Me!
That's all...
Just kidding.
Congratulations to Stuart Rowsell for finishing as runner-up.
Stuart picked-up his silver medal, a digital camera and we did a deal on the Widescreen TV too (I took the cash).
Congratulations are also due to James Schwarz who finished third, picking-up an iPod Nano and the bronze medal.
Before the final table kicked-off, I presented Garret 'Cowboys' O'Brien with his Player of the Year trophy.
The game started off pretty tight, I think we only got through four or five hands at the starting blind level. We started with 10,000 chips and unlike the heats, it was a freeze-out, so no re-buys, which is why everyone was playing so rock-ish.
Lawrence took the early chip lead and I gave him a few thousand when I flopped four to a flush with Ace, Jack of clubs. The fifth club never came for me.
Soon after, I slow-played pocket Queens only to flop trips. With two hearts on the board, I made a pretty tasty bet and only had one caller - Stuart Rowsell. Another heart hit on the turn and he bet out half his chip stack. I hated that bet and threw my Queens away. The table seemed surprised at the laydown but Stuart showed his flush after my fold. I was now down to half my starting stack... not a great start!
Richard was the first casualty from the final table on a completely sick hand. James Schwarz raised it up, Richard pushed all-in and Chris The Fish called! James also called and Rich turns over pocket Kings. James AND The Fish both have pocket Aces!!! Unbelievable, and they end up splitting Richard's chips between them as he fails to find his third King.
Jason Derrien is out next, I can't remember my hand but it's a low pair and they hold, taking him out and putting me back to my starting stack of 10,000.
Martin Le Guillou is out next, courtesy of The Fish, whose two-pair cracks Martin's pocket Aces.
The Fish's luck doesn't last long though, when his two pair (one pair is on the board) is cracked by Garret's pocket Cowboys... Jesus, he certainly earned his nickname! At this stage, Garret is a massive chip leader.
Jonathan Queree is out next, the short stack for most of the night, when he plays Ace, Jack and is up against Ace, Queen or Ace, King.
Stewart Daynes is next and we now have two players with massive stacks against the rest of us. Garret and Stuart Rowsell. My stack has dwindled again and I need a double-up if I am going to get a stab at finishing in the top three.
I get Ace, 9 and push all-in and Lawrence is the only caller. He flips over pocket Jacks and I'm in another race! I flop an Ace and take Renzo out and find myself in the final four.
Shortly after, I double-up into Garret when my pocket 8s hold against his Ace, something.
The chips are fairly spread out amongst the remaining four players, although James is starting to bleed chips a little. James puts me to a hard decision when I flop top pair (Queens) with a King kicker. I bet and he comes over the top all-in. I think I'm behind and throw them away. Soon after, he makes a big bet but gets called and he shows a bluff so I beat myself up a little over my earlier fold. He is now down to a few blinds in chips.
I get dealt pocket Aces. Beautiful! I push all-in and Garret is the only caller. I am slightly ahead in chips but only by a little. Now there is history here, as in the last heat I was all-in with pocket rockets against Garret's pocket Kings, and he made a straight when 9, 10, Jack, Queen came out on the board. Garret went on to win that heat.
This time, he flips over Ace, King. A King comes out on the flop and for a moment I am sure another bloody King is going to come. But it doesn't and my Aces hold. I am now chip leader and in the top three. I also win the Bounty Prize for taking the Player of the Year out of the final.
I try and take James out twice, but he doubles-up both times. Eventually, Stuart takes him out and we are heads-up. We strike a deal on the prizes and agree that he will take both prizes and I will take both cash prizes, whatever the outcome.
I make a bluff that costs me most of my chips, only to catch a straight draw that never completes, so lose half my chips. I then get them back when my pocket 8s hold again! At this stage, with the blinds so high, it's pretty much push or fold from both of us. I am more aggressive and build a healthy chip lead.
I push in with Ace, 9 and Stuart calls with King, Queen. He hits a Queen on the flop and it looks like we are going to be even in chips again. The turn is a blank and I spike my Ace on the river, taking down the title, WOOHOO!!!
It's been an awesome series and it feels great to win it.
I think it was a tough final table and any one of the players deserved to win it.
Final Results:
1ST - Justin 'AnteVirus' Thorne
2ND - Stuart Rowsell
3RD - James Schwarz
4TH - Garret 'Cowboys' O'Brien
5TH - Lawrence 'Renzo' Hansford
6TH - Stewart 'Dark Horse' Daynes
7TH - Jonathan Queree
8TH - Chris 'The Fish' Shield
9TH - Martin Le Guillou
10TH - Jason Derrien
11TH - Richard 'BT' Hansford
In the £20 re-buy tournament, we had our first female winner when Lisa Feighan took down the top spot. Well done Lisa!
The final table looked like this:
1ST - Lisa Feighan
2ND - Martin Le Guillou (proving his final table seat was no fluke!)
3RD - Lloyd Dean
4TH - Nick Caunce
5TH - Tony Hearne
6TH - Mike Ovens
7TH - Steven Howard
8TH - Chas Saunders
9TH - Keilah Lewis
10TH - Kirsten Morel
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