AceHighWine

The good folk at Bluff Australasia have put together a piece on my Sunday Mills Win (the timer on my 15 minutes of fame must be running somewhere near 14:55 or something) in the latest issue of the mag.

Also, that’s not me on the cover of the mag - I don’t wear blue hats.

While catching up with Bluff Australasia’s editor Sean while in Melbourne, he told me that circulation was going really well and the proverbial proof in the pudding was finding a copy in a quiet suburban newsagency in the Tasmanian town of Sorrell while hunting for something to read on my flight home. Buy the mag and support the region’s leading poker publication! I haven’t actually seen the article yet but I’m confident that Sean would have done my tale justice…

I was also recently approached by the Texas Holdem Australia for an interview and I took the opportunity to get on a little soapbox and speak my piece on a few issues to do with online and live poker. Click here to read the piece and thanks to Dave for the interview.

But I’m loving it!

Though obviously this means no time (nor net connection) to update AHW, so the world will have to wait ’til Sunday evening at the earliest for their daily/weekly/monthly dose of AHW goodness (in light of recent events, the latter is probably the most accurate).

I’m hoping to get back home and discover that the Force managed a miracle win against the Chiefs at Subi on the weekend…

WTF I hear you cry - a wine review? Better late than never I say (probably a little too often to be honest) but now that AHW is back online, expect more regular updates and content.

One of the first 2007 Margaret River cabs off the rank, this has set a cracking pace for the others to follow. Compared to the longer, cooler ‘06 vintage, the shorter and warmer ‘07 vintage should produce more fruit-driven chardies that I suspect will look better on release, but not live as long as those from the previous vintage.

Enticing and youthful aromas of cashew, nectarine and panacotta on the nose. The tightly structured and elegantly textured palate combines nectarine, stonefruit, apple and creme brulee flavours that finishes in a length, subsiding finish with plenty of nutty complexity. Not quite as poweful and broodingly acidic as the ‘06, but a serious wine of excellent focus and texture. 18. www.mosswood.com.au

While I can do a passable job of writing, I fail horribly at most things to do with technology - maintaining blog software is definitely one of my weaker points.

Long story short: AHW wasn’t working and now is thanks to the genius of Matt at Abstract Gourmet. ty ty mate. For the record, Matt can not only write very well, but he photographs very well and knows his internet stuff. If you live in Perth and don’t already have his blog bookmarked, shame on you. Actually, who cares where you live - add it to your favourites anyhow, you won’t be disappointed. Matty, again, God bless you sir and your wine rack will be taking receipt of something really nice, really soon.

In addition to fixing the accessibility problems, Matt’s also upgraded my version of WordPress to something a little more up-to-date. The first time I logged on to my dashboard, I felt like both a fish out of water (blatant and obvious pun entirely intentional) and a kid on Christmas morning: at my disposal was a shiny new interface that was destined to usher in a new age in wine and poker blogging. AceHighWine was redefining itself for the ‘08 and getting with the times! The year just gets better and better…

Now some obligatory poker content: commiserations to John Auf who bubbled in Sunday’s $330 NZ Poker championship satellite at Burswood. According to John, the 21-strong field was just that: strong. His third place finish was good for “F*CK ALL :)” (that’s a direct quote) while first place got the seat and second pocketing $2300.

Also: being the uber-nit that I am, I played a $125 one-in-10-go-through live sat at Burswood to play the Sapphire Series Main Event (considering payout structure and capacity for just 120 players, I just think buying in 1k is still -EV) during the week and did a good job of disputing the fact that poker is a skill game.

After keeping my head above water for the first few levels, I once again found myself in that familar red zone and forced into pushbot mode. After open shoving and re-shoving a few times (what else are you going to do when you’re 6BB deep?), the rest of the players on my table were cracking the shits at my “internet player” play and rooting against me. After losing with AKs vs Aks and 99 - I turned the flush draw but missed to lose a massive pot and find myself with a pitiful short stack - they all had their wish but through the grace of God, I won all my all-ins to build myself up to an okay stack. Then the fun times began.

Folded to me in the SB, I put the rest of my chips in the middle with J7o. BB snaps with KJ and the flop of 10-K-K pretty much sealed the deal for me. However the A on the turn and Q on the river made for a pretty good exit clause and we went chop-chop.

Next I open-shoved with the massive holdings of 10-5 suited in spades and found a caller in big Wayne (who had doubled me before when my KQs rivered a straight against his AJo) who woke up with A10. Rivered the flush. Easy game.

I then open shoved 92o in MP when we were down to three tables and near the two-table bubble and found a caller on the button who had pocket 10s. God I pick my spots well. Flop 8-k-7. Turn 5. River… gutterball 6. During the hand, a small crowd had gathered around my table including many bemused dealers who all promptly threw up in their mouths as they realised I rivered a gutshot one-card straight. I walked off to the side for a bit, shook my head and then returned back to the table to offer my condolences to the poor guy with the 10s. I had previously crippled him with 55 vs his AKc on the bubble in a live satellite to last year’s Sapphire Series main event so I am expecting big fireworks the day he lays a beat on me. To his credit though he took the beat very well and plays with a lot of class which is more than I can say for 98 per cent of Burswood players who are a complete joke when it comes to poker etiquette.

I made it to the final table where seven got seats and eighth took home $880 and UTG as the short stack, an M of .8 or something and the blinds about to go, I put it in with 2-3o after doing a half-hearted lookatholecards-think-hmmm-shove as I figured I had to shove ATC. The SB called with KJ (after some other player told him openly ‘call, call’) and rivered a full house and I (justifiably) get the boot. I say I was lucky to make it as far as I did.

For some unknown reason, AceHighWine has been offline for around a week, but finally my hosting company has gotten on top of things and AHW is back online.

Sincere apologies for those who copped 403 errors while surfing to the page, but everyone’s favourite poker player’s favourite Australian-based poker and wine website is now back in action!

Earlier today, I learned that I had been named as the PokerNetwork March Player of the Month which was surprising, awesome and a little humbling all at once.

Some truly great Australian poker players make up the past winners’ list and I honestly don’t think I belong in the same class as names such as Joe Hachem, Lee Nelson, Mark Vos (WSOP bracelet winner who was a Young Gun of the month), the amazingly consistent Eric Assadourian (APPT Macau High Roller winner and two-time Young Gun of the month) and undoubtedly Perth’s best poker player, Jovan Skekic, who has also been a Young Gun of the month.

Additionally, many great players including have been overlooked for the title, so it feels a little strange to get the nod over people such as APPT Grand Final champion Grant Levy.

But at the same time, it is good to see more online poker players getting some props, so PNW, I’m honoured to be named.

I also learned the importance of having a good headshot of one’s self available at all times, so if you ever see an awkwardly cropped shot of my just-shy-of-Adonis mug, please mentally replace it with the below one-in-a-million snap below.

Thanks PNW for the recognition and I apologise now for any negative effects my ugly mug has on incoming traffic.

Back from a weekend in Adelaide catching up with my brother and some of the ol’ beach volleyball crowd while the Swatch FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour was in town. A thoroughly enjoyable time was had in the seaside town of Glenelg and I implore anyone going to Adelaide to set aside some time in the city - and not to mention spend some quality time in South Australia’s wine regions!

Just stumbled across the link for the Western Australian Poker Meetup Group. If you’re a West Australian keen to get stuck in to the game of cards but aren’t sure where to start or feel a little too intimidated to play at the casino or pub games, consider giving this a whir.