Down, but never out.

So despite remeniscing (cant be arsed to spell-check) this weekend over a once healthy bankroll now lost, i feel more immersed in the world of poker than ever before. On Wednesday last week Jamie from BlueSQ (top boy) gave me a call asking if i wanted to help out with the updates down in Brighton for the GUKPT. Never one to turn down an offer, i immediately said yes. After my failed job interview a few months ago, i thought this might be an opportunity to redevelop a relationship with BlueSQ. So I get down to Brighton after agreeing a nominal fee and marvellous, between the holiday inn and the casino i lose my wallet. 6 months ago this would be of some concern, but with my card max'd out and only a hundred quid in it i wasnt too bothered. Until i tried getting into the casino. Remarkably, you need ID to enter UK Casino's. After getting worked up i realised i had been a lucky boy, as my passport was still in my 'secret' rucksack pocket. Open sesamae!

Entering the casino i saw loads of ppl i havent seen in ages and met the BlueSQ lads, being headed by Jonathan Raab. A really nice guy with an obvious passion for poker. Peter was the guy who i would be updating with and we soon came to a very agreeable situation, id do all the interesting player interviews and jovial bollox and he could do the corporate side. Get in. Now this was the 1st time id ever done anything of this sort and was a little hesitant, as i know how often i drop in random fucks/cunts/pricks to my sentances. I made sure my typing hands were on their best behaviour and on the 1st day (from 4pm to 3pm) did some nice posts towards the end. As always, there was ridiculous drinking to be had, but i went easy on day one, hoping to make an ok impression.

On day 2 Jamie came down and we had a quality time. I told Peter id be heading out early that night to get properly on it, originally i was meeting Flushy and Jamie to go clubbing, but i ended up rolling craps for the two degenerates in the Rendezvous.

On Day three id met just about everyone in the casino, from Barry Neville buying ludicrous sums of Champagne to Paul Webb telling me the in's and outs of modern punters. I never realised how hard it was to get a bet on! The poker witnessed was very ABC for a long time, with the better players abusing the bubble payout massively. Flushy and Nick Peruad are two players that really rose to the mantle.

Out on the lash again this night, id realised that past about 3pm i really cannot work anymore and Mike, Simon, Peter and myself went for a few quickies. Mike in particular is an absolute leg-end, instantly feeling at one with nature on the beach, im saying no more.

On Sunday, i was now feeling the effects of work and desperate to play poker, this was now the 4th night 'on it' and i was beginning to lag. Dave Smith emerged as the eventual winner although if Roberto hadnt decided to try and bluff the proverbial calling station that was Albert from the VIC maybe the Welsh boys would have had another celebration lined up.

So a cracking weekend all in all, you can see the updates here http://www.grosvenorukpokertour.com/live/index.html mine are the ones with smileys and spelling mistakes :)

Had a really great time, thanks to GUKPT for the opportunity, Flushy for showing me Brighton, all the players i met who sympathised with a busto mug, and the people who helped me out one way or another. Now lets back to the grind.......



p.s. In answer to the comments, thanks to the well-wishers im addicted to poker in a (hopefully) healthy way and am definitely playing again. I'm a winning player that needs to slow down the partying and ridiculous spending. I need to work really hard on resisting games that are too big for me. I need to stop playing online MTT's all the time, they sap your confidence.
Cash is King.

To get back ill be sticking my fingers into a lot of pies (iv recently been asked to write an article for a leading poker mag) , working on a buliding site doing some labouring (gets me in the sun for a couple of days) and playing a whole heap of low stakes poker. Backing will probably be my only route back down this path but i may have something in the pipeline :)

See ya round, keep reading. If i can get enough i might be able to put up some filthy advertising of sorts.