Print Page - Luton Christmas Cracker: Final Day

Play in this year's Luton Christmas Cracker £750 Main Event commences at 6pm.

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http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=29469.0 (http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=29469.0)

Day 1 chip counts:

Arco Zuyderduyn -- 82,375
Danny (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=986) D'Borin (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=986) -- 62,050
Derek Lawless -- 60,250
Ali (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=23) Mallu (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=23) -- 57,825
Daniel Rudd -- 44,750
Graham Hiew -- 31,375
Dervis Ozkarapinar -- 29,775
Ryan (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=390) Fronda (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=390) -- 26,950
Dave (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=96) Courtney (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=96) -- 26,425
Mike Moore -- 23,750
Andreas Georgiou -- 21,450
D Shearer -- 20,000

Prize Structure:

1st = £12,870
2nd = £7,350
3rd = £5,510
4th = £4,410
5th = £3,310
6th = £2,200
7th = £1,100

They're not messing about, early though it is.

Arco limps utg and small blind Ali Mallu makes it another 7k. Arco now makes it 25k. A disgruntled Ali passes, but at least Arco shows him Ad Ahrt so he knows he was doing the right thing...

Now Dervis Ozkarapinar raises to around 3.5k from the button, only for BB Daniel Rudd to stick another 7k on it. To which Dervis makes it another 10k. Daniel asks for a count, and mulls. At one point I think he is in danger of putting a chip near his mouth, which would be hazardous to his health, but the chip stops just short and he puts it down. Wise move. He also lays down Aspades Qh face-up, muttering, "You've got a pair of Nines or something." Dervis tells him, "Very good fold," but Daniel seems unconvinced and unconsoled.

And furthermore there is EXITING ACTION too.

I find Dave (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=96) Courtney (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=96)'s Aspades 7s not looking amazing against Mike Moore's Ad Tc preflop.

Board - 2h Jh Qd 3s Kc

And Mike has made a straight, which is nice for him, and after some brief counting establishes that he's covered, Dave (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=96) Courtney (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=96) is OUT.

As Dave walks off into the eerily empty Sunday afternoon casino, Mike make a relieved sound like "PHEEEWWWWFF".

"I was gonna push," he said to enquiries from Arco as to what he would have done had Arco reraised. "The Ten was actually the highest card I've seen so far - so to see an Ace with was a bonus."

And just like that (hey, I sound like Tommy Cooper!), we've lost another and are down to our final ten. The unfortunate victim was Andreas Georgiou, who, with just 13k, decided to push all-in from early position with A-8. Danny D'Borin, meanwhile, looks at his cards, stops, takes a breather and mulls over his decision before making the call. Fold, fold, fold, fold and it's showdown time. Andreas quickly reveals his hand but is made to wait for a brief moment as Danny cheekily peels out a pair of Aces. An Ace on the Flop and it's pretty much over for Andreas, the Eight on the Turn making no difference and forcing him to hit the rail. As he departed, Andreas didn't hesitate to voice his disdain on what he deemed to be a slowroll. Danny D'Borin merely shrugged his shoulders and play continued.

Ryan Fronda shoves from the button and gets away with the blinds. He shows A-Q. Moore, who was considering the call but seemed under the impression that BB Ali Mallu might call instead, and also I think didn't really fancy a race at this point, says he had Eights. Says Fronda: "If I'm gonna pass A-Q, I might as well go home." Fair enough, sir.

Arco raises to 2500 from mid position. Mike Moore on the button calls, but BB Ali (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=23) Mallu (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=23) goes all in. "How much?" says Arco. "A lot," says someone. I sneak a look at Arco's Ace, but I'm guessing he doesn't have another one of those because he folds.

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Dev Shearer did make it in the end after "tearing it up the motorway at 100 mph" (poor chap came all the way from Birmingham). However, he would have done better crawling along at 50, because as soon as he arrived, he played a pot with J-T but ran into Aces which subsequently demolished his stack and left him with a paltry 5k.

Players are on a 5-minute break because we have made Final Table. Snoopy has details...

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Mike Moore was the man to poke a pin in that final table (not money) bubble. He pushed all-in on an 8d Qd Ad Flop with the confidence of Jennifer Lopez at a singles bar before being played back at by Arco Zuyderduyn who took one quick look at his cards and announced call.

On their backs, it was Moore who had the lead with Ahrt Jd, but would be made to sweat whatever happened with Arco holding a menacing Kd Js.

A 9h Turn and Th River looked innocent enough, until Mike suddenly noticed the Rivered straight. As he bowed his head in disappointment, Arco offered his consolidatory hand and made the inevitable apology. Mike took his defeat gracefully and swiftly exited stage left, leaving the Dutchman to plead, "I had to call, I had the flush and straight draw" to his remaining opponents.

Down to 9.

As you may have noticed from the chip counts, Danny (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=986) D'Borin (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=986)'s and Daniel Rudd's were exlcuded as they were involved in a pot at the time, and it was one that led to the elimination of D'Borin. In what was an odd moment that raised a few eyebrows, D'Borin got busy from the small blind, raising and then pushing all-in with Pocket Ducks but being quickly called by Daniel Rudd. D'Borin clearly didn't believe his younger big blinded opponent, but was dismayed to see him turn over a dominating monster in the Pocket Ladies. A harmless A-T-J-7-4 rainbow board later and it was all over, the monster pot heading towards the elated paws of the Ruddster.

Um, sorry, all you 10-percenters. Daniel Rudd is OUT, in the most unfortunate of circumstances.

Arco raises to 7k utg, and Daniel calls from the cutoff.

The flop comes Jh Kh 5c, and Arco bets 10k. Daniel calls.

Turn - 3h and Arco moves all in, for his very hefty stack. Daniel insta-calls with his also fairly hefty but not quite as hefty as Arco's stack.

Arco - Kd Qh

Daniel - Jc Js

River - 2h giving Arco the flush. Daniel's face is like that bit in the Simpsons when Bart pinpoints the exact moment that Ralph Wiggum's heart breaks. He is furious. Eighth and ninth places are not, as we previously reported they might be, paid.

At this point Devon Shearer, still sitting tight on his 8k or so microstack, pipes up. "You're a selfish bastard," he tells Arco, his problem that he feels that eighth and ninth should have got a little something off the top spot, a plan that was apparently obstructed by overnight chip leader Arco. "It's Christmas, and you've got bad table manners." The atmosphere has turned rather sour in the cardroom. They were making efforts to forget about it and get on with the game when I left. Oops. Anyway, I suspect that the £200 or so they were proposing for the bubbler would not have made much difference to Daniel anyway, and he is our unfortunate empty-handed bubble candidate today.

And we have another exit already, and this one gets money!

Dervis Ozkarapinar raises a number of k, and Graham Hiew pushes with Queens for not very many more k. Dervis calls with Sevens, as I believe the numbers dictated he was basically obliged to, and hits a set, so Graham Hiew is OUT in 7th place winning £1,100.

Double-up for Hanger-On Of The Weekend Devon Shearer.

To general "you've got to make a move some time" cajolery, Devon moves in for his last, er, 3,025. Arco raises, and it's the two of them on their backs, as it were.

Shearer - Jh Qh

Zuyderduyn (I have studied) - Ad 2d

Board - Tc 9s Jc Qs Jd

"Sorry lads, I'll be here for another half an hour yet."

Dev Shearer must be writhing in anger at this point in time, his patient game being punished by a split pot. After Ali (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=23) Mallu (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=23) raised it up to pre-flop for 5k with Ad 6d, Dev made what turned out to be the correct push with Aspades 8s. Mallu made the obligatory 6.5k call to see that he was dominated, but following a a Th 8c 3s Td Ac board and look of befuddlement from the dealer, it was chop chop time. Dev didn't look too chuffed and proceeded to mumble expletives under his breath.

"I talk Mickey Wenick everything he knows," joked Dev prior to the break. "Shortstack play was his weakness, but I taught him how to tighten up."

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After that slice of good fortune, Ali Mallu encountered some bad luck, his Tens on the big blind finding Arco in the small with the Bullets. The inevitable raise, all-in, call occurred, and we had another mammoth pot on our hands. Although he picked up a cheeky flush draw on the Turn, it was ultimately fruitless with the River delivering a brick on a 2d-3d-Ks-8d-Js board.

Ali drops to circa 50k in chips.

Disaster for Dervis.

He finds himself somehow all in with pocket Kings against the 7s 9s of Ali Mallu.

Board - Tc 3c Aspades 4s 5s

And with much swearing and shaking of head, he is down to loose change. All in the next hand with Ahrt 5d, he is called by Arco holding Ks Jh.

Board - Kc 9s 2s Js 4h

Thus Dervis Ozkarapinar is OUT in 6th place winning £2,200. He's not a happy bunny.

Dev Shearer --8k
Derek Lawless -- 177k
Arco Zuyderduyn -- 141k
Ali Mallu -- 116k
Ryan Fronda -- 17.1k

After being bashed down to 50/60k in the Tens v Aces hand, Ali moved into fifth gear before winning a big hand off Arca with a Q-T that Turned a straight. Arca folded to a bet on the River, but, nonetheless, Ali jumps back over the 100k mark.

Meanwhile, as I write, Dev Shearer doubles up with A-Ko in the big blind, the Midlander catching Ali Mallu with his hands in the cookie jar with 9-8o. A scary K-T-J-3-9 rainbow board later and the chips went to Dev. "Couldn't slip out of that one then, Ali," laughed Dev.

And another one bites the proverbial dust.

Ali (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=23) Mallu (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=23) raises to 6k from the button and Devon Shearer moves all in for another 2.7k. Call, obviously.

Ali - Qd Ks

Devon - 9s 9h

Board - 7s 5h Js Qs Ac

"Did you tell everyone how he stuck it up me?" Devon inquires of my reporting afterwards. Not quite, and although most astoundingly excellent hanging-on-for-fifth-place there, sir, Devon Shearer is nevertheless OUT in 5th place winning £3,310.

"One more double-up," joked Fronda, "and I fancy myself to take this one."

However, it wasn't to be, Fronda making his move from the button with Kh 9h after Arco had raised it up to 9k with 3c 3s. A 5c 4c Td 2h Ahrt gave Arco the straight and Fronda his jacket.

And so...

Ryan Fronda is OUT and becomes the 4th place finisher winning £4,410

Arco Zuyderduyn is OUT and becomes the 3rd place finisher winning £5,510

Remember that Mallu fella? Well, heeeeeeeeeeeeeeee's baaaaaaaaaaaaaack.

As I raced into the cardroom, I saw hands on their backs and chips being counted out.

The board read 7h Qc 8h 4s Qs with a Kh Kd lying in front of Mallu and an inferior Jh 3h before Arco.

Prising the information out of the victor (wiser decision), Ali told me that most of the action was on the Flop, Mallu betting 5k, Arco making it 15k, Mallu raising to 50k and Arco calling. Then, on the 4s Turn, it was simply a matter of Arco moving all-in with his flush draw and Ali calling.

As a result, Arco was left with just 10k in chips, which went in on the very next hand. Ali insta-called with Aspades Ts which survived a 3c 6c 8d 5d 3h board against Arco's Qd 7c.

And now, we're heads up...

...Derek swiftly doubles up though. I wander in to see a Ts 3s 7s 3h board and Ali betting 7k. Derek raises some, and Ali calls. The river is the Kh, and I believe it's Derek who shoves and Ali who does the calling (although it might have been the other way round. I don't think so though).

Derek Lawless - 9s 5s for the flopped flush

Ali Mallu - Aspades 9c for the nut draw

River - Kh and they look to be about even.

Both players check a 2d Kc 5h flop. Derek checks the 6s turn too, and folds to Ali's 10k bet. A disappointed Ali shows pocket Fives.

Now they see an unraised 8d 6d Kd flop. Derek checks it and Ali bets 14k; Derek calls. The turn is the 3h and again Derek checks. Ali bets a whopping 80k. Derek announces all in, a definitely-less-than-minimum raise. Ali passes, and a considerable chunk of the chips moves Derek's way. It's still anyone's game though. Derek suggests chopping it up, but Ali wants to play for the top spot. It seems pretty good-natured.

With the chip stacks at approximately 225k to Lawless and 265k for Mallu, the two players have agreed to a deal by which Mallu takes home £10,500 and Lawless the rest, which amounts to £9,720.

"It's just a few big blinds," said Mallu.

However, my gut feeling is that Mallu requested the deal, as he knew he had the chip advantage and was happy to take home just that little bit more in spondoolies so he could simply say, "I won" and mark his return emphatically.

Naturally, with the deal agreed, it didn't take long for the chips to fly in, all at stake being the sparkling trophy.

Mallu = Kd 9d

Lawless = Ks Js

Flop = 7d 3s Aspades

Turn = 3d

River = Jh

Mallu down to the felt.

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The next hand, it was all-in again, Lawless limping, Ali raising half his stack (20k) and Lawless flat-calling. The board came 6s Js 3d, and after Mallu pushed for his high denomination chips (25k), Lawless announced all-in and Mallu called. This time, Mallu was in even bigger trouble with his Jc 5d in need of a miracle against Lawless' Jh 8c. However, that miracle duly arrived on the 5h Turn before the Eight-dodging 7h River.

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