GRAND FINAL 2008 REPORT

BLPT GRAND FINAL 2008 REPORT

Saturday 22nd November

 

It has taken us over 7 months to reach this point, but we have a winner on the 2008 Betfred Ladies Poker Tour.

 

It has been a journey that has seen us, all along with hundreds of dedicated lady Pokers, in all corners of the country over 8 legs played in some of the countries top casinos and card rooms.  A journey that started back in April in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, and is finally reaching its conclusion in the capital, at the superb Western Club.

 

There are 10 ladies competing for the ultimate prize of a sponsorship package worth £20,000 for the year of 2009, allowing the winner to play in some of the world’s top Poker tournaments across the UK, Europe and the Ladies WSOP event in Las Vegas.

 

The winner of Leg 1 in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne was Michelle Bennett.  A Yorkshire lass who has competed at the highest level online winning some major events, and qualifying for and winning a live event on a Caribbean cruise.

 

The winner of Leg 2 in Liverpool was Karen Bennett. A crime reporter from Widnes, her biggest win was winning her leg of the BLPT.

 

The winner of Leg 3 in Reading was Gina Short. From Reading and the mother of a huge Poker family who dominate the local Casino, and mother of one of last year’s finalist, Nikki Short. The Reading leg was only Gina’s 6th live event!

The winner of Leg 4 in Sheffield was Sue Adams. Sue is a Blackpool girl, who was the fist ever winner on the BLPT in its inaugural event in 2007, and with this win became our 1st ever double winner.

 

The Winner of Leg 5 in Swansea was Emma Strutt. A Field Sales Executive, originally from Cumbria, but now lives, works and plays Poker in Cardiff.

 

The Winner of Leg 6 in Stoke-On-Trent was Ann Scambler. From Southport, Ann is a Gardener and Beekeeper.  Ann’s biggest win is winner this leg of the tour in her second appearance this season, in her first, she was the first lady out in Liverpool!

 

The Winner of Leg 7 in Birmingham was Linda Blundell.  A scouser who plays regular in Manchester, Linda managed multiple top 3 places over 2007 & 2008, but managed to secure that elusive 1st and a seat in the final, after a gruelling heads up battle with 2007 Champion, Lynne Beaumont.

 

The Winner of Leg 8 in London was Gail Pirie. Another Yorkshire lady, this time from Sheffield. Gail is a mother of three and grandmother of 5, with the most recent coming along just 3 days before the final, giving Gail great relief as the little one was due on the day of the final!

 

The 9th player in the final was the winner of the league that has been run during the BLPT 2008 season. Amazingly the winner of the league, is last years league winner, and overall 2007 Champion, Lynne Beaumont.

 

The final place is the winner of an online qualifier player on Betfred Poker, any lady who played in either 7 of the 8 legs, or finished in 2nd – 10th place in the league were eligible.  This was a tough game, with 13 ladies qualifying. The winner was Chris (Don’t call her Christine) Evans. Another Blackpool player.

 

We got underway, in our traditionally late fashion!  The ladies were overwhelmed on arrival in at The Western Club in London. They were all delivered to the door in a limousine, starting the day off in style. On arrival they had to do a series of interviews for both Setanta Sports, who were filming the event, as well as many other local and national media outlets and Poker magazines.

 

Each player started with 20,000 in chips, with a 30 min clock and blinds started at 100/200.  The private room at The Western is an amazing venue for any game of Poker.  It was set out with the stunning pink BLPT table, each player receiving a very pink goodie bag with various Betfred goodie and a spa voucher from Betfred Poker, and to add a finishing tour, each of the players received a personalised bottle of Champagne.

 

We were well over 2 hours in and up to level 5 before we lost our first lady. This was Linda Blundell.  Linda pushed all in with approx. 15k in chips, and was called by Emma Strutt, her nemesis from Swansea after losing a marathon heads up battle.  Linda was ahead when the cards were turned, Linda showing J J and Emma 10 10. A board of A 10 8 A 6 and Emma made a full house, and we lost Linda.

 

It was another hour and a half before we lost our next player, Gail Pirie. Gail was short stacked with about 8.5k and pushed all in with A Q. Karen Dennett with A K called her. No help on the board for either player, so Gail was the next to go.  At this time, last years winner Lynne Beaumont was sitting pretty with the chip lead and looking good.

 

With the action now coming think and fast as the blinds really started to kick in, Gina Short took a serious dent to her stack, losing a 50k pot to Sue Adams.  Sue hitting a straight and leaving Gina very low, but this is the lady who battled back from just 300 chips to win the Reading event, but was it a challenge to far to ask her to repeat that sort of comeback?

 

Unfortunately, the answer for Gina was that yes it was!  Very soon after she pushed all in with K J. Lynne Beaumont with J J called her. With neither hand improving it was the end of Gina’s final.  The players were now about to go into a break, and on their return the blinds were 1.5k/3k, with average chips of 33k and Sue Adams was sitting with the chip lead on 57k and lowest chips was Chris Evans on 13.5k.

 

We made it to about 30 minutes after the break before we lost our next player. Karen Dennett was all, called by the recently doubled up Chris Evans on the BB. Karen holding A 2, Chris playing with A Q. To make sure Chris hit a Q on the flop, taking her from lowest chips in the last break to second in chips with 59k.

 

After another short break, Sue Adams won a hand that effectively crippled Ann Scambler. Sue pushed all in with Q J and was called by Ann with A J.  First card was a J and it looked like Sue was heading back to Blackpool, but the second card was a Q. No other help and Sue’s Q’s held up, and left Ann with an automatic all in on the SB next hand.  No luck on that hand as she was dealt 7 9os and Ann heads back to Southport, but with her head held high.

 

We then had a short 10 minute break, and within a few minutes of the restart we had lost Emma Strutt.  Sue Adams called from SB, and was re raised by Emma on BB by 12k more. Sue re raised again all in and Emma called. Sue had A K, Emma Q J.  A flop on 10 9 5 and Sue was looking good for a near double up and to send Emma home.  Then a Q on the turn put Emma ahead, only for a cruel J on the river giving Sue a dream straight and ending Emma’s final.

 

We were now down to the final 3 and you could cut the tension in the room with a knife.  It was so close with very little between all three players, Chris and Sue from Blackpool, and last year’s winner Lynne Beaumont.

 

Chip counts:

 

Sue: 82k
Chris: 62k
Lynne: 66k

 

After about 20 minutes play, it was looking good for Lynne, who had taken the chip lead and had 92k of the 203k in chips that were in play.  However, it was a fast game with the chip lead constantly changing and the blinds were 3k/6k.

 

After nearly 90 minutes of play before reaching heads up, the pressure and 4k/8k blinds finally hit, and we lost Sue Adams.  Sue was left with just a BB, and was called by Chris Evans with 9 9. That was enough to beat Sue’s hand, and we lost our most successful player ever in the legs of the Betfred Ladies Poker Tour.

 

We were now heads up.  It was last years Champion, and the winner of the online playoff. Bizarrely it was the two players in the final who have never won a main leg of the Betfred Ladies Poker Tour!  League winner versus online playoff winner!  This shows the value of consistency and playing most of the events of the tour!

 

Going into the heads up Chris held a chip lead of 126k versus 77k. Very soon after starting the blinds went up to a huge 5k/10k.

 

For most of the first 30 minutes or so the chip lead swapped maybe 8 or 9 times, as every pot was having a huge % change in chip stacks and that was about to get worst as the blinds were due to go up again to 8k/16k!  It really was turning into a marathon heads up contest.

 

A further 20 minutes in, and we had a winner!  Lynne pushed all in with K 10 and was called by Chris with A 4. A flop of 9 A Q and Chris was looking good. Even better after a 6 on the turn, meaning only a J could defeat her…and it was a J that came on the river, meaning Lynne had hit her straight. A cruel way for Chris to lose a heads up battle that she should be very proud of.

 

Chris acquitted herself with total dignity and considerable skill during the whole 2008 Betfred Ladies Poker Tour, and showed moments of true class in this grand final.

 

But it was Lynne Beaumont’s day. It cannot be under estimated just what an achievement it was for Lynne to retain her title as the winner of the tour.

 

Lynne has this year represented Betfred in Poker events all around the world, including the Ladies event in the WSOP in Las Vegas, and she has earned the right to do that again, alongside a whole host of the worlds top poker events in 2009 as part of her £20,000 sponsorship package.

 

It will take a brave person to bet against Lynne making it hat trick during 2009, as her record is simply amazing. Keep an eye out for updates, and a blog from Lynne on her experiences in 2009. Events, wins (hopefully many), losses (hopefully not that many) and mistakes in what I am sure will be a compelling, honest and eye opening and read.

 

The final is being shown on Setanta Sports, early in the new year with a date for the showing to be announced shortly.

 

QUOTES FROM LYNNE

 

“It’s fantastic to have won again,” said Lynne, who had claimed her place in the 10-player final by being the most consistent performer on the tour this year not to have won one of the eight heats.

“It was a great final and a nailbiting game. Everyone played such a great game and there were no easy chips to be had. I think the prize must have had my name on it because Christine could have had me two or three times in the heads-up. I was very lucky but it came good at the end for me.

“Christine deserved it and it was bad luck for her. The heads-up was so painful for Christine. She held the chip lead for most of it but ultimately it wasn’t to be her day. But I feel I played a very good game.

“It’s a shame the heads-up ended the way it did but that’s poker. It was a really great game and a very good heads-up. I just bided my time and tried to keep going.”

 

Betfred Ladies Poker Tour Grand Final finishing order

 

1 Lynne Beaumont (tour leaderboard winner)

2 Christine Evans (online satellite winner)

3 Sue Adams (Sheffield leg winner)

4 Emma Strutt (Swansea leg winner)

5 Anne Scambler (Stoke leg winner)

6 Karen Dennett (Liverpool leg winner)

7 Gina Short (Reading leg winner)

8 Michelle Bennett (Newcastle leg winner)

9 Gail Pirie (London leg winner)

10 Linda Blundell (Birmingham leg winner)