Adventures at the EPO Part II

Hames parties with stars but an unwelcome guest crashes the party in the second instalment of Ashley's blog from the English Poker Open.

By Ashley Hames on Thursday 17 Sep 2009 10:00


After my much needed warm up at the Victoria Casino I head up to Nottingham, check in to the Holiday Inn (oh, the glamour!!) and then travel into town to the Crown Plaza for the English Poker Open welcome party.

Phil Hellmuth and Doyle Brunson are the resident poker superstars and being a Z-lister I stay out of their way. I know my place, and my place is somewhere near the bar.

Sadly the lager is luke-warm and I am a bit upset about this, cos I was planning on having a bit of a bender. Michael Greco and my old mucker Grub Smith are discussing heading into town for a few but warm beer has made me feel hungry for bed. I make a quick exit and am kind of glad I did as my last sight as I look behind me is of a somewhat poor Tony Blair look-a-like having his picture taken with various celebs.

I get a damn good night's sleep and when I get up minus a hangover, feeling all fresh and bouncy, I am well happy that I decided to stay in. No hangover and a decent finish in a recent poker tourney?? Hames, what's going on?? This is like ... good preparation!! Yes, yes, I know, I'm turning all pro before your very eyes ... Christ! Who would of thought it?!

So anyways, enough kerfuffle, let’s get this tournament underway shall we? Taxi for Hames!

It's a good arrival, if I say so myself. I exit the cab, light a ciggy and no sooner do I turn around to walk into the club than I am surrounded by 5 girls scantily clad in England dresses. A few clicks from the EPO official photographer and I am confident I have myself a new screensaver [ED: This blog is useless without pics!]. I am so ready for aces it's unbelievable.

Time to register and have myself a ball. That's the idea anyway...

I take my seat on table 23 and get ready to rumble. I start pretty good, play slightly looser than normal and its starts to pay off. From the first hand up until the end of level 3 I never get below my starting stack of 10k. Sweet.

Then I get pocket Jacks....

Read the rest of Ashley's blogs from EPO: Part 1, Part II, Part III, Part IV
 


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