Who needs football? England may only have been able to scrape a 1-1 draw against the US, thanks to a goalkeeper who seemed keen to grab the ball and throw it into his own net, but the British contingent at the World Series of Poker goes from strength to strength. (Yes, it's "British" in poker and "England" in football – all good news, then, if you're a Scot.)
Following the first-prize bracelets for Praz Bansi and James Dempsey, another has now been taken – in the $1,500 Seven Card Stud – by Richard Ashby from London.
Ashby is a cool customer. A Cambridge graduate, he worked in the City before figuring out that he could transfer all his money knowledge and gambling flair over to poker, and make the same income without having to get up early in the morning. No fool he.
These days, Ashby is revered as one of the most aggressive and successful high-stakes cash players on the internet. Oddly, though, when he comes to play cash games at the Vic card room in London, he sits with the minimum and plays like a rock. It's a mystery. He must like the sandwiches.
The first poker tournament I ever played was Seven Card Stud. I defined the word "rock" in that event, having read a small booklet that advised me to play (as my opening three-card hand) any trips, any three-card suited connectors, any pocket pairs higher than jacks, and pass everything else. I followed this to the letter and finished second, with a 2000% return on investment.
So, I pass it on as advice if you're trying Seven Card for the first time. That early success got me hooked on poker for life; sadly, I would never have the patience to play so tight today. Nobody would.
