Continued from Part One...
Same Game, Different Location
I’d arranged to meet Roland at Les Ambassadeurs until my phone began to vibrate: “Hey Snoops, it’s Roland, I’m running late but am in a taxi, we can do the interview now if you want.” I quickly scoured my surroundings for a pen and paper, realising that I’d have to actually do some work rather than just ask questions and hold a Dictaphone in midair. “Sure, how long have you been back?” “A few days,” came the reply. “I was away for two months in total with the PCA before Vegas, so glad to be back.” ‘Must be nice,’ I thought to myself, whilst stealing the catchphrase of a well-known UK pro.
Although Roland was braced to play the London Open at Les A, I couldn’t help but ask him about his Premier League appearance. After all, this was his third final table in the history of the event: “It’s invitational, so up to them who plays,” he explains when asked about the selection process. “It's a combination of who they know and who they think will make a good show, not just who the best players are. They're looking for people who can entertain an audience. Only three players, including myself, participated in all three previous Premier Leagues, and I feel that helped my chances of being selected. I've also completed the triple crown with my bracelet in 2009, so that counts for something.”
“Did you go in with a preset strategy?” I inquire, wondering if the Premier League had finally shaken off the ‘crapshoot’ label that seems to burden so many televised events. “I try not to as it's important to adjust and adapt to the game as it plays out. With the new structure, it no longer mirrors online STTs, so using the same strategy isn't as affective. This event is very different to others because of the points and the strategies required near the end in terms of securing a spot. At the start, though, I go for the win rather than try and sneak into third and fourth spots, but to come first you need to still be in there when there are only a few left.”
During the course of the event, I couldn’t help but notice that Black Belt Poker blogger Luke ‘FullFlush’ Schwartz had made an impact on the live updates with his infamous table talk. I asked Roland what his views were on the online prodigy: “I have a different relationship with Luke than the others because I've known him for longer. We tend to give each other a lot of shit, but I'm just one of those players who find him amusing. I think he's a good player, but not one of the best as he only plays one type of game, so he's not a particularly well rounded player. Nevertheless, he's still highly proficient at No Limit, but perhaps gives a lot of stuff away live. He's also very emotional, but he does have good instincts and is a big personality for the show to have. He's a nice guy, but has a screw loose somewhere.”
“Luke was pretty entertaining,” I continued. “Is this something you consider when it comes to being selected for these events? “I'm certainly aware of it,” he replies honestly, “but it's my natural personality too. Obviously I know what the bigger picture is, and if it's a quiet day I might try and talk a little more, but it's definitely not an act.”
Those who know Roland will concur the above response, and affirm that what you see is what you get: his ‘personality’ thus becomes a powerful tool in maintaining a profile when results inevitably run dry. It may also be his affable character that leads to invitations to some of the biggest cash games in town, as despite being a sponsored reputable pro, his opponents can at least be assured of a fun night. Les Ambassadeurs is the latest addition to the high stakes cash circuit, and Roland has taken quite a liking to the place: “Craig [Stevens – Cardroom Manager] is doing a great job and the rest of the staff are always friendly when I come here. The casino’s fantastic and the set-up is very elegant. A nice location and a really nice group of people, I enjoy playing here.”
A number of famous faces frequent Les Ambassadeurs for their poker fix, many of them sporting stars with bundles of cash. Most prefer to remain anonymous for various reasons, but one member who hasn’t shied away from publicity is former International footballer Teddy Sheringham. Despite being burdened by an unavoidable stereotype cemented by ‘celebrities’ before him, Teddy has broken the mold and proved a worthy opponent in any game. Grinding away in cardrooms across London, Teddy also finished a highly credible 14th in the 2009 WSOPE and is clearly someone who deserves attention as a poker player rather than a celebrity who plays poker. “He’s a very strong player,” agrees Roland. “He plays tight, but is aggressive too and has a massive will to win. Considering he's not amazingly experienced, he really manages to hold his own and, from what I’ve seen of him, is probably the best out of the celebrities that play poker.”
Teddy Sheringham was just one of a number of familiar faces playing in today’s event. Although the flyer had referenced Sammy George and Joe Beevers, they were missing in action, but the likes of Laurence Houghton, Richard Ashby, Willie Tann, Ross and Barny Boatman, and even Black Belt Poker’s own Nik Persaud more than made up for their absences. With Richard Gryko, Paul Alterman, Cristiano Blanco and many more entering the fray, the event was now heaving, and it was becoming strikingly apparent that the 110 capacity would be easily reached and that Roland would be forced to settle for an alternate spot.
In fact, it’s strange, as this was one of many preconceptions I’d had about the day that were ultimately unjustified. Before I set out, I’d made an effort to smarten up. Those present won’t have noticed as, on the surface, I still resembled what one might call a ‘ragamuffin’, but behind the scenes, I’d actually shaved, combed my hair and trimmed my sideburns… and I presumed others would follow suit. However, when the cardroom started to fill, it quickly became clear that despite my expectations of a Casino Royale type affair that would reflect the exuberant surroundings, in the real world, a cardroom is simply a cardroom, and whether it’s your local pub down the road or Les Ambassadeurs in Mayfair, people will still have the same bad beat stories, the same requests, and the same lax attitude to what they want to wear when being dealt two cards. This wasn’t a game played in silence by rich businessmen in suits; this was your average tournament with the same faces having the same conversations. This was poker, the same poker you see anywhere else, and further proof that whilst the ring-games might be limited to a select few, the tournament scene is an open field.
As Craig grabbed the microphone to announce the start of the tournament, the clock commenced and we were underway. Moments later, Roland strode into the back room where I was working, casually dressed in trainers and T-shirt with his hair untouched. He greeted me briefly without breaking stride before searching frantically for the remote control to the big screen TV. “Just wondered what the football scores were.” My spider senses were tingling; I think he had a bet on.
Read Part Three...
Return To Les A - Part One: Do Not Pass Go
Also see our daily reports from the Full Tilt Million Dollar Challenge:
Les Ambassadurrrrs – Day One
Les Ambassadurrrrs – Day Two
Les Ambassadurrrrs – Day Three