Lost Luggage and Cracked Queens

Earlier this month I paid a trip to the PokerStars headquarters on the Isle of Man. I got to meet the staff and see what the people who have real jobs were up to. Playing poker, apparently.

There was a special employees' tournament that included me and fellow Team PokerStars player Luca Pagano as bounties. In addition to the frequent player points awarded to the top three finishers, I donated an autographed copy of one of my books for whoever could knock out Luca and me.

I managed to make it to the last table only to go out sixth when my A-9 went down in flames to A-7.

After two days on the Isle of Man, Luca and I were scheduled to depart for Copenhagen to play in the European Poker Tour event at Casino Copenhagen. Our luggage, lost in transit on the way to the island, finally showed up at the airport just as we were leaving.

PokerStars did treat both of us to a new wardrobe during our visit, so it was not a total loss. Fortunately, that was the end of our luggage problems. We both made it safely with our luggage to Copenhagen.

There was a large field of 460 players, with half of the players starting on Day 1 and the other half on Day 2. The survivors then faced each other on Day 3.

Luca Pagano: Fellow Team PokerStars pro good for 27th at EPT Copenhagen.

Unfortunately for me, my pocket queens suffered an unjust fate when a player who put all his money in against me pre-flop with A-10 spiked an ace on the river to send me to the rail. Luca fared much better and finished 27th, good for a payday as 40 players made the money.

I enjoyed my stay in Copenhagen. It was a little windy and cold, but no snow. My last day in the city the sun finally broke through the clouds, and I took a 2 ½-hour bus tour of the city. There are many fine museums and a lot of interesting architecture, including churches, in Copenhagen.

My return home was long. I had to fly on three different planes and it took me about 18 hours to get back to Las Vegas. I get to rest up for 10 whole days; then I am off to a charity tournament in Portland, Oregon, followed by a trip to San Jose a few days later to play in the Shooting Stars tournament at Bay 101.

Hopefully my queens will crush any A-10 that dares to go up against them and I will make the money, honey, in San Jose.

-- Tom McEvoy

More blogs from Tom McEvoy:

• PokerStars Caribbean Adventure - Part Five
• What Is It Like Being a Poker Pro?