it's nice, very nice, but it's also nice to come back down to earth, & Tom's set up is just so perfect, I'd happily die there.

His Daughters & Grand-Daughters were there. One of them is a dead ringer for Shirley Temple, blonde curly locks. The Grand-daughters all think I'm mad, too. And I could be wrong - I'm iffy with names - but I think there were THREE Muzzealeys in the room - Grandma, (Mrs Red), Daughter & Grand-daughter. They all think I'm mad, too.

He has a shetland pony which he "took in" to look after, it had some head problems, but it's as happy as larry now. It runs round the field like a 2 year old, fly kicking & laughing, & when we went & stood by it's gate, it sort of cantered as fast as it could to the gate, skidding to a halt.

And Kizzy, the dog, well, she's growing up so fast. She's got me sussed now, & we played & played until I was exhausted. She's wonderfully obedient, too, one word from Tom - not loud, just normal voice - & she "freezes" instantly.

And so 30 minutes at Tom's became 2 hours, & it was a job to get up & leave. But I got things to do......

I must tell you the story of Tom's battle soon - the Council is still trying to throw him out, you cannot begin believe the injustices he suffers at the hands of some old fart at the local Council - it's criminal, literally. It's institutational racism, nothing less, & it disgusts me. He's less than evens to win his battle, you know.....but he ain't done yet, either. They'll know they've been in a battle.

Anyway, it was 3pm when I got back on the road home, & the MI North on a Friday afternoon in Leics & Notts is hell on earth, so it was 5pm before I got home.

I spoke to Chili, "let's go play some poker tonight", so at 6 I was back on the M1 again. Headed for - you've guessed it - Luton. I know, I'm utterly loopy. But I miss my friends so much. All this TV malarky is lovely, & I really enjoy it, & the moolah is great, but I'm never happier than when I am with my real mates. And they are a great bunch of lads at Luton, too, it really feels like my "local" Casino. In 7 days, I'd been to Barcelona (at someone else's expense), interviewed the good & great of Poker, including 3 world champions, the holders of 50 or more WSOP Bracelets, done three Sky Shows, & yet today was the best day of the week - by a long way.

I picked up Maria at Leicester Services at 6.30pm, & she had a birthday goodie bag for me, 2 non-fiction gangster books, some smelly stuff, & a card. And a Birthday huig. (Now you know why I have so many birthdays, see?). The card was a Thomas the Tank Engine card, & on the back was a motif - "Celebrating 60 years of Thomas the Tank Engine". 60 years eh? FFS......

We were chatting away southbound, & the 'phone rang - it was wormster, from Poker Week. "Can you do an intervirew tomorrow, midday in Leicester Square, be there for 11am please.....?".

"11am - tomorrow morning? But I've barely got home yet?"

"...with Doyle Brunson, in his hotel suite....."

"YOU BET!"

It never crossed my mind at the time, but if either Maria or I ran deep in Luton, I'd not be back home in Derbyshire until 6am, & I'd need to head back South at 8am.....

[AndrewT]

We were chatting away southbound, & the 'phone rang - it was wormster, from Poker Week. "Can you do an intervirew tomorrow, midday in Leicester Square, be there for 11am please.....?".

"11am - tomorrow morning? But I've barely got home yet?"

"...with Doyle Brunson, in his hotel suite....."

"YOU BET!"

Ask him how annoyed he was with the fact his hat wouldn't fit through the door of the Shaftesbury hotel.

[tikay]

Let's talk some poker now.

We played the £75 Freeze at Luton, and two mates from Sky came along - Harry & Rosie. Rosie.....drool........

Anyway, I did no good, but my exit was rather comical.

I get involved with Frances, he who looks like Edie Jordan, & I have two red Kings, & I RR him all-in, he calls like lightning, oops - but he's only got AQ! Some play with A-Q, but I'm happy, it's a great play over the medium term for me, & whatever happens, I'm happy. And you ALWAYS fear that A dropping, so what's the first card you wanna see? Yup, a black King (a red one woulda been interesting....) & sure enough, down came the 

Followed by 4 diamonds. Not bad eh? Set of Kings, & a King flush. Of course, he had the  ......!

And THAT'S the beauty of poker, those 52 bits of plastic can't arf throw up some permutations & fun.

So I went & played some cash while Maria was dancing in the tourney. I sat down with £200, & soon had £900. I can't actually remember the last time I had a losing Live cash session, though I do sit pretty rock-like.  And somehow, I gave back every single penny of the £700 profit, finishing the session all square. I was absolutely furious with myself. I mean, what's the frigging pont of winning it twice? £700 up I shouilda just locked up - £700 is serious money to me. Bloody hell, how daft can I get?

Meanwhile, Maria could do no wrong. She had hand after hand, double up after double up, & had 30k before the end of Level Two! (We began with 5k).

She Finalled, of course, but her luck ran out, the Blinds got silly, & she finished 5th I think, for about £350. Srtill a very handy cash for her - & I had 10%......hehe.

I had another comical exit on Monday, in another comp elsewhere (more details later...)

This was a weird one. I was down to the felt, & in fact on the betting streets I was respectively behind, behind, chopping, & behind.

But it was anorther "beauty of poker" affair.

I'm holding  on a flop of 

There's 4 limpers, the blinds are big, so I push, & get one caller. He shows, as expected,  . Trouble.

But we hit a miracle turn......

How cool was that card?

Until the rivered 

What a great game is poker, & how clever are playing cards?

[tikay]

snoopy wrote an interesting piece here.....

http://www.blondepoker.com/index.php?q=node/12087

My views on Poker Books - for tuition - are well-known. I think they are a complete waste of time. End of. Because, well, they just cannot be, as someone described it, "contextual", or "situational".

Here's a hand Maria played at Luton last Friday. It's early doors, blinds are nothing, average is 7k, she has 23k, her oppo has 7k.

She Raises with  , Oppo moves in, she beats him into the pot. He shows  , she catches her Ten. So be it, she got lucky.

But that hand plays SO MANY different ways, depending on stack sizes, of you & your oppo, how deep in the tourney we are, and a hundred other reasons. But the book will get all sermonistic, it's this, that or the other. And it's NOT.

Kids - don't read poker tuition books, or do drugs.