Just a Friendly Home Game

PokerStars have billed this as their first home game and Day 1a has a friendly atmosphere and camaraderie that is perhaps engendered by the sun shining outside and the prospect of a full eight hours of poker stretching ahead of the field of mostly online qualifiers in this glorious old building. Originally opened in 1931, the prestigious Villa Marina complex has undergone a complete transformation but has retained most of its charm, with the players playing in the high ceilinged auditorium.

Players are getting to know each other, asking where they have come from and, for now at least, leaving off the headphones and i-pads. Scotland’s David Docherty is perhaps surprised to be sitting to the left of British Olympic Snowboarder Zoe Gillings, and has struck up a conversation with her after sympathising with her losing a pot when she called a river bet with on an ace high board, losing to her opponents . It looks like we’re set for a great day.

What do you mean it’s not like your home game?