Here we go again

Here we go again

1st blog post of the year 2011 and as I normally do it was pack the suitcase and get out of the UK for the last 2 weeks of 2010 and head for the sun. Hate Xmas & New Year and its perfect time personally and business wise to fly to warmer climates and get away from the freezing winter of the UK. Return back to Dominican Republic in the Caribbean and it will be our 4rd visit to this island. Basically look for a decent quality complex with good standard of accommodation and a chill out relaxing 2 weeks break. Choose what we regard as top of the range for a newly built resort at the Hard Rock Casino Resort formerly the Moon Palace.
HARD ROCK RESORT

So what has 2010 brought on the Poker front. The NPF has continued growing every week and all the events we organised went as well if not better than planned.

Final table the Birthday game but low stacked and 1st button and opportunity to shove with JQ Im looked up by sb with A9 of Mulhuzz and nee help out in 8th



The UK Team Challenge and if I say it myself it was one of the best organised and fun games to play in with Walkers Sensations taking down the team game with The Dobbas runners up and the personal satisfaction for me of a 4th place finish and top dog for the Dobbas. Compliments were received all year at various tournaments around the UK we played especially Mr Entertainment & Cardguard Kid who simply were awesome on the mics and added a totally different slant to poker competitions that it seemed all thoroughly enjoyed. Cardguard simply owns these events with how he handles them.

Couldn’t quite do a double in holding onto my NPF Championship crown although did go deep again finishing 14th and overall was very happy with how I played during the 2 days. Some other good shows here from fellow Dobbas with Mr E being final table bubble boy, Stumpy finishing in 7th and new Dobba Andy KQ4EVA Blair in 3rd place and very very unlucky not to win it. Me & CG cleaned up on the book we organised although were made to sweat with 12 left and quite a few that could do us badly were still going strong.

Problems as we try to get away to Dominican in that the Thompson flights have been suffering from a knock on effect from the bad weather and we are informed our 09.25am flight has a new departure estimated at 17.30pm but we eventually flew out at 23.30pm. At least we knew and travelled later to Manchester, took in an Indian meal on route and only had a few hours wait around the lounges

2010 final figures for live poker showed a 6th year consecutive profit of just over £3000 which Ive got to be happy with considering no real big scores and an average of only 1 to 2 games per week. Biggest highlights were the obvious 2nd cash in a WSOP event with my finish in the Seniors Event and then watching my son take down a Binnions Classic for his best ever result railed by all the NPF Vegas crowd.



Decent seats on the plane and get a lot of shut eye in during the 10 hour flight which eases the pain and no hanging about on arrival at airport as we are the only ones on our flight going to the Hard Rock and it’s a one to one taxi that picks us up so within 25 mins of landing we are at our resort. Place is absolutely huge and the rooms are one of the best we have ever had anywhere and deffo the best weve had in the Dominican.



As for 2010 and the more well known tournaments, well didn’t really play that many. Originally was going to play most of the Coral Masters games but for one reason after another didn’t bother. Played the Teeside leg and had a great time enjoyment wise with some great tables and made 2nd day well placed in chips but donked out early not really believing Stumpys son had the hand he had. Biggest regret was when top 3 in chips folding QQ to an all in move by Mark Trett ( AK ) Being Mark he would of obviously hit but theres no way now in hindsight I should ever fold there based on stacks and it niggled away at me for along time after.
I also travelled and played the Mallorcan leg of the Spanish Poker Tour as a birthday present to myself and that proved to be an absolutely brilliant game. Throughly enjoyed it and one of best organised and staged events Ive ever played in. Will deffo play that again in 2011. Went out just short of cashing from large field but made 2 bad mistakes by betting with wrong coloured chips which deffo cost me badly at crucial times.




4th time in Domincan and can honestly say we had hardly seen a bad day weather wise until this year. Day after day of overcast and very windy made it very frustrating as the sunshine and lying around the pool and beach is what we love doing to unwind and charge the batteries for the year ahead. Complex was brilliant but lacked some nightly entertainment like some shows but this was not there due to the hand over from Moon Palace to Hard Rock and the re branding of the resort. The Casino on site was amazing mind and by far the best by a mile on the island. Very much Vegas style and had a great Poker room although 3 tables of cash was the max they had going coupled with dealers and staff who were very very new to Poker and patience was needed at some the things that went on which you simply had to bite your tongue at. Games were incredibly easy and that coming from me who aint anywhere near a decent cash player. Finished the holiday on poker $1100 from a starting total of $300 together with that we were given $2500 resort credit to spend on Spa, Golf, Trips or Match Blackjack. We spent $500 on spa treatments and the remaining $2000 we took as Match Play Blackjack. Basically you match in $ what they give you in vouchers by playing Blackjack. Placed them in blocks of $200 and after using the tokens finished with a total of $3100 giving us a + return of $1100. Had put a thread up at NPF asking best way to play this and a couple had said put it all on in one hit!!!! I was dealt AK for blackjack 1st hand we played!!!!!!


Enjoyable break although became bit bored near the end mainly due to the frustration of coming so far and not getting the weather we came here for. Not to worry as still better than being freezing back home.



Personal Goals for year, well to basically try and not get stressed out at daft things at work and simply enjoy the position we are in. Looking forward to some more travel and developing some new suppliers we have chosen together with an exciting new product line in stainless steel handrail components. New brochures and web sites to match and some staff development should see us have another decent enough year considering the tough trading times most people are facing. Hopefully Scott continues to develop within the company and his input with new stuff is crucial in my opinion to take us forward
Start preparing for daughters wedding in February 2012 in Thailand and thank you for endowment policies maturing just in perfect time!!!!!

Poker Goals for 2011, well havnt got any if Im honest. Ill just take it as it comes and try my best to keep enjoying playing which has been lacking in 2010. Was given an entry into Poker Stars UKIPT Event for Xmas by my son which was totally unexpected so look forward to playing that combined with another visit to Mallorca. After that Ill try to simply game choose better and not simply play just for the sake of it although I do enjoy my Friday night excursions with Stumpy on our Corona nights and we normally do OK as well!!!

Play the Sky Tour game on the weekend I get back which is normally fun and then end of January sees the NPF Forum Team travel down to Bolton G to compete in APAT s UK Team Challenge. Now this game I would really love to win and bring the bacon back to the North East and also highlight the strength in depth forum of players we have and Im sure the support both there and online railing will be awesome.

Good luck and best wishes everyone for 2011. Continue to enjoy this mad game or simply don’t play it at all