Hitting a ‘Gutshot’ in London

Date: 2005.09.26 | Category: Hand Of The Week | By: Phil Hellmuth   

Before I get into it, you should know that, from here on in, all the words and phrases in this column surrounded by quotes are the — much beloved by me — local London lingo. For those of you who’ve already guessed it, “bloody right,” this piece is about a little UK poker!

While in London last weekend shooting three parts of a reality show (the “UltimatePoker.com Showdown” on Channel 5), I thought it would be a treat to make an appearance at a poker club, out of respect and “honour” for the United Kingdom’s poker scene and its players. So at 3 a.m. on Sunday night, after filming the reality show’s finale, I strolled into the Gutshot Club in London’s west end to say hello. By the way, a “gutshot” is an inside-straight draw, or more precisely, a one-card straight draw. (You may remember when your granddaddy told you, “Never draw to an inside-straight,” and wondered what he meant.)