Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Rookie (Rodney)]

I reckon most people would be surly and uncommunicative at the table if they had to deal with the bs moneymaker has had to suffer since he won. Hes admitted he isn't one of the best players in the world, but it doesn't stop all the break-even/losing poker players around the world proclaiming in loud voices that he is a "donk" and that they would crush him if they played heads up.  I think hes been a great representative for poker and a massive influence on the game and because of that I'm an avid moneymaker fan.

I'm sorry, but we shall disagree there - for me, Raymer & Hachem are great Ambassadors for Poker, in every sense.

But yes, his 2003 win was the breakthrough year for Big-Volume Tourney Poker.

of course, they can run independantly though. Seeing Hachem complain repeatedly at the 2006 WSOP about how bad he runs and "never catches a break" left a sour taste in my mouth.  I dint say that Moneymaker was the best representative, I think Raymer is the best by an absolute mile, but I'm still a fan of moneymaker and think he has done so much for the poker economy (either directly or indirectly) that he deserves a lot of respect.

Just seen the WSOP 2007 on Challenge and have to agree that when Hachem shouts about running bad and when his AK runs into AA he says oh its been happening all month! Then he goes onto flop Broadway and do the typical american shout about it. Be a good winner ffs!

[kinboshi]

Agree with what totalise said.  Moneymaker probably had the greatest influence on the poker boom as an individual player, and he doesn't seem like a bad fella at all from what I've seen.

Raymer is a class act.  To compare Moneymaker to him is unfair.  There are very few of the well-known pros that carry themselves with the air and dignity of Raymer.  Even with those socks and sandals...

Hachem on the other hand has something about him that I can't put my finger on.  He seems to be all sweetness and light when he's winning, but not the most pleasant when he isn't (but I guess we're all guilty of that).  Maybe it's just how he comes across on telly, it's all edited highlights at the end of the day.

[turny]

raymer a class apart imo

[tikay]

With a Meeting in London on Thursday morning, I decided to stay over on Wednesday night, & I booked the Days Inn (no Hotel has more comfortable beds than Days Inn) in Sussex Gardens, Paddington. I was surprised to learn that this used to belong to Bambos.

After leaving the Metropole, I popped into the Vic, & somehow blagged my way into the Press Room, & just as I entered, with dozens of bloggers from all over the world presernt, the call came through from Nick Whiten about the DTD victory, & everyone vin the room clapped!. Timing, or what? It was on evey site within minutes I reckon.

I had a quick shufty round The Vic, & chatted to Flushy for a bit. My word, he's put on some weight - he weighs best part of 20 stone now I'd say.

On the way out, three seperate players approached me & asked if I had any weed.......! The amount of drugs in poker is mind-blowing, if you'll pardon the pun. I suppiose it's not just poker, but it's a shock - to me, anyway - to see how bad the situation is. So many people do drugs these days, I find it hard to understand whats happening.

Anyway, at a loose end for the evening, I gladly accepted an invite to chill with Jen & Dana for the evening. Both of them, as you may already know, are complete fruit-cakes. Lovely fruit-cakes, but fruitcakes. Did you know Dana has a life-size cardboard cutout of Cliff Richard, & she bows before it daily?

Jen collected me from my Hotel, & we took a cab to the Trocadero (what a waste of space that place is) at Leicester Square, where we were due to see (groan.....) a "Western" movie with Dana. Luckily, dinner - at a wonderful "Diner" (£40 for 3 burgers & 3 drinks...) round the corner meant we missed the start of the film, so the ladies decided we'd see a Japanese movie at 9.30pm. Shit. With 2 hours to kill, we jumped the tube back to the Hampstead Commune, & then I feigned falling asleep so that I swerved the Japanese film. We have to do these things....but seriously, thanks to Jen & Dana, what great company they are.

Jen has jetted off to Aruba today, taken her Mum, too. Thoroughly deserved.

[turny]

are you sure you never had a wet patch in the front of your trousers tony and they were just trying to look out for an old man asking if u had weed?

[tikay]

Getting packed to leave home this morning - not back until early hours Tuersday - was a nightmare, different suits, three freshly-ironed shirts, a selection of ties, my car is like a mobile wardrobe.

I drove to Feltham, got there midday, dumped the car, & took the train to the Paddington Hilton, for the Des Wilson "Ghosts at the Table" official Book Launch. Des is a sort of Poker Ambassador for Ladbrokes, & the do was held in the Laddies Casino in the Paddington Hilton - I never knew that Casino even existed.

Des was his usual charming self, what an extraordinary man he is. He's been in poker 4 years, since retiring, & has written 2 good poker books (anercdotal, not educational, before you start....), & played in the WSOP Main Event twice, da de da.

Anthony "Big/Bigger Deal" Holden was there too, as was Neil "Bad Beat" Channing, Ben Roberts, Shelley Rubenstein, Michael Arnold (he's even older than Karabiner, & I bet those two have played a few cash games in their time), Jeff Duval, and Lucy Rokach & Tom. Lucy was proudly wearing her poker.co.uk apparel, bless her, & we had a smashing chat. She was realy thrilled that Maria did so well in the televised Ladies Event that Matchroom put on. Rhowena was there with Billy, the Poker Week Cameraman, too, getting some footage.

I also had a nice chinwag with the newly-installed Managing Director of Ladbrokes Poker, one Edward Ihre. He was at PokerStars previously, as Affiliate Director, & Laddies have done well to get him on board. He's Swedish, & it makes sense for a Scandie to head up Ladbrokes Poker if you think about it. He speaks perfect, accent-less, English, & played the game well, too, from what I saw (briefly) in the traditional Media Tourney which followed. I was first out........even worse, it wsas Paul Musselle, who I work with at Sky, who did me good & proper. Poo.

Then it was the train back to Feltham, & I sat opposite a man who picked his nose all the way from Waterloo to Feltham, & closely scrutinised the contents, too. Marvellous.

At Feltham, picked up the car, drove across to the Studio, & got some work done before the show.

The two guests were excellent - Sally James & young Rick Parfitt, who is a smashing lad. For me, though, it was not my best Show, & DP & I struggled to get the "flow" going tonight for some odd reason. We normally work well together, but tonight, somehow, I was not really at the races, & it really did seem like 3 hours, whereas normally, it races past. Ah well, better try harder next time.

I did chat with a few Sky Suits today, & it seems Sky Poker - the Cardroom & the Show - are both running very well indeed, & the Show is indeed helping to drive good volumes of players to the Cardroom, which is nicely ahead of all it's financial targets. Long may it last, because it's certainly been a wonderful experience for me.

OK, that's it, I'm off to drive down to Bristol now, for Saturday's Sky Live Day, which will be enormous fun, I hope, but a 16 hour grueller. We meet up at 11am, (two camera crews & lots of Sky Suits will be there) & I imagine it will be 2 or 3am before we are done, on Sunday morning, & I gotta leave Bristol at 0830 on Sunday for a busy day.

Have a good weekend.

[tikay]

are you sure you never had a wet patch in the front of your trousers tony and they were just trying to look out for an old man asking if u had weed?

That's possible too.....

[tikay]

Earlier this week, the London Evening Standard did an expose on Estate Agents, & came up with the stunning conclusion that Estate Agents were not to be trusted.

Well, fancy that. That's Investigative journalism at it's most probing. What would we do without the Evening Standard?

[bobby1]

Getting packed to leave home this morning - not back until early hours Tuersday - was a nightmare, different suits, three freshly-ironed shirts, a selection of ties, my car is like a mobile wardrobe.

I drove to Feltham, got there midday, dumped the car, & took the train to the Paddington Hilton, for the Des Wilson "Ghosts at the Table" official Book Launch. Des is a sort of Poker Ambassador for Ladbrokes, & the do was held in the Laddies Casino in the Paddington Hilton - I never knew that Casino even existed.

Des was his usual charming self, what an extraordinary man he is. He's been in poker 4 years, since retiring, & has written 2 good poker books (anercdotal, not educational, before you start....), & played in the WSOP Main Event twice, da de da.

Anthony "Big/Bigger Deal" Holden was there too, as was Neil "Bad Beat" Channing, Ben Roberts, Shelley Rubenstein, Michael Arnold (he's even older than Karabiner, & I bet those two have played a few cash games in their time), Jeff Duval, and Lucy Rokach & Tom. Lucy was proudly wearing her poker.co.uk apparel, bless her, & we had a smashing chat. She was realy thrilled that Maria did so well in the televised Ladies Event that Matchroom put on. Rhowena was there with Billy, the Poker Week Cameraman, too, getting some footage.

I also had a nice chinwag with the newly-installed Managing Director of Ladbrokes Poker, one Edward Ihre. He was at PokerStars previously, as Affiliate Director, & Laddies have done well to get him on board. He's Swedish, & it makes sense for a Scandie to head up Ladbrokes Poker if you think about it. He speaks perfect, accent-less, English, & played the game well, too, from what I saw (briefly) in the traditional Media Tourney which followed. I was first out........even worse, it wsas Paul Musselle, who I work with at Sky, who did me good & proper. Poo.

Then it was the train back to Feltham, & I sat opposite a man who picked his nose all the way from Waterloo to Feltham, & closely scrutinised the contents, too. Marvellous.

At Feltham, picked up the car, drove across to the Studio, & got some work done before the show.

The two guests were excellent - Sally James & young Rick Parfitt, who is a smashing lad. For me, though, it was not my best Show, & DP & I struggled to get the "flow" going tonight for some odd reason. We normally work well together, but tonight, somehow, I was not really at the races, & it really did seem like 3 hours, whereas normally, it races past. Ah well, better try harder next time.

I did chat with a few Sky Suits today, & it seems Sky Poker - the Cardroom & the Show - are both running very well indeed, & the Show is indeed helping to drive good volumes of players to the Cardroom, which is nicely ahead of all it's financial targets. Long may it last, because it's certainly been a wonderful experience for me.

OK, that's it, I'm off to drive down to Bristol now, for Saturday's Sky Live Day, which will be enormous fun, I hope, but a 16 hour grueller. We meet up at 11am, (two camera crews & lots of Sky Suits will be there) & I imagine it will be 2 or 3am before we are done, on Sunday morning, & I gotta leave Bristol at 0830 on Sunday for a busy day.

Have a good weekend.

Try and take it easy mate.

[turny]

yes tony try rest at some point

[redsimon]

Bit harsh on Moneymaker's cashes using 2005 as a start. that misses out his 2nd in WPT for $200K.

Agree though Raymer is 'Stars best sponsored pro in terms of PR. The worse UIMHO is Humberto, totally irritating.

[tikay]

Bit harsh on Moneymaker's cashes using 2005 as a start. that misses out his 2nd in WPT for $200K.

Agree though Raymer is 'Stars best sponsored pro in terms of PR. The worse UIMHO is Humberto, totally irritating.

Bit harsh? OK, here's his full post-2003 WSOP record.

March '04, $10,000 WPT, 2nd, $200,000.

May '05, $5,000 Omaha, WSOP, 20th, $21,000

Sep '04, $300 PLH Tunica, 3rd, $10,000

Sep '04, $6,000 Palm Beach WPT, 18th, $13,000

April '06, PokerStars Invitational, Heat Winner, $10,000.

July '06, $1,500 WSOP Shootout, 28th, $7,153

Jan '07, $100 NLHE, Tunica, 18th, $2,179

Mar '07, $500 NLH, Las Vegas, 33rd, $674

June '07, $1,500 NLHE, WSOP, 233rd, $3,388

To be fair, we need to know how mant tourneys he's played to put that list in context. But it's quite a few......

[Chili]

I have to say, after this weekend I have completely changed my view on Chris Moneymaker.  I thought he was a waste of space who had one great lucky tournament and happened to win over $2 million!  But to see him at the table and the crap he has to deal with day after day and the comments people whisper to each other or say to his face even - I'm not sure I could handle very well what he does with ease.

[M3boy]

Ive met Moneymaker once, in Reno a couple of years ago.

I certainly wouldnt say anything bad about him to his face, he is one big fella!

[hans47]

Moneymaker was an accountant by trade and his attitude portraits it how boring tries to be miserable so it makes him look interesting!