The 2008 Mourant Charity Poker Series Champion is...

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

Record Breaking Pots & We Have Our Final Table For The Mourant Series

Even with Kermit and Renzo being pussies (shame on you both, may you never see pocket rockets again), we still had a record turn out for the home game at Casa Fish. 

Three newbies in the form of Cowboys O'Brien, Dark Horse Daynes and Jakey, joined myself, The Fish, Ian, Poker Princess, BT and Scrooge McDuck for some massive pots.

Previously in home games, the largest pot was £140, taken down by myself at Kermit's Birthday Bash, but last night saw £130 in the first game and £140 in the second game. Nice one.

The first game was pretty lively, and I lost a chunk of my chips in the first few hands when my pocket  Jacks are crushed by the Fish's Ace, Rag (Ace on the flop). I doubled-up soon after though, when I called a pre-flop raise from the Dark Horse, only to flop a tasty straight with a raggedy 5, 7 with a flop of 6, 9, 8. Dark Horse bets and I push all-in. He calls eventually and flips over pocket Aces. Another 9 hits, which means he could fill a house with another 9 or an Ace but my straight holds.

At the end of the re-buy period, three players are all-in, BT, Jake and Dark Horse (I think). BT and Jake just want to go bust so they can re-load with a full stack but Dark Horse has a nice hand with pocket Queens. BT's 7, 3 off-suit, turns a sick straight, giving him a HUGE chip stack and leaving the Dark Horse very jaded about pocket face cards!

I get to the final four, with Cowboys in the lead and myself, BT and Scrooge about even in chips. I get Ace, King suited (clubs) under the gun so push all-in. The only caller is Scrooge, with Queen, 8 suited (diamonds). I'm looking good, Scrooge is about a 2-1 dog to lose (my hand will win 64% of the time) but when the flop springs two more diamonds, I find myself the 3-1 dog (Scrooge's hand  will win 84% of the time in this situation) and he hits on the river taking me out and giving him the chip lead. I steam like a motherfecker, appalled at his pre-flop call with Queen, 8 but that's poker.

BT is taken out soon after and Cowboys and Scrooge chop the pot £65 each way.

I'm still steaming over my Ace, King being dogged so play tight aggressive in the second game and start sucking up chips. The Dark Horse flops a straight but I flop a better straight, so I double-up early.

I then keep hitting hands and soon I own about two thirds of the chips in play and call the short stacks all-in moves. I take the Fish out when he pushes all-in on a draw, I had paired a deuce and it held. Jake was way ahead on a board that gave me a possible straight on the flop and I risk all my chips and river a King. I take Jake out later on with second pair.

I trap Ian beautifully when I call his pre-flop raise with King, 10 suited. I flop a King and check... he pushes all-in and I insta-call. He turns over pocket Queens so my Kings take him out. I take Scrooge out soon after and I'm left heads-up with the Dark Horse.

While we are playing, BT and Scrooge go heads-up for the final seat at the Mourant Charity Series Final Table. Their match lasts three hands! BT flops top pair and Scrooge middle pair. BT's 10 holds so he is our 10th finalist for the 22 August!

When Dark Horse and I start I have a 10-1 chip lead. He doubles-up pretty quickly and moves in again a few minutes later with Queen, 4. I call with Ace, 9 and pair my Ace on the flop. He rivers a straight and we are pretty much even in chips.

I try and avoid pre-flop all-ins as I know I can trap him after the flop. I get King, 8 in the big blind and the flop is King, 8, 7. The turn is a blank and the river another 8, giving me my full house. I push all-in and he calls with a King. So I take down the biggest pot.

Welcome to the game boys, see you next week!

jT

MOURANT CHARITY SERIES - WE HAVE OUR FINAL TABLE... ALMOST!

Last night was the best poker yet at the Charity Series and we have an interesting turn of events based on the various outcomes.

Before I get into the detail of the results and how they impact on the final table, I just want to thank everybody who has taken part in the series, we managed to raise £2500 for Cancer Research Jersey, Jersey Headway and Jersey Hospice, which is fantastic!

I also want to remind everyone to fill out the membership forms for Fish Hook Poker, so we can continue to run tournaments in the future. We already have 25 members! Click HERE to download the application form and anybody who has taken part in the Charity Series can join for FREE.

We have some exciting events planned at the club, including a £20 buy-in Autumn Series of Poker, and a WSOP 2009 All Expenses Paid Package Series! Anyway, if you join the club, you'll find out all about it and how to logon to the new Website where all tournament results are stored against the members' profiles. Plus you have to see the swanky new membership cards to believe them!

Anyway, onto Heat 5 of the Mourant Charity Poker Series.

Least interesting for anyone other than myself (and maybe the other 10 finalists), is that I have made it to the final table on August 22... by the skin of my teeth, but I'll get to that later.

Congratulations to Garret O'Brien, who played some amazing poker to win Heat 5 and with his other two final table appearances (and 10 bubble points) he is officially The Mourant Charity Poker Series Player of the Year.

I'll be presenting Garret his trophy in August. This means that anyone who takes Garret out of the final, wins a terminator bounty prize. Of course, if Garret wins the finals, he takes down the main prize (Widescreen TV) AND keeps the bounty prize!

Garret grinded it out against Stewart Daynes who also played some patient and sophisticated poker. Stewart is also on the final table with his 10 points for second place. Barry Cameron was unlucky to finish 3rd, as he was the chip leader by some way for most of the heat. Scrooge (his Fish Hook nickname of course) was like a chip hoover early on in the heat and was building a great wall of China out of chips!

The final table of Heat 5 was interesting, as Martin Le Guillou did just enough to move ahead of his buddy, Jason Derrien, for winning Player of the Year. Jason had 5 bubble points and Martin picked-up 3 additional points for finishing 8th in Heat 5, putting him one point ahead with 6 bubble points! The only person who could knock him off the top spot... was Garret. And of course, Garret pulled it off, his 10 bubble points putting him in the top spot.

Another interesting outcome is that we actually have three players on the leaderboard, tied for the 10th seat at the final table, so we need BT Hansford, Tony Two-Cards and Scrooge McDuck to slug it out in an eliminator to see who makes it to the final table (before August 22)... so you've all been given one more chance, lads!

Now onto my second chance as it were. Heat 5 was important for me as I was in a race against Garret and Peter Quenault for the 11th seat at the final table, as we were all tied on 10 bubble points. Basically, the player who finished deepest, was going to win that seat. I either needed to finish deeper than the other two, or have them finish in the top three for me to win it. Of course I wanted to win the whole heat and was in good shape to do so, but I'd take the seat however I could win it.

Obviously, Garret won the heat so was no longer in the race for bubble points and unfortunately for Peter, he just didn't get the cards last night and went out pretty soon after the re-buys ended. So that's it, I beat one of the guys in the race and the other won the whole damn thing so I snaked the 11th seat! See you at the final table Gentlemen!

I was happy with my play last night and was in the top five chip leaders for most of the freeze-out period. The hand that took me out would have made me chip leader and started for me with Pocket Aces... I'll get to that hand!

My luck was shocking in the first hour, I burned through about four or five re-buys, I had Ace, Queen beat by Jack, Queen (Jack on the River), pocket 7s ran into pocket Queens, and when I rivered two-pair, someone had a better two-pair! I nearly cried into my scampi and chips!

But then I started hitting. Another pocket 7s turned into a flush (I was the only one holding a Heart), a King, rag held as top pair and I turned a beautiful flush with straight flush possibilities that won me a huge pot against the guy's paired Queen (top pair unluckily for the Market Shark - gotta love these club nicknames!)

When the re-buys ended, I was sat on over 20,000 chips (we started as always with 3000). My table broke-up and I joined Garret's table with about 20 players left in the field. Garret and I were about even and we grinded away at our table to become the chip leaders. We saw Peter get eliminated so there was a good chance we had both made it to the final table in August anyway on bubble points, but we both wanted to finish deep.

With about 12 or 13 players left, spitting distance from the final 10 of the heat, I was sat on 33,000 chips and Garret had about 30,000 chips. We'd been avoiding each other really, apart from one big hand when my paired King won me a few of his chips. I look down at pocket Aces.

With a few thousand in blinds already in the pot, I push them all-in and the only caller is Garret. Now I know he's playing Ace, King at the very least as he wouldn't be risking his chips with anything less as I am the only player who can take him out. He flips over pocket Kings!

The flop is Queen, 10, 9. The turn is a rag, and the River is a Jack, giving Garret an outside straight. He cracked my Aces! And I'm left with one blind. I push them in on the next face card and get taken out by bottom pair. Bollocks!

I said to Garret, "You better win the whole thing, as then I'm guaranteed a seat at the final!" and he didn't let me down. Fair play, that's poker and nobody it walking away from Pocket Kings. Garret is a gentleman and an excellent poker player so if I'm getting spiked, it couldn't happen against a nicer guy.

Aces in the hole proved to be no good all night - after my exit, they were cracked another couple of times by two pair and flushes. Down to the final 6, and Garret gets pocket Kings AGAIN, and they pay, AGAIN, earning him the nickname 'Cowboys' at Fish Hook Poker.

In fact, the only time pocket Aces held was when, yep, you guessed it, Garret 'Cowboys' O'Brien was holding them!

The Final Table - August 22 - Tipsy Toad Townhouse

Garret O'Brien

Martin Le Guillou
Jason Derrien
Stuart Rowsell
Jonathan Queree
Stewart Daynes
Lawrence Hansford (Renzo - Fish Hook Crew)
Chris Shield (The Fish - Fish Hook Crew)
James Shwarz
Richard Hansford, Tony Reed or Barry Cameron (To be contested and all three are Fish Hook Crew!)
Justin Thorne (AnteVirus - Fish Hook Crew)

That's a pretty sick final table, folks, we have some maniacs, some tight aggressive players and one or two fish!

I love it. I love poker, and last night everyone got to play in a competitive heat with some sick calls, bad beats and great moves... that's why we love it, folks.

jT

The 'Thursday Curse!'

I finally broke the 'Thursday Curse' last night.

In all the cash games I have played at the Pomme, I have NEVER won on a Thursday night! And I mean never.

Sundays, I've hit a grand three times, but I've been 'felted' every time on a Thursday. And it's exactly the same faces, the same format and as far as I know, I'm playing my same game.

Anyway, last night I finished 'up'. It would have been substantially 'up' too, but I lost a big pot when I flopped a low flush with straight flush possibilities. I was holding 5, 3 of Diamonds and limped-in. Three diamonds hit the flop including a 6 and a 4.

A guy smooth called my bets all the way to the river and when no more diamonds hit on the turn and river I figured I was good, even though I had missed my straight flush - he had the nut flush and one of the cards I needed for my straight flush (the 7, I think). Ah well.

So how much did I finish up? £3.

Yep, I was in for £300, and went down to about £100 at one point, but cashed-in for the princely sum of £303.

It's not the amount that matters though, it's that I've finally crushed this curse.

A guy hit a Royal Flush too, which was sweet to see, especially as I wasn't in the pot! That's two in two months now!

jT

In the cash, and last chance saloon!

Had a miserable time at Heat 4 of the Mourant Charity Series - was chip leader at my table before the re-buys finished, shed my chips when a guy called my pocket pair with Queen, 10 (for his tournament life no less) and hit his 10 on the river. Short-stacked, I was looking good to trebble-up with trip Kings - I was all-in after the turn and got two callers. One guy had two-pair so he couldn't catch me but the other guy risked all his chips to hit a flush... and hit, taking me and the two-pair caller out of the tournament.

Next week is the final heat and I need to finish in the top ten to secure a place at the final table in August. If I win this heat, I win player of the year but I'd be happy just placing high to get a shot at the championship.

Tournaments aren't all doom and gloom though, I finished 2nd last week in the Fish Hook Poker £20 buy-in tournament and took home £200. Should have won it but was running out of time and patience.

Also hit my biggest cash game net win on Sunday at the Pomme when I cashed £1100 - I was in for £140.

The cards were insane - in three hours we counted 16 Full Houses, 2 Straight Flushes and Quad Kings. And it seemed to be one guy who kept hitting. He was at least £800 up at one point but left with nothing at 12:30.

I hit a couple of full houses, a nut straight and had better cards in two massive pots. In the last hand of the night I get AK and flop a King. There's already £260 in the main pot and then a guy with Pocket Jacks chases me to the river for another £400. Nice!

Fish Hook Poker is now a formalised Club, with articles, membership cards and an incredible website for members... Watch This Space!

jT

Mourant Charity Poker Series - Final Two Heats!

Things are hotting up as participants jostle to hit the final table on August 22.

Apart from competing to win the inaugural championship trophy AND the Player of the Year award, the prizes have now been confirmed for the top three finishers:

1. 37" LCD Widescreen TV
2. Digital Camera
3. iPod Nano

As things stand, with two heats still to go, the following players are pretty much guaranteed to make the final table:

• Martin Le Guillou - 20 Points
  
• Jason Derrien - 20 Points
  
• Jonathan Queree - 15 Points
  
• Renzo Hansford (Fishhook Player!) - 10 Points
  
• The Fish (Fishhook Player!) - 10 Points
  

In pole position for Player of the Year is Martin Le Guillou, with 4 bubble points in addition to his 20 points on the leaderboard. He either needs to hit another final table to extend his lead (or of course place in the top three to be clear leader) or he needs anyone with 5 or more bubble points NOT to win a heat, as he will be pipped on bubble points.

Almost tasting the final table but still with things to do with 5 points each are:

• Tony Reed (Fishhook Player!)
  
• James Shwarz
  

The final two heats (the next one is June 27) will see four more players win their way onto the final table, we then have a bubble point seat for the player with the most final table appearances.

At the moment, John Pendergast, Garret O'Brien and yours truly, are tied with 10 bubble points for two final table appearances each, out of the three heats already played. 

I'd prefer to win my way to the final table, but a backdoor ticket for consistency will do me!

I've been happy with my play so far, although I should have won heat 3 easily as I was chip leader for almost three hours. When the tables started breaking-up and the re-buy period had ended, I was sat on over 60,000 chips (starting stacks were only 3000!)

I was still chip leader with only half the field left and then shed most of my stack chasing a nut flush that never hit. I also need to remember that at these games, you ALWAYS get called... absolutely no point attempting a bluff if you are anything other than heads-up and even then, 9 times out of ten, the guy will call with bottom pair no matter how big you make it to call.

One consolation is that I hit my first ever Royal Flush (live or online) and trebbled-up to give myself a second chance at winning the heat. In the very next hand I was dealt pocket 10s and pushed all-in, hoping to win back a very healthy chip stack. Of course a player called with Ace, King and hit a King on the flop kicking my ass out of the heat.

So, I have two heats left to either place in the top three - a win puts me in the lead for Player of the Year with 10 bubble points, or I skulk into the final via the 11th seat by hitting another final table (assuming Garret and John do not of course!)

The play has been pretty good, and there are some familiar faces on the final tables, although only three players on the leaderboard have hit a final table twice. Of course there is plenty of bad play, especially during the re-buy period, but then that's how some players manage to start the freezeout period with tens of thousands of chips!

I'm very happy that three of the fishhook crew are heading for the final table and I hope a few more will make it in the final two heats.

The biggest threat to my final table appearance, is Garret & John, I don't need them to finish ahead of me in the top ten at either heat. Of course anyone with 5 or more bubble points already is also a threat as they could get a high finish (6th or better) and I crash out of the next two heats, putting them ahead of me.

There's a home game tomorrow night at the Fish's place and a cool one on Sunday at Renzo & BTs...

jT

Leaderboard Update

Click on the image below:





I've just slipped ahead of Kermit in terms of league points (3 points for a win, 2 points for second place and 1 point for third) and maintain my lead in terms of equity at £355 up. Kermit's consistency at placing in the top three is always dangerous and Pokerbrat is only a few wins away from sneaking ahead.

Tony Two Cards' immense win ratio is going to be hard to beat but can he maintain it considering how few games he actually plays... we shall see! Can't argue with £200 up!