The second day of the main event on PartyPoker.com Million V is over and what a day it has been for defending champion Michael Gracz. I peered in on the action early on and he was really short stacked, I thought he was history like the big names yesterday. However, at the end of play he sits in a great position with $41,000. Barry Greenstein is out but more on the latest from Mike O’Malley later on.
I don’t think I mentioned before but apart from being a blogger my main job on the cruise is looking after the press. There are 20 journalists on board from countries around the world – the majority of them are covering the action in the tournament itself, interviewing pros and top online players but others are looking more at the lifestyle on the cruise.
One of them is a writer called Alex French. He works for Poker Life magazine and he had a strange request today. He asked if he could get some aujus from the kitchen – a beefy gravy that he could throw into the sea from the back of the ship. He said he wanted to attract the sharks – I told him there were plenty in the cardroom. He’s currently having a tour of the engine room on the ms Westerdam. Again, perhaps he should look at the engines of some of the players in the tournament who have been slogging it out for hours.
Alex does have a point though. There is a lot more going on other than poker or casino action. I’m yet to go to a poker widows meeting but on the top floor there are plenty of games going on around the pool and there is an abundance of organised activities. A particular hive of activity is a place I have written about already – the Crow’s Nest perched on the top of the ship.
Last night it was packed though a certain Mr Mike Sexton dominated the dancefloor. I asked if he might start breakdancing soon – I was told not to rule it out! I’ve got a lot to learn about crumping. Also in the bar last night was Gary and Jackie Suffir chatting to Ryan and Julina Andrews. They were comparing notes on what it was like to take their honeymoon on the cruise. There was also a real character from southern California holding court who plays under the name jollyroger on PartyPoker.com. He was showing the young guys a thing or two about how to party…He’s been there done it and got the PartyPoker.com T Shirt.
Talking of partying – the sea was a little rough for the players in the bar last night – there was plenty of swaying going on. We arrive in Jamaica at 8am tomorrow morning – sure it will be quiet night in the Crow’s Nest. There will be plenty of crowing to the sound of bad beats…
