GC shoots Government in the foot...

For a few years now the Labour government has been trying to tempt online poker sites to set-up and be regulated in the UK... obviously they can see that they are missing out on a very lucrative tax income. It would appear that the UK Gambling Commision are not singing from the same hymn sheet...

(Copied from http://www.aworldofpoker.com/news.php?id=218)

UK Gambling Commision Bans UK Operators

UK Gambling Commision Bans UK Operators from Offering Overseas Event Seats. New ruling by the GC will change the face of satellites to overseas events for British Poker players.

UK gambling licensees were told by the UK Gambling Commission that they are no longer allowed to offer seats to tournaments outside of the Commission approved white list areas. The impact is obvious, with any UK-based operators holding satellites to non-UK poker events. The ruling was made as offering prizes outside of the UK advertises non-UK approved events, hence violating the Gambling Act of 2005.

Section 331 of the Act details that a person commits and offence if they “advertise foreign gambling other than a lottery.” Initially the clause was inserted to distinguish which operators were allowed to advertise on television, but it has since become evident it doesn’t apply just to the direct form of advertising referenced.

A release from the Commission said, that 'unless the overseas tournament is based in the European Economic Area, Gibraltar, or in white-listed jurisdictions, the advert is likely to amount to the advertising of 'foreign gambling,' which constitutes an offence under Section 331 of the Gambling Act 2005.”

It is not totally clear how the legislation will affect poker sites offering satellites to events like the WSOP, EPT and Aussie Millions, although most of the online poker rooms are not based in the UK. Statements clarifying the positions of the online firms are expected in coming days.

Brick and mortar venues will certainly be affected though, and for many of the new pub league initiatives which have come about in the last 18 months, this will be a major blow as some offer seats to the WSOP or other events abroad. Those who are found guilty of violating Section 331 could face up to 51 weeks in prison and a fine.

Has it really been a month?

How time flies… apologies to my reader for neglecting this diary for nearly a month.

Since the PokerStars Steps debacle I have officially given up with online poker… twice!! I have deleted all poker client software from my laptop - except Dusk Til Dawn, as you can buy-in to their live tournaments via the online poker room; and Blue Square, for the occasional attempt at an APAT online satellite.

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At the end of November I played in the inaugural Virgin Poker Festival, at the Broadway Casino in Birmingham. The tournament went OK (wheels didn't fall off 'til fairly late in the evening) and the Virgin staff did their best to make it a fun weekend, BUT I'm afraid no amount of effort on their part could gloss over the horrendous mistake that had been made with this choice of venue - NO GUINESS!!! - Come on Virgin, get your act together. :-) (A little bird tells me that the 2nd Virgin Poker Festival is being considered for next springtime, at Aspers in Newcastle… Top venue, believe me).

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The Friday after the Virgin tourney I was due to take part in the 'invite only' Dusk Till Dawn opening weekend £100 freezeout, but in the end decided to leave it until after christmas for my first visit - just too many events one after the other… and the less said about the Pigeons game on Sunday the better!!

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The very next weekend was the APAT UK Championships at the G Casino in Manchester… I had really been looking forward to this one, with Ricky Hatton fighting in Vegas on the Saturday night (Sun morning), I was expecting the atmosphere in the casino to be superb. Well, the weekend started badly and didn't really improve!

About 4.00pm Friday evening my car radiator decided to spring a leak, a few miles from home… after an hours wait in a freezing cold car the breakdown truck turned up and took me home. Since I had it on good authority that the G Casino in Manchester would have Guiness (thanks Dewi), I decided that the car could wait 'til Monday and set about checking the train times for Saturday morning.

So, up at 6.00am on Saturday morning... showered, fed & watered and out the door at 7.00 for the 5 minute walk to the bus stop, followed by a 20 min wait for a bus! Arrive at Oxford Station in good time for the 8.36 train to Manchester Picadilly… at least the train was on time and I eventually got a seat (after Birmingham International). Somewhere around Stockport it started raining - it didn't stop raining until just south of Macclesfield, on the way home, Sunday! Arrived in Manchester, at about the same time as Paul 'the game' and bumped into him at the metro station… 3 stops on the tram to Victoria and then about a mile by taxi and we are at the casino by about 12.30.

For the most part I was pretty happy with the way I played the tournament and the only real error was my last hand, it was about about 10.30pm and I had been up for 18 hours - well that's my excuse… I mis-read a large raise from the cut-off as an attempt to steal my BB, I moved in over the top with A4s… unfortunately matey had AKo and called without too much hesitation… that, as they say, was that!

So a few hours to kill before the Hatton fight, time for beer then… and you'll never guess who I found at the bar? No, not Des Duffy… but none other than young Dewi. It would have been rude not join him wouldn't it?

A 'couple' of beers later I see an empty seat at a £1/£1 PLHE cash game and sit down with £100. The details of the game escape me now but over the next hour or two I remember the following… being down to about £50 and getting another £40 out my wallet… being down to around £30 and getting the last £20 note out of my wallet… being down to exactly £12 and saying, "I won't need much to get this last £12 in the middle!"… next hand getting it all-in pre-flop with J9s and getting 3 callers… a Jack high flop and a 9 on the river, giving me the main pot of about £50… 'the game' appearing at my shoulder (he had just been knocked out of the tourney), getting all-in, for something over £100, on the turn with TPTK and the Nut-Flush draw… catching the flush on the river to beat a flopped straight… and finally cashing-out about £320!! :-) Time for more beer!

Suprisingly, Dewi was nowhere to be seen… apparently he had become overwhelmed with excitement and anticipation (or Guiness) while waiting for the boxing, that he had passed out somewhere and had to be assisted back to his hotel… About 3.30am a few of us decide to take up residence soewhere with a decent view of a TV in good time so as to be assured a good view of the fight, and we wait… and we wait… the bar closes… and we wait… and we wait… and finally, sometime around 5.00am, the fight starts. 10 rounds later and a rather dissappointing fight is over and the whole world and his dog pile out of the casino looking for a taxi… there are none to be had!! Now the hotel is about 3 miles away and I don't fancy that walk through some of the less salubrious areas of Greater Manchester. So I am just about ready to walk the mile or so back to Victoria station when a familiar face emerges from the casino (GiMac), who I know is staying at the same hotel… that's 'andy 'Arry!

And finally to bed at about 6.00am… not a day I want to repeat in a hurry!

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Leg 3 of the APAT Regional Series, Bristol Harbourside, on Saturday 15th Dec, saw both me and 'Golden Delicious' make early exits… we both showed a small profit at BlackJack though so not all bad.

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On Monday I made a half-hearted attempt to win a seat at the APAT Welsh Championships in the $22 satellite on Blue Square, not really bothered about spending a weekend in Cardiff, in January… Remember the saying, "Be careful what you wish for!"… I had a complete maniac seated to my right, he had been making, and showing, outrageous all-in bluffs as well as simply overbetting real hands… "Your time will come", I think to myself… and so it comes to pass, a few limpers including Dr Maniac, I raise it up 10xBB with QQ… just one caller, you can guess who… flop 223 rainbow… Dr Maniac checks, I bet the pot, he calls… "Great", I think… turn 3… "Excellent, please let him have an Ace", I think, as I push all-in. Hoping that he will put me on an Ace and think he's calling to split the pot. Call he does, with A4o… Get in there!... River 5. And that's all I have to say about that!

At least I'm good at 'clickfests'. :-)

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So there we are bang upto date again, I will try and keep it that way!

A couple of steps closer to the Caribbean...

… I'm sitting at the other end of the sofa!!

I'm afraid my long term in-ability to beat the SnGs on PokerStars, at any level, was just too much of an obstacle to overcome in my quest for a little winter sunshine at the EPT PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. After two more frustrating sessions my $209 (£100) budget was reduced to 50c and I have conceded defeat… Head is hanging in shame! :-(

It's not all bad news though, in an attempt to 'tilt-off' my last 50c I actually ended up with $1.59, playing 1c/2c Limit Omaha H/L. Who knows? I may get it back up to $7.50 and have one more crack at it… no wait! I have a better idea, I'll just withdraw it and buy a pint of Guinness. (hmmm, will $7.50 still be enough to get a pint??)

I don't know what it is about SnGs on Stars, I just don't seem to be able to show a profit - as is plain to see by anyone that uses sharkscope.com - yet on most other sites I have played on regularly, SnGs have always been my most reliable method of making a shilling or two… one of life's great mysteries I guess? :-)

Oh well, who cares about all that… live poker to look forward to tomorrow. It's the two day Virgin Poker Festival at the Broadway Casino, in Birmingham. I won my £105 seat in my second attempt at the $10 online satellites way back in September, with 200 runners and £5000 added by Virgin, it adds up to a nice bit of value on offer. I just hope I make it to the second day and into the money.

In search of Atlantis (Session 7)...

Well one week in and it's right back to square one! I played both the Step 3 and the Step 4 tournaments last night - dumped out of both, with no return... Go direct to Jail, do not pass Go, do not collect £200!! :-(

Played the Step 3 first, things were going quite nicely, until I pick up KK and this happens - http://www.pokerhand.org/?1711481 - Shortly after I push my last 865 chips in with AKs and run into QQ!

And then, 2nd hand of Step 4, KK again - http://www.pokerhand.org/?1711470 - The odds of me winning, as this hand progressed were as follows...

Pre-Flop 70/30
On the Flop 87/13
On the Turn 91/9

I think that classifies as a 'bad beat'.
It's a cruel, cruel game!

Going to take a day off today and go to church, in search of divine inspiration.

In search of Atlantis (Session 6)...

Played the Step 4... played like a tart!

Fought back from a really short stack to make it into the last 5. One big stack and the other 4 of us taking turns to be shorty for about 2 1/2 levels. On one of my turns as short stack I re-raise all-in with TT... big stack calls with AQ and hits a Q first card out! Back to Step 3. Bollox!

Played the Step 3, plus bought direct into a Step 2... 1st in both so another crack at Step 4, and another Step 3, tomorrow night.

Fri 16/11
- $215 Step 4 SnG - 5th Won Ticket for Step 3 ($82)
- $82 Step 3 SnG - 1st Won Ticket for Step 4 ($215)
- $27 Step 2 SnG - 1st Won Ticket for Step 3 ($82)

- Balance $119 + Step 4 Ticket ($215) + Step 3 Ticket ($82)

Theoretical Balance $416 (+$207)

In search of Atlantis (Session 5)...

Prize structure for Step 3 is...

1st & 2nd - Ticket for Step 4 ($215 SnG)
3rd, 4th & 5th - Ticket for Step 3 ($82 SnG)
6th to 9th - Put your hand in your pocket and buy buy back-in!!

so, it shouldn't be toooo difficult to at least stick at Step 3 should it? Well, just in case, I've decided to play another couple of Step 1s before attempting the Step 3... just to warm up really, you understand. :-)

Thu 15/11
- $7.50 Step 1 SnG - 5th, all-in PF with KK v AKo, flop TJQ! Bastards!
- $7.50 Step 1 SnG - 1st Won Ticket for Step 2 ($27 SnG)
- $27 Step 2 SnG - 8th... Aaarrgh!! Take deep breaths, calm...
- $7.50 Step 1 SnG - 3rd Won Ticket for Step 1 ($7.50 SnG)
- $7.50 Step 1 SnG - 4th Won $1.50
- $82 Step 3 SnG - 1st Won Ticket for Step 4 ($215) Get in there!!!

- Balance $146 + 1 x Ticket for Step 4 ($215)

Theoretical Balance $361



Early finish for tonight and attempt Step 4 tomorrow night... a $215 SnG... shit!! never played a SnG for this much before, the Step 3 one made me sweat!

In search of Atlantis (Session 4)...

After 2 days of standing still and/or going backwards, I have finally made it to Step 3... Yippee!!




Wed 14/11
- $27 Step 2 SnG - 4th Won Ticket for Step 2 ($27 SnG)
- $7.50 Step 1 SnG - 5th
- $27 Step 2 SnG - 2nd Won Ticket for Step 3 ($82 SnG)
- $7.50 Step 1 SnG - 4th Won $1.50 (or lost $6!!)

- Balance $167 + 1 x Ticket to Step 3 ($82)

Theoretical Balance $249 (+$40)

In search of Atlantis (Session 3)...

Well tonight has seen a succession of beats, of varying degrees of badness, ranging from 'coin tosses' to '1 outers' on the river. Found myself back at Step 1, a rather ignominious 9th place, then after spending $15 to buy into two of them, I eventually managed to get back to a Step 2... and stay there!

Tue 13/11
- $27 Step 2 SnG - 6th Doh!!!
- $27 Step 2 SnG - 5th Won Ticket for Step 1 ($7.50 SnG)
- $7.50 Step 1 SnG - 9th
- $7.50 Step 1 SnG - 4th Won $1.50
- $7.50 Step 1 SnG - 1st Won Ticket for Step 2 ($27 SnG)
- $27 Step 2 SnG - 4th Won Ticket to Step 2 ($27 SnG)

- Balance $180.50 + 1 Ticket to Step 2

Theoretical Balance $207.50 (-$1.50)

In search of Atlantis (Session 2)...

Step 2 prize structure...
1st Ticket to Step 3 ($82)
2nd Ticket to Step 3 ($82)
3rd Tickey to Step 2 ($27)
4th Ticket to Step 2 ($27)
5th Ticket to Step 1 ($7.50)
6th - 9th You lose! Thankyou and good day, Sir.

Mon 12/11
- $27 Step 2 SnG - 4th Won Ticket for Step 2 ($27 SnG)
- $27 Step 2 SnG - 4th Won Ticket for Step 2 ($27 SnG)

- Balance $194 plus 2 x Step 2 Tickets

Theoretical Balance $248 (+$39)

Step 2 again tomorrow night then!

In search of Atlantis (Session 1)...

I've noticed a couple of threads on the blondepoker forum in relation to 'Steps' Sit & Go tournaments, on PokerStars, to win seats at big buy-in live events i.e. EPT PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) Sydney. Now, I've never been a big fan of the 'Steps' concept, my dislike was based on the cash steps that started on Party Poker sometime ago. I didn't like the fact that there was no way to bail out if you find yourself out of your depth... you either win the end prize or you lose all the money [and time] that you have invested.

Some of what I've read recently (penned by people who I believe to be good players and who know what they are talking about - not you Ironside!), has prompted me to look again and I have decided to 'invest' £100 and try to win a seat at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, to be held in January, at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.


The buy-in for Step 1 is $7.50 (this is where I am going to start), Step 2 is $27 and I think Step 3 is about $80. I have always been comfortable playing $20 - $25 SnGs so I would expect to get to Step 3 with out too much trouble, but from there on in I am playing at stakes far higher than I have ever played before (for online SnGs), hopefully the majority of my opponents will be small stakes players who have also come up through the steps, but I know that a lot of people (better players and/or bigger bankrolls) will be buying in directly at the higher levels and the standard of play is bound to raise considerably as you near your goal at the end of Step 6.

The $7.50 Step 1 tournaments pay as follows -
1st Ticket for Step 2 ($27)
2nd Ticket for Step 2 ($27)
3rd Ticket for Step 1 ($7.50)
4th $1.50
5th - 9th Nowt!

So, the story so far is...

Sun 11/11/07
- deposit £100 ($209) in PokerStars
- $7.50 Step 1 SnG - 1st Won Ticket for Step 2 ($27 SnG)
- $7.50 Step 1 SnG - 1st Won Ticket for Step 2 ($27 SnG)

- Balance $194 plus 2 x Step 2 Tickets

Off to a good start... I'll tackle the first Step 2s this evening. I'd better get down to Boots and see if they've got any suncream left!! :-)