Last Night / EPT San Remo
Monday, 21 April 2014
I am too shocked, amazed, excited, delighted, baffled, overwhelmed and frankly hungover to write anything much about my experience of the last six days at EPT San Remo right now, but I want to say an enormous thank you to everyone who offered the incredible online support I received during the tournament. It gave me so much strength and confidence, which I feel certain helped to create the miracle scenario where (I can still hardly believe) I managed to claw back from the short stack of 16, then the short stack of 8, to win the event. These tournaments are all about pacing, for me, and I took it pretty close to the wire in letting my stack go down below 20 (sometimes below 10) big blinds several times when I felt there were no situations for getting involved without hands - but the pacing worked out and… well, like I said, I am just too many damned adjectives to be able to explain it all clearly. At some point I will. Maybe. The truth is, there is still something that people haven’t quite figured out about my game and, with future tournaments in mind, I have to be careful about not pointing it out to them!
So I just want to say thanks - and for anyone who followed my updates on Twitter without watching the live feed, but are curious about what it looked like, there is a nice highlights package on YouTube here.
I’m now taking a few days off (well, not off… I’m going through Only Connect questions… but off poker) before the EPT Monte Carlo next weekend. I don’t think I’ll live tweet that one. It can only be an anti-climax! Or, as I call it, a holiday.
Thanks again so much to all, and Happy Easter.
Comments
Rachel Stone at 7:09 pm on April 21st, 2014
Congratulations!! My friend and I watched the entire last two days on eptlive; you were so incredible! We’re still grinning and talking about it - I can only imagine how happy you must be right now. What a wonderful model you are! We look forward to watching Only Connect in *glances at the clock* 25 minutes’ time…
Neil K at 7:12 pm on April 21st, 2014
What a girl!
Jan at 7:18 pm on April 21st, 2014
Watching live was fun - first with Twitter bonus then the more tense Twitterless final table. I learnt so much more about Poker – so did the grandchildren… Very exciting. So lovely that you felt supported and encouraged by the genuine enthusiasm and affection from your followers.
Noticed that you were asked about writing another book about Poker. I really loved your books and would say that I’ve always thought the significant current running through is LOVE, whether the main theme is poker or porn. Giles, too, writes movingly about family. So, another book would be very welcome – whatever the topic - as it would have your humour and humanity running through the writing.
Millie at 7:23 pm on April 21st, 2014
Huge congratulations!! I’d never watched a poker game before but the San Remo EPT had me hooked and jumping around the house in excitement! All your success is so well deserved, and please continue doing everything you do, you’re an amazing inspiration to many young women like myself!
mark at 7:43 pm on April 21st, 2014
Congratulations on your 2nd win. Looks like there is some skill to this Poker thing.
Chris Dossett at 8:18 pm on April 21st, 2014
I loved watching live all Easter weekend. Never really watched poker before but the tension was amazing! I got the feeling that the hardest part was having the patience to wait for the good hands to come before pushing (especially when you were the short stack for so long). Well done.
Beth at 8:18 pm on April 21st, 2014
Congrats again, Victoria! I got my whole family hooked watching you all weekend; especially yesterday. We’re 6 hours behind in the States, so I’ll admit to sneaking a view of a couple of hands during Easter Mass yesterday…! I’m happy that such a great ambassador to the game (and a role model) such as you won the dual title first. Especially, because according to so many, it was so unlikely to be you based on the number of EPTs you play! It was nice to see what patience, intelligence, focus, a little luck, and a little wine can do! :) Enjoy your “days off”; you deserve them! Good luck in Monte Carlo!
FunkiJimpow at 10:08 pm on April 21st, 2014
Well done Victoria! x
Miss Deeds at 1:04 am on April 22nd, 2014
Congratulations! I am still smiling for you! Winning a major event, making history and breaking down stereotypes -what a night! Can’t wait ‘til I see my family tonight and pass on the news (we all meet to watch Only Connect). I would like to respond to something you said in your winner’s interview; yes, it was a bank holiday and yes, it was raining but we were watching purely to support you. That’s it, no other reason. I have never watched live poker before but wanted to cheer you on. The commentary, tweets and live feeds all made it a fun experience and I even understand some of the terms now. I was more tense at the head to head than watching last year’s Wimbledon Men’s final. Anyway, congratulations! First 2 time winner. :)
Heinrich Koop at 7:59 am on April 22nd, 2014
Let me put my congratulations in ONE word: Woooooooohoooooooo!!!!!
Alan G at 9:05 am on April 22nd, 2014
Just fantastic!
I am a poker player and long time Coren fan (What a coincidence that you covered my two main hobbies). For Richer, For Poorer is easily my favourite poker book.
The EPT have long been the toughest to win, but have got even tougher as the game has evolved, so only poker players who have tried one will appreciate how huge it is to win two a few years apart. On current form, Mike McDonald might have a chance, but this record may never be caught. One in the eye for the cynics who talk about the girls that got lucky.
Looking forward to your “Bigger Deal”, with foreword by David. Can I preorder yet?
Congratulations!
Andrischatz at 9:28 am on April 22nd, 2014
Seems I wasn’t the only one glued to my screen watching you play. I’ve been a fan for a while, of both of your TV work and your poker (and your husband too, incidentally), so it totally made my day when you actually took the time to reply to my tweet on Friday.
Kept following the live broadcast and my fingers crossed for you all the way to the end, only had to pause when I played a tournament myself and there was no internet there. Luckily (!) I busted out early and could return home to watch. ;-)
I was so loudly happy for you when you won that my boyfriend in the next room probably thought I was insane. Absolutely couldn’t be happier for you and will now start devouring your book! All the best and much love from Berlin!
Kieran at 9:41 am on April 22nd, 2014
Congratulations!!
“If I’d known I was going to have to explain how I feel I wouldn’t have drunk so much wine.” - Hilarious! :)
Francis Chu at 10:33 am on April 22nd, 2014
I’m sure your Easter is now the best ever!
Awesome stuff!
Jen at 10:48 am on April 22nd, 2014
Well there you go. You’ve given me another reason to think you really are the bees knees. And bees, as we all know, have exquisite knees! I have two little nieces that, as soon as they are old enough to understand anything you do, I’m going to firmly plant you as a role model for them, because you are definitely one of mine. Be as unashamedly clever and witty as you can be, achieve as much as you can in any area you want to. It’s just SO satisfying to see your brilliance rewarded (yes, yes, my limited knowledge of poker knows that luck comes into it as well but a wonderfully well-rounded intelligence got you to that table!). Twitter wouldn’t let be babble this long: I am a blog-clogger-upper and I’m sorry! But bloody well done…for everything! xx
Andy Walters at 10:49 am on April 22nd, 2014
Epic. #;o)
jim carr at 11:38 am on April 22nd, 2014
Victoria,as epithets go,“bloody”,is about as mild as it gets. When you consider the language on TV panel shows( 8out of 10 cats,Mock the Week, etc.) yours was the equivalent of Henry Blofeld saying"my dear old thing”, on Test Match Special! Bloody well done in making poker history. xx
Frances at 8:13 pm on April 22nd, 2014
Congratulations Victoria! It’s such an amazing feat and you have set the way for many other young women like me aspiring to make it in a world dominated by men. I don’t just mean the poker world (because I certainly don’t have the face to make it there) but in writing and comedy too. To write columns, articles, books or anything for that matter is my absolute dream, so to have someone like you showing me it’s possible is the best thing I could ask for. Thanks and good luck for everything in the future!
Part Time Vic Fish at 6:21 am on April 23rd, 2014
BIG congrats Victoria - an amazing feat! I’ve been glued to your Twitter feed the last few days - couldn’t watch the live Stream because of work restrictions. So delighted for you being the 1st 2-time winner and quite right in keeping some strategy to yourself. Just goes to show that there are several ways to play the game other than an “any-two aggro donk”. I have to ask whether it was a Queen of Hearts in the last hand?!
Feliks J Kwiatkowski at 1:16 pm on April 23rd, 2014
Hearty congratulations. The sun totally shines from your butt. x
adam at 3:07 pm on April 23rd, 2014
just heard on womans hour. Wow…. just…. Wow