Why does everything always have to fall on the same weekend? On the weekend of GPS Stoke I had also been offered olympics tickets and I didn’t want to miss either. Fast forward to lots of driving back and forth between stoke and London and I managed to have a great weekend fitting both in. Olympic blog to follow, but for now, Stoke!
For those gentlemen who regularly enjoy indulging in a selection of the 7 deadly sins, the casino is conveniently located between a kebab shop and a ‘gentleman’s club’ called ST1. This is a hilarious name for a strip club as the neon sign look just like STI and who wants to go to a strip club called STI. Grim!
Never seen ladies parking spaces before but I am very pro this idea! Right by the door, which is great for heels, and my ridiculous levels of laziness. I hope they roll this out across the nation 
We arrived at around 11.30pm on Wed night. As soon as I get to a hotel I am always interested to know what number room I am in as i get strong good or bad feelings about how my luck will be based on my hotel room number. I particularly like the number 2, the more 2s the better. I also like 6 and 7. I don’t like the numbers 3 or 8. I don’t mind the number 1 except for when there is a 3 in the number to, then i just see 13 and that’s the worst! But a 1 without a 3 is fine. Am i crazy??? Anyway my room number was 238 :/ It didn’t feel good.
I unloaded all my stuff into my hotel room then I went down to meet Chaz to chill in his room.
I couldn’t be bothered getting dressed up and going out, and we both didn’t want to drink, so we didn’t really know what to do. We had no laptop, nothing on tv and we didn’t want to go out.
So what do Genting sponsored players do to kill some time the night before the tournament starts?
MALTEASER BLOWING CONTESTS.
This was just the start. We got pretty pro after we recorded these.
Chaz- Makes me laugh how proud he was of himself (around 12 seconds).
Maylis- I look super rough in my vid, but ive had a tough couple of months so you have to let me off.
The next morning Chaz was obviously ready before me as im a girl, so it takes me longer. The real reason is that im notoriously bad for being late.
He turns up at my room and im grumpy at being rushed and the fact its morning. He always says my grumpy face is cute. Its hard to stay sour faced when someone is saying ‘oww you look so cute when you pull that face’ etc etc then starts taking photos.
Chaz said i look like a dolly in the grumpy faced picture he took.
I was seated in between Rob Swindles and Mark McCluskey. I like Mark, he is kind to me. Rob is my old APAT friend who has just had a new baby. He managed to pick up 18k in this event so I was really pleased for him and his family.
Candy floss liplicous gloss anyone?
Saw my old friend from Blackpool, Anna, who I havent seen since she became pregnant. She is now 8 months pregnant and looks blooming marvelous! She has the perfect neat designer bump. The sickening thing is that even at 8 months pregnant she still has one of the best figures of anyone i know.
I also had a chat with mark physic wo was seated next to chaz. He was talking about travel and wanting to see more of the world. I really want to travel around the world over the next few years and ive already started saving. If gap year students can find the money to do it then anyone can. I am really energised by the idea of the idea of adventure but mark seemed down about how to make it happen, like its was too much of a big challenge. Sometimes its win win though, because if you have lots of money and things then just do it! Or if you have nothing, then make a realistic plan to make it happen and follow it. At the end of the day if you have nothing sometimes that is the best position to be in, as you have nothing to lose.
Gogogogogo Mark! but before you do-GIVE ME MY SHOES BACK!
Earlier in the day i did a favour for someone who I have met once or twice at different poker tournaments. It’s nice to help people out if you can and I didn’t mind at all or expect anything in return. Anyway this person obviously appreciated my help and wanted to do something in return. So whilst i was sat playing they sent one of the massage girls over to me to give me a 30 minute massage! I was like no no no, it’s too embarrassing, everyone will look at me, everyone will think im ridiculously hedonistic, everyone will think i bought it for myself bla bla. The girl had already been paid so would have been unfair to her to make her give the money back when this is how she makes her living, so I reluctantly indulged. After 5 min of initial cringing I did start to really enjoy it. I have only ever had one professional massage before, when a friend bought me a hot stone massage as a birthday gift. Hot stone is amazing by the way. This was different, it was quite hard and she was using a lot of pressure to get rid of the tension that was built up. Afterwards I felt totally exhausted and just needed to sleep. The next day my back really hurt! I couldn’t even wear my handbag on my shoulder so think she did me some good. No pain no gain right.
Made some new friends. Neil Ryder (FKUK from Birmingham) who has final tabled 2/4 Genting main events and plays cash full-time. Andrew Duffy (Hood from Liverpool) who is an internet superstar. Both nice, genuine kind-hearted people.
My pretty poker twinnie.
Poor Dionne-Pervy Phil The Tower!
Jimmy is a very tight player and his reputation precedes him. During Stoke he devised this clever ‘ USA internet kid’ disguise, which will guarantee he gets paid every time, even if he doesn’t play a hand for 10 orbits. Genius
Probably the most comedy Video to come out of Stoke
This is how the main event ended up-
Final Table
Here is the final action as taken from the GPS webiste http://gentingpokerseries.com/ Written by Caroline Cove, probably the best and most entertaining poker writer on the scene today.
Boom!
Mad Turk wakes up to raise the button, Yui calls in the small blind.
Both check a flop of 10 2 Q
Yui then bets the turn, another duece.
Mad Turk goes all in! Yui snap calls!
Mad Turk has QJ, Rui needs some help holding 9 10, no help for him on a 4 river and Yui is OUT in 3rd place!
Rui Chung takes home £22,900!
And so we’re heads up – old school Vs new breed, Mad Turk and Simon Deadman
Simon Deadman, 14 year old consummate professional poker player, inscrutable, and mathematically minded, plays on heads up against a lunatic, motor mouthed, flamboyant man who tends to converse loudly without the use of pronouns.
Mad Turk is chip Daddy with 8.8m, Simon has 3m
This may be fun!
Simon Deadman is the last man standing in the online registration promotion, so he wins the seat in the Palm Beach Grand Final.
Okay they’ve done a deal, to take 30k each and play on for the trophy.
Turk says ” you can take your time, or you can give up quickly! I’ve never won a big comp outright”
” Neither have I ” sighs Simon.
And… The end.
Turk says ” I don’t have a plan. I don’t understand 3 or 4 bets, I’m just going to confuse you and make you so dizzy, you won’t be able to walk and your wife will have to carry you home!”
Next minute… Simon makes it 240k to go, Turk says “750″
Simon replies with an all in – snap called by the Turk!
Mad Turk has Ac Kc
Simon As 10s
Flop 7c 9c 7h
Simon praying for the board to pair at least for a split to keep him in.
Turn Jd
It isn’t looking good…
River 2c
It’s all over!
Mad Turk is the winner!
Mad Turk takes home the trophy and 30k, and is the winner of the Genting Poker Series, Stoke!
Well played to all finalists!
We’re back in November, in Sheffield, start playing satellites now on Genting poker.com to secure YOUR place In the biggest tour this side of Christmas!
Unbelievable value, amazing guaranteed prize pool and the Last Longest Promotion, what more could anyone want?
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To end the weekend I went to an Italian restaurant in the city centre of Stoke with Karl, Amy, Gary and Chaz.
Gary told me about his award-winning proposal to his now lovely fiance Wendy. I was impressed.
Also happy birthday to Karl, who has just turned 30 this week. A new decade, a new chapter. I hope that your 3os are some of the happiest days of your life.
