Day 5

“Lucky Bastard”

Diary of a Poker Enthusiast/Addict...

Day 5

Now, I was supposed to be flying home today, however due to Nigel’s gracious hospitality and the generous support of Ladbrokes my magnanimous sponsors, I appeared to have surfeit of American Dollars in my wallet. Here I was in Clark County Nevada, a hop skip and a jump from the Pacific West Coast, what is one supposed to do...

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAD TRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIP...!!!

By means of a simple cash transaction, Virgin Airlines had changed my flight from the 12^th out of LV to the 24^th out of LA, just one integer and a consonant in to a vowel. Twenty-five quid a keystroke, now that is what I call easy money.

Having already garnered the support of a couple of travelling companions namely Kirsty Thompson and Liam Pace, we set off to Los Angeles riding high on the euphoria of an epic Vegas adventure...

Day 4

“Lucky Bastard”

Diary of a Poker Enthusiast/Addict...

Day 4

Awaking the following morning and without the need to prepare for Day 4, I found myself at a loose end. Hard to believe that after twenty-two hours of poker I could even start to contemplate that activity on the list of the day’s options, however Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel was calling me. If I have not mentioned it already, and promise not to mention it again; it's not gambling it's poker...

Binion’s Horseshoe was the home of Poker, well the home of The World Series of Poker at least. The first WSOP was held there in 1974 and there is much controversy and intrigue surrounding the life and death Jack Binion which can easily be researched on t’internet. In 2004 the Horseshoe was sold to Harrah's Entertainment, the deal closed in March 2004 and almost immediately, Harrah's sold the casino and hotel to MTR Gaming Group. Harrah's retained the rights to the Horseshoe brand and the WSOP, but sold the Binion's brand. In March 2005 it was renamed Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel. With WSOP Main Event entries peaking in 2006 at 8,600 runners the tournament was too big for it’s original venue and moved to The Rio. Although the final table decamped back to Binion’s for the sake of tradition. Since then the WSOP has been held in its entirety at The Rio. So after a short cab ride I found myself at The Mecca of poker. They hold and afternoon $ 70 rebuy which is a jovial game. I busted out of after a promising start when my aces were cracked post flop by a Gutshot straight draw...

The evenings entertainment had been laid on by Paul McCann and Steve Mills who had secured a couple tables at The Forty Deuce in The Mandalay Bay whose fragrant gaming area has a coconut aroma pumped through the air conditioning. The Forty Deuce is a Burlesque Club and the dancers appear to have been classically trained and with what Americans would describe as ‘Hard Bodied’ and we would classify as ‘Athletic’. There is nothing smutty, cheap or sordid about the show and it transpired to be one of the best evenings entertainment we enjoyed in Vegas...

Day 3(Continued...)

“Lucky Bastard”

Diary of a Poker Enthusiast/Addict...

Day 3(Continued...)

The more observant amongst you will have noticed that my attempt to become the most prolific blogger of 2008-2010 failed to materialise...!!! Now as I discovered some unpublished reports from Vegas'08 languishing in a word document, and am currently in the process of satelliting into the Nottingham leg of The UKIPT, I thought it might be a good time to reanimate my efforts...

After busting out of The WSOP’08 Main Event my mood was surprisingly buoyant, I was pleased with my performance and although I finished ten hours from the money that had been my minimum expectation, finishing in the top 16^th percentile was no mean feat.

There was no time to be maudlin as Nigel had arranged supper. The venue, Jasmine, a Chinese restaurant overlooking the Bellagio fountains which perform to music, sooo romantic...!!! The food was exquisite, the company jovial and we retired to a club at Wynn’s to mix with some poker glitterati until the wee small hours...