Hurricane Higgins

I’m playing well at the moment, and also think I am getting to grips with PLO8 at last - I’ve played smaller in order to try out a few things and feel I have learnt some things.I’m not really playing enough hours as I’m quite busy socially, but have received a little financial bonus this week which takes the pressure off somewhat.

I really need to pull together my records for the past three weeks; I fell back into scrawling each session on a different scrap of paper or old envelope. I’m particularly interested in totting up my heads-up results, where I think I am winning at least two thirds of matches and making an ok hourly rate when you consider how short the encounters often are.

Finally, just a note on tournament poker and the oft-debated issue of deal-making. There are those who feel it should not be allowed - or at least should be reported as having happened - in the interests of the image/integrity of the game. I have heard it suggested by other people that in fact deal-making might go in other sports, such as golf, behind the scenes.

Well, I recently read a biography of Alex Higgins (80’s snooker superstar) which described a deal between Higgins and his opponent in the final of a tournament, more or less along the lines of splitting the money and playing for the trophy. Why should we assume sportsmen have changed since then?