A Short Break

By Neil Channing 16th September 2008

Neil Channing reviews his Vic strategy and gears up for tournament season...

A few people have asked me why I havn't written a diary recently. Some of them have said very kind things about how they enjoy reading about my travels, and that they've been wondering what's been happening lately. Others are probably secretly thinking, (and hoping), that I've been doing my bollocks and I've been too miserable to write. I did actually hear recently that I lost £85,000 in the Vic in August and that I was doing a good job of losing all the Irish Open money. Althouigh I have tried hard to lose over the last three days, I still seem to have a little bit left.

After Vegas I really needed a break. Everywhere I went, (obv I only went to places that were infested with poker players), people would constantly ask how I got on in Vegas. Some would ask me if I enjoyed myself. They were really missing the point. I am actually one of the few people I know who could really ENJOY forty-nine nights in Vegas playing twenty-four... Read more...

Dead Beat

By Neil Channing 7th April 2008

Neil Channing is rueful over a 100k cash and reminisces about the good old days...

Luckily Monte Carlo came along to remind me how incredibly stupid and annoying tournaments are, before I started to get at all carried away. I decided to have a week back at the Vic, burying myself in the game, and attempting to bring a bit of normality back into my life. It also offered an excellent chance for the regular punters there to laugh openly at me over the semi-naked pictures of me in this month's Bluff Magazine. After five long, losing days I'd soon remembered how poker can often be and really didn't fancy travelling off to Manchester for the GUKPT event there. It would break my record, as I'm the only person to have played all of these so far, but I just didn't feel like it.

With all plans for the weekend cancelled and Nik Persaud, now permanently wearing the lucky PokerVerdict colours, busy with a big stack in Manchester, I was free to play my heat of the Party Poker World Open on Saturday afternoon. Nik... Read more...

Breaking The Bank

By Neil Channing 28th April 2008

Neil Channing finds Monte Carlo is no match for the Vic...

Despite the lack of obvious sleep, I bowled over toward my EPT Grand Final starting table with massive enthusiasm. I was still enjoying receiving the plaudits from virtually everyone I came across who hadn't seen me since Dublin, and if I got bored of that, for even a second, I could soon tune in again to a fresh person telling me how brilliantly I was playing and how they'd seen it coming for ages.

Some people enjoy France for its scenery, the capital for its culture and shopping, the south of the country for the mild weather and generally for the cuisine. I like to come here for the French poker players. My first table contained a typical selection of the species. There was no way any of these people could pass A10 pre-flop, or top pair on the flop, and if you could just flop a set, you were guaranteed a full double-up. It also meant that only an idiot would attempt to make any kind of bluff. God knows how I resisted that... Read more...

Monte Cardiff

By Neil Channing 21st April 2008

Poker Verdict's Neil Channing continues his sick run, this time in the Nations Cup...

After a week of being The Irish Open Champion I was totally knackered. I'd already anticipated this eventuality, even before Dublin, as the GUKPT at the Vic followed by the Cheltenham Festival had meant I hadn't slept well for a fortnight. When you threw in a trip to Dublin, the aquisition of a large trophy and an even larger cheque, and four days spent on the 'phone I was starting to need a break.

My plan had always been to visit my parents, my sister and her family for a few days, the timing was now perfect though. My niece and nephews seemed very impressed that Uncle Neil is a millionaire, although I think they always thought I was. The farm that they all live on is in a beautiful part of North Devon and it was great to spend a short time there.

The trip had to be short though because I had to get back to town to sort a few things out before heading off to... Read more...

Fool's Gold

By Neil Channing 1st April 2008

Irish Open winner Neil "Badbeat" Channing reflects on his famous win...

"Anyone who plays tournaments long enough will eventually win some championship or other. Then three years will go by - you'll win nothing, lose all your money - and suddenly all you've got left is the delusion that you are a champion."

Apparently these were my words, and they were quoted in an edition of Time Out magazine of November 2004 which was dedicated to gambling. I was reminded of these words yesterday. It's been a funny week.

Last Wednesday Tony Phillips and I sat in a reasonably good 250nlh game attempting to squeeze every last drop of value out of the remaining punters. It wasn't going totally to plan though, and by 4am it was time to grab an envelope of readies and head-off to the airport. We were to be part of quite a large Vic assault on Dublin and I felt geniune warmth eminating from the needy and greedy who wished us a good trip. In retrospect they were probably just glad to get a break from us - we've both been getting the cake... Read more...

Brain Damage

12 March 2008 by Neil Channing

Everyone's favourite melancholist Neil Channing recounts a week of the GUKPT festival at home sweet home; the Vic...

In the last few years, since poker went from being a private sickness enjoyed by a select few, to a fashionable hobby of the rich and famous, players have been getting brainier. Virtually every month or so another bright young kid starts playing regularly, and winning, in the games in The Vic. Often these guys are students, and the thought of them skiving off from their valuable drinking time to gamble, makes me nostalgic for my own college days. I studied economics for three years and I often look back and realise that I just can't remember a single thing that I learned.

During the GUKPT London leg, and the festival of tournaments that go with it, I did manage to remember two important concepts that had been drummed into me all those years ago. The first grain of knowledge that has been so important to me as a poker player is the idea of opportunity cost. Opportunity cost can be roughly defined as the cost of choosing one alternative over another equally desired... Read more...

Otherwise Engaged

Saturday 23rd February by Neil Channing

Neil Channing plays Walsall and talks politics at the Vic...

I was sitting in the Vic quite recently, one Saturday night, (OK, not exactly front page news, but what did you expect?), when the TV got turned from sports to news. This highly unlikely turn of events had also recently happened during the US's Super Tuesday, but that was practically like watching a sports channel, as we only watched with a concern for the "Next President" market on Betfair.

On this particular Saturday Camden Lock was burning down. We weren't really concerned that the Hawley Arms was no longer, and that Kate Moss would need to find a new local, but just quietly watched as the spectacular flames grew higher.

It was Trevor Coles who finally broke the silence.

"Of course, they'll be a lot more of this now the recession is starting to kick-in."

Full House

29 January 2008 by Neil Channing

Neil Channing's first tournament of 2008 didn't go quite as planned...

There were times during 2007 when the Grosvenor Poker Tour was a bit frustrating. In the last few years I havn't done as much travelling round the UK's provincial casinos as some people, and I learnt a long time ago that you can't eat European Ranking Points. I was proud to play in every leg of the tour, I wanted to support it, particularly because of the added prize-money and the great structure, I enjoyed the camaraderie and I was keen to help my sponsors increase their brand awareness.

PokerVerdict.com were a little surprised, that when they offered to sponsor me to play all legs of the tour again this year, I responded by telling them I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it. To a recreational player, or a semi-professional searching for a sponsor, I probably sound ungrateful. Here was I being given a chance to play in ten great tournaments, to compete for a million pounds in prize money and to have a free shot at gaining titles, exposure, money - free fun basically. The... Read more...

I Could Have Been Someone

9 January 2007 by Neil Channing

Check out Neil Channing's first diary entry of 2008...

The last time I wrote I believe I sounded a tad gloomy. Suffice to say, Vegas wasn't my most startlingly successful trip and I was glad to be back in London.

The last part of December was spent explaining to people that I was ok thanks, someone just got me one, at various social events while not playing an enormous amount of poker. For the first time I accepted an invitation to the PokerMillion party, which was a good do, and which ended in a tremendous victory for my twin, and good pal, Joe Beevers. The final line-up was the strongest ever and one highlight for me was witnessing the enthusiasm of the legendary Liam Flood on returning to the party having given it his best. The smile on his face as he was cheered-in to the sound of "We Will Rock You" was fantastic to see.

Christmas was a quiet one down in Devon. I did manage to escape from playing poker, despite the constant requests from my youngest nephew to teach him the game. We settled on... Read more...

Bad Beat's WSOP Diary: Part Four

By Neil Channing 10 July 2007

Neil Channing is out in Vegas representing Poker Verdict - here's Part Four of his highly entertaining Vegas Diary...

With a large hole starting to open up in my Vegas bankroll thanks to high-variance, large- field multi-table tournaments I decided I would spend a few days working hard to rectify things.

It was back to poker-by-numbers. The no-thinking, tedious $500 one-table satellites would get me out of it. In these ten people pay $525 to enter and the winner gets $5000 in lammers and $120. Lammers are chips that have no monetary value, which can only be used to buy into further satellites of $500 or more (you can't get change from them) or any tournaments (WSOP events or Super Satellites). The lammers are often sold by the satellite winners to people standing by the cage, who were about to use dollars to buy-in to things. Some people try to negotiate, or think there's something fishy going on, but the exchange of them for money between players at face value is normal.

If you enter a satellite of $500 or $1000 you also receive a $10 food comp, so in effect the juice charged is... Read more...

Bad Beat's WSOP Diary: Part Three

Neil Channing 28 June 2007

Neil Channing is out in Vegas representing Poker Verdict - here's Part Three of his Vegas Diary...

The Bellagio Cup is a series of No Limit Hold'em Tournaments scheduled to take place daily at 1pm, smack bang in the middle of the WSOP, by some minor coincidence.

With the bracelet events at noon, there's just enough time for the steamers and early walking wounded to rush over. (remember, always ask your taxi driver for the Bellagio's North entrance. This will not only save you $3 a go on a fare you'll be paying frequently, but also free-up precious playing time).

The tournaments have not been too popular this year but the fields of 50-150 still make for a good prizepool. The events range from $1500-$5000, are all NLH and are based on a one hour clock with starting blinds of 25/50. The starting chips are double the value of the buy-in. One-table satellites are run for the next days tournament, but business has been pretty slow on these so far.

The tournaments are held in the lovely Fontana Room, overlooking the fountains and away from the casino... Read more...

Bad Beat's WSOP Diary: Part Two

Neil Channing 15 June 2007

Neil Channing is out in Vegas representing Poker Verdict - here's part two of his Vegas Diary subtitled A Guide for the International Poker Player...

My plan on this trip has been to play slightly less WSOP events than in past years, so as to put in some hours at the cash tables. The WSOP events are undoubtedly good value and are full of inexperienced and weak, as well as crazy players. Playing many of them can put enormous pressure on your bankroll though, and variance can mean that even the best players can go a long time without a result. Given that, what chance have I got? The other important factor to consider is opportunity cost. Given that the cash games are so good at this time, and spending a lot of time in the tournaments stops you profiting from this, every day here becomes a balance.

I decided to focus for a few days on the cash. Once I felt I'd confidently mastered the $5/$10 nlh at Bellagio, I stepped up to $10/$20. The minimum buy-in here is $800 although the average stack is around $3500. With no maximum, some people sit with $20k and more. Swings of $4-$5k are not uncommon in this game and at $7... Read more...

Bad Beat's WSOP Diary: Part One

Neil Channing 6 June 2007

Neil Channing is out in Vegas representing Poker Verdict and hoping to make a few dollars while he's at it. His first diary piece sees him tangle with a relatively small field of 'only' 800 in the $1,500 Pot Limit Holdem event...

Not being one to go for new-fangled things I couldn't embrace the concept of an additional airport at Stansted, let alone a whole new airline, in Maxjet, who fly direct to Vegas, so it was Virgin Premium Economy for me. Nine hundred quid return didn't seem too bad. I booked it straight off the Virgin website, although you need to choose your dates carefully. The day before was a monkey dearer.

I always spend a lot of time worrying on trans-Atlantic flights. I'm not too bothered about the prospect of imminent death, I can barely afford to live much longer anyway, I'm more concerned about whether they'll let me in the country as an unemployed person with no easily visible income and precious few ties to the UK. I settle on calling myself a consultant to some internet companies and sail through.

In the past I've been a retired internet millionaire, a sports analyst and once, foolishly, I proudly announced bookmaker. I may as well have said international drug... Read more...

I Cannot Resist The Lure Of A Big MTT

By Neil Channing 17 October 2006

How did Neil 'Badbeat' Channing get on in the Sunday Million on PokerStars?

Any casual viewer of Sharkscope may come to the conclusion that I'm not a great internet poker player. Good call - I've even come to the same conclusion myself. I have figured out that spending most of my sessions surfing/on the phone/watching TV may not be helping and I've decided, rather than simply change this pattern of bad behaviour, to concentrate my cash game play to live games.

Despite this rare example of my strong resolve, I've never been able to resist the lure of the big pay-out from the enormous fields in the MTTs, mostly on PokerStars. As well as the WCOOP, which I've put a few dollars into over the last few years, I can often be seen playing the Sunday night 'Big One'.... Read more...

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