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The ever popular Poker Night returns on Thur February 7th. Whether you’re a `nervous novice’ or `regular high roller` the tables are ready and waiting for you. The fee is just £10 with further chances to `buy in’ during the evening.
5 December 2006
When your name becomes part of cockney rhyming slang you know you’ve made it in some kind of freakish way. The likelihood is of course, that it’s not good. For Brandon ‘Blocko’ Block it’s not. A ‘Brandon’ to those in the right circles, is a geezer found in clubs coked up to the Moon and back. But when you’ve had the kind of success he has, who gives?
The DJ turned TV presenter, turned general music celebrity is not a name known in the poker world, and nor should he be. But Brandon likes his cards, and when invited by Party Poker to play the European Open he was hardly going to say no.
Brandon has the eighties music scene to thank for his success, something Thatcher may not have had a hand in. Starting as a window dresser in Top Man and Burton he then shifted tack quickly to become a mobile disco DJ. When Acid House broke the dam of 1980s early corporate pop and revived the a psychedelic pulse that had been all but dead for twenty years, it was people like Block who found themselves at home, a world where they belonged, and it came with deep synthesized baseline stamped with a yellow smiley face that only people under 30 seemed to understand. Block quickly reached a position of royalty in the industry and became, with friend and musical partner Alex P, a legend in the club world.
Christopher Columbus may have been born there so it was fitting perhaps that new explorers would find Ibiza in the 1990s; the 18 year old kind, armed with sunburn and Heineken. What they found were DJs like Block making the island their own, a legacy that still exists today.
But as I spoke to Block, all this was almost a generation ago. Ten years back and things were a little different. Playing in Maidstone Film Studios in front of the cameras he looked like the bloke a few spots down the bar that you might pass ten minutes with talking about the football. He speaks with a gravel voice that fades to nothing every now and then. In another life this guy could do you a good deal on a second hand motor, and probably walk with a greyhound on a leash.
But the scene came with its own poison. Back then, at the height of his powers, Block was addicted to Cocaine and on top of that was suffering from Tuberculosis. It forced him out of the Club scene for six months to recover. Rumours of his death were exaggerated, but only slightly.
To many though it was an ad-libbed performance at the Brit Awards six years ago that secured the notoriety that not even club residences in Ibiza can bestow. On stage uninvited as an award was being presented (Block had actually stormed the stage after someone had told him he’d won the award), Ronnie Wood hurled a drink at him after the two began trading insults. Things got ugly. Of the two Wood was the one being presented the award, so the executive decisions surfaced easily on the minds of security that night when picking who to drag from the stage.
But back to Maidstone where the real world can catch up with you like a traffic cop. Brandon looked tired after arriving early for the first heat. He was also trying to quit the fags, turning down offers of a smoke break with a look of pain on his face suggesting he’d been asked to give up his eyes.
He had just exited the celebrity heat of the European Open 3, dicing with the likes of former Miss England, Danielle Lloyd, Page 3 model Leilani Dowding, actor Jamie Foreman and former Big Brother winner and mate Anthony Hutton. Block, along with Steve Davis, had seemingly represented the over 30s at the table. As he waited for his friend Anthony to make easy but slow work of the heads up, we talked about the music, poker, Vegas and blagging those all important tournament buy-ins.
Stephen Bartley: How did you get into DJ-ing and the whole club scene?
Brandon Block: Basically I just liked my music from years and years ago, and it was in the local pub, where I used to drink, that I started. One night the local DJ didn’t turn up and the manager said ‘you’ve got records aint ya?’ I said ‘yeah’, and me and my mate Ali went to get our records to play. So we came back and played, and obviously we knew everyone and everyone in town and it was bedlam. So he said well, you may as well do it every week. And we ended up buying some decks and became mobile DJs. And we ended up doing these ‘Pub Eighties’ and stuff like that and it just progressed from there to be honest.
SB: What grabbed you about it? Was it just a love of music from an early age?
BB: Yeah, obviously clubs changed once Acid House kicked in, we all sort of got involved in that and touch wood it all worked. In my favour I was very lucky to be part of the Space thing in Ibiza, with Alex P when it first started, so that helped a lot. It created a career I suppose.
SB: You’ve had a lot of success since then, working around the world. Has it been hard graft or did things just seem to fall into place?
BB: At the time it was fun, a lot of travelling obviously but real good fun, partying. Yeah the travelling does get you down, the driving and the rest of it; it can take its toll. But you know, it’s all worth it.
SB: You’ve been working in Ibiza for over ten years, how has that changed?
BB: More like 15 years now. Yeah, has it changed? Yeah. It got really really busy. And obviously it’s expensive now, it wasn’t like that then. So many people were there in the summer when we first started. People find out about things and it increased ten-fold, busy and busier. When I first went there were times when myself and Alex used to play a club at a different place each day of the week and people used to go to each club following us around. One night Passion, one night… there was a promotion at every club every day of the week. The island never loses the vibe. People ask ‘what’s the next Ibiza?’ and there’s no next Ibiza, there’s nowhere like it.
SB: How about poker, how did you start playing?
BB: Well poker was like a family thing. My mum and her boyfriend at the time, used to play Stud. He taught me how to play. I was too young to be in the casino at that time or anything like that but we used to play Stud and I loved the game. I play card games, I used to play Kalooki, you know. But the whole Texas Hold’em thing, I haven’t been as dedicated as some of the people here. I stopped playing when my mum’s boyfriend left, he’s dead now, God rest his soul. But it’s become really popular now.
SB: What do you play? Tournaments? Cash games?
BB: I do play cash games; and I used to play monthly tournaments. But we have a game around our house every week. (I got a party poker table.) So we normally play with about four or five hundred quid.
SB: You can obviously play a bit. With a chance like this, to play in the European Open, are you a bit disappointed?
BB: Well, you know the way I look at is, I didn’t get the cards, and it’s one of those things. There are days when you get cards and those you don’t. I didn’t get any cards, I paired the board twice with an Ace, and I bet on them and won those hands. Maybe I should have played more aggressive but there were so many callers. Obviously the blinds were getting bigger and I was thinking ‘I’m wasting chips’ every time I raise. If I haven’t got a pair the girls are gonna call me (Danielle Lloyd and Leilana Dowding) because they were hitting hands all day.
SB: You’ve worked out in Las Vegas a few times…?
BB: Yeah, I’ve played Vegas a couple of times, and played a bit of cards there too. But you know, I was overtaken by the whole casino thing and was drunk at the table with all those Americans, and you know what they’re like! I won a few quid, but Vegas is great.
SB: How do clubs out there compare to say the UK or Ibiza?
BB: Well now they’ve got Ministry of Sound out there. Also poker is massive there of course and there’s an influx, the whirlwind. And Vegas is fantastic and has become busier and busier so they’ve got loads of clubs out there. Great place.
SB: How often do you head out there?
BB: I haven’t been for a couple of years now. I’d like to get a gig out there if I was going to go. My mate runs a club out there, the Ice Club. Next year we plan, if possible, to get money together and buy- in to the World Series. But by then hopefully I’ll have played a few more tournaments like this with Party Poker. I think they like me playing! And if that’s good for telly then there might be a few more
SB: You were the entertainer at the table, fun to watch…
BB: If that’s something that’s good for telly then maybe I’ll get to do a few more.
SB: Is that how you would like to see your game going?
BB: Well yeah, and at the end of the day the more you play the more you learn; the strategy. I mean Steve Davis is just a plodder and he played his hands. He got spanked by Danielle a few times. I had a big hand early and lost a lot of chips straight off. So if I get chance to play more and learn more about the game
SB: You’ve played at Gutshot too…
BB: Yeah, I’ve played a couple of times at Gutshot. It’s just a bit of a travel for me as I live out towards Heathrow. But I’ve got the Western down the road, and we have a card club at Stanmore which is literally ten minutes from my house. There’s always a cash game in my area.
SB: And work wise what’s next?
BB: To be honest with you I don’t know that yet mate! I’m just DJ-ing.
SB: Free to do whatever you like…
BB: Yeah, I’m going to Thailand at Christmas for a month, doing DJ-ing up till then. I’ve got this that and the other. I’ve got work next year, so I mean I’ll carry on until told to stop, do you know what I mean? So touch wood!
SB: Thanks Brandon.
BB: You’re welcome mate.
£20 No Limit Hold Em + £10 Rebuys + Optional Single or Double Add-on
The Eric Entwistle Benefit Tournament
Once you've learned to ride a bike, you can never forget. The same is simply not true with poker. If you have any aspirations of improving, then only with diligent practice have you any hope of succeeding. I have remained stagnant for far too long.
My intention when I started this blog, was to write only when I have a strong opinion on something , and as a diary of my live sessions. After my last visit to Salford casino, I had become very disillusioned with playing live, even though I managed to make my first final table. So I hid away in the insipid realm of online poker, only my screen name betraying that I even continued to exist. I had to do something to break the spell, to break this monotonous routine and start enjoying life again!
I knew that this night was going to be special for many different reasons. This tournament would be the furthest I've ventured from home in order to play a game of poker. The River Card Club is located in Stanmore, Middlesex, which to my surprise isn't located anywhere near the middle of the country, but in the North part of Greater London. (I was never very good at geography). I decided to stay in Edgware in the Premier Travel Inn, based on Joe Beever's recommendation on The Hendon Mob forum. The room was excellent. They even included coffee and biscuits!
Setting off at 9am sharp, I made good time from my native Lancashire homeland down the 200 miles or so to London, and arrived at 2pm, despite a horrendous traffic jam on the M62, and three pit stops along the way. After checking in, I decided to explore Edgware. After walking around for an hour, I wish I hadn't, because there was nothing of interest, except for the 'Change of Hart' pub. After carefully managing to miss my mouth and spill a quarter of a pint all down my jeans (this being my first pint in case anyone thinks I was drunk at this point), I decided it was best to retire to my room. I'm currently reading 'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley so I got stuck into that. An interesting book, considering when it was printed, but not a scratch on George Orwell's '1984', which I consider the best piece of literature ever produced.
Soon it was evening and the card room was beckoning. Being a relatively new establishment, having only opened in January, the taxi driver was having a little difficulty finding the River Card Club. It made matters worse as I could barely understand his fragmented English. Still, I know Stanmore quite well now as we drove up and down it several times before stopping to ask for directions...... right outside the club! I thought these guys were supposed to have 'The Knowledge'. Here's me, not knowing my backside from my elbow, trying to direct a taxi driver around a town I had never been to before in my life!
After paying most of my re-buy money in taxi fares, and wishing him all the best, I trotted off upstairs to the club. It's based on the first floor, just in case anyone else has difficulty finding the place. I was expecting to find some dingy, smoke-filled room with a few poker tables thrown together. Instead I was very impressed. Despite being a total stranger, I was greeted with a warm welcome. A lady who has a close resemblance to Sharon Osborne, took my details and filled in a membership form. That's it, I was ready to play! So much has changed since I last played live. No more waiting 24 hours after becoming a member before you can play, or having your photograph taken, or giving fingerprints and blood samples. Even the tournament clocks have changed. Now you can see exactly what the blinds are, what they're going to go up to and how long you've got left. Last time I played, you just had a counter which counted down to zero.
The club is lavishly furnished with approximately 12 octagonal tables (which if my maths is correct can comfortably seat eight players each), and two large kidney-shaped tables with bumpers. They even have several internet terminals for those who crave an online fix. A couple of nice touches are the bar, although I don't know if they serve alcoholic drinks, and if you feel the need to smoke or simply cool off, there's access at the back to some fresh air. It hit home that the last time I played live, this wonderful place didn't even exist.
Having arrived with plenty of time to spare, I had the opportunity to chat with a few of the other players, before we got down to the gritty business of playing poker. Although at times I can be very talkative, this doesn't come naturally to me with strangers. It's a personal barrier which I'm trying to overcome in time. I think playing live poker has a therapeutic effect on me. I always end up feeling alive and refreshed after playing. Today, one day after the event, all I've wanted to do all day is party and write!
One person who I had a good chat with was 'Indestructable' from the Hendon Mob forum. Winner of the television game series 'Casino Casino' and a huge sum of money, he is instantly recognisable from his avatar, although the dinner jacket and bow tie were absent! However, it proved more difficult for him to recognise who I was as I don't look anything like a huge, lidless, all-seeing eye stuck on top of a tower!
As I've stated earlier, this was a special night. It's not often a £10 re-buy tournament attracts the likes of Joe Beevers, Ram Vaswani, Ross Boatman (I assume his brother and fourth member of the Hendon Mob, Barney Boatman was otherwise engaged elsewhere), Victoria Coren, Paul Alterman, and countless other high stake and exceptionally talented players. To put things in perspective, my yearly salary would be the equivalent of a buy-in for some of these folks. So a good question would be why would they bother playing in such a small tournament?
The same could have been asked during one of my first online tournaments, which ironically was also a benefit tournament. This was an event to raise money for an Oceans 11 casino waitress by the name of Kori Tallman, who had recently donated a kidney to a fellow co-worker, Steve Strauss. Among the many donations, both Phil Helmuth and Annie Duke contributed. That particular event started at 3am GMT but I was determined to participate! Three hours later I was on the final table playing against Russ Hamilton, or quite possibly Russ Hamilton's aardvark, as this was online after all. The result of the tournament .......
Playing the game, who played what and finished where, wasn't important. It didn't matter at all. We were there, we played, and had some fun doing so! What did make a difference is what Kori did for her colleague Steve. Without receiving the new kidney, Steve would have spent much of the remainder of his life having quite a miserable time on dialysis. What we did for Kori paled in significance.
It must have been one of the few moments in online poker history where people from many different nationalities and cultures have worked together towards a common goal.
I found many similarities playing in Eric's event. I knew, long before the tournament had even started, that there would be little chance of reaching the final table against the line up of players before me. It didn't matter, because it wasn't what I was there for. I wouldn't say that my reasons for being there were completely altruistic. One reason, as I've already mentioned was to get back into the feel of playing live. Another good reason could be that I've got an important live event lined up in the next couple of weeks, and I need all the practice I can get. One thing I knew for sure that would happen is it would get me writing again!
Both games could have been played at much higher stakes. But what of it? Sure, it would have attracted the big names.... at the expense of the exclusion of everyone else, including possibly some of the club members who are close to Eric. One thing I love about poker is that it destroys boundaries. It doesn't matter about your social, political, ethnic or, in these days, your geographical position; if your prepared to put your money on the table, you can play. It creates a level playing field. You can look your opponent in the eye as an equal. The way both tournaments were set up meant that anyone who was willing to play could do so. With Eric's tournament, being a re-buy, it also allowed those who wished to contribute more, the opportunity to do so in a discreet manner, which I think was a very appropriate touch. Nearly £5,000 was raised in total, an outstanding effort.
Another commonality between both games is that I know neither Kori nor Eric personally. Factually, this is the limit of my knowledge. I know that Eric's a dealer at the River Card Club, and that he recently suffered a heart attack. After a major operation, he has also suffered from a stroke. He's now at home recovering with the help of carers, families and friends. I could leave it at that. But I can't. I tend to judge people on what I see with my own eyes.
Sometimes you have to look deeper, into a realm which may seem invisible at first. What I saw on that evening wasn't simply any old poker game. There was a certain mystical aura about the place. The room was filled with laughter and merriment. A stark contrast with my experiences playing in Salford. (I was later to joke that I’d be pretty miserable too if I had to live in Salford, which brought a chuckle or two at my table). People were pumping up pots, busting out and re-buying without a care in the world. Not because it was the right thing to do in a poker sense.... but it was the right thing to do in a more humane fashion. All I know of Eric is that he must be one hell of a guy to have such friends. If you get a chance to read this, I wish you a speedy recovery Eric. Laughter is probably the best cure in the world, and the River Card Club has bags of it to spare.
