G Casino Luton 2009 blondeite league

[Chompy]

The Racing Post boys are snowed under with Breeders' Cup stuff by all accounts, so haven't had time to put up the two blog entries. Here they is for anyone what's interested...

EVERYTHING went as smooth as you like yesterday. No problems checking in online,
taxi on time (highly opinionated driver), no traffic, train on time, and into
Gatwick around two hours before the flight.
That left time for a full English breakfast - two rashers, single banger, fried
egg, toast, tomato, mushrooms (details including for the amusement of Betfair forum
legend Pitzwang).
The flight wasn't full and I managed to nab an exit row seat at no extra cost. They
charge around #70 if you book a leg-room seat in advance but probably half the time
on Vegas trips I've got one for free, so that covered the train fare.
Terminator Salvation was better than expected and killed a couple of hours of the
ten hours flight time. It all pretty much tied in with the previous flicks and felt
right, but I'm still not sure about Christian Bale.
I've never seen that jobbie he dieted down to about six stone for, the one he was
supposed to be really good in, but otherwise he just seems to growl his way through
films, same as in Batman.
Otherwise, there was nothing worth watching. I wasn't going to sit through
Transformers 2 for all the mad dimez in the world, so went for second viewings of
The Hangover and Up.
In between I watched a couple of Essex lads sat next door fumble around
playing 'Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?'.
They sure didn't use their two remaining lifelines on the 1,000-point question and
still get it wrong.
It was along the lines of 'Which Royal is also a Canadian Province? A. Prince
Edward, B. Prince Albert, C. Prince Charles, D. Prince Philip.
The phone a friend went for 'A', the 50-50 left 'A' and 'B', so they went for 'B'.
Obviously.
They were train driver trainers, which fills you with confidence. But I don't
suppose you need to know geography to be able to drive a train. Not Canadian
geography anyway.
One of the first posters I saw in the taxi this end was for Garth Brooks at the
Wynn, but unfortunately not until 11 December. That's one show I'd have gone out of
my way to watch.
Garth set me off on my country music road back in the day. It's not the sort of
stuff I go for now, I'm more into Bluegrass these days, but I've got pretty much
everything he's ever done and have a few tracks ipod-ed up. Callin' Baton Rouge
would probably still sneak into my all-time top ten.
He's also a poker player on the quiet; he was hosting a high-rollers tournament at
The Mirage when I stayed there a couple of years ago. If only he was in town now. I
could have tried to get him in for a poker interview for the paper.
As usual I should have stayed in the room last night and had a quiet one but I
fancied playing after a kip. I must have done - I ended up playing two tournaments
after lasting less than an hour at The Venetian.
Suffice it to say I won't ever be playing poker at The Wynn again after the
shambles there.
I've no problems being on a table full of absolute beginners but when the dealers
know less than the newbie players there has to be something wrong.
Not long after I got there, with the blinds at 100-200, a guy said 'Raise, 800'.
The dealer, who was South American and didn't speak great English, said 'OK, 1,000
coming round'.
I asked the player whether he'd meant to raise to 800 or 1,000. He said 800.. The
dealer told him that if he'd wanted to raise to 800 he should have said 'Make 800'.
In over ten years playing I've never heard anyone say 'Make XXX' but he wasn't
having it. And he was probably the best dealer we had all night. Meh.
Anyway, enough of that. It's time to get back to the poker perfection that is my
first deepstack tournament of the trip. Excellent structure and the best poker room
staff in the world. Why play anywhere else?

*****

ANOTHER Venetian Deepstack series, another big hit for Kevin O'Leary (see player
profiles). All predictable enough.
The 40-year-old (he's not really in his mid-40s) was heads up with just over half
the chips in play when I got knocked out of the 7pm crapshoot last night and, I've
just found out, took it down. Lovejoy is my number one poker hero.
I'm going to dodge reporting my own poker happenings as much as possible this time,
partly because this trip was supposed to be to try other Vegas stuff, but mainly
because there haven't really been any.
I've played five tournaments so far, at The Venetian, Wynn and Caesar's Palace, and
none lasted more than two hours. Two were over within half an hour.
I got unlucky twice yesterday, with someone rivering a gutshot to knock me out. The
first one I didn't mind so much. It was a guy making a move and binking, which is
fair enough, the other one was a US donk who just didn't have a clue what was going
on and couldn't lay down a big pair when he was obviously behind. That was more
annoying.
But it meant I could jump in a taxi and go play another tournament, and at least I
got a fun table in this one. Messing around is the future of poker.
Two nights in and I still haven't been to Cafe Lux at The Venetian. I decided to
try a couple of proper restaurants instead, Wazuzu at Encore and Nero's Steakhouse
at Caesar's.
I guess I'm just not into these things. There didn't seem any massive step up in
quality compared to the Cafe Lux from what I could tell, and $90 for lamp chops, a
glass of merlot and a couple of Newcastle Browns sure wasn't cheap.
For that price back home I could get kebabs, beers and Masterchef on TV for a whole
week. It's like living the fine-dining experience without actually doing it, sort
of. And there's no entertainment quite like watching Greg Wallace stick that fork
in and keep it there for five seconds.
Aside from poker and food, I've decided to switch hotels early. Encore is as
unctuous a hotel as you'd find anywhere but it's just outside walking distance from
The Venetian and has no poker room, so there didn't seem much point staying..

[Unimaginative]

Well done Siciliano

TY TY...

i want pm 2 please. anyone going tonight?

was thinking about it, dont usually play friday... any idea on no.'s?

[AlexMartin]

Well done Siciliano

TY TY...

i want pm 2 please. anyone going tonight?

was thinking about it, dont usually play friday... any idea on no.'s?

gr8 comp, best of the week imo, not too slow, deepish, loads of tools

gonna see if my chauffer will take me, dtd tomorrow and cant be fked to drive

[Unimaginative]

Well done Siciliano

TY TY...

i want pm 2 please. anyone going tonight?

was thinking about it, dont usually play friday... any idea on no.'s?

gr8 comp, best of the week imo, not too slow, deepish, loads of tools

gonna see if my chauffer will take me, dtd tomorrow and cant be fked to drive

ok gl 2mrw alex and may c u 2nite....

[Simon Galloway]

Two nights in and I still haven't been to Cafe Lux at The Venetian. I decided to
try a couple of proper restaurants instead, Wazuzu at Encore and Nero's Steakhouse
at Caesar's.
I guess I'm just not into these things. There didn't seem any massive step up in
quality compared to the Cafe Lux from what I could tell, and $90 for lamp chops, a
glass of merlot and a couple of Newcastle Browns sure wasn't cheap.

Never anything wrong with the Lux.
Obv personal preference comes into play, I would rank Neros at about 30 for Vegas Steakhouses I have visited.  In fact, I don't like Caesars much at all.  One highly recommended dinner is the signature pork dish in Mesa Grill opposite the poker room.  

Aside from poker and food, I've decided to switch hotels early. Encore is as
unctuous a hotel as you'd find anywhere but it's just outside walking distance from
The Venetian and has no poker room, so there didn't seem much point staying..

Lazy bastard.

[nirvana]

Think they had 80 last week on Friday - didnt go last week but will be there tonight.

Cyall later

We miss you chompy, sure wish I'd taken a % of you in Vegas

[Unimaginative]

good numbers.... i will be there......

[Amatay]

Well done Siciliano

TY TY...

Well done

[Sighmuns]

Think they had 80 last week on Friday - didnt go last week but will be there tonight.

Cyall later

We miss you chompy, sure wish I'd taken a % of you in Vegas

Can have a piece of me if you want mate , according to the Virgin website my flight is in 1 day, 17 hrs, 13 mins.

Enjoying the updates Chompy

[the sicilian]

Well done Siciliano

TY TY...

Well done

Cheers Amatay, good to meet you at last....

[the sicilian]

Name                 Played Won  2nd  3rd  Other   Pts      Score
Snatiramas           46     2    3    1    9       122      2.65
Alex                 22     3    0    0    3       56       2.54
Tightend             54     2    2    2    13      128      2.37
Celtic               53     2    1    4    8       125      2.36
Gamblor              29     2    0    2    3       64       2.21
Lucky                66     4    1    1    12      141      2.14
Nirvana              81     4    4    0    12      158      1.95
Winkie               22     0    1    1    5       43       1.95
Simon G              43     1    1    1    8       76       1.77
Tikay                43     1    1    2    5       76       1.77
Sir Donksalot        73     5    2    0    5       123      1.68
Chompy               71     2    2    1    11      116      1.63
Pelham Boy           25     0    1    1    4       35       1.40
Claw                 32     0    0    1    5       39       1.22
China Mug            123    3    2    0    13      143      1.16
Holdorfold           20     1    0    0    2       23       1.15
________________________________________________________________
Dingdell             23     0    0    0    4       26       1.13
Xpressman            29     0    0    0    3       13       0.45
Jeff Buftybarger     25     0    0    0    1       7        0.28

Updated up to and including Thu 5 November

November results
Name                 Won  2nd  3rd  Other   Pts
Sir Donkeys          1    0    0    0       15
Chompy               0    0    0    1       6
Thomas               0    0    0    1       6
Nirvana              0    0    0    1       5
Celtic               0    0    0    1       3

Sigh. Sigh. F***. Goddam it. Aaah, bollocks.
I farking knew it. Straight after I bubbled +2 in yesterday's deepy, I got this feeling in the pit of my stomach. 15pts...
Looks like I'm gonna have to play most of next month now.

Ooh, and SRF = Dan Fish innit.

What a joke!

This year's show is a travesty really.

if those farkin twins win, I will stop playing poker!
Neither will happen IMO 

Wiiiiii, price plummeting quicker than my spirit after I logged on to aworldofpoker this morning. GG Drainy.

Woop Woop !!!

[GMan]

CHompy bad news first Alex won the friday comp, just to tighten up your top field.

Ran golden as ever.

I would like to formally change my name to Golden Jinx after 2 nights on the trot and having pocket ks 3 times and getting royally screwed every time to the out draws.

Greg gl catch you when you get back have a good one.

[Unimaginative]

CHompy bad news first Alex won the friday comp, just to tighten up your top field.

Ran golden as ever.

I would like to formally change my name to Golden Jinx after 2 nights on the trot and having pocket ks 3 times and getting royally screwed every time to the out draws.

Greg gl catch you when you get back have a good one.

didnt u flop top set with one...

and had a player with overpair against overpair?

[Simon Galloway]

didnt u flop top set with one...

and had a player with overpair against overpair?

He also came over to admire my stack, bok it, and walk away.

[AlexMartin]

biinnnkk