You can catch the next PartyPoker.com Premier League III installment in the UK on Channel 4 on Wednesday, 18th February at 00:05.

JC Tran is the PartyPoker.com Premier League III champion after taking down the most formidable final table in the event’s history.

Tran, widely regarded as one of the finest and consistent tournament professionals on the circuit, scooped the $300,000 first prize in the elite tournament that saw 12 of the world’s finest players battle it out for a $1.25 million prize pool.

“This is brilliant and I am so happy,” said Tran. “I have been feeling good all week and it is amazing to win this event. Until this week I had never played in Europe so I really couldn’t ask for more. Perhaps I should move here.”

Tran reached the final table as chip leader, overall league winner after fantastic displays that saw him pick up three first places and two second places in the heats and the favourite to win with PartyBets.com. It wasn’t all plain sailing, though, as Tony G fought hard to finish runner-up, holding the lead for much of the heads-up battle.

How it went down

At the start of the heads-up, Tony G had the advantage and held 1,150,000 to Tran’s 780,000. It looked like it was going to be Tony’s day until a key hand turned everything on its head. Pre-flop, a super confident Tony G raised to 75K with 8s-6s and Tran called with 10h-8c. After the flop came 10d-Qh-6d Tony led out with 95K, which was called quickly by Tran. The turn brought a Qs and Tony bet 110K that prompted Tran to raise it up to 260K. Tony folded and JC gained the chip lead and there was no going back.

With the blinds at 20K/40K, Tran limped in with 9c-7d and Tony checked with Ks-8d. The flop came 5d-7h-6h and Tony G checked raised all-in only to be called by Tran. Tony needed a king, four or nine to double-up and take a formidable chip lead. The turn came Js and a 2s on the river gave Tran victory. “I brought my best game but it just wasn’t good enough,” said Tony G.

The best of the rest

The action at the start of the final table certainly didn’t take long to get going and it was the fifth hand of the night that swung the balance of power.

Unsurprisingly, Tom ‘Durrr’ Dwan was at the centre of the action, just like he had been all week. Tony G raised pre-flop with 10s-9h and was re-raised another 21,000 by Durrr with Qc-4c. Tony G called and the flop came down 4d-Jc-10c. Durrr bet 43K and Tony moved all-in. Tom’s super-aggressive play had been a factor all week throughout the heats and Tony G had put a massive marker down. Dwan called with a flush draw and the turn was a 3h with a Kh on the river. Tony G doubled up to 434K and with chips the ‘Mouth from Down Under’ started getting under the skin of his opponents as the verbals escalated. At that stage it looked like Tony G was the man to beat.

Even though Dwan was short stacked, 2008 WSOP Main Event champion Peter Eastgate was the first to exit. Eastgate had impressed all week and went to the final table second in chips. Most observers predicted that it would be a battle between the Dane and Tran for the title but he took a big hit when his Ks 9s ran into Tran’s pocket aces. His cards were no match on the final board of Js-Kd-5d-Jd-Ac.

Out in fifth was Roland De Wolfe whose Kd-Ks was crushed by Juha Helppi’s Ad-Qc when an ace came on the flop. As all of this was unfolding Tony G continued to talk, with commentator’s Jesse May and Phil Hellmuth convinced he was winning the psychological battle. It even seemed at certain points that he might be getting under the skin of super-cool Tran.

Dwan finally bit the dust in fourth place. It was none other than Tony G who sent him on his way when ‘Durrr’ found his 8h-6s up against Tony G’s Jc-8d. The flop came down 7s-8c-5h, Dwan failed to hit the open-ended straight draw and one of the most feared players of PartyPoker.com Premier League III was on his way.

Now, Tony G was in fine form, telling his rivals to get on their bikes. He was the chip leader, table captain and had more than double the stack of JC Tran. Finland’s Helppi, winner of the inaugural PartyPoker.com Premier League, was next to go in third place when his As-10d ran into Tony’s Ad-Qc and a queen came on the flop.

A PartyPoker.com spokesman said: “JC Tran was truly outstanding and there is no doubt at all that he is one cool cat and that he deserved to win. The standard of play all week from all the players involved was really something to remember.”

Eddie Hearn, Director of Matchroom Sport, said: “The PartyPoker.com Premier League III lived up to all expectations and then some. JC Tran’s performance was pure genius from beginning to end. This series has completely raised the bar for televised poker and we are already planning the next installment.”

Final PartyPoker.com Premier League III results and payouts:

1st JC Tran, $300,000
2nd Tony G, $150,000
3rd Juha Helppi, $80,000
4th Tom Dwan, $50,000
5th Roland De Wolfe, $40,000
6th Peter Eastgate, $30,000

The final table is set at the PartyPoker.com Premier League III. JC Tran goes through to the final table as chip leader and league winner with a 450,000 stack in a fantastic week that saw him pick up three first places and two second places. Second in chips is 2008 WSOP Main Event champion Peter Eastgate with 390,000. Season one winner Juha Helppi is third with 340,000. Sitting in joint fourth place at the start of the final table is Tom ‘Durrr’ Dwan and Tony G, who both sit with 260,000. The short stack is Roland De Wolfe with 230,000. The deep-stacked final table starts with blinds at 2k-4k.

How it went down

Tran, Eastgate, Helppi and Dwan all qualified automatically for the final table from their positions in the league table. Dwan and Tony G both finished with 26 points but ‘Durrr’ got the automatic spot based on his superior league record.

In the heads-up qualifiers De Wolfe beat Annette Obrestad 2-0 to secure his seat at the grand finale, while Tony G beat Vicky Coren 2-0 to fix his place. Both De Wolfe and Tony G made the final table in season two with De Wolfe eventually finishing runner-up to champion Andy Black and Tony G finishing third.

PartyPoker.com Premier League III has not been so kind to Phil Hellmuth. He still holds the record of winning four heats in the Premier League but has been unable to replicate the form that led him to dominate season one.

Also relegated were defending champion Black, Nenad Medic and David ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott. The final heats were particularly difficult for De Wolfe and Coren, who both had to play tight and hope other players busted themselves to secure enough points to finish in the final eight.

Final PartyPoker.com Premier League III standings:

45 points – JC Tran
39 – Peter Eastgate
34 – Juha Helppi
26 – Tom Dwan

26 – Tony G
25 – Annette Obrestad
23 – Roland De Wolfe
22– Vicky Coren

21 – Phil Hellmuth
16 – Andy Black
17 – Nenad Medic
6 – Devilfish

Final table line-up
Seat 1 – Tom Dwan (USA) 260,000
Seat 2 – Juha Helppi (FIN) 340,000
Seat 3 – Tony G (AUS) 260,000
Seat 4 – Roland De Wolfe (UK) 230,000
Seat 5 – JC Tran (USA) 450,000
Seat 6 – Peter Eastgate (DEN) 390,000

Final table prize money
1st – $300,000
2nd – $150,000
3rd – $80,000
4th – $50,000
5th – $40,000
6th – $30,000
Total prize pool $1.25 million

Day four at the PartyPoker.com Premier League III saw wins for Tom ‘Durrr’ Dwan and Peter Eastgate. Dwan’s win is a timely boost for his final table chances, while 2008 WSOP Main Event champion Eastgate has put himself in a prime position for a place at Sunday’s deep-stack final table. The success of Eastgate and JC Tran is good news for all the other players as it leaves the rest of the league wide open and the chances of making the final table live.

Heat seven

Heat seven was eventful and, unsurprisingly, Dwan was at the centre of it all with a mixture of creative play that bamboozled his opponents and good fortune at key times. Again, the heat was fantastic for JC Tran, who finished second for six points as his domination of the event continued.

When it got heads-up Dwan led 490,000-110,000 and it was all over very quickly. ‘Durrrr’ pushed all-in with Ac-7c and was called by Tran with Q-7 off-suit. An Ace of the flop was enough to take it down. After the maximum on day three Phil Hellmuth ended up with the bagel busting out for 0 points. Tony G finished fifth for two points, Nenad Medic was fourth for three points and Roland De Wolfe ended third for four points.

Heat eight

Heat eight saw another win for Eastgate, who continues to impress on his Premier League debut. This heat also saw Juha Helppi pick up six valuable points as runner-up.

The heat was very fast and ended-up heads-up after just 71 hands. Helppi held a strong advantage over Eastgate, leading 463,000-137,000, but the WSOP champ showed his mettle to claw his way back and snatch victory from the season one winner.

The decisive hand saw Helppi raise with K-J off-suit and pushed all-in by Eastgate with A-K. Nothing came on the flop and the Dane consolidated his second position in the league table behind JC Tran. First out for the bagel was Andy Black and finishing fifth was Annette Obrestad for two points. Devilfish finished fourth for three points as he continues to be dreadfully unlucky and in desperate need of a break. Vicky Coren ended third for four points and continues to accumulate the points to see her through.

PartyPoker.com Premier League III standings after day four:

32 points – JC Tran
26 – Peter Eastgate
22 – Tom Dwan
20 – Juha Helppi
18 – Vicky Coren
16 – Tony G
16 – Roland De Wolfe
13 – Phil Hellmuth
12 – Annette Obrestad
10 – Andy Black
9 – Nenad Medic
3 – Devilfish

Heat nine line-up
Juha Helppi
Nenad Medic
Phil Hellmuth
JC Tran
Devilfish
Peter Eastgate

Heat 10
Andy Black
Annette Obrestad
Vicky Coren
Roland De Wolfe
Tony G
Tom Dwan

You can follow the PartyPoker.com Premier League III action live and analyse the hands at MatchroomPoker.com.

Day three at the PartyPoker.com Premier League III saw a reverse of the previous day’s results as both Peter Eastgate and Phil Hellmuth picked up the maximum 10 points from their heats. Eastgate completely dominated his heat while Hellmuth finally found some form to bring him back into contention for Sunday’s final table.

Heat five

This was a hugely eventful heat. All the previous matches had seen very few early eliminations but this game was different and it very quickly become a heads-up battle between JC Tran and Eastgate. The 2008 WSOP Main Event champion completely ran over the field and looked to be home and dry. At this stage the blinds were only at 2k-4k and Eastgate sat with 541,000 to Tran’s 59,000; a very different scenario to when the pair met on day one when the chip counts going into the heads-up stage were more level.

Remarkably, as a 9-1 underdog, Tran fought back to hold the chip lead. Eastgate, however, eventually got his revenge for his day one defeat, pushing all-in with K-3 and was called by Tran with A-7. A king on the flop was enough to seal the deal for the $9 million Dane.

With six points from the heat, however, JC is the man to beat. He holds a very comfortable lead at the top of the table and looks set to qualify for the deep-stacked final table on Sunday. In this heat, Annette Obrestad got the bagel, Juha Helppi took two points, Nenad Medic left with three points and Vicky Coren secured four points.

Heat six

Heat six was the noisiest yet, boasting the line-up of Hellmuth, Tony G, Devilfish, Roland De Wolfe, Tom Dwan and Andy Black. By the time shuffle and deal was called the players were at each others throats with an apparent competition on who could turn up the latest.

The Devilfish’s dreadful luck in the Premier League continued as he busted with no points. Unsurprisingly, the instigator of his downfall was Dwan, whose bet frequency throughout the whole tournament so far has been way above that of any other player. Dwan raised to 10k with Q-7 off-suit, Devilfish called with K-Q off-suit. The flop came 7-7-K with a Q on the river and all the money went in. The chances of the ‘Fish getting a run together now look slim as he has only three points.

‘Durrr’ busted Tony G next for two points and Black for three points but then went himself in third place after pushing it just a little too much against Hellmuth. This left Hellmuth and De Wolfe heads-up with Roland leading 319,000 to 281,000.

After days where it seemed that the ‘Poker Brat’ was getting outgunned by the newcomers he showed great form with some majestic calls and laydowns. Hellmuth chipped away at De Wolfe but was the subject of good fortune in the hand that gave him his eventual victory. Roland re-raised all-in with A-Q off-suit and Phil called with Kc10c. It was looking great for Roland until a King came on the river to secure Hellmuth 10 points.

PartyPoker.com Premier League III standings after day three:

26 points – JC Tran
16 – Peter Eastgate
14 – Juha Helppi
14 – Tony G
14 – Vicky Coren
13 – Phil Hellmuth
12 – Tom Dwan
12 – Roland De Wolfe
10 – Annette Obrestad
10 – Andy Black
6 – Nenad Medic
3 – Devilfish

Today’s line-ups:

Heat seven
Phil Hellmuth
Roland De Wolfe
Tony G
JC Tran
Tom Dwan
Nenad Medic

Heat eight
Devilfish
Andy Black
Peter Eastgate
Juha Helppi
Annette Obrestad
Vicky Coren

You can follow the PartyPoker.com Premier League III action live and analyse the hands at MatchroomPoker.com.

Day two at the PartyPoker.com Premier League III was not one to remember for WSOP Main Event champion Peter Eastgate and 11-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth. The two youngest-ever champions busted out of their heats with bagels – zero points – and now have some work to do to get themselves back into the $1.25 million tournament.

In contrast, it was an excellent day for JC Tran, who won his second successive heat, and season one winner Juha Helppi, who also picked up 10 points.

Heat three

Finland’s Helppi won heat three after overcoming Norway’s Annette Obrestad heads-up. The decisive hand saw Helppi raise with K-Q off-suit, only for Obrestad to push all-in with J-4 off-suit. Helppi hit his 10 on the river to secure maximum points while Obrestad received six points. The heat itself was very cagey early on and remained six-handed for a long period of time. Hellmuth got the bagel with Tony G finishing with two points, Nenad Medic taking three points and Roland De Wolfe securing four points.

Heat four

Heat four saw the JC Tran Show continue as he picked up another maximum. Cheered on by a large contingent in the green room, including WSOP Main Event final pal David ‘Chino’ Rheem, he put on other great display.

When it got heads-up he held 476,000 to Vicky Coren’s 124,000 and he looked the likely winner throughout. The decisive hand saw Tran raise with A-6 off-suit and pushed all-in by Coren with K-K. An Ace on the flop was enough to take it down.

Andy Black finished third for four points, Devilfish finished fourth for three points, Tom ‘Durrr’ Dwan finished fifth for two points and $9 million man Eastgate ended up with zero. Like his first heat, Dwan mixed it up hugely but was fighting with a short stack the majority of the time after getting caught out early on. There is little doubt, however, that he still remains one of the most feared players in PartyPoker.com Premier League III.

PartyPoker.com Premier League III standings after day two:

20 points – JC Tran
12 – Tony G
12 – Juha Helppi
10 – Annette Obrestad
10 – Vicky Coren
8 – Tom Dwan
7 – Andy Black
6 – Peter Eastgate
6 – Roland De Wolfe
3 – Devilfish
3 – Phil Hellmuth
3 – Nenad Medic

Today’s line-ups:

Heat five
Annette Obrestad
Nenad Medic
Vicky Coren
JC Tran
Peter Eastgate
Juha Helppi

Heat six
Phil Hellmuth
Devilfish
Tony G
Tom Dwan
Roland De Wolfe
Andy Black

Heat six could turn out to be a classic as it’ll be decisive for the chances of Devilfish and Phil Hellmuth, both in desperate need of big scores.

You can follow the PartyPoker.com Premier League III action live and analyse the hands at MatchroomPoker.com.

It may be the most formidable line-up in the event’s history but the newcomers are refusing to be intimidated in the PartyPoker.com Premier League III. In fact, the debutants have been laying down big markers during day one’s play.

JC Tran took down the first heat for 10 points, beating WSOP champion Peter Eastgate heads-up, while Tom ‘Durrr’ Dwan completely dominated heat two only to lose out in the showdown against Tony G.

Heat one
He may have won the $9 million WSOP Main Event but the Peter Eastgate juggernaut was derailed by JC Tran.

Eastgate started the gruelling heads-up with the advantage, holding 395,000 to Tran’s 205,000, but there was to be no repeat of the Dane’s clinical heads-up destruction of Ivan Demidov at the WSOP Main Event final table as Tran brought the world champion down to earth with a bang. The final hand saw Eastgate push all-in with Q-3 off-suit, with JC instantly calling with A-K off-suit. The board failed to bring anything for either player leaving Tran with maximum points.

First out for a bagel was David ‘Devilfish’ Ulliott whose rotten run in the Premier League continues. The top three in the heat were all making their Premier League debuts, with Annette Obrestad finishing third for four points.

10 points – JC Tran
6 points – Peter Eastgate
4 points – Annette Obrestad
3 points – Andy Black
2 points – Roland De Wolfe
0 points – Devilfish

Heat two
In heat two there was huge anticipation ahead of the first match-up between Phil Hellmuth and Tom ‘Durrr’ Dwan. The very first hand saw Dwan flop a full-house only for the ‘Poker Brat’ to hit a flush on the turn. With the history of animosity between the two it was a bad spot for the 11-time WSOP bracelet winner. Hellmuth eventually made the huge lay down but his stack took a pounding and the ‘Poker Brat’ did well to recover and finish fourth.

Dwan continued to look for action whenever he could find it. At the heads-up stage Dwan held the advantage but when his 8-8 failed to hold up after Tony G had gone all-in with J-10 off-suit the advantage swung dramatically in the favour of the ‘Mouth From Down Under.’ Tony dominated the league heats in season two and has kicked-off this Premier League campaign with 10 valuable points.

10 points – Tony G
6 points – Tom Dwan
4 points – Vicky Coren
3 points – Phil Hellmuth
2 points – Juha Helppi
0 points – Nenad Medic

You can follow the PartyPoker.com Premier League III action live and analyse the hands at MatchroomPoker.com.

Two heats are taking place today and at the start of the day Premier League I winner Juha Helppi was the 6/1 outright favourite – completely at odds with what commentator Jesse May said in his Friday post on this blog (see below). JC Tran is just behind at 7/1.

According to PartyBets.com the remaining players are at: Nenad Medic 8/1; Tony G 8/1; Devilfish 8/1; Annette Obrestad 8/1; Tom Dwan 9/1; Phil Hellmuth 10/1; Roland De Wolfe 10/1; Peter Eastgate 12/1; Andy Black 14/1; and Vicky Coren at 16/1.

Today’s heats are as follows:

Heat 1
Devilfish
JC Tran
Andy Black
Annette Obrestad
Roland De Wolfe
Peter Eastgate

Heat 2
Phil Hellmuth
Tom Dwan
Juha Helppi
Nenad Medic
Tony G
Vicky Coren

The green room backstage at PartyPoker.com Premier League III is packed and buzzing and you can follow the action live at MatchroomPoker.com.

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12th place – Vicky Coren
“Vicky is one of the most improved players on the European scene. She’s a gamer, has never shied away from the competition and it just goes to show that the best way to improve your poker is to match up with the best on a regular basis. Vicky can be a demon destroyer who has well-timed aggression and a nifty talent for getting her chips in first.”

Sparks could fly with: Andy Black. “Andy made Vicky angry with his comments in the first Premier League that she didn’t find out about until it came on TV. They managed to avoid each other for most of the last Premier League but it’s far from over.”

Player to beware of: Devilfish. “The Devilfish has owned Vicky in the previous two Premier Leagues. He has run her over like a train with his charming chauvinism, if you can call it that. She gives him way too much respect and the fact she genuinely likes The Devil doesn’t help one bit. If Vicky wants to succeed she show no mercy no quarter when it comes to Dave Ulliott.”

11th – Juha Helppi
“This man is out of form. Pound for pound I believe he has played the best and most consistent poker of anyone from the first two Premier Leagues but a lot of good it will do him now. He actually believes that he will be unlucky, which is a recipe for disaster. It’s a shame because when he is on he plays this format near perfection.”

Sparks could fly with: Roland De Wolfe. “This one is on the cards. The two have teased each other for years and I see Roland stepping over the line, making ‘The Machine’ snap. Believe me, this will get ugly.”

Player to beware of: Phil Hellmuth. For two years Juha has been playing well and owning Phil. Phil has been waiting to grab the upper hand on Juha and will waste no time in kicking him when he is down.”

10th – Andy Black
“The defending champion can play. He is tight early and aggressive late and this formula usually gets steady points. However, Andy’s Achilles heel is that he can’t stay away from a battle of the egos and there are just too many egos in this line-up for him to succeed. His heart will get the better of his head.”

Sparks could fly with: Tony G. “Andy always likes to get the last word in but this year Tony is ready for the challenge. Tony has his sights set on the man who robbed him of the Premier League II title.”

Player to beware of: Andy Black. “This never gets old. Andy has 11 players to beware of and they are all named Andy Black. Over the course of seven days Andy will crack up. It’s just a question of when and how much it will cost him.”

9th – Tom Dwan
“The buzz around the Internet phenom known as ‘Durrr’ is immense. Six million dollars this year alone. Soft spoken but a maniac at the table, everyone is excited to see his game. However, his play involves playing a lot of pots and I’m not aware that he has the desire or ability to play the tight gear. Here, that means a lot of early exits.”

Sparks could fly with: Phil Hellmuth. “We’ve all watched THAT YouTube video and even though Tom beat Phil on the table, Phil slaughtered him in the verbal. Tom might be the better player in a cash scenario but here Phil will dominate him in the play and crush the poor 21 year old with the abuse. Phil will bait him until he pops.”

Player to beware of: Annette Obrestad. “The most aggressive Internet cash player against the most aggressive Internet tournament player. The last time I looked this is a tournament and Annette will get it over on Dwan all day long.”

8th – Roland De Wolfe
“How the giants have fallen. Two years ago Roland was the hottest poker player in the world, now he’s just a formless mass. On the bright side, Roland is immensely talented and is able to raise his game when playing against world-class opponents. He plays so far outside the box, there is no box. Right now, though, emotional odds are stacked against him.”

Sparks could fly with: Nenad Medic. “Nenad is the person Roland once was and now hopes to become again. This bothers Roland and something Nenad casually said in one of his interviews gave me the feeling that he has very little respect for Roland. This rivalry could be one of the hidden gems of this year’s Premier League.”

Player to beware of: Tom Dwan. “Roland likes to be the fanciest player making the fanciest plays, something Tom Dwan owns here and anywhere else. If Roland tries to outplay Tom Dwan, and you know he will, ‘Durr’ will have that extra trick up his sleeve.”

7th – Phil Hellmuth
“Phil is in good form. He seems a happy man but it’s been a long time in Hellmuth years since he won anything major. He came last a year ago but can slay so many demons by doing well this year. He needs to just make the final table but I still don’t see it. Phil will be mid-table and beat in the heads up by someone who will taunt him forever. It’s part of the drama that is the ‘Poker Brat’.”

Sparks could fly with: Peter Eastgate. “Phil loves his records as much as he loves himself and Eastgate is the man who broke Phil’s twenty-year record of being the youngest WSOP Main Event winner. Eastgate could be the silent assassin in such a way that only a smirk will make Phil explode and for real.”

Player to beware of: Tony G. “Everybody laughed at Tony G for the way he played last year, none louder than Phil Hellmuth. I think Phil will be guilty of underestimating Tony’s play this year and could pay the penalty.”

6th – Nenad Medic
“I’ve never met Nenad, but from what I’ve seen he is quite impressive. Big man, quietly confident and with a string of results in the last two years. He appears to have the game to succeed here but how he will react to the verbal intensity of this group of players remains to be seen. He has a temper, I’m sure of it, and we’ll just have to see what happens when he’s had enough.”

Sparks could fly with: Andy Black. “Talk about polar opposites. Nenad is a cool dude and a low boiler but he will only take so much of Andy before he’s had enough. I’m predicting fists to fly by day five.”

Player to beware of: Devilfish. “I saw both these guys in the big cash game in Vegas during the WSOP. Nenad was running hot and the Devilfish wasn’t. If Medic is guilty of underestimating the ‘Fish, Devil will give him his due. Don’t ever think the Devilfish can’t play with the big boys.”

5th – Annette Obrestad
“There is no question in anyone’s mind that Annette is at the top of the poker world to stay. Of all the players in the Premier League I think this format perfectly suits her strengths. Though it appears to many that her game is based on naked aggression and little else, she has flair that is so extreme as to be borderline destructive. One of the great subtexts with Annette is her confidence: she respects no one and knows no fear. How she handles the cauldron that is the verbal pressure factory will be exciting to see.”

Sparks could fly with: Vicky Coren. “Obrestad is very confident and arrogant. Vicky and she have absolutely no chance of getting along and I can’t wait for this one.”

Player to beware of: JC Tran. “Against Annette you must be prepared to make the big call. Call it a hunch but I think JC Tran will be her kryptonite.”

4th – Peter Eastgate
“I’m proud to boast that I saw this one coming. Peter played several times on TV before his run this year in the WSOP and several times displayed the raw genius that promised big things to come. In the WSOP he got big action precisely because he was so unpredictable. He’s got nine million in the bank and this Premier League is his coming out party. I will be the second-least surprised person to see Eastgate win this as that’s what he thinks he’s here for.”

Sparks could fly with: Tony G. “This is like grade school for Tony G. He picks out the guy least likely to defend himself and paws him like a cat with a dead mouse. We’ll find out just how much backbone Peter has based on when and how he chooses to respond.”

Player to beware of: Roland De Wolfe. “Roland is the kind of guy that feels a need to put people in their place. Peter had better be ready with a plan of attack for Roland.”

3rd – Tony G
“For a man who wears his heart and soul on his sleeve, Tony G has only been a shadow of his self during Premier League I and II. The picture of him with his head in his hands after making an amateur mistake from last year’s final table said it all. And that was just after lacking commitment to follow through against Roland de Wolfe. It was sad to see.

“Cheer up, though, Tony G fans. I can happily report the man is back, full of confidence, life and the abusive wit that makes our sides ache. Tony G has probably got the biggest axe to grind in the whole of the Premier League. They laughed at him last year and I have the feeling at some point he will be standing on his chair and saying: “Who’s laughing now?””

Sparks could fly with: Devilfish. “Devilfish knows just what buttons to push. One fat joke too many and they may start pulling hair. It will get loud.”

Player to beware of: Peter Eastgate. “Tony will not be ready for Peter Eastgate’s game, of that I am certain. Take this kid lightly and you will end up walking.”

2nd – JC Tran
“You’ve got to like this guy. His tournament record over the last three years puts every single player in this league to shame. He is no one-hit wonder and it is impossible for him to just be a very good player on an unbelievable run. He has so many final tables in big events over the last three years it’s just mind boggling. JC is a guy who is a bit hurt that he is not getting the recognition he deserves so I can see him taking this event more seriously than anyone else in the field. He has the most to gain.”

Sparks could fly with: Tony G. “JC is friendly and easy going. Tony comes on friendly and then hits where it hurts. This is where the rubber meets the road and Tony will be on the guy from day one.”

Player to beware of: Juha. “If there is one guy who JC could easily size up incorrectly it’s Juha Helppi. Juha will identify JC as the guy he can pull a move on and he is probably right.”

Winner – Devilfish
“I should be shot for my faith in the Devilfish but the fact remains the Devilfish does have it all. When he is on his A-game he has the technical skills to slash everybody in the field. He has the verbal weapons to hammer the psychological edge and he has the wit and camera presence to own the show. Ulliott has only one knock against him and that’s his habit of slipping into negativity when things start to go wrong.”

Sparks could fly with: Phil Hellmuth. “Phil has always owned the Devilfish: Hellmuth is the Devilfish’s walking bad dream. The most entertaining of all the rivalries, as sure as death and taxes.”

Player to beware of: Annette Obrestad. “Devilfish always gets outplayed by strong females because he shows them no respect. Liz Lieu hammered the Devilfish in Premier League I and she’s not half the player Annette is. Look for Annette to make him feel foolish in many pots.”

“Stunned. Elated. Tingles in my hands and toes. These are the feelings I’ve been having when contemplating the line-up for PartyPoker.com Premier League III. This tournament has finally arrived.

“The exposure in being selected, the tournament’s growing prestige plus the value of the added prize money is such that you must be thick in the head not to want to play in the Premier League. Of course there is also the ego factor. If you think you’ve got game, if you think you can hang with the best and perhaps even dominate them, the Premier League is the arena.

“This year, the Premier League has not just been infused, it’s been turbo-injected with serious poker skill. I think this is the first year where there will be absolutely no way to make the final table without playing poker a cut above the rest. I think this is where the six-seater, one table format gets its legs kicked out from under it and its clothes ripped off.

“What else makes the Premier League unique is drama and conflict. The fact that the players are all cooped up in a hotel for eight days, all the big egos thrown together like Big Brother, means there is no escape. It’s 24/7 and every year people crack up.

“With that in mind I’ve made notes on each player in a predicted order of finish. In addition I’ve listed who is most likely to get under that person’s skin and which player they most have to watch out for in the game itself. It’ll all be in my next post right here on the PartyPoker.com blog so don’t miss it.

“The potential for fireworks is off the chart. Whether I’m right or wrong I’m just glad to be able to watch it unfold.”