From Shortie to Chip Leader
Robert Flink has gone from short-stack at the start of play 90 minutes ago to leading the final table of the British Poker Open £10,000-entry NLHE opening event.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Flink | 750,000 |
160,000  |
| Luc Greenwood | 605,000 |
-67,000  |
| Sam Grafton | 480,000 |
-103,000 |
| Steve O'Dwyer | 425,000 |
5,000 |
| Mike Watson | 340,000 |
40,000 |
Flink Calls Watson’s Bluff
A fascinating hand, easily the longest of the final day so far, just saw Robert Flink double up in stunning fashion against Mike Watson.
Watson bet on the flop and turn and shoved on the river holding just [5h4d] to Robert Flink’s [QsJd] as the board of [JsAh7h2cTh] saw Flink call it off with second pair when on the bubble.
With only 185,000 in his stack by the river, Watson’s all-in putting Robert Flink to the ultimate test on the bubble, could Flink make the call?
Two timebank cards were tossed into the middle for what was a huge decision for the clearly agonizing Flink. A cash game legend playing at the highest stakes, Flink is the least experienced tournament player at this table, but he made a stunning call to take the pot down and bump his stack to 590,000.
A superstar call has put Robert Flink right back into contention to win this event, while Mike Watson ambitious and brilliant bluff was unable to get Flink to fold on the bubble and now it’s ‘Sir Watts’ himself whi finds himself under threat of leaving with nothing.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Flink | 590,000 |
180,000 |
| Mike Watson | 300,000 |
-306,000 |
Flink Doesn’t Blink
A series of short hands eventually saw Robert Flink return from the break on the attack.
First, Luc Greenwood, the chip leader at the table made it 45,000 to go on the button with [9h9c] and was able to take it down unchallenged.
With 720,000 chips, Greenwood has the chip lead yet only 38 big blinds, showing how shallow the final table has become.
Greenwood’s opening bet in the next hand – again to 45,000 – with [Ah5d] saw O’Dwyer raise all-in for 460,000 with [AdJh] and take that pot down without seeing a flop.
O’Dwyer made it 40,000 to play in the next hand with [As5s] and was called by Flink with [Qd9h], who, on the flop of [7dTd4h] moved all-in to take it down, getting O’Dwyer to lay down the best hand and improve his own chances early on in the process.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Steve O'Dwyer | 420,000 |
-49,000 |
| Robert Flink | 410,000 |
149,000 |
Greenwood Leads at the First Break
Mike ‘Sir Watts’ Watson moved all-in for 574,000 with [Ah7s] and Robert Flink couldn’t call with [2s2c], faced with choosing the flip for his tournament life on the bubble.
That was the last meaningful hand as play went to the first break of the day, with LucGreenwood back on top of the five players who remain on the bubble in this first event of the 2019 British Poker Open.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Luc Greenwood | 672,000 |
72,000 |
| Mike Watson | 606,000 |
-84,000 |
| Sam Grafton | 583,000 |
-43,000 |
| Steve O'Dwyer | 469,000 |
58,000 |
| Robert Flink | 261,000 |
-40,000 |
Grafton Overtakes Greenwood Again
Greenwood and Grafton clashed again, with the British player this time adding to his stack.
Greenwood held [JhTh] while Grafton had [KcQd].
With players originally attacking but growing ever more tentative, the board of [Td8d2c9dKs] was what commentary team Brent Hanks and Jeff Platt called a “troublesome run-out”.
Grafton picked up the pot with his king hitting on the river, adding 113,000 to his stack, and costing Greenwood a little less.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Sam Grafton | 626,000 |
110,000 |
| Luc Greenwood | 600,000 |
-73,000 |
Watson the Early Leader
Play started with Greenwood and Grafton well ahead of the pack, but after a topsy-turvy opening 50 minutes of action, Grafton and Greenwood have dropped back a little.
Mike Watson’s big win against Grafton, as well as Robert Flink’s double, have evened things up considerably.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Watson | 690,000 |
-29,000 |
| Luc Greenwood | 673,000 |
-115,000 |
| Sam Grafton | 516,000 |
66,000 |
| Steve O'Dwyer | 411,000 |
61,000 |
| Robert Flink | 301,000 |
276,000 |
Flink Doubles Through Grafton
It’s all gone wrong in the first 40 minutes of action here at the final table of the first British Poker Open for Sam Grafton.
Robert Flink moved all-in with [Ah9c] for 116,000 and was called by Grafton, who held [QhJc].
The [8c8s5d] saw Flink remain in the lead, and the [3c] turn and [2s] river saw nothing change for Flink to get that vital double and keep us on the bubble. Grafton is now 4th in chips.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Sam Grafton | 450,000 |
-120,000 |
| Robert Flink | 25,000 |
-120,000 |
Watson Gets Grafton to Call It Off
A pot of 108,000 by the flop saw Sam Grafton with [Ad9c] and Mike Watson with [QsTh] check the board after the turn of [Kc9sJh2d].
However, on the [Qd] river, Grafton checked and Watson bet 100,000, seeing Grafton call and have to pay off ‘Sir Watts’. Grafton lost 157,000 in that hand and Mike Watson has made that amount, dropping Grafton down to third in chips.
If ‘money saved is money earned’, then Grafton had saved chips in the previous few hands, saving himself major damage. but Watson has just dented the British player’s hopes albeit at this early stage of the final table.
| Player | Chips | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Watson | 719,000 |
138,000 |
| Sam Grafton | 570,000 |
-170,000 |
You're all caught up!
No more pages to load
