The Vic

Poker is at times plagued by a shady reputation. With every portrayal on TV of a seedy card room, you’ll find some old-timer ready to spill the beans on how there was always a ‘criminal element’ surrounding the game ‘back in the day’.

Indeed, after hearing such tales from the hard-nosed regulars at London’s Grosvenor Victoria Casino, you’d think its famous card room was some kind of underworld dystopia. But in reality, ‘The Vic’ creates an ambience that breeds nothing but mutual respect.

The Vic has recently undergone major refurbishments, transforming the card room into a modern gambling haven. It’s moved from its original location on the first floor and now takes up residence on the whole of the second floor. ‘I was expecting an antique-looking card room,’ says Daniel Negreanu. ‘But it’s very modern, very organised. It wouldn’t look out of place in the US.’

Despite the £1.5m facelift the venue has maintained many of its old values, and continues to be a magnet for the city’s most ferocious gamblers. ‘To look at some of the guys in here, you wouldn’t think much of them,’ says long- time member Neil Channing. ‘But you’ll come across some great poker talent.’

To those who ply their trade in the capital’s gambling mecca, The Vic is London’s home of cash- game poker. The recent rise of the GUKPT and the ongoing reputation of the London EPT make

The Vic a popular haunt for tourney regulars, but its association with perhaps the purest form of poker is easily identified as you walk through the entrance. Self-dealt cash games are played with a passing ease, while high-stakes regulars trade comical insults from table to table.

Players come and go as they please; a phone call to the card- room manager will keep a seat open. And if you have the money to sit down, your money is good enough.

VISITORS WELCOME

Over the years, The Vic has served as a stop-off point for high-rollers from across the world. After winning the World Series main event in 1995, Dan Harrington arrived in town with legendary cash player Freddy Deeb. During his stay, Harrington walked off with the £1,500 no-limit title at The Vic’s Festival of Poker.

But over the long term, the greatest assets to The Vic’s Hall of Fame remain the venue’s regulars. These players are not household names. They don’t command exposure. But to those who know them, they always command respect.

Irishman Declan Devereux is one name that stands out. Channing also recalls Late Night Poker IV winner Hemish Shah, and Ramin Sai – both of whom have since passed away – as two of the greatest. ‘Hemish was a brilliant player. Ramin Sai searched out the best games. If he didn’t want you playing at his table, he would throw insults at you so you would leave.’

But of all those mentioned, the name of ageing shark Fred Carle is repeated the most. ‘Nobody will have heard of him outside The Vic,’ says UK hotshot Karl Mahrenholz. ‘He is very softly spoken. But he is absolutely fearless.’

Channing is able to divulge more: ‘He’s probably the best. A lot of people don’t know Freddy. These kids see him and they think they can take the piss because he is an old man. But he’s ruthless. Freddy Carle doesn’t give a fuck.’

SPORTING MOMENTS

According to local theory, The Vic’s affinity with poker began in the early 1960s. In the early years a mixture of games was played, but by the early-to- mid 1980s, players had settled on their game of choice.

‘Seven-card stud was very popular then,’ says Channing, who first entered The Vic 18 years ago on the promise of a free meal and a £10 rebuy tournament with his good friend Keith ‘The Camel’ Hawkins. ‘When I first arrived [in 1990] the minimum buy-in for cash games was £50. The games were self-dealt and to be honest, it was all a bit intimidating.’

As the 1990s rolled on, Omaha took over when an influx of relocating Arabs took The Vic by storm. ‘The Arabs wanted to play Omaha,’ says Channing. ‘They would walk in and slap ten grand down. You’d see huge pots all the time.’

It’s little wonder tournament poker was forced to take a back seat. ‘I could never understand how people could afford to play tournaments,’ remarks Channing. ‘The buy-ins were huge even back then and they didn’t have satellites. Why waste your time?’

A HEADY MIX

Today, hold’em has naturally taken over. From the 25 tables on offer, you’ll find a mixture of buy-ins and table fees. As well as a few self-dealt tables at various stakes, there are regularly up to five dealer-dealt £25 no-limit hold’em tables (£1/£2 blinds), a couple of £100 no-limit tables (£1/£3), a £250 no-limit table (£5/£10) and £250 pot-limit table (£5/£5).

The biggest game is the £500 no-limit hold’em with blinds at £10/£20 (£20 hourly charge), which offers players the chance to win or lose anything up to £10k on any given night and is a game Channing helped get started. ‘It runs from about 4pm to around 5am. A few years ago there just wasn’t the demand for it. But now I’ll get calls from players and I’ll lock them down a seat.’

Strangely, despite the casino’s reputation as a leading poker venue, Channing says the management still adopt a funny attitude towards the game: ‘They see poker players as being a bit dishevelled. But the cash games make good money for them.’

As for the future, the big games will only be maintained if the numbers walk through the door. But will they keep coming? ‘The best thing about this place is that it is safe and secure,’ says Devereux. ‘That’s why people like it. That’s why people keep coming back.’