With the UK’s students just waking up for the new 08/09 academic year, a small field of 58 managed 123 re-buys / add-ons to make this year’s Oxford Cup prize pool a whopping £3620.
At Nottingham’s fine new poker venue, Dusk Till Dawn, play got underway a little after 2pm on Saturday 20th September. This event has traditionally been a £20 re-buy NLHE, and Roy Houghton was back with us again as guest TD. And once again we saw a pro on the final table, DTD’s very own Simon ‘Aces’ Trumper, taking on eight students from Cambridge, Warwick, Liverpool, Nottingham and Portsmouth. You may remember ‘Aces’ was our runner-up in the Oxford Cup V, and so he sure had his sights set on going one better this year. Of the four Cambridge students making the final table, Camilla Grundy was also fighting to keep the Cup in the family, since her brother Tom won the Oxford Cup last year.
Here’s how the final table played out…
STARTING POSITIONS & CHIP STACKS
Seat 1 — Simon Trumper (Pro) — 39,000
Seat 2 — Philip Ah-Kin (Cambridge) — 91,900
Seat 3 — Sam Weir (Warwick) — 124,700
Seat 4 — Ben Roberts (Cambridge) — 8,600
Seat 5 — Nicholas Williams (Liverpool) — 58,800
Seat 6 — Jesper Nissen (Cambridge) — 22,800
Seat 7 — Michael Millar (Nottingham) — 70,800
Seat 8 — Camilla Grundy (Cambridge) — 50,800
Seat 9 — Scott Parker (Portsmouth) — 75,900
DOWN TO EIGHT
Short-stacked, Ben Roberts found an ace in Hand One of the final table (A7), but Simon called with AJ and the board brought no help.
THAT’S HOW YOU PLAY QUADS
Nicholas and Philip tangled in a huge pot where the flop came 9-8-9. The turn brought another 8 and Philip once again called a large bet from Nicholas. With a K on the river, Philip moved all-in and Nicholas called. Philip showed pocket 9s for quads!
DOWN TO SEVEN
Now short-stacked himself, Nicholas ran into a hand from Sam Weir, chip leader, and we saw our second elimination.
ACES UNKIND TO ACES – DOWN TO SIX
Camilla bet, Simon flat-called, Michael pushed all-in (AK) and covered in chips, Simon called (JJ). We were racing, but an ace sealed the deal for ‘Aces’! As the only pro to have played in every Oxford Cup event, Simon will have to wait until next year now – but congrats on another impressive final table.
JESPER DOUBLES UP
Short-stacked, Jesper pushes with KQ and doubles through Scott’s 76.
WILL THE CUP STAY IN THE FAMILY?
Camilla doubles up, A4 vs 22 with a board of J-J-4-8-A. Next hand she takes a hit after having to fold to Sam’s all-in. A third early position raise from Camilla on the spin sees no respect from Micahael’s KQ, but this time she’s got some ammunition with AA, and the rockets hold up.
JESPER DOUBLES AGAIN
Another double-up for Jesper (56), this time through fellow- Cambridge player Camilla (Q2) with the board falling T-6-3-6-7.
JACKS NOT GOOD ENOUGH
Philip and Michael got it all-in pre-flop with JJ v QQ, a huge pot shifting the chips over to the president of the Nottingham poker society.
DOWN TO FIVE
Jesper’s luck ran out (K5) when Sam’s A8 held up.
DOWN TO FOUR
In a cruel fashion, Camilla was eliminated with A3 v Sam’s AT suited. We were all-in preflop but with a Q-3-3 flop there certainly was some noise from the rail! Three spades completed Sam’s flush, however, and we were down to four.
BIG POT
Philip’s AT was called by Scott’s KJ and the board fell K-Q-J-3-A with yet more shouting from the Cambridge contingent. "That’s how you play quads" was a popular call of encouragement!
DOWN TO THREE
Scott’s QJ didn’t improve against Sam’s A9.
MICHAEL VS SAM
The next six all-ins to be called were between Sam and Michael. Michael doubled up (K5 v A9 hitting both K and 5), then again for a monstrous pot of just under 80% of the chips in play (K4 v TT hitting the K on the river). Short-stacked, Sam then went all-in blind and was called blind, both players revealing 7-2 off suit to much amusement. Sam’s luck then turned, doubling up with QJ vs A6, 75 vs J5 and 99 vs QJ… The fall and rise of Sam Weir!
AND WE’RE HEADS-UP
Philip woke up with AQ but Michael’s A8 hit a board of 9-6-5-7-T to bring the Oxford Cup to the heads-up stage, both players almost exactly even in chips.
THE MONEY FLOP
Heads-up didn’t last long at all, after both Michael and Sam hit trips with a 4-2-4 flop. When the chips went flying it was Michael’s 49 that stood up against Sam’s 45.
Congratulations to all the final table-ists and our new champion, Michael Millar!
—
1st — Michael Millar (Nottingham) — £1267 + £300 seat*
2nd — Sam Weir (Warwick) — £760 + £200 seat*
3rd — Philip Ah-Kin (Cambridge) — £506 + £100 seat*
4th — Scott Parker (Portsmouth) — £325
5th — Camilla Grundy (Cambridge) — £253
6th — Jesper Nissen (Cambridge) — £181
7th — Simon ‘Aces’ Trumper (Pro) — £144
8th — Nicholas Williams (Liverpool) — £108
9th — Ben Roberts (Cambridge) — £72
* Added student prizes: Entry into DTD’s 3-2-1 Weekend
And for video highlights, check out the following link: http://www.youtube.com
