|
Scots prove just how tight they are at the PaddyPowerPoker.com Grand Slam 2006
Celtic poker pack invades Albion and vanquishes the cream of European poker players
A team of poker players from Scotland has won the first paddypowerpoker.com Grand Slam, held at the Star City Casino, Birmingham on 11 and 12 January 2006.
The event which attracted teams from England, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, France and Sweden will be televised as 6 one hour shows by Sky Sports across Europe in March 2006.
The competition had a unique team prize of 110,000 and individual prizes of 50,000 (1st), 30,000 (2nd) and 20,000 (3rd) and attracted some of Europe-s top professionals.
The 42 players (7 teams of 6) where whittled down to a final table of Phillip Starr (Sco), Rory Mathews (Sco), Scott McQueston (Sco), Mark Williams (Wal), Iwan Jones (Wal), Jean-Bernard Both (Fr), Robert Cohen (Fr) and
Lars Kiestrup (Swe).
The final scores in the team event were:
1 - Scotland
2 - France
3 - Wales
4 - Rep of Ireland
5 - Sweden
6 - England
7 - Northern Ireland
The mammoth 11 hour final table session saw the rivalry between the nations and individuals grow to epic proportions - gentle jingoistic jibeing and frantic flag-waving ensured a rugby match-like atmosphere.
Scotland and France were hot favourites to win the team event at this stage with Wales the outsiders.
The Republic of Ireland were still challenging at the start of Day Two, but lost their final 3 players - Donnacha O-Dea, Padraig Parkinson and Len Collin - in spectacular fashion in a series of aggressive moves shortly after play recommenced.
No English players made the final table as the majority imploded on Day One.
The Northern Irish team also all but collapsed on Day One with the exception of star-of-the-future 21 year-old Matthew Bell who played courageous and studious poker, making big lay downs and brave raises to almost make the final TV table.
Former world snooker champion Mark Williams did Wales proud - he played textbook poker to finish 5th, despite being low on chips for the whole of the final table. Iwan Jones went into the final table as second chip lead but lost a huge early pot that almost wiped him out before coming back valiantly to claim 2nd spot.
The final table placings were:
1 - Lars Kiestrup (Swe)
2 - Iwan Jones (Wal)
3 - Rory Matthews (Sco)
4 - Philip Starrs (Sco)
5 - Mark Williams (Wal)
6 - Jean-Bernard Bot (Fr)
7 - Scott McQueston (Sco)
8 - Robert Le Dangereux- Cohen (Fr)
Philip Starrs, Scottish team captain rated the Grand Slam 2006 as on of the best tournaments he-d ever played in. 'It-s the first time ever this type of event has been played and it was an amazing ride. We had a hard time getting here - we paid ourselves in and unlike other teams we had next to no sponsorship - so it-s fantastic that we have become the Grand Slam champions and are happy to take on all comers at the next event. We don-t win much as a country so this is very special and we don-t intend to give it up easily'
Swede Lars Kiestrup said his win was his finest ever poker victory. 'Of course I-m disappointed that Sweden didn-t win the team event but to win the event outright is amazing. I got some good cards, some good luck and was under some pressure to defend my chips but the victory is great for me and I look forward to defending my title.'
A full report on the tournament including key hands, chip counts, and the colourful background to the big game will be available and forwarded on Monday 16 January. | 
