Dave Colclough is one of the most familiar and successful European faces on the global poker circuit. At the tail end of April, I had the pleasure of chatting to the thinking woman’s favourite blonde… this is how it went.

David Lloyd: Hi Dave, how are you and where are you?

Dave Colclough: Just got back from Barcelona.

DL: I'm buying, what's yours?

DC: A green tea please. I don't drink nowadays….much

DL: Winning £70,000 in the Main Event at Walsall in February wasn't a bad start to the year…How's the rest of the year been so far?

DC: Not too bad either

DL: Are you playing much in the side games these days or is it a case of concentrating on the tournaments?

DC: There's a wicked private 6 card Omaha game far up north. I love to play that, but can't be bothered with the average casino 8 hands an hour now that the internet has arrived.

DL: That's not anywhere near Bob the Builder by any chance?

DC: Believe it or not, the game is too BIG and too wild for Bob the Builder. He has come over and watched a few times but didn't dare join in. Too much gambling going on for him..

DL: I was talking to Scott Gray earlier in the year about the decisions you make when merging being a poker player with being a dad, how are you coping.

DC: My daughter Sian (a welsh name) is 7 on June 4th. We do her homework and get to the cinema once a week or so, but the constant travelling means I have a huge phone bill.

DL: I can imagine. Obviously, it has an effect on the events you pick and choose to play in. Are you focussing more on the higher buy-in events rather than playing through the whole festivals?

DC: Yes

DL: Last time I saw you, it was during the festival at Gutshot. It's a great place. Did you enjoy the experience?

DC: I love the Gutshot and would love to open my own private club one day.

DL: I always thought it was a shame that the Elite Club closed down (A Birmingham card-room that ran on similar principles to Gutshot)…maybe it was just a few years before it's time?

DC: Yes that's true it was before its time but there were also a few serious management errors. The principal one being that the owners kept lending the punters money…and surprise, surprise the customers would be afraid to come back to the club. Birmingham would be a great place to open a California card 'barn style' club…maybe calling it the Blonde Poker Club ?

DL: The market is huge but I haven't seen any real sign from the UK Casino's that they might be grabbing the whole thing by the horns. How's your website www.blondepoker.com coming along? You've got a lot of good stuff on there…I've looked in a few times…it must be very popular…how many hits are you getting in a month?

DC: Blondeoker.com is now over 1000 unique visits a day but I am still disappointed in its progress. I am currently looking for a whizzo web designer to take the site forward. We also intend to open our own poker skin on the site in the near future.

DL: I'm assuming you're partners with fellow player and writer, Tony Kendall in all this…how did it all come about?

DC: Well I had intended to open a site for a while. I think he is a great guy and loved by everyone in the poker community, so just asked him to get involved.

DL: It's pretty obvious that the world will be worshipping at the temple of No Limit Hold'em for the foreseeable future…Was it you that famously christened it 'Two Card Chicken?'

DC: Nope I think it was Padraig or one of the many Irish wags, but I have often used the term, because it is a perfect description in many ways.

DL: At a guess, I'd have you down as an Omaha player by choice…are you playing in the $10,000 PLO event at the Word Series and what do you make of the $5,000 PLO rebuy tournament?

DC: I believe that you get good Omaha players and good Tournament players, but there appears to be few good Omaha Tournament players. The $10,000 PLO is the only event in the WSOP I will consider myself one of the favourites.
 
However, I believe the WSOP $5,000 PLO re-buy event last year was one of the most unfair events I have ever participated in. All tournaments should be freeze-outs in the interest of it being a fair contest.

DL: Personally, I agree with what you say there but it's amazing how many players would turn round and argue that if others are prepared to multi re-buy, then it just adds to the value. There are tons of re-buy events around the world, could you explain why you felt that this one in particular, was one of the most unfair events I have ever participated in?

I suppose it's predominantly due to the size of the event. However US re-buy events have slightly different rules to re-buy events in the UK. You can immediately 'top up'. So about 25% immediately did this. The same 25% took the 'add-on' at the end of the re-buy period as well. In affect they are starting with 3 times as many chips as 50% of the field could afford to start with.  Many of these players are more than willing to put 10,000 chips in during the re-buy period knowing they have the worst hand, but trying to get lucky so they can double up. I don't blame them. If they have the money, this is the correct strategy. However, if you are only prepared to put $5,000 or $10,000 into this event, then the correct strategy is not to play it. The result is that PLO events are dying off while NLH fields are going through the roof.

DL: I hear you had a great record in the one table satellites in the Horseshoe last year…care to expand with some detail? Don't be modest…

DC: Nope not true. I prefer the multi table super satellites. I won 4 seats worth $40,000 last year, 4 the year before, and 3 the year before that.

DL: I'm running a book on the numbers at the Main Event of the WSOP (You may have heard about it on Newsnight)…$10 to the winner…what's your estimate? Here's what you're up against…

John Duthie 2000
Simon Trumper 3600
Lucy Rocach 4010
Daniel Negreanu 5378
Marcel Luske 6000
Devilfish 7000
Scott Gray Too Many!

DC: El Blondie 6600

DL: LOL…Unfortunately, I might have to close the book since Harrah's announced a 6600 cap the other day…Nice try though Dave! Where do you normally stay in Las Vegas when you're over there?

Ok I'll take 8800 then. (inside information). I like to stay at the Golden Nugget and hire a car. I like the feel of downtown.

DL: Amongst a great number of weak players, there are also a lot of very good players coming into the card rooms off the internet. They're playing very differently to what we'd all become accustomed to in the past. What is the biggest difference in their playing style and what would you think caused it to prevail online?

DC: You can't class players as 'Internet' players. Some are loose. Some are wild, but some are tight and cautious as well. The real reason poker has changed in recent years is that the TV coverage has brought more players with more money into the game. But the real bonus is that it is that the average one table TV event educates the new players to play dreadfully. God bless TV editing.

DL: Do you play much poker online and if so where? What's your user name and are you winning?

DC: I play on all sites as 'ElBlondie' so I am not difficult to spot. My favourite (and most profitable site) is www.universitypokerleague.com

DL: Back to the bricks & mortar, do you have a favourite card room?

DC: Hhhmmm probably Holland Casino, Amsterdam

DL: Dealers Choice, your button, what are we playing?

DC: 6 Card Omaha High Only. I love it, but get very few opportunities to play it L

DL: Many moons ago, I was dealt AAKKQJ treble suited (kid you not) and flopped top set (AAA) with the nut flush draw (my KQ). I ended up winning the pot by default when the guy who'd flopped trip 8's, folded to heavy action on the turn, only to see the case 8 come on the river….It's mad game…four cards usually do me fine ;-) If you're ever up in Newcastle I know three Chinamen who'll go all the way up to Eleven card Omaha…if you fancy it ;-)

DC: Lol. Don't be silly. 6 is fine.

DL: There's that very well known slow boat to China sailing off into the unset with some of the liveliest side games known to mankind…You're already onboard…who from the poker community do you want with you for company?

DC: Anyone who will play a big 6 card Omaha game

DL: During the journey, the boat passes a desert island…you have a telescope at hand and spot a stranded Phil Hellmuth on the beach, frantically waving for help with a wad of cash…do you alert the Captain?

DC: Most definitely. We wouldn't want him to accidentally stop.

DL: LOL…During the onboard karaoke night…you have to sing or forfeit $10,000…what's your big number?

DC: Seasons in the Sun by Brian Jacks

DL: Ah yes…a classic grunge number ;-) Still on music, what was the last CD you bought and if you had to pick three all time favourite tracks…what would they be?

The last CD was the Rocky Horror picture show (but don't get the wrong impression)
1. Trash, Saturday Night or most of the Suede 'Coming Up' album
2. When I was 16 I used to know all the words to just about every Clash, Jam or Sex Pistols song. Down In the Tube Station at Midnight brings back good memories.
3. White Lines, Don't Do It… Grandmaster Flash

DL: There's an unspoken thing with the Pistols and the Clash…it's like having a secret handshake to accompany you through life…people either get it or they don't. Nice to discover you're one of us ;-)

DC: You must be between 41 and 44 as well then. It's definitely a specific age thing.

DL: I used to go to those gigs in a pram Dave…I don't know what you're talking about ;-) On a slightly different tack…three unforgettable movies?

1. The Good The Bad and The Ugly of course
2. Pulp Fiction and most Tarrantino films
3. Walkabout and most Nicolaus Roeg films

DL: A favourite line from a movie or TV?
'I don't send solicitors letters, I like to apply a little pressure' – Michael Caine
Denis Hopper's monologue before he gets shot is pretty funny – True Romance

DL: The scene with Christopher Walken from 'True Romance.' Nicely spotted, for me its one of the best scenes ever written and acted…and it's funny;-)

DL: I was crying.

DL: Talking of which…who or what makes you laugh?

The way Tony Kendall plays poker

DL: Outside the cardroom, do you ever gamble or dabble in sports betting?

DC: Nope…Although, I think I was laying 6-4 that I would have a daughter, as there are very few females on my side of the family. I was very happy to lose tough.

DL: Finally, in one sentence, or just three words, what's the best advice you could give to someone just starting out in poker?

DC: Patience Patience Patience

DL: Thanks Dave, good luck with everything you do in 2005!

DC: Thanks and good luck to you