joe

BRIDGE TEAM TURN LAVENDER OIL INTO GOLD

Lavender Oil SmallCould lavender oil be the secret to poker success? If the English Bridge team at the recent World Mind Game in Lille, France, are anything to go by, then the answer is yes.

An article in the British Daily Mail newspaper detailed how a dab of lavender oil helped the six-strong England team win the gold medal, defending their title from Beijing in 2008, while sparking what could be competitive sport’s most genteel row concerning substance use.

Heather Dhondy, 46, Nevena Senior, 52, Nicola Smith, 63, Sally Brock, 58, Susan Stockdale, 29, and Fiona Brown, 27, defeated the Russian team in a final match of the competition which lasted two days. Of course it was not just lavender oil that helped them to victory, but extended period of practice, training and a strict diet to combat the long hours of competitive play at the Games.

Lavender oil is known for its calming effects in times of stress. However, as they had previously found in a match against France in May during the European Championships, it’s not always welcomed by opponents.

“We dab ourselves with drops of lavender oil before every match,” said Dhondy. “It is supposed to calm the nerves and improve concentration – and it sometimes annoys our opponents. They don’t seem to like the smell very much.”

In one incident, a team member overheard the French team comparing the smell to toilet cleaner.

“I don’t know for sure if it put them off,” said Smith, “but the moment she started complaining about the smell I knew we had the upper hand.”

Either way, England went on to win the European title and now have WMG gold to add to their records. They have no plans on giving up, or sharing their secret weapon.

“Sally, my partner on the bridge team, once tried to offer some to an opponent,” said Smith. “I immediately threatened to “divorce” her if she gave our lavender oil to the opposition. We don’t want the rest of the world using it.”

Read the full article on the Daily Mail website.

joe

POKER PRO WINS CHESS TITLE… AGAIN

Chess Pieces 3sept12Further proof that chess and poker do mix came in The New York Times this weekend, which reported on the victory by Almira Skripchenko in the French Championship. It was the fifth time Skripchenko has won the title.

Most impressive about her performance was that it came despite her focus being divided between chess and her career as a professional poker player.
Skripchenko, who was born in Moldova but who now lives in France, turned poker pro in 2003, racking up significant live earnings in tournaments across France, Europe and the United States. As she put it, the world of professional poker simply pays better.

She’s not alone in making the switch. Dan Harrington, known for his epic tomes about how to play high stakes poker, was Massachusetts chess champion in 1971 while more recently Ylon Schwartz, a chess master from Brooklyn who used to play street games in New York, finished fourth in the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event.

The switch came easily to Skripchenko, who admitted to finding poker easier than chess, study of which used to consume large parts of her day: “I think chess is one of the last games where everything is based on creativity.”

But the two games complement each other she admitted, suggesting that poker had helped her chess game: “Poker in a way helped me to find joy in simple things, to be happy, to accept defeat.”

Read the full article on The New York Times website.

joe

VIEWPOINT FROM LILLE

Chess King Queen Large 7june12News from the World Mind Games taking place in Lille, France, is starting to enter the mainstream press, withThe Daily Telegraph in London publishing a report from the 15-day competition.

The article, written by William Langley, details the atmosphere of intense concentration at what is a unique “Olympics of the mind” which, given a decision here and there, could have been part of the regular games, according to IMSA.

It also gives an insight to the level of competition taking place, comparing participants to regular athletes who limber up prior to playing and who train to keep in shape – after all, 12 hours of Bridge, Chess, Go, Draughts or Xiang Qi can be exhausting.

Mind sport fans will be familiar with Langley’s observations, but it serves as a reminder to those who aren’t of what it takes to compete at the highest level, as well as an interesting perspective on the games which concluded yesterday.

Read the full article on The Daily Telegraph website.

joe

POKER PROBLEMS FOR ITALY

Italy Map SmallThe state of Italian online poker has taken a severe downturn after industry figures suggested that revenue had dropped by more than 40 per cent since regulations were put in place.According to the Pokerfuse website, Italian state regulator, L’Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato (AAMS), released an annual report which illustrated the decline. The figure in January was €41 million and since then revenues have fallen to around €23 million.

Other figures painted a stark picture for the industry, with tournament revenue dropping 75 per cent since regulation. Cash games also are in decline, despite having proved a popular source of revenue when they were first introduced more than a year ago.

It’s thought the problems could centre around two separate issues: high taxes and lower player liquidity.

News taxes take money away from players who are becoming fewer in number with sites only permitting Italian players to sign up. This knock on effect is reduced prize pools and reduced the frequency of games.

Read the full article on the Pokerfuse website.

joe

MASTERING THE TEAM GAME

Golf SA curious thing happens when a group of poker players join together to form a team to compete in an international contest: things don’t always go as they should.

The team dynamic often adds an additional layer of complication. Players who are used to living and dying by the decisions they make, suddenly have to factor in their team mates. A bad call or some sloppy play is one thing if it affects only you, but what about your teammates? Do you really want to be the one to scupper their chances? It can make even the very best players think twice.

It was this exact scenario that players faced during the IFP Nations Cup in November of last year. Each player knew they had to perform to their best, but tough decisions became even tougher, with the outcome of a single hand potentially ruining the hopes of the entire team.

Another team event begins today, one that brings together players who are usually more comfortable playing by themselves for themselves – the Ryder Cup.

One commentator said this week that the Ryder Cup is the golf tournament even those who don’t like golf should watch. It’s not hard to understand why.

It throws together two teams – the United States and Europe – into three days of competition near Chicago, USA, with every match adding to the team’s points tally. The first team to reach 14 points is declared the winner.

It’s one of the sport’s most anticipated events, with emotions and sometimes tempers running high, providing no shortage of drama, even to those who can’t tell the difference between a birdie and an albatross. But the players must play not for themselves but for the team. As the world number one Rory McIlroy said this week: “I’m one man in a 12-man team and that’s it.”

It’s not an easy conversion. Former European captain Colin Montgomery was the type of player to excel in the team format, while others, including Tiger Woods, have struggled. Either way it will prove a spectacular contest.