Gala Casino British Poker Tour Nottingham

Final Day

Arrive for 2nd day well rested after a great nights sleep, with the added bonus of hotel not charging me extra for a late checkout.

There are some big names still in with the likes of Dave Colclough, Ryan Fronda, Graeme Clarkson, Tom Rutter, Maria Demetriou, Jonathon Butters, and quite a few players left from the North East. I start the day 8th in chips on 79500 with average sitting at 52,200 and blinds at 1000/2000 and a running ante of 200.

I get sat on table 4 which looks like quite a tough table with seat 1 Jonothan Butters, Seat Two Thomas Rutter, Seat 3 P Hardy, Seat 4 Sam Wardlaw, Seat 5 R Plaistow, Seat 6 Ryan Fronda Seat 7 ME, Seat 8 Nichiei Hicks. But I am feeling good. Cards in the air and we're off.

2nd hand in Sam Wardlaw limps under the gun, I saw him make the same move the day before with AA and he gave off the same tells. I look down to see AK and am happy for the previous days knowledge and pass, he gets involved in a pot and I was correct he had AA. Very next hand I get AQ which i limp in with in early positionand have to pass to Butters re-raise which he shows AK with. So far so good. I get KK against a small stacks push with JQ and they hold up. putting me up to just over 100k. Not much action for the next couple of levels.

After the 1st break I get moved tables into seat 1, I have Graeme Clarkson on my left in seat 2, with daniel byrom in seat 4 and stuart Thompson in seat 5, dave maudlin gets moved into seat 6. We lose a few players and then Dave Maudlin raises to 15k with blinds at 2000/4000 with 400 ante, I look down to see KK, i raise to 45k and dave calls. Flop comes 9 6 6, Dave checks and i push all in. He thinks for an eternity and someone calls the clock on him. He calls with his 77 and my cowboys hold. A couple of hands later I raise from cutoff with AQ, Graeme Clarkson re-raises me, and I immediately put him on a pair probably 9'2, 10's or J's. deciding whether i want race when Daniel Byrom pushes all in from the BB. I pass and Graeme calls with his 10 10, Daniel has Ak and with the first card out K he takes down the pot. No A or Q and a lucky escape for me. We get past the bubble and after a long final table bubble I make it to the final table, but am short.

We are advi sed that Gala will buy the final table players an á la carte meal in the restaurant and after a fine feast of Filet Steak, Dauphinoise Potatoes and Spinach we make our way to the final table.

After the usual photos etc we settle down to start the final. I am the table short stack with 96k and blinds at 8000/16000 with 1500 ante. The blinds go through me and I get no hands, the BB reaches me again and I prepare to push with live cards. Stuart Thompson raises and Dave Maudlin pushes from the SB, I look at J 8 and decide to wait a hand. Stuart Thompson calls after a long deliberation with AQ and Dave shows AJ. Cool one player might go before me. Flop comes double paired and the two of them split the pot. Next hand someone pushes all in and I have to pass. Next hand I'm on button and decide that if it passes to me I'm pushing blind. It does and I push all in. Both blinds calls flop comes A2KQ 9, i announce i am blind and ask them to show what i need to outdraw. BB shows Q3, SB mucks, I turn over first card 8 and second card Q!!!! Split pot. I survive. Next hand I get AJ push all in and they all pass. Blinds come along again. Early raise from utg+1 I put him on JJ. I look down at Q8 but deicde to play, deciding that if A or Q comes I can push and he will probably pass. Flop comes A Q 2, I push and he calls with his AQ. Oops!!! Misread. Never mind $6000 for 9th place.

The tournament was won by Rupinder "George2Loose" Bedi. Well done George!!!

Profit for weekend $5750.