A new year begins, full of hopes, of course, promises of new beginnings, make a clean sweep of the past, as they say, but I did not write good resolutions, not laid flat plan for world domination for the twelve months ahead, not brief statement of commitments in any case impossible to hold. I'm certainly not going to promise me to stop smoking in 2011, playing sports, eating less fat, drop the drugs, drink less shots in bars, I mean, it's hard enough to be happy like that, it does not in addition to erect barriers to the con to complicate the matter, anyway, eh?
At most I've sworn to periodically review this speech writer David Foster Wallace , delivered a few years ago at a gathering of graduate ... Especially during these times, many will I know when I'll feel stupid, stupid, nasty, guilty of lack of humanity, Primary bullshit, this bullshit that is the easiest thing to share and spread it around us. Text short, simple, bright, a call for compassion, just write the word I want to laugh so it seems corny, old and dusty at this time when cynicism and greed triumph. This speech is in English but is also available in French in bookstores. Like not giving orders but do me a favor, read also, take your time, you for twenty minutes away, the more reason for taking the time to weigh every sentence, and think a little bit, I stop to take good preacher.
***** For the first time in four years, I have not started the new year with a trip to the Bahamas, an island "paradise" and its Atlantic PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. I did not really want to go back, anyway, and I was lucky, because the players of Team Winamax either. No need to go do a story in this tourist trap, so. Seen from afar, the Main Event $ 10,000 seems he has not seen that happen out of the ordinary - there was the same number of players as last year, most of the finalists were young 20 years out of nowhere dropouts to become pros, and is one of them who won, brief, routine. But I still loved being there to witness the victory of my friend Kristin "Change100" Bihr in the Ladies Event at $ 1,000. That's a result that is more than fun. Change has not been an easy year 2010, having made heavy with his job at PokerNews while the author was the most qualified and most talented - but it seems to be the political home, recently, turn the authors with the bottle to replace them with blue dicks that are cheaper, the money has always been a problem in the poker media, and this will not go any better. Unemployed, she was left with plenty of time to clinch his place at PokerStars since his apartment in Los Angeles, and for once, the fairy tale has not proven to be a chimera marketing to con: Kristin has been through, beating 96 competitors (including Vicky Coren and Lauren Kling in the final) to clinch the title, and a nice wad of cash that will allow him to see ahead to the coming season, at least: 29.798 dollars. Well, the IRS will surely taxing him third, but whatever. I invite you to read the transcript here of Kristin (Part ) and here (second part ) and his post-victory interview and a short article on the PokerStars blog.
And we also remember that BCP 2011 for the revelation of the biggest open secret in recent years in the field: yes, Isildur1, the star of high-stakes online recently signed with PokerStars, called bel Viktor Blom and well in civilian life. Shaun Deeb does not told me stupid things when he confirmed to me there's something more than a year in the interview with this blog .
*****
Instead of the Bahamas so I stayed in Paris. I do not officially still live, I always find an excuse for postponing the search for an apartment, but a good friend left me the keys to his house during his vacation, so I could not pass some time in the capital. Interim assessment after three weeks: this city will turn me into an alcoholic at full speed. When I returned to Lille after the job is easy: it's late, I'm lame, I Comate front of the computer before collapsing in bed. In Paris, is another story. The phone rings, there's always a party in apartment ', then a bar, then another in another bar, come on, you will not return if Earlier, the night is young, and you too, well, this box just opened, it is nice, do not suck, we have you, and suddenly the next day you come to work four hours late in Hoping that someone did not notice. I'm not making "Grand Slam" on Harper (out 5 nights in a row, also in Prague my colleague managed the Mega Grand Slam with seven consecutive evenings, or the maximum score by the duration rpermis of his stay), but the situation is still quite worrying. I talk to my bartender.
*****
These days, I celebrate my three years at Winamax. There really is no precise anniversary date. I covered my first tournament for them in December 2007 in Prague (with the victory of Arnaud Mattern, could not start better way), I went to the Bahamas in January (ElkY victory, not bad ), but only two months later that I formalized my entry in the box, by signing the contract on my arrival in London. I'm happy that he held so long, especially in my industry, the game of musical chairs is the rule rather than the exception, with lots of guys that sail from box to box, the both because they are so strong as they are required everywhere, but mostly for the reason just the opposite, they are so spoiled and incompetent they can make illusion that a few months, a year max before having to flee elsewhere, c ' is feasible, the industry is still young and amateur. I guess I must be between the two. The anonymous slanderers at Poker-News (a job which, it seems, pays enough for them to afford the Porsche, happy for them, money is not bad) writing that I giggle "stagnate for three years at Winamax. Yes, this is a way of seeing things, why not. But maybe I'm just good at Winamax. It's a good box, you see. Three years ago, I pointed it for the first time in the London office, there were maybe six or seven employees in this tiny two-room near Oxford Circus. Last month, it was 70 to celebrate Christmas in a bar in Paris, and watching all these people who are passionate and exciting, pleasant company, talented at what they do, whether in marketing, media, the accounting, technology, performing the journey, I told myself I was glad to work with them, I arrived at the office every morning with a smile, and I could not see myself going elsewhere this sector. What is wrong to want to remain faithful to a place where one is good?
***** The other day, four colleagues persuaded me to accompany them in a circle game to play a poker tournament. If my memory serves, it was two years since I had not played poker in Paris. Why not. So I pointed at Cadet, last time I had been the place was still called Concorde, it was decided before the administrative closure by the authorities after a history of black employees, or something gender. It was 54 for this tournament to fifty euros (one rebuy allowed, I took it), and I do not remember much, except that it was a fairly brilliant because I finished second, I do not remember how I did, I think I n did not made too many mistakes, I even have won had it not been for the last coin flip. There were three employees Winamax final, it was tight but we managed to slip out of the seven cashes. I took my 700 euros for second place (my biggest win live, low-income people than I am), plus a ticket entitling me to play a "deep stack" at 200 euros, I therefore return to Cadet in a few weeks, it was a nice evening, I even met a ghost from the past, his sudden appearance made me warm at heart. If you read me ... I'll call you soon.
*****
Friends Slowrolled Helvetas, which I did the pub recently, I was awarded two trophies after a vote of their readers: best poker journalist of the year, and best blog of the year . It's nice to be considered a journalist, more is better, then finally, I've written very few articles over the past year requiring resembling a real job in journalism, unlike madeinpoker to colleagues, PokerNews and others who lay news and daily surveys. Thank you so, folks, you're much too kind and forgiving. I'm just a humble barker in the pay of big business who missed his entrance to the school of journalism, do not forget.
*****
Moreover, speaking of journalism, few cases of conscience: the organizers of " France Poker Awards" invited me to serve on the jury who will hand in two weeks of awards such as "performance of the year", "online player of the year" "Innovation of the Year", "TV commercial of the year," that sort of thing. Brainstormed after 24 hours, I politely declined the invitation. This is not the same as voting in the Poker Hall of Fame. Because of my position at Winamax, I saw a little ill give my opinion to award trophies Winamax where a win in almost all categories. I mean, for me the innovation of the year, the soft Winamax iPhone, it is great program, but are we going to think one second that I am sincere when I defend this position before the jury? Same for TV Ads, Winamax that made me laugh more than others. And the online tournament of the year? Well, the Sunday Surprise, it's not all bad right? It's cute, is fun, innovative, you get tons of emails every week telling us it's great, in short, it's like. All this, I would think probably the same if I worked elsewhere, but since it Winamax who signs my check at the end of the month, I have in this situation especially the right to close my mouth and let people a little more neutral to make their choice, hoping that my employer where players who win are putting on classes where they belong. If I'm on the jury, it will discredit the organization of these trophies, and probably me too. It's lose-lose, this story. I fold, therefore, but I'll certainly take a look at the Aviation and see what happens. I like the distributions of good points, it reminds me of school.
***** Well, I did not write endless article tells the year just ended. The tradition was lost. I told myself that in fact this kind of report was boring as boring for you to read than to write for me. Finally, my year 2010, we might as well be summarized in figures, it will go faster:
43 aircraft, which 4 missed, so in reality it is 39
13 countries, but I do not know if Monaco is a country
38 hotels, most were good, and also
11 nice friends who lent me their bed or sofa in London, Los Angeles, Barcelona and Paris
a move, I still miss London
8 Phish concerts in Berkeley, Atlantic City and New York
2 tournaments played , two non-Winning tournaments in Dublin and Tallinn
135 days to "look at types play cards," This represents:
18 tournaments covered - including 9 EFA - plus 55 WSOP events
a steering commented live
a guest on the show World Poker Tour on Canal + with my Boss Patriiiiiick
51 days in transit, waiting for planes, trains, taxis to get from point A to point B
107 days I stayed at home, the rest elsewhere
54 days at the office, who said "absenteeism"?
*****
No "best of" of the year So, but for those who want to revisit the 2010 vintage of this blog - I wrote less frequently, but better, I think - there are some articles that I am not unhappy ...
There's no off the record on the first decade of the 21st century
Carnaval on the costume of a poker player that I put on from time to time
Push Is A Win on my ambivalent relationship with Las Vegas
I made the news today oh boy , the holdup in Berlin
best rock album of all time , about Exile on Main Street
Vegas 101, the guide of a perfect day in Sin City
live happily until death or how to find a link between the end of the world and a poker tournament to $ 50,000 entry
Do not Stop Believing, the resurrection of Michael Mizrachi pokéristique
The durrrr Factor , about a day when the world of poker shaken to its foundations
The French Clasico on the much anticipated clash between two giants of poker tricolor
Another Day At The Office , Ivey won a bracelet at the WSOP: routine!
Into the Wild, the story of the traditional road trip post WSOP
OAK> LAS> LHR> HEL> TLL , five airports in 48 hours (hey, it's my favorite one, I beaucou laughed myself in writing it)
Glamorama , fear and loathing in Cannes
you A Cognac-Jay , the end of my career as a commentator on EFA
Poker Hall of Fame : my vote
And then my account three minutes of the 2010 PCA Pauly's blog is the only articles I have written in English last year it seems to me, I like them:
Dispatches from the Coral Bar
*****
Well, right now, immediately, there is a job with Deauville, I speak to you tomorrow, because then I'm going to bed.
At most I've sworn to periodically review this speech writer David Foster Wallace , delivered a few years ago at a gathering of graduate ... Especially during these times, many will I know when I'll feel stupid, stupid, nasty, guilty of lack of humanity, Primary bullshit, this bullshit that is the easiest thing to share and spread it around us. Text short, simple, bright, a call for compassion, just write the word I want to laugh so it seems corny, old and dusty at this time when cynicism and greed triumph. This speech is in English but is also available in French in bookstores. Like not giving orders but do me a favor, read also, take your time, you for twenty minutes away, the more reason for taking the time to weigh every sentence, and think a little bit, I stop to take good preacher.
***** For the first time in four years, I have not started the new year with a trip to the Bahamas, an island "paradise" and its Atlantic PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. I did not really want to go back, anyway, and I was lucky, because the players of Team Winamax either. No need to go do a story in this tourist trap, so. Seen from afar, the Main Event $ 10,000 seems he has not seen that happen out of the ordinary - there was the same number of players as last year, most of the finalists were young 20 years out of nowhere dropouts to become pros, and is one of them who won, brief, routine. But I still loved being there to witness the victory of my friend Kristin "Change100" Bihr in the Ladies Event at $ 1,000. That's a result that is more than fun. Change has not been an easy year 2010, having made heavy with his job at PokerNews while the author was the most qualified and most talented - but it seems to be the political home, recently, turn the authors with the bottle to replace them with blue dicks that are cheaper, the money has always been a problem in the poker media, and this will not go any better. Unemployed, she was left with plenty of time to clinch his place at PokerStars since his apartment in Los Angeles, and for once, the fairy tale has not proven to be a chimera marketing to con: Kristin has been through, beating 96 competitors (including Vicky Coren and Lauren Kling in the final) to clinch the title, and a nice wad of cash that will allow him to see ahead to the coming season, at least: 29.798 dollars. Well, the IRS will surely taxing him third, but whatever. I invite you to read the transcript here of Kristin (Part ) and here (second part ) and his post-victory interview and a short article on the PokerStars blog.
And we also remember that BCP 2011 for the revelation of the biggest open secret in recent years in the field: yes, Isildur1, the star of high-stakes online recently signed with PokerStars, called bel Viktor Blom and well in civilian life. Shaun Deeb does not told me stupid things when he confirmed to me there's something more than a year in the interview with this blog .
*****
Instead of the Bahamas so I stayed in Paris. I do not officially still live, I always find an excuse for postponing the search for an apartment, but a good friend left me the keys to his house during his vacation, so I could not pass some time in the capital. Interim assessment after three weeks: this city will turn me into an alcoholic at full speed. When I returned to Lille after the job is easy: it's late, I'm lame, I Comate front of the computer before collapsing in bed. In Paris, is another story. The phone rings, there's always a party in apartment ', then a bar, then another in another bar, come on, you will not return if Earlier, the night is young, and you too, well, this box just opened, it is nice, do not suck, we have you, and suddenly the next day you come to work four hours late in Hoping that someone did not notice. I'm not making "Grand Slam" on Harper (out 5 nights in a row, also in Prague my colleague managed the Mega Grand Slam with seven consecutive evenings, or the maximum score by the duration rpermis of his stay), but the situation is still quite worrying. I talk to my bartender.
*****
These days, I celebrate my three years at Winamax. There really is no precise anniversary date. I covered my first tournament for them in December 2007 in Prague (with the victory of Arnaud Mattern, could not start better way), I went to the Bahamas in January (ElkY victory, not bad ), but only two months later that I formalized my entry in the box, by signing the contract on my arrival in London. I'm happy that he held so long, especially in my industry, the game of musical chairs is the rule rather than the exception, with lots of guys that sail from box to box, the both because they are so strong as they are required everywhere, but mostly for the reason just the opposite, they are so spoiled and incompetent they can make illusion that a few months, a year max before having to flee elsewhere, c ' is feasible, the industry is still young and amateur. I guess I must be between the two. The anonymous slanderers at Poker-News (a job which, it seems, pays enough for them to afford the Porsche, happy for them, money is not bad) writing that I giggle "stagnate for three years at Winamax. Yes, this is a way of seeing things, why not. But maybe I'm just good at Winamax. It's a good box, you see. Three years ago, I pointed it for the first time in the London office, there were maybe six or seven employees in this tiny two-room near Oxford Circus. Last month, it was 70 to celebrate Christmas in a bar in Paris, and watching all these people who are passionate and exciting, pleasant company, talented at what they do, whether in marketing, media, the accounting, technology, performing the journey, I told myself I was glad to work with them, I arrived at the office every morning with a smile, and I could not see myself going elsewhere this sector. What is wrong to want to remain faithful to a place where one is good?
***** The other day, four colleagues persuaded me to accompany them in a circle game to play a poker tournament. If my memory serves, it was two years since I had not played poker in Paris. Why not. So I pointed at Cadet, last time I had been the place was still called Concorde, it was decided before the administrative closure by the authorities after a history of black employees, or something gender. It was 54 for this tournament to fifty euros (one rebuy allowed, I took it), and I do not remember much, except that it was a fairly brilliant because I finished second, I do not remember how I did, I think I n did not made too many mistakes, I even have won had it not been for the last coin flip. There were three employees Winamax final, it was tight but we managed to slip out of the seven cashes. I took my 700 euros for second place (my biggest win live, low-income people than I am), plus a ticket entitling me to play a "deep stack" at 200 euros, I therefore return to Cadet in a few weeks, it was a nice evening, I even met a ghost from the past, his sudden appearance made me warm at heart. If you read me ... I'll call you soon.
*****
Friends Slowrolled Helvetas, which I did the pub recently, I was awarded two trophies after a vote of their readers: best poker journalist of the year, and best blog of the year . It's nice to be considered a journalist, more is better, then finally, I've written very few articles over the past year requiring resembling a real job in journalism, unlike madeinpoker to colleagues, PokerNews and others who lay news and daily surveys. Thank you so, folks, you're much too kind and forgiving. I'm just a humble barker in the pay of big business who missed his entrance to the school of journalism, do not forget.
*****
Moreover, speaking of journalism, few cases of conscience: the organizers of " France Poker Awards" invited me to serve on the jury who will hand in two weeks of awards such as "performance of the year", "online player of the year" "Innovation of the Year", "TV commercial of the year," that sort of thing. Brainstormed after 24 hours, I politely declined the invitation. This is not the same as voting in the Poker Hall of Fame. Because of my position at Winamax, I saw a little ill give my opinion to award trophies Winamax where a win in almost all categories. I mean, for me the innovation of the year, the soft Winamax iPhone, it is great program, but are we going to think one second that I am sincere when I defend this position before the jury? Same for TV Ads, Winamax that made me laugh more than others. And the online tournament of the year? Well, the Sunday Surprise, it's not all bad right? It's cute, is fun, innovative, you get tons of emails every week telling us it's great, in short, it's like. All this, I would think probably the same if I worked elsewhere, but since it Winamax who signs my check at the end of the month, I have in this situation especially the right to close my mouth and let people a little more neutral to make their choice, hoping that my employer where players who win are putting on classes where they belong. If I'm on the jury, it will discredit the organization of these trophies, and probably me too. It's lose-lose, this story. I fold, therefore, but I'll certainly take a look at the Aviation and see what happens. I like the distributions of good points, it reminds me of school.
***** Well, I did not write endless article tells the year just ended. The tradition was lost. I told myself that in fact this kind of report was boring as boring for you to read than to write for me. Finally, my year 2010, we might as well be summarized in figures, it will go faster:
43 aircraft, which 4 missed, so in reality it is 39
13 countries, but I do not know if Monaco is a country
38 hotels, most were good, and also
11 nice friends who lent me their bed or sofa in London, Los Angeles, Barcelona and Paris
a move, I still miss London
8 Phish concerts in Berkeley, Atlantic City and New York
2 tournaments played , two non-Winning tournaments in Dublin and Tallinn
135 days to "look at types play cards," This represents:
18 tournaments covered - including 9 EFA - plus 55 WSOP events
a steering commented live
a guest on the show World Poker Tour on Canal + with my Boss Patriiiiiick
51 days in transit, waiting for planes, trains, taxis to get from point A to point B
107 days I stayed at home, the rest elsewhere
54 days at the office, who said "absenteeism"?
*****
No "best of" of the year So, but for those who want to revisit the 2010 vintage of this blog - I wrote less frequently, but better, I think - there are some articles that I am not unhappy ...
There's no off the record on the first decade of the 21st century
Carnaval on the costume of a poker player that I put on from time to time
Push Is A Win on my ambivalent relationship with Las Vegas
I made the news today oh boy , the holdup in Berlin
best rock album of all time , about Exile on Main Street
Vegas 101, the guide of a perfect day in Sin City
live happily until death or how to find a link between the end of the world and a poker tournament to $ 50,000 entry
Do not Stop Believing, the resurrection of Michael Mizrachi pokéristique
The durrrr Factor , about a day when the world of poker shaken to its foundations
The French Clasico on the much anticipated clash between two giants of poker tricolor
Another Day At The Office , Ivey won a bracelet at the WSOP: routine!
Into the Wild, the story of the traditional road trip post WSOP
OAK> LAS> LHR> HEL> TLL , five airports in 48 hours (hey, it's my favorite one, I beaucou laughed myself in writing it)
Glamorama , fear and loathing in Cannes
you A Cognac-Jay , the end of my career as a commentator on EFA
Poker Hall of Fame : my vote
And then my account three minutes of the 2010 PCA Pauly's blog is the only articles I have written in English last year it seems to me, I like them:
Dispatches from the Coral Bar
*****
Well, right now, immediately, there is a job with Deauville, I speak to you tomorrow, because then I'm going to bed.
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