Tales from Veinna

Tuesday, June 15, 2004

James B.. Women, International, Gamble, and death. I guess I am not James Bond, cause I don't really deal in deaths. But the other stuff.....well Lately online my Poker game has been in gear. Not winning a couple hundred, but running into the thousands. lots of money online. Just tournaments I play. So I wanted to bring my A game to Vienna Monday being that was where the action is at this time. I book my ticket last Saturday morning for Sunday. I would choose to fly into Prague cause I love the city, and there is a hot Russian who awaits my arrival. I was also able to find a good rate for one of those Ian Schager type hotels. There so there I was in Prague, sitting in front on the Mala Stala Castle at some cafe sipping Cognac on a warm summer night with beautiful Zhennia about simply the ascetics of it all. Forget the true reality and depth of my real life and this girl's useless verbal spillage, I embrace the sole ascetics. Back to the Andels hotel, champagne...sleep 5:30am. Up 7am....must make huge free buffet. After 5 plates each....taxi..train...Vienna bound...5 hours....taxi...hotel..casino. I tried to withdraw 600 euros from my account and was only allowed 550 from the machine. after some McDonalds fries and a taxi to the casino, I was left with 540.50 euros. I found out the entrance fee for my tournament was 500 and 40 registration fee. this left me with .50 pence. I had to make money now. I kept thinking abut how I would get to the hotel with no money. 6:30pm start 75 players...we got free dinner at the break at 9pm....that held me up 1am. so I start was more tired at this point then you can possibly believe on 1.5 hours of sleep. most other casinos Vegas, Paris, London offer complimentary coffee. Vienna is famous for their elegant coffee does not have free coffee in the casino. 3am hits, about 18 players left, and there I was desperate to finish in the money with medium stacked chips, hungry again, and tired but could not afford a cup of coffee. And to make this story even better, I had the runs. I did get up quite a bit from the table and quite suddenly. 5:30am....the group of the last five players decide to cut a deal. I am smallest in Chips, which means I get a smaller amount. however, if I finished fifth regularly, I would of made 2300 euros. With the deal I settled for 3500. And the whole time I was thinking I need to make cab fare. SO I could not complain. back to the hotel..SO tired & knowing that I was going to get harrassed by the maids at 11am check out. ....taxi airport....London....Jon at Heathrow arrival same time as me...and fuck.....I am tired. Its Tues june 8th. 8 SoCo & cokes later with Jon and after watching the laker game ..london time that is...we sleep 5:30am. ....11am....Shakspheare Globe. No real frequent traveler will tell you its always wonderful. No real pro gambler will admit to most times being great. And almost no girl will truly be worth the journey. .............however after this weekend was...I think with my some fortune...it's just going to get worse. More travel, more poker. Here I come. . Hating to sound too superficial, there was something I liked