Born 30 something years ago into a card-playing clan in the North of England: the low-roller's poker odyssey has taken him from the school common-room via down-trodden Midlands' casinos, smoky Cotswolds pubs, celebrity Soho drinking spots and of course the ubiquitous world of cyberspace to the home of poker itself, Las Vegas. Join his search for juicy take-downs, great pot odds and the occasional back-door straight as he goes for glory.
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Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The Bright Side of Life
Thanks Alan, thanks Matt - just woken up and watched the rest of Fear and Loathing, as I passed out midway. The cigarettes taste crap, but I'll smoke them anyway, and soon they won't. I have realised the point of it all - something of an epiphany, as I found a button on the Mac DVD player, which gives me a running commentary from Terry Gilliam as the film plays. The point is the book - Vegas as Gilliam says is about losers and I have joined the ranks. Financially Vegas and I have a negative sum equation - this town still owes me money and gambling probably (I am still dreaming the dream) ain't gonna change that, but of course I'll be back next year. The way I am gonna make this town pay is the book - working title "Here and Roving in Las Vegas" - although somewhat derivative, I accept that. I have realised many things in the last 24 hours. I started yesterday at a new table with below average chips - at my table were two players I knew, Victoria Coren and Tom Mcevoy, both quality players clearly and yet they ended up going to war preflop with KQ and AJ off-suited. Tom Mcevoy, the author of my first poker book, got the rough end of it as Victoria hit broadway on the turn (J-10-4 flopped followed by an Ace, making her the straight - known as Broadway). I'd added 50% to my stack before moving to a table, which initially I'd characterised as tough - they all had average to large stacks and there was a tension and not a lot of talk. I had Joe Beevor (not sure how to spell that - whatever) to my left, the Weasel being weasely opposite, the Stealing Swede committing grand larceny to my right and I felt intimidated. A session or two later and these guys had become people - even the weasel was a really genuine sort. Joe the Pro was and I imagine still is (unless he's done a Fear and Loathing overnight given his impending demise due to insufficient chips) a true gent and what is more I could take everyone of them at poker. I doubled up early to $120,000 when I took the Pro big-time with my pocket 3s, managing to get every chip I had in by the river in nice, staedy increments. I took three horrendous beats - my aces got cracked by jacks, although I still showed a profit thanks to the Stealing Swede's sidepot with his AK. That was $100,000 the wrong way. $130,000 went to Joe the Pro when he called my all-in raise with pocket 9s with 10-6 suited (the pot was giving him 2 to 1, so fair play) and the final dissolution was worth a mere quarter of a million dollars when again the straight got made on the river. So there it is - I guess gambling doesn't pay after all, although it's taken me to some pretty amazing places this year alone. What does pay is this - writing. I love doing it and I have in fact got two books in the pipeline oblongata - one's about me and the other's about me. It's all about me. No that's not quite true - it is about the dreams we dream. I am glad I am here - I would rather be entering Day 3 with my a chip stack of half a million or even just 50 grand, but I am pleased with my performance, unlike last year where I played like a King Canute - thinly disguised anagram. Now I'm off for that first cigarette of the day in 120 degrees of wonderful dry heat and then a venture in to the Circus Circus ATM - although nothing is guaranteed in this life. Those players last night were among the worst I've ever seen and they couldn't stop winning. This sweet lady from Washington State, she is first to act with $1-$2 blinds and she goes all-in for $77 with her pair of 9s. I have a real good feeling about K7 suited, but can't justify the call, and she gets called by Go-Go Gambler with his pocket 10s, which stand up. Two kings hit on the flop and a seven on the turn and that is poker., as they say......and her partner was quite something - he'd have the nuts on the river and would check when last to act and then dish the dealer a $15 tip. The dealer looked behind him saying "is this for me?" like this couldn't be true. I admire his generosity and life rewarded that - he walked away with an amazing profit. I discovered that in the big games where a $10,000 pot is run-of-the-mill they tip the dealer $1 dollar, never $2. Startling place Vegas. I do love it. The people are amazing - these Americans have big hearts, they are here to have fun, and they like to engage. So I am going to engage with them and their wallets once more. Til later and thanks for listening.
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