Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[Robert HM]

It's generally accepted that the stone for Stonehenge came from Pembrokeshire (in fact, I think analysis has shown it could only have come from there). This is 200 miles from Stonehenge, but we don't know if the stone was transported all the way by man (quite an undertaking) or whether it was moved by glaciers during an ice age and dumped near the site.

I was at Avebury last week, about 20 miles or so away. Interestingly it's older and more expansive than Stonehenge but less famous. I had a long talk with one of the National Trust guides there and was told that all the rocks at Avebury are relatively local and about 2/3rds of Stonehenges rock were sourced in the same area, however the other 1/3rd did, he said, come from Wales. It seems attempts were made to take the rocks from Wales totally over land as well as by water. Evidence of failed water attempts have been found when divers have discovered sunken stones.

If you can let your imagination guide you, the concept of Avebury is awe inspiring. Imagine a forest with an area cleared by ancient man, a huge ditch was dug, about 440m in diamater, the spoil from the ditch was neatly placed on the outside of the circle making a huge rampart. 98 of these sodding great stones were "planted" around the ditch, keeping the largest to act as gateways for the 4 entrances to the main circle. 2 other circles of stones were created inside, one of 27 stones and one of 29. One of the inner circles is supposed to represent the female and the other male. The later inner circle had a huge obelisk in the middle and at sun rise the shadow cast pointed at the man made hill at Silbury. That hill is said to have taken 4 million man hours to build. Now not only is the scale of Avebury large but if you consider that our ancestors had dug into chalk the area would have been so white and impressive.

The present theory is that Avebury was built for Moon worship and the later Stonehenge was for followers of the Sun.

[Tonji]

Avebury is a wonderfully atmospheric place. There's hundreds of stone circles & megalithic monuments in Britain. A great book for reference to these is The Modern Antiquarian. A Pre-Millennial Odyssey Through Megalithic Britain, by Julian Cope.

[Karabiner]

There were a couple of programmes on TV a year or two back about "sea-henge".

I think that one of the theories was that it was the  burial ground of a Viking King.

[MrsBoldie]

Where Boldie shall be sleeping this evening.

He's more likely to spend the evening here:

This is more like it!  I'll bet if he had any hair he wouldn't have made that comment - and he certainly won't be doing it again!

[RED-DOG]

Just back From Walsall.

12 of us went back for day 2 of the £300. I was Billy short stack with 16,700 (Blinds 800/1600)

I has the button in the bag with my chips so I had at least one orbit to find a hand or a spot to make a move. Unfortunately I didn't find either. The only good thing was that by the time I had to post the big blind, they has already lost a player on the other table.

I posted my big blind and the action was folded around to the button, who incidentally, was the only other short stack on the table with about 20,000.

To be honest, I expected him to push. but he didn't. Instead he made it 4,000 to go. I had seen Ali Mallu push him off several hands, I only had 9 4os but I decided to push. He might pass, and if he called me, I would probably have live cards.

He dwelled for an age, but he folded A 10 face up. I sighed and told him it was a good fold, but when I tried to take a sip of my tea, my hand was shaking.

Before the blinds hit me again, they lost another player on the other table, Micky was moved and we were on the bubble.

The same guy who raised my bb before moves all in from utg. It's folded to me and I find pocket JJ. I had him covered, but only just, I call.

He tables A Q and the first card off is an A. I do the old, 'standing up and putting on my jacket' trick, thereby forcing the Jack of diamonds to come on the river.

I was in the final.

[RED-DOG]

On the final table I am drawn in seat 3, so my first task is to post the blinds again. I'm still short, but at least with a full table, I now have a little breathing space.

Ali Malu steals both my blinds from seat 9, I like that, I know if I can find any sort of a hand behind him he will pay me off. (In the main event of the Midlands Meltdown last year, he raised my blind and I re-raised him all in with AK and he called in a heartbeat with 24. Great, until the flop came 224)

On my bb the next orbit, the guy to my left, (a Benny from Crossroads, complete with beanie type) smooth calls from utg. It's folded around to seat 8, (A face, but the name escapes me) who raises it up to 6,000, it's folded to me, and I find AK.

I move all in for 28k and Benny, the utg limper starts to dwell, as he does, the face in seat 8 says, "You know I have to call you" He was bang out of order, but I decide to wait until the hand is over before taking him to task

Benny eventually calls, and, as promised, so does seat 8. I fear the worst and can't believe it when all three of us show A K.

Choppity chop.

I give seat 8 a bit of a gentle bollocking for declaring his intention before Benny had acted, he says he's sorry and we all move on.

[The_nun]

Great read Tom as always.

[RED-DOG]

So then I have a somewhat uneventful couple of rounds where the only significant thing that happened was that Ali Mallu stole my blinds. I Post the bb again, and this time Benny limps from utg again.

It's passed around to me, I know that Benny limped utg with AK last time, I have 10 2 os but I resolve to make a bet if I hit the flop.

The flop comes 2 6 9 and I bet 5k, Benny hesitates and then calls. the turn card pairs the 6. I can't put him on a 6, or an overpair to the flop, (Why would he limp utg?) I'm still convinced he has a big A, perhaps AQ or AK.

I move all in, He calls and shows pocket 77. I'm out in 9th for £560.

[RED-DOG]

In an earlier post, I told you about my AQ hand against The Dazzling Cornelius at DTD. Well when I get to Walsall last night he has told everyone about it and I am ribbed mercilessly, especially by Con.

When I bust out of the final, Con comes over and says to me "I know you are still hurting about that £180 I took from you at DTD, I'm going to give you a chance to get it back. One game, heads up for £160"

Heads up is not really my thing but Julian offers to deal for us. I'm still reluctant but Con starts giving me the chicken sounds so I agree.

After a long tussle, I manage to win. I try to walk away buy Con insists on a chance to get his money back. Like a lemon I play again and this time Con wins.

Then Con, Julian, Steve Holden and his Mrs, Frankie Knight and I put our names down for a STT for tonight's £500. I end up chopping it with one of the blokes (who's name I don't know) from this afternoons final.

He gives me £250 and takes the seat. I was glad it happened this way, because by now it was almost 8pm and there were no players regestered for the £500 except the 6 satellite winners.

So I'm sitting at one of the tables, chewing the fat and having a cuppa with Steve Holden and his Mrs when Con comes over again. I'll spin you for £30" He says. "Two coins, both heads or both tails, one of each no bet" 

Two coins is a popular Gypsy gamble, but I know people who can toss coins in such a way that they don't really spin at all, they just sort of wiggle in the air, but to the uninitiated it looks pretty convincing. It's called 'Flamming' "OK" I say, and then, to get a reaction, "Will you flam them or will I?"

He shows no sign of knowing what I'm talking about, and he hands me the coins anyway. I spin two heads at the first attempt, and again he insists on a chance to get his money back. I agree and luckily, head them again. This time I put his money in my pocket and walk away, his cries of "I won't rest until I get my revenge" ringing in my ears.

[RED-DOG]

The £500 got 13 runners. Zak did his best to accommodate the players by reducing the clock to 30 mins and and increasing the starting chips to 10k, 2 prizes, now a one-day comp.

Several of the satellite winners wanted to take the cash instead of playing the comp but were told there was no cash alternative. I think they could have refused to play because the comp was now nothing like the one they entered a satellite for.

[TightEnd]

13 runners Tom?

really, blimey

aside from the usual (no marketing, Vegas etc etc) what reasons did they put forward for this?

might well be the last time they run this do you not think?

[RED-DOG]

13 runners Tom?

really, blimey

aside from the usual (no marketing, Vegas etc etc) what reasons did they put forward for this?

might well be the last time they run this do you not think?

I had a chat to Zak and Liz about it, and they are at as much of a loss as I am.

I admit that the reasons you give are no doubt contributing to the poor turnouts, but surely there must also be something else. 

[Snatiramas]

Great posts......how nice to walk away with Cons money in your pocket.........as regards the 500 do you not think that there are just too many tournaments now. Over egging the pudding maybe.

[gatso]

Great posts......how nice to walk away with Cons money in your pocket.........as regards the 500 do you not think that there are just too many tournaments now. Over egging the pudding maybe.

but the £500@Gutshot last week sold out and had quite a few alternates who didn't make the cut. in fact I believe the whole week of tournaments sold out, all with pretty much no advertising.

why such a huge difference between 2 festivals a week apart?

[Snatiramas]

Great posts......how nice to walk away with Cons money in your pocket.........as regards the 500 do you not think that there are just too many tournaments now. Over egging the pudding maybe.

but the £500@Gutshot last week sold out and had quite a few alternates who didn't make the cut. in fact I believe the whole week of tournaments sold out, all with pretty much no advertising.

why such a huge difference between 2 festivals a week apart?

Good question. Well one is in London as opposed to Walsall. I think the Gutshot do advertise amongst their people. Right now I am not sure that is the case with some of the casinos. Also maybe because they were so close together.....honest anser is I have no idea