Paul 'sambafreak' Wilson: Irish Online Champion

The final table of the APAT Irish Online Poker Championship provided a pulsating finish to this third event of season three.  With 136 entrants paying $55 each, the Irish Online Champion would enjoy a $1,800 first prize, national title, gold medal, plus a paid entry to a GUKPT main event worth over £1,000, courtesy of tour sponsor Blue Square.

The field featured many APAT Champions, including recently crowned Welsh Amateur and Online Champions; Simon Auckland and Brian Yates.  Also in the running were the season two national and online rankings winners; Bob Malin and Steve Bayliff.

Players started the event with a 10,000 chip / 500 big blind deepstack, and play was aggressive from the outset, with the cards conspiring to oust the experienced Steve Holden with the tournament a little more than 20 minutes old. 

With raise and re-raise the order of the day, the final table was reached after close to five and a half hours of play, with the final ten lining up as follows:-

The Final Ten

Seat 1 – ‘RPG’ – 46k
Seat 2 – ‘ButchPKR’ – 74k
Seat 3 – ‘scouse3456’ – 258k
Seat 4 – ‘sambafreak’ – 330k
Seat 5 – ‘Pilf’ – 130k
Seat 6 – ‘swinebag22’ – 72k
Seat 7 – ‘M0rethanluck’ – 98k
Seat 8 – ‘Walwyn1’ – 130k
Seat 9 – ‘smasher37’ – 51k
Seat 10 – ‘I8Moons’ – 150k

Amongst the players remaining were UK Online Championship bronze medallist Brian Martin (‘I8Moons’) who was assured of taking the lead in the national online rankings having reached the final.  Season two online rankings winner Steve Bayliff (‘scouse3456’) was still in the hunt as was Andrew Cowl (‘Walwyn1’); who had won two online titles in season two.  Antony Wolsey (‘Pilf’) and Rob Swindells (‘swinebag22’) had both finished deep in previous APAT Amateur Championship events, and remained in contention.

 Discuss the Irish Online Poker Championship.

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