World Poker Tour Hits Morocco

The World Poker Tour continues to live up to its name by adding yet another stop at an exotic local, this time Marrakech, Morocco. This move is part of a three year deal between online poker room Chili Poker and the WPT, one that will allow players to qualify for WPT Marrakech events on Chili Poker while boosting brand awareness. The first WPT Marrakech Main Event will run at Casino de Marrakech in October. Chili Poker is on the Ipoker network and will be running qualifiers in April.

Go to Kandyland at The Playboy Mansion – FREE!

Want to see what living the life of a real Playboy is really like? Well now you can thanks to Ultimate Bet Poker! Be a Playboy for a night, when Ultimate Bet Poker sends players to the 2009 Kandyland Party at the famous Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, California!

Described as an evening of decadent dreams, the Kandyland party sells out early every year, so you definitely do not want to miss out on this amazing event where winners will be attending an exciting evening at the Playboy Mansion! Kandyland is always one of the hottest, most outrageous and memorable events of the year. The elite guest list admission is $1000 and will continue to increase as the date of the event gets closer with only 600 tickets available for purchase!

But don’t worry; you can be there – when you get your ticket from Ultimate Bet Poker! Download Ultimate Bet Poker and receive a special deposit bonus of 111% up to $1,100! Then get your velvet smoking jacket ready and plan your cocktail consumption because Ultimate Bet Poker has your ticket to the most fabulous party of the year and there are six tickets to be won, so play early and play often to get yours!

And just how do you get to the Playboy Mansion? The Round 1 satellites have ended, but you can still get to Hollywood by entering the Ultimate Bet Poker Round 2 satellites running through March 15th. These events will be followed by the Round 2 Main Event on March 16th where the top 2 Main Event finishers will be going to the party! If you don’t make the grade, try again in the Round 3 satellites running from March 16th through March 29th to be followed by the Round 3 Main Event on March 30th! The top two finishers of this last Main event will snag the final two tickets to the Kandyland Event! And the cost? FREE when you buy-in with your Ultimate Points!

Plan now to get your ticket to Playboy paradise with a $6,500 prize package that includes your ticket to the Kandyland party on June 13th plus cash for travel and accommodation expenses. Don’t miss out, because Kandyland IV will be an ultimate experience when the Karma Foundation transforms the Playboy Mansion with stunning lighting effects, huge mushrooms, enormous lollipops, giant kandies, hearts, cool fuzzy cotton kandy textures, kandy cane poles for the Kandy Dancers, chocolate bars, Skittles, M&Ms, toys, kandy kane lane and many more surprises.

What can you expect at this party? Decadent cuisine and premium open bars with all-night service while dancing to some of the very best of DJs spinning Hip-Hop, Mash-up and Miami House. And of course there will be plenty of eye candy, when the handpicked Kandy Girls and Playmates parade around in their sexiest costumes. What a playboy you will be when you attend the most over-the-top production you can ever imagine, complete with body-painted Kandy Models, shocking performances by Kandy Go-Go Dancers, Playboy Playmates & Cyber Girls, as well as Kandy Resident DJ Mister E.

What are you waiting for? Start playing at Ultimate Bet Poker today for your chance to have the experience of a lifetime—at the world famous Playboy Mansion!

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Everest E-Report: European Cup Live Finale Seeking Qualifiers

The Everest Poker-sponsored European Cup has become one of the most anticipated poker events in Europe, and as the third installment of the series looks toward the live grand finale, players on Everest Poker are lining up their opportunities to win seats. Mar 2, 2009

• Head to Mansion Poker for the $50K Mad March Giveaway
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• Hop on your Bike and Freeroll with TonyG
• $6 Million$ Guaranteed Every Month at Party Poker

 

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Go to Kandyland at The Playboy Mansion – FREE!

Want to see what living the life of a real Playboy is really like? Well now you can thanks to Ultimate Bet Poker! Be a Playboy for a night, when Ultimate Bet Poker sends players to the 2009 Kandyland Party at the famous Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, California! Mar 5, 2009

• Badugi Simplified
• The FINAL PokerNews Cup Alpine Freeroll is March 12th at Titan Poker!
• Get Ready to Rock with a $500,000 GP Event from Mansion Poker
• Get Behind PokerStars’ Eight-Ball For High-Stakes Action
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• Hop on your Bike and Freeroll with TonyG

 

Iron Man Contest: ElkY Versus Imper1um

Sorel “Imper1um” Mizzi and Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier are taking physical challenges between poker pros one step further. They will compete across a variety of sports, including tennis and kick boxing. The date for their clash will be decided somewhere closer to the beginning of the WSOP:

Ever wanted to watch a boxing match between the top poker pros? Put a check mark under that one as Gus took on Jorgensen not long ago. Ever wanted to watch a kick boxing match between the top poker pros?

Earn Big Reload Bonuses at SportsBook Poker

SportsBook Poker already offers its members one of the biggest signup bonuses in the online poker industry with a 100% deposit bonus up to $1,000.  And all you have to do to get this massive deposit bonus is sign up for SportsBook using the POKERWORKS bonus code.  But after signing up at SportsBook, you’ll also find that you will be eligible for the reload bonuses offered by this poker room as well.

That’s because you can earn additional deposit bonuses after the original signup bonus once you’re member at SportsBook.  All you have to do is make a deposit within a specified time period and you will receive your reload bonus.  And SportsBook Poker makes it really easy for people to check on the status of their reload bonuses too.  To do this, just check out the Poker Pending Bonus Balance in your account to see how much pending bonus money you have available and how much time is left to earn it.

When you play in ring games and poker tournaments at SportsBook, you will start to earn the deposit and reload bonus money.  The bonus money is unlocked by Frequent Player Points (FPP) and each FFP you get will earn you $0.06.  Once you have earned $10 in bonus money it will be transferred to your regular account and this will continue until your pending bonus money reaches $0.

One Frequent Player Point will be given to you for every $1 that is raked in a cash game where you’re playing.  Tournaments are even more generous since you will earn 7 FPP’s for every $1 in tournament fees that you pay.  This means that you will be getting back $0.42 on every $1 you are paying to enter a tournament!

Once you start earning all of this reload and deposit bonus money you can use it to get into some of the fantastic poker tournaments that SportsBook runs.  One of these tournaments is the $250,000 Guaranteed and this tourney runs at least once a month and commonly sees the winner pocket over $50,000.  And the great thing about the $250K Guaranteed is that people can get into it for as little as a few dollars through SportsBook’s poker satellites.

And if the $250,000 monthly tournament isn’t enough for you then SportsBook also runs a $100,000 Guaranteed tourney every Sunday.  Plus those looking for big poker tournaments during the week will be happy to know that SportsBook has these every single day with the $25,000, $20,000, and $10,000 daily tourneys.  

Poker freerolls are commonly held at SportsBook Poker too through their Gold Chip rewards program.  Every time a person plays in tournaments at SportsBook they will be making progress towards earning Gold Chips.  And when a person gets enough Gold Chips, they can use these to get into tourneys absolutely free.  The Monthly $10,000 Gold Chip Giveaway is one of the bigger poker freerolls offered at SportsBook and all people have to do to play for this $10,000 is use their Gold Chips.  There’s lots more freerolls just like these at SportsBook too!

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Head to Mansion Poker for the $50K Mad March Giveaway

Could you use some mad money? Then this deal is for you! The Mad March $50,000 Giveaway is about to begin at Mansion Poker and you will want to grab a chair and be there – for this snag some green event! All you have to do is to play in the Mansion Poker Mad March promotions and snare your share – of the cash! Feb 26, 2009

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Earn Big Reload Bonuses at SportsBook Poker

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• Go to Kandyland at The Playboy Mansion – FREE!
• Badugi Simplified
• The FINAL PokerNews Cup Alpine Freeroll is March 12th at Titan Poker!
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• Get Behind PokerStars’ Eight-Ball For High-Stakes Action
• Deeb Dubbed Champion of WPT Invitational

 

Pre-Flop Body Language

When being dealt their hands, most players are focused solely on their own two cards, making decisions on what type of play they want to make. However, some of the most important information about an opponents hand can be deciphered to a great extent during these opening moments when they first peak at their cards. By understanding the meaning behind certain body language, you can give yourself an edge against players who are not paying attention to their natural emotions.

In order to catch these moments, you’re going to have to discipline yourself to not look at your own cards until it is your turn to act. Every pro in the world will agree with this habit, as it prevents your opponents from using your own body language against you. Now, look for the players at the table who are not waiting for their turn to act before looking at their cards. What do they do after they peak at their hand? Players that have general disinterest in their cards will look around the room or watch TV as if they don’t have a care in the world, most likely because they are about to fold when the action comes around to them.

On the other hand, if you see a player all of a sudden correct his posture, pull his chair forward and sit upright, you know he just looked at two cards he really wants to play, most likely a big pocket pair because small pairs and cards like A-J will not prompt most players to shift their body. I’ve even seen players reach for their chips pre-flop after looking at their cards, telegraphing far in advance that they plan on raising. You wouldn’t think someone would do something so obvious as that, but I’ve seen it myself.

It won’t happen every hand and it might not occur that often at all, but picking up on these slight tells can give you valuable information that will help you decide on how best to play that particular hand. And just because you think your opponent looked down at pocket aces doesn’t mean you need to throw your hand away if you can get in for cheap with cards like suited connectors, where you can possibly flop big against someone with a pocket pair who did not improve their hand on the flop. Keep your eyes open, and I guarantee you will see what I’m talking about.

Pocket Aces: The worst hand ever?

I was playing at the Bicycle Casino the other day and I once again heard someone utter the words that annoy me unlike any other, “I hate pocket aces, they’re the worst hand in poker because you either win a little or lose a lot”. Other than hearing that motto quoted in practically every poker book ever written (as more of a joke rather than a true poker statement), I’ve been hearing it a lot at the tables over the last few years. The honest truth is, however, is that pocket aces are the absolute strongest starting hand in poker, and when played correctly, as with any two cards, you can make a considerable profit.

Why do so many players think pocket aces are unlucky or useless? Probably because they don’t know how to play them correctly. Often times, players will play aces one of two ways, either A. They’ll limp in and continue to play slow on all the streets until they inevitably fold, or B. They will hold on to the cards for dear life and call any bet and raise no matter how the board plays out. Obviously, playing any two cards the same way every time is a recipe for disaster, and getting grouped in with one of the two stereotypical methodologies mentioned here is why so many great pocket aces opportunities are wasted.

By the general rule of thumb, in the majority of situations, you want to raise with your aces pre-flop. The objective is to narrow down the field of players to about 1 to 2 callers. If you limp and let too many opponents see the flop for cheap, you’ll have no idea where anyone stands in the hand. If you raise and a few call, you’ll at least know that they have something worth holding onto.

After the flop, many players tend to freeze up and check, which could be the correct play in some rare occasions, but more often than not you’re probably still holding the best hand. Bet on the flop, you are likely only to get one caller. If you get raised, you need to take another look at the flop to make sure you’re not falling into a trap. But if it’s a rainbow board (meaning no two matching suits) with no straight draws, the raiser might be holding just top pair according to what came on the flop (lets say a king). Continue to play as if you yourself flopped top pair, instead of worrying about every possible scenario where your hand can be dominated.

Remember, almost no one suspects pocket aces. If your opponent flops a set against your aces, that’s just bad luck for you, but it should not influence the way you play your aces next time. Play your aces with smart, aware and aggressive sensibilities, and you’ll see just why they can be your best friends.

Bluffing- Part I

Bluffing is an art and a skill that when utilized correctly, it can make you a lot of money. When practiced incorrectly, it can cost you. Since bluffing is an art that is situational and is dependent on a multitude of factors, I thought it would be beneficial to go over some of the basic and intermediate concepts behind bluffing. All too often I see people bluffing at pots when there is no value in it, or I see people bluffing a lot of chips when a small amount will do. There are also players that bluff at the wrong time and good players are able to see that the play doesn’t make sense. These are all common mistakes that cost money, but hopefully soon you will be able to make lots of money from your bluffs.
Knowing Your Opponent

With any hand you play, it is important to know your opponent. However, it is almost impossible to be a successful bluffer if you don’t know how your opponent plays, their tells, or what their image is. It would be like me sending you fishing with worms, but having no clue what kind of fish you are trying to catch. Being able to put your opponent on a range of hands is a good start to knowing when to bluff. If you know that your opponent only plays prime hands for a raise, and the board comes out low cards, that would be a great time for you to bluff. On the other hand, you would also know not to bluff that same opponent if the board came out high cards.

Knowing your opponents image is essential to bluffing. Most people can be bluffed given the right circumstances, but sometimes there is that person that doesn’t fold. These players can be easily spotted because they are loose and aggressive. They play a lot of hands and hardly ever fold to a bet. They will usually play any two cards and just like the feeling of getting lucky or making people fold the best hand. This is not a person you want to bluff. If you do try to bluff these people, they will call you all the way down and will probably win on the river with a pair of deuces. It is better to reserve your bullets for the people that will fold.

One person to be careful of is the super tight rock on your table. If you notice that there is a player who hardly ever plays a hand, and who folds to most bets, be careful if you decide that you are going to bluff him. If you bluff the flop and he calls, this should send off warning bells that he has a hand. Since he is a tight player, he will most likely call your bet all the way down, so you will have no idea what he actually has. However, be assured that if he is calling, he has a better hand than you do, and it is probably time to cut your losses unless you have a draw.

Knowing who your opponents are and the range of hands they play is the foundation to being able to bluff successfully. If you are unsure to what kind of opponent you are bluffing, there is a considerable amount of guess work that might cost you a lot of money in the end. Take a round or two to get a good handle on how the players play at your table before you jump in and try to steamroll everyone.

2009 Spanish Poker Tour

This March the Spanish Poker Tour will once again come to Madrid, the second season of the Everest Poker sponsored tour. The online poker room Everest Poker is hosting qualifiers for life seats to the Spanish Poker Tour, which will run 20th in the Gran Casino Aranjue. There will be plenty of tough competition for the title of this event, especially from the local Spanish pros like Oscar ‘La Pua’, Raul Mestre ‘SirDonald’, Javier Dominguez and Cayetano Garcia. The event will have tournament direction by Thomas Kremser’s TK Poker Events.

Ladbrokes Poker Moves Networks

Online poker room Ladbrokes Poker has shifted over to the Microgaming Network this past week. The move is being heralded and celebrated in a number of ways with special promotions, and of course Ladbrokes Poker will be holding some already scheduled promos as well, such as the Ladbrokes Poker $1 Million Rake Race. In addition to Ladbrokes Microgaming Network hosts such gaming platforms as BetOnBet, Eurolinx, GNUF and Betway. Ladbrokes players should not expect to see any radical changes as part of the network shift. Moving networks has become a fairly common practice in recent years for most major online poker rooms.

Marc Goodwin – The making of Mr Cool

	People can get so far up their own arses. It’s just a game of cards

Marc Goodwin is the centre of attention, and he’s loving it. Immaculately dressed in a sharp beige jacket and tan shoes, the self-styled ‘Mr Cool’ is revelling in his role as InsidePoker’s cover star as our photographer gives orders for a pose. Satisfied he has the relevant angles covered for our opening spread, the snapper tells Goodwin to relax. ‘I need some normal-looking shots,’ he says. ‘Normal?’ scoffs Goodwin. ‘That was normal pal… I’m naturally cool.’

It’s a tongue-in-cheek comment, of course. Goodwin, flanked by his wife and young daughter, offers no sign of his alter ego Mr Cool. He is welcoming and easygoing – keen to throw in a touch of storytelling as he is ushered from one corner of our hotel suite to another. It’s a refreshing mood, because in many ways it would be understandable if the 48-year-old came across as slightly unplayable. Wherever you look in Goodwin’s presence his wealth is on full display, from the Breitling watch that weighs heavily on his wrist to the jewelled belt buckle bearing his famous poker moniker.

But Goodwin’s warm nature is a reminder of his background and former lifestyle – not to mention what he had to do to forge a career in today’s poker world. ‘I was selling double glazing four years ago,’ he tells me. ‘Doing stuff like photoshoots and interviews is a walk in the park for me. I really enjoy it. I just wish I could have done all this 20 years earlier.’

Today, Marc Goodwin is one of the UK’s most recognisable poker players. His recent victory in the GUKPT Manchester leg reinstated his position as one of the game’s most popular figureheads. But while there’s little argument about what Goodwin brings to the table, it should be remembered that poker has been good to him. Chauffeur-driven in a Quattroporte Maserati he looks every inch the high- roller, and his multi-million dollar sponsorship deal with MANSION Poker suggests the wife and five kids will be smiling for some time.

GLAZING OVER

Goodwin’s poker – and financial – renaissance came in late 2005, after years of making ends meet with his day job as a commission-based double-glazing salesman. It was, of course, a life-changing moment, coming on one of the biggest poker stages of all: the Monte Carlo Millions. But his real poker break had actually come three years earlier, when he was acting as a consultant on a part-time basis for Playtech (now known as iPoker). Goodwin had helped set up an affiliate deal with online operator USA Poker. In return, USA Poker was keen to get their man out onto the tournament circuit, wearing their colours – perhaps using a touch of that salesman magic to spread the word.

Goodwin recalls: ‘USA Poker came to me and said: “Do you want to be a poker player?” They wanted me to go out and play for them and asked if I knew anyone else who could play. Of course I did, but by that time, most of the best players had been snapped up. I told them that I wanted to do it, but I didn’t know how because I couldn’t afford to give up the day job.’

Despite the pressures of keeping his nine-to-five life, it was to prove an all too tempting opportunity for the Birmingham man. He took a chance, and his decision almost instantly paid off, as Goodwin finished runner-up in a 2005 heads-up circuit event in Barcelona. ‘I beat Carlos Mortensen in that event,’ he says, sensing my reaction to his victory over a man who won the WSOP main event in 2001 and who today remains the only player to have recorded a WPT and WSOP World Championship double. ‘I didn’t even know who he was. Then I went and played in the Monte Carlo Millions – and that changed everything.’

The event – remembered for the infamous bluff hand played between Phil Ivey and Paul Jackson – carried a first- place prize of $ 1 million. It would be loose change to eventual winner Ivey, but dream money to the likes of Goodwin. Hitting the final table alone carried a minimum cash of $ 100,000. In the event of getting that deep, Goodwin knew he would be facing a crossroads: stay and play or go back to the day job.

‘It wasn’t working out,’ Goodwin says, who admits to taking time off as holiday to play in Monte Carlo, only for his stay to overrun as he went deep in the $ 25k main event. ‘I had appointments booked, but then I had to ring up and cancel those because I kept on going in the tournament. Then I made the final table. I had my boss ringing up, shouting: “You were supposed to be back a couple of days ago! You’ve got appointments. Either leave and come back now, or you’re sacked.” I thought that was a bit severe. I had been with the company for 15 years. My boss told me it was my choice. It was a dilemma because if I stayed and came last, it was $ 100k. That’s not enough for long-term stability.’

Goodwin’s decision to stay has of course proved the right one. While he may not have threatened Ivey’s crown, or even made it to the heads-up battle, a third-place finish and a cash of $ 325,000 enabled him to justify his decision to the family. But even now, he maintains it was no easy decision for him.

‘I was being realistic,’ he says with a stern expression. ‘I do live in a bit of a dream world, but when you have a house, bills to pay and kids to feed, you have to think about every angle. I knew that $ 100,000 – basically £50,000 – was not going to go far. I may not win another poker tournament. How long would these guys [USA Poker] keep sponsoring me? I couldn’t afford to pay myself. No chance. Look at today’s climate of buy-ins! I wouldn’t pay $ 25k out my own pocket to play in a poker tournament. Never! So I was stuck, but yeah, it was the right decision.’

With 2005 drawing to its close, Goodwin was now a full-time poker player, with sponsorship. But better was still to come, and in late 2006, online giants MANSION came knocking for his services with a staggering offer to join their stable of pros. ‘I must have one of the best sponsorship deals out there,’ says Goodwin with something approaching a smirk. ‘They buy me in to all the tournaments and have fantastic resources behind them. But the whole thing goes beyond that; the time it really hits you that you are a professional poker player is on a Monday morning at 10am. I can do what I want. Go and play golf, spend time with the kids. That’s when you realise how fortunate you are.’

THE DRIFTER

Marc Goodwin was born in the leafy suburb of Selly Oak on the outskirts of Birmingham city centre in 1960. As a child, he excelled at the private grammar school his father paid for him to attend. A bright future was expected. But Goodwin admits to ‘drifting’ after leaving college. He ended up stacking shelves in a supermarket and painting railings to help pay the bills.

Like most of his peers, he confesses to being a ‘sick gambler’ from an early age – a point he is keen to reiterate throughout our meeting. ‘Everything has to be a gamble,’ he says. ‘Poker players need that fix. Someone once said that adrenaline is the champagne of all drugs. Well, the kind of champagne we get is from a gamble that hurts. You have to gamble beyond what you should do. The biggest winners are the biggest gamblers. And the biggest winners have all gone broke.’

It’s hard to argue with his point. Prop- betting tales fly relentlessly around the tournament circuit among the game’s big guns. Goodwin is no stranger to the scene: ‘Myself and Ram Vaswani were playing £50,000 a hole at golf once. I remember Roland [de Wolfe], Ram and I had an argument about the button and its value at Omaha and hold’em. We ended up playing $ 20,000 a game heads- up, just to prove a point.’

The most infamous of Goodwin’s bets concerns a game of golf he and Ram Vaswani played against Phil Ivey in Australia in early 2007. Ivey won a six-figure sum off Goodwin, but the game ended up in a dispute over Ivey’s handicap and caused a furore online. It was finally resolved (amicably Goodwin insists) by an arbitration of some fellow pros. Goodwin says the ruling was that although they were ‘hustled’ they should pay. But a year on he doesn’t look back on it with anger. Losing so big it hurts is one of the things that goes with being a big gambler.

Gambling has always been a part of Goodwin’s life, and his education came in one of the toughest environments in the country. While his early gambling fix came at school when he would dabble in horse betting, his introduction to poker arrived when he was 18, playing three- card brag in Birmingham’s notoriously gamble-heavy casino, The Rainbow. Goodwin would earn his stripes among such names as Dave Colclough, Dave Ulliott and Lucy Rokach. But despite showing early promise in a mixture of poker variants – most notably pot-limit Omaha – it was through his skills as a fearless blackjack player that Goodwin first found success. ‘I travelled the world playing blackjack,’ he recalls. ‘I earned good money from playing until I was barred from everywhere.’

Such was his form that, throughout his early twenties, Goodwin admits to having a cash bankroll of up to £250,000 as a result of his success at the blackjack tables. But his winnings meant very little to his parents, who struggled to come to terms with his lifestyle. Their concerns were not unfounded. Less than a year after one of his biggest runs in the game, Goodwin was broke.

‘I remember going to the golf course once and I didn’t have enough money for beans on toast,’ he says with a head scratch and a pause for breath. ‘I thought the money would last forever. I was unemployed, on the dole picking up £40 a week and I couldn’t see any way back. My parents were not gamblers. Understandably, they detested it.’

DRAWING THIN

It was around this time that Goodwin also became involved in the legendary cash games at the city’s notorious Barry’s Club. It was the early eighties. At the time, Barry’s was home to perhaps the biggest game in the country, frequented by gamblers who were not shy of breaking a man’s financial spirit. It was a period of Goodwin’s life where he would be forced to scratch around – a win here, a loss there. Out of the action for several weeks, he would somehow find a way back in. There were other dangers; gambling heavily on pool and blackjack – not to mention being held up at gunpoint. Such a lifestyle was not sustainable, especially when he married his wife Sandra and family life loomed.

Goodwin adds: ‘With no money, and I mean real money, there was no way back into the big game at Barry’s. You needed serious money to stay on top – about £20,000 to play there. I had kids on the way, so I got a job. It had to be done.’

For the next 15 years, Goodwin would work full-time until he was thrown his poker lifeline in 2002. He earned a healthy living from his day job. He had the company car and phone, although he claims to have always lived beyond his means. ‘We had credit cards building up and I was kind of trapped in that job. There’s no real way to turn when you’re in that position. I wanted to leave and do something better, but before I knew it, a large part of my life had gone.’

After Monte Carlo, Goodwin played consistently throughout 2006 but failed to net that one big win. His ambassadorial duties with MANSION meant he was never far away from the limelight. And although a dry run at the tables followed in 2007, his return to form in 2008 – where at the time of writing he has already bagged $ 272,364 in tournament winnings – has propelled him back into poker’s premier league.

MR NICE GUY

As a professional player, there is little doubt that Goodwin holds the right cards. He is respected as a person first and foremost and his charismatic yet genuine nature sits well in a world of cocky self-publicists. And although he carries something of a ‘Flash Harry’ persona, his appreciation of his former life has kept his attitude healthy. It’s something that undoubtedly encouraged MANSION to renew his monster contract at the start of this year.

‘MANSION feel comfortable with me,’ he says. ‘I’ve been in sales and worked with people for years. I understand the etiquette of it, what you can and cannot say. It’s probably because I’m older and have done a lot more than these young players. I enjoy doing the corporate thing. I don’t think it’s below me.’

Goodwin also offers a down-to-earth take on today’s game and the new breed of pros. ‘A lot of people get so far up their arses that they think it’s a lot more than a game of cards,’ he adds with a rare touch of menace. ‘But that’s all it is. At the end of the day I could make all the wrong decisions – mathematically incorrect, game-theory incorrect – but still beat you.

And while I’ve got that I’m always going to believe I can beat anyone. I could go to a pub league and some guy with A-4 will beat my Kings and go screaming around. It happens. Poker has always been the same.’

When it comes to offering advice to those aspiring to follow in his footsteps, Goodwin’s response is simple. In his own words, you need ‘the balls to go through with it’. ‘It’s not easy,’ he says, ‘but you have to have big balls. I had responsibility, bills to pay. But if you can do it, if you feel you have the game to do it, you just have to take that chance.’

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