GNUIF Winner Matthew Carter from Chislehusrt in Kent is preparing for WSOPE after winning seat in our freeroll
One PokerPlayer reader is gearing up for the chance of a lifetime, after winning our recent GNUF.com freeroll and subsequent heads-up final.
41-year-old Matthew Carter from Chislehurst in Kent will sit down to play in the World Series of Poker Europe’s £10,000 Main Event on Monday 10 September with the best poker players in the world.
Carter, who plays online as Spazmong, defeated Steven Ledsham aka FiXXXeR8, in last week’s final to win the £10,000 seat plus £500 in expenses.
The victory is all the more impressive as Carter had to win an MTT Freeroll to qualify for the final.
With regards tactics in the freeroll, Carter says: “I sat back for a couple of levels while the aggressive players tried to knock each other out with marginal hands and I managed to triple through a couple of times against them with a nut flush and a full house, which put me in the top 20 and from there it was easy to knock people off pots.”
Understandably, the final was a tense affair with such a big prize at stake, but Carter held his nerve, took an early chiplead and powered on from there. The end came after 38 mins of play, Carter taking it down holding 8-10H, and hitting his flush.
“For the final I went in with the intention of mixing up my game so that not even I would have a clue what 2 cards I had. Fortunately I won a biggish pot 1st hand with AQ (A on flop) which gave me a 3 to 2 chip lead and I then played a bit more conservatively, preserving my lead.”
“I definitely had the luck in the final, not so much with the cards, but more that in the 5 or 6 hands where we both had made hands so the pots were big, I won all but one of them.”
He continued: “Once it was over and I’d won I actually felt numb like I couldn’t believe what had happened. It still hasn’t sunk in that I’m going to the World Series. I suspect that when I sit down next week with the likes of Hellmuth and Hansen, Daniel and Doyle, fresh underwear may be needed.”
Carter became interested in poker around three years ago after watching Poker Million. His boss played a regular home game and got him a seat. He went on to win his first game and has been hooked ever since.
Carter normally plays NLHE tournaments, mostly at London Poker Meetup games in Beckenham, the Bexley Poker Tour (the home game) and occasional visits to the Rendezvous in Southend or the Lucky Fish in Hastings.
Online, he plays mostly on PokerStars, up to $10 buy-ins, and also plays Omaha 8 or HORSE and the odd Razz tourney and also the APAT games.
His biggest win previously was an 8th place finish in last year’s TV Shootout final for $500 along with the $300 for winning through to it. But this victory and prize is a whole different ballgame.
“My mates are all jealous I think, and all wishing me the best of luck. My boss is wondering if he refuses to give me the time off work, can he go in my place? The family are all well chuffed although I don’t think they appreciate what a big tourney it is and my wife is already spending the winnings.”
And as for the WSOPE, how will Carter approach it? “From the south by train? Seriously, I don’t want to get a hand for the first couple of hours just so I can give off a tight table image then hopefully pick up some pots easily when I do play. Having said that, aces on the first hand will be gratefully accepted even if they send me home early. My ambition at the moment is purely to reach day 2.”
We wish him the best of luck, and will let you know how he gets on.
