Tango Poker League

Wednesday’s first port of call was the 235 Casino to confirm a few things regarding the TPL final on Aug. 28^th, namely, the bar discount for Tango players on the day! The Rhino orders 2 pints of Carling while i’m off looking for Doug, the card room gaffer..

 

“no, i only want 2 pints luv” i hear the big fella say to the barmaid, “yes i know” she says, then very politely tells him again “that’s £7.80 please” now i’ve never seen a Rhino knocked down with a feather before, but i reckon if i would of had one with me it may well have been possible!

 

The tiny “Barbie-doll” looking barmaid was anxiously waiting for this giant of a man to pay her & once she had given the change she disappeared quicker than a bucket of freshly salted slugs! To make matters worse for Johnny, i informed him that this trip was a waste of time because Doug wasn’t even on duty that evening!

 

THREE OR 3?

 

Anyway we arrive at the Three Arrows in Middleton, 2 tables for the end of month game. Most players put a £5 bounty on their own head in this 13,000 stack game. I get the beer in on arrival and paid a lot less than £7.80 & tasted a lot better for it lol.

 

With Johnny’s wallet still smarting from our stop off at the Casino i offer to get him another pint to balance things up while i go for a quick chat with the poker lads & take the name card round, this cheered him up immensely & he posted another 2 for good measure!….. good job i’m doing the driving tonight. A good game was in progress and a lot of action on nearly every pot with the bounties in play but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves bounty or not.

 

Off To Alti..

 

“i’m not ice skating” the big fella informs me when i pick him up & tell him we’re off to Altrincham.

 

Once again it’s the month end game but this time Lee, the Landlord of the Bridge puts up £50 for Tango player who have played 3 out of 4 games in the month (or 4 out of 5 if there’s 5 Thursdays in the month) now i think this is a fantastic idea and my BIG THANKS goes out to Lee for making ‘this’ Tango venue even better for Tommy & his band of regulars to play in.

The Toll Point was our next port of call, where it all began for Tango. The ‘Tolly’ was the first pub to sign up for the TPL & we had our launch-come-opening game here in July 09, a few of the usual suspects are still on parade plus new members are always directed to the Tolly to ease them into a Tango game night mainly because there’s ALWAYS sausages laid on at the break!

 

The Rhino is in some sort of text conversation that is making him rather too giddy for my liking, and after the final text he then tells me “i can’t make tomorrow night, i have to meet someone called Debbie & 11 other student nurses and show them around Manchester!” I demand to know why i’m not invited on this excursion. “it’s ok mate” he says “i’ve got this one covered, i don’t think there’s any need for a wing-man”

So Friday i’m off to the Hare & Hounds in Gorton for one of Tango’s deep stack games. Andy ‘the rebel’ Duff is the TD & starts everyone on 25k as it’s not a school night, we all pay a £2 bounty to put on our own heads, and a further 50p is collected off everyone & a name is picked at random for the ‘super bounty’… all good fun!

COME AND RESCUE ME!!!  The text reads on my phone, with a rather puzzled look on my face i decide to ring the Rhino for an explanation of his text. “what’s up fella? Too many chickens in your coop?” i ask.. “I WISH!” the big fella barks back at me, “let me put it this way, other than Debbie all the rest aint chickens, they’ve ALL got budgie smugglers on! And i’m stuck in the middle of the gay village because they ALL wanted to come here!”

I drop my phone laughing at my friends predicament and think to myself how glad i am not to be on this ‘nurse’s tour of Manchester’ where there seemed to be more mince than even Mr. Kippling could handle at Christmas, and i let him stew for about an hour before i send the text “Don’t worry… help is on the way!”

 

 

Step 1, I pick up Kev-2-Legs on my way to the City centre telling him we have to save Johnny from 12 student nurses, he blurts out that ‘he’ would look after them if i want to take the Rhino back to the pub with me.

 

Step 2, pulling up outside the pub i tell him to go inside, find the Rhino and he will point out Debbie “and after that it’s up to you mate”

Step 3, quick splash of Brute & the boy goes in! The car door didn’t get chance to close before the big fella was in shouting DRIVE, DRIVE, DRIVE! Lol, not heard off Kev since but i’m sure he’s ok wherever he is!

 

Day off on Saturday, but it’s the Tango Final Sunday!