With no bracelet to our name, British poker has yet to set this year’s World Series of Poker on fire, and with Stuart Fox’s second place finish earlier on in the month being our best shot, it appears as though the Americans have been spanking our bare behinds uncontested. However, although the constant lashes have made us red raw, we have finally made our presence felt with two finalists in the recent $1,500 No Limit Hold’Em Freezeout. Attracting a huge 2,778 field and a mouth-watering $3,791,970 prizepool, Event #38 looked set to be a cracker, with the eventual winner taking home a lady magnetising $673,628. The show was to last 3 days, and as we neared the latter stages, the men (and lasses) were slowly being sorted from the boys, the likes of Sorel Mizzi, Men The Master, Marcel Luske and Kathy Liebert all making the top 50.
However, whilst the remaining players will have kept a keen eye on the aforementioned stars, they perhaps should have payed more attention to two wily Brits vying for that highly desired sparkling bracelet. With just 9 players remaining, London’s Nick Goodall (above-left) and Chris Bjorin had both made the final table and were being presented with the chance of becoming our first Series' winner for 2007.
Although originally from Sweden, two time bracelet winner Bjorin now resides in London, so, in true Gred Rusedski style, we have taken him under a wing, whether he likes it or not. Not holding bracelet wins, Goodall is similarly menacing at the felt, a cash at the recent EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo proving that he is more than capable.
Unfortunately for our intrepid poker Trojans, it wasn’t to be as Goodall fell in 9th and Bjorin in 6th for $40,195 and $87,215 respectively. Instead, the accolade of champion went to Robert Cheung, a 46-year old Canadian from Vancouver, a wrist trophy and $673,628 to the good.
We might not have taken this one, but it showed that Britain was ready to step up the gear, the likes of Karl ‘dryem’ Mahrenholz (25th), Jeff ‘Jaffacake’ Kimber (29th), Julian Leferre (38th), Jonathan Heath (186th) and Alan ‘RioRodent’ Lake (38th) all cashing for various sums.Meanwhile, Welshman Iwan Jones was stumping a mudhole in the Bellagio Cup, his 60k chop with hotshot Swede, Jonas Molander, in a $1,500 Event being a commendable feat indeed.
Watch out World, the Brits are finally gathering some momentum. It’s only a matter of time before we pick up that elusive bracelet. Surely… isn’t it?