Duke attempts the Impossible

[duke3016]

So today a bunch of neighbours gathered together to sort out the gardening needs for a 96 year old across the road.  Ger knows her well...her name is Baby.  Well, really her name is Margaret, but not even her one and only son calls her anything but Baby.  Children and adults gathered for the day.  There was cutting, trimming, strimming, digging....you name it, the lot was done.  Not often we get a sunny day in Ireland, so we go mad when it hits us.  That"s normal.  But it"s very rare to see 7 families attack one person"s yard together.  Granted, I"ve been sickly lately, so I was the delegation rep for the day.  Shouted orders and they did what they were told.  Thank god because they put in some awful work for their day!  

When all was said and done, nothing would do but to have a bbq for the neighbours as a "thank you" for the work they"d put in.  Whilst I got away without doing heavy work, the cooking was all mine.  25 were fed by the time I was done and there was still food left over for stragglers who showed up late.  The children put on a show of gymnastics and dancing for us after.  It was abso comedy...especially when they threw in their version of Stavros Flatley.  Just when we thought the "block party" was about to die down a game of footy broke loose with dads and kids in the front yard. 

Whilst the rest of the world is pissing about with borders and power, there"s a wee village in Knocknagree where nothing else matters only family and a little old lady called Baby.    

Great day and as Ger would say...Priceless.

A lovely woman and a great deed and sounded like a great day

[Laxie]

It was.  And we missed you.  xx

[duke3016]

Just back from sunny Solihull where I attended a meeting on the proposal to introduce voice picking into our warehouse operations. This will be tagged onto the back of the upgraded software we have been rolling out for the last 6 months. This looks like I will be gainfully employed for another year or so.

Anyway on the way back as I wasn't driving, I relaxed in the back seat and contemplated, as you do.  Lost in my own little world, as my two colleagues, in the front discussed the meeting. It was a beautiful sunny day and I forgot about the hustle and bustle around me as people strove to get to wherever they were going.

I thought about the past, the present and the future. The past I could forget, but never regret. I have no regrets about my past life, none at all. I did what I did and just as everything has a consequence, it also has a reason. 

My present is far from perfect, but it is comfortable and rewarding. I have a good job, a nice home (well if it was tidied up a bit) and Marie and Ger are great company and no bother at all. I can indulge in my current hobby of poker (those who see me play can attest that it is a hobby). I will not get rich in money from it, but I am rich in other ways. I am rich in the friendships that it has afforded me and the social events it lets myself and Ger attend (must get Marie to start learning).

My future, given the definition of the word, is of course uncertain. But what I am certain of, is that I will live it as full as is humanly possible without regret but with a lot of fun.

Life is priceless and will be treasured.

Morbid reflections over - bring on Glasgow this Friday.

[duke3016]

The July fest is approaching rapidly and I am really looking forward to it. A chance to have a good time playing poker, with a good bunch of people. I thought I would share some of the ensemble with you, with a small bio. Feel free to embellish some of them with your own take on the personality.

Ger
Genial host with a love of the foaming brew and a poker style that is so tight and passive that he makes Mother Theresa look like Attila the Hun.
 
Wee Ger (Destroyer)
Son of the host and an emerging player on the live circuit. Has the fearlessness of youth and will be a force to contend with at the WCOAP in August.

Carl (Shogun)
Top bloke and my next door neighbour, running hot at the moment and will be one to watch. If you want any furniture, your car sorted or any other practical things done, he's your man.

Adam (Sharplea)
Alcohol allergic (shudder) and part time dealer. Has a tendency, when mucking, of lobbing his cards in the air so they land in the middle after all at the table has seen what he has chucked.

Julie (Joobs)
This lady is totally mad, madder than a burrow of March Hares. Will giggle you to death at the table (before leaving the room to take care of some gastronomic anomaly)

Jon MW
"The British Cowboy" champion of that silly game where the worst hand wins, should run well at Chezger in that case.

Glenn (Bigfella)
The only man to run J P McManus close in the betting stakes. Runs dogs and horses in his spare time and will play even tighter than Duke in this game. If he plays a hand fold, end of.

Daniel P (Kinboshi)
Well I could go on for ages here. Professional cash player, with a good tournament style (well he had a few years ago when he won the first APAT). Will drink anything and most likely will. Don't get him started on cars, speeding or any other controversial subject, unless you are prepared for the long haul. Has more posts that the Royal Mail.

Steve B (Scouse)
Loud, very loud, was hit with a one match ban earlier this year for venting his spleen in a casino when his beloved Liverpool scored an all too infrequent goal. Will talk you to death at the table (ipod's for hire at the door on entrance)

Daniel B (350)
Top bloke and slimmer of the year, has an aggressive style that makes Gus Hanson look like Elmer Fudd on beta blockers.

Andy B (B52bomber/Slider)
Last years Chezger league champion and a model of consistency. Has been known to take a pint or two. Passive early doors, but more aggressive than an Alaskan Dumper truck in the latter stages. Duck his bullets, don the crash helmet and pray.

Dave D (Digger)
Folically challenged Guinness drinker, has been known to play any two cards with the same abandon as AA.

Mike Newell
Dr Mike, as he is affectionally called, is the biggest luckbox going. Don't get involved in marginal hands with this man

Dewi
What can be written about this legend, that already hasn't been penned. Awesome player with a style some might find intimidating, will consume his weight in alcohol on the night and still remain standing. Legend

Don (Logie66)
Caribbean Cricket Commentator and sports fan. Will dazzle you with his moves at the table. Beware his post flop googly.

Paul Mc (Cyntaf)
Will talk you to death, before, during and after each street. You will lose the will to live and he will take your chips.

Rob (Swinebag)
Arriving on the back of a near $100k win on Pstars. Will arrive fashionably late, in a limo. Watch this guy he is running hot.

Should be a good weekend.

[duke3016]

The X-Box is a great invention. Ger plays on it all fecking day anyway he has the headphones on and he"s playing FIFA. Every now and again he comes out with a random comment and I turn round and say "What?" only to find he"s taking on the head set

rinse and repeat for a while and its beginning to do my head in. sigh

[duke3016]

July fest news.

Structure



Bouncy castle
Darts comp
Cash games (specially for Kinfishy when he is out)
Races during the day maybe !

Webcam will be on the final table with a 10 second refresh
Updates on here when we can (chip counts etc)

SHould be a good weekend

[MAIR]

Should be a fab weekend, wish I was there "sigh" but alas no unless a miracle babysitter had popped up hehe.

Have a gr8 time!

[duke3016]

Decided to play a little $20 180 this evening whilst have a few beers in the beautiful Sunshine -- you know getting the late rays and sipping a cool one. Not really concentrating and after an hour I am 6/86 on 6.3k average 3k.

Maybe this is the way to play  

[Laxie]

Just say "no".  Just say "no".  Just say "no".  Must keep reminding myself of this.  Sigh.

[duke3016]

bad hour - 21/27 just over 10 BB --- oopps

[duke3016]

But hey -- lets party

[ForthThistle]

Ger,
         Is this on stars and if it is... What"s your handle

[duke3016]

Ger,
         Is this on stars and if it is... What"s your handle

gone 12th 2.5 hrs for $20 -- magic

[KarmaDope]

Time for some more "realistic" bios...

Ger
The crazy host who will be drunk before we even start. Will be praying for a feature table draw by the fridge. Impossible to put on a hand, however has a weakness of forgetting position and fold equity. A danger with chips.
 
Wee Ger (Destroyer)
One of the players to watch out for. Capable of aggression but a lot better at timing it than his father. Recently chopped a win in Manchester with Carl. Running good.

Carl (Shogun)
Don"t mention pot odds. A solid player who on his day can take the game to everybody and come out ahead. Very good in position and will not hesitate to steal your BB if it"s his button. Another one who"s running good.

Adam (Sharplea)
Tight grinder. Has it more often than not. If you don"t have the nuts in a pot with him, fold quickly. Just don"t ask him to deal and play at the same time. That glare...*shudder*.

Julie (Joobs)
Complete lunatic off the table. Makes Laxie look tame in comparison sometimes. Has vowed to be sober throughout the weekend, and is a dark horse to watch out for.

Jon MW
Razz champion and number 1 backer. Sadly for The British Cowboy, this isn"t Razz, and he is likely to be outclassed. Needs a bit of luck early on to get chips, otherwise I predict a mid-table finish. Better cash player, in my opinion.

Daniel P (Kinboshi)
The tightest player in the game. If he opens, then you have 2 options, fold or fold. Somehow managed to luckbox an APAT win back when nobody knew about it and has failed to repeat. Abandoned his tournament game in favour of cash and this may cost him the July Fest title.

Steve B (Scouse)
Loud, aggressive, all round table captain. If he and Duke end up on the same table then I feel sorry for everyone else at that table. iPod"s at the ready should you be either side of him.

Daniel B (350)
It would be interesting to see 350 play sober...then again even he doesn"t know how to play sober. Will steal your blinds with ferocity and always have the goods when you try to play back.

Andy B (B52bomber/Slider)
Loose/passive until we get down to the nitty-gritty push-fold stages, then will push 3-4 times a round and will always come out ahead. Has the pedigree to win this but is just as likely to implode very early and be the first out. Win or bust for the reigning Chezger champion.

Rich Offless (RichEO)
Should Mr Offless make an appearance (dependent on Vegas returns) then the cash tables will take a battering. Has abandoned tournaments to concentrate on fleecing the Manchester scene in cash, but will be one of the favourites should he play the tournament.

[jbworldwide]

James "jbworldwide" Barber - Master of the 27 handed self dealt game.