Poker wins are like buses, you wait for ages for one turn up and then two come along at once, this logical theory of our public transport system once and for all proven by Julian Thew’s latest victory in Plymouth, just weeks after triumphing in the monthly freezeout in Walsall. This time, however, the rewards were a little beefier, Jools earning £59,500 for his troubles as he became the latest Blue Square GUKPT winner.
With numbers lower than usual, Julian’s prize was slightly inferior to that of previous events which have been known to reach £100k plus. But with Plymouth less accessible to the average poker player, the thin field was to be expected.
Having said this, the player list still displayed its fair share of big names, the likes of Willie Tann, Jeff Kimber and Neil Channing, not to mention returning finalists Tony Ringe, Ian Nelson, and Dave Smith all looking to repeat previous successes.
With the new gambling laws allowing for players to arrive post hand one, there were a few later arrivals looking to emulate the fashionably late trends of Phil Hellmuth. In this case, it was two of Blue Square’s sponsored players who opted to skip the opening encounter, Praz Bansi and Karl Mahrenholz eager to maintain the Hit Squad’s cool image as rebels without a cause.
Former bracelet winner, Praz, was actually sitting in third place come Day 2, a gnat’s breath away from Jonny ‘Texas’ Hewston, but oceans behind chip leader Raul Paez, affectionately labelled the ‘Spanish Trawler’ by our mischievous bloggers.
Come the final table, though, these three names had disappeared from the list to be replaced by the following motley crew:
Scott O'Reilly -- 439,500
Chaz Chattha -- 286,500
Chris Hooper -- 238,000
Chris Moore -- 223,000
Julian Thew -- 177,000
Ian Cox -- 160,000
Barbara Gibson -- 127,000
Mickey Wernick -- 112,000
Richard Frost -- 28,500
A WSOP hero from 2006, Scott O’Reilly’s chip lead saw him sail into the final three, and although behind in chips, he seemed in great shape against Chaz Chattha (right) when he sneakily limped with Aces before trapping his opponent on the 2-4-6 Flop. Scott naturally called Chaz’s all-in, but his joy turned to chagrin as the Hit Squadder turned a third 6 to send O’Reilly hurtling out in third place for £21,500.
Whenever Julian ‘Yoyo’ Thew reaches a final, he always seems to go far, so it was inevitable that he were to be Chaz’s heads-up opponent, the latter holding the chip lead and favourite to take gold.
However, Julian’s experience told as he quickly turned the tables before putting Chaz all-in with Pocket Nines versus A-2. A rainbow 7-4-Q-J-3 and that was all she wrote, Thewy was champ.
Julian has always been the side event king in my eyes, his out-early-or-not-at-all philosophy working wonders in £200-£750 freezeouts. However, although he’s enjoyed minor success at events such as the 2005 Amsterdam Classics, that big win has always evaded him, and I’ve always wondered why.
But now he’s part of that elite group of GUKPT winners, variance is the answer that seems most likely, and one that suggests that he is capable of winning competitions of an even bigger stature. He may wear sandals, don scarves and tanktops, and carry effeminate (man)bags over his shoulder, but I sure hope he achieves the success he deserves as in the five years I’ve known him, he’s emerged as one of the kindest, most sincere figures in poker.
Having said this, the player list still displayed its fair share of big names, the likes of Willie Tann, Jeff Kimber and Neil Channing, not to mention returning finalists Tony Ringe, Ian Nelson, and Dave Smith all looking to repeat previous successes.
With the new gambling laws allowing for players to arrive post hand one, there were a few later arrivals looking to emulate the fashionably late trends of Phil Hellmuth. In this case, it was two of Blue Square’s sponsored players who opted to skip the opening encounter, Praz Bansi and Karl Mahrenholz eager to maintain the Hit Squad’s cool image as rebels without a cause.
Former bracelet winner, Praz, was actually sitting in third place come Day 2, a gnat’s breath away from Jonny ‘Texas’ Hewston, but oceans behind chip leader Raul Paez, affectionately labelled the ‘Spanish Trawler’ by our mischievous bloggers.
Come the final table, though, these three names had disappeared from the list to be replaced by the following motley crew:
Scott O'Reilly -- 439,500
Chaz Chattha -- 286,500
Chris Hooper -- 238,000
Chris Moore -- 223,000
Julian Thew -- 177,000
Ian Cox -- 160,000
Barbara Gibson -- 127,000
Mickey Wernick -- 112,000
Richard Frost -- 28,500
A WSOP hero from 2006, Scott O’Reilly’s chip lead saw him sail into the final three, and although behind in chips, he seemed in great shape against Chaz Chattha (right) when he sneakily limped with Aces before trapping his opponent on the 2-4-6 Flop. Scott naturally called Chaz’s all-in, but his joy turned to chagrin as the Hit Squadder turned a third 6 to send O’Reilly hurtling out in third place for £21,500.Whenever Julian ‘Yoyo’ Thew reaches a final, he always seems to go far, so it was inevitable that he were to be Chaz’s heads-up opponent, the latter holding the chip lead and favourite to take gold.
However, Julian’s experience told as he quickly turned the tables before putting Chaz all-in with Pocket Nines versus A-2. A rainbow 7-4-Q-J-3 and that was all she wrote, Thewy was champ.
Julian has always been the side event king in my eyes, his out-early-or-not-at-all philosophy working wonders in £200-£750 freezeouts. However, although he’s enjoyed minor success at events such as the 2005 Amsterdam Classics, that big win has always evaded him, and I’ve always wondered why.
But now he’s part of that elite group of GUKPT winners, variance is the answer that seems most likely, and one that suggests that he is capable of winning competitions of an even bigger stature. He may wear sandals, don scarves and tanktops, and carry effeminate (man)bags over his shoulder, but I sure hope he achieves the success he deserves as in the five years I’ve known him, he’s emerged as one of the kindest, most sincere figures in poker.