JIMMY'S NO JOKER
The 'Whirlwind' secures sensational Ladbrokespoker.com Poker Million title
Jimmy White has beaten the odds to become the 2003 Ladbrokespoker.com Poker
Million - The Masters champion at his first attempt. White, who started the
six man final as 8/1 outsider, claimed the $150,000 first prize, in the
early hours of this (Saturday) morning.
The unluckiest man in sport produced superb card playing strokes, including
two crucial wins on last card turns to keep him in the competition, to claim
his first professional tournament win - in either poker or snooker - for
more than a decade. In addition to the illustrious field of world class
poker players, White also managed to put one over his former nemesis Steve
'The Nugget' Davis.
Following the victory, and clutching the lucky Red Nose mascot given by his
sister, White beamed: "I love playing poker. It's just great to win a big
tournament against such class players. The buzz from playing and winning is
similar to snooker, it's a fantastic feeling. The hours spent practicing at
Ladbrokespoker.com has really paid off for me."
The final, broadcast live on Sky Sports 1, was played under the testing
Texas Hold'em rules with renowned poker players Joe Beevers, Guy 'The
Iceman' Bowles, Bruce 'Elvis' Atkinson and Tony 'The Lizard' Bloom also in
the hunt for the $350,00 prize fund, one of the biggest in the sport.
Viewers were given the opportunity to see the top players' strategies as all
cards were visible via cameras placed underneath glass panels on the tables.
Each player was also wired up to a heart monitor, so the viewers could see
how relaxed or nervous the players really were during the crucial hands.
White, with the pressure on and a heartbeat of 139, took the first big hand
of the evening. Slowly the other finalists dropped out with the lead
changing frequently until it was White, Atkinson and Beevers left at the
table. It wasn't long until White had control of the chips calling 'all in'
against Beevers, winning on the last card turn with two pairs.
White repeated the feat to knock Atkinson out after Atkinson called 'all
in', only to be thwarted by White's last card flush. White then won the
remaining chips, the title and the biggest pay cheque of his career after
claiming a pair of aces against Beevers' pair of jacks after Beevers had
called 'all in'.
The six finalists each won their heats, also consisting of six players. The
36 competitors contained 28 of the world's leading professional poker
players including former World Series of Poker champion Noel Furlong and
Dave 'Devilfish' Ulliott. Player profiles are available on
www.pokermillion.com. They were joined by celebrity participants including
Sam Torrance, Ryder Cup Captain, and Barry Hearn, Executive Chairman of
Matchroom Sport. Each player had staked $10,000 to sit at the table and
compete for the title.
Davis, who was second man out admitted "I didn't stand up [against bad
cards] as I could've done...but I loved it nonetheless."
About No Limit Hold'em
In Texas Hold'em Poker each player gets two cards and the winner is the
player who via a combination of his two cards and five open or community
cards on the table can put together the best five-card poker hand. After the
players have been dealt their cards the first round of betting allows the
players to bet money on the basis of what hand they judge they will be able
to form with the cards later.
Once the first three community cards are dealt the players can then bet
again. Then the fourth community card is dealt, followed by another round of
betting, the fifth and final community card and the last opportunity to bet.
The players remaining in the hand then reveal their cards.
About Poker Million
Poker Million is a joint-venture between Ladbrokes and Matchroom Sport.
Poker is already a growing phenomenon with celebrities such as Robbie
Williams, Stephen Fry and Martin Amis all regular players, along with
several leading footballers.
Barry Hearn, Executive Chairman of Matchroom Sport said he believed poker
had the potential to become a mass TV audience sport: "In 2000 Poker Million
on the Isle of Man achieved a TV Audience on Sky in excess of many leading
Premiership football matches. Poker has all the ingredients for great TV -
big personalities playing for big money - a massive test of skill and
courage and Jimmy's win tonight has gone a long way to spreading the
popularity of the sport."
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