James “HullJimi” Greenwood enjoys some entertaining chat - and a steady climb in the PartyPoker Bankroll Challenge

Another good week!

Not played as much as I’d have liked this week but I’ve managed a $50 rise to the bankroll. I’m not sure if I’ve been playing well or on the end of some good variance but for most of the week, when I’ve entered a pot, I’ve won it. I’ve waited for the cards and 9 times out 10 I have been paid off.

Another curious thing has happened this week - I’ve started to get a few players talking about this blog in the chatbox.

Now some of the players have been asking questions about the challenge, some of the players have been congratulating me and some have been….well, like this:

(UsernameRemoved): Hull, your on the PP blog?
HullJimi: yup
(UsernameRemoved): why?
HullJimi: part of a challenge, read it
(UsernameRemoved): ok

Bit of a wait….

(UsernameRemoved): your ****
HullJimi: thanks, I’ll take that on board
(UsernameRemoved): i’m better than you are, I should do the challenge
HullJimi: well, apply, I’m sure you could be next
(UsernameRemoved): i’m going to ruin it and take all your $$$
HullJimi: gl

Bit of a wait….(UsernameRemoved) and I end up in a pot. I have top set on a rainbow flop.

(UsernameRemoved): fold Hull
I put him all in. He calls. The turn and flop cause no futher damage and I show top set against an overpair.
(UsernameRemoved): i had you beat on the flop. Your ****
HullJimi: have another look at the hand history!
Bit of a wait, he’s still sitting out…
(UsernameRemoved): tell the blog you lucked out against me
HullJimi: i’ll use this chat if you like
(UsernameRemoved): ok
HullJimi: are you sure you want me too? You look a bit of a muppet….
(UsernameRemoved): your ****

And he leaves the table!

Current Bankroll: $157.53
Last Week: $106.39

James started his Bankroll Challenge with $25 in his account. He intends to make a small fortune at your expense, folks!

by Simon Young

Not everyone can win a big online tournament, but with dedication, hard work and, of course, a little bit of luck, it is a dream that can come true for many.

So it was for Alexander Albrecht - PartyPoker player cashvselv1s - who worked hard at his game to be in a position where he could win our $300K Guaranteed Sunday, taking home a tasty $57,709.50.

Winner: Alex Albricht

Alex, 25, from Cologne in Germany, works in marketing and sales by day. But in his spare time he has worked on his game. “I started to play poker with my circle of friends two or three years ago, and like everyone else I got more and more into the game with every hand I played.

“From there it was an easy step to register at PartyPoker, and since then I have been a happy member of the site. At the beginning I played only cash games (up to NL200), but after that I really got into the competitive aspect of tournaments.”

Alex plays many of the tournaments and has played the $300K Guaranteed Sunday “as often as I can”. He added: “It’s an exciting part of online poker, and a real challenge!”

The $300K has a buy-in of $215, and although there are loads of satellite qualifiers - see here how you can take part for as little as $3 - he decided to buy in direct for the full cost.

He has some advice for those looking to progress in the event: “I had to learn a lot of lessons to keep being patient and wait for my spots. In a tournament which can last eight hours this, keeping your focus on the game is critical.”

He said there were a couple of key moments leading up to his title: “One was when I took the chip lead for the first time. I had nine big blinds left and found 8-8. I was pretty sure I was going to end up all in with this hand, so when TooLucky72 pushed in front of me for about the same amount of chips, I went all in as well. Then behind us HallonKaar re-pushed with 18 big blinds - not the situation I wanted.

“But now we were three-handed, with K-Q for TooLucky72 and A-K suited from HallonKaar against my 8-8. The board came 5-2-J rainbow, which was nice, followed by another J and a 7, so all the chips came to daddy. What a heart-stopping moment that was for me!”

Alex got down to heads up with AAtthis, where they made a deal leaving an amount on the side for whoever came first. Alex takes up the story: “In the final hand I had A-8 of hearts. I raised in position pre-flop and was called by AAtthis holding 5-7 of spades. The flop was 6-K-7 with two hearts, and I had a good feeling about my flush draw since they had not worked out for me at all in other situations.

“So I put in a continuation bet and just got a call. The turn brought a 5 of diamonds, so adding the open-ended straight draw to my flush draw but giving AAtthis two pair. AAtthis now bet and I decided to bring the hand to an end by re-raising all in, getting an instant call. At this time I had the chip lead with 5.5 million chips to 3.1 million chips. The river came 4 of hearts, and I could choose between my straight or flush! Well played to my opponent, though - a great player.”

Alex, who likes soccer, basketball and going to the gym, plans to cashout some of his winnings and re-invest the rest in his bankroll.

“I want to continue to improve my game and hopefully not end up as a one-hit wonder,” he said.

Many congratulations to player cashvselv1s who pocketed $57,709.50 by scooping this week’s PartyPoker.com $300K Guaranteed Sunday. Yet again there was a great turn out, with 1,739 players lining up for a shot at the $347,800 prize pool.

After a final table that ended in a deal, the cash wins were:

1 cashvselv1s, $57,709.50

2 AAtthis,  $47,500

3 ElizaDushku1, $23,650.40

4 blancoben, $18,433.40

5 GiveItAll_, $14,955.40

6 HallonKaar, $11,477.40

7 tremendez, $8,868.90

8  pastika, $6,086.50

9 theriongr, $4,521.40

10 Jaysalldaway, $2,956.30

The $215 buy-in $300K Guaranteed Sunday goes from strength to the strength. To be in with a chance of winning the big prize, you can qualify for as little as $3. Please see our satellite pages here.

Good luck at the tables.

Kara Scott has won the PartyPoker.com Sports Stars Challenge III. The 32-year-old television presenter from Brighton, UK, won £20,000 and triumphed at a final table that included darts sensation Wayne Mardle, snooker legend Steve Davis, former England cricket seamer Gladstone Small, Wakefield rugby league hooker Brad Drew and Manchester United football legend Norman Whiteside.

“This is just simply fantastic,” said Kara, who like recent Premier League winner Andy Black was overwhelmed with emotion when the moment sunk in. “I did fancy my chances at the final table but knew there would be some tough opponents. Steve Davis had to be the favourite at the start and I’m just so happy that I came out on top in my skirmishes with him. I’ve played with him a number of times before and he’s always won. Early in the heat I was sure he was pushing me around so I knew I had to get more aggressive and it worked!”

Kara is originally from Northern Alberta, Canada, but came to the UK in 1999 and is a poker and kickboxing television presenter. “I’m going to use the money as a bankroll,” she said, “but I will also buy a few pairs of shoes!”

First out on the final table was darts star Wayne Mardle, whose pocket eights were cracked By Gladstone Small’s A-K when a king came on the turn. Out fifth was Aussie rugby league star Brad Drew, who failed to hit anything on the board with his 7-8 suited all-in against Norman Whiteside’s pocket tens.

This left four players with almost identical stacks but Scott turned up the heat on her opponents, dominating the table. Steve Davis was very short-stacked and had to continually push in his quest to double-up. After going all-in with 10-5 suited, it was an easy call for Small with K-2 suited, who was also very short stacked.

Scott, however, happened to have K-J with one club and called as well. The flop was good for Davis, with 5h, 6c and Ac as he was ahead with a pair of fives. However, a club on the turn and river gave Scott the flush and busted Davis in fourth and Small in third.

This left Scott heads-up against Norman Whiteside, whose game has greatly improved in recent years and who has come on leaps and bounds in his performances at Matchroom Sport and PartyPoker.com events. Scott held a significant lead, however, holding £25,600 compared to Whiteside’s £10,400. It wasn’t long before she disposed of her rival, however, as Whiteside went all-in with K-8 off suit.

Kara called with ace A-4 off suit and nothing came on the board stop her victory. It was the first win and first final table appearance by a woman in the PartyPoker.com Sports Stars Challenge.

A PartyPoker.com spokesman said: “Kara’s reputation on the poker scene continues to rise and rise, she’s on a bit of a roll. Last year, she made the final table of the Women’s World Open and impressed there with her aggressive game. It’s obvious that this win means a lot to her and she deserves it.”

Eddie Hearn, Head of Online Gaming at Matchroom Sport said: “This year a presenter won, last year it was a snooker world champion and the year before it was a former rugby union international. It was a fantastic event but these footballers need to up their game!”

PARTYPOKER.COM SPORTS STARS CHALLENGE III – FINAL TABLE
1st Kara Scott (Presenter)
2nd Norman Whiteside (Football)
3rd Gladstone Small (Cricket)
4th Steve Davis (Snooker)
5th Brad Drew (Rugby League)
6th Wayne Mardle (Darts)