Scottish Champs

Online qualifiers Dave Masters and Duncan Meekison battled through the 103 strong field of the recent Scottish Poker Championship at the Gala Maybury Casino, Edinburgh, to reach the final table of the £1,000 main event.

Both players qualified for the £103,000 prize pool Scottish Championship through online satellites on paddypowerpoker.com.

The title was lifted by chip leader Rory Mathews when the final three players, including Dave Masters, split the remaining prize money evenly, receiving £24,000 each.

Duncan Meekison finished fifth receiving £7,210

Masters, who is now ranked 18th in Europe for 2006 and has cashed over €100,000 so far this year said, "This is by far my best achievement as it wasn’t on home soil. I’ve been on the circuit six months now and I’ve played six major tournaments this year and have final tables in three off them.

"The field was full of quality players but i didn’t mind. I just played my normal game. By day two i fancied myself to do really well, maybe a final table finish and as soon as i heard i was the only one of the Irish mob left, that in its self drove me to do well."

Dave has been in such fine form recently that after his Scottish Open triumph he has decided to go to Las Vegas for this year’s World Series of Poker. Such is confidence in Dave’s ability he managed to find 34 backers for 50% of his winnings with just one request on an Irish poker forum. He plans to play four $1,000 events and the main $10,000 event.

His response to his forthcoming trip was somewhat less muted than his usual poker demeanour, "Yes, yes, yes, Viva Las Vegas! Thank you Uncle Paddy."

The Irish ended a successful festival with Tom Nolan picking up £2,130 as winner of the £100 rebuy Pot Limit Omaha event which closed the festival.