Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

The "Tipping Thread" amused & interested me.

Tipping has changed, & in some jobs, it's now the norm, & in others, it's died out.

Can you imagine, for example, tipping a Train Driver, because he gave you a smooth journey, or arrived early? Bizarre, I know, but it USED to happen.

As you may know, my Dad was an Engine-Driver, on the Great Western Railway, based at Old Oak Common Engine-Shed, (Shed-Code 81a) & working Main-Line Trains out of Paddington.

In the days of Steam Locomotives (it seemed to die out when Diesels arrived), when a train arrived at the London Terminus (it never happened at the "down" Terminus), the Engine Driver &/or Fireman would lean out of his cab after the train came to rest, & watch the passengers walking towards the Barrier. They only did this for one reason - because they frequently got tips - threepence, sixpence, a shilling, half-a-crown, Dad even got a ten-bob note once.

Well, Dad was doing his leaning out of the cab thing one day at Paddington in March 1968, & a little man, clearly an ex-jockey, walked up to him - he'd got on at Newbury, near to the famous Lambourn Training grounds - & said to Dad "hey mate, nice journey, thank you  - back Francincense to win the Lincolnshire Handicap".

Well, Dad was not a gambler in those days (how that was to change), but he invested the then whopping sum of 10/- (ten shillings, or 50p in new money) on Francincense at 66/1. It was in fact the subject of a huge gamble, &, backed down at all rates in the Ante-Post market from 66/1 to 5/1 favourite, before easing to 8's on the day, won hard-held.

The young man who gave him that tip (& started my Dad on a life of gambling, which I inherited) was the Head Lad for the winning Trainer, John Oxley, & had previously been an Apprentice jockey for the legendary Fred Rimmel.

His name was Barry Hills, & he was said to have won £64,000 on that coup, an absolute fortune in those days. Using that cash, he set himself up as a Trainer in 1969, & went on to become one of England's greatest ever Trainers, with scores of Big-Race Winners to his credit, & an association with the likes of Robert Sangster, for whom he was, for a while, Private Trainer during Sangster's golden years. Vincent O'Brien also Trained for Sangster, of course, & Sangster had made his money from Vernons Football Pools, Football Pools being "the thing" in those days. (This was pre the Arab-dominance of British Turf).

Hills had 5 sons I think, by two wives, & two of his Sons - twins - went on to become very successful jockeys in their own right. He must be over 80 now, & must have trained several thousand winners.

It'd be easier to name the big Group Races Hills has not won, but that'd include the Epsom Derby, in which he trained the runner-up a heart-breaking 4 times, in 3 of them, arguably, down to jockeyship, or lack of it.

Cash Asmussen rode a shocker on Blue Stag in '90, son Michael was out thought in '88 on Glacial Storm, in '78 the legendary Bill Shoemaker rode a peach of a race on Hawaiian Sound (who never really got a mile & a half) only to be pipped at the Post by Shirley Heights (ridden by Starkey IIRC),  &, cruellest of all, Rheingold just failed to hang on against the majestic O'Brien trained Roberto, given a never-forgotten ride of a lifetime by one L. Piggott, who almost carried Roberto over the line after whipping the poor thing relentlessly. Rheingold, however, got his just desserts, going on to win the Arc.

Dad became addicted to gambling, though at low limits, & that's another story, & so did I, which is also another tale for another day.

[Karabiner]

I met Henry Seizal(sp?) a few times when he came to socialise with my parents when he owned Rheingold.

He was I believe a German ex-pat who owned a nightclub in London's West End called "The Rheingold" after which the horse was named.

That Roberto was no mug mind, it was the only horse to ever beat the great Brigadier Gerard in what was a vintage year.

[bobby1]

nice read Tony, there was a convo on one of the threads about players that had been gamblers and then discovered poker and how their gambling changed. Do you qualify as a gambler that found poker?

[tikay]

I met Henry Seizal(sp?) a few times when he came to socialise with my parents when he owned Rheingold.

He was I believe a German ex-pat who owned a nightclub in London's West End called "The Rheingold" after which the horse was named.

That Roberto was no mug mind, it was the only horse to ever beat the great Brigadier Gerard in what was a vintage year.

Don't start me off on "The Brigadier" Ralph, or I'll be writing another horsey War & Peace. His owner, John Hislop, wrote a most marvellous book about the breeding, training & racecourse career of The Brigadier, & I often re-read it. 17 wins from 18 outings, every single one of them against top-drawer opponents. He began by beating Mill Reef & My Swallow - not bad for starters! Hislop never forgave himself for that defeat against Roberto in the Benson & Hedges Gold Cup, but the Knavesmire was lightning-fast that day - way too fast for The Briigadier -  as evidenced by Roberto beating the track-record (meaningless on the turf, really) by three lengths. I do believe Roberto was ridden by some obscure American jockey that day.

He was by a very modest Sire, Queens Hussar, & on the dam's side, traced back to Pretty Polly, & Hislop was a stud-book geek, experimenting with all sorts of weird outcrosses.

When that "Greatest RaceHorse ever" thread was going, I considered, long & hard, if The Brigadier would be my flat-horse nomination, but I had to plump for Sceptre in the end, no-contest really. I keep meaning to write up my "Greatest Chaser" nomination, too. You'd never guess THAT one!

So much I want to do, so little time.

[tikay]

nice read Tony, there was a convo on one of the threads about players that had been gamblers and then discovered poker and how their gambling changed. Do you qualify as a gambler that found poker?

Wow, that's a purler.

Yes, I'm the ultimate gambler-cum-pokerer. I want to write up my gambling history soonest, but yes, the day I discovered Poker (blame Slow-Mo) was the day I gave up all other forms of gambling - everything, the bloody lot. I have used EVERY gambling format really - horses, cherrries, footie, cricket, golf, SP, Spreads, the whole gamut, but when I found poker, it cured me of all of them, overnight, a 100% light-switch moment. I've never had a single bet since I started poker, not one.

Actually, I'm a bit tempted to have a look at this exchange-betting malkarky. Betfair paid some cash into my Account for some work I did for them recently, & I'm sort of tempted to have a dabble. I hope I don't, it'd prob be a bad move, but my oh my, gambling has given me so many thrills & spills, so much fun, so many bloody headaches.

I must resist, I must resist.......Karabiner is my Betting Role-Model really - he hunts high & low for value, & just bets sensibly. My problem is the "sensibly" bit......

Please keep the feedback coming, I really enjoy it, thank you.

[tikay]

I met Henry Seizal(sp?) a few times when he came to socialise with my parents when he owned Rheingold.

He was I believe a German ex-pat who owned a nightclub in London's West End called "The Rheingold" after which the horse was named.

That Roberto was no mug mind, it was the only horse to ever beat the great Brigadier Gerard in what was a vintage year.

"Henry K Zeisal" Ralph.

Rheingold made a habit of running up against the very best of his era - Roberto, Allez France (whom he beat), & a great favourite of mine, Dahlia, who was by Vaguely Noble, a very fashionable stallion in those days. I must write my thoughts up on Dahlia's owner one of these days, a Texan, one Nelson Bunker Hunt, who, with his brother, was the George Soros of his day. The Brothers Bunker-Hunt once made an audacious attempt to corner the entire world-market in Silver, & almost succeeded, moving the price significantly, until The Fed stepped in & a concerted counter-move by the major World Banks was organised, which all ended in tears for the Bunker-Hunt brothers. In fact, Bunker-Hunt also owned Vaguely Noble for a goodly while. He had a few bob, but lost the bloody lot on that silver-heist.

I can recall the colours of their silks to this day - little green & white squares.

So many stories to tell.

[ericstoner]

I had the great plesure of being at the derby in 1972 to see the Roberto-rhinegold battle,and i think only L Piggott could have got Roberto home against the so unlucky `Shoe`mount.
By the way Relph,I also spent an extremely drink filled night,at the rhinegold club,off oxford st meny years ago.

Also like lots of us i was a hardened gambler,who since discovered poker has hardly placed a bet.

The bsst race i've seen ,was Dancing Brave,winning the Arc.

[Karabiner]

I must resist, I must resist.......Karabiner is my Betting Role-Model really - he hunts high & low for value, & just bets sensibly. My problem is the "sensibly" bit......


Ahem Tony, I wish I had the dough that I squandered between the times when I was twenty years old and thirty.

I was one of the ultimate fish, casinos (blackjack, roulette, dice, and especially poker in it's early form) were the bane of my life, amongst other things,  and of those who cared for me.

Sensibility came to me later in life, much later, but that as you say is another story....

[bobby1]

nice read Tony, there was a convo on one of the threads about players that had been gamblers and then discovered poker and how their gambling changed. Do you qualify as a gambler that found poker?

Wow, that's a purler.

Yes, I'm the ultimate gambler-cum-pokerer. I want to write up my gambling history soonest, but yes, the day I discovered Poker (blame Slow-Mo) was the day I gave up all other forms of gambling - everything, the bloody lot. I have used EVERY gambling format really - horses, cherrries, footie, cricket, golf, SP, Spreads, the whole gamut, but when I found poker, it cured me of all of them, overnight, a 100% light-switch moment. I've never had a single bet since I started poker, not one.

Actually, I'm a bit tempted to have a look at this exchange-betting malkarky. Betfair paid some cash into my Account for some work I did for them recently, & I'm sort of tempted to have a dabble. I hope I don't, it'd prob be a bad move, but my oh my, gambling has given me so many thrills & spills, so much fun, so many bloody headaches.

I must resist, I must resist.......Karabiner is my Betting Role-Model really - he hunts high & low for value, & just bets sensibly. My problem is the "sensibly" bit......

Please keep the feedback coming, I really enjoy it, thank you.

I hope that wasnt a little crude of me Tony as I kn ow its not always wise to ask people abiut their gambling. I would love to hear of your gambling days, esp the golf trips you once mentioned to me.

[tikay]

nice read Tony, there was a convo on one of the threads about players that had been gamblers and then discovered poker and how their gambling changed. Do you qualify as a gambler that found poker?

Wow, that's a purler.

Yes, I'm the ultimate gambler-cum-pokerer. I want to write up my gambling history soonest, but yes, the day I discovered Poker (blame Slow-Mo) was the day I gave up all other forms of gambling - everything, the bloody lot. I have used EVERY gambling format really - horses, cherrries, footie, cricket, golf, SP, Spreads, the whole gamut, but when I found poker, it cured me of all of them, overnight, a 100% light-switch moment. I've never had a single bet since I started poker, not one.

Actually, I'm a bit tempted to have a look at this exchange-betting malkarky. Betfair paid some cash into my Account for some work I did for them recently, & I'm sort of tempted to have a dabble. I hope I don't, it'd prob be a bad move, but my oh my, gambling has given me so many thrills & spills, so much fun, so many bloody headaches.

I must resist, I must resist.......Karabiner is my Betting Role-Model really - he hunts high & low for value, & just bets sensibly. My problem is the "sensibly" bit......

Please keep the feedback coming, I really enjoy it, thank you.

I hope that wasnt a little crude of me Tony as I kn ow its not always wise to ask people abiut their gambling. I would love to hear of your gambling days, esp the golf trips you once mentioned to me.

Not crude at all Phil, and I'll try & write up my Gambling Days & Golf Trips soon.

[tikay]

I must resist, I must resist.......Karabiner is my Betting Role-Model really - he hunts high & low for value, & just bets sensibly. My problem is the "sensibly" bit......


Ahem Tony, I wish I had the dough that I squandered between the times when I was twenty years old and thirty.

I was one of the ultimate fish, casinos (blackjack, roulette, dice, and especially poker in it's early form) were the bane of my life, amongst other things,  and of those who cared for me.

Sensibility came to me later in life, much later, but that as you say is another story....

You & me too, Ralph.

I went through all the gambler's phases.

Roulette - I had a system - we all did. (It was called losing). But I was in denial, as all Roulette plyers are. I backed, bizarrely, Prime Numbers, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31.

Then came Blackjack, & I could count cards with the best of them. Much better than Roulette. (It takes longer to do your dough). I gambled a lot on Blackjack in West Africa, (Gambia, Senegal & Sierra Leonne) over many years. I became friendly with an Italian Family, Mafia connected I assume, who controlled all the Casinos on the African West Coast, & dated their eldest Daughter for a while. At Christmas, we'd dine in a Lebanese Restaurant (yuk) in Gambia with assorted Gambian Government Ministers, & the Brown Envelopes were passed around freely. There I met a very rich Lebanese family - the Lebanese controlled the economy in West Africa in those days, & were known as "The African Jews". We played Volleyball on the Beach every day, & the Lebanese are very gifted Volleyball players.

Greyhounds exercised my mind for many a year, & I was a "face" at all the London Tracks of the time - Haringey, Hendon (now the site of Brent Cross Shopping Centre) 'Stow, Hackney, Catford, Crayford, Romford, White City, Slough (now a Sainsbury's), Wimbledon. I owned a few dogs, just Graders, & they are a cheap way to have great fun, but gambling on Greyhounds is real lottery material.

Snooker, too, & I backed a Pro in some Private Matches, always held in dodgy clubs during the wee small hours.

Horses were always my real thing, & I was a Member at Cheltenham for over 20 years. I have every Timeform (Flat) Annual up to about 1985, & every Timeform Hurdlers & Chasers to the same date, as well as a huge Library of Racehorse Breeding tomes, & many signed, original, antiquarian books on Men & Horses. I met Phil Bull several times, (he lived n Halifax) & he was a great hero of mine. He drove a Jaguar, & supped fine malt whisky from a cut-glass tumbler as he drove!

Spread Betting was next. I dread to think what that cost me. My last Spread Bet was on a Man Utd v Arsenal fixture at Old Trafford, I went for Arsenal Supremacy, & they got tonked about 5-0, or 6-1 I think. This'd be maybe 10 years ago.

So much fun, so much pain, so much money has slipped through my hands, but I always had some set aside, in Shares & stuff, & still do.

[tikay]

Poker.

I messed up on Thursday, planned to go to Sheffield Naps for their £300, but I clean forgiot it was on, & ended up in Luton for their £50 Freeze, surprisingly well-attended with 60 runners.

I was outrageously lucky early doors, getting QQ 3 times, KK twice, AA once, & jacks three times, & winning most of them. I also flopped a House with J-3, & it went Bet, Call, Call, Call.......happy days.

The standard of play was abysmal, & it was just a case of keeping out of trouble & picking up decent hands.

With SEVEN Limpers to my Button in Level Two, I Raised it up to 700 with 7-9, & got, err, SEVEN Callers! It came 6-8-K, & two players were holding K-Q, & trapped, & I bet my straight draw, they both called, gulp. I bet the blank turn, rinse, repeat. The straight rivered, but it bought a flush, too, & we checked it down, & I took a chunky Pot to a few raised eyebrows. So I bet Pre, Flop, & Turn, but checked once I'd hit the River.......think I need to work on my betting patterns........!

I made a right howler on a  turn, & called a small bet holding  . Of course he had the House - obviously, but it was 400 all-in into a 2,700 Pot, & I felt I could not Pass for that. I got a bit of a rub-down from Mick "The Clock" Cook for my outrageously stupid call.

I Finalled as Chippie Leader with 70k, & planned to Sit-Out for a few orbits, to allow the maniacs to bust each other. But a Raise from Lairy-Lad with 30k behind seduced me to shove with Nines, & he gave it considerable Dwellage before calling - with Kings! Then another badly timed move went astray, & shove-time soon arrived, & Ian "Expressman" snapped off my bluff, & that was that, 7th or 8th I think, for a paltry £100, but a pleasant evening of mainly good company & banter.

Delghted to see Expressman there, after his Plasma Comments, & we chatted amiably, & I'm glad he Cashed, to make it worthwhile for him, he enjoyed himself muchly.

[tikay]

Returned to Luton for the Friday £75 Freeze, for which 90 hopefuls turned up, & I was looking for my 5th Final on the bounce. The usual Friday Night Crowd, of which maybe 10% can play.

Shared a table with Ray Hammer, who jets off to Michigan, USA, in a day or two to get married. He's a lovely fella, & I like him a lot.

Also shared a Table with an ex Pro Golfer - Graham Miles, or Mills? He played the Open once or twice I gather, a lovely chap, huge, too.

5k starting chips, no McCready Minor OR Major, which I ain't keen on, & Antes from 200-400 onwards, which I like a lot.

Utterly Card-Devoid for first 2 Levels, never played a hand, but from Level 4 until the Semi-Final I was big Chip Leader, getting fortunate with Big v Big several times.

It all went wrong in the Semi. A Lovely Lady, who makes Mrs Bambos look loose, made it 9k, I set her all in, she had about 30k, & she insta-called me - with J-Q! It took my breath away, but she said she thought I was bullying, which, to be fair, I had been earlier. Some call, & of course, she hit.

Another hit & I was soon down amongst the dead-men, & open-shoved with 8-2, got looked up, & Rivered the Deuce! From about 3 BB's, I was soon back in good shape with a series of Shoves, & I really do play better when I'm a shortie, I seem able to pick the right Spots to push. Whereas when I have a stack, I always donk off. I think I have three left feet, & should give up dancing.

I was almost back to Average when the Final began, got lucky a few times when looked up, I was pushing a great deal, as the Prize Structure is so top-heavy.

Eventually, after yet more golden luck, we were 3 handed, Average Stack was 150k (I had 110k) & Blinds were a ridiculous 10k-20k, & the Levels had been shortened to 20 minutes (it was gone 5am), so three of us chopped it up, & we all moved in Blind, & I "Officially" got 3rd. I had accepted £1,300 (2nd was £1,350), & I was delighted.

Two lovley nights at Luton. I do seem to get lucky there.

[tikay]

During tonight's Luton Final, two of the Finalists had "Railers" who had %'s in them. The Railers, in the late Stages, continually suggested proposed "chops". I asked them to demur - I don't think that's on, it should be confined to Players to suggest Deals, but nobody else seemed bothered. I think that's plain wrong. The Dealers showed no interest in the matter, either, even when I asked them to have a word. Decorum seems a thing of the past.

[tikay]

Chili is HOT - she won one of 3 Seats (Online) tonight, for the Manchester GUKPT. I'm delighted for her, her form is turning, & if she can Sat her way into Biggies, she'll do alright.

Don't be surprised to see her feature as a Poker Magazine Cover-Girl soon. You never know, eh?

Well done him.