VIP Featured Player

Tim Falla 'boomer797'

We met up with Tim in Killarney and he was more than happy to give us an insight into his poker life. Tim is a busy man, with being a full time fire fighter and recently marrying his new wife Ruth, Congratulations again from us all at Ladbrokes. So for him still qualify as a loyal Ladbrokes poker VIP, it must take some great time management and true dedication. Read on to find out who Tim would love go Heads up with and how he got on in Killarney.

Previous Featured VIPs - Alex Bowler 'Alexdb'

If you asked my wife she would say I do it badly. Poker is my hobby so I can play after my chores which I try to have few of, I am still working on continuous personal development and I am doing a degree, so poker has to take a back seat for that as well. When others would go and watch the telly I play poker.

I am afraid bankroll management is not really one of my worries, If I played golf then fees and trips could cost me £3000 a year nobody would consider it wrong to spend money on that hobby but because I play poker it is a crime not to be in profit. I have been “lucky” and won some of the larger tournaments so I am in profit but if I blow my bankroll online I put some more on. I do blow it as I am always trying new things or new levels or to satellite into things like cruises lol. Actually Laddies costed the 2008 cruise satellites for me and I had spent $800 so it was still great value. I will try to get 2011 cheaper though.

Worse things happen at sea they say and as a Fire fighter I see enough to not worry if things don’t always work out with a few cards. The thing is I haven’t risked my life my house etc. just my play money so I can take it on the chin. I was once asked by spinynorman if I could give cbass anger management classes after I had taken a particularly bad beat and came out with a smile, that felt like a win for me.

I have been playing on Laddies since 2005 and have met great people all the way, for me they are the people I want to go places with and after having to miss the WSOP this year for some wedding, oh yes mine, I will be trying to win in with them next year.

I am a Marine Incident Response Officer so I have been lucky enough to play in helicopters for many years and my wife has always been jealous, she has watched out of the window of her work offices while I have flown by and she always wanted to try it. When we went to Vegas we did the helicopter trip into the Grand Canyon and that was fine but it only whetted her appetite, so when Laddies gave me the chance to fly a helicopter and take her along I had to take it. The main surprise was she got to sit in the back during my lesson she hadn’t expected that. Great fun!

This is the great yes and no, there are obvious traits from different countries but the walls are down and everyone learns from each other so it helps to have ideas but like your aces don’t get married to them.

Obviously don’t worry about fashion, mainly be careful who you bluff. People fold live, as they don’t want to look foolish but online they call as they don’t want to be bluffed so be wary.

Unfortunately Guernsey has no live casinos so I have magazines on order I can’t nick theirs. I also read some of the web sites especially the blogs, you can learn how top players have bad runs and what they do about it, most of them were Laddies players before they got deals. I also watch poker tube.

I am loose aggressive sometimes too much of both.

My main advantage of doing it for fun is that I can try new things as a winning bottom line is not always the goal. I try every new game and work to master it I enjoy them all, you will find me playing the Omaha Hi/Lo with the Kracked Kings members.

Obviously they are different, no nose scratching etc. but there are tells, time taken and also size of bet. Because there are no other distractions they are easier to spot. My favourite is the waiting to the end of time to pretend there is a difficult decision when in fact they are playing a monster and they do the same every time thanks ;o)

Any of them would be great from a learning point of view but for fun Mad Marty Wilson who I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon with in a bar on St. Martins on the 2006 cruise, Great stories. Daniel Negreanu next as he is a great ambassador for the game and is such a gentleman. Lastly I think Tom Durrr Dwan as I would love to have a chance to work out even a small percentage of him, amazing player.

I used to be heavily into my sports playing Rugby, Cricket and Water Polo but it was when I had lost all my cartilage in my knee joints I had to stop and then found poker. I still watch them all. If I am not playing poker I will be reading, either about poker, any fantasy fairies ,hobbits and orcs or something to study for work. I enjoy good food, wine and travel, Vegas is great.

Enjoy it have fun and for that you must only risk what you can afford.

Yes it was great. I took my new wife this time as I had attended last year and had such fun. As she was there it meant I actually went out of the hotel and saw some of the National Park. Beautiful. I was lucky enough to cash last year but only made it through to day two this year still it was great fun and a good set up. I will try again next year.

I met quite a few that I had met on other events but as we don’t wear badges I don’t know who are or not. I do know those I meet on the tables regularly and I got to talk to lots of them, both new and old friends.

Sadly no, with no casino on the island I have to pay to fly to everything as well as the hotels. That is why I play the satellites to win into any events planed. Doing it that way also means when I get there I will always know someone else who has won in. If you see me at any do say hallo I am there to be sociable as well as poker GL all.