Poker Brat Clothing Company Open!

The PH clothing line and the "Poker Brat Clothing Company" open!

Happy New Year everyone! I have opened my brand new online store that sells some of the hats and shirts that you've see me wear on television over the last few years. I have had thousands of people ask me where they can buy my logoed gear, and now I can proudly say clubhellmuth.com! [Click on "Poker store," then click "Visit Phil's new online store"]

Kicked out of Dorchester Hotel!!!

It's Monday Feb. 11th, and I'm mad right now after finishing in fourth place again in my second PL ("Premier League") heat here in London. We all play in six heats apiece, and I only won a few hands (two or three) tonight as I played super super tight.

Then at the Dorchester Hotel, I was thrown out of the "Grill Restaurant" because I wouldn't take my hat off! I refused to yield! But I did leave peacefully…
London theme so far: all in only one time, again: and gone again!

In tonight's heat I was unlucky the whole time, and when I finally limped with 6-6 in the small blind--it came 9s-9h-4s--I lost some chips with the next two cards 5d-5c. The 5-5 ending made me pay it off on the river as now Eddie Sharf could have been bluffing with 7-4 or some hand that was counterfeited on the river; not to mention a busted flush draw. Then I was all-in with A-4 vs. Tony G's Qh-Jh, and out-Tony did nothing wrong that hand as he had to call. All-in once late, and gone! In the first heat yesterday I was unlucky when I moved in $68,000 with A-10 to Annie Duke's A-2. She was pot committed and had to call, but it was the first time that I was all-in. Being all in only once and losing seems to be a strong theme for me this trip. You see, I played two heats in the European Open IV-on Thursday and Friday--and in the first I was all in once with Ac-Kc against Juha Helppi's 10-6 off suit. In that pot I limped in when we were down to heads up with Ac-Kc, he moved all in, and I insta-called. The pot was only about $120,000, but had I won it (Q-10-4-2-10), I would have had a good shot to win the heat and advance. Because I finished second, I played in a turbo heat, and was all-in once vs. Annette Oberstad with Ah-Jh vs. her A-K, and I lost and finished third-I needed to win either of those two heats to make the finals of the EO. Four times all in exactly once, and all four times out! Three times I had the best hand…

I just ate Dover Sole the way I like it, with new potatoes, cream of artichoke soup, and a chocolate truffle dessert, yummy! Dover Sole is my favorite fish ever, but it is very hard to find in the USA. The good news is that I'm getting caught up on my sleep, and I'm building up strength for the next five days. I'm less upset now than I was when I started writing this BLOG, so that's good. I've been ticked off since earlier on when I didn't say a word to anyone after being eliminated, and rode by myself in a taxi for 45 minutes while I was stewing! I'm taking two fourths pretty hard, but I am trying to count my blessings too...

By the way, it is 9 points for first, 5 for second, 3 for third, 2 for fourth, one for fifth, and zero for sixth in these six player heats. I bet $10,000 on the Devilfish (1 point - fifth and sixth) to have more points then Juha Helppi (2 - fourth and sixth) by the end, and another $10,000 on a win bet.

I walked over to the Coulthard gallery and looked at impressionist stuff for an hour today, including two Van Goghs (one where he painted himself without an ear). Cézanne was my favorite--a striking green one--and Cézanne also had one there called "Card Player" which was done in 1885 and showed two guys looking at their cards as they sat across the table from one another.

The Premier League

Tomorrow (Tuesday) I play in the first heat at 11:00 am along with Rolande DeWolfe (9 points), Andy Black (9 points), Eddy Sharf (at least 6 points), Ian Frazer (2 points), and Juha Helppi. After that heat ends, then I commentate the second heat at 6:00 pm. The players in that heat are: Dave "Devilfish" Ulliot, Tony G (at least 12 points), Annie Duke (6 points), Marcel Luske (6 points), Vicky Coren (6 points), and Alex Kravchenko (at least 8 points). The top four points winners after six matches advance to the six player finals. The fifth through eighth place finishers play heads up to advance to the six player finals, and the bottom four go home. The buy in is $60,000, and points are worth $2,000 apiece.

In the side bets and Chinese poker I'm doing well, as I'm at least $25,000 ahead of Rolande in $500 a point Chinese poker. I also won an insurance bet from Tony G for $9,200. There will me a lot more Chinese poker, while we wait in the green room or hang out in the hotel. One feature that I love about the Premier League is that we--all 12 of us--build a lot of camaraderie by hanging out together in the hotel, partying together, gambling together, eating together, discuss business together, and riding 45 minutes together in a huge limo together back-and-forth from the studios.

Another unique feature that I love, and that is the fact that we-all the players--can all see everyone's hole cards in the green room during play. It is interesting to see the way that people approach the game of no limit Hold'em.