22 year-old outsider beats off stiff competition in gruelling 45hr competition
After a highly eventful four days of play, the Ladbrokes.com Irish Poker Festival 2009 came to a climatic close in the early morning hours of Monday, 5th October. The festival, which took place in the INEC in Killarney saw Nottingham native, Thomas Rolfe scoop the €100,000 top prize from Dubliner, Emmet Gough.
Bryan Coleman, Irish Territory Manager with Ladbrokes.com said, “We’re still reeling from the fantastic weekend. Thomas was a deserved winner emerging from the wealth of poker talent which was on display throughout the festival.”
Luck and wit combined to guide the players from almost 800 down to the final table of just 10. Rolfe, who set himself up as a contender early in the competition by winning a major pot on day one and shooting up the chip leader board, kept a calm and steady approach throughout the competition. While the top 77 players receive pay-outs of €1000 up, it was an event that saw big wins and loses. None less than 7/2 favourite on day 3, Tom Kitt who lost a colossal 1.7million pot to Tony Collins. Collins then went on to take 4th place after locking horns to his detriment with Emmet Gough.
The final two traded blows and pots with little impact until Gough called Rolfe’s shove with a dominant Ace-King over Ace-Queen. However, lady luck was on Rolfe’s side and the final call of ‘player down’ echoed around the room as a heart flush draw on the river gifted Rolfe the €100,000 first prize.
The ever-shrew Rolfe said he will invest his winnings in property rather than squandering it, “I’m really pleased to have won this event. It’s a big stepping stone and a chance to invest in a new house.”