Marie Sherwood Wins 888poker European Amateur Championship
APAT held the 888poker European Amateur Championship at the Rendezvous Casino, Brighton over the weekend of 21st-22nd January. This is the final event of APAT’s successful fifth season of live events, where for a £75 buy in players receive a 10,000 starting stack and 45 minute clock two day tournament.
The early chip leader was Julian Brooker, all-in with set under set on the flop he rivered Quads to knock out Robyn Houlford. Regular APAT players Vikrum Mehta and Ben Burnhill both moved to the head of affairs during the day but the chip leader by the end was James Barber.
Barber was helped by raising with Kings, being called by Steve Jay in position. The flop came Jack-Jack-Seven. Barber bet and Jay moved all in. Barber eventually called, and was comfortably ahead of Eight-Seven suited. Kings held and Barber did not relinquish his lead for the rest of the day.
At the end of day one 24 players remained with the chip leaders as follows:
James Barber 109,300
Vikrum Mehta 72,000
Martin Sieder 68,700
Lewis Keeble 67,800
Tony Johnson 66,100
Vikrum Mehta was on great form as the play on day two moved towards a final table, knocking out Ian Thompson and John Murray in quick succession in the minor cash positions, out-drawing both with Ace-Ten against Ace-King. Elsewhere Tony Johnson and Marie Sherwood moved towards the top of the chip counts, and James Barber stayed in the hunt with a magnificent fold of pocket Queens against Sherwood’s pocket Kings on a three-four-five board to a four-bet shove all-in.
The final table line up was as follows:
1 James Barber 99,800
2 Marie Sherwood 128,100
3 Siamak Siamak 95,500
4 Jonathan Walker 162,800
5 Lewis Keeble 61,400
6 Tony Johnson 207,300
7 Mike Johns 48,900
8 Mark Davidson 125,000
9 Vikrum Mehta 311,200
With blinds on the final table beginning at 4000-8000 the two short-stacks were under immediate pressure. Keeble made a move with King-Eight in late position and found Johnson in the blinds with pocket Kings to knock him out ninth. Mike Johns shoved King-Jack and was eliminated eighth by Jonathan Walker holding Ace-King.
Siamak Siamak then shoved Ten-Nine suited on the button and Johnson found a hand again in the blinds, pocket Sevens. He won the race and Siamak exited the tournament in seventh.
Mark Davidson was knocked out by Vikrum Mehta in sixth and James Barber fell to Tony Johnson in fifth.
Four handed, stacks were approximately equal, played continued for some time. Eventually Walker and Mehta had a big all-in pre-flop confrontation with Ace-Jack and King-Queen respectively. A Jack flopped, knocking Mehta out in fourth place.
Tony Johnson was eliminated by Marie Sherwood in third place, his flopped top pair losing to Sherwood’s two overcards, which hit on the river.
Walker began Heads-Up with a chip lead and over nearly two hours Sherwood first managed to get equal in chips with a flopped flush, then in the key confrontation Walker with a turned straight and Sherwood with two pair and a flush draw played out a pot that saw Sherwood river a flush to take control, winning soon afterwards.
So the winner of the 2012 APAT UK European Amateur Championship was Marie Sherwood who won £2,780 and in addition to winning the Championship Trophy, Medal and prize money, she will also receive an 888poker live tournament entry.
