Cocktails

The success of the partypoker /Dusk Till Dawn Killarney GPPT demonstrated just how much the grassroots in Ireland treat poker as a celebration of being alive. It was shown to be no flash in the pan when Larry Santo and the Northern lands both smashed decent guarantees on the same weekend in Dublin, which was widely regarded as highly unlikely. I was chatting to one of the Mullingar lads at Larry’s event and he told me a story I’d forgotten involving hugely sharp Irish player Alan Betson. Alan was playing an all night game, back in the day in Binions. Alan is partial to the odd beverage or two, but was miles behind a rather loud American gentleman who was trying to drink Vegas dry singlehandedly whilst playing every pot, and generally causing mayhem in the game. Alan was losing a little but was quietly confident that the drunk would eventually empty out. His patience was rewarded when he was dealt two aces. Looking around, he was horrified to see that the drunk who was supposed to double him up was asleep. The dealer informed Alan that the guy had a minute to wake up or his hand would be dead. A minute was a lot less than Alan needed to solve the problem. He started to shout COCKTAILS as loud as he possibly could. The drunk woke up and duly doubled Alan up! I told you he was sharp.

The Fitzwilliam Club in Dublin is showing great faith in live poker by having their biggest event of the year televised. They sure aren’t messing about as they’ve hired WSOP presenter Kara Scott to present the show, and the popular (his words!) Ken Doherty, to do what passes for commentary with some other guy. I hope they get the show their enterprise deserves.

But it’s not all happening in Dublin.Party Poker are returning to the South West to sponsor the Macau Club Christmas Festival. It should be a blinding weekend. The last time, I was there a guy was telling a story about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Their life was very happy until one evening, the dwarfs didn’t come home as usual from the diamond mine where they worked. Snow White and a few of their neighbours went to look for them only to find the mine had collapsed. They began frantically digging with their bare hands. Every now and again, they would stop and listen for any sign of life. Eventually, they heard a voice saying “…and Liverpool is going to win the league”. Snow White got all excited and said “Thank God. At least Dopey is still alive.” That’s the Cork lads for you.