Just over three years ago, poker came to the rescue when I needed to make a move in life. The immediate success that followed in tournament poker, would see me venture away from these shores to places I had never even heard of. From the European continent, to every part of the USA, exotic Caribbean islands and even to Australia. It has been an incredible journey of many ups and downs.

My travels are set to continue over the next year or so and I shall endeavor to bring you stories about the places, people and of the life of being a poker player. I will update you with news from some of the biggest tournaments from around the world. 

As an introduction, the editor has asked me to take a trip back in time and to reflect on my time as a poker pro. Here is a quick tour.

It all started with an appearance on televised program, Late Night Poker. Like many other part-time players - I would watch Channel 4 and be itching for the chance to get on the show. I was one of the lucky ones who managed to do so and to win. 

Soon after, I began to venture to the USA on a regular basis. Although I had been a regular visitor to Las Vegas before turning pro in 2001 - those early trips were simply an excuse to get away from the daily grind of running my business. I couldn’t even contemplate the thought of playing tournaments against the 300 or 400 players that some Las Vegas events attracted. I was used to playing against 60 players at my local casinos in Nottingham, Birmingham and Derby. But things had to change if I wanted to make a success of my new profession. I also had to travel away from Vegas to other parts of the US.

My first trip to Los Angeles was an eye-opener. I had become familiar and comfortable with Vegas and all its trimmings. But this was to be a whole new ball game! And so I took advice from a friend who had spent a little time in LA. His suggestion  to stay at a particular Hotel and Casino in the district of Compton was very much appreciated. However, Compton was not like Vegas.  

It soon became clear to me that life had less meaning for people in part of Los Angeles. There seemed to be a couldn’t-care-less attitude by the locals to the daily shootings, speed chases and avoidable confrontations. Sometimes, poker is not fun. 

Undeterred, I returned to LA a few months later in the summer of 2002. Only this time - it was to the more pleasant surroundings of the Commerce Casino. This is no doubt the place to be for side-action (cash games of poker) in LA. From No-Limit Holdem to high-stakes Limit Stud - this place was poker paradise. It was also the place where I needed to keep a promise to an investor. …

How naive I was to expect that I could get off a plane after an eleven hour flight and to then beat almost 500 Americans at Limit Holdem. But that was the promise I made. This shows the kind of attitude that poker players must have in order succeed. Just so happens that I did keep my promise. Fifteen hours and an investment of $300, for a return of $115.000. Great start! 

Around ten days later, while still at the Commerce - I was offered a ride to Vegas for another big Limit event that was taking place at the Bellagio.  Five of us began what proved to be a very interesting drive…

The frequent fires that explode around LA during the summer months - are a sight to see. It just so happens that this particular journey began with a detour around one of them. This led to us taking a much longer and slower route through a majestic place called Bear Mountain. We did eventually get to Vegas and even managed some sleep before the event. However, this was not ideal preparation for two days of tough poker.  But rather than look at things negatively, we decided that there was a story here in the making. After all, how often do you go through fire, mountains and desert - just to play a poker tournament?

It was therefore logical to expect that one of us five would win this one. But who? I personally had made no promises. I was also tired and unusually, un-expectant. However, the dream continued with another first place and $112,000 to add to the kitty.

I returned back to the UK in time for the European Championships at the Victoria Casino in London. This was a special event that I just missed out on by coming second the previous year. I had to settle for another second and another prize of over $100,000 - poker was becoming fun.

My desire to keep returning to America was insatiable - especially when Vegas was the destination. And so within a couple of weeks of London, I was back at Binions Horseshoe for what proved to be he last staging of the Hall of Fame. events. This was disappointing in the sense that most of the events only attracted small fields. And so by the time the main event was to be held - I had decided to give it a miss. Even though I had made five finals and with a 2nd and 3rd place - I didn’t feel that the cards were being very kind to me. Also, the expected field of around 50 - offered no value for the $5,000 entry fee. Anyhow, I had already called my investor the previous day and informed him that I would not be playing.

But strange things happen in poker…

As the tournament was about to begin - the tournament director, Bonnie Damiano, insisted that I play. I told her about my reservations and of my decision. But Bonnie is a very persistent lady. However much I tried to justify my reservations - she would have none of it. She paid the entry and directed me to my seat. She informed me that it would be on 50-50 split and that I would win it. I had little choice but to call my investor and to inform him of our new partner. 

The final field of 54 was a who’s who of poker. It seemed that most of the World champions were taking part. It sure was a bad time to be having negative doubts. My initial table seemed to contain most of the other Europeans that made the trip - Devilfish, Julian Gardner, Surinder Sunnar. Along with the two Americans, Howard Lederer and Tony Cousneau - it was going to be an interesting table.

My reluctance to play was proving justified as I had lost 4K in chips from my starting stack of 5K. I took my seat after the two-hour break with just a single 1K chip and a smile from Bonnie. She really should have understood that when a poker player has reservations about playing - HE SHOULD NOT PLAY!

It’s strange that this event would prove to become my best ever performance. Having made the final with second highest stack behind Howard Lederer - it didn’t take long for me to become the short-stack. But for some reason, I had never felt that playing a short-stack was any great disadvantage. After all, it’s a position that we tend to be most familiar with. Therefore, it did not come as too much of a surprise that I did eventually get heads-up with Howard. But by this time, I was heavily out-chipped by 240K -30K. But victory did come, along with first prize of over $100,000. It was a sweet victory - as sweet as the smile on Bonnie’s face.

2003 began with a trip to Melbourne Australia for the Aussie Millions. I made the trip with another poker player and friend, Steve Templeman, who just happened to have relatives in Hong-Kong. So new years day was spent sightseeing and shopping in this most amazing place. We even had a tip from his uncle for a horse running that day the Sha Tin racetrack. Of course, as most tips do (yeah right) - it won at 8-1. Steve and I had a couple more winners before calling it a day at the races.

It just so happens that I was reading a novel at the time that made many references to Hong-Kong. One of these focused on a place simply called “The Peak“. As the name might suggest, it’s a birds-eye view of Hong-Kong. What it does not make clear - is the amazing site that awaits you when looking down at the high-rise blocks that form Hong-Kong’s business district. And just as amazing - is the ten minute train ride up to the Peak itself. These small trains, weave like slow-moving snakes up the mountain. And because of the slope, the buildings and houses on both sides of the track - seem to lean at ever increasing angles. It truly mystifies belief in what the eye sees. The trip was already proving worthwhile - just from this alone.

But sooner or later, being human has to take a back seat to the job in hand. Also, a poker player cannot linger too much away from poker or on past results. This was now 2003 and all that preceded this new year in terms of poker wins - was now history. I was here to do a job and to cast away any doubts of what a new year might bring. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Poker players do have doubts - they do ask questions of themselves. Even with all the confidence and self-belief that poker players must have - there will always be doubts. How can there not be - when every outcome is determined by the turn of a card?

The first thing that will strike you about Australia, is the openness of the country and of its people. A traffic jam seems to comprise of three cars stopped at the traffic lights. And as for the Aussies? What a beautiful melting pot of humanity they are!. A blend of cultures from every part of the world that have been thrown together by the circumstances of history. Only for them to mix and form a flavor that can only leave you craving for more. If and when the time comes when I wish to look for another new life - I will probably start and end my search right here in Melbourne.

To be totally truthful, I was so determined to do well here. 2002 had been an incredible year - totally unmatched by any other European player. This was reflected in the panels unanimous vote in selecting me as European Player of the Year. Then a funny thing happened to me on the way to receiving the award in Helsinki - I made the finals of a major event at the Bellagio and could not re-arrange my flight to make the ceremony in time. However, I emailed my acceptance speech as requested. But since the camera crew was all set to roll at the ceremony - it was deemed appropriate to give the award to someone else. It’s ironic, is it not, that I could not make the award ceremony due to reaching the late stages of another major poker tournament?

Looking back now - it’s difficult not to smile at the rage that I felt at the time.  I even had the audacity to let my feelings known to some of the people involved in the awards. I even foolishly promised them a win in the main event to prove a point. The A$394.000 for first place seemed totally irrelevant at the time. Yes…I do look back and smile. For who knows if I would have made any such promise or kept it - without the rage to drive me on in the first place. Funny game this poker.

One thing that has become clear to me about poker players - is that we are people first and poker players second. And such, things in our private lives and our overall well-being, can have a major effect on how we perform on the poker table. Having had issues on both fronts over the last 18 months or so - poker has had to play second fiddle to more important matters such as relationships and to the painful decisions that sometimes need to be made.

As for the overall well-being? Poker players can sometimes lose track of the importance of staying fit and well during a life dedicated to poker. We therefore see  unfit poker players, living and eating badly on their way to an early grave. In my desire to stay alive in poker - I forgot to live right. And so the last few months have seen the dusting of cobwebs from football boots, golf clubs and squash rackets. Daily visits to the health club are no longer put off by excuses of poker. In fact, it’s due to the opportunities that exist in poker - that should be the driving force for wanting to be fit and well. These are growing by the day both in Europe and America. Most of them involve projects that have risen from the interest of Television networks. I am personally involved in a couple of new projects that are near completion. I will keep you posted on these in future articles.

As I stated, poker players cannot linger too much on the past. I must therefore prepare myself for the journey ahead. I should really leave you with a promise of many wins to come. However, poker has a habit making us grow up real quickly. So I will just leave you with a promise that I am eager and focused to take this journey one more time. I hope you enjoy the ride.

Until next time - play well, get lucky and enjoy life!

Peter “The Poet” Costa