From inept to the EPT ......

Well, who needs another poker blog? No-one, obviously. So this is just for me, in case I ever have to write my memoirs. Which is about as likely as Michael Aspel turning up to put me on This is Your Life. And I'm old enough to remember Eamonn Andrews with the old red book ....

Anyway. Around this time last year, at the end of 2007, I was a fairly chuffed recreational poker player. I'd not had a bad year, had a few live and online successes throughout the year, the best being for about £1200 live, and quite a number for slighty less online, so lets say a reasonably profitable recreational player. But in December 2007 I found myself in an online final for the EPT event of my choice. Different league.

This was on Virgin (Boss network) and if I'm honest I didnt go into it with a whole lot of confidence, but I ended up with a chip advantage heads up, and despite my comparative inexperience was decidedly hacked off when I lost - only winning €1400 (around £1000 at the time, how times change, eh?) for being outdrawn twice by a Lithuanian muppet. Ooops sorry, did the bitternesss peep through just then? Thankfully my teenage son brought me back to earth when he observed that I had at least won a grand, and that I'd have won fuck all in Copenhagen. So true. And at the end of the day it had only cost me a handful of Euros to qualify.

Ok, we are a year on, and I've just won a place in yet another EPT Online Final. Which kind of prompted me to start off this blog. This time the EPT qualifier is for Deauville, and I'd bloody love to go. Because although I'm still a recreational player, I have had a blast of a year, due in no small part to my membership of, and association with, aworldofpoker.com.

Let me say something about this crowd. Bear with me. I joined this forum on 1/1/07 because a pal told me I should. At first I was a bit of a lurker, then I posted a "where did I go wrong" type of post which I now cringe about, and although I was aware of their "Players Club" which offered rakeback and sponsorship it seemed (to a newcomer) to be a little bit cliquey and I didn't get involved. Bad decision me. When they moved their primary allegiance to Virgin Poker, and set up a VIP Club, I decided I would get involved. And bugger me, have I benefited or what?

Thanks to them, in 2008, I have played two GUKPT Main Events (three in total), two GCBPT Main Events, and a £500 side event at EPT London. All for free, thanks to their VIP Club, and the free bi-monthly satellites they run for their VIP Club members. I've done OK in other satellites too, seem to have a knack for avoiding the loonies early doors and acquiring myself some chips when I have the goods.

But I made a complete arse of my first GUKPT outing at my home gaff in Walsall. Put it down to nerves, whatever, it was my first £1000 event and I felt a little intimidated. Was unlucky (I'd say) to go out at GUKPT Manchester - QQ v KK in the BB - what ya gonna do? Got badly outdrawn in a couple of minor (i.e. £500) events they paid me into, but I never went in with the worst hand, no complaints, I want those sort of calls usually.

Oh, yeah, and fuelled by enthusiasm for bigger events that AWOP had given me taste for, I ended up at GUKPT Newcastle last May. Not through my pals at AWOP, this time, but via a magazine freeroll - thank you Poker Player Magazine - who provided a seat after I struggled through a 639 runner field in their online qualifier.

Luckily I overcame the first day nerves you would associate with having Liam Flood on your table, had to grind for about 3 hours with 1/3 of my starting stack but eventually came good on Day 1, ran with the chip lead for a while on Day 2, and managed to final table - eventually coming 5th for over £12K.

Not bad for an amateur. But it gave me a taste for this sort of event. And I made some good mates. So roll on 2009. And the EPT. And every other sort of shit. I aim to be there. :-)