Cast your minds all the way back to 1999. Poker was not mainstream then, online Poker had barely been invented, and live Poker was a low profile humdrum affair, with something of a seedy image. Then something changed, and was the kindling that smouldered and eventually started the Poker fires burning here in the UK - a TV programme called Late Night Poker.It was all new to most of us, but so captivating was this show that soon we could not wait for Friday nights, and wed record it on our VHS recorders. VHS recorders, good grief, what happened to them? The players we watched every week were all new to us, we had never heard of them, but there was something magnetic about their personalities, and we all had our favourites, those we cheered for, those we wanted to win.The extraordinary thing was how many of the featured players went on to fame and fortune one way or another. Im not sure any TV Poker show, ever, was the catalyst for such a diverse array of talent to come together. I could write a book about the contestants if time and space permitted, and I might just do that one day, but for now, heres a taster of some of those who took part.Victoria CorenWe did not know of Vicky then, such that she was introduced as the daughter of the literary genius Alan Coren. Soon, however, she was a star in her own right, not just in Poker, but in other spheres, too. She was the first female to win an EPT (European Poker Tour) event, and the first player to win two EPTs. Her book For Richer, For Poorer, A Love Affair With Poker became a best seller. As a TV presenter, she fronts Only Connect, and she appeared both as a guest and presenter on Have I Got News for You. In 2012, she married comedian David Mitchell, and in 2015 they had a daughter.Sir Clive SinclairAn eccentric genius, if ever there was one. Pioneered pocket calculators in 1972, then home computers with the Spectrum ZX80, which were both roaring successes. He followed that with that funny little electric car, the Sinclair C5, which proved to be a complete dud. Not the greatest Poker player ever, but quite the character. Dave Ulliott, aka DevilfishArguably, Great Britains finest ever tournament player, and unarguably, its most lively personality. He had already won a WSOP (World Series of Poker) bracelet, later took a World Poker Tour title, and, unusually at the highest levels of poker, was equally at home both in Tournament Poker and cash games. Dave was at the Sky Poker United Kingdom Poker Championships in February 2015, and looked a right as rain. A few weeks later he was diagnosed with cancer, and died in April. A terrible loss to Poker.Pascal PerraultThis rotund and jovial Parisian was at the top of his game at the time. He was a pharmacist by profession, hence his somewhat chilling nickname Poison. He was later to marry a Poker player by the name of Lise Vigezzi, who became known on Late Night Poker as Pink Lady after her fetching pink hats and outfits. They now live in Brazil and have a daughter with the quite splendid name of Vegas.Peter The Bandit EvansPeter was scary. Described as a scrap metal dealer, usually a euphemism for dodgy dealings, in reality he was exactly that - a scrap metal dealer, but there was certainly something sinister and dark about his persona. In fact, in real life, hes a big cuddly teddy bear. He eventually settled down and married Lisa, a professional sports bettor, and they now have the most beautiful 5 year old twin girls you ever saw. Whod have thought? Dave El Blondie ColcloughDave was an IT Consultant by trade, ruled the roost in UK Tournament Poker around 2005, and was a particularly skilled exponent of Omaha cash games, especially the 6-card version. At the time he lived in a swanky apartment in Birmingham, above a Gentlemans Club of all things. He moved to the Philippines in around 2008, where he continues to play Poker, and with some success.Pete CostaPete was, without a doubt, the best Tournament player in the world, bar none, in the period 2001 - 2003. Formerly a resident of Leicester, UK, he moved to Vegas a while back, married a Poker dealer, and still plays the Vegas Poker circuit. His brother, Kim, was, if not the best cash game player I ever played against, was certainly the nicest man I ever shared a Poker table with. Tragically, Kim died suddenly a few years ago. Pete and Kims niece, Maria Demetriou, carried on the family tradition, and made the final table of a later reincarnation of Late Night Poker.Hemish ShahHemish had already appeared on Late Night Poker when he won a WSOP bracelet in 2001. During that event, he became unwell with stomach cramps. After securing victory, the bracelet, and $300,000, he flew home to England for treatment, only to die within days from a cardiac arrest. He was just 33, and had never smoked or drank alcohol in his life. His funeral coincided with the final of Late Night Poker series 5, and the players all decided to attend his funeral rather than play.Howard Plant Howard is the most gregarious and loudly dressed Poker player ever. Based in Blackpool, he is a millionaire, and owns a dozen or more car parks in Blackpool. He can often be seen pushing a wheelbarrow round the car parks, full of pound coins from his Pay and Display machines. His trademark saying is My name is Howard Plant and I dont lend people money. He does though, underneath that gruff exterior lies a heart of gold.Crikey, Ive barely started, and Im up to my Editors 1,000 word limit, so I guess Id better leave it at that for now. Maybe I ought to write that book, after all. 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Darius Boyd has hailed Brisbane centre Tom Opacics defensive impact and says the rookies stunning breakout NRL season has taken him by surprise.Opacic, 21, is coming off arguably the best game of his seven-match career, in which he scored two tries in the Broncos 26-16 win over Melbourne.But it was more his work in defence - and in his victorious one-on-one battle with Maroons and Kangaroos star Will Chambers - that caught the eye of Boyd and his teammates.I didnt know a lot about Tommy when he first came into the team, Boyd said.I played a bit with him in the Nines over in New Zealand at the start of the year and he did a good job there.Hes really calm for his age and I think his defence speaks for itself, some of the ddecisions hes made there next to Milf (Anthony Milford) and Oatesy (Corey Oates).ddddddddddddI notice it at training myself. Hes really good at reading (the opposition).There were a couple of times on the weekend he came in when he really needed to and solved it for us. As a young kid, its all you can ask for.Opacics form has caught the attention of rival clubs, but the Broncos have extended his contract at Red Hill to keep him until at least the end of 2017.Brisbane face the Sydney Roosters on Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium, and need a win to keep their chances of a top-four finish alive. ' ' '
