Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Tikay

Whats the chances of you getting Flushy back to Luton to sit in the d/c again

Flushy is always good for any cash game

He's just not ready for Luton Cash yet......

PS - I'll ring him tomorrow & tell him to get his fat arse up there. We need his money.

[tikay]

The rule at Luton regarding the waiting list for cash games is quite complicated but ill have a go at trying to explain it.

These rules were brought in as it believe that something similar is in place at the Vic. Luton though of course doesnt get the same traffic as the Vic.

So, If you phone up and puut your name on the list your name is written up with a time next to it. You then have an hour to turn up or your name is taken off of the board.

If the game starts before you arrive or if the game is already running then any players in the room have first option on any avalible seats.

Upon arrival if the game is full you dont have a claim on any seat in the game but your name holds it postition on the waiting list.

If someone arrives before you or is knocked out of the comp and the game is full they go on the list before you even though you are not yet in the building but as long as you do arrive within the given 60 mins.

As i said quite complicated butthe rule has been in place for about 18 months now but i do understand that it is under review



Next Question

Thanks Jim. It's just rather sad that Ambro got upset, that's the last thing I ever wanted. We need his valooooooo, too......

[tikay]

I had some aggro on Monday, as I was on the way to, & at, Luton, & the 'phone never stopped, 20 or 30 calls back & forth. There was a problem at Sky - a "major" Guest had not turned up, (a replacement Guest needed, God bless snatimiras), a problem at blonde, some stuff - big-time stuff - to sort for the blonde Waterford Fessie, & my Mobile Battery was flagging, just one bar left.

The 'phone rings while I'm playing the Comp, for the 10th time, sigh. I answer it, & it's an old flame, I not heard from her for 10 years or more, but she & I have a story or two to tell, or not, as the case may be.

Blimey, I can't believe it, all that time, & she rings me up, out of the blue.

I can't speak now, mid-comp, so I say, "hey xxxx, give me your new number, & I'll ring you back tomorrow".

"OK" says she, "it's 0731, 459......". And then the battery died. I run so good. Mostly.

[Snatiramas]

I really enjoyed the comp on Wednesday at the G. It was just good pleasant entertainment and I thought Nina and the dealers had a lot to do with that. Some people just like to attack dealers and some people like to be miserable. It is the job of the non silent happy minority to ensure that they do not win and rain on everybody's parade. Ambro will chill he is a good bloke. Hinge and bracket on the other hand will whine until the cows come home.

If you've not been to Luton on a Wednesday come down it's a good place to play poker with what I think is the one of the best structured comps to be played on a regular night as are Monday, Sunday and to some degree Friday. If fishing is more your game Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are your nights. I know I grumble at times as regards some of the decisions taken by the casino or the group, that probably will not change, but this is only because it could be an even better experience. There is still more that can be done but having played at most sites around the London area somehow home is always in Luton.

[kinboshi]

I had some aggro on Monday, as I was on the way to, & at, Luton, & the 'phone never stopped, 20 or 30 calls back & forth. There was a problem at Sky - a "major" Guest had not turned up, (a replacement Guest needed, God bless snatimiras), a problem at blonde, some stuff - big-time stuff - to sort for the blonde Waterford Fessie, & my Mobile Battery was flagging, just one bar left.

The 'phone rings while I'm playing the Comp, for the 10th time, sigh. I answer it, & it's an old flame, I not heard from her for 10 years or more, but she & I have a story or two to tell, or not, as the case may be.

Blimey, I can't believe it, all that time, & she rings me up, out of the blue.

I can't speak now, mid-comp, so I say, "hey xxxx, give me your new number, & I'll ring you back tomorrow".

"OK" says she, "it's 0731, 459......". And then the battery died. I run so good. Mostly.

If she called you, do you not now have her number on your call log?

[tikay]

I've got a whole bunch of stuff to jot down - a Julian Gardner story, a Padraig Parkinson one, some stuff I saw in the paper yesterday, & the Brighton Rendezvous reply, but I have the mother & father of headaches, so I'm giving best.

The coming weekend has turned out nicely for me. I had a shift booked at Feltham on Saturday night, & Poker Week in Bristol on Sunday, but I got lucky, & picked up two extra jobs.

I am going down to Bristol on Saturday morning (straight from Luton on Friday night I imagine), to do some interviews with Phil Laak, Mrs Tilley, Estanio, etc., & they will be sorted by 3pm (when the GBPT Comp resumes), so I'll drive straight back up the M4 to Feltham to do the Saturday night Show. After, back down the M4 for the "normal" Poker Week stuff with Compo on Sunday, & no doubt he & I will find some cash-action on Sunday night somewhere, probably Luton, so back up the M4. On Monday night, I've picked up a "spare" at Sky, and that'll be a corker, as Chubbs Nowab & ActionJack are the Guests. After that, straight home. Deffo. Not a bad weekend though - 4 paid jobs! Lovely.

Two days off follow, then the Show on Thursday, then fly out to Waterford on the Friday for the blonde Fessie, & some serious Tournament Poker, which I've not played in a goodly while. Poker Week will be there, too, so it'll be business mixed with playing, happy days, I can't come out losing!

The following week, for once, my Diary has been kind, & I'm able to play both the £300 & £500 Double Chances at the Midland Masters in Walsall, one of the Season's best & oldest Fessies, thats followed by the Virgin Weekend at The Broadway - two days of very hard, but very well-paid, stuff, & the following week, DTD at last opens it's doors. I wonder how that will pan out? I'll be there for the Media Night (Wednesday) with Poker Week, gonna interview Rob, & the £500 on the Saturday. I'm hoping there will be a little cash-game there most nights. It's only 10 minutes from home for me, & it'll save me a 3 hour+ round trip to Luton most nights - but I'm not gonna give up Luton, it's too much fun, & the craic & company is excellent. There should be 14 days in a week.

[tikay]

I had some aggro on Monday, as I was on the way to, & at, Luton, & the 'phone never stopped, 20 or 30 calls back & forth. There was a problem at Sky - a "major" Guest had not turned up, (a replacement Guest needed, God bless snatimiras), a problem at blonde, some stuff - big-time stuff - to sort for the blonde Waterford Fessie, & my Mobile Battery was flagging, just one bar left.

The 'phone rings while I'm playing the Comp, for the 10th time, sigh. I answer it, & it's an old flame, I not heard from her for 10 years or more, but she & I have a story or two to tell, or not, as the case may be.

Blimey, I can't believe it, all that time, & she rings me up, out of the blue.

I can't speak now, mid-comp, so I say, "hey xxxx, give me your new number, & I'll ring you back tomorrow".

"OK" says she, "it's 0731, 459......". And then the battery died. I run so good. Mostly.

If she called you, do you not now have her number on your call log?

No, it came up as "Private Number". She probably, & wisely, withheld it.

[tikay]

My life is blighted suddenly. I'm down to #3 in the ProRank 2 Europan Rankings. Which is fine, it's a load of tosh anyway. So what's the prob? Well according to my secret informant, this month's Poker Europa shows one "Chopper Dempsey" as Leader.

My grateful thanks to my secret informant, who rung me at 2am to impart that news. Thanks Flushy.

PS - I shall make it my business to destroy every copy I can find of Poker Europa. The shame.......

I realy ought to try & start playing Circuit Events again I suppose, but I've discovered serenity in my work, in lower buy-in Tourneys, & in cash-games, & I'm not sure if I'll ever play as many Tourneys as I used to. My moment of glory, as Pro-Rank 2 Leader, was my high point I fancy, never to be seen again.

[tikay]

I had a smashing chat with Julian Gardner last Saturday in Dublin.

For those new to the game, Julian is, arguably, one of the UK's finest Tournament players. He's had 15 or 20 WSOP Cashes, including a 10th in the $10,000 Omaha, & 3 or 4 Main Event Cashes, the best being runner-up for $1,100,000 in the famous 2002 Main Event, the so-called "Shipley Final". Legend has it that he took the $1.1mill in Cash, paid for an extra seat on the flight home to Manchester, & plonked the holdall with all that cash in it next to him on the 'plane, with it's own seat. Julian used to do the European Circuit, has dozens of cashes at the Aviation in Paris, also Vienna, Nova Gorcia, everywhere really.

He's been hooked up with THE prettiest young lady you ever saw for some years now - Jerry I think - & they have two beautiful young daughters. Or it may be one of each. The eldest - or it may be the youngest - is three. Or possibly older. Or younger.

Anyway, I asked him why we so rarely see him these days, I wanted to Interview him for Poker Week, but he'd been on the Red for a good few hours, & wisely declined.

He told me the reason we don't see him much is because he misses his Daughters too much, & they him. "Funnily enough, the three year old was on the 'phone half an hour ago (presumably guided by Baby-Sitter) wanted to know when I'll be home - & that upsets me, I want to be with them".

He said that in this year's WSOP Main Event (64th, $130,000) he busted out, & headed staight back to his Hotel, where the Daughters were staying with Mum. The moment he walked through the door, the 3 year old rushed up to him, & gave it all the "daddy daddy, I've missed you" thing. And that, according to JG, erases any pain of poker defeat instantly. Alongside JG that night was a top Poker "face", who'd also just busted out, & it was only then that he suddenly realised why we don't see much of Julian these days. I must say, I've never seen him look so content, or happy. Lucky him.

He plays almost entirely Online these days, on Full-Tilt mostly. They pay him an hourly rate to play on the Site - not a fortune, but handy enough - & he gets full Rakeback I think.

Julian's Dad, Dave, was a prominent & successful player on the Circuit for many a year, both Tourneys & Cash, probably better at cash, & he was a Salford & Blackpool regular, Sheffield too, though Father & Son had their differences from time to time let's say. Dave knocked around mainly with Howard Plant, who I've also not seen in a while. He's the Blackpool Car-Park King. I believe Dave went to Thailand earlier this year, married a local, & has hardly been back since. Probably too busy.

[M3boy]

I've been jousting a lot with Lalit. For those who don't know Lalit, he's one of the two Khujaria Brothers, & he's just tremendous fun, & a great sport, & I've played with him all over the UK & Europe. I like him immensely, he has terrific morals & values, not an enemy on earth. Seriously rich, but he plays to win, & will always give good action. Look up his recod on any Poker Database, he's got good game, especially at Omaha.

Sorry TK, but I know of 2 people who go to Luton on a regular basis who would disagree strongly with this comment.

[portfolio]

Egodestructable has to go. Final warning

No thread is safe.

love  it.



tikay, please do tell more  re the western       aas it struck me as a throwback to 70 s  speilers.

[tikay]

I've been jousting a lot with Lalit. For those who don't know Lalit, he's one of the two Khujaria Brothers, & he's just tremendous fun, & a great sport, & I've played with him all over the UK & Europe. I like him immensely, he has terrific morals & values, not an enemy on earth. Seriously rich, but he plays to win, & will always give good action. Look up his recod on any Poker Database, he's got good game, especially at Omaha.

Sorry TK, but I know of 2 people who go to Luton on a regular basis who would disagree strongly with this comment.

No need to apologise Paul, you are as entitled to that view as I am to mine.

But I'd say this, because I'm aware of what you allude to.

Here are two facts.

1) You speak the truth, as you see it.

2) Lalit is an honest & good man. He's been around the Circuit for years, & there has never been a shred of evidence to the contrary. Wrong 'uns soon get sussed, you & me know who they are. No stain has ever attached itself to Lalit's name.

So, how do you reconcile the fact that you & he had an "incident" upon which there is strong disagreement?

There is only one explanation, if we accept 1) & 2).

Perhaps it was a misunderstanding, crossed lines, a conmmunication error. You'd be amazed how often they happen & easy they are to make.

Here's an amazing story. Air Travel is extraordinarily safe - yes? If the left engine of a Boeing 737-400 catches fire, do you think it's possible that both the Pilot AND the Co-Pilot could get confused, & think it was the right engine on fire? Every Passenger could SEE, via the windows, that the left engine was ablaze. But the Pilots shut down the right-hand engine engine by mistake. All the 'planes instruments were 100% accurate. The left engine was on fire. And as the left-hand engine had already blown up, & was not working, & the Pilots shut down the right-hand Engine, the 'plane crashed. Because the Pilots got confused. Between Left & Right.

How was it possible that such a misunderstanding could occur? It's barely credible, is it? But it happened. On the M1, in Nottingham. And 46 passengers & crew were killed. That was less than 20 years ago.

Misunderstandings sometimes seem impossible. But they are not.

I am sure your little problem with Lalit was exactly that - a pure & total misunderstanding. Try & look at it that way Paul, you'll be happier for it.

[M3boy]

There was no misunderstanding TK

I am over it though - just once bitten and all that.

See you in Waterford

[tikay]

Egodestructable has to go. Final warning

No thread is safe.

love  it.



tikay, please do tell more  re the western       aas it struck me as a throwback to 70 s  speilers.

The Western?

OK. It's a converted office block, on the Western Avenue (A40) about 300 yards on the London-Bound side of Hanger Lane Gyratory system.

The entrance is via a ground floor lobby, the main Cardroom, Bar & Restaurant are on the nicely fitted out & well-carpeted first floor. Smaller, "salon prive" type Cardrooms are on upper floors, along with DartBoards & Pool Tables.

The Cardroom is really rather nice. Plenty of room - it could sit 200 I fancy - & it has about 15 Computer Terminals, all tuned to Full-Tilt I think, with whom The Western have a good rakeback deal. Those PC's earn the Western a small fortune, & subsidise the B & M Club, most of the Terminals are busy all night & every night.

Tournament schedules are mostly £10 & £20 affairs, but they have a £100 Freeze every Tuesday, once a month that becomes a £200 Freeze. They have, I believe, a nice £500 affair lined up just before Christmas I think.

They hosted, entirely free of charge, the blonde-inspired Reece Benefit Night in 2005, & gave a goodly donation on top. When they discovered that the money had not found it's way to Reece, they offered to stage another night, free of charge, & collect at least as much as was originally raised. As luck would have it, Reece eventually got most (though not all) of the money raised by blondes & The Western. (A goodly lump of which was dionated thanks to Andrew T's employers). I never attended or supported the Event for my own reasons, but this was nothing to do with The Western.

The owners, so far as I know, are Derek Baxter, & a few others, & it's run by a good guy by the name of Jeff. I believe the Owners all played in the big Cash-Game at The Vic until a few years back, when they got fed up with what they saw as poor treatment by The Vic & set up their own place. Subsequently, they were all Banned by Grosvenor.

A very big Cash-Game goes off there every night, probably the biggest nightly game in London. Oddly, it was not running this Tuesday, for the first time so far as I know.

The regular Tourneys are well-organized, & start promptly & punctually. The tables are clearly numbered, the Dealers are mostly excellent & friendly. The cards & chips are perfect. Valet service is astonishingly good, & the food is top-notch home-cooked, the best I've ever had in any UK Venue, as well as being cheap.

When the £100 Tourney starts, everyone is given a free drink - bar drink! - on the House. And they usually give bottles of bubbly to the Chip Leaders of both Semi-Final Tables. They have a PA System & they use it well to announce re-starts, shuffle up & deal etc, & players are reminded of important House Rules - not in the seat when last card dealt, hand is dead, etc.

Cash-Game players don't pay for meals, either. I was in the Tourney this week, ordered a meal, busted out, moved to a cash-table, & the Valet served me my meal there. She then asked for the Menu price, £6.95 or whatever, but the other players reminded her - it's free to Cash-Game players, & chargeable to Tourney players! (She said, "ahh yes, but he was in the Tourney when he ordered it".......!)

The Cash-Game is raked, not hourly charged. Dealers are expected to be tipped after winning hands.

I enjoy playing there a great deal. It's a sort of up-market Gutshot in many ways, & uses a similar Business Model. There was talk of Gutshot & Western getting together a while back, but I don't know what came of it, (I saw Barry Martin & Granite John there several times) other than The Western-led "Poker Clubs Association" (PCA), which was formed to lobby for Unlicensed Venues. I met an MP there one night, who was being lobbied by The Western on this subject, but he was a complete twit & it's unlikely he had read or understood his brief.

The Club has always been Unlicensed, & I'm a little wary of it for just that reason. It's a fine place, 100% straight so far as I can see, but I utterly fail to understand how this "unlicensed" thing works. The GC successfully prosecuted Gutshot earlier this year, & got new powers as & from September 1st, they don't need the Police now, but the GC appears to be a totally impotent & incompetent organisation. Gutshot continue to trade, as do The Western - & good luck to them both, I have no issue with that - but I can't grasp why Rob Yong had to spend millions to get his Licence to trade (that includes massive Annual Compliance Costs), & yet the UK is full of hundreds of Unlicensed Venues. All very odd.

Interestingly, I heard a story this week from an extremely well-placed source that The Western were granted a licence a few days ago by the Local Council. How this fits, or squares, with the GC "Licence" I have not got a clue, but clearly they are trying very hard to be street-legal, short of spending the draconian amounts Rob Yong was forced to lay out.

[tikay]

There was no misunderstanding TK

I am over it though - just once bitten and all that.

See you in Waterford

That's what the two Pilots said Paul - it's DEFFO not a misunderstanding, "the left hand engine is on fire, turn off the le - sorry - right hand engine......." All that was proven by the Black-Box recording.

It's astonishing how some misunderstandings can occur. But they do.

Anyway, I don't think we'll agree on this, so yes, see you in Waterford. Have a safe journey.