[The Fox]

Brian Clarke Illuminates Final Table at Blackpool GUKPT

The ninth leg of the 2008 Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT) has been won by Scotsman Brian Clarke. He defeated Zachary Ford in one of the most incredible final tables ever to take place in the UK. Clarke, a night watchman who lives in Blackpool was emotional and lost for words after he took down the £96,500 first prize in the seaside town’s G casino. Ford had a massive lead going into the heads up stage of the tournament and it was almost all over on the very first hand, as his K-T looked too good for Brian’s 6-5. However a 5 on the river put Clarke right back in the game and from that point on, he was unstoppable in all-in situations. A few double ups later he had assumed the lead and after one hour of heads up play he emerged victorious. The final hand was a poker classic as Ford held A-K against Clarke’s pocket queens. Although there was a king on the flop and an ace on the turn, the inevitable queen on the river brought the proceedings to a close.

Runner up Zachary Ford was playing in his second GUKPT final of 2008, having finished third at the Manchester leg back in April. He has had a great year, winning other events both online and live, but ultimately he was to miss out on this occasion. Third placed Norwegian Andreas Hoivold would have become the first Scandinavian player to win a GUKPT if he had managed to convert the chip lead he took into the final. Both Hoivold and Ford held the chip lead at various stages of the final, but it was not enough to overcome the local hero. Alan Vinson, who’s son Ben made the final in this event last year, was the 4th place finisher. Darren Hickman, who has previously won a TV tournament, was 5th and Eddie Lundon from Edinburgh was 6th. Two-time British champion Gareth ‘The Nugget’ Jones was seventh and Guy Johnson and Damian Evans completed the final table line up.

The nine-day festival at the G casino attracted some of the largest fields that have yet to be seen on the GUKPT. The £150 PL hold’em freezeout maxed out at 200 entries and another 37 players joined the game as alternates, for a final tally of 237 - the largest side event yet in the tour’s two-year history. Manchester GUKPT winner Marc Goodwin took down the £300 NL hold’em freezeout, outlasting a field of 207 players. This win took Goodwin to the top of the GUKPT rankings and with just the Grand Final festival to come, he has become the hot favourite to win the GUKPT player of the year award and the £10,000 first prize that goes with it. Luton winner Sam Trickett also tasted success at leg 9 as he took down Saturday’s £300 NL hold’em event, outlasting a field of 133 players.

The second year of the tour is nearly over, but in less than two week’s time the £3,000 Grand Final will take place at the Grosvenor Victoria Casino in London, where 2007 winner Mike Ellis will attempt to defend his title. The main event takes place from 27th-30th November, while the warm up events get underway on November 20th.
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[BEANOLIZZY]

many congratulations Weebrick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wish i could have been there to see it but just watched the footage and a deserved winner.usual solid performance
well done once again chuffed for you
beanolizzy and mufcok!!!

[Mr Magoo]

Well done weebrick, you've done a great job it shows those out there blackpool has the quality players, the other winners from the area have proven it but your win was the icing on the cake.

good luck to you all


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Mr Magoo ( Uncle of Waldo )

[psychodave]

This Taken from William Hills Site

GUKPT Blackpool - Final Day Report
Check out all the thrills and spills of the final day of the GUKPT in Blackpool. From amateur dramatics to all-in survival.

Final Day Report
As thirteen Poker Trojans returned for Day 3, we needed to lose just four more players to make our final table line-up. Whilst the departures of the two shortest stacks didn't raise any eyebrows, few expected Sunny Chattha and Martyn Cavanagh to miss out, the latter to see his A-K outdrawn by a A-Q which made a flush on the turn. But as the Welshman headed towards the door, our finalists could celebrate in unison, in particular former EPT winner Andreas Hoivold who held the chip lead with a monstrous 838,000 stack.

After the customary introductions, the players launched from their starting blocks with company director Damien Evans falling at the first hurdle. Guy Johnson soon followed, as did Gareth 'The Nugget' Jones and aircraft engineer Eddie Lundon. With five remaining, the money was beginning to get serious. Although Darren Hickman snapped up fifth when his Big-Slick was out-gunned by Hoivold's Q-J, the £21,300 consolation prize more than softened the blow.

It took a while to lose our next man, the fab four battling it out like Roman gladiators with chips moving back and forth across the felt like a never-ending game of Ping-Pong. But inevitably the blinds soon caught up, and with Alan Vinson feeling the wrath of the Norwegien, we were down to three. At this point, Ben Clarke, who had been gradually climbing the ladder all day, suddenly made a pact with the Poker Gods that would make him appear invincible. After doubling up his short-stack a number of times, he was delighted to see the two larger stacks take each other on and ultimately leave him heads up with recent GCBPT Liverpool winner Zachary Ford.

Ford may have held a 2.8 to 0.6 million lead, but he would have been foolish to underestimate the showdown powers of Clarke. 6-5 versus K-T, J-9 versus 8-8, 8-8 versus 8-8, T-8 versus J-J, Clarke survived an incredible four all-ins before finally snapping up the title in a dramatic final hand. All-in with A-K versus pocket Queens, Ford boasted two pair by the turn, but a rip-roaring third Queen peeled off on the river sealed his fate and awarded Clarke not only the sparkling trophy, but also the small matter of £96,500.

A night watchman originally from Glasgow, local amateur Brian Clarke had low expectations heading into this event, but turned a pipe dream into a reality to provide the festival with a fairy-tale ending and etch his name firmly into the history books. A gentleman throughout, Brian was a highly popular winner who encapsulated many of the aspects of Poker that make the game so great. Runner-up Zachary Ford, meanwhile, was fully deserving of capping what has been a spectacular few months, and we'll no doubt be seeing him cause mayhem on final tables to come. Congratulations to both, but especially Clarke who will soon be preparing for the Grand Final in a couple of week's time.

1st - Brian Clarke - £96,500

2nd - Zachary Ford - £56,250

3rd - Andreas Hoivold - £40,900

4th - Alan Vinson - £27,300

5th - Darren Hickman - £21,300

6th - Eddie Llundon - £16,200

7th - Gareth Jones - £12,800

8th - Guy Johnson - £10,250

9th - Damien Evans - £7,650
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"The motto of chivalry is also the motto of wisdom; to serve all, but love only one. " IN HOC SIGNO VINCES "

[barbara_johanssen]

well done weebrick!