In early November, a golden envelope covered in glitter and sparkles dropped through the letterbox with my name on it. This doesn’t usually happen. Immediately, I thought I’d done it – I’d finally got an invite to look around Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory! When I opened it I was initially a little disappointed that no chocolate was inside but instead UK’s poker own Wonka-like figure Neil Channing was inviting me to a mysterious night out at the Ritz Hotel to discuss Black Belt Poker.
As I used to work on PokerPlayer magazine for a few years I know Neil a little from various interviews and chats at live events. Having interviewed most of the big-name pros in the world he’s definitely a favourite, the highlight being when he described how he pulled off a big bluff at the WSOP because he was eating sushi at the time and suspected his opponent would believe him due to the stress of breaking away from tending to his Japanese lunch. However, I hadn’t really seen Neil since I’d left PokerPlayer to play cash games professionally online just over a year ago so I was surprised, and honoured, to be one of a group of 50 young UK pros that Black Belt announced they’d like to sponsor throughout 2012 if we put in the hours to become Blue Belt by January 1, 2012.
The night at the Ritz was great...
Click to read full blog...
Warren Wooldridge - Lost in Translation
Richard Gentry - Going Blue & Why Poker Is Bad
Richard Ashby - Raked Roar
Sam Razavi - Rendezvous à Guadalajara
Kevin Williams - It's Good
David Gentry - London Calling - Part 1
Neil Channing - Holiday
Kevin Williams - Spectacle
Jamie Burland - You Do It to Yourself
Ben Meredtih - Add-On