While I welcomed Grubby on Aimlessly, let me pimp him once again from our home turf. I think a lot about Grubby these days, because he’s keeping me warm at night. Well technically it’s the PokerPro hoody that he stole for me in Vegas keeping me warm, but that still deserveswarm thoughts.
I love reading poker grub, but I must warn you. He’s liable to suck you into playing some penny video game with a monster bonus round. I still owe Grubby (pictured above at the WPBTSummer Classic)a post about how I had to battle a short-term Ms Cashman addiction because of him. Butas I am safely past my twelve step program, Icelebratehis assimilation into the collective.
Another thing I’m celebrating is a great call from TD Johnny Grooms at the WPO. One of my pet peeves is when some guy asksto see a mucked hand after the river. Ninety nine times out of a hundred, it’s just somebody trying to get information and usually the staff obliges. The ability tosee a mucked hand was specifically designed to address a suspicion of collusion – not somecheap information gathering ploy, but few rooms properly interpret or enforce the rule. So I was tickled when I heard Groomstell a player that “no,” he could not see another players mucked hand unless he suspected collusion. “Do you suspect collusion?”The player shook his head “no.” “Then you may not see the hand. And if you abuse the privilege of requesting to see mucked handsonly for information purposes, wemay revoke your privilege to see mucked hands for any purpose.”
It’s just one more example of why I think Grooms (pictured above – singingin Tunica in January 2006)is one of the best in the biz.
Well one ofmy New Year’s resolutions was to play The Mookie at least twice a month – and alreadyI’m 0-for-2 this month. So I guess I know where I’ll be the next two Wednesdays. And I noticed that CC’s bash at PokerStars is off this week, which must have something to do with Sweetie. So it looks like I’m lining up for a blogger double header next week.
I’m pretty bad at restraining my digs, so let me toss one out there. I recently heard the rumor that Full Tilt had paid for Card Player’s reporters to travel to theAussie Millions. And then I read this from CP:
While I picked up my luggage and exited the airport in peace, the Full Tilt pros who arrived with me (and those who arrived shortly after on the 11:20 p.m. direct flight) received rock star/Hollywood treatment from the international media.
Film crews and photographers (poker paparazzi) swarmed players, following them from the airport exits to the awaiting buses and limousines, provided by FullTilt to transport pros and online qualifiers to the tournament site, the Crowne Hotel and Casino. Think, to a lesser extent The Beatles, only their names are Phil, Erick, Huck and “The Mouth.”
Can you say bought and paid for?
Meanwhile, the crew from PokerNews is hard at work bringing you the real skinny from the Aussie Millions. At least that’s what I thought until I received Pauly’s picture of the Poker Shrink. I suspect alcohol may be in play.
Yay, Johnny Grooms! That is one of my pet peeves as well, and led to me racking up and walking out of Harrah’s Las Vegas when the floor manager told me "it has nothing to do with collusion, it’s called needling, and they allow it everywhere." After some old fart asked to see my hand after I’d mucked. What more did he want, I paid him off with my second pair on every street!
I like Shrink’s new hairpiece. Blue is definitely his color…
Timmy with bangs. Pass the mental floss please.
Thanks for the shoutout, Amy–you’ll get a special invite next time! Hope the trip is going well.
Hope to see you at the tourney next Wed…it’s always a lot of fun.
Posted this bit of smarm on 2+2 awhile back (yr reference to CardPlayer & Full Tilt reminded me of it):
"In the end, it’s difficult to tell which is more impressive, the machine that is behind the site or the organization’s group of players who have come to dominate the poker community. By working together, the two groups have set an industry standard that has more than its share of imitators, and unless the universe implodes, FullTilt will continue its trailblazing growth."
– concluding paragraph of "Team FullTilt: The World’s First Poker Dynasty" by Michael Friedman, CardPlayer, Vol. 19, No. 15
In the end, it’s difficult to tell which is less impressive, the magazine’s decision to print this puff piece or the organization that has come to dominate that magazine’s coverage. By working together, the two groups have set an industry standard for corporatization that has already had more than its share of imitators, and unless money stops mattering, will continue its soul-crushing growth.
Good for Johnny. What did you think of the Gold Strike this year in comparison to previous years? The % of juice for tourneys, the quality of food and the room rates in particular. Also, what do you think of their (mis)interpretation of the show one,show all (both cards) rule.
I’ve been going five years now, this year may have been my last.
Blue does seem to work for the big guy.
And I will be hitting the blogger tournies hot and heavy this year. So if anyone wants good dead money overlay, keep an eye out for me in the Mookie and CC’s.
Shamus – nice example and point well made
JJ – compared to other tourney venues, the Gold Strike/WPO still rock in comparison for comps, juice, and room deals. As far as the staff goes, it was efficient with sat seating at record pace. All that being said, you and I have been there over the years – and this year wasn’t quite the deal it has been in the past. Comps were a little harder to score. The room rates were a little higher. And the juice was typical. (btw -I couldn’t believe the Grand was running $100+30 events the same week). I’ll still go back, but it wasn’t quite firing on all southern hospitality cylinders this year.
And tell me more about the “show one” interpretation. I heard them announce something but I obviously wasn’t paying attention.
The show one show all rule has now been broadened (at least at the Gold Strike)from its original meaning, that if you showed your hand to one person, you had to show it to all. Now, they have re-interpreted this to mean that if you show one card ,the dealer MUST show both of your cards. Apparently this is to cut down on "taunting". JJ
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