No deals, that’s what’s ringing in my head. No deals. I call the wife “Honey what do you think?” She says “Deal”. I say “Trust me” and say “No deal” I’ve come this far and I’m not going to be a coward now. Tureniec asks for a deal, I say “No way”. I have a 2 to 1 chip lead.

I decide that I don’t want to get into pots with Michael without a hand and I can afford to be patient. So I fold a few hands that I would normally raise with on the button. He is very weary, but I know he has to make a move at some time. I look down and I have A7h, now this was the hand that I lost heads up in the GUKPT last year to Sam Trickett. Still, I guess I was cold and calculating so it did not faze me. Michael raised from the button. I decided that if I made the pot big enough he might shove light. So I raised it to 150k making 220k in the pot 35% of his stack, He couldn’t help himself and he instantly shoved. I made the move, so I made the call knowing if he got lucky I was still in the hunt. He flips K10 and I’m praying to the poker Gods “come on one last time”. The flop was 2 4 5, turn 8, river 7. I’m the new English Poker Open Champion! I feel exhausted as if all my energy went into that last hand and now I am at peace, I’d done it. It was mine. I am a poker player, a good one on my day.

I remember a quote I heard:

“It is only when we are tested that we find out what we are capable of. And it’s only when we are re -tested that we find out what we could be capable of”.

So at last I feel vindicated, my hard work has paid off, and on my day I can play the best and beat them, and let’s hope my day happens often. Maybe I’ve tamed the beast inside that says go on, gamble, you can hit it.

David La Ronde

Winner of the English Poker Open 2009

English Poker Open

Simon Pearson is all in pre-flop, holding QQ only, for Mr ‘Tight Pants’ Leonard to call holding KK.

Tureniec doubles up when he gets lucky, after his JQ all in gets called by Leonard holding 99 and turns a Q -  he’s back in the hunt.

Action stations

Jim Moult has seen his stack dwindle after both I and Tureniec have constantly 3 bet him out of pots. He raised on the button, I’m holding 1010, I decide that I will push him off and if he calls I’m probably in good shape, so I announce All In abd he insta calls holding AK off. Fireworks! Flop comes, A high all spades, ouch. I look up and ask my wife’s departed grandma for that one time help. Boom! Turn is 10s, I’m choked, she’s actually listening. River is Js, chop chop. I’m just glad to get my investment back.

Eames is beaten up

John Eames who has been playing solid poker raises from the button only for the maniac Tureniec to shove. With the calmness of a newsreader Eames says “call” and flips over two black aces. Tureniec coldly shows KQ off. Poker is so cruel and the luckbox river a straight to bust the Aces. Eames is choked and slides away without a word. Down to 4.

I can fire bullets baby. Julian Leonard on the button glances at me and says in an impressive French accent “alls in”, I peel back one card it’s a black Ace of spades my favourite card, and right next to it is its twin half brother, ace of clubs. My chips are in before I can say c”all”, Leonard looks like his just given blood as exits the scene of the crime.  We’re down to three.

For a brief minute I glance at the prize money and then it hits me, I could actually win this, I have 1.3 million chips of the 2 million in play. The natural thing to do would be to turn up the heat and bully my opponents; I elect not to as I don’t want to chip them up, I’ll just keep pressuring the blinds until I hit a strong hand. No worries, Tureniec is running true to form, he shoves after a raise from Moult holding A8 off. Moult tanks and calls holding A9 off. The poker Gods are cruel when Michael hits an 8 on the turn and Jim, although gutted, must be proud for making the right call and being £80k richer.

David La Ronde

Winner of the English Poker Open 2009

English Poker Open

Part 8 next Tuesday…