This week, Dave ‘El Blondie’ Colclough scooped his biggest win since the European Poker Classics by taking home €56,225 for second place in the recent Full Tilt Poker European Poker Masters in Dublin, just pipped at the post by local hero Adrian Walshe who earned himself a cool €85,500.Sponsored by online poker giants, Full Tilt Poker, the €3,000 No Limit Hold’Em Main Event at the Sporting Emporium in Dublin was blessed by the presence of a whole host of Full Tilt players including Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, Allen Cunningham, Mike Matusow, Erik Seidel and the aesthetically pleasing Clonie Gowan.
But not to be outdone by our American friends, we had WPT winner Surinder Sunar, poker veteran Dave Colclough and WSOP finalist Andy Black flying the flag for Europe, not to mention local players such as Peter Roche and Joe Rafferty.
And perhaps as a result of jet lag, or maybe just due to being inferior to our homegrown players (hmm), the Full Tilt pro’s were nowhere to be seen come the final table. Instead, that honour went to the following players:
Adrian Walshe
Alan Smurfit
Dave Colclough
Thomas Wahlroos
Dominick Hever
Vera Duff
Tony Baitson
Tony Trinks
Made up of 5 different nationalities, this all European final table was a fearsome one indeed with Dave Colclough and Paris WPT finalist Thomas Wahlroos (right) highlighted as the biggest threats.With Vera Duff (rivered), Dominick Hever (T-T vs K-Q) and Alan Smurfit (A-Q vs Q-Q) taking 8th – 6th for €4,500, €6,750 and €9,000 respectively, we were left with 5 surviving participants, all fighting it out for that 80k plus first prize.
5th spot went to the German, Thomas Trinks, before Ireland’s Tony Baitson and his A-J holding caught Dave nicking with K-T off, which cruelly made a straight on the River.
Down to three, and although Dave had a big chip lead with nearly 400k, he couldn’t relax as Wahlroos and Walshe were in hot pursuit. But, in the end, it was the chasing pack who clashed heads as the Finnish pro exited at the hands of Walshe when his Pocket Nines failed to stand up against the local lad’s A-J.
Heads up, and it looked as though the final was nearing an end. But alas, as I have personally witnessed in the H.O.R.S.E at this year’s WSOP, it can take several hours to separate the last two. Whilst they didn’t quite take that long in Dublin, the heads up battle lasted a rather impressive two hours before El Blondie’s T-8 failed to improve against Walshe’s J-7, thereby bringing to an end what was a cracking final day.
After his exit, 7th place finisher Dominick Hever commented: “Cheers for all the support lads, but I never won a race all tournament. I'm gutted, but I'm sure I'll recover. I just have to win in Drogheda next week to make up for it.”I also caught up with a content Dave Colclough the following day at Walsall: “At first I was disappointed at not winning, but then someone reminded me that I’d just won 56 thousand Euros.”
A big congratulations has to go out to Adrian Walshe for keeping the title in Ireland, but as a blondeite, how could we not be overjoyed for Dave and his second place finish?
Since dominating the European circuit a year or two back, Dave has struggled in tournaments due to constant disagreements with Lady Luck and the Poker Gods. But now, after his impressive performance this week in Dublin, his fortune seems to be turning and Dave appears to be on top of his game. Let’s just hope that this is a sign that 2007 will be the year of the Colclough. I’m still waiting for the year of the Beagle, a flamin’ day would suffice!
[Ed Note: If you wish to view the results in full, please click here]