blonde poker forum

Yay, it's Final Table time!

Our Final Table:
         
Fraser MacIntyre   385,900         
James Akenhead   361,900         
Ian Farrell   323,300         
Mark Dalimore   205,100         
David Allan   186,000         
Ganesh Rao   151,700         
Cheryl Routledge   104,500         
Michael Hill   100,800         
Alan Vinnicombe   80,900         

Play starts at 2pm. Be there or Jon Raab'll get it...

Morning all! Play will be a-starting at 3pm, which sort of begs the question why did we get out of bed as early as we did. Sigh.  ;sleep;

See you then! Should be exciting, from 3pm...

Players are just de-bagging... Dana is about to put up the seating plan and photos of the finalists.

1st  £57,175

2nd £33,075

3rd  £23,625

4th  £16,075

5th  £12,275

6th  £9,450

7th  £7,550

8th  £5,675

9th  £4,725

Seat 1 - Fraser Macintyre - 385,900

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=17992&g2_serialNumber=1)


Seat 2 - Ganesh Rao - 151,700

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=17977&g2_serialNumber=1)


Seat 3 - Ian Farrell - 323,300

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=17982&g2_serialNumber=1)


Seat 4 - David Allan - 186,000

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=17998&g2_serialNumber=1)


Seat 5 - Michael Hill - 100,800

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18001&g2_serialNumber=1)


Seat 6 - Cheryl Routledge - 104,500

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=17986&g2_serialNumber=1)


Seat 7 - Alan Vinnicombe - 80,900

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=17989&g2_serialNumber=1)


Seat 8 - James Akenhead - 361,900

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=17981&g2_serialNumber=1)


Seat 9 - Mark Dalimore - 205,100

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=17995&g2_serialNumber=1)

Fraser raises to 25k from the cut-off and takes the blinds.

Fraser, "Don't I get any applause?"

Ian the TD, "You don't get any applause if everyone folds."

Ganesh raises to 21k from the cutoff. Mike Hill thinks for ages in the big blind, but no-one wants to go out first, so he folds.

Ian, the Rodney Bewes lookalike, raises to 24k from the cut-off, each of the 4 pots so far have been raised by the cut-off. Everyone folds, he shows a pair of Eights and wins the pot. Everyone else wins free information.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18002&g2_serialNumber=1)

Ian raises again from the hijack in the next hand, to 24k once more. He takes it once more, as Alan Vinnicombe doesn't want to go with it with 9-3.

David Allan raises to 24k. Alan Vinnicombe moves all-in from the blinds. Allan calls.

David: Ad Td

Alan: Ahrt Tc

Qd 8h Js Jd (Ooooooohhhhhhh says the crowd) 2c

;kc;

Sadly I was unable to photoshop out that ugly bugger in the background of this photo.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18004&g2_serialNumber=1)

Fraser raises to 16k UTG, David Allan makes it 36k. Fraser calls.

5c Qh Kh

Fraser checks, David bets 50k, Fraser asks how much he has left but then folds. We have applause for David!!!

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18006&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18008&g2_serialNumber=1)

James raises to 22k from the cutoff, Mark calls from the button. Fraser and Ganesh fold the blinds.

5d Jd 8d

James checks. Mark checks.

6c

James checks again, Mark takes a 25k stab. James calls.

Tc

James checks a third time, Mark checks and his pair of Sevens are good.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18010&g2_serialNumber=1)

Alan Vinnicombe moves all-in from mid-position, everyone folds. He shows the Ahrt.

Fraser raises to 26k, takes the blinds.

Alan Vinnicombe moves all-in again, everyone folds once more. He shows Queens.

Mike pushes from the small blind and Cheryl, who hasn't played a hand yet, folds from the big blind.

James raises to 27k from UTG. Respect from all the remaining players as they fold like cheap suits.

Alan Vinnicombe moves all-in yet again. No callers. Shows Ace King.

Cheryl moves all-in. Mark Dalimore asks for a count. It's 68,900 to call. He folds. Passed to Ganesh Rao in the small blind. He moves all-in and Ian Farrel quickly folds.

Cheryl: 9d 9s

Ganesh: Qd Qs

8s 2d 5d 3d 4s

Cheryl Routledge is OUT in 9th place winning £4,725

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18012&g2_serialNumber=1)

Mark limps UTG, Fraser raises to 35k in second position. It's passed back around to Mark who, slightly surprisingly, folds.

A few hands later and Mark limps the button this time. Fraser raises from the small blind. Ganesh folds, and Mark calls this time.

5h Kc 9c

Check check

6s

Fraser bets 30k, Mark makes it 72.5k. Fraser passes. Mark shows the Jd 9d.

Hello, Dana here, on our one permitted ringside laptop...

...And we are down to seven. All In Vin goes, er, all in, and Fraser Macintyre announces all in behind him.

Alan - pocket Nines
Fraser - pocket Tens

Two Aces on the flop and a decisive Ten on the turn, and it's all Vinnicombe-over, or some other nonsensical pun attempt.

In the official blonde parlance Alan Vinnicombe is OUT in 8th place winning £5,675.

Just before that exit. Fraser Macintyre lost a huge pot to Ian Farrell.

In a limped pot, Ian bet out 30k on a 3c Kh 7s flop which Fraser called and then 100k on the Ts turn. Fraser thought for ages, and Mark Dalimore called the clock on him. Fraser then called.

The river was the 6h and despite there being nearly 300k in the pot, Ian decided to check for his last 160k or so with Kd 7d, Fraser only able to show Kc Jc. Surely a missed bet there?

Afterwards, Fraser was really unhappy at the clock being called, stating that only players in the hand should call for the clock, which seemed a little unreasonable, though maybe he was just steaming from losing that big pot.
 
Just now, Ian raised preflop to 30k and Mike Hill called with only 60k behind, the board 7d Kd 6d 5s 8s. Mike shows the surprising Qs Qd which is obviously good as Ian announces Ace high.

Mike Hill raises to 35k preflop. Ganesh asks for a count before just calling.

Ac 8s 2c

Mike bets 60k, Ganesh moves all-in. Mike sighs and says, "I have to call."

Mike: Aspades Qs

Ganesh: 8c 8h

Kd

Drawing dead.

Ts

Mike Hill is OUT in 7th place winning £7,550

Ganesh winning the pot.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18033&g2_serialNumber=1)

Mike leaving the building.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18035&g2_serialNumber=1)

Alan Vinnicombe going out earlier.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18031&g2_serialNumber=1)

We're now on a short break.

Fraser Macintyre -- 254.5k
Ganesh Rao -- 293k
Ian Farrell -- 462k
David Allan -- 215k
James Akenhead -- 349k
Mark Dalimore -- 327.5k

David Allan raises to 36k utg, Ganesh calls from the blinds.

3s Aspades Ts

Check check.

Js

Check check.

Kh

Ganesh tries 20k. It works.

Fraser raises to 36k, David moves all-in from the big blind. Fraser folds quickly.

Ganesh raises to 30k, David calls.

8h Kd 3c

Check check.

9c

Ganesh checks, David bets 40k, Ganesh calls.

4d

Check check and David's Sixes win out over Ganesh's Jd Td. But a bit more aggression from Ganesh on the flop or turn would've won him the pot I reckon.

Interestingly, both James and Fraser both have headphones on, despite it being a final table. Didn't realise that was allowed, despite there no longer being TV cameras around.

Big Cooler Alert!!!

Yes yes indeed. Dana here, announcing that we are down to five and we have a new chip leader!

A preflop raising war, and Fraser Macintyre and Mark Dalimore are on their proverbial backs:

Fraser - Aspades Kh
Mark - Ad Ac

Board - an unmiraculous 5h 4s Qc 9c 5c

Thus Fraser Macintyre is OUT in 6th place winning £9,450.

Bluesquare's Q has lent me an assortment of AWESOME camera lenses incidentally, so please enjoy the AWESOME right-up-the-players'-noses-stylee photos coming up shortly...

James bet 58k on the river of a Kc 8h 7h 4h 9d board. Ian Farrell calls but mucks when he sees Ks Jc.

Next hand James limps from the small blind. Big blind Mark moves all-in for almost 500k! James folds.

James raises in the small blind again to around 40k. Mark calls.

Qh 8h 7c

Check check.

9h

James bets 44k, Mark makes it 144k and then says he'll tell him what he has, but not til later. James thinks for a while before mucking his cards. I think I saw a Queen flash there before it went into the muck.

Ian raises to 36k from UTG. Ganesh moves all-in from the big blind for a total of 225k. Ian thinks for about a minute and then says, "Call."

Ian: Tc Ts

Ganesh: Qc Qh

Ganesh sticks his head under the table as he can't bear to look at the board.

Kd 8h 9h 5s 8c

Ian is crippled and Ganesh, the last remaining player who lives in Newcastle, is up to just under half a million chips.

James raises and Mark calls. We therefore see a flop. That's how poker works.  ;topofclass;

Flop - 8d 3s Jh - and James bets 48k. Mark calls. We therefore see a turn.

Turn - 3c - and James bets 80k. Mark dwells up. "If I fold, will you show me?" He will not. Mark tantalisingly counts out the 80k for the call. Then he folds.

-----------JUST ONE MORE HAND 'TIL THE ONE HOUR DINNER BREAK------------

Yay dinner.

Chip counts at the break thanks to Steve the Geordie Dealer!

Ganesh -- 537k
Ian -- 185.5k
David -- 131k
James -- 527k
Mark -- 523k

Tight at the top...

And indeed our remaining delicious payouts:

1st  £57,175

2nd £33,075

3rd  £23,625

4th  £16,075

5th  £12,275

The models aren't coming til 8.30pm and they're not the twins.

;bp;

Ganesh raises to 40k preflop and James calls from the blinds.

Ks 7c 8h

James checks, Ganesh bets 50k, James calls.

Th

Check check.

Kd

James bets 130k, Ganesh thinks for a while before calling.

James shows Td Ts and takes the pot and Ganesh holds his head in his hands.

Ian and David have sprung to life now. A little. They've both pushed a couple of times but haven't been called. Yet.

Mark button raises to 41k. Ian moves in from the small blind for 172k more.

Mark, "Do you want me to call?"

Ian, "Yeah, I want to gamble."

Mark passes. Ian shows Aspades 4s.

Ian shoves over James UTG raise, James folds his A-2. Next hand David pushes from the small blind on James' big blind. Again the Hitsquadder is forced to fold.

David pushes on the next hand too and again everyone folds. Ian and David have got everything through so far

But someone is going to get caught soon...

James limps under the gun. Ganesh deliberates before limping from the button. Ian makes up the small blind and David checks.

Qc 5c 7c

Checked to James who bets 36k. Ganesh thinks for a moment before moving in. The blinds pass and James doesn't look that interested. He folds as well.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18095&g2_serialNumber=1)

Ganesh, as a local, has a few friends cheering for him. Yesterday, he confessed after cracking Dara O'Kearny's Nines with 8h 7h, he was freerolling and would be happy with wherever he finished from now on. He seems to have learnt from his mistake in Walsall last year, where by his own admittance, he overplayed Aces horribly on the final table. He only has about 250k after losing that big pot to James earlier, but don't write him off yet.

David Allan moves in from the button. James Akenhead thinks about it but folds. Mark says, "Call," turning over Qs Qc.

David flips first the Ahrt then the 7d, meaning he's in trouble.

2c 3c 7c Ts Jc

David Allan is OUT in 5th winning £12,275

James Akenhead apparently passed A-8 there.

Mark limps in the small blind. Ganesh makes it 35k more, and here's where it gets interesting, as Mark makes it another 45k on top... Ganesh thinks about it with about 240k behind. He calls.

7h 5c 6h

Mark quickly moves all-in and Ganesh looks like a man who has just thrown away the winning lottery ticket. Mark offers to show him his cards, IF, at any point later on, he can request to see Ganesh's cards after he has won/lost a pot. Ganesh thinks about it some more.

"I'm gonna gamble," he announces, flipping 8c 8d.

Mark shows Ahrt 9h for a drawumungous hand.

Ganesh wraps his hands around his head and refuses to look at the board.

9d

A pair for Mark is no good as Ganesh has the straight.

6s

Ganesh doubles through and Mark is crippled.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18112&g2_serialNumber=1)

Oh no! In a classic case of t-shirt hubris, Mr Mark Dalimore has just now become our 4th-place finisher.

Only minutes after he had removed his outer t-shirt to reveal that the one below was covered in spades and diamonds and things and he's written "Newcastle GUKPT Champion" on it, Mr Dalimore lost that enormous pot to Ganesh. Still hopeful, he continued with the now unlikely proclamation on his front for a little while, and then this happened...

Mark min-raises from the button, and Ian in the big blind calls.

Flop - Ahrt Kd 3c

Ian checks, Mark bets 20k, Ian raises to 80k or so and Mark announces all in. Instacall.

Mark - Ks 9c
Ian - Ac 3h

Turn - Js
River - 4c

A sad Mr Dalimore puts his outer t-shirt back on, because Mark Dalimore is OUT in 4th place winning £16,075.

;bp;

5s 6s Th Kd 3c

The flop went check check between Ian and James, on the turn, Ian check/raised James' 75k bet to 200k which James called. The river then went check check again as James Ks 9s lost out to Ian's Kc Qh.

Next hand Ganesh raises from the button and James calls.

Qc Tc 7d

James checks, Ganesh bets 100k, James moves in for around 250k-350k more. Ganesh looks pained, asks if he wants to be called. But then folds.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18114&g2_serialNumber=1)

Ian, who now has around half the chips in play raises to 58k from the button. Ganesh pushes from the big blind and Ian quickly folds.

With us now being short-handed, the clock is reduced to a 45 minute one. We're now on a 20 minute break. Play will restart at about 9.30pm.

Chip counts:

Ganesh -- 419k
Ian -- 760k (and who said he really learnt a lot playing against Pete Linton for the first couple of days(!)
James -- 723k

Ian raises to 72k from the small blind after Ganesh has folded.

James thinks, slightly nodding his head to the music in his ears.

He says, "One hundred and eighty thousand."

As soon as he mechanically puts the chips out, Ian whispers, "I'm all-in."

A slight appearance of a furrowed brow appears above James. He thinks for about 30 seconds before quietly saying, "Fold," watching a full stack of yellow chips and a clump of blue chips be put infront of Ian.

Ian raises to 70k on the button. Ganesh moves all-in from the big blind.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18131&g2_serialNumber=1)

Ian dwells, "Go on, I'll gamble with you," showing Kc Ts. Ganesh has 9s 9h

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18133&g2_serialNumber=1)

2d Qd 3d 5c 2d

Ganesh doubles up and he's almost in tears.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18135&g2_serialNumber=1)

Ian limps the button, James call and Ganesh checks.

Tc 2s Th

Checked around.

Ahrt

James fires out 42k, knowing it's unlikely anyone has an Ace or Ten. Ganesh folds but Ian calls.

Ad

James checks, Ian shows Kh 9h which is good despite missing.

Ian makes it 70k from the button and BB Ganesh calls, but then checks and passes to Ian's 150k bet on the Aspades 5d Qs flop.

Am becoming distracted by the wrestling on the big screen.

Ian raises to 72k from the small blind. James re-raises to 168k from the big blind. Ian shrugs and says, "All-in." James snap-calls.

Ian: Ac Js

James: Kc Kd

5d 2h Qh 8d 3d

James claps his hands loudly together as he doubles up to around 750k.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18137&g2_serialNumber=1)

Our new announcer

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18139&g2_serialNumber=1)

The crowd can barely withold their enthusiasm...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18141&g2_serialNumber=1)

Double-up for the local boy!

James makes up the blind and Ganesh checks.

Flop - 7h 3c 3h - James bets 45k. Ganesh makes it 100k. James makes it 200k and Ganesh makes it All In. Call.

Ganesh - 3d 8h
James - Jh 4h

Turn - Qc (not a heart)
River - Ac (not a heart either)

So James must be Ganeshing his teeth, as he's down to just 360 or 370k...

On the river of a Qs 5c 3d Jh 7d board, Ganesh bets 70k, Ian shakes his head, but then calls. Ganesh mucks. Ian shows 3c 2d...

Ganesh -- 800k
Ian -- 760k
James -- 350k

Last hand of the level and James moves in from the button. Ganesh almost calls, but thinks better. Ian also folds.

We're now on another 20 minute break after which the blinds will be 20k/40k/2k

Ganesh -- 844k
Ian -- 820k
James -- 230k

James gets a walk first hand in the big blind. To his despair he shows Kings...

...And we're heads up!

Ian makes it 130k from the small blind, and James in the big blind shoves for 290k total. Ian dwells up. Says James, "What you got then?" Sighs Ian, "Rubbish. Absolute rubbish." Ian dwells a bit longer, then announces, "I apologise for the filth you're about to see," and calls.

James - Ahrt 5s
Ian - Qh 2d

Board - 9c Qc 9d Kc 4d

And thus James Akenhead finishes in 3rd place winning £23,625.

Ian and Ganesh have chopped the money and are just playing for the title and the seat.

An obviously disappointed James Akenhead leaves in 3rd.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18143&g2_serialNumber=1)

HU Action with the Bluesquare paperweight trophy present.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18145&g2_serialNumber=1)

Ganesh has evened up the stacks.

First, he limps and then calls Ian's BB raise. Ian checks to him on the 7d Kd 2d flop and Ganesh bets 100k. "Nice bluff," says Ian, and folds.

Next hand, they see an unraised 6h Ks Td flop - they both check.

The turn is the 9d and Ganesh bets 50k. Ian calls.

River - 5c - and Ganesh checks. Ian bets 120k, and with a little heswitation, Ganesh calls. Ian just mucks before Ganesh even turns over his Tc 4d - I believe a straight draw that missed...

...And indeed Ganesh is now ahead.

He makes it 100k preflop and Ian calls. When Ian leads out 200k on the Jc 6c 2s flop, Ganesh announces all in. Ian passes, and is now a little short...

Ian isn't out of this yet. Ganesh limps and Ian moves in. Ganesh folds quickly and Ian shows 6s 2d...

They see a 5c 2d 3s flop; they check it.

Turn - Jd - and Ian bets 60k. Ganesh pauses, and calls.

River - Ac - and they both check it.

Most timid call-age/checkage from Ganesh imo - he turns over Js 7d and Ian mucks.

Ian limps and Ganesh checks.

Qc 6c 3s

Ganesh bets 100k, Ian raises to 300k. Ganesh looks pained. Stands up. Then says he's all-in. Now Ian looks pained and says, "This is a bad call..." It's a bizarre statement when he shows Qs Jc to Ganesh's Qd 7h.

Ahrt

Gives Garnesh a few split outs.

9c

The Jack plays and in an oddly muted and slightly confused way, Ian doubles up. No doubt, he's not use to playing live, and even says, "I was sure you had two pair!" but he's probably got a 2-1 chip lead now.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18147&g2_serialNumber=1)

Ian moves in from the small blind, Ganesh insta-calls.

Ian: Ac 3d

Ganesh: Aspades Qc

4s Tc 5h 5s 8s

Ganesh doubles back up to 690k.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18149&g2_serialNumber=1)

They're both still here, and so are we.

Ahrt 9s 5s

Check check.

Ts

Ganesh bets 70k. Ian calls.

Jh

Ganesh thinks for ages before checking. Ian instantly moves in and Ganesh folds. Ian shows 7h 6d.

Ganesh -- 700k
Ian -- 1.2 million

Ian raises to 150k and Ganesh calls.

9d 8c Th

Check check.

4c

Ganesh bets 100k, Ian calls.

9c

Ganesh checks, Ian checks. Ganesh's Tc 7h wins.

Ian, "You weren't passing on the river were you?"

Ian the TD, "This titanic battle is going forwards and backwards, not like the ship, which just went downwards..."

They see a 2d 4c 2h flop and Ganesh checks. Ian bets 60k and Ganesh calls.

Turn - Ahrt - and they both check.

River - 3c - and Ganesh bets 80k. Ian calls, and is most disappointed to see Ganesh's Aspades 3h - Ian was holding Kings and was most unhappy with how he played them...

TD Ian - "This is a mammoth battle of epic proportions. But we won't be going extinct like the mammoth, we're staying right here..."

"If you want to hear me speaking drivel, come down to Luton in August..."


Btw approximate current counts - Ian 800k, Ganesh 1.1 MILLION.

Both players check the Jc 4c 4d flop.

Turn - 6s and Ganesh bets 60k. Ian calls.

River - 2c and Ganesh checks, and then folds to Ian's 200k bet.

Ganesh raises to 130k. Ian calls.

Kh 8s 2c

Check....dwell and check from Ganesh.

3d

Ian auto-bets 130k. Ganesh folds, paying the penalty for not making a continuation bet.

One overzealous and perhaps inebreiated railer has been thrown out for telling the players to "Hurry the f**k up!"

::)

Ian has begun to just absolutely pound on Ganesh, raising more often and betting most boards. Everytime he faces a bet, Ganesh seems to shake his head in frustration and give up the pot.

The standard hand will be, Ian limp/raises, Ganesh checks/calls. {Flop}. Ganesh checks, Ian bets around 1/2 to 2/3 the pot, Ganesh looks unhappy and folds.

Ian I think has around 1.5 million to Ganesh's 400k.

...And he's doubled up!

Ian raises from the button, and Ganesh announces all in for 365k total. Call.

Ian - Ac 4h
Ganesh - 8d 8c

Board - Qc 2d Jc Jd 7d

He's still behind, but it's much evener now. Bllinds still a whopping 30k/60k.

Ganesh is asking how long they've got before they make the record for longest final table. TD Ian sighs that it'll have to be past 5am. Ian Farrell is apologising to the press and promising us drinks afterwards...

Limped pot.

7d Td 7c

Ganesh checks. Ian bets 60k. Ganesh calls.

2s

Ganesh checks, Ian bets 90k. Ganesh calls.

Kh

Ganesh checks a third time. Ian bets 200k. Ganesh shrugs and calls.

Ian shows Jc Ts, Ganesh shows 9s Tc, caught up on the river.

;kc;

Ian raises preflop, Ganesh moves all-in. Ian calls.

Ganesh: Aspades 9c

Ian: Kh 9s

So it's Ganesh with the dominating flush draw hand.

5h 4d 2s Qs Qc

Ganesh doubles up his stack to around 1.35 million.

As Pete Tong said, "We continue..."

And is it over? Is it?

No!

Ganesh raises and Ian goes all in. Ganesh calls!

But...

Ian - Aspades 9h
Ganesh - 8c 7h

Board - Ad 4d 2h Ahrt Kd

Double-up for Ian, back to the chip lead. Ian 1.14 million, Ganesh 760k. No end in sight. Alcoholic beverage count in press room - embarrassing. No. of members of press napping - 2.

Limped pot, (around 85% are)

Td 9c Aspades

Ian checks, Ganesh bets 60k. Ian calls.

5d

Check, check.

Js

Ian bets 240k, Ganesh moves all-in and Ian snap calls with Jd 7c, not even thinking. Ganesh shows 8h 7h for the straight...

Is it over? Is it?

YES!

Ian shoves. Ganesh calls. Just like that.

Ganesh - Js Jd
Ian - in a spot of bother with 5c 2c (as Mike Hill said on shoving with his 2-7 yesterday, "they're suited!")

Board - 4c 5d 4h 8h 3d

And after 11 long, latterly boozy hours, Ian Farrell is OUT in 2nd place officially winning £33,075...

Which means that Ganesh Rao is the WINNER!!!!! of the Bluesquare.com GUKPT Newcastle 2008, officially winning £57,175!

Congrats Ganesh and Ian too, not to mention all you folks who put money on Ganesh for the win, as well as we press who are still awake and relatively sober! Well done everyone!

 ;letsparty;

And the winner of the GUKPT Newcastle leg of 2008 is...........................................................












Jon Raab?

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18151&g2_serialNumber=1)

Oh hang on, It's Ganesh Rao!!!

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18153&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18155&g2_serialNumber=1)

The GUKPT is now on an extended hiatus for a couple of months during the WSOP. But it'll be back in August, in the meantime, blonde will still be covering the dtd £300 monthly events.

But as for now, adios...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18157&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=18159&g2_serialNumber=1)

;stickaforkinme;