[A party needs a soundtrack. This will likely do.]
I turned to PokerStars broadcasting legend James Hartigan and said, "IN CASE YOUR party doesn't want a fire extinguisher, it isn't really a party, is it?" But there she was: tall, shaved head, covered in tattoos, wearing leather, and status next to the stage with the hearth extinguisher in case something went wrong with the dancer who was running flaming torches over her arms. The extinguisher lady also gave a no-nonsense "No" headshake to a man who thought it might be fun to get his cigarette lit. I mean, it was proven fact that the dancer's bustier was on fire, but smoking indoors is true out.
Welcome to PokerStars VIP Club Live 2013, London.
We had taken over a club called Cirque le Soir, half a block from legendary Carnaby Street to again thank PokerStars players for, well, being PokerStars players. There has been no advertising, no marketing videos. Just tubs stuffed with cold beer, a really perfect DJ, yummy nibbles, and slot car racing.
And you realize what I particularly dug? Chatting with people. The music was good and many loud, but not so loud that you simply couldn't keep on an intelligent and nuanced conversation. Now look, I'VE nothing against ridiculously loud music - I HAVE full rock and roll credentials, but probably the most highlights of those events is the chance to go to with one another; if the music is ear-bleeding loud, you cannot talk.
Instead, I USED TO BE capable of sit with a gaggle of fellows and so they told me we'd like more triple-draw and badugi. We then got to talking about limit hold'em and how, unlike its no-limit cousin, it has a groove. No long tanking about massive over-bets, no head games of 2 black, three red, and 4 white chip bets. No sir, it's three chips, six chips. Six chips, twelve chips. Three stacks of four, "I raise". "Rhythm hold'em" said certainly one of our group. Exactly. That whole discussion of limit poker also gave us the chance to elevate the most productive post ever on 2+2, which turns 13 years old this week. It's called the Fur-coat dilemma, and in the event you don't immediately recognize it, you would like to read it.
But I digress. While we were talking limit poker, people were getting their pictures concerned about the hostesses, Liv Boeree, Jake Cody, and the aforementioned James Hartigan. And yes, we missed Joe Stapleton - I USED TO BE not the one person to mention out loud, "Stapes woulda loved this."
9:30pm - two and half hours after the party started, two relatively young guys walk in - I'm pretty sure it was their first VIP Club Live party, because even at a distance where I COULD NOT hear them, I'LL read their eyes (very wide) and their lips ("Holy sh*t").
The punching bag and FIFA games had giant crowds around them, the popcorn lady was doing a brisk business, and the tubs of cold beer kept getting refilled. At the stage, the contortionist was doing things that made my back hurt (but a minimum of the hearth extinguisher operator could move onto other duties).
It was, to cite one of the vital party-goers, "epic".
Then around 10:00p, we made the announcement that the party needed to move to the after-party venue ("It's near Yo Sushi, near Piccadilly Circus...") and we hustled out into the streets of Soho so Cirque le Soir could welcome their regular late-night Saturday crowd.
Me, I passed at the after-party. I AM NOT 22 anymore, they usually weren't really my thing even if I USED TO BE. And honestly, I DID NOT see the way it could get any better than eating chicken nuggets and coleslaw, and taking selfies with PokerStars players.
And on the next VIP Club Live party, question me concerning the Mahavishnu Orchestra concert in 1974 that made my ears ring for 2 days, when Carlos Santana sat in with the hole act.
Lee Jones is the pinnacle of Poker Communications at PokerStars and was a part of the pro poker world for over 25 years. You'll read his occasional Twitter-bites at @leehjones.
Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: PokerStars VIP Club]
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