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Call Sign July 2011
There may be just one Lady Gaga, but DaC
DaC driver wins £50,000
now has its own Poker Face courtesy of Dial-
a-Cab driver Alan Mansbridge (M61) who
won the £50,000 top prize at the Grosvenor
poker tournament!
Casino in Walsall in the latest stage of the
Rank PLC sponsored Grosvenor UK Poker
Tour, when he beat 171 opponents to take
Alan deep in thought on his
home that magical 50k!
way to £50,000!
Alan had done a few hours work in town
Call Sign was told that Alan played
before driving up to the West Midlands in his
a slow flopped straight to get most of
DaC taxi and booking into a hotel for just the
his opponent's chips. No, we didn't
first two nights of the three day tournament.
understand that either, so we asked
He had won a smaller tournament at the
Alan to explain.
Sportsman Casino, Marble Arch a few years
"I had a blinding hand that had to
earlier, picking up a handy £15,000 but this
be a winning one, but I didn't want to
one was top drawer and filled with the UK's
waste it so the idea was to make
top poker players.
Martin believe that his hand could be
"I didn't really expect to get beyond that
better than mine, so I bet slowly as if
second night," Alan told Call Sign. "Of
I wasn't sure. And sure enough Alan's
course I hoped that I might, but with 171
plan worked to perfection and his taxi
other poker players in the tournament,
drove out of Walsall with £50,000
the odds were stacked against me. I think
more than it came in with!
I was as surprised as anyone when I had
The biggest attraction of the
to book in for that third night stay, but
Grosvenor UK Poker Tour for Alan is
even then I never thought about winning,
that whilst you stand to lose your ini-
but maybe coming in the top nine where
tial £1000, you can't lose more
even that ninth place paid out £3440."
because after getting your initial
All the entrants paid £1000 each for their
chips, that's it. You either win or lose,
15,000 poker chips with the competition being
but you can't lose any more - unlike
run on a knock-out basis leaving the last per-
some poker games where the tempta-
son standing or should that be seated tak-
the guys in pole position had over half a mil-
ing home the huge cheque. Even the runner-
tion is always there to double-up to try and
up prizes were worth the drive up from
lion each! But playing to his strengths and
win back any losses.
London, with second place paying £35,000
with that bit of luck that always comes in
"It was a lovely win," Alan told Call Sign,
and third well over £20,000!
handy, after 19 hours over the first two days
"but nowadays £50,000 isn't life-changing and
But Alan was on top of his game and per-
and then six hours at the table on the third,
I'll still have to go to work but I did take the
haps with his what have I got to lose, I didn't
Alan eventually found himself up against the
next day off!"
expect to get this far attitude, he began the last
only other survivor, Martin Holms. This time
© Call Sign Magazine 2011
day in ninth place with 67,000 chips whereas
Alan held the chip numbers advantage.
As usual, DaC drivers are on the annual trip to the seaside with the LTBAWD...
WARM WELCOME TO WORTHING FOR WAR VETS
Jim Rainbird
with Dame
Vera Lynn
DaC's Paul
Jenner with
his
war vets
120 taxis set off for Worthing on 14th June carrying war vets for the 63rd annual outing organised by The London Taxi Benevolent
Association for War Disabled. As usual, the number of taxi drivers prepared to donate a day of their time and their taxi to transport
the war vets included several Dial-a-Cab drivers. Jim Rainbird (T25) was also on the outing in his role as the Master of The
Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers.
The taxis gathered at South Holmwood, where villagers organised a breakfast stop before the trip and a comfort stop on the return
although the bar is then also open! A warm welcome was extended to everyone as they arrived in Worthing, especially to the chari-
ty's Patron, Dame Vera Lynn. Lunch was served as the Wurlitzer organ emerged from the stage at the Assembly Rooms with visitors
tapping their feet and joining in the well-known songs.
After lunch and speeches, it was down to the seafront to take in the fresh air. The day was warm and sunny and soon the veterans
and taxi drivers were enjoying ice creams on the promenade and pier. Then back to the Assembly Rooms for tea and cabaret - once
again by the brilliant Jive Aces - as well as a fund raising raffle.
DaC driver Paul Jenner (L19) told Call Sign: "It is an amazing day that is well deserved by these amazing war vets."
Sandie Goodwin
