Aspers in Northampton hosted their third Central England regional final for Redtooth. The top eight would all win a cash prize with the top seven claiming a much sought after national final seat.

A little before 2pm the individual league winners collected their trophies, then ‘shuffle up n deal’ was announced. It took around 20 minutes to lose our first player, Brian Atkins from the Bull in Hemel Hempstead, and he was shortly followed by Paul Wiggins, Rosemary Barfoot and Marcus Edgoose as roars and an applause were heard all across the card room. With last seasons winner absent, a new champion would be crowned!

The team event was a close encounter as previous champions the Rovers Tye were in a two way battle with the Golden Hind in Cambridge. We had 36 players remaining when Lee Ried from the Rovers Tye was eliminated, this gave the Golden Hind their first Team Event title. Congratulations to Franco Elia, Daniel Kember and Lukasz Lankiewicz who all claimed a top 25 place.

Once the final table was set, all 10 finalists lined up as follows…

Seat 1: Sam Byrne – Kennington Sports & Social Club, Oxford (20,000)
Seat 2: Andy Elmore – Beeswing, Kettering (20,000)
Seat 3: Tomas Treciokas – Rovers Tye, Colchester (180,000)
Seat 4: Dan Beswick – Blackberry Jack, St Albans (70,000)
Seat 5: Alex Crook – White Hart, Buckingham (100,000)
Seat 6: Carol Jenkins – Rose & Crown, Hemel Hempstead (130,000)
Seat 7: Kerry Tature-Green – Ock & Dough, Northampton (110,000)
Seat 8: Richard Davey – Fox, Barhill (60,000)
Seat 9: Chris Brown – Monkfield Arms, Great Cambourne (110,000)
Seat 10: Matt Gregory – Rovers Tye, Colchester (50,000)

Within the first 5 hands we had lost 3 finalists. Andy Elmore, Richard Davey and Matt Gregory all made a swift exit which gave the remaining seven players a national final seat. Sam Byrne could now finally get his last remaining 10,000 chip in the middle but he couldn’t mount any sort of comeback as he exited in 7th place. 10 minutes later we were at the heads up stage in what was looking like the quickest Redtooth final table ever. Carol Jenkins and Chris Brown were the last two players standing (or sitting) as Chris tried to overhaul Carol’s big advantage. The final hand saw a pre-flop all-in and a swift call as Chris’s K-8 needed help against Carol’s A-J. The board proved no help to either as a 654-Q-Q board was met with a big scream from Carol as she became our newest Central England champion! Carol Jenkins leaves with a crystal glass trophy, £500 and a national final seat!

Cash Prize Winners
1. Carol Jenkins – Rose & Crown, Hemel Hempstead
2. Chris Brown – Monkfield Arms, Great Cambourne
3. Tomas Treciokas – Rovers Tye, Colchester
4. Kerry Tature-Green – Ock & Dough, Northampton
5. Alex Crook – White Hart, Buckingham
6. Dan Beswick – Blackberry Jack, St Albans
7. Sam Byrne – Kennington Sports & Social Club
8. Matt Gregory – Rovers Tye, Colchester

National Final Qualifiers
Carol Jenkins
Chris Brown
Tomas Treciokas
Kerry Tature-Green
Alex Crook
Dan Beswick
Sam Byrne

Team Winners
Golden Hind, Cambridge