Facebook
Twitter
RSS feed
Site map
Since my last blog I've been pretty busy with playing the Irish Open, getting drunk, getting handcuffed to a dwarf, and getting married. In that order.
The Open returned to the Burlington this year - the same venue where I won it in 2007, and when I saw that there were 708 entrants - also the same as in 2007, I was starting to feel like things might go my way. Unfortunately, things didn't go my way at all.
I lost 40% of my stack in the 3rd level, when I raised preflop with 
and the guy directly after me called with 
and flopped a full house on a 
flop. I lost the rest after flopping a straight against a set and getting it all-in on the turn, only for the board to pair on the river.
A lot of people are opposed to the 
10k starting stack, but I actually think it's fine. OK, it's a little tough that if a situation like the one I had with occurs, then you're going to lose a big % of your stack, but it's the same for everyone. And I'd rather tournaments were a little bit faster at the start and then slower at the business end.
I was dead against having a stag weekend, so instead I just decided that I would have a night out over the Irish Open weekend if I busted early. Nothing too mad since I was getting married the following Thursday, just a few drinks in the hotel and maybe head into town on Saturday night if I wasn't still in the tourney.
Unfortunately my friends had other ideas, and had secretly got together to make sure I remembered my last weekend as a single man. They thought the best way of doing this would be to fly a dwarf actor over from the UK, dress him as a Leprechaun, and handcuff him to me for the whole of Saturday night.
I was actually worried that the whole idea was a little bit in bad taste, and mentioned to the guys that while this was all very funny, I didn't think Boyles would be very happy with me being seen around the Irish Open handcuffed to a dwarf. Obviously, I over-estimated the moral values of the Boylepoker team, as I was told that not only had they given their blessing, but they had also made a contribution to the cost.
I don't have much recollection of the night, but I remember that at some stage I managed to get the little guy un-handcuffed, as the bar we were trying to get into said that the handcuffs were a health and safety risk and insisted we take them off... although by that time, we'd already had a couple of very embarrassing trips to the bathroom together.
Fortunately I made it back to my hotel room unharmed, although I can't remember how, and managed to get rid of my hangover by Thursday in time for the wedding.
I've played at final tables in some of the world's biggest tournaments, and been interviewed by Sky Sports and ESPN cameras without feeling any hint of nerves, but for the few hours before I stood up to deliver my speech on my wedding day, I was an absolute wreck.
It's without doubt the most stressful thing I've ever done in my life, and my left leg shook uncontrollably the whole way through the delivery. Apparently this wasn't noticeable though, and people said I did a decent enough job of it.
Everything went smoothly enough on the wedding day and I enjoyed it even more than I expected to. Thanks to everyone who was there, and everyone who wished me well before.
Comments (2)
Great times, congrats to you and Karen.