Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

For those able to make Luton this Friday, the Cardroom will be graced by the much missed & former "Father of The Luton Cardroom" - Jim McShane, back in the UK for a week or so. Whenever any of us go across to Vegas, Jim is always at the Airport to pick us up, & generally act as mine host when required, which is much appreciated. I hope as many as possibe turn up at Luton on Friday to say Hi to a grand & much-missed guy.

[tikay]

The Western £200 tonight, & the main blonde raiding party was Lady Mason, Bradders & myself, all of whom departed the 41 runner pre-midnight.

Proceedings opened with some snap - Lamb Casserole & new tatties for Jen, & Chicken Soup & Dumplings for Bradders & me. Minus the dumplings, which were "off".

There then followed a Kalooki Tuition Session in which I coached the pair of them in the winning ways & etiquette of the game.

As to my Tourney, I never got out of the blocks really, & although I managed the heady heights of 11k (began with 7k) I had an accident with 9-9 v a bit of a stunning call by A-J, whch left me in shove-mode.

Eventually, I found the perfect spot, in the BB, with A-K, & a loose goose deep-stacked EP Raiser. (He'd got his mountain of chips from Koresh & Albert Station Sapiano).

It went Pass, Raise, Pass, Pass, Pass, then the Button says "hey, I've got no cards, misdeal!".

An almighty row erupted, the world & his wife were sought for opinions, & I was asked by the TD & other players at the Table what the correct Ruling should be - like I'd know! (I believe it's the "Action has taken place - in FIVE Spots, so the hand plays" thing).

But as I was in the Hand, & aching to play it, this was my ideal spot, I could not comment, obviously, so I had to keep schtum, & I never said a word.

Eventually it's Ruled that the hand plays, yay!, that's a relief, it gets to me, & I go All-In, & the inevitable call for a few chips more is made. He had T-9, & that was that.

Those present included Stuart Nash, Koresh, Albert Station, Kev Twigg, Craig "I Know It" Wildman", Garry Bush (playing Online, not the Tourney), Bradders, Jen, etc. The Big Cash Game was running, including a very useful Ruskie.

[tikay]

The Tourney was advertised a a £200 Freezeout. Entry cost £221 - yes, that's correct, £221, & I was puzzled by the odd quid.

I looked at my Entry Ticket, & it said "£200 + £3". Jen & Bradders ticket said exactly the same - "£200 + £3", & they too were charged £221.

The 41 runner field produced an £8,200 Prize Fund, according to the Plasmsa Screens, so that added up properly, based on £200.

How very odd. Anyone know the explanation?

[Bongo]

Did you not ask?

Is £3 the max they're allowed to take from you a day and £18 the amount you voluntarily donated?

[RED-DOG]

The Tourney was advertised a a £200 Freezeout. Entry cost £221 - yes, that's correct, £221, & I was puzzled by the odd quid.

I looked at my Entry Ticket, & it said "£200 + £3". Jen & Bradders ticket said exactly the same - "£200 + £3", & they too were charged £221.

The 41 runner field produced an £8,200 Prize Fund, according to the Plasmsa Screens, so that added up properly, based on £200.

How very odd. Anyone know the explanation?

Why didn't you ask them? I would have.

[turny]

Did you not ask?

Is £3 the max they're allowed to take from you a day and £18 the amount you voluntarily donated?

spot on, they obviously trading under a club gaming permit license

[tikay]

There were flyers at The Western for Saturday's Betfred Ladies Final, for which 10 players have qualified, & will battle it out for a tidy sponsorship Deal. I hope Lynne Beaumont wins it - she's a class act, & one of the best 3 Female players in the UK right now, imo.

The Structure amused me though. It was headlined "20,000 starting chips". Very nice - plenty of play there then.  Until you read on - because Level One is 100-200! In other words, it's a 5k starting stack really.

I'm not going to comment on the advisability or otherwise of Ladies Only Events - it's just a commercial angle, let's face it - but every Ladies Event I see has a ridiculous structure, including the WSOP.

It's demeaning & patronising that they are treated with such contempt.

If there must be Ladies Only Events, fine, so be it, good luck to them, but it's an insult to women to say "here, go play your own little Private Event, & here, take this toytown structure".

Saturday's Event, if it had a 5k starting stack beginning at 25-50 would probably be fine, but they had to tart it up with 20,000 starting chips, so that everyone is supposed to think "oooh, that's great".

Do they really think that female players can't see through that nonsense? If so, it's pretty demeaning.

[tikay]

Bongo, Red & Paul - no, I planned to ask about the weird Entry Fee, but I got chilling & dining with Jen & Bradders, & I clean forgot, to be honest.

I should have, no question about it. I'm not suggesting for a moment that anything was improper - I'm not, honest! - but it did strike me as odd.

 

[turny]

There were flyers at The Western for Saturday's Betfred Ladies Final, for which 10 players have qualified, & will battle it out for a tidy sponsorship Deal. I hope Lynne Beaumont wins it - she's a class act, & one of the best 3 Female players in the UK right now, imo.

The Structure amused me though. It was headlined "20,000 starting chips". Very nice - plenty of play there then.  Until you read on - because Level One is 100-200! In other words, it's a 5k starting stack really.

I'm not going to comment on the advisability or otherwise of Ladies Only Events - it's just a commercial angle, let's face it - but every Ladies Event I see has a ridiculous structure, including the WSOP.

It's demeaning & patronising that they are treated with such contempt.

If there must be Ladies Only Events, fine, so be it, good luck to them, but it's an insult to women to say "here, go play your own little Private Event, & here, take this toytown structure".

Saturday's Event, if it had a 5k starting stack beginning at 25-50 would probably be fine, but they had to tart it up with 20,000 starting chips, so that everyone is supposed to think "oooh, that's great".

Do they really think that female players can't see through that nonsense? If so, it's pretty demeaning.

talking of female players tony, i have been banging on at ling to get out and play the ladies tour but she just doesnt like the idea of the ladies only game.
she has some game on her now i can tell you and would more than hold her own at these type of events!

[tikay]

There were flyers at The Western for Saturday's Betfred Ladies Final, for which 10 players have qualified, & will battle it out for a tidy sponsorship Deal. I hope Lynne Beaumont wins it - she's a class act, & one of the best 3 Female players in the UK right now, imo.

The Structure amused me though. It was headlined "20,000 starting chips". Very nice - plenty of play there then.  Until you read on - because Level One is 100-200! In other words, it's a 5k starting stack really.

I'm not going to comment on the advisability or otherwise of Ladies Only Events - it's just a commercial angle, let's face it - but every Ladies Event I see has a ridiculous structure, including the WSOP.

It's demeaning & patronising that they are treated with such contempt.

If there must be Ladies Only Events, fine, so be it, good luck to them, but it's an insult to women to say "here, go play your own little Private Event, & here, take this toytown structure".

Saturday's Event, if it had a 5k starting stack beginning at 25-50 would probably be fine, but they had to tart it up with 20,000 starting chips, so that everyone is supposed to think "oooh, that's great".

Do they really think that female players can't see through that nonsense? If so, it's pretty demeaning.

talking of female players tony, i have been banging on at ling to get out and play the ladies tour but she just doesnt like the idea of the ladies only game.
she has some game on her now i can tell you and would more than hold her own at these type of events!

She has a super game, & would do well at high buy-in Tourneys. If she has a fault, it is that after 6 or 7 hours, she tends to lose a little patience/focus, but that's easily fixed. She's way better than Rooks though.

If she were mine - Heaven help her - I'd certainly not encourage her to play Ladies Events though, unless of course she was sponsored in, effectively Freerolling. I really don't think "Cashed in a Ladies Event" looks too impressive in any Poker CV.

[turny]

There were flyers at The Western for Saturday's Betfred Ladies Final, for which 10 players have qualified, & will battle it out for a tidy sponsorship Deal. I hope Lynne Beaumont wins it - she's a class act, & one of the best 3 Female players in the UK right now, imo.

The Structure amused me though. It was headlined "20,000 starting chips". Very nice - plenty of play there then.  Until you read on - because Level One is 100-200! In other words, it's a 5k starting stack really.

I'm not going to comment on the advisability or otherwise of Ladies Only Events - it's just a commercial angle, let's face it - but every Ladies Event I see has a ridiculous structure, including the WSOP.

It's demeaning & patronising that they are treated with such contempt.

If there must be Ladies Only Events, fine, so be it, good luck to them, but it's an insult to women to say "here, go play your own little Private Event, & here, take this toytown structure".

Saturday's Event, if it had a 5k starting stack beginning at 25-50 would probably be fine, but they had to tart it up with 20,000 starting chips, so that everyone is supposed to think "oooh, that's great".

Do they really think that female players can't see through that nonsense? If so, it's pretty demeaning.

talking of female players tony, i have been banging on at ling to get out and play the ladies tour but she just doesnt like the idea of the ladies only game.
she has some game on her now i can tell you and would more than hold her own at these type of events!

She has a super game, & would do well at high buy-in Tourneys. If she has a fault, it is that after 6 or 7 hours, she tends to lose a little patience/focus, but that's easily fixed. She's way better than Rooks though.

If she were mine - Heaven help her - I'd certainly not encourage her to play Ladies Events though, unless of course she was sponsored in, effectively Freerolling. I really don't think "Cashed in a Ladies Event" looks too impressive in any Poker CV.

yes tend to agree with all your comments (including being better than rooks  ) but i just think with all the  packages added in ladies only events the value is to good to pass up, especially for a player that imo will have a considerable edge on most of the field.

ling is certainly far and away the best female player that attends our games and if im honest nestles nicely in the top 5 or 6 players overall who play regular in our game. i also have seen her blow up after losing patience or getting bored but im pretty sure that wouldnt happen in higher bu in events.

[tikay]

Had a day off today, & caught up on the e-Mails, 38 went out, not too bad really considering I've been tied up for several days.

I do a Feedback Report on each PTP session - that's partly the idea of them really, to get feedback,  - and these took a goodly while, they are quite heavy going, and I had two to do today (Friday & Monday), though I'm enjoying the actual sessions a great deal.

I have to try & clear the PM's tomorrow (Wednesday) which is also a day off, & catch up with replies to comments in this Diary which I've not answered yet.

As the Blog was down, I could swerve writing it yesterday, luckily, as I was driving back from Blackpool & sorting out some stuff. I thought "that's annoyingly handy, it's down, so I've got a day's grace". But it came back up this afternoon, so now I'm behind, & that's tomorrow's first job. Caught with my pants down there.

I go back to work on Thursday, (thank goodness, as I feel at a loose end), I do the Five-00 Sky Sports Simulcast with Norman Pace, & that's it for the week.
 
I've got the taste to play a few more Fessie Side Events after last week, & there are four nice Fessies on the near horizon - The GUKPT Grand Final Fessie, Luton, Brighton, & DTD's Anniversary thingie. But the Diary has fallen badly, & I don't think I can play any of them. So be it.

[tikay]

There were flyers at The Western for Saturday's Betfred Ladies Final, for which 10 players have qualified, & will battle it out for a tidy sponsorship Deal. I hope Lynne Beaumont wins it - she's a class act, & one of the best 3 Female players in the UK right now, imo.

The Structure amused me though. It was headlined "20,000 starting chips". Very nice - plenty of play there then.  Until you read on - because Level One is 100-200! In other words, it's a 5k starting stack really.

I'm not going to comment on the advisability or otherwise of Ladies Only Events - it's just a commercial angle, let's face it - but every Ladies Event I see has a ridiculous structure, including the WSOP.

It's demeaning & patronising that they are treated with such contempt.

If there must be Ladies Only Events, fine, so be it, good luck to them, but it's an insult to women to say "here, go play your own little Private Event, & here, take this toytown structure".

Saturday's Event, if it had a 5k starting stack beginning at 25-50 would probably be fine, but they had to tart it up with 20,000 starting chips, so that everyone is supposed to think "oooh, that's great".

Do they really think that female players can't see through that nonsense? If so, it's pretty demeaning.

talking of female players tony, i have been banging on at ling to get out and play the ladies tour but she just doesnt like the idea of the ladies only game.
she has some game on her now i can tell you and would more than hold her own at these type of events!

She has a super game, & would do well at high buy-in Tourneys. If she has a fault, it is that after 6 or 7 hours, she tends to lose a little patience/focus, but that's easily fixed. She's way better than Rooks though.

If she were mine - Heaven help her - I'd certainly not encourage her to play Ladies Events though, unless of course she was sponsored in, effectively Freerolling. I really don't think "Cashed in a Ladies Event" looks too impressive in any Poker CV.

yes tend to agree with all your comments (including being better than rooks  ) but i just think with all the  packages added in ladies only events the value is to good to pass up, especially for a player that imo will have a considerable edge on most of the field.

ling is certainly far and away the best female player that attends our games and if im honest nestles nicely in the top 5 or 6 players overall who play regular in our game. i also have seen her blow up after losing patience or getting bored but im pretty sure that wouldnt happen in higher bu in events.

Possibly, but I think that edge disappears if the structure is poor. Irrespective of the debate about slow v fast structures, I believe that the better players are more likely to prevail in better structured Events.

[tikay]

I know that humour is very subjective, & personal, but am I alone in thinking that bolt's Posts get funnier by the day?

bolt's Posts rarely disappoint. Class guy, by South London standards anyway.

[hector62]

When you see Jim McShane please have a go at him for me. His blog was the best one out there but stopped suddenly after a very short time. All I have now to read is Amatay's one about his self abusing porn fest ! It's not poker.