London Poker Meetup Take UK Team Title

The APAT United Kingdom Team Championship, the final event of APAT’s successful Season Four, was held at the G Casino in Bolton on January 29th & 30th, 2011.

Following on from the very successful Team Championships of the past two seasons which were won by the Bristol & South West Meetup (Season 2) and Team APAT (Season 3), this event featured 25 teams of 8 players chosen from the leading poker forums and clubs across the country paying £50 each, with 50% of the prize pool plus a GUKPT Seat and National Medals going towards individual prizes, while the other 50% of the prize pool, plus the title and Championship Cup be going towards the Team Championship.

Courtesy of tour sponsors Betfair Poker the individual winner of the Championship won an entry to a GUKPT main event as part of an overall sponsorship package where APAT members have the chance to win thirty three seats to GUKPT main events and twenty three seats to APAT Professional League tournaments. In addition, each of the season’s seventy five amateur, professional and online tournaments weree run completely registration free for players.

Play in this APAT UK Team event was very tight for most of the day with players playing for their teams first and foremost and points scoring only starting from fiftieth position up. Teams best placed as the tournament developed were Newcastle Poker forum, blonde Poker and Blackbelt poker. Individually London Poker Meet-Up’s Paul Davis was at the head of affairs doubling up three hands in a row with pocket Kings, Queens and then Aces. APAT Scottish Champion Scott Wilson also took commanding chips into day Two.

At the end of Day One, with 32 left the chip leaders were as follows

Scott Wilson – APAT Champions 160100
Paul Davis – London Poker Meetup 128775
Jon Woodfield – BlackBelt Poker 123250
Andy Young – Lee Barrett Poker Nights 120900
Helen Godfrey – Punters Lounge 115400

By this stage, two teams were eliminated from contention, Northern Ireland Poker forum and Hetton Poker League, with none of their eight players reaching the points scoring positions.

Andy Young moved into a commanding chip lead when his King-Ten out-drew Paul Davis’ Aces on the river, before he too lost a big confrontation with Niall Farrell of BlackBelt Poker who assumed the chip lead. As the cash positions were reached the sole team with three players remaining the Gambling network forum were best placed to win the team event.

However their three players all fell before the final as both Mark Trett form Newcastle and Hugh Black from blonde Poker tore through the field.

As the final began three teams could still win the event, London Poker Meetup, Gambling Network and Black Belt Poker.

The Final Table Chipcounts were as follows:

Mark Trett – Newcastle Poker Forum – 465,200
Niall Farrell – Black Belt Poker – 340,900
Hugh Black (blonde Poker) – 327,400
Andy Cairns – Betfair – 226,700
Michael Martin – London Poker Meetup – 191,900
Helen Godfrey – Punters Lounge – 191,000
Steve Redfern – Black Country Poker Club – 153,800
Andy Young – Lee Barrett Poker Nights – 67,400
Matt Carter – London Poker Meetup – 43,800
John Murray – Live Pub Poker League – 36,600

First out on the final was Steve Redfern at the hands of Helen Godfrey and Godfrey then eliminated John Murray. Andy Young then fell to Mark Trett and Andy Cairns was unluckily knocked out by Black, Jacks against Tens, with a ten on the flop. Trett who by now had one-third of the chips in play ahead of Godfrey and Farrell.

Black then fell to Farrell in fifth followed by London Poker Meet-Up’s Michael Martin in fourth. Three handed fortunes changed when Farrell knocked out Trett to go heads up with Helen Godfrey equal in chips. By now London Poker Meetup had secured the Team title but a Blackbelt win for Farrell would push them into runners up spot.

After a long Heads up battle Farrell triumphed to win the individual section of the event, King- two against King-eight on a King high flop, also containing a two.

In the team event itself the final result was as follows:

1st London Poker Meetup £2,500
2nd BlackBelt Poker £1,500
3rd Gambling Network Forum £1,000