Travel Report: EPT11 Grand Final, Day 2 -- Racing Around

Another quick post today after another long night at the PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino European Poker Tour Grand Final festival.

Was a monster second Day 1 flight for the France Poker Series Monaco Main Event, with 728 coming out to make a total field of 993 -- way over last year’s 837. The €100K Super High Roller had over 50 entries as well, making it a big one, too, with all of the usual big names taking part. (See the PokerStars blog for details.)

Amid my racing around covering the FPS Monaco event, I took a pit stop and did a different kind of racing in a faux Formula 1 car they have set up out in the lobby for passersby to try out. You crawl into that sucker in order to operate the gas and brake pedals and steer your way through a computer-simulated version of the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix.

I did three laps. My time was poor for the first one when I cautiously negotiated the length of the course without ever really revving up my engine significantly. Then my times for the next two laps were even worse as I tried to go faster but kept crashing into walls all over Monte Carlo.

I mentioned my poor sense of direction last post. A couple of times after wrecking and having to back my way out of the imbroglio I’d caused, I even found it challenging to figure out which way I was then supposed to go. Luckily I don’t think the program allowed you to backtrack on the course, or I may still be trying.

I am glad to report, however, that I have now more or less memorized the walk from my hotel to the tournament venue, as I took that half-hour long promenade yesterday morning. Will probably continue to do that each day, weather permitting, as the walk there is downhill and much easier, not to mention it will be dark for the trips back (although everything is lighted well and pedestrian-friendly, even at night).

As I say, drive over to the PokerStars blog today for more.