Another Day in the Office - Part 1

By Neil Channing - June 2005

The big day arrived and true to form my alarm failed. Luckily I have a weird body clock that wakes me up at any time I care to think about before sleeping.

Dave Barnes and I reached Gatwick where we saw a few other players who would be on the plane. Cabbage was having a massive row as his ticket was different to the name on his passport (he is John Pierre or something). That bad beat meant a new plane ticket and a grand down the toilet.

We could have got a pretty tough super-sat going in the air with Rory, Devilfish, Dave and I, Gary Jones, Carlo, Robin and Jamie (left turn at the entrance for them), Roy "The Boy" and Eric Dalby (did he ever tell you about Surinder cheating him?)

I waited for customs with Gary Jones who had already won the kipping bracelet by getting the full 11 hrs on the flight. We talked about the World Series and also his recent TV work. He said he was going to tell them his occupation was "commentator" if asked. As it was we both got through with no questions. He kindly invited me to stay in his 4 bedroomed apartment until his girlfriend comes in a week or so. I wish he'd have mentioned it before I booked the hotels. Marvellous.

The taxi queue was enormous and although it was "only" 88 degrees and not the 110 we'd heard talk of you wouldn't want to be running a marathon in it. When I got to the front the driver didn't fancy going to the Alexis Park (opposite the Hard Rock) and tried to use "no change for $100" as an excuse. That made for a slightly tense journey.

I was just settling down for a nap when Barnsey rang to suggest coming straight to the Rio to buy in as it was bedlam. He wasn't wrong.

First you have to queue to get registered (20 mins of listening to Roy "the boy"). Then you join a different line to buy tickets for any event. (2 and a half hours with Roy ). Barnsey had the right idea and left us "holding his spot" while he went off to play the afternoon super. This paid three seats and he didn't seem totally chuffed when he got the $1400 for fourth. I remember when the first week's supers never generated ANY seats and the winners got cash - that was only 4/5 years ago).

When we finally sighted the front there were five windows. One was closed while someone was at lunch (!) and one was for employees only - a bit like the Bureaux D'Exchange window that no one ever uses at the bank. Transactions were taking a long time because people were starting to panic buy three or four events at one time. Many were buying main event tickets. There was much confusion about this as the computer shows only 600 paid up. However this DOES NOT count the internet. People are saying that 6000 have sold and a fourth day one may be added.

Dinner was The Outback Steakhouse which involved crossing the treacherous dual carriageway with Dave and Roy. (Gold Coast punters note -  that is on the same side as the Rio and involves a much less "interesting" crossing.)

During dinner I arranged to swap 2%, in the $1500 nlh, with each of my companions. I'm either going to have to learn to say no this trip, or start dining with Devilfish, Colclough and Marcel more often.

Got back for a "quick" half hour wait to get in the 11pm "2nd Chance". These are $230 freezeouts with a lot of poor players and a fast structure. Unfortunately warren Karp is not involved in the running of these this year and so it didn't totally run like clockwork. Also the hassle to sign up kept it to "just" 121 runners and no need for alternates. That meant a goodish pool though and if they can iron out the wrinkles I could see 200+ fields in these. I played well and went out to a 50/50 in 15th at 2am . 

Woke up quite early and got to the Rio where the line had been steady all night. 2400 + alternates was now the plan for the 1st tourney which was going to be a three day event. Several people were saying that the management "couldn't have anticipated" the levels of interest in playing this event. I can't have that given that it's the cheapest buy-in for the most popular game. There seemed to be all kinds of hold ups and 10 people found that when they reached their seat someone was in it. They became alternates with 100 other people who all got in within 2hrs. The tournament started half an hour late which is pretty poor.

I never really got any hands but got to 4000 when JJ became a straight. On a flop of 10,9,7 i got it all-in against 10,9 and an 8 came. There isn't much time for hanging around in these small ones and I lost with 99 against a shortstack's QQ (both flopped a set) and KK v AQ (I set him in on the ace high flop). Eventually I failed to take K4 against K7 and that was that.

Tomorrow is $1500 potlimit hold 'em which may get 1000 runners. Overall the average standard of player is much lower in the no limit, (I counted 3 players I knew on the 10 surrounding tables to mine), but I prefer the pot limit.

I'll leave you with my idea to reduce field sizes and make things easier in the NL hold 'em comps. When people queue up they should be told to stand in one of two lines. One line will be QQ and one AK. You buy your ticket as normal but a couple of hours before the comp 5 cards are dealt out and those that lose the 50/50 are not in the comp. These people are then entitled to half their money back while the others get to play. This means the numbers are more manageable but the losers still experience the true tournament experience and can tell everyone how they "couldn't win a race." The others can smugly go into the comp with a double stack thinking how well they've done. I'm thinking of suggesting it to Harrahs although it may need tweaking.

Neil Channing is sponsored by Betusa.com

Click here for part 2