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Recently, TourneyBlog got the opportunity to chat with Chris "Mustard" Coleman. He holds the distinction of being the first individual to win the Caribbean Poker Classic (CPC) No Limit Holdem/Blackjack Tournament. He accomplished the feat in November 2006. Chris is quite a character and our editor quickly learned that the best thing to do is to let him talk.

So, without further ado, here's our interview with the magnificent Mustard.

TourneyBlog : Chris, some of our readers may not be familiar with you – yet. Please tell us a bit about yourself such as what you do for a living, where you're from, etc.

Chris Coleman: I was born in Swindon, Wiltshire. I moved several times in my life. Lived in Potters Bar (Herts.), bought my first house in Luton, then I moved out to lovely village called Barton-Le-Clay, which is still in Bedfordshire. I'm now living in North London, mainly 'cause I got fed up with traveling 100 miles a day up and down the M1 to go to work.

After passing my school exams in 1984, I served and passed a 5-year apprenticeship, as a technician, working for Ford Motors Luton.

In 1989 I took a year out and went traveling. I visited Australia, Thailand and Singapore. I worked as a cocktail barman at the Bondi Hotel, Bondi Beach for 6 months. I just fell in love with Australia.

I've worked for the past 17 years in casinos, starting in Stanley's Casino Luton.  The money wasn't that great, but the women! Well after working in a garage not seeing any women, except on a pin-up or two, I felt like a kiddie in a candy store.

Soon after, I got a better paying job in a London casino, International Sporting Club. The money was good … the clientele was like 80% women and 20% guys. I really liked my odds.

I then moved on to the Palm Beach (London Clubs) and worked at Les Ambassadeur's Mayfair. I've worked at Les A. for over 8 years now, inspecting all games, Roulette, Blackjack, Punto-Banco, and three-card stud poker.

Lately we have introduced Texas hold'em poker, which I have dealt. I also watch many of our tournaments. A number of pros have attended our £10,000 tournaments, such as Marcel Luske, Tony G, Tony bloom, David Colclough (el Blondie) and more.

I have met and spoken to many of the pros before coming to our club, at other tournaments such as the 2005 Australian Millions. I much say that my favourite pro is Marcel. I met him first in Australia, where he gave me support after coming 4th, missing out on $10,000 prize, (3 Americans and me, called an all-in bet with KK, lost to JJ), and shared a few drinks.

Later last year I went to Baden where we stayed at the same hotel and shared a good chat. He's a one for the ladies that's for sure, charming, fab suits and a great poker player.

TB:What special strategies- if any – did you employ to take the top prize at the 2006 Caribbean Poker Classic Holdem Blackjack Event?

CC: Like Hold'em Poker there are many ways of playing this new game. I had played Hold'em Blackjack a number of times over a couple of month before going to St. Kitts. I used a number of strategies to win this first ever Hold'em live tournament. For example, I played tight in the early stages, played good hands, as well as position. Position in Hold'em Blackjack is very important.

Later in the tournament, I raised on the button, with a 2 hearts, was then reraised by a fellow teammate, (sorry, Blackflash). There was another caller. I got dealt the only picture card of us three. Everyone else checks round to me so I bet. Black flash calls, showing a 4 I think, not 100% sure, but you get the picture - in my mind I had put him on a 14 or 15.

He then elects to draw a card, then another, now he must at least put me on 20 or 21 if I've sold it right! I just want him to keep drawing till he's over. He's over – I know it – I take no cards and stand on 12. Then, he moves all-in. I call and show my 12. Black Flash gets a little upset, and I double up (sorry again mate).

Everyone wanted to win this one, including all of the pros and a number of World Series bracelet winners, oh and me of course.

Player knowledge also came into play on the final table. I was heads up with Paul Zimbler (The Marbia Kid) at one stage. I had played a few cash game with him the night before, mostly Omaha. He was having a bad week, and had lost a few quid. We had a couple drinks and chatted that night. I also think his girlfriend was a little upset with him. Anyway I draw 2 cards then stayed. He stayed showing a 10. I had 23 and over and was the first to act so I moved all-in, knowing he wasn't going to take a risk of being out first on the final table. He folded of course (sorry Paul).

Another strategy I used was something I also employed at the Baden EPT. It's the 'Drunk as a Skunk' Strategy. While playing high stakes cash games, with players such as, Andy Black, John Duff, and Littlewoods' own Tony Cascarino, who wasn't having the best week of poker, I would talk about how great the red wine was, and order bottle after bottle, sharing a few glasses, with other playing such as Julian Thew (plays for William Hill) who also enjoyed a glass or two of wine before moving onto water. Anyway, being a little drunk, but pretending to be a lot more drunk, got me a few very large calls, one pot being over 16,000 euros.

This worked well on the finally table, and as they called the drunk man, my chips got higher. I was in the zone and loving it!
 
I did change my drink though. It was not red wine this time, but Johnny Walker - the black label. I can handle a few glasses.

Speak play also came in handy. On the final table, heads up again with a non-speaking gold bracelet winner – I don't remember his name – I acted first, so I took a couple of cards, and go over, he stays showing an 8. He's tight and I had not seen him make any moves so far. I move all-in. He thinks then and thinks some more. I take my glass, have a drink, have a look round, he's still thinking. I look at him and say if you have 18, you win! He then folds, and I show him my 23 or something like that. I took him out a few hands later.

I had so much fun being on that final table as most players did, except the Unknown Bracelet Winner (I think). That what it's all about - playing games and having fun.

Don't think about the money. Just play the game and have fun.

TB: Wow! That's a lot of great strategy talk. I'm not sure I could employ the 'drunk as a skunk' strategy as well as you did. Since Hold'em Blackjack combines Texas Hold 'em with another popular casino game, Blackjack, I was wondering - which of the two games do you prefer to play – poker or blackjack?

CC: I love poker because it's all up to you and how you play. Sure, luck comes into it, but I'd rather no luck than bad luck. You meet some great people playing the game, and I've made many friends over the years. It's a little like golf. A great game, rewarding when playing well and so frustrating when not.

I also enjoy Blackjack, but the house will always win in the end.

TB:I too prefer poker in large part because it was the first game I learned to play. Would you mind telling my readers a bit about how and when you got involved playing both poker and blackjack?  Which game did you learn first?

CC: I played 3 card poker at home in my late teens. My parents have always enjoyed playing cards. I then moved on to 5 card stud with guys from a casino. I lost a lot but also learnt a lot.

I played Blackjack when I was abroad. When you work in England in the casino business, you are not allowed to play it in the casinos.

TB:This might sound like a stupid question – but why do they call you 'Mustard'?

CC: I'd love to say it's because I'm hot between the sheets, but no. It's quite simple really. When you say "Coleman's", you think "Mustard", and my name's Chris Coleman. I want to state for the record that I am not Welsh, nor a manager for a London football team.

(Editor Note: For those of you who don't know, the "other" Chris Coleman manages the Fulham football team and was born in Swansea, Wales.)

TB: It seems like you enjoy playing poker in all its forms. What other events besides the CPC have you played at? Will we see you at other poker tournaments in the future?

CC: The first big event I played in was the Aussie Millions 2005. I played in the Main Event and the first ever Speed Poker live event. I also played in the EPT Baden Main Event in 2006.

I just won a ticket to play the main event on the Ladbrokes Poker Caribbean Poker Cruse III. My next mission is to qualify for the Monte Carlo EPT Grand Finale. I'm also going to the World Series of Poker for the first time in 2007.

TB: Chris, thank you for your candor and humor. You're a great ambassador for the game of poker and a fantastic champ of Hold'em Blackjack. We'd also like to thank the people at Littlewoods Poker for setting this interview up.

It sure sounds like you'll be keeping yourself busy playing tournament poker this year. Before I let you go, I was wondering if there was anything else you'd like to tell my readers.

CC: Play and enjoy Hold'em Blackjack. It's a great game and no one has any more experience than you. Well maybe I do, a little.

Oh and "Papa Smurf", that's you Bruce from Littlewoods Poker, where's my Trophy? The first ever Hold'em Blackjack Champion, and I've got no trophy!!!!

All kidding aside, thank to Bruce, you're a great guy. I enjoyed meeting you in "St. Kitts", or the old name for the island called "St. Christopher". I rather prefer that name, lol!

I also wanted to extend a big thank you to Littlewoods Poker. It's a great site with some good people behind them.

I'd also like to say that on the night I won, I dedicated the win to Johnny Walker. I would also like to dedicate my first-ever live win to a recent member of our family, my little baby niece Sophia.

Thank you and your readers too!

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