"Dusk till Dawn" Poker Club In Nottingham Diary (by Rob Yong)

[tikay]

Hells bells, I had not seen the last few pages of this thread until just now.

The position is....

Rob, Dave & myself are good friends, & it will stay that way, come what may.

Rob's Posting on blonde is a 2 way street, bringing benefit, information & entertainment to many peeps.

blonde would very much hope it continues.

Rob & myself discussed the issue of him Posting on blonde a while back, & I insisted that we wished the status quo to remain.

Rob is a man of deeply-held principles, & he may not wish to change his mind once he has made his position clear. For the sake of record, I hope he does.

There have been no discussions between Rob & I about this matter in the last few weeks, though I did spend some time with Rob in London last week.

Personally, I don't see that our two Cardrooms will necessarily be in competition or conflict with each other. We in blonde are aiming at a specific, niche, market, (see seperate thread & Posts tonight) you may well be aiming at an entirely different target market. It cannot be taken for granted that there will be conflicts of interest.

You owe blonde nothing, we owe DTD nothing, but we do owe thanks & gratitude to you personally Rob.I hope you will re-consider your decision, which I know was made with honourable intentions. Why not call me tomorrow, & let's have a chat, maybe over a drink - mine's a pot of tea.

You are a good pal, & a true pal. All sorts of freeloaders, self-promotionists, peeps with vested interest, folks keen to use blonde simply for their own financial gain, are crawling out of the woodwork & sending me sucky-wucky PM's & e-Mails,  angle-shooters supreme. You are not one of them.

Keep it coming Rob. You know it makes sense.

xx

[robyong]

Oh, TK, I thought you had read the thread when we spoke in London or I would have explained my position in a bit more detail over a drink at the bar. I've had loads of PM's and email from Blondites asking me what is going on with DTD, and this thread has 11,355 hits so its been pretty popular.

You guys have done me loads of favours and you know I'd do and will do the the same for BP when DTD becomes operational. However, unless we can sort out a commercial arrangement between DTD and BP I will feel like one of those poker parasites that we both talk about and loathe.

Poker is now big big business, Mansion (a new online poker business) are looking like replacing Vodaphone in a £60m shirt sponsership deal with Man U, people who don't give a XXX about the players are getting richer, and the good guys and players are getting skinter. I can't see the halm in having a commercial deal between BP and DTD, but you need to know more about DTD plans and strategy to appericate where I'm coming from.

You're welcome to drop by anytime for a pot of tea! I know you're the worlds busiest man sand havn't had time to get involved the way I had originally hoped.

Cheers Rob

[tikay]

No, I had not seen the last few pages of the thread until tonight Rob, so I could not have discussed it with you last week "forewarned". I'm afraid I m struggling to keep up with the Forum Posts, I used to read every Post, but I am way behind now, & getting into trub with all manner of people for not doing things I should have done. I have yet to read the Monte Carlo Live Update, or the Vic Final Day Update.......

And The Vic was the perfect example as to why my head is spinning right now. I had 3 business meets, tried to play the Main Event, write a bunch of stuff for the site re-launch, sort out some "payment" queries with the Cardroom, wear a TV Producers AND Interviewers hat for 425, and gawd knows what else. Me the world's busiest man? Hardly, but "most disorganized" I have a shot at......

I am not opposed in principle to some sort of "commercial arrangement" between DTD & blonde - though I'd insist that any deal we cut was announced publicly - but if I'm honest, I am happy with the way things are, & putting money on it may disturb that delicate "balance" we have.

But let's chat.

Finally, please drop the notion that you feel like "one of those poker parasites we both loathe". I may be getting on a bit, but my antannae for such folk are (is?) keen as mustard, I can spot them a mile off. You have not, are not, & will not, ever be one of those.

[robyong]

TK and me had a good chat in Luton about DTD and BP. Clearly, there is an overlap if both orgainisations have their own online card room, and there was always going to be, but we need to find a way around that whilst still benefiting both parties. However, as TK says, BP deals with other 3rd partycard rooms and will continue to do so, so why not DTD?

I believe the way forward is that DTD should be a paying customer of BP for the following services:

1. Banner Link to the DTD site from BP homepage so Blondites can join the club online and read information on DTD

2. Dedicated section on the forum for DTD so DTD members and Blondites can debate issues on DTD, the DTD web site can have a direct link to the BP forum (and therefore DTD members join BP to post therefore BP members increase)

3. Blondebashes can be held at DTD and DTD will add money to prize pools for the Blonde Live Tournaments

4. Blondepoker has exclusive rights for live tournament updates in DTD

5. Blondepoker can take advantage of the DTD Poker Tour (12 major tournamants around the world)

There is lots more we can do together, and TK is going to get back to me. If its a "no", then I guess I can still post stuff about the Live Club but ideally, I'd rather get tied in with BP in a more formal way, cause I can trust TK and DC.

PS. Everything is going fine with the club, were really getting a firmer and clear strategy now.

Cheers Rob


 

[tikay]

It's just sorting the nut & bolts now. I am confident we can work it out to the benefit of both paries, we just have to sort the details. Give us time, there are other, external issues, which complicate things, but I'm sure we will resolve them.

Our discussion was long & complex, so I will Post the story as soon as time permits.

But the will is there, & it's a pleasure to engage in a business dialogue with someone like Rob, who is brutally & 100% honest. Almost everyone on the buusiness side of poker has an "angle", & are trying it on in some shape or form, it disgusts me & insults my intelligence that they do it & think I can't spot it. But not Rob - he's as straight as a die.

It will be a while before everything is formalised, but in the meantime, it's "as was".

[The Truth]

It's just sorting the nut & bolts now. I am confident we can work it out to the benefit of both paries, we just have to sort the details. Give us time, there are other, external issues, which complicate things, but I'm sure we will resolve them.

Our discussion was long & complex, so I will Post the story as soon as time permits.

But the will is there, & it's a pleasure to engage in a business dialogue with someone like Rob, who is brutally & 100% honest. Almost everyone on the buusiness side of poker has an "angle", & are trying it on in some shape or form, it disgusts me & insults my intelligence that they do it & think I can't spot it. But not Rob - he's as straight as a die.

It will be a while before everything is formalised, but in the meantime, it's "as was".

Hope you guys do come up with an agreement. Everything you say about so many people having an angle in poker is true. In my dealings with you two guys you are 100% straight and poker needs more like you.

[snoopy1239]

TK and me had a good chat in Luton about DTD and BP. Clearly, there is an overlap if both orgainisations have their own online card room, and there was always going to be, but we need to find a way around that whilst still benefiting both parties. However, as TK says, BP deals with other 3rd partycard rooms and will continue to do so, so why not DTD?

I believe the way forward is that DTD should be a paying customer of BP for the following services:

1. Banner Link to the DTD site from BP homepage so Blondites can join the club online and read information on DTD

2. Dedicated section on the forum for DTD so DTD members and Blondites can debate issues on DTD, the DTD web site can have a direct link to the BP forum (and therefore DTD members join BP to post therefore BP members increase)

3. Blondebashes can be held at DTD and DTD will add money to prize pools for the Blonde Live Tournaments

4. Blondepoker has exclusive rights for live tournament updates in DTD

5. Blondepoker can take advantage of the DTD Poker Tour (12 major tournamants around the world)

There is lots more we can do together, and TK is going to get back to me. If its a "no", then I guess I can still post stuff about the Live Club but ideally, I'd rather get tied in with BP in a more formal way, cause I can trust TK and DC.

PS. Everything is going fine with the club, were really getting a firmer and clear strategy now.

Cheers Rob


 

 

Sounds exciting and I'm looking forward to it already.

ps. Can't believe that guy called with those pocket nines, Rob. I don't care what any1 at the table says, it was a bad call for his whole stack.

[tikay]

Give us a bit of time to work out the details, there's much to sort, but I'm sure it's gonna be wicked, bro.

[Delboy]

This is exciting news!

 I'm sure that there are a lot of things that need sorting first, but I for one am excited at the thought that this thread may continue.

I scan for this thread, whenever I log in and have found it to be fun, provocotive and highly educational. Reading about the conception, gestation and future birth of DTD has me feeling like an expectant father. This can only be attributed to RY's personal style of writing.Thank you Rob.

It obvious that Rob, TK and DC are men of considerable integrity, and I'm sure they can sort something out.

Thanks to all three of you.



Del 

[robyong]

Okay, TK has assured me that he doesn't mind me continuing this thread. I've signed up with the Blondepoker card room and will only be playing on this for the time being, I am one of the biggest rakers on cryptologic so this should generate a few quid for BP in the short term.

We are off to Dublin this weekend. A few people have asked me what the score is with who buys-in/gets what etc. Basically, I have allocated a pool of money for Chubbs, Aces, Nick and me to promote DTD around the poker circuit before DTD opens. The total cost of our tour is about £160,000 inc buy-ins and expenses. If we make a loss between the 4 of us, I stand it. If we make a profit, it gets split on the basis of who has won most prize money. So far, we have won £27,000, and spent £26,000, so no great bonuses here! This will be the first time we wear the DTD merchandise, Adam from www.shuffleupshirts.com has done these for us, and he's bring the stuff round today.

Here's a few things that have happened with DTD since I last posted:

1.  We have offered Ben Mayhew (sundaypm on BP) a job to work for Chubbs on the DTD Poker Tour. This is 12 main events from around Sept 2007 - August 2007 and we will be taking a group of DTD players with us (hopefully 15+ players each trip). These will be all 7 EPTS, WPT Paris, WPT 5 Diamonds, WPT Final Bellagio, The WSOP, Amsterdamn Masterclassics. His job will be to look after the players, a bit like Jonathan Rabb does for Blue Square, and Rory for Betfair.

2. We expect our Gaming Licence hearing to be in July, and the club to open December 1st 2006. Our lawyers are 90% confident we will get through.

3. DTD will initially open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturday and Sundays, until we can recruit enough high quality staff and train them. We will hold 8 tournements per week (each night will have a small (£25-50 freezouts) and a larger (£100-£250) freezout. We will do no re-buy events. We will have 42 tournaments tables, 15 cash & STT tables, and 10 tables in a separate area for Day 2 of main events.

4. DTD will hold 4 festivals in 2007. Every single event will be sponsered by DTD's online card room and will have ADDED PRIZE MONEY. We will have no third party sponsership and keep everything "in house".

5. DTD will only host third party tournaments if their sponsor agrees to add a % of money (not decided yet) to the prize pool. This elimates the possibility of hosting some of the moest presigious tournamants, but we have to remember why we set DTD up and stick to our values.

6. DTD's online poker room has been delayed for the time being. There is no rush in getting tied into someone, we don't open till December 1st, so better to take our time. We have a very strong bargaining position and should make sure we get the best deal for the players in terms of £ and quality of software, there is a balance, or course.

7. DTD will try and tie up a some sort of deal before we open with Blondepoker to use their forum, a bit like 425 do, and look at ways we can work together for the benefit of both sets of members. We need a place where we can debate DTD and get contructive comments (dont bother positing IFM....lol).

8. The DTD web site will be ready by the end of May 2006. You will be able to join the club online from this site. Hopefully we will have a link from Blondepoker to our site.

9. The refurbishment of the DTD Club has been delayed due to the fact we need further approval to build additional floor on top of the methane site which the building is based on. This additional floor would huse the VIP Suite, TV Studio, Corporate Lounge and Day 2 Tournamant area. there is not a problem, it can be done, we just need to go through a bit of red tape. From a design point of view, this Club will be amazing, and hopefully not empty when it opens!

10. The club will operate a cashless system. Each members cash balance will be registered on their card, so they can buy into comps, play cash games, eat and drink by just usung this card. You will of couse be able to reserve your seat for a comp online, but not part with the cash until you arrive.


This is a few snippets of what is happening. I'm gonna post about the live club rather than details about the DTD online card room until TK gives me a green light to talk about both.

Hopefully see some of you in Dublin, I made 2 finals in Luton and made a loss, had to give 50% of one to Nick, and did a deal with Bad Girl for 50% of another when I busted her and felt bad. Nevermind, maybe I'll make a few quid on the Blondepoker card room, anyone fancies a game of heads-up PM me.

Cheers Rob

[Junior Senior]

wow!
its all sounding very impressive. - I dont think you'll have problems getting the people in when it opens Rob.

[littlemissC]

i hope blonde members r getting vip passes

[ACE2M]

You say no re buy tourneys at all, will that include sattelites?
I assume you will do sats for the dtd tour?
I have to admit to prefering re buy sats to freezeouts because of the number of seats generated.

[AndrewT]

Laying everything out like this, with actual dates for things, has given DTD an aura of tangibility which will really get people drooling. I've been reading the diary of a card club, the opening of which has always seemed to me to be 'in the future'. Everything was 'early days', 'hope to be', 'if all goes well' etc.

Now, suddenly, it's the diary of a card club which I can almost sense is round the corner - everything just got a bit nearer in time. The hazy mist is clearing and, by jiminy, there's an actual card club there.

This feature is the most interesting for me.

10. The club will operate a cashless system. Each members cash balance will be registered on their card, so they can buy into comps, play cash games, eat and drink by just usung this card. You will of couse be able to reserve your seat for a comp online, but not part with the cash until you arrive.

With this scheme, DTD immediately positions itself as a whole different experience - it truly is the future of live poker in this country. One question I do have though - how will tipping of staff be handled if players don't have cash on them? Slipping a waitress a quid for a cup of coffee seems more elegant than a cashless card in this instance.

[robyong]

Answers

1. Super satelittes may be re-buys, but they will not be part of the standand 8 tournaments a week. The DTD Tour will be managed by Chubbs, with Ben as his assistant. All player will wear DTD merchandise and travel with us, their buy-ins, flights and hotels will all by arranged by DTD. The system for getting on the tour will be made public soon but it will be linked to the online site.

2. I wish I could afford to give VIP passes to everyone, but alas................

3. We will be having a global system for tipping, yet to be finalised. I want card room staff to receive a % of this and we have to get it authorised by the gaming board. However, we will be enough paying wages to all staff so they do not depend on tips for a living.


Cheers Rob