Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

I never seem to be able to get up to date with this diary, but anyway, lets wind back to Wednesday.

The deal was to film a player playing "The Open" at his home, & so we made our way to Stoke Newington to visit Mr & Mrs Gilbert, aka John & Julie, aka "4dakidz" & "Joo".

An amazingly interesting couple they were, too. John is a Central Heating Contracts Manager, & Julie teaches English to non-English speaking pupils. Which is kinda strange, because Julie is Indian by descent, born in Pretoria, South Africa, & lved here all of her adult life. So a South-African Indian teaching English! Pinning down her accent is not easy! They have two lovely kids, too, & Mum & Dad are of the old-school strict version, the Kids, one of each, are 12 & 14, & both have to be in bed by 9.30pm every night except weekends.

They'd prepared a lovely buffet for us, everything from samosas to scampi. And a Terry's chocolate orange.

The recording went OK, & Sky were reviewing the hands "Live" in the Studio as we progressed, John playing Online, & me, supposedly, mentoring him. Hoping to run deep & avoid an early exit, I advised him to Pass  , pre-flop, just as well too, because both opponents moved all in on the flop, holding AK & JJ. The flop, of course, came    

He never forgave me.....

Anyway, a big thank to John and Julie for a lovely evening.

There sort of folks are the real backbone of poker, & the sort of player most of the Online Cardrooms have ignored. Each night, they both play a few SNG's - £1 & £2 jobbies, three or 4 each, & now & then, a Tourney - Joo in fact won the "Slow-Boat" (Sky's slow-clock deep-stack jobbie) last week & the Velocity. She withdrew the money she'd won, & it's going towards some goodies for her & the family.

Which reminded me of the stunningly wise comments Des Wilson made on this week's Poker Week Interview when asked about Bankroll Management. He said, as I recall, something like this.....

"When players play within their bankroll, they enjoy the game to the full. But once they play "too big", they lose the pleasure of the game, it's not fun now, & they can soon come to hate it, because of the pressure". Wise words, indeed.

Well, Mr & Mrs Gilbert have a ball at low-stakes, each & every night, it's dinner, Corrie, & play a little poker. For fun.

Meanwhile, 10 minutes down the road, at The Vic, 400 or more souls had coughed up £1,050 each - in many cases begged, borrowed or nipped - to play the wonderfully-structured GUKPT. Wonderfully-structured it may be, but with the Nation's best players all there, it's hardly what I'd call "value".

I can't help but wonder how many of those had as much fun as John & Julie.........

[bobby1]

I never seem to be able to get up to date with this diary, but anyway, lets wind back to Wednesday.

The deal was to film a player playing "The Open" at his home, & so we made our way to Stoke Newington to visit Mr & Mrs Gilbert, aka John & Julie, aka "4dakidz" & "Joo".

An amazingly interesting couple they were, too. John is a Central Heating Contracts Manager, & Julie teaches English to non-English speaking pupils. Which is kinda strange, because Julie is Indian by descent, born in Pretoria, South Africa, & lved here all of her adult life. So a South-African Indian teaching English! Pinning down her accent is not easy! They have two lovely kids, too, & Mum & Dad are of the old-school strict version, the Kids, one of each, are 12 & 14, & both have to be in bed by 9.30pm every night except weekends.

They'd prepared a lovely buffet for us, everything from samosas to scampi. And a Terry's chocolate orange.

The recording went OK, & Sky were reviewing the hands "Live" in the Studio as we progressed, John playing Online, & me, supposedly, mentoring him. Hoping to run deep & avoid an early exit, I advised him to Pass  , pre-flop, just as well too, because both opponents moved all in on the flop, holding AK & JJ. The flop, of course, came     

He never forgave me.....

Anyway, a big thank to John and Julie for a lovely evening.

There sort of folks are the real backbone of poker, & the sort of player most of the Online Cardrooms have ignored. Each night, they both play a few SNG's - £1 & £2 jobbies, three or 4 each, & now & then, a Tourney - Joo in fact won the "Slow-Boat" (Sky's slow-clock deep-stack jobbie) last week & the Velocity. She withdrew the money she'd won, & it's going towards some goodies for her & the family.

Which reminded me of the stunningly wise comments Des Wilson made on this week's Poker Week Interview when asked about Bankroll Management. He said, as I recall, something like this.....

"When players play within their bankroll, they enjoy the game to the full. But once they play "too big", they lose the pleasure of the game, it's not fun now, & they can soon come to hate it, because of the pressure". Wise words, indeed.

Well, Mr & Mrs Gilbert have a ball at low-stakes, each & every night, it's dinner, Corrie, & play a little poker. For fun.

Meanwhile, 10 minutes down the road, at The Vic, 400 bor more souls had coughed up £1,050 each - in many cases begged, borrowed or nipped - to play the wonderfully-structured GUKPT. Wonderfully-structured it may be, but with the Nation's best players all there, it's hardly what I'd call "value".

I can't help but wonder how many of those had as much fun as John & Julie.........

Spot on observation Tony, most of the people I have met that truly enjoy poker are some of the smaller players.

[tikay]

After we finished in Stoke Newington, I drove the 2 miles back to my Seven Sisters Road Hotel. Via Luton, a 60 mile detour. Dropping £500 in the Cash-Game, en route. How daft am I?

So, Thursday saw me meeting a Ladbrokes Suit - Lady Suit in fact - in a Chinese Restaurant in Gerrard Street. As (I think it was) AndrewT pointed out, there was a strike & protest march, something about immigration laws, so our Restaurant was almost empty.

The Restaurant is new - "HAOZHAN" - & has attracted rave reviews in all the papers, apparently. Chinese, Singapore & Cantonese cuisine of the highest order, so I sampled the Eastern Culinary delights by having egg-fried rice, & cod. Very nice it was, too.

Ever stood in Chinatown, in London, on a crisp & sunn autumnal day, watching the world go past? It's just amazing, so many different races, beautiful ladies, suited businessman, all wandering up & down.

But most of all, Chinese people, by their thousand. And these are the folks that oil the wheels of the West End Casinos, no sooner does their Restaurant close, than they are on the magic roundabout, punting big & bravely, my oh my, these folks love to gamble. But we do not see many Chinese players in Poker, more's the pity. The few I've encountered are huge fun, loose in the extreme, & they take their beats like real grown-ups. Another day, another gamble, & no bad-beat tales from them guys. Were that there more more like that.

I bet I've had 20 phone-calls from players at The Vic these last 3 days, almost everyone bemoaning how unlucky they were. Does nobody ever get lucky?

[ifm]

I once saw a chinese gentleman smack a younger chinese lad on the back of his head when he lost a buyin at starcity, i mean with real force and anger. It was nasty.
Guess he was backing him in the cash game.

[tikay]

I don't do parties - I loathe pissheads who can't hold their alcohol invading my (admittedly teetotal thus biased) space with their incoherent tosh - & I don't go up the M1 or M62 on a Half-Term Friday, when the traffic is slow, slow, stop stop slow.

So it took an exceptional reason for me to drive North to deepest Lancashire today - Chorley to be precise - , & it was really by way of a "thank you" to Mr & Mrs Jon "skalie" Kalmar. It was Kal's xxth Birthday Party, one of those "surprise" jobbies, & Jon had invted me to drop in. Much as I dislike parties & Friday Motorway travel, "no" was not an option, as Jon had been so good to Poker Week in Vegas, & Kal had been so supportive, too, so it would be unthinkable to decline the invite. We'd interviewed Jon daily as he marched towards the Final Table in Vegas, &, three days earlier, had asked him to do an Interview for us the day before the Final, not realising at that stage that he'd actually Final himself. Once he made the Final, we assumed he'd have to cancel us, as Harrahs are pretty strict about these things, they take the "you do as we say" line. But Jon told them what they could do with their orders - "I'm committed to Poker Week, so go jump". And so Poker Week got their scoop.

The Party was in a function room of a boozer, & apart from some of Jon's family who I recognized, the only faces I knew were DTD's Kevin O'Connell & the gorgeous Leeane, & Julian Gardner & his young lady who, it must be said, gets more beautiful by the day. I'd not seem Julian for a goodly while, he plays a lot of Online Cash these days I believe, but as for Tourneys, he saves himself for the biggies where he really has awesome game.

And just when I thought I'd seen everything, Jon got up on stage, & did a short, 3 number set with what amounted to his reformed band - a proper punk-rock group! Jon had a band for 10 or 15 years I think, & it showed tonight, as he gave a 110 decibel, full-on, in-yer-face, performance, with the aplomb of a seasoned rock-star. This was not Devilfish hesitatingly plucking his way through a few chords, this was the real deal, & Jon's rendition of the Pistols "Pretty Vacant" was something I'll never forget. Top man him!

Jon bought Kal a new Mini (car, not skirt) for her Birthday, & he's bought Mum a new house, so he's being pretty wise with his Vegas winnings.

As for Jon's future, he's talked to loads of potential sponsors, but it looks like he's struck gold with a deal that involves much more than the usual "wear our shirt, turn up & play" affair. His choice of Sponsor/Partner will surprise many, but he's chuffed to bits, & raring to go. As soon as he's put pen to paper, (a few details need ironing out) blonde will have the exclusive news, & it's very possible that blonde will work with Jon in a way that gives the blondes some special goodies in Live Poker. Details still to be worked out, but fingers crossed.

Anyways, Hapy Birthday Kal.

Don't ask us to attend 'cos we're not all there
Oh don't pretend 'cos I don't care
I don't believe illusions 'cos too much is real
So stop you're cheap comment 'cos we know what we feel

And we don't care"

[HOLDorFOLD]

You lead such an interesting Life Tikay and I enjoy catching up with your diary. 

[tikay]

Skalie has not been in poker as long as some would think, but I remember as if it were yesterday the first time we shared a table - the Luton Grand Challenge Main Event, £1,000 to enter, January 21st, 2005.

My opening table included Jon Shoreman (we rarely see Jon these days) in Seat 1, Skalie in 5, me in 6, Keith "The Camel" Hawkins in 8, & Thewy in 9.

We'd been playing barely 2 hours, & the Blinds were 100-200. It's 3 handed, Skalie, The Camel & Thewy, & they all see a K-J-9 flop.

Skalie tries to bet 600 into the 600 Pot, but for the first (& last) time, Skalie, who's new to Live Poker though already a legend Online, is wearing shades, & he mixes up a 100 chip with a 5,000 chip. Meaning to throw a 100 & a 500 in the middle, he throws a 500 & a 5,000 in the middle......! So he's bet 5,500 into a 600 pot. The Dealer, a lovely, but very experienced young lady, says "5,600?", & Jon immediately realises his mistake. But before he can say anything, the table policeman all chime in with their unasked for opinion, as per usual. "The Bet Stands", "The Bet does not go", it's a call", "it's a bet" they all protest. Like it's got anything to do with them. Jon, Camel & Thewy sit there, silently, & eventually Skalie, clearly embarrassed, says "look, whatever the Ruling is, I accept, I'm sorry, it's my mistake, it is what it is".

The ruling is "5,500 goes".

And with that, I see a blur to my left, & the smell of scorched felt, & suddenly, I see Camels entire stack is in the middle!

In an instant, Jon says, "bugger, well I have to call now with all that in the middle, I'm stranded, I call", & with that, he turns his cards over. BUT.....Thewy is still to Act, Jon has forgotten he's in the Pot & he's acted out of turn, & so he quickly turns his cards face-down again. (His Call, of course, stands)

Thewy now has a dilemma, & a pained expression. "I think I saw your hand Jon, & I'm ahead of you, but I'm not gonna call, I don't know what Keith has, I think he's ahead of us both, & I've only got 200 in the middle".

So, Thewy passed his top two pair, & Jon calls with his top & bottom pair, & The Camel scoops with the flopped straight.

The idiot to my left says "it was a moody, serves him right" - what a dickhead! - but Jon just stands up, shakes Camel's hand, "well played Keith, my fault completely" & toodles off to the bar, still smiling, though hurting inside. Keith then follows him, & buys him a drink, & commiserates with Jon. Camel feels a bit bad  about all this, but he's fully entitled to the Pot.

My abiding memory is three Gents at the Table, proper blokes, no daft histrionics, malicious speech-play or tantrums, just three proper men playing the game in the right spirit.

And you know that thing called Karma? Well, Jon went home on the Sunday & won the Prima Sunday Biggie, for $19,000....!

Meanwhile, that Tourney sticks in my mind for another reason.....

[tikay]

The Final of that Event took place the next day, & the last three standing were Eric "The Screw" Barker, The Camel, & young Mr Thew.

Eric Barker held - still holds I believe - the incredible record of three straight Fessie wins - outright, no chops, no deals - on consecutive nights, which he achieved at Gala Teeside, in February 2003, for the best part of £40,000 in all.

The Camel - he had his own claim to fame, too, for he'd finished 8th in Wednesday's two day £500 for £2k, third in Friday's £250 for £8,000, & so he'd been at the table almost non-stop for 4 straight days, & was pretty fatigued to say the least.

And, to put the play I'm gonna tell you about in context, this was Thewy's chance of his biggest ever cash-to-date, & it meant a whole heap to him, as there was £48,000 to the winner.

So, I'm writing a Tourney Report for Hendon Mob Forum (or was it blonde?) & Poker Europa at the time I think, & they let me sit at the table as all this played out.

Eric is a Raising machine, every hand, every street, he's a Scandie in disguise, & he's Chip-Daddy, Thewy is 2nd chip, & Camel is grimly hanging in there.

On Eric's Button he Raises it up, no surprise there, Camel gets outa the way in the Small, & Thewy resignedly calls in the Big.

The flop was 2-7-J. Thewy checks, Barker bets, Thewy calls.

Turn is another blank, Thewy checks, Barker bets, Thewy calls.

River - K of hearts. Thewy checks, Barker sets Thewy all-in, Thewy INSTACALLS.

Thewy's hand? Rag-2. He'd paired the 2, & check-called all the way. For his Tournament life, for his first ever shot at a huge payday. To this day, I don't know how he did it, & nor does Eric, who reckons it was the bravest play he'd ever seen. Remember, Thewy was beating NOTHING - except a stone-cold bluff.

So Eric busted shortly thereafter, & Camel & Thewy did a little business - it was too much for either of them to play it out unchopped - & eventually Thewy took it down. The advertised first prize was £48,000, but I think Thewy took about £30k.

Afterwards, we all three walked down muggers alley, behind the Casino, to our cars in Sainsbury's Car Park, great wads of £50 notes shared between us for safety, & everyone happy. (I had 10% of Thewy, God Bless him!)

I am soon on the M1 Northbound, when Thewy calls. "I still can't believe it - I did it, I did it".

I've asked Thewy a hundred times since, "how DID you make those calls?". And he just shrugs his shoulders, gives that impish look, & says "ahh, I just knew he had nothing".......

And a Champion was born.

Tonight, chatting with Skalie, he reckoned that Thewy is just about the best Tournament Player in Europe these days. He ain't far wrong, either.

There is some justice in poker, & nice guys can still cut the mustard.

Jeez, look at the time. I'm due in London for Poker Week at 11.30am, & that's 3 hours drive/train. Eeek!

[tikay]

God Bless America.

BBC News state that......

The US military has launched an investigation into how a B-52 bomber flew the length of the US mistakenly loaded with nuclear weapons.

But never fear, because a Pentagon Statement said......

"There are procedures in place and they kicked in and worked,"

There you go. It's reassuring to know, that had it crashed, & the resultant loss of plutonium wreaked it's lethal human harvest, heads would have rolled.

[Karabiner]

Great diary Tony.

This is the first thread that I read with my morning coffee and it never (much like the coffee) disappoints.

Long may it continue...

[booder]

Great diary Tony.

This is the first thread that I read with my morning coffee and it never (much like the coffee) disappoints.

Long may it continue...

 

[Bainn]

plutonium wreaked it's lethal human harvest, heads would have rolled.

Yes, but only those damn colonials would have died, so, no real biggy.

[tikay]

Great diary Tony.

This is the first thread that I read with my morning coffee and it never (much like the coffee) disappoints.

Long may it continue...

Thanks Ralph, & Booder.

[tikay]

Apropos nothing in particular, I was reminded yesterday of a quote by the late Brian Clough. Mourinho & Ferguson have nothing on this man when it comes to soundbites - for me, Shankly & Clough were streets ahead of anyone we've seen before or since.

"I certainly would not say I'm the best manager in the business, but I'm in the top one".

[ifm]

Actually said in the past sense......
I read his auto biog a few years back, great book, great man.