We also managed to make some really good contacts for DTD and I was stunned that everyone in Dublin seemed to know about DTD. On the very first hand of the main event, the dealer turned to me and said "can I have your email, I'd like to come and work at your club"...........I had never even seen him before.
After seeing what Paddy Power have done here I know we can do the same in the UK and get the largest fields in Europe BUT we must be able to add to prize pools for EVERY event in on our 4 festivals (I missed this cost out in the original budget aswell!).
So many people have offered to help and support me with DTD on this trip. Poker can be quite a selfish world, at the end of the day we are all trying to win each others money, but overall we have a great community spirit and we once we are knocked out we all support whose left, whether it be Jonny Texas, Mick Jones, Mickey Wernick, Jo Greche, Rumit, Stuart Nash, Ian Woodley, Paul King, Kev O'Conner.......or even Stephen Pearce(
?!!!!!!!!).
Nick and Chubbs didn't speak to me for 4 hours after my exit from the comp and everyone was "breaking my balls" in the bar on how badly I played after I was the chip leader with 24 people left. One guy I had never even met before had bet 300 euros on me at 125-1, I offered to give him the money back but he refused.
I found it a bit strange (but nice) that a lot of people (many who I have never spoken to or met) were rooting for me over here in Dublin. That was the worst thing for me about me being knocked out, I had at least 50 people come to me afterwards and say they had wanted me to win...........weird. The only explaination for this can be the DTD project..........not my poker skills!
I need to fly to Las Vegas now from Manchester, I have a DTD related meeting scheduled on Thursday in Vegas which is very important for our club. There is no way I'm playing the Bellagio $25,000 WPT after the disaster in Dublin, I can't face seeing a pack of cards at the moment, I'll railbird and support DC when I'm out there. I'm also going to drive to LA and visit The Bike, LA Commerce and Hollywods Park, 3 of the most famous poker rooms in the world. Trumper, Nick and Chubbs are going to fly out Thursday and come with me so we can get some ideas for DTD. Actually, one of them will have to drive, as I got banned for 6 months last week for speeding.
Anyway, on a positive note, a well worthwhile trip. What Paddy Power and the Merrion have done here is the benchmark for DTD Festivals. Aces Trumper has responsibility to ensure we deliver this in the DTD club, it's a great challenge for him, we were speaking with the Operations Director of Paddy Poker last night, and I was amazed how much work goes into staging a festival.
