Genting Poker Blog

“We contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.”
Winston Churchill”

Stumps as you would say in cricket, David Sheperd would have been hopping around, one hundred and eleven started the Euro 1000 PLO at the ACF.

(Apologies to those who don’t like or understand the cricket references)

I had an unluckyish draw, if that is possible in Paris, and I had a table full of the PLO ‘regs’. When our table broke after a few hours there were fewer chips on it than any other and I still just had a starting stack. The draw in tournament poker is as important as anything else.

Cut the boring bits and after 7 hours I still had a starting stack, we were down to 28 and it was the dinner break. Bruno Fitoussi invited a few of us to be his guests at the top table. Simon Trumper, Jeff Duval, Padraig Parkinson (looking a little bruised following his mugging in Paris the other night but in good form) and Nic Szeremeta were all present..

They put some plates of thin pink stripes of something on the table with half a lemon on top. Nic asked what they were and Bruno told him ‘fish eggs’. Padraig told us to plant them in the garden and grow some fish. So that’s why the action is so good here.

There is an annual membership fee at the ACF now and Bruno was explaining that the French authorities take 70% of everything in tax and that’s gross not net. So out of every 10 euro taken in table charges the ACF get to keep only 3.

It is because of this that four of the other main casinos/ card rooms in Paris have closed recently.

Apparently the ACF is not like a normal casino it is what they call an ‘association’. Without the membership fees the ACF may not make an actual profit and is not allowed legally for an ‘association’ to lose money. Padraig informs us that he is going to become an association too.

In Germany we are told the government don’t take 70% they take 90%! Hence the lack of places to play live poker in Germany. We thought it was bad in the UK with the newish tax hikes on card rooms. When are these governments actually going to employ someone who understands the business?

After dinner things improved and by the time we hit the money spots (top 16) I had average chips. Sadly two or three pots later and having flopped a set and straight draw and turning a flush draw too I found myself all in for the first time in 14 hours. It was to be the last time too and I picked up Euro 2100 for 12th spot.

Kudos to Nicolas Fraioli for a great structure though and a great run event.

Tonight I am off to the EFOP awards where Barny has been nominated for rookie of the year and then back on the Eurostar tomorrow lunchtime.

Next stop is the Genting Poker Series in Birmingham from the 1st to the 5th of February. I’ll be there all week and hope to see at least a few of you there too.

At least Star City don’t do fingerprinting.