Channing Completes 48 Hours in Big Game IV

At 8pm on Tuesday evening, Black Belt Poker’s Neil Channing completed 48 hours straight of cash poker in the PartyPoker Big Game IV.

Channing took his seat at Les Ambassadeurs Club in Mayfair at 8pm on Sunday and entered the game to The Smiths’ ‘Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want’. Standing in his way was a tough line-up that included David ‘Viffer’ Peat, Isaac Haxton and Black Belt Poker blogger Luke ‘FullFlush’ Schwartz, whilst the likes of Andrew Feldman, Justin Bonomo and Tony G joined the game later in the day.

This year’s Big Game IV was £25/50 eight-handed No Limit Hold’em with various stipulations thrown into the mix such as a straddle, seven-deuce rule, and numerous PokerNews pots whereby the winner earned an additional £1,000.

Adorning the same karate suit that made its debut in March’s Black Belt London Live, Channing enjoyed a steady, if fruitless start before winning a gargantuan £68,350 pot against Viffer. On an 8d-4d-3h flop, all the chips flew in, Channing drawing to just the one out with 4d-4c versus 8h-8s. However, after a harmless 2s hit the turn, the 4s arrived on the river to award Channing a last-gasp pot and stack of over £70,000.

Despite taking one of the biggest pots of the night, Channing was unable to finish the night in profit, luck avoiding him near the end of day and fatigue undoubtedly forming an inevitable obstacle. However, he did achieve one goal: completing the 48 hours, along with Viffer who had offered 3:1 odds at the start of the game. Channing was evicted at one point, but due to Tony G leaving the game, was brought back in after just 10 minutes.

David Peat was the eventual winner taking away a whopping profit of £147,275 as well as being the most aggressive player throughout, and thus exempt from each eviction process. The biggest loser was Roland De Wolfe who lost in excess of £60,000, whilst Luke Schwartz faired little better, losing just over £50,000. Both Jennifer Tilly and partner Phil Laak – who played for the majority of the 48 hours – left with a respectable profit.

“Viffer’s a very good player,” reported Channing, “and underrated by many. I’m obviously very tired from playing the whole 48 hours but pleased to have made it to the end. I think the eviction process could be reworked slightly, perhaps by having Jesse May making the decision as he gets to see how everyone is playing from the commentary booth.”

You don’t have to be a high roller to play Neil Channing as the 2008 Irish Open Champion will be back on Super Tuesday to participate in our Challenge Channing promotion. If you would like to try your hand at some $0.25/0.50 cash and tackle the GUKPT London runner-up, then be sure to grab your seat from 7.30 onwards

Also see Big Game IV – Part One: Room With a View, the opening part of our insider’s review of this year’s Big Game.

image courtesy of Anne Laymond