Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

This was widely reported across various news sources yesterday. I wonder how many people actually believe it?


A Kenyan man bit a python which wrapped him in its coils and dragged him up a tree during a fierce three-hour struggle, police have told the BBC.

The serpent seized farm worker Ben Nyaumbe in the Malindi area of Kenya's Indian Ocean coast at the weekend.

Mr Nyaumbe bit the snake on the tip of the tail during the exhausting battle in the village of Sabaki.

Police rescued Mr Nyaumbe and captured the 13ft (4m) reptile, before taking it to a sanctuary, but it later escaped.

The victim told police he managed to reach his mobile phone from his pocket to raise the alarm when the python momentarily eased its grip after hauling him up a tree on Saturday evening.

Mr Nyaumbe used his shirt to smother the snake's head and prevent it from swallowing him.

His employer arrived with police and villagers, who tied the python with a rope and pulled them both down from the tree with a thud.

Peter Katam, superintendent of police in Malindi district, told the BBC News website: "Two officers on patrol were called and they found this man was struggling with a snake on a tree.

"The snake had coiled his hands and was trying to swallow him but he struggled very hard. The officers and villagers managed to rescue him and he was freed.

"He himself was injured on the lower lip of the mouth - it was bleeding a little bit - as the tip of the snake's tail was sharp when he said he bit it."

Mr Nyaumbe told the Daily Nation newspaper how he resorted to desperate measures after the python, which had apparently been hunting livestock, encircled his upper body in its coils.

"I stepped on a spongy thing on the ground and suddenly my leg was entangled with the body of a huge python," he said.

"I had to bite it."

'Very mysterious'

Supt Katam told the BBC the officers had wanted to shoot the snake but could not do so for fearing of injuring Mr Nyaumbe.

"If it wasn't for the villagers and officers who helped him, he would have been swallowed by the snake over the Easter holiday," said Supt Katam.

He added: "It's very mysterious, this ability to lift the man onto the tree. I've never heard of this before."

The police officer said they took the snake to a sanctuary in Malindi town but it escaped overnight, probably from a gap under the door in the room where it was kept.

"We are still seriously looking for the snake," said Supt Katam. "We want to arrest the snake because any one of us could fall a victim."  

[I KNOW IT]

So, 4 left in the Empire Final, & I've got the kid tagged now. Internet plyer. He had no idea of table etiquette, has his big denom chips at the back, passed out of turn regularly, & was heavy on the trash talk.

Worse still, he had two buds Railing him, one was John Tabatabajahat or whatever. The Kid - alone, at one end of the Table, was showing them his cards, & they were oohing & arring, & it was all a bit iffy. But they never spoke, or "hinted". Then, put to a decision, he flipped his cards up to his Railing Team, as if to say, "what you reckon?". His two mates knew better, & moved away now & gave him no hints or clue, but the other players had had enough, & it went off for a bit. The Kid said to me at the break, "why are these guys making all the fuss, I can show my mates my cards", & I tried to make him aware of the ettiquettey-ness of it all. Not easy.....

But he wants a Deal now, badly. He proposes a number, Chinese Man says no. Kid presses harder, & now his Railers enter the argument. This is just plain wrong. Only the guys at the Table can engage in the debate. Players can seek advice from non-playing parters or buds, but those "supporters" cannot enter the debate with the other Players. So it went off again.....

Play on is the decision, Chinese man thinks he is being railroaded into a Deal, pressurised by the Kids mates. He's having none of it. Play on. Kid says "I'm not bothered, I'm just thinking of you guys"......

Next hand, Kid asks for a Deal again. "It only takes one hand, & you are out", a line I must heard a thouand times. Chinese Man aint impressed either, "play on".

The Camera Crew are getting tired, & it's fingers crossed for a deal. I bet Compo a Tenner a Deal will never be done, as the Kid is going about it all wrong, & wants too much.

By now, the Chinese guy - good player imo - had got a bit pressurised & tilted up, & made a lunge all-in with K-T, the Kid looked him up with Eights, first card eaight, Chinese Guy is out, all smiles & no complaints.

Now, 3 handed, a deal is tabled again, by the Kid, backed by his Railers. And the Deal is extraordinary - the Kid has offered a stunningly good Deal, he's tired, & just wants to fnish. The guy who Busted James Akenhead wanted the trophy, but a Deal was agreed quickly - VERY generously by the Kid - & it was all over within a few hands, with the Kid winning.

The Deal was, I think, (something like) £20k each, but here's the thing - the Kid offered an even split (he was Chip-Daddy by a good bit) and then said "£20k each, & we leave £1,600 for the Staff".  What? Wow! Generous indeed.

I get to do the Winners Interview, & he knocked me sideways.

"So, you are an Internet player, yes?"

"No, I hate the internet, Live play is the nuts".

Wow, I got that wrong, too.

"You got a bit tilted up by the players today?".

"Yup, they were outplaying me, & I was a bit overwhelmed".

"Well done, yadda yaddaa".

"Thank you very much tikay, I'm made up".

So I got him well & truly in all the wrong boxes. Fair play to him. I hope he plays a lot more Live Poker, & I wished him well. And meant it. 

Is this him?
Looks like he had a nice result in Ireland  last week also.

http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=118785

That's him. Smarter than your average bear, it seems.

How is Maxi these days, Craig? I was trying to contact him recently.

A few days ago I saw the most wonderful theoretical analysis of that oh-so-controversial K-J Pass in the WPT when they were 3 handed - I bet you remember that hand?

The Analysis was Level 17 stuff, way over my head,. but it still ranks as one of the oddest passes ever at the Final Stage of a Super-Big Event.

I havent spok to Maxi in a while. Ive played at Stoke recently too but hes not been there. Dont think he plays much these days.

I certainly do remember that hand. It was total collusion between Tuan Lee and Habib imo.
I had posted on Paul Phillips Blog  and also asked his opinion on the incident as he was a "big name" player at the time. I never expected a response tbh, but he did.I  remember his response causing many a debate on  poker forums around the world too
heres the link: http://extempore.livejournal.com/2005/04/28/

[kenjude]

This was widely reported across various news sources yesterday. I wonder how many people actually believe it?

I remember Bertie or somebody having a perilous encounter with an anaconda in a Biggles book, so why not? 

[thetank]

It's true, cats can get that fat.

[Robert HM]

WHO SAID THAT?

Paul Phillips, who was having legal problems with the ownership of his Condo.

I think Billy was referring to the 'Invisible Mod' - namely Robert.  Please refer to the RSQ for more details...

Robert who?

.

[tikay]

So, 4 left in the Empire Final, & I've got the kid tagged now. Internet plyer. He had no idea of table etiquette, has his big denom chips at the back, passed out of turn regularly, & was heavy on the trash talk.

Worse still, he had two buds Railing him, one was John Tabatabajahat or whatever. The Kid - alone, at one end of the Table, was showing them his cards, & they were oohing & arring, & it was all a bit iffy. But they never spoke, or "hinted". Then, put to a decision, he flipped his cards up to his Railing Team, as if to say, "what you reckon?". His two mates knew better, & moved away now & gave him no hints or clue, but the other players had had enough, & it went off for a bit. The Kid said to me at the break, "why are these guys making all the fuss, I can show my mates my cards", & I tried to make him aware of the ettiquettey-ness of it all. Not easy.....

But he wants a Deal now, badly. He proposes a number, Chinese Man says no. Kid presses harder, & now his Railers enter the argument. This is just plain wrong. Only the guys at the Table can engage in the debate. Players can seek advice from non-playing parters or buds, but those "supporters" cannot enter the debate with the other Players. So it went off again.....

Play on is the decision, Chinese man thinks he is being railroaded into a Deal, pressurised by the Kids mates. He's having none of it. Play on. Kid says "I'm not bothered, I'm just thinking of you guys"......

Next hand, Kid asks for a Deal again. "It only takes one hand, & you are out", a line I must heard a thouand times. Chinese Man aint impressed either, "play on".

The Camera Crew are getting tired, & it's fingers crossed for a deal. I bet Compo a Tenner a Deal will never be done, as the Kid is going about it all wrong, & wants too much.

By now, the Chinese guy - good player imo - had got a bit pressurised & tilted up, & made a lunge all-in with K-T, the Kid looked him up with Eights, first card eaight, Chinese Guy is out, all smiles & no complaints.

Now, 3 handed, a deal is tabled again, by the Kid, backed by his Railers. And the Deal is extraordinary - the Kid has offered a stunningly good Deal, he's tired, & just wants to fnish. The guy who Busted James Akenhead wanted the trophy, but a Deal was agreed quickly - VERY generously by the Kid - & it was all over within a few hands, with the Kid winning.

The Deal was, I think, (something like) £20k each, but here's the thing - the Kid offered an even split (he was Chip-Daddy by a good bit) and then said "£20k each, & we leave £1,600 for the Staff".  What? Wow! Generous indeed.

I get to do the Winners Interview, & he knocked me sideways.

"So, you are an Internet player, yes?"

"No, I hate the internet, Live play is the nuts".

Wow, I got that wrong, too.

"You got a bit tilted up by the players today?".

"Yup, they were outplaying me, & I was a bit overwhelmed".

"Well done, yadda yaddaa".

"Thank you very much tikay, I'm made up".

So I got him well & truly in all the wrong boxes. Fair play to him. I hope he plays a lot more Live Poker, & I wished him well. And meant it. 

Is this him?
Looks like he had a nice result in Ireland  last week also.

http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=118785

That's him. Smarter than your average bear, it seems.

How is Maxi these days, Craig? I was trying to contact him recently.

A few days ago I saw the most wonderful theoretical analysis of that oh-so-controversial K-J Pass in the WPT when they were 3 handed - I bet you remember that hand?

The Analysis was Level 17 stuff, way over my head,. but it still ranks as one of the oddest passes ever at the Final Stage of a Super-Big Event.

I havent spok to Maxi in a while. Ive played at Stoke recently too but hes not been there. Dont think he plays much these days.

I certainly do remember that hand. It was total collusion between Tuan Lee and Habib imo.
I had posted on Paul Phillips Blog  and also asked his opinion on the incident as he was a "big name" player at the time. I never expected a response tbh, but he did.I  remember his response causing many a debate on  poker forums around the world too
heres the link: http://extempore.livejournal.com/2005/04/28/

It was one of the most controversial, & most debated, hands ever.

Paul (Phillips) started 6 or 7 thereads about it - the one below gives a serious analysis of chip equity for the geeks amongst you.

Foir those who can't be arsed, the coup was simple. Three handed at the end of a WPT. Paul Maxfield (Brit, hoorah!), Hasan & Tuan.

Hasan has 11.3 million chips.

Maxi has 9.3 milion.

Tuan has 2 million.

Blinds are 200k-400k, & the RA is 40k. So Tuan has about 5 x BB.

Tuan moves all in with his 5 x BB, & Hasan folds K-J, and shows. (!).

Tuan & Hasan had "swapped" % in each other - I forget which way round.

Here's the geeky mathematical analysis - note that Phillips makes no accusations. In another thread, Maxi visits Paul at his condo, & they watch the Televised Highlights - again, Phillips makes n o accusation of skullduggery. Not in so many words......

http://extempore.livejournal.com/91711.html

[boldie]

I much prefer this discussion;

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.gambling.poker/browse_thread/thread/ba9ddd8916a7baea/dbbcf5ed9303e153?pli=1

Russ does accuse them of collusion...and get's ripped to shreds. Much funnier.

[tikay]

Pace yourself.

Norman Pace told me an amazing story today - dunno if I misheard him, or got it wrong, but it goes something like this......(You probz know that Norman is very good pals with skalie).

So, if I heard him right, Skalie was playing a big event at The Bellagio yesterday - 100,000 starting stack, & 2 hour clock. (What?).

Jon departed early - very early, after.....

He lost with Aces THREE times.

Then he ran K-K into A-K. And lost.

Sod that for a game of marbles. Think I'll aim a little lower, where this sorta thing don't hurt quite so much.

Yikes.

[Karabiner]

The Hassan Habib/Tual Le affair was not all that cut and dried imho.

IIRC, Habib had backed Tuan Le in an earlier event which Tuan had won and the seat in the main event was part of the prize, that is how he came to have a piece of him. I remember reading through all of the analysis on Extempore and I am still not totally convinced that there definitely was skullduggery afoot.

PS I took my golf clubs a walk this afternoon

[tikay]

The Hassan Habib/Tual Le affair was not all that cut and dried imho.

IIRC, Habib had backed Tuan Le in an earlier event which Tuan had won and the seat in the main event was part of the prize, that is how he came to have a piece of him. I remember reading through all of the analysis on Extempore and I am still not totally convinced that there definitely was skullduggery afoot.

PS I took my golf clubs a walk this afternoon

It's a very odd one Ralph, nothing quite adds up, & I'm not entirely sure what or who to believe. I guess we'll never know. I don't think I've seen Maxi more than once since then. We had a lovely round of golf, in Stoke or somewhere equally dreadful, he plays off a ridic low handicap, but Bandit Colclough was the winner that day as I recall. We were a foursome, but I can't recall who the other guy was.

Where did your Clubs go a-walking - Wollaton? I bet it's lovely there right now, with the ducklings, the geese, the deer, & so on. Tempt me, please.....

Apologies to Kev, I half arranged to go to Duxford with him last Thursday, but something came up, & I clean forgot all about it.

But "proper" Duxford plans are now afoot, next Wednesday or Thursday I think, Simon Trumper has confirmed, Tom too hopefully, any more for any more? Minimum age 60, me excepted, of course.

More details soon.

[GreekStein]

ridic

Turning into a shrewdie Tikay?

[I KNOW IT]

 In another thread, Maxi visits Paul at his condo, & they watch the Televised Highlights - again, Phillips makes n o accusation of skullduggery. Not in so many words......

[/quote]

http://extempore.livejournal.com/102560.html

[tikay]

With apologies to my blonde colleagues, who might think I should not Post this. Could be they Delete it, who knows! Fancy that, me being naughty. But it's in the domain, & I think these things are really quite interesting.

So, with all those caveats.......

Was quite tickled to receive a missive from Gutshot today, who have started a Black-Belt style Staking Deal. Tickled? Well yes. It just interests me to see the way trends, & fashion, evolve. And tickled me to see how Gutshot have bundled theirs up.

As you know, Black Belt have, I think, Brown Belts & Black Belts or whatever, & you work your way through the grades.

Well Gutshot have not copied that at all. They call it "The Gutshot University". And they have, as "Grades/Belts" or whatever.....

Enrolment

Freshman

Sophomore

Senior Student

Graduate.

Not at all similar, see?

I do find all this Staking stuff "interesting". Players, down the years, have always backed 1 or 2 others.

And, a fairly recent (in relative terms) innovation, was Neil Channing backing a lot of players privately/informally, Flushy ditto with the Shrewdies & others, & many Poker Forums started to run Staking Boards

Parallel with this, it got formal - Bad-Beat, Uncover, DTD (until they got out, sharpish), &, of late, blonde's SAS (a little less sophisticated than the others, but homely is fine), BlackBelt, Gutshot, & you can wager a £ to a pinch of shit, because poker is like this, slavishly following trends - others will be in the Staking Game pretty damn soon.

Alll of which is fine & dandy, I guess.

My point? I'm not sure, to be honest. I worry a little about the way society is going, but I sure as hell can't stop it. Credit is fine these days, everybody uses it, we live on credit, we bet on credit, we buy cars on credit, homes on credit, we play poker on credit. (Because that's what Staking is - Credit). So credit must be ok, yeah?

Just like in real life. The Credit Crunch (Poker Version) can never affect poker, can it? I mean, if all the Stakers suddenly stop Staking, for whatever reason, the music would stop pretty damn quickly, imo.

Nah. That's just scare-mongering, Old-Skool conservatism. Everything will be fine. Almost certainly.

Me? I'll do without Staking, tyvm, & swim in waters suitably shallow for my Bankroll. Each to their own.

[tikay]

ridic

Turning into a shrewdie Tikay?

obv

[cambo]

I much prefer this discussion;

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.gambling.poker/browse_thread/thread/ba9ddd8916a7baea/dbbcf5ed9303e153?pli=1

Russ does accuse them of collusion...and get's ripped to shreds. Much funnier.

lol Russ, hes actually a relative of mine, bit of a joke figure in internet land but does know abit about poker