The Biggie - Then there were 3!

Once we were down to three players, myself and El Blondie had a huge chip advantage over Chris Singh and I knew whoever got his remaining chips would have a huge edge heads up. Chris began to play very, very, very aggressively. He had not played a hand all night and suddenly he began raising all in pre-flop every other hand. After about the 5th all-in he announced he was a crazy ‘terrorist’ (a nickname I now always use whenever I see him). If only Dave or I could find a hand to take him out with. The very next all in on my big blind I found QK and decided to take a stand, knowing that if I lost I would be still slightly in front of him in chips but if I won I would take him out and go up against one of poker’s true greats with a slight chip lead. I also fancied my QK was the best hand… and it was!- Chris flipped over the 8-10 of diamonds, so I am in front but he has 2 live suited and connecting cards which makes me about 60% favourite. The flop brought a 10 and no help for me and Chris doubled up – not a problem! I was still second in chips and felt ok. Chris didn’t slow down and began making big raises and all-in manoeuvres again and again until he overtook me in chips. El Blondie was waiting for a hand and me likewise. The whole texture of the contest had changed and Chris was dominating. Then the following hand develops in the blinds… El Blondie makes it 4 times the BB to go and Chris moves all in. Dave thinks for a while and decides to call, figuring his hand to be in not hat bad a shape. Dave turns over QK and amazingly Chris turns over the 4-5 of diamonds! - A 4 on the flop brings a grimace from Dave and I but a Q on the turn sends Chris out of the competition and sets a heads up clash between myself (the little know lad from Notts.) and one of poker’s real tough guy opponents (Dave El-Blondie Colclough).


Heads Up….

The heads up battle took longer to get under way than it did to finish. Dave had a huge 2:1 chip lead over me and I failed to make any head way at all in the battle. Every time I raised he moved all in or pushed me off the pot and every time he raised I had absolute rags. The final hand was a remarkable one. The blinds were really beginning to hurt me and I had to get aggressive or I was gong to just die slowly so I made some action and raised all in with K6 and amazingly got called by Dave with K7! I am not sure to this day why he called, unless he could sense I was at-it but he had me severely dominated in this situation. However, the board brought K6A, which put me in great shape and would have doubled me up to within reach of Dave. The turn brought a 3, which was a great card for me but the river brought another ace, which gave us both the same two pair but his 7 kicker was the decisive card and I was eliminated in 2nd place for a life changing personal best of £37,000!

In truth I was hurting inside a little but was really delighted with my result and my play. I couldn’t wait to go home and check out Poker in Europe.com to see my name in the results section and see where I stood in the rankings. I had achieved everything I had wanted to achieve from the 2 days and so much more. I was over the moon and had a real taste for the tournament scene. Could 2005 really be my year?