Sue Adams became the first dual winner on the Betfred Ladies Poker Tour with victory on leg four of this year's event at Napoleons Owlerton casino in Sheffield.
The pub chef from Blackpool overhauled long-time chip leader Sui Cheung on the final table and got the better of a lengthy heads-up to repeat her Stoke success of June 2007.
After seven hours, Cheung had built up the biggest ever advantage on the tour at that stage of the game when she held just under a third of all the chips in play.
But her stack was gradually whittled down by Adams, who captured the £1,890 first prize and, more importantly, a place in the Grand Final on November 22.
Adams joins Michelle Bennett, Karen Dennett and Gina Short in securing her seat for the final, where a £20,000 sponsorship package for 2009 provided by Betfred will be up for grabs.
"I really want to win the final this year. I was disappointed to finish only seventh last time," said Adams, whose best previous 2008 result had been 10th place at the opening leg in Newcastle.
Cheung collected £1,260 for her efforts, while third place and £940 went to Iran-born Ladan Lundon.
A total of 53 ladies contested the Sheffield leg, which got off to a dramatic start with the elimination of Somkhuan Harwood after half an hour's play in a hand where she had been dealt pocket aces.
Incredibly, newcomer Lyndsey Musker held the other two aces and Harwood's decision to go all in backfired as her opponent had the ace of hearts and the river was the jack of hearts.
Other early casualties were previous 2008 winners Bennett and Dennett, plus Betfred Ladies Poker Tour stalwarts Linda Blundell, Dee Mavor, Becky Neilson, Carey Hollick, Dawn Allen, 2007 Sheffield victor Carla Goddard, last year's overall champion Lynne Beaumont and Kim Jagger.
The good news for Jagger, however, is that she remains top of the standings for non-winners in 2008 and on course to claim a seat in the final, although her lead is now only one point over Elizabeth Costa.
Final table finishing order in Sheffield:
1 Sue Adams
2 Sui Cheung
3 Ladan Lundon
4 Faye Burtenshaw
5 Deborah Heard
6 Laura Hutchinson
7 Julia Gerrard
8 Gail Pirie
9 Elizabeth Costa
10 Hayley Daffern
The next leg of the Betfred Ladies Poker Tour takes place on August 16 at Aspers casino in Swansea. Full details of that and all the other planned legs of the event are available at www.betfredlpt.com
ends by Jon Wilde 23/07/2008 BACK TO TOP ^ |
