In The Well: Q&A with Padraig Parkinson

nicnicnic wrote: »

I remember you refused a deal four handed in a 2006 wsop event, are you generally against deal making on final tables or was it just the specifics of this one.

Could you tell us a little about the time you moved to Paris, what the games were like, your rational for moving.

Do you think anyone from outside Waterford will ever win the poker for the homeless event over the next decade.

Why didn't you swap 5% with Jeff Shulman instead of the 1% in this years main event.

tks for doing this Padraig, you've always been an inspiration for me and tks for all the good advice over the last few years.

Hi Nicky,

I'm all in favour of deals as long as it makes sense. In that particular instance, I had a writing and shirt deal with 888 strictly for the WSOP. They were huge implied odds if I won a bracelet in terms of sponsorship (Not as big as I thought. How was I supposed to know that Amaricans were going to forget that America was supposed to be the land of the free.) I thought I had the best of it when we were down to 4 but even then I'd have done a deal when the other 3 asked because there was so much money involved but I thought this would lessen my chances of winning the bracelet. It worked out the opposite because they got so pissed off with me, the ****ers started playing back at me and I ended up third with 100.000 less than I'd been offered. Mike Sexton had half the action but after I'd won 5 pots in a row earlier on I looked over and saw he was asleep. He the woke up and went for dinner and told me he didn't care what I did. I took him at his word.

I went to Paris in 1996 to play a poker tournament, I got lucky and broke my leg the 1st night I was there in an unspecified accident which forced me to concentrate on the tournament. I won so I decided to stay and to be honest, Dublin at the time was dog eat dog. There wasn't a lot of money around and the game would have died if it wasn't for the Chinese. Come to think of it, after some of the Chinese lads had a few losing nights, a lot of people might have ended up eating dogs!
They were only a couple of games every day in the Aviation Club (they were nearly all dealer's choice) but they were cracking games, it was a different world from Dublin, kind of a victimless crime.

I'd like to see somebody from outside Waterford winning the Homeless event but if you guys keep supporting us in such numbers it's probably very unlikely. Our best chance might be to hold one in Waterford because you guys play way better on the road.

I had a few drinks at our wedding, I meant to have 5% of Jeff Shulmann and 1% of Jeff Duval. You of all people should understand.

cuterob wrote: »

has your income solely been from poker and things related to poker e.g commentating etc since you turned professional?

when did you did start playing professionally?

thanks your a good ambassador for irish pokerz

Yep. I haven't had the balls to sign on the dole.

I quit work in 1988 but really only worked out in about 1992 that there was a difference between playing poker for the craic and playing for a living. I'm a slow learner.

Thanks for the compliment.

Irish Iron wrote: »

- whos the best co commentator you've been alongside, apart from rory liffey at the ipo of course?

- if you could of went another route, would you? (i.e never play a hand of poker)

I'm trying to forget about Liffey in the IPO but I just can't. Jesse for sure, he's such a marvelous pro at the job it means you can just get on with having the craic and let him worry about everything else. He can be quite serious when he's commentating with other people but for some strange reason seams happy to let me drag him down to my level. He's closet Irish.

If I'd known how dangerous this route was, I mightn't have bothered but making good decisions about serious things has never been my strong suit.

sickpuppy wrote: »

Hi Padraig hope your well.
1.If poker ended tommorow how would you earn a crust ?have you other skills or qualifications which would enable you to make agood living.

2.How many years have you been living off poker?

3.What was your best moment in poker?:) and also your worst.:(

4.As youve gotten wiser have you cut down on the boozing heard marriage does that too men too.
Thanks in advance.

Hiya,

1. I wish you hadn't asked me this because I haven't a clue what I'd do. I've accidentally learnt a little bit about writing, TV and radio so I suppose I might be able to get a job there somewhere, though I doubt if I'd be paid very much.

2. About 20.

3. Best was definitely getting to the main event final table and worst was probably when Furlong called me and I didn't have very much.

4. The boozing thing is a bit of a myth really. I don't drink at all from January till I get knocked out of the world series. Admitedly, I drink my fair share after that but I regard going to play in Ireland as a bit of a holiday so quite understandably people assume I'm at it all the time!

Brilliant read so far, class act!
What is your most favoured format of poker for both Cash and Tournament?

YULETIRED wrote: »

Feel free to ignore any of the below questions

Who would win in a fight between the following and why?
John McEoroe V Phil Hellmuth
Nicky Power V Schoolgirl
yourself V Jessie mullet May
Phil Ivey V Tiger Woods
Ryan Turbidy V Jonathan Ross

How does it feel to have a disease named after you?

I see you are married to a French lady, you do realise French wimmin expect their men to take a Lover? who would you pick?

WSOP ME winners, rate them in order of ability 1-5 (I go 3, 2, 5,1,4 )
1 Jamie Gold
2 Aussie Aussie Aussie Ahole Joe Hachem
3 Raymer
4 Moneymaker
5 Yang

What is a typical Christmas for you ?

the Offaly accent has recently been voted the worst in Ireland (lol biffos) what is the worst accent you've heard?.

Do you have a ticket for the Nolans reunion gig ?
Is Harrington a bottler (take yer pick from the cousins)?
The devilfishes young burd , what's the attraction? Do you think a looker like him should be going for a more Helen Mirreny type of burd ?


Happy Halloween , may Doyle Brunson appear to you at midnight.

I'll give them a spin.
McEnroe for me. Phil doesn't know how to protect his balls and McEnros is from New York.
More information needed. What class is the schoolgirl in?
It wouldn't happen, we're both cowards.
I'd follow the betting market on this one.
Don't care as long as at least one of them gets hurts.

There's no such thing as a bad publicity (Ultimate bet and Absolute poker are of the honorable exceptions to this rule).

Not this one.

Raymer, different class.
Hachem, I hate to put him in at number 2 but I don't really have any choice.
Gold and Moneymaker equal third. I found Jamie to be quite a nice guy in person, Chris too, though that wasn't a surprise.
Yang, Oh my God!

I'm skipping the Christmas bit.

Persian English.

Didn't know it was on.

No, no and yes. Take a pick yourself!

Not sure about the attraction. I like the Helen Mirreny suggestion, especially if she'd dead.

j10spades wrote: »

if you were incharge of marketing and promoting poker all over the world so that more people would participate, what would you do? (change the rules lol?)

who is the funniest character you have sat beside at a table?

if you had a choice to play for Ireland or Man Utd for 1 match who would it be?

do you have a idol?

your favourite moment from Late Night Poker?

Hire an assistant with a lot of good ideas and **** off to the poker room. Everybody else seems to.

Alan Betson for sure. He was playing in Binon's one morning after he'd been playing and having a few beers all night. One particularly obnoxious American was winning and the more he won, the more he talked. Alan was losing so he managed to keep his mouth shut, which was a surprise in itself. He finally cracked when the Yank pointed at a pack of Major that Alan was smoking and asked where he got them. Alan politely replied that they were made in Ireland. The Yank said he didn't know the Irish made anything. "We made enough ****ing Americans, didn't we?"

Manchester United of course, they are allowed to cross the half-way line.

All my idols died.

The French guy (Robert Cohen) speach-playing Helmuth heads-up was quite tasty, especially when Phil said that he didn't mean to say all-in. What did he think the mics were for?

mocata wrote: »

What has been your best (and worst) alcohol- induced moment?

Unfortunately can't remember the best and fortunately can't remember the worst.

Hi Padraig,
really good read!
yer some man for one man & id say you take a fair swipe at two

Padraig06 wrote: »

Scholes of course
Bergkamp couldnt tackle

In fairness what Scholes'ee does isnt tacking, its some form of underground marshal art

Padraig06 wrote: »

I should be playing way more MTT's but just haven't got the time. It's definitely something we should all be doing.

Could you expand on this? Please.

the general consensus seems (at least until recently) to be MTT's are a waste of time and online cash/sng's are better.

I take it this is why we should all be playing more MTT's? (go against what the "smart lads" say/do)

get bored with the online sng's and cash myself

Padraig06 wrote: »

even the Brazilians play two central defenders.

Im stealing this, class!:D

Q,
Do Irish men ever really get their heads around Bank Roll management?
Ive tried, i get bored and i fail

Any tips or is it just a case of coping the fcuk on?

Cheers ears!

Hi Padraig,

The best and worst well known pro you've ever played cash and tournament?

Who do you most respect in the irish poker circuit and why?

I remember reading a story Mike Sexton wrote about being broke in Paris and i think you helped him out he said. How did youse two become friends and now that he is flying does he see you right?;)

Thanks for doing this Padraig i remember watchin the old LNP and thinking you were the man way your shades:D:D

cuterob wrote: »

can you rate in your opinion overall poker skill 1-6 out of Ivey, Negreanu, Hellmuth, Scotty Nguyen, Erik Seidel and Allen Cunningham

joe hachem really is an a$$hole isn't he?

and is Ivey really the best?

thanks again

(i'm presuming you've played with all of the above, if not you can ignore that person on the list)

Iveys about an 8 on a 1_6 scale an allrounders allrounder
I never played with Chip (thank god) but Iveys certainly the best Ive ever played
Id give Erik a 6 he can play just about anything
Daniel and Alan 5 Daniel reads it all so well and Alan is such a cool customer he will prob finish up with more bracelets than anyone
4 for phil and Scotty Id give them more if they could play cash! If it was NLH tournaments only Phil would be a 6 for sure

dont know hachem really.Andy says hes fine but he does come accross as a bit of a moaner on the telly.my telly anyway

slavetothegrind wrote: »

Really enjoyed reading this and all your commentary.

Best of luck in the future and try not to encourage that clown who presents the irish late night poker series, maybe he's a nice gent but feckit he's annoying on the tele!

Have you got a book in you?

If you have and promise to write it i'll pay you now for my copy!!!:D

Thanks a lot
DP is ok really.Hes just doing what the RTE people want.maybe they like annoying people

the book is a work in progress.Ill put you down for a frreebie

Goodluck2me wrote: »

What's my first event going to be so? Looking forward to working with you.

sry goodluck2me u missed read this . he first stated TALENT which u missed when reading this .
NOW u are a CHARACTER WITH A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOUR AND U DO HAVE BIG BALLS FOR PUTTING YOURSELF UP FOR THIS BUT SRY NO TALENT DOES NOT HELP U :D:D:D

doke wrote: »

Great read Padraig.

As the only other Irish poker player I know of that's married to a French bint, do you find being screamed at in French for not hanging your clothes up "properly" as curiously arousing as I do?

One of my regrets is not starting playing earlier. I know some of the pros who have been around regret not making more hay while the sun shone (when games were very soft on the internet)? Do you regret not having played/made more back in the day?

Would you want your kids playing poker?

Which young Irish internet player do you think is most likely to win a bracelet?

It seems like I was living in Paris when you got there. I'd quite happily have stayed, but, my better half managed to piss off most of the city's population by repeating that she couldn't wait to get "home" to Ireland and that being French really wasn't the big jackpot prize most of them seemed to think. When in Paris, are you ever suddenly overwhelmed by the desire to shriek "Being French is not all it's cracked up to be, you arrogant pouffiasse"?

Is it true that you can see the Eiffel tower from every window in Paris, and that all the French ever do is talk about philosophy as the movies would have us believe?

Brilliant
I hang my clothes on the floor but youve certainly left me with a lot of food for thought
To be honest I was playing in the US when the easy money was flying around.Maybe I should have taken a year off but I thought the mug money would be around forever.What a ****ing eejit

No way

Id guess John OShea He plays omaha and omaha hilo which have shortish fields.If they follow through on their promise to make tabledancing a bracelet event just lump on at any price you can get

noones perfect.Ive spent 13 years here not bothering to learn French just to piss them off so I cant really comment on those pricks