|
UK
Casino Times
> Casino
News
20 September
2006
Pippa Flanders Kicks Ass At Poker
World Open
As one of only two women
in the field of over 70 UK, American and European poker
stars gathering for the Party
Poker World Open
II, Pippa Flanders, a UK mother of two who began playing
poker professionally in 2002, was considered a non-factor -
a "fish" in the parlance of poker. But it was a donkey that
Pippa rode to the $200,000 victory, stunning the world of
poker.
Flanders, from Preston in
the UK, kept 'Eemore', her 22-year-old daughter's cuddly
stuffed toy donkey at the table as a good luck charm and it
clearly gave her the luck she sought as she seemingly made
the big name pros look like donkeys.
Flanders beat a whole host
of top names to the $200,000 first prize including Tony G,
Roland De Wolfe, Marc Goodwin, Tony Bloom, Kenna James,
Harry Demetriou and last year's champion Lee Nelson, to
claimed one of the biggest prizes ever collected by a
European female player.
"To have been one of only
two women who entered amongst over 70 entrants and to have
won it is simply unbelievable and wonderful. Go girls!"
exuded Flanders, who is mother to Charlotte, 22 and
Christopher, 25. "I had a fantastic time playing the game
and it was such a wonderful ending that I had always hoped
for, but never expected. I still can't believe I beat all
those top names to the title. It really is a dream come
true."
Flanders largest payday to
date had been $26,079 at the 2004 European Poker
Championship. Most recently she finished fifth in July at
the Women's Poker Tour in east London. Her total career
tournament earnings amounted to only $42,000 over four
years. She and her husband Tim are both pros trying to make
a living playing the European circuit. She considers Tim,
whose total career earnings are approximately $240,000, a
far better player. But it was Flanders, formerly the company
director of the family software business, who played with
the brilliance of a long-time champion in the Party Poker
World Open.
In a tense final table
that saw Flanders and Tony G begin as chip leaders, there
were immediate fireworks as Tony G slow-played pocket kings,
as did Flanders with pocket 10's. The flop came 10 J x and
Tony G's 50,000 bet was immediate raised by Flanders as she
moved All-In. Tony pondered and then made the call. A 10 on
the turn hammered the nail into his coffin and gave Flanders
more than 600,000 chips and a massive lead. Forget about
Homer Simpson, this Flanders was a nightmare for her fellow
pros at the final table.
Irishman Bryan Lyttle was
next to go, shortly followed by online qualifier Paul
Christoffersson and it was left to Flanders, Kevin Atkin and
Jon Hewston to battle it out. When Hewston took care of
Kevin Atkin, he took the chip lead for the first time, but
after some gutsy play by Pippa, she clawed it back to even
stacks. On the final hand of the tournament, Flanders picked
up A7 in the small blind and Hewston called the raise with
K9 of diamonds. The flop came 6,7,5 with two diamonds.
Flanders moved All-In and was immediately called by Hewston.
The turn came queen, the river a 5 with neither diamonds,
giving Pippa two pair, and more importantly the Party Poker
World Open crown.
Over 70 top players who
paid a $7,000 buy-in, plus a dozen online players - some who
invested as little as $10 on Party Poker online
qualifiers-played down to the final six at The Poker Den in
London. Some familiar British celebrities also tried to gain
a seat at the table, including England rugby union star Matt
Dawson; EastEnders' stars Billy Murray (Johnny Allen) and
Michael Greco (Beppe di Marco); Norman Pace, actor/comedian
and one half of the hit comedy team Hale and Pace; Steve
Backley, three-time Olympic medalist in the javelin, and Zoe
Anderson, actress, model and leading pin-up girl (The Sun,
News of the World, OK).
Party Poker World Open II,
which boasted a $504,000 total prize pool, has gained
recognition as one of British television's best bets for
thrilling poker action. Party Poker World Open is televised
over 16 weeks later this year on the UK's Channel
5.
"This has been an
absolutely amazing finish to a great Party Poker World
Open," said a Party Poker spokesman. "It's really exciting
that Pippa's victory is the first great breakthrough for
European women in poker, and demonstrates the rise of women
champions around the world in open poker tournaments. We
congratulate Pippa and Eemore!"
Now that she has claimed
her paycheck from the Party Poker World Open, Flanders says
she is planning on making Eemore a fixture at all her future
poker tournaments, but it seems that she will have to fight
daughter Charlotte for him, who is calling her stuffed
donkey home.
|
|
Party
Poker is
the most popular of all online poker rooms. They
launched back in 2001 and rapidly became a market
leader. The place is always busy with loads of
tables available and players to take on. Simply
grab a seat at the table you like the look of and
you're in. Utterly safe and loads of fun, Party
Poker is a great choice both for poker experts and
newcomers. They have easy deposit options and
process very fast cash outs. In the event of any
queries or problems, they have at hand a five star
customer care team to assist you, 24 hours, 7 days
a week.
Click
here to visit Party Poker
|
Related pages:
None
Also see:
UK
Online Casinos
Reviews of the leading, approved UK online casinos. Includes
details of the free money welcome bonuses offered to new
players by the online casinos.
Online
Casinos Guide
New to online casinos? We take you through the process in a
friendly, easy-going way.
CasinoTimes.co.uk
is updated every day with the latest online casino and
gambling news.
Click
Here
to bookmark us and check us out daily!
Return
to UK Casino News index
|
|
