True Story

A well-known European poker player was having severe problems with his dial-up Internet connection, and received a letter to this effect from a poker site. The site was concerned about the large number of disconnections that he was having, and after extensive review had concluded that while the disconnections occurred as frequently when he was ahead in a hand as when he was behind, an inordinate number of them happened when he was all in in a large pot. Did he have any explanation for this behavior?



The poker player in question had also noticed this trend, and set about trying to discover what could be causing the problems. After a long study, he found the answer. It seems that the refrigerator that he kept next to his computer and stocked with beer was a very old model. Opening the refrigerator door would cause a power surge that sent the computer on the fritz and disconnect him from the poker site. They've long said that drinking can affect your play, but this is by far my favorite example of that adage!



The end of the summer is always a good time for European poker players to take a short break, because autumn has long been the hot time in European poker, and this year will be no exception. I'm predicting 2004-2005 as being when European poker really takes off. It's going to become harder to find time to make trips to America, as the action on this continent will be bigger than ever. Oslo, Belfast, Barcelona, and Monte Carlo are just some of the new stops that will see big-money poker this fall, and London, Dublin, Paris, and of course Amsterdam will be as rocking as ever. Someone should start up a travel agency just for European poker players. Sign me up.



We're getting the kinks out of the magazine, and working hard to expand our range. I'm very proud to announce the addition of two new columnists this month in Lucy "Golden Ovaries" Rokach and Roy "The Boy" Brindley. Lucy is not just the top female poker player in Europe, she's one of the top tournament players, period, and she'll bring long experience to her columns on the state of poker. Roy burst onto the poker scene about three years ago and immediately started piling up titles. He provides a breath of fresh air wherever he goes, and will be providing much needed coverage from his home base in Ireland. Padraig Parkinson and Keith "The Camel" Hawkins have also chimed in admirably, as has become their standard.



Our cover story this issue is a feature on Donnacha O'Dea, who has been a standard bearer of European poker for quite some time. I first ran into Donnacha in a high-stakes Amsterdam cash game in 1994, and he promptly and modestly cleaned me out. Many will confirm that this in itself was no unique feat, but I was further impressed with his presence – friendly, polite, and the first hand in the pocket to buy a round at the bar. He's the kind of poker player you're happy to introduce to your family and your wife, and someone who shows that a life in poker can be something to be proud of.



See you on the tour!