Verdi Can Wait

Friday 6 June – the first day of glorious summer hours. Iain Hunt and I had a meeting with Anthony Holden and Oliver Chubb – Holden’s poker maths whizzkid friend.

We met in the new LBBG haunt, El Vinos. I was there to discuss advanced marketing strategy, I prepared in typical fashion by bringing my pencil case full of poker chips and a deck of cards. Yes, I sometimes carry a pencil case full of poker chips and a deck of cards. I casually popped it on the table after we had eaten lunch. We eyed the faux clay chips wondering where playing would lead us. Holden suggested we take coffee outside. Seated in plain view of the LBBG office and curious onlookers, I divvied up the chips. ‘This is the first time I’ve played al fresco,’ Holden mentioned. It was my first time too. There’s something illicit about poker, which makes you feel like you should be playing underground with someone keeping an eye out for the fuzz. We weren’t playing for money, though. Pride is much more valuable.

So, four poker players, two amateur at best, two professionals, 1,350 in chips. We thought we’d play a few hands. It turned out to be an epic.

Tournament #1

In the first hand Holden goes all in, in true bullish and bullying style. It doesn’t pay off, Chubb finishes him. ‘I may have played that one a bit rash,’ Holden says, lighting a cigarette. Chubb storms ahead. In the first few hands he gets a full house, top pair, and backdoor quads (odds of this happening are 1/1000). Affable, handsome and super smart, I shall henceforth refer to him as Chubby. My moment comes with A9 of spades, the flop and turn give me a nut flush. I play it coolly and reduce Hunt to 25 in chips, soon after I’m heads up against Chubby, he wins.

 1.Chubby
 2.Nayyar
 3.Hunt
 4.Holden

Tournament #2

Holden has something to prove. He out bets Hunt in the second hand, though Chubby takes control by getting another full house. At some point I bow out leaving the table three handed. Hunt, who I shall henceforth refer to as The Beard comes from nowhere and wins a few hands, one gutshot draw, another spade flush, yet Chubby pulls through to win again.

 1.Chubby
 2.The Beard
 3.Holden
 4.Nayyar

Tournament #3

I shall henceforth refer to myself as The Sore Loser. I’m dealt pocket sixes only to lose to pocket sevens. Bugger. I lose interest in taking notes and watch as The Beard wins.

 1.The Beard
 2.Chubby
 3.Holden
 4.The Sore Loser

Some editorial work intervenes. The Beard needs to go through the manuscript of Holden’s next big poker book, Holden on Hold’em, which will be out in November this year. Holden looks at his watch, he has to leave for the Covent Garden Opera House at 5pm to write a review of a Verdi opera. ‘We can squeeze another one in,’ he assures me, ‘I can always catch a cab.’ That’s poker.

Tournament #4

I storm ahead. I outbet Holden with AJ, then outbet them all with pocket 4s. The third hand being my pinnacle, I bet just the right amount to get Chubby to lay down a pair of Kings. I had nowt. I ponder revealing the cards, a classic rub-the-bluff-in-your-face technique, but think better of it. This is a polite, publishing meeting after all.

I boom and then I bust. I’m outkicked by Holden’s AQ to my A10. Holden then wipes Chubby and me out with his AQ to my K10, and Chubby’s KJ. Holden’s in his element now, it is after 5. ‘Verdi can wait,’ he says casually, then exclaims, ‘You must use that as the title for the blog!’

He bullies The Beard, forcing him to fold a few hands. However, The Beard takes a stand and goes all in with KJ, Holden calls with Q3. The board comes down with 57AJ9, The Beard doubles up. It’s finally all decided by pocket 9s, an eventual full house by that dark horse, The Beard.

 1.The Beard
 2.Holden
 3.Chubby and The Sore Loser

Smiling, Holden delivers, ‘It’s all Verdi’s fault.’ He looks for a taxi rank, waves and says we must do this again sometime.

What have I started?

Posted 12/06/2008 11:47:55 by Bobby Nayyar, Marketing Manager with 1 comments.