As I mentioned in my last post, I cashed out my Virgin Poker Points at the start of the year to guarantee me a decent start to 2011.

I haven’t had too much time to play – work is busier than ever, also the Baglady and I have bought a new house that needs 6 mirrion hours of work to make habitable, so I feel I have to go down there at weekends and do a bit.

However I did run well at micro tournaments and so I put my usual January Jinx behind me and had my best ever start to a year. Here’s the summary:

This last weekend I was in Birmingham for the second annual Invitational Forum Challenge tournament in Star City. Ten teams of nine players each, battling it out for the trophy and the cash. £50 from each player went £25 into the individual prize pool and £25 into the team prize pool. Top 10 players and top 2 teams got paid, with team points worked out on the last 18 finishers – 18 points for 1st down to 1 point for 18th.

I was with the UK Sharks team. Here we are with the trophy:

Unfortunately that pic was taken before the game started and was as near as we were going to get to the trophy. Only 2 of us made it to the second day, after which I lasted just 3 hands and Serring (front row, left) only managed about an hour – so the team was joint bottom on zero points.

However, all credit to the organisers – PokerPlayersPlace forum and the Star City Casino cardroom’s excellent manager Lance – who made sure it was an enjoyable occasion even for the losers.

In the end it was the PPP Ladies team that took down the championship, the bragging rights and a nice £1500 to split between them as the top team prize. Very well done, especially since they had to carry both Baglady and Lucysaur, both of whom luckily outlasted me with Lucy somehow holding on to bag 10th individual prize and household bragging rights, well done my dear.

A top event and I hope to go back next year and show the ladies how it’s done.