Local News & Contacts

Contact Your Local Franchisee / Agent:

Name: Richard Edge
Tel: 0784 6033032
Email: rich@thenutspokerleague.com

Local News (Denbighshire & Flintshire)

 

Local News (Denbighshire and Flintshire)

 

Denbighshire and Flintshire local news page contents:

 

•TNPL regional tournament photos, reports and Hall of Fame

 

CLICK ON THE ABOVE LINK TO BE TAKEN TO THE RELEVANT SECTION

 

 

IMPORTANT DATES TO NOTE AND BREAKING NEWS!
 

 

Spring 2012 High Rollers - Sunday 20th May (1 pm start)

- at Ewloe Social Club, Ewloe (NOT THE GROSVENOR CLUB).

- £500 PRIZES (INCLUDING £350 IN SEATS £150 CASH)

Please not that the Overall League table shown on the website does not include the players who play at The Legion, in Colwyn Bay, as now part of North West Wales area.  The top 35 were above the line and have qualified.

 

STARTING CHIPS

1	Glyn 'wizzard' Williams	230552	19352	5000	24352
2	Jon 'Stuffy' Milsom	347130	14226	5000	19226
3	Richard Ford	725266	12502	5000	17502
4	Graeme Hunter	355547	12156	5000	17156
5	Jenny 'Lady Ace' Reid	669967	12098	5000	17098
6	John Williams	239835	11142	5000	16142
7	Martin Spruce	725637	10636	5000	15636
8	Margaret 'Little Owl' Orgill	680759	9912	5000	14912
9	Graham Smith	230543	9600	5000	14600
10	Megan Jones	245507	7918	5000	12918
11	Stu 'The Scorpion' Tompkin	5401	7884	5000	12884
12	Rachael Neighbour	714168	7564	5000	12564
13	Mike 'Messh' Messham	73348698	7500	5000	12500
14	Shane '"Paperboy"' Yale	44054	7198	5000	12198
15	Mickey Quinn	44065	7100	5000	12100
16	ryan walden	705766	6926	5000	11926
17	Tim 'Welshgamble' Green	63015	6914	5000	11914
18	Craig 'Modman64' Douglas O Brien	44003	6912	5000	11912
19	James 'Who's the Daddy' Simpson	702887	6482	5000	11482
20	Alan 'Steele' Steele	44060	6462	5000	11462
21	Shirley Griffiths	44010	6234	5000	11234
22	Kevin 'Quiet Man' Hindley	72018	6016	5000	11016
23	Robert 'Wolfman' Reid	669962	5888	5000	10888
24	Graham 'Tattooed' Dale	44030	5880	5000	10880
25	Nick Pagon	680488	5436	5000	10436
26	Martin ''The Wise One'' Pendrey	38026	5424	5000	10424
27	Sadie Walden	1001584	5326	5000	10326
28	jack davies	705776	5276	5000	10276
29	Ben Kennedy	7333800	5208	5000	10208
30	Marcus Rogers	7865	5168	5000	10168
31	Andrea 'Blossom' Orgill	72027	5150	5000	10150
32	Emma 'Lucky Lola' Russell	7640	5004	5000	10004
33	Mark 'YoYo' Lewis	731243	4996	5000	9996
34	Pete Pearce	703310	4870	5000	9870
35	Ashley Steele	723394	4810	5000	9810
36	john 'daaady' tyldesley	702002	4776	5000	9776
39	Geoff Clancy	672276	4522	5000	9522
40	Phil 'Phylis' Roberts	700137	4464	5000	9464
41	Joe Butler	711347	4454	5000	9454
45	Anthony 'Tony Gee' Goundrey	68034	4156	5000	9156
47	Karl 'kembo' Emberton	1000053	3972	5000	8972
61	Gary 'Awesome Mr Bear' Guille	72041	3506	5000	8506
80	Kevin Jones	7932	3020	5000	8020
85	Andy Milner	733178	2860	5000	7860
			TOTAL CHIPS		526900
			AVERAGE CHIPS		11975

 

TNPL National Final - Saturday 26th May

- at the Genting Casino in Stoke

 

For further details, please use the link below:

http://www.thenutspokerleague.com/go/national-finals

 

DOWNLOAD THE SOFTWARE AND REGISTER WITH THE LINK!

 

http://www.gentingpoker.com/registration?adv=TNPLREdge

 

Further details on http://www.thenutspokerleague.com/go/genting-poker-tour

 

The Poker Team

Coming in the new year, The Poker Team website, the number one place for all the best poker events found at Genting Casino Stoke, Genting Online, Genting Tour and TNPL local and regional events with seats awarded to Genting Casino Stoke monthly events.

Full Poker Team portfollio includes:

•Genting Casino Stoke, Genting Online and Poker Team TNPL events schedule!
•Genting Casino seat winners information and TNPL Regional and National information!
•TNPL recruitment for self run TNPL events, TNPL Agents and Handlers!
•Become a new TNPL venue - information for Landlords!
•Equipment sales including new venue equipment deals/TNPL agent deals.
•Poker School and gossip with weekly and monthly updates!
•VIP casino trips to Genting Casino Stoke including transport, accommodation, food/entertainment and poker!
•Corporate and VIP Corporate trips to Genting Casino Stoke (from April 2012)!
 

NEWSFLASH - HIGH ROLLERS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE POKER TEAM NOW £500 IN PRIZES GUARANTEED FROM WINTER 2011 SEASON!

NEWS FLASH - £100 GENTING CASINO SEAT AWARDED TO OVERALL LEAGUE WINNER!

NEWS FLASH - Download the new TNPL APP for Iphone and Android for league tables and venue information straight to your mobile phone or Tablet!

 For full details, follow the link below:

http://tnplmobile.com/

 

Regional Tournament Qualification?
 

 What events are players competing in at each venue? 

Not just the Regional Final - 3 different events!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

REGIONAL FINAL

Finish in the top 25 % of any venue league or the top 10 % of the Regional League to qualify!
 

- £1,000 added prizes with a  £100 Circus Seat for the winner!

- 7 Seats (estimated, to be confirmed 31/12/2011 through to the National Finals)

 

HIGH ROLLERS TOURNAMENT

Win your venue league

or

Finish above the line (Top 10%) points in the overall league to qualify!
 

ALL PLAYERS - 5,000 CHIPS
+
YOUR TOTAL POINTS SCORED IN THE OVERALL LEAGUE IN CHIPS!
 

- NOW £500 IN PRIZES (Including £350 in Genting Casino seats (3 seats) + £150 CASH)!

- £2 entrance including buffet

- 1 pm start

- New blind structure - WITH ANTES

It has been decided to include antes on consultation with the TD in order to finish on time taking into account the new structure and additional 5,000 chips each player receives.

 

TOP 3 EVENT
 

Finish in the top 3 places in any pub league or the overall league to qualify!

This is a multi region event competing against the top perorming players at the Genting Casino in Stoke.  With £2,000 in added prizes and 10 seats through to the Circus Casino in Stoke and an estimated prize fund of over £3,500 expected makes this a must go event.  Without a doubt, the most prestigious event to win and a high standard of poker expected.

 

 Regional Events Schedule and Competition Itinerary
 

 

  

 

 Genting Casino seat winners Information and Itinerary
 

 Spring 2012 Venues with £100 Genting Seats to the League Winner:

 

All players who win seats at the applicable venues for the Winter 2011 season will be entered into the Sunday 4th March or Sunday 1st April Stoke £100 event with £2,000 added.  Please contact rich@thenutspokerleague.com to confirm which event you would prefer to play either by email or at the regional tournaments in January/February.

 THE GENTING STOKE £100 STARTS AT 4 PM (FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH)

ALL PLAYERS WILL BE ISSUED A CERTIFICATE THAT IS REQUIRED ON THE DAY TO PLAY TO BE COLLECT BEHIND THE CASH DESK AT THE CASINO ON THE DAY!!

 

Terms and conditions apply.

It should be noted that all seat winners are required to pay a registration fee of 10 % of the seat value.  All seat winners will be issued with a voucher for a specific tournament which will be required on the day to claim the seat.

 

 

TNPL Events Reminder and News

 

      DENBIGHSHIRE AND FLINTSHIRE FACEBOOK GROUP -

JOIN NOW!!!!!!!!

 

  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=117670724923411#!/group.php?gid=117712568257153        

 

- Daily reminders of TNPL events in the area!

 

TNPL regional tournament photos, reports and Hall of Fame

 

All regional tournament photos will now be available to all using the links below:

 

Top 3 Photos - Spring 2012

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150970802438975.527993.604503974&type=1&l=1866ae3146

Regional Final Photos - Spring 2012

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150701698847987.404120.680492986&type=3&l=a563349814

 

Top 3 Photos - Winter 2011

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150577640586087.384538.528321086&type=3&l=90755c5296

High Rollers Photos - Winter 2011

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150525377117987.380626.680492986&type=3&l=1bacf232b4

Regional Final Photos - Winter 2011

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150492793487987.375911.680492986&type=1&l=9a9501b8e9

Top 3 Photos - Autumn 2011

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150508868012222.474918.767147221&type=1&l=16f038ff61

High Rollers Photos - Autumn 2011

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150332402607987.350054.680492986&type=1&l=5e681d70d1

Regional Final Photos - Autumn 2011

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150322192642987.347919.680492986&l=c2029a83b3&type=1

Top 3 Tournament - Summer 2011

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150447527327222.461780.767147221&l=0a25f14361&type=1

High Rollers Photos - Summer 2011

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150395198762222.447345.767147221&l=eca79de234&type=1 

Regional Final Photos - Summer 2011

Top 3 Tournament Photos - Spring 2011

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150283719412222.412869.767147221&l=5fc09fddf3 

Regional Final Photos - Spring 2011

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.1932049431013.2112157.1535585878&l=4609dbdc53e

 

TNPL REGIONAL EVENTS REPORTS (HALL OF FAME)

 

TOP 3 FINAL - SPRING 2012

  

In the excellent 1998 film Rounders Matt Damon’s character is narrating over a scene where the pros head down to Atlantic City to make some easy ‘roll’ from the tourists. Explaining why these seasoned grifters avoid direct conflict in hands and concentrate instead on fleecing the weekenders he says “It’s like the nature channel….you don’t see Piranhas eating themselves do you?”

 

Yet at the Genting Casino in Stoke on April 22^nd I witnessed precisely that as the Spring Top 3 event got underway with 157 predatory poker players, who had travelled there from far and wide, all intending to take down the £850 first prize.

Granted it is feasible for a luckbox to finish first, second or third in their respective leagues but it’s an unlikely feat and the mere fact that these players had negotiated a season of bad beats and reluctant laydowns to secure an invitation to this prestigious event largely ensured that here was the elite of Flints and Denbighshire, Lancs, Merseyside, Shropshire, Cheshire and the West Midlands. They had spent three months feasting upon the fish. Now they must turn on themselves.

 

Certainly the overheard table talk confirmed that these were knowledgeable aficionados of the game who knew their ‘implied odds’ from their ‘loose calls’ but that is not to suggest that the atmosphere at this tournament – that ran from 1pm until a young lad shook his final hand at midnight close to tears at his fantastic achievement – was anything other than friendly and full of banter throughout.

One particular hand involved a short-stack shoving with a king. Called by A-Q he must have thought his day was over when two ladies appeared on the flop. A miraculous runner-runner prompted incredulous gales of laughter from the entire table and what was noticeable was that even the poor guy mucking his lost hand joined in gladly. It was that kind of day. It always is with the Top 3 tournament as enjoyment invariably rivers greed or ambition.

 

Understandably however – with a total of £2500 in prize money, ten National Final seats, nine £100 seats to a future Genting Casino tournament and, for the winner, a £150 seat to the forthcoming Anniversary Cup (that has a wallet-bulging six grand added to the pot) - the mood tends to tighten up as the tables dwindle away to a remaining select few and such rewards are no longer a vague aspiration but a distinct possibility.

 

Of course there is also the bubble to fear, to avoid being the last man or woman to depart from your table with nothing but a bad luck story and a few pats on the back from those thinking ‘There but for the grace of God’. This unenviable fate befell Dave Pinder whose eleventh place finish at least garnered on this occasion thirty quid that was paid out up to sixteenth position. It was scant consolation though for a consummate day of poker.

 

At least Dave could take some solace in knowing – as did the rest of the room who now concentrated their attentions upon the final ten – that the ultimate winner of this event was already decided. From 6pm onwards and with the field still forty strong the poker gods had decreed that Stephen Whittall from Wolverhampton was fated to lift aloft the glass trophy. A succession of players fell beneath his sword with one particular hand involving Jacks gathering in a pot topping 300,000. Though there was no small amount of skill to his continual harvesting of chips it has to be noted there were also numerous suck-outs with inferior kickers that left several victims heading for the roulette tables muttering into their beer.

 

By the time the photographs were concluded and the final table got underway Stephen’s stack could have been used to ballast Eamonn Holmes and he was smoothly in fifth gear as regards to using it to his advantage. Every other hand was a pre-flop raise followed each time by a continuation bet and though his competitors knew precisely what he was up to this brought an interesting dilemma. Do they call light knowing they were probably ahead? But what if he actually had it this time? With so much at stake – and glory, medals and fortunes within touching distance – the other nine players erred on the side of caution and allowed him to captain proceedings preferring instead of target other one whenever possible.

 

Mark Scholey from Blackburn had negotiated a much trickier path to the final ten than most, having to expertly nurture a short stack for a considerable spell until a deserved slice of fortune in the form of a rivered set propelled him into contention, raised in late position with A-K and Shropshire lad Adam Bailey repopped it with pocket tens. From nowhere we suddenly had our first out-and-out race with Mark hitting both his premium fare and doubling up. I noticed sweat on Adam’s brow as he conceded graciously. This truly mattered now and the jokes and good-natured poker patter from earlier in the day seemed a distant memory.

 

Mark Jennings soon after forgot about the communal strategy of staying clear of Stephen’s fateful flight-path and pitted his K-10 against the latter’s 10-8. An 8 inevitably spiked and Mark departed fifty quid to the good.

Wrexham’s Graham Butler meanwhile – who had determinedly eked barely a big blind onto the marquee table – succumbed minutes later by running into Kevin Jones’ A-K, finishing a very respectable ninth.

 

With just eight remaining Lady Luck – or whoever the deity of such fortunes is that the other 156 players had seemingly annoyed that day – became restless and wished to hurry the inevitable to its conclusion.

 

First Stephen sent two to the rails in the same hand by calling both all-ins from James Tebb and Adam Bailey with his A-K and hitting two pair. Then incredibly in the very next hand he sent another duo packing, this time made all the more remarkable by the fact that Luke Fair and Dave Behan had significant stacks of their own. 

 

Dave, who plays at the Salopian Star in Markey Drayton (“That sounds classy”…”It’s really not”) made a legitimate shove with A-10. The blinds were now a mind-boggling 8000/16000 and with 1500 antes there were 33,000 to be accrued pre-flop so he really had no other option. So it was extremely unfortunate for him to encounter an instant call from his friend Luke who had the sudden rigidity of a man holding his best hand of the day. What neither could possible factor in was Stephen waking up with aces in big blind. The best hand held up and after a whirlwind trice of demolition we were suddenly down to four with Stephen reaching the million mark in chips.

 

Following a prolonged four-way battle Kevin Jones from Buckley was next to go. Brandishing his two hundred pounds winnings he drily commented “Not bad considering I didn’t have a hand for the first five hours!” Indeed it was an exhibition of patient and sensible tournament play throughout from Kevin.

 

Despite his wanton destruction of the field Stephen’s chip advantage was not as commanding as you might imagine at this point, mainly due to the resilient and astute positional play of Mark Scholey and Luke Hobson who had raised, pinched and squeezed at opportune moments.

 

When silence descended upon a hand involving these two it became clear that both held decent fare and this was going to be the deciding bout to determine who would face Stephen and his arch accomplice fate. Mark raised tentatively. Luke reraised. Mark considered every option before committing his chips and promptly slumped into his seat at the sight of pocket kings. He dejectedly turned over his 8s and knew the game was up.  He had made repeated mentions throughout that, although the money was obviously desirable, what he really wanted was the trophy. Cruelly this was denied Mark at the last.

 

So from the multitude of hopefuls we finally reached the final two; an intriguing heads-up between two contrasting characters. The unassuming Luke from Liverpool - thoughtful of every decision - against Stephen’s on-the-wing aggression. The latter won out. How could he not? The script was written before he even arrived.

The likable player from Wolves turned to his girlfriend and asked if they could call their first child Jack King before the emotion and realisation of his achievement hit home. “This is one of my first ever tournaments. I’ve never won anything before and the feeling is euphoric”.

 

Lady Luck smiled down benignly and moved on elsewhere to her next unknowing recipient.

 

Full result - Top 10 all won a National seat & (2nd-10th £100 Casino seat)

1st Stephen Whittall - West Midlands £850 + £150 casino seat
2nd Luke Hobson - Merseyside £460
3rd Mark Scholey - Lancashire £340
4th Kev Jones - Flintshire £200
5th Luke Fair - Shropshire £160
6th Dave Behan - Shropshire £120
7th Adam Bailey - Shropshire ££90
8th James Tebb - Cheshire £80
9th Graham Butler - Wrexham £60
10th Mark Jennings - Shropshire £50
11th -16th £30 each

 

 

REGIONAL FINAL REPORT - SPRING 2012

  

After the usual introductions from Richard Edge the regions franchisee, the Tournament Director took order of the day. With a minutes silence respectfully held in memory of the Hillsborough disaster 23years ago. The Td announced the immortal words “Players good Luck. Dealers Shuffle Up and Deal.” And the event was on it way at 1.10pm.  It was very apparent that the 76 registered players didn’t want to part with their 10k starting stack easily, and every one of them had their eyes on the prize, which was £1300 total cash pot, a £100 Gentings Casino seat at Stoke, 7 national final seats and £20 for best hand of the day.

The play was slow and patient early on, at the start of level 2 with blinds at 50/100; Tom Mawdsley set the bar for best hand of the day when hitting Quad Queens, winning a pot of 1,625chips.   The first player to fall after 42minutes at the start of level 3 was Paul Potter from Wrexham. The play then loosened up and a bit more frantic, obviously everyone had been scared of doing the walk of shame. 18 frantic minutes later and we had lost 14players broken 2 tables and we where going to a break.

After the break you could see the usual suspects making moves into increasing their chip stacks, Denbighshire and Flintshire’s very own Wizard – Glyn Williams our 3times overall winner fell after he lost one race to many. Meanwhile Tim Green, Richie Lewis, Gary Guille, Jon Milsom where all getting busy and getting on the right side of some races.   Jenny Reid who fell at the last hurdle and missed out on the final table and nationals last time round was having another fantastic day, as was last seasons winner Jack Davies, and 3rd placed John Tyldesley where both again having a good run at the regional’s.

One by one the field thinned out before we knew it we where at 2 tables with 13 players, we soon had huge hands on both tables and strangely enough they were pretty much the same, with an open shove, re-shove over the top the big stack found pocket kings and made the call. With no help on the board on either table the big stacks make some serious chips to go to the final table, but more rewarding for Paul Rowland as he hit Quad Kings to get a hold of the best hand.
At 9 handed and realising that everyone left was qualifying for the nationals as Jack Davies and John Tyldesley had already qualified last time round, Samantha Tyldesley pushed she didn’t get a double up, worse than that she was actually knocked out by her boyfriend Jack so we where off to the final table.

Final table:

Seat 1 -     Jack Davies (230,000 chip leader and reigning champion)
Seat 2 -     Ben Kennedy (115,200)
Seat 3 -     John Tyldesley (94,400)
Seat 4 -     Adam Leech (30,400)
Seat 5 -     Shirley Griffiths (25,600)
Seat 6 -     Gareth Williams (137,800)
Seat 7 -     Jenny Reid (22,800) short stack
Seat 8 -     Paul Rowland (135,800)

The final table started at 7:15pm and the pace was set in the very first hand when Shirley Griffiths pushed all in and getting insta called by Jack Davies and before you knew it we where at 7, shortly after Adam Leech fell this time at the hands of Gareth Williams who stacked his chips with a smile on his face.

6th place went when JohnTyldesley got beaten once again for the second regionals in a row by Jack Davies (not the brightest thing Jack had done knocked his girlfriend and his boss out in the same day).
5th place went when Jenny Reid shoved and got called once again by Jack Davies with no help on the board for Jenny she was making her exit, but an excellent display watching bigger stacks fall before her when she had been the short stack.

With the money rising the final 4 tightened up it was Paul Rowland that fell in fourth place leaving Jack Davies, Gareth Williams and Ben Kennedy to shout it out for the title. It seemed that Ben was hoping for the 2 big stacks to go to war with each other, Eventually Ben had to go all in and once again Jack Davies had no option other than to call, and that was goodnight for Ben and we where at heads up.

Jack had a slight chip advantage and the play went back and too for a while, with no great inroads both players decided to split the cash pot and shout out over 3 hands for the trophy the title and the seat. The wining hand was held by Jack Davies when his 10 4 off suit hit a full house.

Congratulations to the final 9 who all qualify for the national final on the 26th May. Well done the final 8 for cashing. And a massive round off applause to Jack Davies for being the first Denbighshire and Flintshire back to back regional final winner.

Final Result:

Winner - Jack Davies (£385 / £100  Gentings seat)
Runner up - Gareth Williams (£385)
3rd - Ben Kennedy (£160)
4th - Paul Rowland (£130 + £20 best hand)
5th - Jenny Reid - (£100)
6th - John    Tyldesley (£60)
7th - Adam Leech (£50)
8th - Shirley Griffiths (£30)
9th  - Samantha Tyldesley

All 9 qualify for the national finals.

Written by

Stu Tompkin

 

TOP 3 FINAL - WINTER 2011

 

 

The queue to sign in for the top 3 event held on Sunday at the impressive Genting Casino in Stoke snaked all the way back to the roulette wheels. While some confidently held their first pint of the day others cradled an orange juice nursing weekend hangovers. All were eagerly looking forward to one of the biggest events in the Nuts poker calendar. What was particularly striking were the differing strategies devised beforehand by players hoping to negotiate their way through a 140-strong motley crew of sharks, donks, grinders and luckboxes to potentially reach the rich rewards of the final table. With £2400 in cash prizes available to the last fifteen, ten National Final seats to be attained, plus nine £100 buy-ins for a future event (an additional £150 seat was reserved for the winner) it was certainly worth forming a game-plan before a card was even shuffled and dealt.

These varied in ambition and intent depending largely on each individual’s experience. The veterans of the long, drawn-out challenge ahead knew the importance of building up a chip stack early doors. Stu Tompkin, who has encountered every fate bestowed from the fickle poker gods, was adamant it was boom or bust for him - either an early charge or an early bath – while first-timer Chris Reece (who would later come back from a single chip and two enforced all-ins to make a fabulous run to fifth) was more circumspect, declaring he was hardly going to play a hand through the initial levels. Meanwhile a guy called Guy stated that he just wanted to confuse people.

For those not familiar with the Top 3 tournament it can be equated in football terms to the Champion’s League. As the name suggests the highest three finishers in a number of leagues are invited to participate and though it may not (yet) be continental it comprises of the elite from a broad sweep of areas including Shropshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire and Staffordshire and Denbighshire and Flintshire. Just like Wayne Rooney’s blank confusion as a foreign opponent tells him to fornicate elsewhere in another language there were similar breakdowns in communication here as local dialects clashed. The ultimate winner Kirsty Wright informed me she was ‘landing’ after her amazing win. I assume that’s a good thing?  I also heard at least one ‘Yet wha’ duck?’ throughout the day.

It was easy to spot the outright champions of each league by the cool manner they tossed in chips - an arrogant flick of the wrist like a Bourbon monarch dismissing a court minion – but regardless of trophies or bragging rights each player began the day with the same 8000 chips. A generous blind structure ensured there were margins for error and plenty of opportunities to make a few moves which the more aggressive players such as Richard ‘the Rottweiler’ Lewis didn’t pass up accumulating intimidating stacks before some had even unravelled their MP3 earphones.

The initial buzz of excitement soon settled into a gentle click-clack thrum of chips being passed around, friendly banter, and the occasional player standing, shaking their head and bemoaning a sick exit. Full-houses were trumped by superior boats, gut-shots successfully chased to the river, and of course that perennial favourite “I didn’t put him on the nuts”. How about this one that befell Mike Stephenson with just forty-three runners remaining - Mike raised with pocket tens pre-flop and was called by John Gill on big blind with K-10 suited. A flop of K-10-rag meant both pushed their towers in confident of a double-up with John then crestfallen to see a dreaded set. A two-outer king on the turn however left Mike heading back to the roulette tables where hours earlier he’d queued with such pre-tournament optimism. Lady Luck sometimes has a cruel streak that makes Cruella De Ville look like Lorraine Kelly.

An entertaining sideshow throughout was the battle to secure the hand of the day which brought with it a twenty quid pay-out. This became as fiercely competed as the main event with that man again John Gill rivering quad 7s which was soon topped by Brian Humphrey’s quartet of jacks.  Mark Buckley from Warrington ultimately snagged the money with an unbeatable quad aces which, crucially, also brought a much-needed double-up against a queen-high flush.

Afternoon gradually encroached into evening and to illustrate the hours that had passed Kate Perrin reached the hundredth page of the zombie novel she was reading in between folds and raises. Admitting to a fascination with the fictional undead she need only have peered above her book to witness the real incarnations as focus became fatigued, mistakes were made, and shoves became desperate as the blinds inexorably rose. The field thinned to three tables all of whom balanced a realistic hope for going all the way with a sickening fear of the bubble.

That unenviable fate was reserved for Alan Wood though it’s also worth pointing out the misfortune of Nathan Griffiths who exited shortly before when he shipped in K-J in the blinds and was called extremely loosely.  A runner-runner couple of rag cards brought a collective groan of sympathy from all around. ‘There but for the grace of God’ was thought by all.

Fifteenth place down all departed with cash but naturally all eyes were on securing a final table finish – the February Ten to evoke the WSOP – and once the formalities of photographs and best wishes were concluded the headline act was underway.

As often happens once the nerves and caution surrounding the bubble gives way to the relief and sense of achievement at reaching the final table the general play noticeably freed up and consequently two players exited in quick succession.

Paul Jones from Leigh made a positional shove with Q-10 suited and was unlucky to encounter the big slick while Richard Zoleman from Llay succumbed during the very next hand. We will see them both again – and every other player hereafter mentioned – at the National Finals in May.

Chris Harding swiftly followed when his A-8 ran head-first into another big slick which once more belonged to Kirsty Wright who was evidently waging a one-woman war in her pursuit of the big prize.

Kirsty, who had played excellent poker all day – I’d personally witnessed her correctly lay down a huge hand hours earlier – could now barely see above her imposing edifice of chips and she good-naturedly batted away jokes from all around that the others were now battling for second place.

To that aim John Power shoved his K-10 in early position hoping to accrue the monumental blinds and antes now available pre-flop only to have Gary Guille also commit his chips behind him. All those present could tell from Gary’s serious demeanour that not only did he have a monster but was dreading the possibility of experiencing a suck-out. In the event his kings held up sending an ever-gracious JP to the rails and putting Gary firmly in the reckoning.

Next came a more tentative affair as Paul Breedon opened with K-J and, after a long consideration, Kirsty sent all her troops into battle. Paul did the maths, realised he was priced in to call and reluctantly did so, nodding his head in resignation to the inevitable ace that was revealed. The better hand held up and now Kirsty’s stack was worrying the support structure of the table. You’ve heard that old myth about the Great Wall of China being the only mad-made object visible from space? Well, on Sunday there was another.

Chris Reece was now isolated as the short stack and being big blind soon forced the issue. For a newbie who was all-but-out halfway through this marathon of concentration and nerve a fifth place finish was nothing short of a tremendous achievement.

A final table is a very separate beast from the rest of the tournament and develops a distinct, individual personality. This depends entirely on the participants and in no small part due to the involvement of Mike Hayes and Jullian Mosquara this particular FT was friendly, vibrant and high-spirited throughout. Both players knew each other from their league venues and the banter was relentless. Jullian had navigated his way through the field playing steady, sensible poker; always thoughtful before any action taken. Mike meanwhile, when asked halfway through how he had amassed so many chips, had replied self-deprecatingly that he’d done so through “luck and bluffing”.

Even amongst such bonhomie however with just four players left the game hit its first lull as the money ladder rose in the hundreds and caginess setting in.  Gary – who had seen his stack depleted through a period of card-dead junk at the worst possible time – was finally forced to make a stab at the blinds and Jullian only needed to see an ace to call. We were now three-handed.

The change in dynamic from four to three seemed to reignite the ambition and within a matter of hands it was all over. First Jullian found his Q-J dominated by Kirsty’s K-J and what was anticipated to be a titanic heads-up struggle was swiftly decided by Mike’s small blind raise being squashed by the all-in hammer move Kirsty had now perfected. With a severe chip disadvantage Mike had little other option but to commit himself to suited rags that failed to connect with the board.

Kudos to all the final ten but, for her unrelenting aggression, Kirsty was a very worthy winner and she proudly posed with her bounty of prizes, looking a touch stunned by her feat.  “All done with a stinking hangover,” her friend declared with a broad grin but the last words should go to our new champ. “I thought he was going to come back during heads-up. I feel landing.” I assume that’s a good thing.

 

 

Written by Stephen Tudor

 

FINAL 15

The Top 11 all won a National Final seat (as 1 of the Top 10 had already won a place):

 

1st Kirsty Wright £740 + £150 casino seat

2nd Mike Hayes - Cheshire £410 + £100 casino Seat

3rd Julian Mosquara - Cheshire £310 + £100 Casino Seat

4th Gary Guille - Flintshire £240 + £100 casino Seat

5th Chris Reece - Flintshire £180 + £100 casino Seat

6th Paul Breedon - Shropshire £140 + £100 casino Seat

7th John Power - Flintshire £110 + £100 casino Seat

8th Chris Harding - Merseyside £80 + £100 Casino Seat

9th Richard Zolman - Wrexham £50 + £100 casino Seat

10th Paul Jones - Lancashire £40 + £100 Casino Seat

11th Mike Parcesepe - Wrexham £20

12th Alan Wood - Lancashire £20

13th Dave Newell - Wrexham £20

14th John Tattersall - Lancashire £20

15th Jeff Metcalf - Cheshire £20

 

OVERALL LEAGUE WINNER - WINTER 2011

  

1

Glyn 'wizzard' Williams

230552

46

268

12342

Congratulati0ons to Glyn Williams in winning a nail-biting end to the Winter 2011 season with only a few hundred points seperating first to fifth place.  Margaret Orgill finished second with an impressive seasons average of 349 per event.  John Power was closley followed by our very own agents Stu Tompkin and Jon Milsom, with the ever present Janet Butcher (multiple regional league champion) not far behind.

Glyn, winning his second on the bounce Overall League has won a £100 Genting Casino seat to be played in the up and coming March or April events.  Well done everyone for a great effort, and lets hope you use your points wisely in the up and coming High Rollers in January!

 

HIGH ROLLERS RESULTS - WINTER 2011

  

At 1pm on the 29^th January the Denbighshire and Flintshire High Rollers event got on the way. With 26 runners out of a possible 42 it made it a great chance of making the National finals, with chip stacks ranging from 8100 to the chip leader on 17,350 with an average of 11,800.

The play started off slow and steady with no real action over the first few hands, that all changed when Megan Jones picked up pockets Aces, she put in a raise and got called by the tournament short stack Andy Burke with Q8h, with a 8,3,Q flop Megan raised only to be reraised all in by Andy. Megan called with no help on the turn or river, Megan had become the short stack. It obviously wasn’t suppose to be Megan day when the next hand she shoves for her last 800 while holding pocket 4’s only to be insta called by John Williams holding pocket 7’s, with no 4 on the board Megan was the first out.

Mean while on another table Stu Tompkin had started to make an impact, finding kk and flopping a set which held to take down 8,000pot, then getting in with 99 and again hitting a set on the flop, with Gary Guille staying interested with a straightening flushing board, he paid Stu off on the river having hit top pair to the value of a 7,500pot.

 

Tim Greenhit the hand of the day when he out played the chip leader Glyn Williams on a flushing straight board Glyn calls the all in when he had not been able to fold his trips, Tim happily turns his straight flush and stacked the 13,500chips he had just taken off Glyn.

Shane Yale was the next to fall with a raise to 400 fromStu Tompkin (KK) an All in shove from Sarah Stevenson for 1,300(A2), Shane (AQ) had no option to push for his final 1,200. The flop came 9, A, 7 the turn J and the killer river 2 making 2pair for Sarah and leaving Shane to hit the rail.

This hand was the start of Stu Tompkins self destruction, calling a pre-flop raise from the aggressive Emma Russell, the flop came 5, J, 3 Emma bet 800 Stu raised to 2,400 Emma called. The turn came A, Emma (A5) shoved for 7,300, Stu (J, 10) asked the questions Did you raise with A5? You got an over pair to the flop? Not believing she had hit the Ace the stupidest call he had ever made was made, with no help on the river and like that 11k chips crossed the table.

John Powerwas the next to fall when his busted flush draw was called by Margaret Orgill whom held 2 pair. Jon Milsom was next to fall to the dangerousEmma Russell with Jon  QJ  V  Emma A4 all the chips went in on a flop of 4,Q,4 with no help Jon turn or river Emma was collecting more chips. Sarah Stevenson was the next to fall again at the hands of Emma, when Sarah shoved with AsKs she got called by Emma holding 8, 8 with no help on the board Emma collected another pot.

 

James Simpsonfell next to Richie Lewis, with a 8, 4, 3 flop Richies Q, 8 had James A, 4 beaten. It became a lucky hand for Richie Q, 8 when a couple of hands later Shirley Griffiths shoved with 10, 10 with a Q on the flop Shirley’s day was over.

Stu Tompkin finally made the self destruction complete when sat on the button with 2 limpers in front of him looking at Ks10c pushed for 5,300 getting an instant call from the luck box that was Emma Russell with Ad8h with nothing for either player Stu was gone and more chips moved across into the growing stack of Emma.

Samantha Tyldesley was next to fall when shoving with AhKh got called by the patient Tim Green holding QdQs with nothing on the board Samantha was gone. Gary Guille also ran into Queens when he shoved with his pocket jacks, only for Emma Russell to be there to benefit with the ladies.  

John Williams was the next exit when shoving on the river of a paired board with just a pair of Queens he found himself snapped called by Jan Butcher who held a Full House.  Andy Burke found himself on the receiving end of an unfortunate bad beat, when playing J,5 from the  big blind on a flop of J, 5, 2 he bet 800 into a pot of 1,800 he found a raise from Mike Messham who made it 1,600. Andy thinking he was ahead shoved for a further 7,200. The call was made by Mike whose kicker played.

With 14 players remaining the average stack was @22,000. Emma Russell was chip leader with 61,000 chips. Blinds @ 800/1600 ante 200 Glyn Williams took a crippling blow to his stack and his chances of taking the event down, while holding As9h he took on a race against Graham Birkenhead who was holding 4d4h with nothing changing on the board the 4s held up and Glyn was down to 400chips going into the small blind next hand, with 2 limpers pocket 9s put some pushed all in and everyone else folded, Glyn was off to the races blind turning 7, 4 o/s he some how quadrupled up when he hit a 7 on the flop, then another 7 on the river to give him trips.

Jan Butcher was the next to fall when her As10c ran into Kevin Hindley who held Ac4c with the river bring in a third club Kevin hit the flush and Jans day was over.  Glyns luck finally ran out when his Ac8c ran into Andrea Orgill holding 9d9h with a Jh, 3c, 2s, Jd, 3h board the pocket pair had again held up against Glyn and he was on his way. Jack Davies fell shortly after when pushing his short stack across the line holding KdQd, he found a call coming from Margaret Orgill holding AsKs with an Ace on the flop the regional finals champion was hitting the rail.

 

Rob Reidbecame Emma Russells next victim when holding Qc10d on a Queen high board he decided to push, only for Emma to snap call holding AQ and we where down to 10. Across on the other table Graham Birkenhead was holding KK when Mark Mannering decided to shove with KdQs with the case King on the flop Mark was pretty much drawing dead that left him passing 22,700chips across the table to Graham, who then went on to finish Mark off next hand he shoved blind for 6,000chips but Graham had woke up with AcKd. Mark found 6, 5 under his chips with no help from the board and the AK was good enough.

Graham had built his stack up nicely over the last few blind levels, going about his business quietly, so it was no surprise that it was Graham that burst the bubble, when Andrea Orgill shoved preflop with As3s Graham again was sat there with a huge hand holding KK with a board coming down Q, J, 10, 8, Q the kings had held up and we were going to the final table.

  

 

Final table blinds @ 1000/2000 antes 200 Average 38,400

 

Seat 1  – Jenny Reid                     - 21,700

Seat 2  – Emma Russell              - 59,700

Seat3   – Margaret Orgill          - 35,400

Seat4   – Graeme Hunter           - 40,400

Seat5   – Kevin Hindley              - 17,900

Seat6   – Richie Lewis                 - 36,900

Seat7   – Tim Green                    - 20,700

Seat8   – Graham Birkenhead   - 75,300 (chip leader)

 

A big hand developed early on the final table when Tim raised to 6,000 only to be reraised by Graham to 12,000the call was made and the flop came A, Q, 10, both parties check, the turn comes a 5, Tim bets 8,000 which is called quickly, the river card comes a 3, a weak check from Tim and Graham pounced on the weakness and bets 10,000 into a 42,000 pot, Tim hums and hars and folds showing an Ace. Graham stopped Tim from tilting by showing A, 10.

           

Blinds 1500/3000 antes 300.

Graham limped into a pot only to spark 3 all ins behind him.  Jenny Reid pushed for 12,200 with KdQd followed by Margaret Orgill all in for 22,400 with 10’s and finally Richie Lewis shoved over the top for 32,000 holding AKo/s everyone else folded. With a 2h, 10c, Jd flop the turn comes Ad and the river 6s. Jenny got a much needed treble up, Margaret’s stack stayed pretty much the same, however, it was Richie’s stack that took the big hit.

 

Tim Green was starting to show the strain when pushing with Kh6h for 18,300 he was called once again by Graham Birkenhead holding Ad4h the flop came 5, 7, 8 with a King on the turn and Queen on the river. Tim stood up to walk away thinking Graham had hit the straight, Yet it was Tim’s very own card the 6h that he had seen at the end of the board. Breathing a sigh of relief Tim sat back down and laughed at his mistake.

 

Richie Lewis was the first to fall from the final table; he min raised with A8o/s and was called by the very quiet Graeme Hunter from the big blind holding Q, 6. The flop cameQ, 8, 5 Richie pushed all in and Graeme called with nothing changing on the turn or river Richie day was over.

 

Blinds 2000/4000 antes 400 average 43,900

 

Margaret Orgill fell next she raised with K, 10 to 12,000 but got reraised by Emma with A, 8 to 24,000, with no other option there was an All in and a call: Flop came 8, 9, 3 the turn brought Q giving Margaret a gut shot straight draw but the river came a blank and Emma’s pair of 8s were good enough.Kevin Hindley fell shortly after when he shoved 11,000 holding K, 7 he got called by A, 8 again being held by Emma the board came K, 7, 8, A, A and another victim had been well and truly battered by Emma.

 

Blinds 3000/6000 antes 500 average 61,500

At five handed something had to change as there remaining players where all starting to eye up the prizes. Graham Birkenhead limped in holding K, 10 allowing Tim to check from the big blind with 8, 4. The Flop came K, 4, 3 Graham bet out 6,000, Tim had a good think and made the call, he got rewarded for his gamble when the turn came another 4, Graham shoved for 19,500 after Tim had checked the turn, he had no option other than call, with Graham needing a king to survive the river came a 6 and the chip leader at the start of the final table was on his way.

We were now on the bubble for the prizes now and the earlier chip leader and out and out luck box Emma Russell finally ran out of luck and cards, when she shoved with A, 2 she got called by Graeme Hunter who had been very quiet during the days play holding 9, 10. The flop came 7, 8, J giving Graeme the nut straight and Emma during dead.

  

With the bubble burst the final 3 all relaxed knowing that they had all won a seat at the Gentings casino in Stoke and some cash.  Jenny Reid fell in third place she shoved all in over the top of Graeme’s raise only for him to call as he was holding K, K Jennyfound herself a long way behind and with the turn of five cards we where down to two.

Starting heads up the chip stack was pretty even, it was looking like it may turn into a long drawn out battle with two very crafty players both trying to get their hands on the trophy, the national seat and the £150 Gentings casino seat. However this couldn’t be much further from the truth…….. Several hands into heads up a tournament deciding hand took place, with Graeme flat calling from the button, giving Tim the chance to check; the flop came 7, 6, 9 a small bet from Tim was called by Graeme, the turn came a 7, Tim checked Graeme bet 13,000. Tim thought for a while counted some chips and reraised to 33,100, Graeme pushed all in straight away. Tim laughed and said “I’vegot to call” he made the call and turned 7, 4. Graeme holding A,2 was a bit shocked to see trip 7s but took it well saying “I hoped my all in would have got you off the hand, I was wrong didn’t have you that strong.

The final hand came very soon after all the chips where in the middle pre flop Graeme turned 10’s and Tim turned 6, 8 o/s the board came 8, 5, 9, Q, 6 giving Tim 2pair and the victory. Congratulation to Tim on a taking down the event.

  

FINAL TABLE RESULT:

1. TIM GREEN (720324) - £80 / £140 GENTING SEAT / NATIONAL FINALS
2. GRAEME HUNTER (720234) - £50 / £100 GENTING SEAT
3. JENNY REID (7640) - £30 / £100 GENTING SEAT
4. EMMA RUSSELL (239835)
5. GRAHAM BIRKENHEAD (716069)
6. KEVIN HINDLEY (5413)
7. MARGARET ORGILL (680759)
8. RICHIE LEWIS (7920)

 

Written by Stu Tompkin

 

REGIONAL FINAL RESULTS - WINTER 2011

  

With 87players registered each player with 8000 chips theplayers waited eagerly for the words,At1:15 the TD announced “shuffle up and deal” and play got on the way with the blinds increasing every 20minutes there was plenty of play ahead of the 87, each one of them with their eyes on the prize, 7 national final seats, 1 £100 seat to a Gentings casino seat and a share of the £1000 guaranteed.

 With the blinds still in the early stages and no one eliminated from the tournament the action started to heat up, David DeMetsenaere  showed Quad 4’s on the river to set the bar for the best hand of the day.  This stayed the best hand till the end of play.

  

With 35minutes of play gone and the blinds at 50/100 our first casualty occurs and Emma Russell is eliminated collecting the wooden spoon. This exit starts a domino effect with player loosening up which seemed no one real wanted to be the first out. The question of the day was how David DeMetsenaerewho held the best hand of the day managed to be knocked out 2^nd in the event.

  

During the course of the next few hours various players made moves and started to challenge for the chip lead the big hand of the day was when Ste Tudor ran into Lee Selvester, Ste was holding QQ and Lee was holding KK with a 6, Q, K flop all the chips where across the line and Ste Tudor was out the door, while on the other hand Lee Selvester had now over 110,000 chips while the average was only around 20,000.

With the action heating up and the players twitching some usual faces started to make an impact Liam Feeney last seasons high rollers winner was making a usual strong showing for himself, Lee Edwards was also stepping it up and winning some big hands drawing himself closer to yet another regional final table. Gary Guille   was having some good fortune with the cards as hand after hand where holding up for him.

With the final table now in touching distance for the remaining 10, JennyReid was the first to feel the disappointment by missing out on a final table leaving us on the bubble. Lee Edwards then lost a huge hand to John Tydlesley leaving himself rather low stack, but in the mean time on the other table Liam Feeney was all in 8c6h on a flop of 9h7s5h and was called by the Ah10h of Gary Guille, with a turn card 3c and a river of Jh giving Gary the nut flush and the bubble was burst with Liam falling at the final stage.

  

Going into the final table:

Seat 1 Lee Selvester           59,500chips

Seat 2 Jane Delaney           65,000chips

Seat 3 Scott Reid                72,500chips

Seat 4 Jack Davies            111,000chips

Seat 5 Shaun Perrin           40,000chips (regional final debutant)

Seat 6 John Tydlesley       153,000chips

Seat 7 Lee Edwards               8,000chips

Seat 8 Gary Guille             203,000chips

  

For the next couple of hands there was no real fire works as they were all on the bubble now for the regional final seats, Lee Edwards had shoved for his last 8000 seeing as the blinds were at 4000/8000 he didn’t have much choice he was called by the big blind and then Lee was gone in 8^th place just missing out on the national final.

  

Again after the exit all hell broke lose everyone left was going to Stoke for the nationals, next to fall was Shaun Perrin the debutant, he pushed and got called by Jack Davies who was now hitting hands just at the right time. Shaun was gone in 7^th but stated “Can’t complain thought id only be here a couple of hours it’s my first season.”

  

Next to fall was the early chip leader in Lee Selvester with everyone looking happy at National qualification in the bag; everyone was trying to make some money. Lee ran into Gary who had another above average hand to be able to call with his stack, but that was the last of Gary’s luck for the day, when John Tyldsley open shoved for 170,000 while blinds were at 8000/16000, Gary had a dilemma and reshuffled, everyone else folded.  John turned JsJc and Gary turned AsJd with the case jack on the turn Gary was left crippled.

  

Scott Reid who had kept himself out of trouble for most of the day finally fell in 5^th position after his reflow push had been called by Jack Davies. Jacks hand stood up then we where 4 handed. With Gary still tilting from the earlier hand against John, he pushed reflow again called by Jack who was now looking like Champion elect. Jacks hand improved and Gary was gone.

  

The final 3 turned into a battle of epic proportions  with preflop raise reraise shve the main elements preflop, none of the final 3 wanted to miss out on the Gentings casino seat.

John Tyldsley  and Jane Delaney had their very own battle going on with John pushing at every possible chance, Jane doubled up then John did again. Eventually Jack called and John was gone leaving the final 2 of Jack davies and Jane Delaney, within several hands it was all over Jack had pushed preflop jane made the call Jacks hand stood up, And we then had our Winter 2011/12 season regional Winner  JACK DAVIES.

  

Congradulations to the final 10 who all cashed, Good Luck to the FINAL 7 who all qualified for the NATIONALS at Stoke, and Good luck Jack in the £100 seat event also in Stoke.

 

FINAL TABLE AND PRIZE WINNERS RESULT:

1. JACK DAVIES (705776) - £300 / £100 GENTING SEAT / NATIONAL FINALS
2. JANE DELANEY (711346) - £340 / NATIONAL FINALS
3. JOHN TYLDESLEY (702002) - £170 / NATIONAL FINALS
4. GARY GUILLE (72041) - £190 / NATIONAL FINALS
5. SCOTT REID (760295) - £180 / NATIONAL FINALS
6. LEE SELVESTER (347123) - £115 / NATIONAL FINALS
7. SHAUN PERRIN (1000051) - £90 / NATIONAL FINALS
8. LEE DEWARDS (5413) - £50
9. LIAM FEENEY (237565) - £20
10. JENNY REID (669967) - £10

 

Written by Stu Tompkin

 

OVERALL LEAGUE WINNER - AUTUMN 2011

 

(Glyn Williams)

1

Glyn 'wizzard' Williams

230552

55

341

18776

This seasons Overall League was comprehensively won by Glyn Williams finishing 5,000 points in front of runner-up John Milsom and third place Shane Yale. Winning 3 league venues in one season made this a great season for Glyn including winning a £100 circus seat for White Lion title. 

 

As of the Winter 2011 season, the Overall League winner will win a £100 Circus Casino seat every season!!

 

TOP 3 - AUTUMN 2011

  

This seasons Top 3 tournament had both a record prize fund and a record number of runners.  There was 116 people playing for £3,160 prize fund and 10 seats through to the national finals.  For the first time, the Merseyside players were also present adding to the 4 other TNPL regions players.  The standard of poker was good, with a good blind structure which allowed players to effectively play.

  

Congratulations go to the winner Rob Priest from Shropshire on beating our very own Sam Tyldersley taking home £800 in prizes.  All the final table qualified through to the national finals in November (Saturday 12th).

  

(Rob Priest and Sam Tyldersley)

FINAL TABLE RESULT:

1. ROB PRIEST (SHROPSHIRE) - £650 / £150 CIRCUS SEAT / NATIONAL FINALS
2. SAM TYLDERSLEY (FLINTSHIRE) - £430 / £100 CIRCUS SEAT / NATIONAL FINALS
3. ADRIAN THAKE (CHESHIRE) - £280 / £100 CIRCUS SEAT / NATIONAL FINALS
4. PAUL CHATERLEY (CHESHIRE) - £220 / £100 cIRCUS SEAT / NATIONAL FINALS
5. BILL TARREL (SHROPSHIRE) - £160 / £100 CIRCUS SEAT / NATIONAL FINALS
6. GRAHAM SMITH (FLINTSHIRE) - £130 / £100 CIRCUS SEAT / NATIONAL FINALS
7. DAN MORGAN (CHESHIRE) - £100 / £100 CIRCUS SEAT / NATIONAL FINALS
8. DAVE MANNING (CHESHIRE) - £70 / £100 CIRCUS SEAT / NATIONAL FINALS
9. PHIL LONG (WREXHAM) - £50 / £100 CIRCUS SEAT / NATIONAL FINALS
10. JON MAYBURY (SHROPSHIRE) - £30 / £100 CIRCUS SEAT / NATIONAL FINALS

  

(Graham Smith - 6th place)

 

 

HIGH ROLLERS - AUTUMN 2011

 

  

The High Roller tournament is the cheapest to enter, a delicious irony that’s akin to flying to Monte Carlo on EasyJet. For just two quid the top three finishers from regional venues can bluff, raise and donk their way to the £150 cash prize pot, two Circus Casino seats worth £150 and £100 each, and for the overall winner, a chance to secure their contention in the National Finals. With only a small field eligible to attend it’s certainly worth missing the Eastenders omnibus for.

Though a relatively new fixture on the Nuts calendar the High Roller has already established itself as a firm favourite, a point verified by the high attendance rate on this unseasonably sunny October afternoon. The format offers a change from the tournament norm in that each player starts with differing stacks; the league winners all beginning with 7k in chips whilst the rest vary beneath that amount depending on how many points they amassed in the overall Nuts league. This immediately prompts tactical dilemmas. Do the big stacks assert themselves right from the off or play the waiting game that their fortune affords them? Do the short stacks seek to quickly double up or get busy in small pots and build incrementally? Chip sizes are viewed with wily suspicion and play a factor in each decision and hand.

  

Best of all though is the timing of the event. A Sunday lunchtime shuffle up and deal means - when coupled with the more intimate numbers - players wander in nursing the last remnants of a hangover and soon form a leisurely camaraderie. The first few hands are punctuated by tales of the previous night’s drunken antics – one player confiding that he never actually got home until half nine that morning. It fosters a friendly ‘home game’ atmosphere and if the worst happens and a bad beat befalls you there is always a roast dinner to look forward to when you return home.  At least that’s the theory.

Five minutes in on table one and Emma Russell bets from early position. The ensuing action prompts John Power to fold a very strong starting hand. Emma continues to fire out on each street until she’s eventually forced to muck her 5-4 off-suit to a hefty river re-raise from Chris Shaw.   Realising his premium hand had been needlessly stood down John declares good-natured but sincere hostilities. ‘This is war. Libya…nothing. Syria…nothing. This is war’.  The tranquil reverie is gone and a game of poker has broken out.

Soon after John sends his K-5 into battle, flops two pair, and busts A-A. Alex Morini then pulls off the same feat with 4-2. Aces down, call a medic. Perhaps appropriately for warfare that contains such friendly fire the bullets are evidently blanks today.

The mood is lightened as the first break approaches as John Milsom accidently lays down the nut flush to a king-high flush believing the river card is a club not a magical fourth spade. He takes the ribbing in typically good grace as cigarettes are smoked and bad beat tales are regaled to the largely disinterested.

Play commences and table two is soon animated as Tracey Pember rivers quad 5s. Incredibly the same hand occurs an hour later in the very next seat meaning that everyone at the table starts to treat any 5 with an over-valued reverence for the rest of the day. These may be good players capable of calculating odds and making moves but gamblers are, at heart, a superstitious lot.

The benefactor of the second quads is Liam Feeney who begins to suspect that lady luck is in his corner. Her presence may be a fanciful notion but there is certainly an aura surrounding this unassuming guy from Colwyn Bay as he steadily accumulates an intimidating haul of chips as the final table looms, particularly when A-K shoves become A-9 hope-and-prays from the short stacks. The silent assassin slowly decimates the field.

  

The bubble is reserved sadly for Gary Guille who runs his 9-9 into big blind pocket kings and thirty-three hopefuls become eight believers all eyeing up the rewards that now lie tantalisingly within touching distance. Short-stack Dan Bellis doubles up then spikes a three-outer to rocket him into contention. The only other player on ten big blinds or less is Mickey Quinn who waits for the right opportunity to push only to be found out by a better hand. Needing an eight and an eight only on the river to survive he calls out for it and it duly arrives. You don’t ask you don’t get. Suddenly it’s hard to predict a winner as the pack bunches.

  

(Final Table)

FINAL TABLE – CHIP COUNT

Seat 1 - Chris Shaw - 51,600

Seat 2 - Dan Bellis   - 9,000

Seat 3 - Jon Milsom - 49,900

Seat 4 - Kath Fellows - 13,500

Seat 5 - Liam Feeney - 60,800

Seat 6 - Mickey Quinn - 16,300

Seat 7 - Glyn Williams - 16,000

Seat 8 - Gareth Bowen - 25,200

 

Eventually Glyn Williams becomes the first final table casualty. The three-time league winner, overall league winner and a thoroughly decent gentleman to boot shoves in early position. Alas the ‘Wizzard’s A-Q spells disaster as it runs into Liam Feeney’s jacks. What should be a straightforward race becomes a sensational hand as the flop brings A-Q-J. Two pair against a set elicits excitement which then escalates to cries of disbelief as a fourth jack pops up on the turn. It’s another set of quads for Liam as lady luck moves from his shoulder and plonks herself onto his lap.

  

(Final table first casualty, Glyn Williams)

John Milson is next to depart, followed soon after by Mickey Quinn as the blinds rise steeply and enforce decisive action.  Throughout the day we’ve been treated to some genuine ‘Hollywood’ hands – the kind you rarely witness in live play that’s usually turned over by James Bond looking all smug and punchable as he trumps a one-eyed sociopath – but there has been a noticeable lack of sick beats. This is soon remedied with a cooler of such proportions it reduces the rail-birds to look to the floor and think ‘there but for the grace of God go I’.

After clambering back into the reckoning Dan Bellis decides to play his A-9 suited cautiously on big blind. He calls a raise from Liam and sensibly elects to see a flop which produces 10-9-9. This must seem like manna from heaven for Dan who check-raises until all the money is in the middle. He is after all only losing to one hand at this point…which Liam has, almost apologetically turning over his pocket tens. I daren’t look beneath the table for fear of seeing what lady luck is up to at this point.

Now four-handed it is revealed that two of the players have already qualified for the Nationals meaning that effectively Chris Shaw and Gareth Bowen are heads-up for that particular reward. Remember the person rolling in at half nine this morning? Well that man was none other than Gareth who has put in a sterling performance to get this far, fortified on an Italian lager nobody can pronounce that becomes jokingly known as ‘Pavarotti’.

Gareth pips Chris to the National seat when the latter’s attempt at a blind steal is undone by Liam’s A-J. Moments earlier it was Gareth who had the A-J which held up after Liam had fought back at him with a weaker hand. Such fine margins, ultimately determines all. The ten pound pay-out for fourth is little consolation to Chris – one of the best players around - who essentially bubbles the big prizes.

Kath Fellows, who has played splendidly to reach the final three, soon finds her stack swallowed up by the imposing 3000/6000 blinds which leaves Liam and Gareth to battle it out for top spot. A huge double-up for Gareth means they share equal sized ammunition and an amicable split is agreed, with the trophy – perhaps justly – going to the man who has knocked out a large percentage of the field single-handedly after both players contested a face-up best-of-three hands.  ‘It just must be fate’ says the bashful victor as he places his share of the spoils into his car.

  

(Winner - Liam Feeney)

There were certainly elements of fate and good fortune that contributed to his triumph but numerous examples of fearless calls played their part too. Liam Feeney is a worthy champ. Having said that I’m sure I saw the faint outline of lady luck sitting in the passenger seat as he drove away into the orange glow dusk.

Written by,

                            Stephen Tudor

 

FINAL TABLE RESULT:

1. LIAM FEENEY - £60 / £150 CIRCUS SEAT (ALREADY QUALIFIED FOR THE NATIONAL FINALS)
2. GARETH BOWEN - £60 / £100 CIRCUS SEAT
3. KATH FELLOWS - £20
4. CHRIS SHAW - £10
5. DAN BELLIS
6. MICKEY QUINN
7. JON MILSOM
8. GLYN WILLIAMS

(Runner Up - Gareth Bowen)

 

 

REGIONAL FINAL RESULTS - AUTUMN 2011

  

This seasons regional final had a healthy 89 runners competing for nearly £1,500 in prizes and 7 seats through to this Novembers National Finals at the Circus Casino in Stoke.  Played kicked off at just after 1 pm with very few people going out early doors.  Once the antes kicked in, slowly but surely the field reduced to get to the business end of the competition.

FINAL TABLE CHIP COUNTS AND POSITIONS:

 

SEAT              PLAYER                                 CHIP COUNT

1                 Phillip Sheridan                     188,500 (chip leader)

2                 John Wilson                            51,000

3                 Steve Davies                           48,500

4                Ashley Steele                           86,500

5                Mike Davies                          145,500

6                Liam Feeney                            74,000

7                Holford Hoole                          71,000

8                Megan Jones                            19.000 (short stack& last remaining female)

The final table started with Phillip Sheridan, closely followed by mike Sheridan having a sunstantial chip advantage.  Both players managed to take advantage of their positions by reaching the final 3 players, but it was Ashley Steele who managed to claim victory.  Starting as third chip leader, he also used his chips to full adavantage.  Mike Davies finished second with both players splitting the money with Phiillip Sheridan finishing second.  Congratulations to the top 7 players who have made it through to the National Finals in November.

    

(Winner - Ashley Steele)

FINAL TABLE RESULT:

1. Ashley Steele - £355 + £100 Circus seat
2. Mike Davies - £350 + £20 best hand of the day, quad Kings!
3. 3rd Phillip Sheridan -  £205
4. Steve Davies - £150
5. Holford Hoole - £115
6. Megan Jones - £85
7. Liam Feeney - £60
8. John Wilson - £30

  

(Runner up - Mike Davies)

 

 

TOP 3 TOURNAMENT RESULTS - SUMMER 2011

 

(Final table)

 This seasons Top 3 consisted of 93 runners competing for £1,430 in cash with £750 worth of Circus Casino seats up for grabs.  Starting at the new time of 1 pm (which it will now always be) with a 10 pm finish, Richard Zolman from Wrexham was champion with Jason Athay (also from Wrexham) runner up.  Congratulations to the Top 8 finishers in qualifying through to the National Finals in November, with top 7 players also winning paid entry into the Circus Casino Stoke's monthly and quartery tournaments.  Two of the past three Stoke £100 monthly tournaments have been won by players sent through the Nuts Poker League!

 

  

(Winner Richard Zolman and runner-up Jason Athay)

Final table result:

1^st- Richard Zolman (Wrexham) £530 

2nd - Jason Athay (Wrexham) £290

3rd - Jill Evans (Fox & Hounds Cheswardine) £180

4th - Paul Clegg (General Elliot, Warrington) £120

5th - Dave Behan (Salopian Star) £90

6th - Glynn Humphreys (West End, Stoke) £60

7^th- Rory Need (Willaston Social Club £50

8^th- Keith Parry (Wrexham) £40

9^th- Adam Dale (Church House, Congleton) £40

10^th- Dave McNeil Ark (Winsford) £30 

 Next seasons Top 3 tournament on Sunday 23rd October will have a record £2,050 added (£1,000 cash/£1,050 in casino seats (10) with 10 seats through to the National Finals.  An esitmated prize fund of £3,500+ is expected which makes this tournament like having 2 regional finals every season!

(Paul Clegg)

(Rory Need)

(Adam Dale)

DENBIGHSHIRE AND FLINTSHIREOVERALL LEAGUE CHAMPION

  

 

1

Janet Butcher

6372

46

366

16852

 

A special Congratulations to Janet Butcher on winning the Denbighshire and Flintshire Overall League for the 3rd time in a a row.  Finishing with just under 17,000 points was still 3,000 clear of second place Megan Jones and narrowly third place Glyn Williams.  All start with mega stacks in the High Rollers - how did they do?

 

DENBIGHSHIRE AND FLINTSHIRE HIGH ROLLERS RESULTS - SUMMER 2011

This seasons High Rollers started with 24 players with the winner not only winning a national final seat, but also a seat for the November Circus Casino £150 buy in with £4,000 added.  First to go out was Tim Green after an hour.  Mickey Quinn finished victorious beat gary Guille in heads up.

FINAL TABLE RESULT:

1. Mickey Quinn - £150 CIRCUS CASINO SEAT / NATIONAL FINAL SEAT / £50
2. Gary Guille - £30
3. Megan Jones - £20
4. Shane Yale
5. Shirley Griffiths
6. Janet Butcher
7. Emma Russell
8. Margaret Orgill

  

(Champion - Mickey Quinn)

(Runner up - Gary Guille)

(Third - Megan Jones)

 

DENBIGHSHIRE AND FLINTSHIRE REGIONAL FINAL RESULTS - SUMMER 2011

 

  

This seasons regional final had 108 qualifiers.  74 players started the day playing for over £1,000.  The top 7 players qualified through to the National Finals in November.  With the biggest Regional Final prize fund to date, plus a £100 Circus seat up for grabs, made this the highest rewarding regional final to play in.

With help from Janet Butcher, Chris Shaw and Eddy Wilcock for dealing once they got down to 32 players (4 tables), around 7.30 pm we got down to the Final table.  As one of the players is not able to make the nationals, Kevin Hindley very kindly gave up his seat meaning that all the final table qualified.

It took until after 9.30 pm to get down to 2 players reamining.  However, it only took one hand to determine the winner seeing Kevin Hindley beat Kath Fellows.  Kath was also given the Circus seat by Kevin - a very sporting gesture for sure.

  

(Kevin Hindley - Champion)

(kath Fellows - Runner up)

FINAL TABLE RESULT:

1. KEVIN HINDLEY (72018) - £350
2. KATH FELLOWS (34023) - £300 / NATIONAL SEAT / £100 CIRCUS SEAT
3. GRAHAM TASKER (714478) - £215 / NATIONAL SEAT
4. DAVID OWENS (680589) - £145 / NATIONAL SEAT
5. JAMES SIMPSON (702887) - £110 / NATIONAL SEAT
6. MICK HAGUE (49022) - £80 / NATIONAL SEAT
7. JOHN SMITH (238802) - £50 / NATIONAL SEAT
8. TRACY PEMBER (4209) - £25 / NATIONAL SEAT

Hand of the Day - Nathan Griffiths (quad 8's)

  

(Natha Griffiths - quad 8's)

 

DENBIGHSHIRE AND FLINTSHIRE HIGH ROLLERS RESULTS - SPRING 2011

(Champion - Emma Russell)

Congratulations to Emma Russell on winning this seasons High Rollers tournament.  Not only has Emma won a seat through to the National Finals, but also is awarded a £200 seat for the Anniversary Cup annual tournament at the Circus Casino in Stoke with an estimated prize fund of over £60 K in total.

Final table result:

1. Emma Russell (£50 + £200 Circus Casino Seat + National Final Seat)
2. Jon Milsom (£30)
3. Chris Shaw (£20)
4. Stu Tompkin
5. Sean Horsfield
6. Megan Jones
7. Stephen Tudor
8. Janet Butcher

(runner up -  John Milsom)

(3rd Place - Chris Shaw)

TOP 3 TOURNAMENT RESULTS - SPRING 2011

  

This seasons Top 3 tournament was available to top 3 finishers in any league within the Cheshire, Denbighshire ad Flintshire, Shropshire and Wrexham areas.  The day started with 94 players competing for a cash prize fund of £940 together with over £700 of Circus Casino seats.

Final table result:

1)      Jason Athay (731141) – Wrexham (£350 + £200 seat)

2)      John Minton (706278) – Shropshire (£190 + £100 seat)

3)      *Jamie Williams (709928) – Wrexham (£120 + £100 seat)

4)      Mark Nicholls (719881) – Shropshire (£80 + £100 seat)

5)      Neil Parry (704768) – Cheshire (£60 + £100 seat)

6)      Gareth Evans (731084) – Wrexham (£40 + £100 seat)

7)      *Tom Taylor (701826) – Shropshire (£30)

8)      *Charlie Mitchell (697317) – Cheshire (£30)

9)      Kevin Butler (695627) – Wrexham (£20)

10)   Dylan Owen (42012) – Wrexham (£20)

*Already in National Finals.  Top 11 qualified for the nationals

  

Congratulations to Jason Athay from Wrexham who was this seasons champion!

 

DENBIGHSHIRE AND FLINTSHIRE REGIONAL FINAL RESULTS - SPRING 2011

  

This seasons regional final had 106 qualifiers.  73 players started the day playing for £.  The top 7 players qualified through to the National Finals in May.  After 6 1/2 plays, the final table was reached with National Final places still not secure.

After a grueling 1 1/2 hours play, Martin Coldray was the unluckly player to not make the end game.  Derek Parker was the very unforatunate player oon the final table to not make thenational finals finishiung in 8th.  After over 7 hours of play, Daniel Tock won a rapid heads-up with Lee Edwards finishing runner up.

  

FINAL TABLE - Top 7 players qualified to the National Finals in May

 

1)      Daniel Tock (730241) - £195 (+£85)

2)      Lee Edwards (5413) - £195 (+£85)

3)      Dave Chatterton (694231) - £100 (+£50)

4)      Sean Horsfield (73348213) - £60 (+£30)

5)      Alex Yarnold (702720) - £60 (+£20)

6)      Graeme Hunter (35547)- £40

7)      Marcus Rodgers (7865) - £20

8)      Derek Parker (702710) - £10 (+£10)