PartyPoker.com Sports Stars Challenge IV Diary

Saturday, May 30  
The PartyPoker.com Sports Stars Challenge is well underway. Yesterday, we had the darts heat where legend Phil “The Power” Taylor was defeated heads up by an online qualifier. It hasn’t been a good week for Phil as he got knocked out in the semi-finals of the Premier League Darts final but, forever the gentleman, he conceded defeat graciously to 34-year-old unemployed road builder Jason Brennan who had freerolled his way to the event through a remarkable 140,000 players. Henry Paul had won the rugby heat, and today was the time for the motor racing drivers.

The stars of today’s heat were undoubtedly Giancarlo Fisichella and Jacques Villeneuve — both household names from Formula One. Fisi, as people call him, was a very accomplished poker player while Jacques was a beginner. Fisi looked for a long time like he was going to take down the heat, he showed considerable skill in his aggressive use of position. The F1 ace didn’t finish in pole position however, the glory belonged to PartyPoker.com Palladium Lounge VIP qualifier Scott O’Reilly, who had cashed for $165,000 in the World Series of Poker main event in 2006.

 
There were two particularly amusing incidents involving Fisichella at the tournament. On the way there he had taken the wheel of the taxi when the driver became ill. Now, that’s one man you would trust to take the wheel.

His taxi ride returning to the airport was less dramatic however, but I understand when he was near the airport he asked to turn back and get some takeaway food from Nobu. This isn’t only one of the most expensive eating establishments in London, it is also in the centre of town. The driver told him it wasn’t an option and they went to KFC at Heston Services instead.
 
It reminded me of the last running of the Premier League where Tom Dwan wanted to go to Nobu every day, and when he ordered so much food for Devilfish, even after the UK poker legend had said he had eaten. Spending time in the company of top players in the poker world is probably similar to being with F1 drivers I guessed.
 
Tonight we had a big table at the nightclub Movida that included loads of the sport stars and online qualifiers. I think I might get my nuts chopped off when the bill is submitted (to the Daily Telegraph) but this is where these guys wanted to go and they expected table service. Andy Murray’s brother Jamie was also in the booth and got mistaken for Andy by lots of people. I knew it wasn’t him though as Andy was still in the French Open.
 
Also in the club was former German footballer Thomas Helmer, and Holland, Barcelona, and Rangers legend, Ronald de Boer. Apparently one of the English online qualifiers had given Helmer a hard time — something to do with a penalty he scored in a certain major championship in 1996. I bet he gets that all the time.  

We didn’t have trouble getting into the club because we brought our own security in the form of Polish heavyweight boxer Albert Sosnowski. I had seen the punches he landed on Danny Williams on YouTube. He was truly humongous and looked down on the bouncers at the door. He was wearing a hat which I suggested he took off — I’m not sure the bouncers would have asked. Albert is the softest and friendliest of people but he also thought that vodka was for drinking straight. I had his promoter constantly texting me telling me to look after him. Me, look after him? I’m big, but of a bean pole variety — not packed with muscle. All’s well that ends well though.
 
It was a great night — the qualifiers and sport stars loved it. Imagine if you had freerolled into an event to be shown on TV with players you thought you were better than with the added bonus of sports memorabilia to boot.
 
Monday, June 1  
Before the final we had a golf heat where everybody fancied Sam Torrance as he was an experienced player. The player who emerged triumphant from that was the legend that is Jean Van De Velde — just nobody mention the 1999 Open Championship and water. Jean found the fairway this time though, taking out European Ryder Cup player Graeme McDowell on the way.

The final concluded and the winner was our unemployed road builder Jason Brennan. He was over the moon to say the least and £27,000 better off. Amazing result for him — what a freeroll! He beat a field that included online qualifiers Scott O’Reilly and Paresh Patel, boxing’s Dave “Boy” McAuley, Henry Paul, Thomas Helmer, and that great sporting hero Van De Velde.