Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[celtic]

it just gets better..............

[kinboshi]

Facebook...

did you know you can never delete yourself from there?

You can change your profile completely so that it's nothing like you.  That's as good as deleting it.

[Bongo]

Yes, I here the 2 ways to get rid of your profile are:

1) Racial abuse
2) Having a fake name

Incidentally, did anyone else see the Google "OpenSocial" announcement? How much do you think that wiped off facebook's value?

[TightEnd]

Microsoft paid gazillions for a stake in Facebook recently

biggest sell signal you could ever see that Facebook's popularity was peaking........

[tikay]

fantastic read TK..athough I'm slightly dissapointed that there is only one page more than when I left it last week....also rather sad that the first thing I do when online is read this

Hi Mad But Nice Dutch Person,

Sorry, I've been seriously busy this last fortnight, but I'm back now, so be afraid.

[Dingdell]

As the current Chairman of APAT, I'm naturally expected, & supposed to be, at all APAT National Events, but I will not be at Walsall this weekend, I'm extemely sad to say. I am contractually committed to be in Dublin with Poker Week, & on the next APAT Event in Manchester, I shall be in Paris with Poker Week for the 2007 European Poker Awards.

When Poker Week began, I was asked the question - would I commit to 52 shows per year? The question was rhetorical really, if I wanted the job, I had no choice. And I wanted the job. I take the honouring of my Contracts very seriously, (currently with Poker Week & Sky Poker) just as I take my APAT Duties seriously. But something had to give eventually, & it did.

Previously, I'd ducked & dived & somehow got away with it. On some occasions, the PW peeps allowed me to do the recordings on the Monday, at other times they actually agreed to cover the Event to which I was committed for APAT, or blonde. (In the case of blonde Bashes). A win-win if ever I saw one.

But the wheels came off this time, & there's nothing I can do about it.

I communicated with Des at APAT, & said that if my non-availability compromised my position as Chairman, I'd fully understand, but he remains supportive, for which I'm relieved & grateful. As it happens, the APAT Members will soon be voting for the role of APAT Chairman, (or is that ChairPerson?), so what will be will be, & the Members will decide.

So there it is, a big APAT Event, & I won't be there. Bugger.

I wish all the APAT-ers the very best of luck in Walsall, & I can honestly say "I wish I was there".

I want a refund! I only entered the click-fest that is called APAT registration for an opportunity to take the proverbial out of Tikay for 2 days and hopefully take some of his money. Damm - now I'll have to play Luton tonight and try and get my moneys worth.....bring it on. 

[tikay]

Bureaucracy rules. 1.

Upon "purchasing" a Poppy last week, I asked for a pin to secure it to my jacket. "We vcan't give pins out these days" said the volunteer lady, "for Health & Safety reasons".

Just as well those that fought for our Country did not need pins.

[tikay]

Bureaucracy Rules. 2.

I already told the tale, I think, of being banned from filming a piece for Poker Week from a rowing boat on the Serpentine in London. "Against the bye-laws, see" says Mr Helpful Boatman, before adding "unless you pay an extra £500".

Last week, in London, we got all the Permits lined up to film from the top deck of one of those Open-Top London Tourist Buses. Until, late on the Friday, they rung us back.

"What is the subject of the filming?"

"We are discussing Poker".

"Sorry, but your Permit is withdrawn. It is against our regulations to promote gambling".

So we filmed in a phone-box instead. Don't tell BT, ffs.

[Jon MW]

Bureaucracy rules. 1.

Upon "purchasing" a Poppy last wek, I asked for a pin to secure it to my jacket. "We vcan't give pins out these days" said the volunteer lady, "for Health & Safety reasons".

Just as well those that fought for our Country did not need pins.

The poppy sellers around our way haven't lost their edge, they're still happy to risk the public's safety by handing out pins. 

[tikay]

Don't join the punk-rock band The Ramones if you like living.

Joey Ramone died of lymphatic cancer, Johnny Ramone of Prostate Cancer, DeeDee Ramone of a heroin o/d.

Last night, Linda Stein, former Ramones manager, was found dead in Manhatten.

She was said to have been found lying face down in a pool of blood, her head battered to a pulp, & had received multiple blows to the head & neck. NYPD, proving that not much gets past them, issued a statement saying they were treating the death as a murder.

[Snatiramas]

Don't join the punk-rock band The Ramones if you like living.

Joey Ramone died of lymphatic cancer, Johnny Ramone of Prostate Cancer, DeeDee Ramone of a heroin o/d.

Last night, Linda Stein, former Ramones manager, was found dead in Manhatten.

She was said to have been found lying face down in a pool of blood, her head battered to a pulp, & had received multiple blows to the head & neck. NYPD, proving that not much gets past them, issued a statement saying they were treating the death as a murder.

I went to the first ever Ramones UK gig at the De Montfort Hall in Leicester......wild night

[Indestructable]

Bureaucracy Rules. 2.

I already told the tale, I think, of being banned from filming a piece for Poker Week from a rowing boat on the Serpentine in London. "Against the bye-laws, see" says Mr Helpful Boatman, before adding "unless you pay an extra £500".

Last week, in London, we got all the Permits lined up to film from the top deck of one of those Open-Top London Tourist Buses. Until, late on the Friday, they rung us back.

"What is the subject of the filming?"

"We are discussing Poker".

"Sorry, but your Permit is withdrawn. It is against our regulations to promote gambling".

So we filmed in a phone-box instead. Don't tell BT, ffs.

Do you want me to have a word with Barny for you? 

[weller001]

hmmm, how did phil helmuth get away with it?

[tikay]

Before I fill in the details from a fascinating foray across to Dublin at the weekend, here's this week's schedule, which relatively quiet on the work front.

Today (Monday) off to Luton tonight for their splendid £50 + £50 + £50 jobbie, & I shall stay over at Days Inn, as I'm in London on Tuesday, & all this driving back home at 6am malarky is getting me a bit too tired.

Tuesday afternoon, I am at Sky in Feltham, to record a Christmas Promo. I shall be scrooge, I hope. Stay over again, as I'm working on Wednesday on London, too, but not sure what I'll do Tuesday night yet, may go to The Western for their £100 jobbie.

Wednesday, Sky Show, so probably spend the day at Feltham working & getting caught up on paperwork. Straight home to Derbyshire after. Maybe via Luton Cash Game.....

Thursday, will try & get my car serviced in Notts, & while waiting, pop across to DTD to see the lads & buy in for the £500.

Friday, Luton in the Evening, then drive straight down to Bristol where I'll book a Hotel.

Saturday, interviews for Poker Week at the GBPT Finals at Gala Bristol, starting at 11am, should be wrapped up by 3pm, then dash back up the M4 to Sky Fetham for that night's show. Drive back down to Bristol as soon as the Show finishes. A full day, but two jobs in 1 day comes in handy!

Sunday, Poker Week at Gala Bristol for the GBPT Final. Drive home, another week done & dusted.

Working Freelance is a novelty for me, but it's a bit un-nerving when there is no work, & the balance between too much & not enough is a bit worrying sometimes. But with 2 days for Poker Week, & two Sky Shows "Live" & a Sky Promo, this week is just about right, & it keeps the wolf from the door.

[tikay]

Had a bit of an interesting evening at Luton on Friday. Jim "77 Dave" McShane had a stunning night in the cash-game. I think he pulled up for £200, & arrived at "my" Dealers Choice table at around 4am with a stack that looked like £2k plus! Over the next hour, he probably added another 50% to that. Some night, & well done to Jim, who's a ruthlessly efficient Cash-game peddler.

Lloyd also had a great night, he played well but could not miss, & he ran a few hundred up to about £1,700, eventually upping sticks at about 2am with over £1k in front of him. Lloyd is one of those guys who loves to stack his chips very high in a "tower", & refuses to chage up his £25's for £100's, as it makes his tower shrink,& forever "tends" his tower, which, & I know not why, amuses me. Maybe it's a phallic thing. Good, solid, player, with plenty of moves, & always knows where he is in a hand, not an easy opponent in cash by any means.

Whereas I had a shocker, & could not win a hand to save my life. At my low point, I was over £1,500 down, but the cards "turned" in the last hour, & I eventually cashed £1,200, for a £300 loss on the night. Phew.... Big thanks to the good mate who loaned me £500 - BOTH Cash Machines at Luton were out of service! - & which I was able to repay as soon as the game finished. I won't name him in case the nippers all start tapping him up, but I'd have dropped £1k if it had not been for him, & I'm very grateful. Some nights it's just impossible to catch a card or a hand, whereas other nights the cards just click. There's so much luck in the game.

The Comp - a £75 Freeze - attracted some 80 runners, with at least 20 or 30 Alternates lined up on top of that! Lovely atmo, too. Runners included Jen Mason, on a rare Luton foray, Tracey Dingdell Dell, Tighty, (complete with Flushy-Style highlights in his hair....) Jim McShane, Celtic, Sonny Osman, Danny Samson, Carmy Banin, and a whole bunch of Southend, Brighton & London faces. I met blonde Nirvana for the first time, too, top bloke. If Tom, Chili & Flushy had been there, it would have been lovely, a full House as it were. Flushy would have LOVED the cash action!

My Tourney lasted all of 20 minutes. Holding  , me & Nice MateyBoy had some lively betting exchanges on the River of this Board.....

 

Well, it was tough to put him on  & I was a non-believer, so that was me crippled, but not out with a mere 800.

So I went on the tear, threw caution to the wind, & was soon up to 2k again, before I found  UTG, & decided to let someone else bet it for me. Limp, limp, limp, limp, limp, & than, praise be, the BB Raised it up, lovely, & I shoved for the lot. Pass all round to the BB, who gives it a 10 or 15 second dwell, before calling, saying "OK, I'll call", I flip my Eights & he turns over, one at a time, two gleaming Red Aces....Any seats in the Cash-Game?

The Cash-Game was tight tight tight, & included Lloyd, the mercifully loose Ambro (who'd exited first hand of the Tourney after shoving & telling his oppo "you can't call without trips", but his Oppo did have trips....), Hinge & Bracket, & a mixed crew. This game lasted 5 hours before a seat became vacant, & was mainly Super-Stud, High-Low Omaha, Hi-Lo Stud, & a few games of Lowball, which I generally sit out of. I lost a huge Super-Stud Pot when I faced two oppos, neither of whom, were showing any low, (I had a made medium Low & a high draw), so I decided to shove big-time on 6th street, & to my delight, both called. Shirley, with no low showing, but a big High draw, caught a beauty for the Low, Matey Boy caught the High, & biddybang biddybong I'd done a big lump. Poo.

I had a chat with Carmel, & it seem the League Deductions are a thing of the past, & won't happen again once the current affair has ended. Glory be, the battle (at Luton anyway) is won, & fair play to Luton for listening to the players.

Luton get some stick, but they've recruited a smashing bunch of young Dealers - & more to come - & in young Adrian, they have a future star for sure, he has great authority & a nice "touch" for one so young & inexperienced. Some of the players, Hinge & Bracket in particular, give the Dealers some shocking grief, when it's not their fault at all, but they just sit there & deal, & ignore the jibes. I'm not sure I could.