artsi88 Gets GSOP 9 Off To A Flyer; Takes Down Event #1 For Almost $60k

Event #1 started at 19:00 GMT and finished just moments ago 13 hours and 10 minutes later, meaning it was a marathon session for those players fortunate enough to go deep. Although obviously tired, "artsi88" will be over the moon after walking away with the $59,337.91 winner's prize and a seat to the $5,000 Grand Slam.

Whilst most poker pros were sorting out their favourite seats preparing for a long night at the felt, my own preparation was slightly less optimal and some may say unorthodox. They say women are life's rake and although that may be true it also pays to keep the women in your life in your good books. By keeping "her indoors" happy you are more likely to avoid nagging and other such tilting experiences when you are playing poker, which is why I agreed to cook dinner for her.

Unfortunately for me, my day had overrun so I had to prepare and cook chicken fajitas just as GSOP and mini-GSOP events were starting! Everything was going great until I came to slice the onion. Have you ever tried to play online poker whilst chopping onions? Or should I rephrase that to have you every played online poker with your hands stinking of onion, with tears running down your face and your eyes scrunched up so tightly because of the pain of the sulphuric acid on my eyeballs. Needless to say I don't remember too much about the opening level!

I did win a nice 720 chip pot when I flopped a set of fives and filled up on the river on a four-flushed board but then lost a chunk of that back when I folded Qs-Js on a 6s-6d-As-5s-7s board. I managed to chip up to 6,000 or so when I lost a 1,200 chip pot to high stakes regular PlayaDelCoco after three-betting his open with pocket tens then calling his min-four bet only to fold on a Kx-Qx-Xx flop; the first of many misplayed hands.

From there I slowly bled chips until I was sat with 3,900 with blinds of 100/200/20a. I min-raised to 400 after three players had folded then mis-click called a 2,647 shove! FML! The player who shoved. Who was now thinking WTF at my call, had Qc-Qd, which held to leave me with just 1,253 chips and looking like I was heading to bed earlier than I had expected. That was until the Poker Gods let me Jh-8d beat Ad-7h when the board four-flushed hearts and then I tripled up when my Kd-Ks held against Qs-Qc and Th-Tc to put me close to 11,000 chips and back in business! Yes I run good, thanks for reminding me!

The run good looked like to had come to an end when "wyatt-earp14" min-raised to 500 in the cutoff and I three bet to 1,220 in the small blind with Ad-Kc. Mr Earp then shoved for his remaining 4,158 and I made the call and was shown Kh-Jd. All was rosy on an 8h-10s-9c-4h board but the Js river was as ugly as sin and I was back playing 20BB.

From here I reverted back to stealing pots here and there - including one with 7h-5h on an Ah-2c-Jc-8d board - until a huge pot developed and went my way. "Mandonkfish" opened to 1,250 (blinds 250/500/50a) from early position and after two players folded xxJJAAxx three-bet to 2,750. I was in the small blind fist-pumping as I had As-Ac and only 7,133 chips so jammed them into the middle. The initial raiser folded but the three-bettor was armed with Kc-Ks and made the call. By bullets held, even turning a set, and I was once again armed with chips.

The money bubble burst and we were all guaranteed some money for our efforts . I was looking forward to a $500+ score when "balaki17" open-shoved 6,682 (10BB) from UTG+1 with what turned out to be pocket tens and I called in the big blind with Ah-Ks. A ten on the flop left me drawing thinly and I never caught up.

I caught another double up with Ac-Qd versus "CatchThemAll's" Ad-Jd but my comeback was shortlived as "FaxingBerlin" put his chips in from the button, 13,774 of them or just over 11BB, and I snapped his fat fingers off with my As-Qd. The 7c-9s-Ad flop was horrid but the 9h turn was even worse and with that I busted in 251st place for $325.99.

As for other Team Betfair players I can let you know that from massive crowd 1,959 players 362 were Team Betfair and 58 of those made it into the money place. These 58 men and women won a massive $74,487.39 thanks in part yo "awooooogah" finishing in 10th place for $4,322.14 and "iceblondy" finishing as runner-up, a result that paid a monstrous $40,474.31.

Mini-GSOP Event #1: $22 No Limit Hold'em Deepstack ($40,000 guaranteed)

In this particular event 380 places were paid but I fell in 833rd after losing with a set of sevens to a flush draw, running Ad-Jd into As-Qh then Ad-Qd into Ac-Kd. At least I massively outlasted "The Klup" whose penchant for playing seven-deuce offsuit must have got him into trouble as he busted out in 2143rd, much to the delight of his friend and Betfair blogger David Underwood.

Nobody likes to bubble a tournament and here at Betfair Poker we hate it when it is one of our own who pops the money bubble, which is what happened in this event. Denmark's ITPhuocUup busted in 381st place leaving everyone else in the field safe in the knowledge they had locked up at least $29.28 for their efforts.

In total 57 Team Betfair players cruised into the money places but remember we mentioned the name of Mr Underwood earlier? Well he was also the best performing Betfair player, finishing in 11th place for $329.48, bursting the final table bubble. Congratulations / commiserations (*delete as appropriate) to David "KeithAisGay" Underwood, onto the next one.

The eventual champion was Kmegatilt who defeated bersay heads-up to scoop the $6,325.62 winner's prize. Neither were Team Betfair members but still deserve a shoutout anyway!

Mini-GSOP Event #1 Statistics

Total entries: 2,147
Total Team Betfair entries: 335
Team Betfair cashes: 57 (17.01% ITM)
Team Betfair winnings: $3,906.04 (9.10% of $42,940 prize pool)

Congratulations to everyone who made it into the money, we will bring you the Event #1 stats for the $200 buy-in as soon as we have them in our possession.

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