July 2008 Archives

Before I won the Omaha, for the most part I'd actually been really enjoying playing poker on this trip. I was looking forward to the Main Event and felt like I could do well in it this year. Even if I busted out I was intending to stay until the end and play cash games, as although I hadn't played a lot, I'd won in all the three sessions I had played.

After I won the Omaha though, I pretty much lost all interest in playing anymore. There didn't seem much point in playing a $10-25 or $25-50 cash game, as the amounts that I could win really wouldn't have made a lot of difference to the overall trip, and I wasn't going to jump into a $100-200 game just because I had a few quid. I wasn't even bothered about playing the Main Event, although obviously I knew that I had to give it a go. I decided to play Day 1A - partly because I'd been too hung over to drink the night before (which was the day after the Omaha), so I'd managed to get an earlyish night, and partly because I wanted to learn my fate early so that if I busted I could change my flights.

I'm not sure why, but I don't usually get nervous when I'm playing poker, even at the business end of tournaments, and today was the same. On the way to the Rio for the final table, Andy Black phoned me to wish me luck and told me what he knew about the other players, which was a nice touch I thought. I had a plan to play tight at the start and not get too involved preflop.

With hindsight, I probably played too tight and was kicking myself when, last to speak, I checked a J99 flop with AA9x, hoping for a blank to give Mizrachi a chance to bluff the turn. I knew as soon as I did it, it was probably a mistake. The turn was a queen and Mizrachi bet 50k which was called by Billy The Croc. I knew then that I had at best 6 outs and quite possibly less, so I got out there and then, and it turned out my check on the flop had let them both outdraw me, with a straight and an overhouse respectively.

Starting with 120k, I won and lost a few small pots but managed to build my stack to around the 200k mark after a few levels and sneaked into the money ($25k guaranteed) without taking any major hits. I got my first big pot and doubled up when I was all-in with bottom two pair against Dario Alioto's overpair. This moved me up to around 350k in chips and I had a very comfortable stack for the first time of the day.

Since the last time of writing, there has been quite a major development. I'll get the other stuff out of the way first as it isn't really important now. I decided to play the $1k rebuy and went out close to the money again after doing $4k total in the tournament, which wasn't too bad although I didn't think I had played particularly well.

I decided against playing all the other tournaments that week as I realised that Karen was going home on the Saturday so I figured it might be good for domestic relations to spend a bit of time with her, taking in a show and a couple more nice restaurants. The way I had been doing in tournaments up to this point, I figured this strategy could only save me money anyway!

It was a fairly quiet week for me poker-wise after I busted out of the 6-seater: We've had a few nights out, but nothing too messy. We hit a couple of tasty restaurants and went to see Cirque de Soleil's "Love" show at the Mirage. It was very good, although I preferred "KA" which we saw last year at the MGM. This is almost certainly the first time I can say that I've been able to remember coming home from every night out after being in Vegas for two weeks. I'm sure it won't last.

I always intend on keeping a diary when I make my annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker (WSOP): this year I managed it. You've read Paul Spillane's blog, so you know what the WSOP is like from the point of view of a Poker manager: this is a Vegas diary from the hope-filled eyes of a poker player.

Hi, this is Ciaran, I’m the VIP Manager at Boylepoker. There are four of us in the core Poker team: Senior Games Administrator Gerry “The Rock” Bishop, Poker Operations Exec Lisa “Killer” Condon, my humble self, Ciaran “Danger” Corbett, and who could forget the big bossman, Poker Manager Paul “Lionel Hutz” Spillane.

Well I'm back on terra firma after an exhausting trip over the pond to continue my charity work. My colleagues explained that the USA has been suffering as a result of a global credit crunch, so I went over to Vegas and assisted in rejuvenating their economy by dumping cash in various watering holes and casinos. People think it's easy, but they forget how long it takes: playing cards for hours on end; then sitting in bars consoling yourself, drinking and telling stories - all the time handing over dollars whilst ensuring people don't feel guilty for receiving them.

I was at the Rio yesterday and thought to myself, If someone offered me a million dollars I wouldn't let a big burly man rub his hands all over my podgy white body, but strangely enough here I was allowing that very thing to happen and paying for the privilege.

Our online qualifier Tim Cullinane's brave run at this year's WSOP main event and the 9 million dollar first prize is over in a blaze of glory and disappointment. Before day 1 Tim had not slept a wink but still managed to run his 20k starting stack up to 76k before close of play. There followed a rest day which Tim spent shopping and playing poker before meeting up with a few of the chaps for a couple of beers and a bit of advice.

Whilst the boss is living it up in Las Vegas, schmoozing famous poker players, entertaining hot women and generally having a laugh, all on the Boylepoker expense account, the rest of us mere mortals in the poker team  are here slogging away. Life just isn't fair, as Bill Gates recently told High school children... or did he? Who cares?

Padraig Parkinson came to say hello while I was railbirding Tim on Sunday and it didn't take long for him to have me in stitches. "Where's Phil Helmuth" he shouted at the top of his voice in the poker room (co-incidentally Helmuth had made an excruciatingly embarrassing entrance a few hours earlier). Most people just turned and observed but one old boy came over smiling to Padraig and informed him in equally loud tones "Phil's on the TV table! He's right over there". The Phil Helmuth hat and tee-shirt immediately informed all of us around Padraig that this guy was at worst a relative but certainly a fan.

The one thing that really separates the Irish players in the poker world and most especially here at the World Series Of Poker is the sense of community they all share. When Marty lifted the World Championship PLO crown last week he was supported in the stands by just about every Irish professional (bar one very well known name who didn't show because he feared his appearance might have taken away some of the limelight from Marty and Tom ha-ha).

The day had started promisingly. I met Marty and his entourage of Owen, KP and Dave C and were later joined by John and Kat then finally Padraig and Veronique. We went to MonAmi Gabi, a French restaurant at the Paris hotel and tucked into oysters, steaks, cheeses and approximately 34 bottles of wine, (should be fun trying to get that receipt through expenses).

The office was full of tired heads yesterday morning. Everyone in the poker team was sleepy and dishevelled but no one seemed to mind as knowing glances and smiles were exchanged over computer monitors and around the coffee machine.

The morning after a Boylepoker staff party?

No, we'd been up until all hours following the progress of our much loved sponsored poker player, Marty Smyth. Marty is an excellent Omaha player and the $10k PLO World Championship Event was one he was particularly looking forward to. He didn't disappoint either, playing a solid game throughout and reaching the final table in good shape.

After hours of play (and the Boylepoker team missing out on some badly needed beauty sleep) Marty faced Canadian player Peter Jetten heads up for the coveted bracelet; the ample prize money; and the title of one of the most prestigious WSOP events

After a gruelling heads up game, both players flopped a straight leaving Jetten all-in against Marty. The turn card came, making no difference to the hands, but the beautiful river card, the six of clubs, threw the room into chaos as Marty hit his flush, making him the winner of the $10k WSOP PLO World Championship Event!

Although Marty should be used to big wins by now with such an impressive results history, he was absolutely delighted and humbled by his win. He's a bigger man than anyone here!

So Marty will be playing the main event starting today and although we'll be following his progress with enthusiasm I'm really looking forward to next week when he comes home to Ireland and the Boylepoker team. We'll be having quite a celebration!

There'll be a few tired heads in the office the next day...