CBMPT Teeside Result

Mark Trett has been crowned Teesside champion in the third event of the 2009 Coral.co.uk British Masters Poker Tour, after winning the £500 NLHE Main Event.

Mark, a 30-year-old recruitment consultant from Newcastle, beat 107 other players to take the title, the first prize of £12,650 and a seat at the season final play-off for the coveted Coral.co.uk sponsorship deal in 2010.

Mark and local player Dom Mahoney dominated a final table that included tour regular Dave Maudlin and former European player of the year Ash Hussain. It was Mark and Dom that faced each other heads-up in the early hours of Monday, July 27 when Dom’s flush draw didn’t hit and Mark’s paired jack was enough to take first place.

Playing for just 18 months, like Tom MacDonald (winner of the Leeds CBMPT), this was Mark’s biggest result to date. “It feels truly surreal”, said Mark immediately after the final hand.

“I remember asking the dealer (and praying) to put a brick on the river when Dom called my check raise all in, with his huge draw. The big cash is fantastic but I can’t explain what it means to me to actually have the trophy, and most of all the title. This achievement is immense and not lost on me. As I said, I’m truly honoured and humbled to be in this position.”

Mark added: “I thought the event was superb, honestly, fantastic. I love the fact you can pay a £500 entry fee and play for potentially a five-figure sum. On top of this you’re 10k deep with a one hour clock and superb blind structure. Usually you have to pay more (£1,000 +) for this type of structure. The dealers and staff were first class.”

It was Mark’s brother Craig that got him into poker in the first place and encouraged him to play, and now that support is being repaid. He said: “50% of my winnings go to my brother Craig. We’ve always done that. He’s kind of carried me a little during my first year in the game so I’m delighted to pay a little bit back. I’m also going to pay the wife off a little to help to stop her complaining about all the time and money I spend playing poker. I’m hoping to play the rest of the tour, and with the rest, I’m 100% going to Vegas next year.”

Coral.co.uk’s head of poker, Mark O’Donnell, said: “Mark took a big chip lead to the final table and never let it go. It was a great performance and in only his second live event, it’s a massive achievement. He’s a really nice guy and definitely another name to watch in the future.”

Mark O’Donnell added: “Once again, Gala Teesside has put on a top-drawer sell-out event. You can bank on the local’s putting up a good show and they didn’t disappoint, with over half the final table seats. So it’s on to Nottingham next; that should be another fine event.”

So what next for champion Trett? “The next event I will play will 100% be Notts £500 CBMPT,” said Mark. “I would love to take my poker as far as I can but I’ll keep my feet on the ground for the time being. I have a mortgage, wife and two beautiful children so for now my job is my main priority. That said, hopefully I’ll get to play the rest of this tour this year and see if I can do anything else. Like most recreational players I dream of being a pro. I’m confident I can take a big step forward over the next 12 months.”

The total prize money for the weekend’s three events was £86,300, with full details of finishing positions and prizes outlined below.

The next event on the tour is Nottingham, 14-16 August, at the Gala Casino Main Marian Way, Nottingham. Online qualification is now available on www.coral.co.uk, www.galapoker.co.uk and www.eurobet.com, including freeroll entry.