Home / Poker News May 2010 / PokerStars UKIPT – Andrew Couldridge wins
PokerStars UKIPT – Andrew Couldridge wins
Posted by: James Carter. - Mon, 2010-05-17 18:00
It took Londoner Andrew Couldridge, owner of a plumbing business, three days to dispose of all 649 players who together with him made up the starting field of the
PokerStars sponsored UK and Ireland Poker Tour.
The £5,000+ £250 UKIPT Main Event attracted 256 players on Day 1A, as the majority of the starting field ggot rolling on Day 1B. The 650 player starting field turned out the be the second biggest starting field of a live
poker tournament hosted in the UK.
The UKIPT drew attention in other ways too. In one of the side events (in the £336
NL Holdem Freezeout event) a new technology meant to replace the hole card cam would be subjected to a test run. The new hole card tracking system features infrared codes on the back of the cards, codes, which are invisible for the human eye, thus players can’t possibly use it to secure undue advantages. The codes are read by a special scanner which then makes it possible for the broadcaster to know exactly what each player has in the pocket, without ever having to take an actual look at the cards. The system proved to be a success, and even though some of the players were still uneasy about it, it looked like it was indeed a viable alternative to hole card cameras.
In order to preserve the integrity of the game and to eliminate any kind of possibility for collusion, there would be a 15-minute delay in the broadcast, so by the time the viewers see the hole cards, they are no longer involved in any sort of live action.
The Main Event, which Couldridge won didn’t yet use the new hole card technology. Playing in his first ever UKIPT event, Couldridge started the final table action 4th in chips. He caught a sensational half-hour run, which pretty much allowed him to reel in chip leader Owen Robinson. At the end of it all, it was Couldridge who took home the goods. Hosted by the Dusk Till Dawn poker club, the event proved to be a huge success in more ways than one. Besides surpassing the organizers expectations participation-wise, the event gave birth to the first UK-based winner of the series.
The next stop of the UKIPT will take pace in Killarney, in June.
