Aviation Club Trip Report

As the final-table announcer for the World Poker Tour, I travel all over the world to participate in the filming of many great poker tournaments. A recent assignment took me to Paris for the Aviation Club's Euro Finals of Poker. After being picked up at the airport, I was taken to the Claridge Hotel, which is located at 74 Champs d'Elysées, just a five-minute walk to the Aviation Club. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my room was actually a spacious apartment, complete with a spiral staircase, kitchen, loft area, bedroom, living room, and a huge balcony overlooking the fabulous Champs d'Elysées. The view from the living room was of the Eiffel Tower, and from the balcony I could see the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde. What an outstanding beginning!

After sleeping most of the day, I walked to the Aviation Club to check out the action. The club is more than 100 years old and is quite elegant. There is a lounge, library, bar, gourmet restaurant, and several gaming areas. The menu of games includes blackjack, Caribbean stud, rummy, baccarat, backgammon, chemin de fer, and poker. A dress code is enforced, although I did see some players wearing designer jeans. No membership in the club is required; simply let the concierge make a copy of your passport the first time you enter, and then you won't need it after that. The club opens daily at 2 p.m. and closes at 6 a.m., except on Saturdays, when it closes at 9 a.m.

Many players go to the Aviation Club to enjoy the food as well as the poker action. In a typical tournament, play begins at 8 p.m., and there is a dinner break from 10:30 p.m. until midnight. Players are treated to appetizers, including escargot and foie gras, entrees made to order (veal, filet, fish, and so on), lots of fresh vegetables, several types of bread, a wide variety of cheeses, and a huge selection of fresh fruit and French pastries. Of course, wine is served with the meal, and you get a strange look if you order iced tea.

The biggest complaint I heard was about the smoke, since many of the players do indeed smoke. In an effort to compromise, the tournament was made nonsmoking once it got down to four tables. It is very possible that future tournaments will be nonsmoking, according to one Aviation Club representative, who said, "We have always had nonsmoking tables, but there used to be only two or three nonsmoking tables out of 10. Now, there are six or seven out of 10. Little by little, the minority has become the majority. We are re-examining our policy and may make some changes in the future."

Another change that may come about is the date for the Euro Finals of Poker tournament. One key executive expressed the desire to change the date to the summertime, so as not to conflict with Commerce Casino's L.A. Poker Classic, and also to attract more foreigners due to better weather at that time of the year. (I certainly hope this happens, as it was very cold during my visit.) Currently, the Aviation Club holds five international tournaments: the EFOP, plus an 11-day tournament during each of the four seasons.

The 10,000 Euro final no-limit hold'em tournament attracted 86 entrants. The final table was the longest to date for the WPT - nine hours (including the dinner break). Chris Johansson, from Sweden, played very well and took first-place honors, followed by Claude Cohen (France), Allen Cunningham (United States), Jacques Durand (France), Tony G (Australia), and Alain Hagege (France). The filming took place in the elegant Chemin de Fer room.

Congratulations to Mike Sexton, who won the EFOP Heads-Up Challenge. Mike defeated John Duthie from the UK in the final match. It was Mike's second European title; he won the championship event in 2000.

If you ever get the chance to go to Paris, here are some tips for you:

1. Be sure to take the red bus or the yellow/green bus tours. They stop at all of the major attractions in the city, and you can hop on and off at any stop.

2. Make sure to take time to enjoy the wonderful cafes that line the streets.

3. Learn your way around via the metro. There is a metro stop every 550 meters or less in Paris.

4. Sample the cheese and the pastries.

5. Visit the Aviation Club for some poker. They play mostly pot-limit, and are very hospitable to visitors.

Change of subject: The Bellagio segment of the World Poker Tour will air on March 30 on the Travel Channel. After that, the WPT series will move to its regular time slot on Wednesdays, beginning April 2. Check your local listings for times, and tune in for some great poker action.

Now, let's play poker!

E-mail Linda for information about Card Player Cruises or the World Poker Players Conference.