New Year Diaries

Oscar Wilde once said that: "Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account," so we decided to put that assumption to the test and ask some of the UK poker's biggest names what their hopes and goals are for the new year.

2010 was a hugely successful year for UK poker, with five bracelets in Vegas and a host of other major titles being captured overseas. It was also a year of camaraderie, patriotism and youth, as some of the country's hottest young talents set the poker world alight with their unrelenting aggression and fearless play. Meanwhile, some of the veterans of the felt proved that they still had what it takes to compete on the highest of levels and keep up with the pace being set by the third-generation assault.

In a new feature - titled 'New Year Diaries' - several of 2010's biggest success stories put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) to reflect on the year gone by, whilst detailing their New Year resolutions for the next 12 months. In a series of brutally honest accounts, they reveal how their year really went (both in, and away from, the limelight), and where they want to be this time next year.

First into the hot seat is EPT and WPT winner Jake Cody, who tomorrow will discuss a host of topics ranging from his views on sponsorship to why he believes 2010 was his breakout year. In the meantime, however, and for those who missed it the first time round, be sure to check out Richard Ashby's thoughts on the last 12 months, and why, despite a bracelet and WCOOP win, it was one of his least successful years to date.

Our New Year Diaries will feature daily on the site over the next several days and into the new year, so be sure to keep visiting us at blackbeltpoker.com to see who's put themselves in the firing line for each particular day.

Winter Sales - Prices Slashed!

Get your straitjackets ready, because Black Belt Poker are once again going discount doo-lally by slashing the prices of a number of tournaments throughout January. We'll still be keeping the same fantastic guarantees, but we've gone crazy with our prices with discounts up to 80 percent.

From Friday, January 7 to Sunday, January 16, we'll be overdosing on overlay with nine discounted events, as well as four new tournaments! The opening event will be the $60,000 GTD. The guarantee will stay the same, but the buy-in is now $50. That's half price!

Ever wanted to play the High-Rollers event? Well, now's your chance, as we're slicing an incredible 80 percent off the buy-in meaning you can compete for the same $35K guarantee for just $100. Even the $200K GTD is a bargain at not $300, not $200, but just $100. That's 66 percent off!

Not even Santa Claus can compete with this incredible offer, so come join the Winter Sales on Black Belt Poker and take advantage of these amazing price-cuts. January is all about New Year's resolutions, but ours is easy: keep handing out one-way tickets to Value Town. $755,000 in prizes at bargain bucket prices - it's a deal, it's a steal, it's the sale of the century. You'd be insane in the mebrane to miss out!

The schedule for the Winter Sales is as follows:

Sales...

Fri Jan 7 (8pm) -- $50+5 NLH 6-H R/B, $60,000 GTD, 50% discount (2K chips, 12 min clock)
Sat Jan 8 (7.30pm) -- $50+5 NLH F/O, $35,000 GTD, 50% discount (5K chips, 15 min clock)
Sun Jan 9 (7pm) -- $150+12 NLH F/O, $200,000 GTD, 50% discount (5K chips, 15 min clock)
Mon Jan 10 (8.45pm) -- $100+9 NLH F/O, $35,000 GTD, 80% discount (5K chips, 15 min clock)
Mon Jan 10 (9pm) -- $20+2 PLO F/O, $5,000 GTD, 80% discount (5K chips, 15 min clock)
Tue Jan 11 (8.45pm) -- $20+2 NLH R/B, $30,000 GTD, 80% discount (3K chips, 12 min clock)
Fri Jan 14 (8pm) -- $25+2.50 NLH R/B, $60,000 GTD, 75% discount (3K chips, 12 min clock)
Sat Jan 15 (7.30pm) -- $35+3.50 NLH F/O, $35,000 GTD, 65% discount (5K chips, 15 min clock)
Sun Jan 16 (7pm) -- $100+9 NLH F/O, $200,000 GTD, 66% discount (5K chips, 15 min clock)

New Tournaments...

Sat Jan 8 (2pm) -- $5+0.50 NLH R/B, $5,000 GTD (1.5K chips, 10 min clock)
Tue Jan 11 (5pm) -- $5+0.50 R/B, $5,000 GTD (1.5K chips, 10 min clock)
Wed Jan 12 (7pm) -- $40+4 NLH 1xR/B, $50,000 GTD (5k chips, 15 min clock)
Thu Jan 13 (7pm) -- $20+2 NLH F/O, $30,000 GTD (3K chips, 12 min clock)
Sat Jan 15 (2pm) -- $5+0.50 NLH F/O, $5,000 GTD (1.5K chips, 10 min clock)

If you've yet to play a hand on Black Belt Poker, then there's never been a better time to make your debut. Simply download the software, follow the step-by-step process provided to opening an account, and start reaping what is just one of the many benefits of playing on Black Belt Poker.

If you're already a member, then simply boot up the poker client, locate the events in Scheduled > Winter Sales and look up at the sky as the money starts to fall.

Your calendars may be changing this new year, but Black Belt Poker will be continuing its tour through Value Town throughout 2011. The Winter Sales is only the first port-of-call, so make sure you jump on board and join in all the fun as we celebrate the new year like only we know how.

Click here for all the detals.

Black Belt Christmas Present

Santa Claus isn't the only one bearing gifts this Christmas as Neil Channing has donned white beard and pot-belly (already included) to serve up some festive treats of his own.

On Christmas Eve, Neil will be hopping down your chimney prematurely to add a little bonus to your stocking filler with some good ol' fashioned added value. At 3pm, and before you've stuffed your face with mother's home cooking, Black Belt Poker are hosting a $10 No Limit Hold'em six-handed freezeout with extra prizes for the top 10 placed finishers.

In keeping with our lack of sanity, we're sledging down Value Hill once more with Black Belt Poker merchandise for all finalists. What's more, the winner will earn himself a month's subscription to acclaimed tutorial site DeucesCracked, thus giving them the perfect opportunity to brush up on their game over the festive period.

It's been a cracking year for Black Belt Poker, and this prezzie is merely a token of our gratitude to everyone who has played on the site, contributed to the community, and supported our efforts to make Black Belt Poker the UK's most up-and-coming poker cardroom. As 2011 approaches, we fully intend to keep the gifts coming in the form of League VIII, London Live, and much, much more.

If you've never played with us before, and want to escape from the in-laws for a few hours, then why not join in the fun and take advantage of what is just one of the many benefits to playing on Black Belt Poker? To play is easy, simply download the software and follow the step-by-step process provided. The tournament can then be located in Schedule > Black Belt Tournaments > Black Belt Christmas Present.

Happy holidays, and be sure to make Black Belt Poker the stuffing in your Christmas turkey.

Grading III Results

After six weeks of intense poker, Grading III: Journey to Oz finally came to a close at Midnight, Sunday, December 12. In total, 24 players (the Aussie Two-4) commenced the Grading, but when the smoke had cleared, only 12 had survived. Of those, 9 would be eligible for the Aussie Millions package after 3 had decided to venture along the Blue Brick Road, an added option that enabled players to vie for Blue Belt whilst playing stakes lower than the rest of the field.

A few days later, Neil Channing and his band of merry men gathered at Black Belt Poker HQ to analyse the stats, hand histories, and overall capabilities of the remaining participants. It took several hours to confirm the names of the first two winners, and they were Adam Stoneham and Sam Razavi, both of whom had emerged from the other side as big winners with profits of $10,382 and $6,952 respectively. Financially, Adam and Sam had won by a landslide, and all judges agreed that they would be great representatives of the brand and a formidable force on the live tournament scene.

The third spot was a little more difficult. After whittling the contenders down to four, the judges arrived at a stalemate and whilst each individual offered a valid reason as to why they warranted a trip to Australia, they were utlimately unable to set them apart. In the end, an alternative suggestion was proposed that would reward all four players for their efforts, without singling out anyone in particular.

At the expense of Black Belt Poker, it was decided that Joe Roberts, David Docherty, Oliver Schaffmann and Tom Drew would all be promoted to Blue Belt and receive a £5,000 UKIPT package, in which they would get to play every UKIPT Main Event of the current season, as well as receiving travel and accommodation expenses. In the process, they would be able to travel the Tour as a team, feeding off each other and offering encouragement when required. After four swift phone calls, the decision was made: Grading III had six winners with two Brown Belts going to Australia to play the Aussie Millions Main Event armed with a £10,000 package and four Blue Belts ambushing the UK circuit with £5,000 in buy-ins at their disposal.

A key element of the judging process is acknowledging and rewarding the efforts made by all participants, not just the winners. The Grading is undoubtedly a gruelling process in which players are asked to play ring-games of $0.50/1, and later $1/2, over a month and a half, and we pride ourselves on ensuring that all Graders, including those who didn't reach the finish line, are justly rewarded. In this instance, we felt it necessary to offer Belts that suited the individual, and their ability to maintain, and, in many cases, supplemented their promotion with a combination of Belt points, tournament buy-ins, extra training, or free Belt maintenance depending on the requirements of that person.

So, without further ado, here are the official results of Grading III: Journey to Oz. Congratulations to all players, especially Adam and Sam who will be representing Black Belt Poker in February in the Aussie Millions Main Event in Melbourne.

Brown Belts

Adam Stoneham
Sam Razavi

Blue Belts

Joe Roberts
Tom Drew
Oliver Schaffmann
Mike Carroll
David Docherty
Adam Unwin
Michael Morley
Vincent Diver

Green Belts

Shaz Roberts
Richard Dally
John Hayes
Paul Garnham

Purple Belts

Adam Saunders
Richard Hurst
Adam Carey
Brian Gallagher
Ollie Noonan
Stuart Longster
Richard Eatock
Gareth Alder
Liam Crawford
Graham Murray
Darius Demetriou

Grading III was a fun-filled, roller coaster affair, and hopefully a rewarding one for everyone involved. There were casualties along the way - including Adam Carey, whose partner gave birth to their firstborn - but it is testament to the process that all participants left with a feeling that their game had improved, and that they had learned valuable skills from attending Workshops, conversing with the Black Belt Poker sponsored pros, and engaging in sweat sessions with their fellow Graders. We'd like to thank everyone who embraced the process, and we very much look forward to you becoming a prominent member of the site.

Werrrrd Up; Drew Wins League VII

People cried salt tears when X-Factor drew to a close; they twiddled their thumbs when the final whistle was blown on the World Cup; and they sighed begrudgingly when the November Nine was no more. All good things must come to an end, and so it was with great chagrin that we entered into our final Leg of League VII, an epic eight-week encounter which saw a total of 192 poker fanatics do battle across the virtual felt in a bid to capture the game's most illustrious prize: a Black Belt Poker League title.

In the end, only one man could enter the Christmas period with that prestigious honour, and that man was Tom 'Werrrrd' Drew. A Grader and long-time community member, Tom dominated proceedings from as early as Leg 2, only conceding the top spot temporarily to Blue Belt Kevin Williams on Week 5. Heading into the final Leg, however, Tom boasted a commanding lead, and only a slip-up, along with a strong showing from the rest of the pack, would potentially see the sands of victory seep through the palms of his hands. Of course, Tom remained vigilant, and pulled out a 20th place finish to vanquish any doubt.

Despite Tom's destined triumph, there was still plenty to play for in Leg 8 as Black Belt Poker completed a hattrick of Academy bonuses thanks to Steve Rigby, who had kindly vacated his ticket in order to deliver one lucky punter an early Christmas present. After fending off 62 other fierce competitors (a credible turnout to say the least), it was Mark 'SebastianKat' Cooper who snapped up the added value, as well as the $100.81 first prize.

1st SebastianKat -- $100.81
2nd S0lution -- $69.30
3rd SurrealKiller -- $42.52
4th Brewski1 -- $31.50
5th ZoeRiZZ0 -- $23.62
6th insider66666 -- $18.90
7th cikarang5 -- $15.75
8th russellhansen -- $12.60

As a result of his fourth place finish, Dean 'Brewski1' Brewer snuck into second in front of Simon 'ourkidsid' Hollick who finished 27th, whilst Kevish47 slipped down to fourth having only managed 44th. As 'Mr. Consistent' Lee '4kingdonktard' Neary held onto sixth place with considerable ease, we had a last-ditch entry into the 'prize zone', former Champion Mark 'russelhansen' Brassington creeping into 10th with yet another final table finish.

1st Werrrrd (640 points) -- Party Package & DeucesCracked Token
2nd Brewski1 (591 points) -- 1,000 Belt Points & DeucesCracked Token
3rd ourkidsid (571 points) -- 850 Belt Points & DeucesCracked Token
4th Kevish47 (552 points) -- 750 Belt Points & DeucesCracked Token
5th losbert40 (549 points) -- 600 Belt Points & DeucesCracked Token
6th 4kingdonktard (525 points) -- 500 Belt Points & DeucesCracked Token
7th RedKiteBlackBelt (516 points) -- 400 Belt Points & DeucesCracked Token
8th UsainZeus88 (512 points) -- 300 Belt Points & DeucesCracked Token
9th JHobbit1 (489 points) -- 200 Belt Points & DeucesCracked Token
10th russellhansen (483 points) -- 100 Belt Points & DeucesCracked Token

Of course, the 'one in, one out' rule applied, and the man to be stopped at the door and sent home for wearing trainers was Ian 'mbdnr235' Grieve, his disappointing 58th place finish on the final Leg meaning he, sadly, and as Anne Robinson would say, "goes home with nothing." But poker's a cruel game, and perhaps the lowest blow was in fact dealt to Alan 'tealcSVU' Steer who, despite a solid set of results, and a 17th place finish at the death, bubbled the top 10 just 13 points shy.

11th tealcSVU (17) -- 470 points
12th mbdnr235 (58) -- 469 points
=13th blackbeltninja -- 460 points
=13th rattersbrfc -- 460 points
15th 300300299 -- 446 points
16th 99Ranny -- 444 points
17th ACarey -- 438 points
18th UKPB -- 432 points
19th 5upern0vae -- 425 points
20th sceaga2 -- 424 points

As always, the Mulligan reared its head 60 minutes later, this deep-stacked bonanza offering League casualties the perfect opportunity to claw some of their losses back, whilst providing a competitive, well-structured tournament for them to get their teeth into. Sharpening his gnashers this week was reigning League Champion 'Mark 99Ranny' Ranson, a perhaps fitting victor for the final outing of the season.

1st 99Ranny -- $142.50
2nd bh0yw0nder -- $85.50
3rd mbdnr235 -- $57.00

Meanwhile, in the Donkament, it was a fairtytale performance from Patrick 'course00' Scott; he sought entry via a token, and spent zero on rebuys, meaning that victory came absolutely free.

1st course00 -- $31.75
2nd Werrrrd -- $19.05
3rd JHobbit1 -- $12.70

And so, on that Donkamenting note, we check out for another League venture, and bid you a fond farewell. But out parting is only short-term, as League VIII will soon be on the horizon, and the war of the felt will commence once more. Before then, we'd like to take the opportunity to thank all who took part, and in particular offer our congratulations to League VII Champion Tom 'Werrrrd' Drew. He'll be joining Neil Channing, Richard Ashby, and the rest of the Black Belt Poker sponsored team at the Black Belt Poker Christmas Party, as well as participating in a £1,500 SNG freeroll. Oh, and of course, he becomes the proud member of a very exclusive list…

League I: Adam Saunders
League II: Mark Brassington
League III: David Meunier
League IV: Andy Brisland
League V: Trevor Myers
League VI: Mark Ranson
League VII: Tom Drew

Merry Christmas all. Feel free to give us a spin during the festive period.

Grading III - The Finishing Line

At the beginning of the month, snow fell heavily over parts of the UK, including London. The downfall disabled parts of the transport network and many people were forced to stay indoors - probably drinking lots of tea and hot chocolate as reportedly there was a shortage of milk in some areas! For some “hardened souls” - as Neil Channing described them - however, the snow was nothing more than a mere blip as they brushed aside Mother Nature to attend the final Grading III Workshop on Thursday, December 2.

24 graders (the Aussie Two-4) were originally hand-selected to partake in the six-week course, which started on November 1. With 10 days to go until the end, there were less than 15 warriors left standing. Enlightenment Sensei Rob Jarrett-Smith said all of the remaining Graders were still in with a shout of proving they deserve one of the three £10,000 packages up for grabs. The three winners will each get an all-expenses paid trip to fly Down Under and play in the 2011 Aussie Millions in Melbourne next month.

During the Workshop, Neil ran through the hands from a Grader-exclusive MTT. Following that were presentations from Richard Dally, Vincent Diver and Adam Stoneham respectively. Although gruelling, many of the Graders admit that the entire process has helped to improve their game and encouraged them to consider things on a much deeper level.

Neil and CEO Warren Wooldridge also took the opportunity to thank the Graders for their efforts and told them not to be disheartened even if they aren't selected for the package. Two players who have benefited from the Grading process are Blue Belts Jamie Burland (2010 UKIPT Brighton Champion) and Kevin Williams (Academy and Poker in the Park speaker/mentor), both of whom fell just short of the Irish Open Package in Grading II. Despite that, they are both currently enjoying success at the felt and are among some our most active community members.

With the finishing line in sight, many of the Graders were in a frantic race to complete the required number of hands before the deadline at 11:59pm on Sunday, December 12. To be in contention for one of the three Brown Belt packages, players will need to have completed 50,000 / 40,000 / 31,250 hands of full-ring / six-max / heads-up. The decision on who will be picked to represent Black Belt Poker in Australia will be made tomorrow, Wednesday, December 15. If you haven't already chewed them all off, keep some of your nails in tact, because the results will be announced the following day.

Here is a short video of the final Grading III workshop. Thank you to everyone that spared some time over the six-week period to chat to me.

Click for video.

MTT Leaderboard - Video Commentary

After launching in November, the MTT Leaderboard promotion has returned for December as players across the iPoker network do battle over the tournament felt for another four weeks.

Although we're teetering on the edge of mid-month, and quickly heading towards that festive period, it's not too late for you to mount a challenge on December's Leaderboard, and even snap up that top spot. With only the top 20 results taken into account, there is still plenty of time for you to rack up some deep finishes.

One man who enjoyed a 'deep finish' last month was Blue Belt and Enlightenment Sensei Gavin 'TFMonty007' Hall. In the $6,500 Guaranteed $100 Deepstack, Gavin made the final table, thus securing himself some vital points for the Leaderboard.

Having made the final, Gavin decided to make a two-part video, showcasing his thoughts and emotions as the final progressed, including a little 'loose' language during the occasional gut-wrenching moment.

View videos here

The MTT Leaderboard is a high value opportunity for all MTT players to get their hands on some free money. A total of 500 players will receive a prize by the end of the year, so just playing the occasional tournament could see you win a freeroll entry, or more.

There's only one way to take advantage of this offer, and that's to register for some tournaments and see how it goes. If you're new to Black Belt Poker, then opening an account couldn't be easier. Simply download the software and follow the step-by-step process provided.

If you have any comments regarding the hands or situations featured in Gavin's video, then please feel free to leave your feedback in the comments' box below.

Shaw Shot; sceaga2 Makes It a Double

The penultimate Leg of League VII hit Black Belt Poker shores last night as 76 poker fanatics went to war on the battlefield of the baize, all mustard keen to make a last dash for League glory. As with last week, Black Belt Poker were adding a little flavour to the event, throwing in a free Academy seat with first place joining Leg 6 winner Lee 'themackem1968' Harrison at the Fox Poker Club this Saturday for another day of intense poker mentoring.

That lucky man was none other than former Grader Mike 'sceaga2' Shaw, who became the first player this season to win two Legs after victory in Leg 2 a few weeks ago. This time, he won $114.00, and defeated a tough field that included Neil Channing (47th), themackem1968 (40th) and reigning League Champion 99Ranny (37th) to complete an incredible double. Also breaking into the top 10 was League I Champion Adam 'JHobbit1' Saunders, who was playing in his second consecutive final after a 10th place finish last week.

1st sceaga2 -- $114.00
2nd blackbeltninja -- $76.00
3rd CroadYuk -- $47.50
4th stevegw -- $36.10
5th losbert40 -- $28.50
6th JHobbit1 -- $22.80
7th IHateKevinD -- $19.00
8th Heppo321 -- $15.20
9th tealcSVU -- $11.40
10th ourkidsid -- $9.50

Despite setting a season record, sceaga2 was only able to climb up to 21st place on the leader board, the bigget smile being worn by 20th placed Tom 'Werrrrd' Drew as he extended his lead at the top to 62 points after his closest competitor, Kevin 'Kevish47' Williams, could only muster a 39th place finish.

1st Werrrrd -- 596 points
2nd ourkidsid -- 534 points
3rd Kevish47 -- 532 points
4th losbert40 -- 523 points
5th Brewski1 -- 519 points
6th 4kingdonktard -- 485 points
7th JHobbit1 -- 480 points
8th RedKiteBlackBelt -- 477 points
9th mbdnr235 -- 463 points
10th UsainZeus88 -- 455 points

With just one leg remaining, only four players can catch Werrrrd, Simon 'ourkidsid' Herrick the most likely after slipping into second. However, there are still plenty of prizes still up for grabs with DeucesCracked tokens for the top 10, as well as Belt Points. Here are the players who will most likely be competing for one of those spots come Leg 8.

11th ACarey -- 434 points
12th UKPB -- 432 points
13th rattersbrfc -- 429 points
14th 300300299 -- 424 points
15th russellhansen -- 423 points
16th tealcSVU -- 423 points
17th blackbeltninja -- 419 points
18th StilettoMafiosa -- 411 points
19th Elysiumjay -- 398 points
20th 99Ranny -- 395 points

The Mulligan was once again hostly contested, mark 'thekernell1' Robson picking up the $186.00 first prize. Blue Belts Simon 'AlwaysMissing' Mairs, Jamie 'StilettoMafiosa' Burland, and Kevin 'Kevish47' Williams all participated, but only the latter cashed.

31, Mairs, Burland, Kevish
1st Thekernell1 -- $186.00
2nd galfano76 -- $116.25
3rd UsainZeus88
4th UliKoko -- $51.15
5th Kevish47 -- $37.20

Martin 'KGB386' Taylor won the Donkament, completing the feat with just two rebuys.

1st KGB386 -- $23.75
2nd bbpjimjam -- $14.25
3rd galfano76 -- $9.50

Only a select few can reap the rewards of the League prizes in next Tuesday's concluding Leg, but this doesn't mean you shouldn't stop by for a visit. Your presence alone will help make the League race more exciting, simply because the points allocated to each Leg winner is dependent on the number of runners. Also, sceaga2 bought into this week's Leg with a Black Belt Poker token, meaning that he turned his points into a whopping $114.00. You could do the same. Just sign into your community account, hit 'store', and we'll see you on the final table next week.

Wanna play? It's easy - simply open an account, make a deposit and register for the tournament in Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments > Black Belt League VII.

League VII: Party With the Pros
Donut Mess With the Kid; Leg 1 in the Bag
Pure Shaws; Leg 2 Goes to Sceaga2
Alder Locks in Leg 3
Hole in One; adygolf Sinks Leg 4
Blue Tuesday; Kevish47 Wins Leg 5
Mackem Whacks 'Em in Leg 6

Mackem Whacks 'Em in Leg 6

With Kevin 'Kevish47' Williams and Tom 'Werrrrd' Drew running rampant at the top of the table, it would appear as though League VII is becoming a two-horse race. Yet, despite their dominance, a more-than-respectable 84 dipped into their 'rolls for Leg 6, with even head honcho Neil Channing stopping by for a visit. The dangling-carrot for the majority of the field? A free ticket to the next Black Belt Poker Academy added to first prize.

After a back-and-forth battle, and a display of the usual high, competitive standard that has become synonymous with League matches, it was Lee 'themackem1968' Mackem who joined this season's illustrious list, his triumph netting him $126 in spondoolies, as well as the aforementioned orange vegetable.

The final table was rife with talent, and in particular Nigel 'bizmarrrk' Clifford and Richard 'nakgeela' Dally, both of whom were making their second consecutive final table with the latter finishing in exactly the same position before. The runner-up spot went to Blue Jamie 'StilettoMafioso' Burland, fresh off his near final table miss in the GUKPT Grand Final.

1st themackem1968 -- $126.00
2nd StilettoMafioso -- $84.00
3rd UsainZeus88 -- $52.50
4th makiwara -- $39.90
5th runningape -- $31.50
6th nakgeela4 -- $25.20
7th Werrrrd -- $21.00
8th russellhansen -- $16.80
9th bizmarkkk -- $12.60
10th JHobbit1 -- $10.50

With Werrrrd adding yet another final table notch to his poker post, and Kevish47 dropping in a disappointing 71st, it's the former who regains the top spot, his 539 points now 45 points ahead of the Blue Belt pro. In other news, the top 10 remain relatively unchanged, with the only movements including the consistent-as-ever Lee '4kingdonktard' Neary's one-rung climb to fifth, and inaugural League winner Adam 'JHobbit1' Saunders' appearance in tenth.

1st Werrrrd -- 539 points
2nd Kevish47 -- 494 points
3rd ourkidsid -- 466 points
4th Brewski1 -- 457 points
5th 4kingdonktard -- 449 points
6th losbert40 -- 441 points
7th mbdnr235 -- 430 points
8th UKPB -- 420 points
9th RedKiteBlackBelt -- 417 points
10th JHobbit1 -- 401 points

The Mulligan an hour later was hotly contested. Neil Channing returning for another crack, along with reigning League Champion Mark '99Ranny' Ranson and Jason 'jas0nherbert', Herbert, the latter having recently finishing second in the WPT Chilipoker Marrakech Festival after qualifying via Black Belt Poker. The winner? Grader Paul 'xxM3boyxx' Garnham.

1st xxM3boyxx -- $187.50
2nd StilettoMafiosa -- $112.50
3rd kylemilne89 -- $75.00

16 participated in the Donkament, including Graders Adam 'andalav' Unwin and Sam 'KODDZILLA' Razavi, but it was Jamal 'bbpjimjam' El-Shetob who struck gold.

1st bbpjimjam -- $24.75
2nd Werrrrd -- $14.85
3rd Kevish47 -- $9.90

Black Belt Poker are constantly looking at ways to offer extra value to our players - if only to thank them for their loyalty - and Super Tuesday was no different. The good news is that we'll be honouring that very same offer next week, meaning that the Leg 7 winner will be joining Lee Mackem and the Orange Belt Freeroll qualifiers at the next Academy at the Fox Poker Club in London. So, even if you haven't played a single League Leg before, it's not too late to get your hands dirty and take advantage of the benefits on offer.

Wanna play? It's easy - simply open an account, make a deposit and register for the tournament in Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments > Black Belt League VII.

League VII: Party With the Pros
Donut Mess With the Kid; Leg 1 in the Bag
Pure Shaws; Leg 2 Goes to Sceaga2
Alder Locks in Leg 3
Hole in One; adygolf Sinks Leg 4
Blue Tuesday; Kevish47 Wins Leg 5