Jared Tendler Enters the Dojo

This December, Black Belt Poker welcome a special guest into the Dojo as mental game coach and acclaimed author Jared Tendler dons karate suit and plimsoles to host the penultimate Dojo Session of the year.

Taking place at 19:00 on Monday, December 5, Jared will be on hand to share his knowledge of the mental game with a focus on tilt control and how a composed mentality can directly aid methods of game-development.

As always, the Dojo will be open to questions from the floor, with Jared on hand and happy to answer any niggling queries you may have about tilt and the various triggers that can result in flying mice and broken laptops.

If you would like to attend, then tickets are now available through the Black Belt Poker Store ('Live Events') for the steal-of-the-century price of 300 Spending Points. If you are Purple+ Belt and have a free Dojo Session at your disposal, then all you have to do is drop us an email at training@blackbeltpoker.com to secure your seat.

"I've long respected Neil Channing and Black Belt Poker," commented Jared. "I'm excited to be hosting a Dojo Session and look forward to bringing the members a truly memorable and valuable event. Tilt is the most costly problem in poker, and few players truly understand how to face the issue head-on."

Jared turned to golf psychology after his drive to become a professional golfer was thwarted by failures in pressure situations. A degree in counselling psychology later and he became a licensed mental-health counsellor, before going on to assist some of golf's most talented players with the mental side of their game.

Despite his success, he would ultimately make the transition over to poker and is now considered a leading expert in the mental game having helped over 180 players across 30 different countries. His students include some of poker's most consistently winning players, including online titan Dusty 'Leatherass' Schmidt who attributes much of his success to Jared's guidance.

Earlier this year, Jared released his much-anticipated book The Mental Game of Poker, in which he takes readers through proven techniques to improve common pitfalls such as handling-variance, confidence and motivation. The book has been well-received by both pros and amateurs alike, and is essential reading for anyone serious about improving their game.

Now, only on Black Belt Poker, you can learn from Jared in December's Dojo Session, and find out why he has quickly become one of the most respected and celebrated coaches in poker.

If you would like to purchase The Mental Game of Poker, then you can do so at jaredtendlerpoker.com.

The full schedule for the next six of Dojo Sessions will be announced later today.

Brucie Bonus

Last night, the iPOPS (iPoker's Online Poker Series) made its hotly-anticipated debut as 1,890 ambushed the virtual felt, falling short of the $200,000 guaranteed prize pool to create an $11,000 overlay.

The opening event was a $100+9 No Limit Hold'em freezeout with no fewer than 92 hopefuls (almost five percent of the field!) playing through Black Belt Poker and looking to take advantage of the exclusive bonuses. Among them were Academy host Alex Rousso, Nottingham Live winner Stuart Hyson, and former EPT Champion Toby Lewis.

Each iPOPS event is hosted by a Black Belt with added bonuses awarded for the following achievements:

Bust the host
Bust by the host
Chip leader at the second break
Bubble boy (within five places of the money)
Final table bubble

Event #1's host was Aussie Millions finalist and UKIPT Cork Champion Sam Razavi who was unable to add to his list of accolades when he departed in 1488th. Unfortunately, his assassin didn't play through Black Belt Poker, and so was unable to claim his free seat into the iPOPS Main Event.

One player who will be playing on Sunday courtesy of Black Belt Poker is 'FlopTheNuts77'. Although he finished two away from the money, he was awarded a consolidative bonus seat for being a Bubble Boy and finishing within five places of a cash prize.

Those who did make the money included Black Belt Neil Channing (250th), and League XI runner-up Nick 'nickhem1' Hemming (110th), who recently lapped up a free London Live 2012 seat when he survived a last-longer against his fellow League winners at last week's Nottingham Live.

The most impressive performance, however, was that of Bruce 'Usainzeus88' Jones, who made it all the way to the final table before finishing fourth for $13,160 when he lost a massive pot for the chip lead with Q-9 versus A-7. In a fantastic gesture, he declared prior to the event that he would be donating 20 percent of any returns to three different charities.

An Orange Belt in the Black Belt Poker Belt-Up Rewards System, Bruce's total investment for the event was zero, having earned entry into all four iPOPS events via the Nottingham Live Finalists Freeroll last Tuesday. He then continued his incredible form by beating a record-breaking field the following day in the Deepstack Mulligan.

If you would like to follow in Bruce's footsteps and turn a small acorn into a giant money tree, then throughout the week, we're offering you the chance to qualify for Sunday's Main Event for a single buck. At 20:00 every day, we're holding a $1 Bang for Ya Buck rebuy with a seat added to first prize. Last night, just 28 players participated, meaning Black Belt Poker more than doubled the prize pool!

Already, Black Belt Poker have given away an amazing eight seats, and there are plenty more up for grabs. What's more, whether you win a seat or not, if you play the Main Event and manage to eliminate one of our three Black Belts, you'll automatically receive a package worth €1,450 into the iPOPS Live Open in Prague.

Nowhere else do you receive this kind of value, so if you're thinking of taking advantage of the $1,000,000 in guaranteed prize pools and inevitable overlays, then make sure you play the iPOPS on Black Belt Poker.

Players who cashed through Black Belt Poker:

4th UsainZeus88 -- $13,160.00
36th emotivator21 -- $660.00
49th johnnycoot123 -- $500.00
58th griffyid7777 -- $460.00
110th nickhem1 -- $280.00
138th RVP83 -- $260.00
172th farryboybbp -- $220.00
180th PhilNe2Q -- $220.00
250th NeilChanning -- $180.00

iPOPS: Bang for Ya Buck

The flashing lights are going up; the stores are already playing seasonal tunes; and advent calendars are on shelves - some think November's too early a kick-off for the festive spirit, but not at Black Belt Poker; we've already done our Christmas shopping and are handing out gifts with our red and white hats donned.

Tis the season for giving, and Black Belt Poker are giving away more than anyone. With seven iPOPS Main Event seats already won during last week's tournaments, we're adding another six this week with our daily Bang for Ya Buck tournaments.

Starting tonight and ending on Saturday, the Bang for Ya Buck tournaments will run daily at 20:00 with players presented with the opportunity of winning an iPOPS Main Event seat for a single buck. Tournaments will be a $1 rebuy, with one seat added to the standard prize pool, absolutely free!

To register for the event, simply locate the tournament in the poker lobby via Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments > iPops Bang For Ya Buck! (Mon). If you don't already have an account, then opening one is easy: simply click here to download the software and follow the step-by-step process provided.

If you make a mistimed move in the opening event, or suffer an untimely bad beat, then don't fret, as you'll be able to put your name down for the following day's tournament immediately, and have yet another chance to win a seat for just $1. As soon as Monday's event starts, registration for Tuesday's will open.

If that's not enough, then you can even win a Main Event seat whilst playing the preliminary events. The first one starts tonight, at 18.00, and in a promotion exclusive to Black Belt Poker players, you can automatically win a seat by achieving any of these feats, in any of the first three events:

Bust the host
Bust by the host
Chip leader at the second break
Bubble boy (within five places of the money)
Final table bubble

See here for further details.

The iPOPS (iPoker's Online Poker Series) is a mini-series of four online MTTs spanning from November 28 to December 4 with a combined $1,000,000 in guarantees.

The schedule is as follows:

Nov 28 -- Event #1: $100+9 NLH six-max freezeout ($200K GTD)
Nov 30 -- Event #2: $50+5 NLH turbo rebuy ($150K GTD)
Dec 02 -- Event #3: $100+9 PLO six-max single rebuy ($150K GTD)
Dec 04 -- Event #4: $125+10 NLH Main Event freezeout ($500K GTD)

Good luck!

Mighty Win for Bulman in Leg 4

This week, Black Belt Poker was like a Santa's grotto as we entered into the festive spirit and gave away more free gifts than the Arsenal backline. With the iPOPS on the horizon, players were once again showered with value as Black Belt Poker dished out no fewer than seven free seats into the $125+10 Main Event.

The iPOPS Giveaway commenced on Tuesday with leg 4 of the Black Belt Poker League. 113 logged in, but only one could come out on top, and that man was none other than League XI Champion Bob 'myteamouse' Bulman.

A bounty at the recent Black Belt Nottingham Live, Bob had been struggling in the current League campaign with a trio of below-par performances, but he struck back on Tuesday with a timely first place finish, thus turning a token into $152.55 and an iPOPS Main Event seat. What's more, he also secured his place in the Second Chance SNG.

1st myteamouse -- $152.55 & iPOPS Main Event seat
2nd RiverSiren -- $90.40
3rd JimmyTheBhoy -- $56.50
4th D0l4hyd3 -- $45.20
5th mutesuperstar -- $39.55
6th S0lution -- $33.90
7th Elysiumjay -- $28.25
8th sprinterz -- $22.60
9th KBV1TALS -- $16.95
10th elvis18111 -- $6.78
11th liquidpoker101 -- $6.78
12th badbeefy -- $6.78
13th CaptainJack5 -- $6.78
14th BigClub1980 -- $6.78
15th LegendKing1 -- $6.78
16th JumboPeanuts -- $6.78
17th BoatDrink -- $6.78
18th blackbeltkickbox -- $6.78
19th bornTOflirt -- $6.78
20th Sarannedipity -- $6.78

Having snuck into the money in 19th, 'bornToflirt' was able to pick up enough points to hold on to the top spot. Meanwhile, Sarrannedipity's bubble-evading skills mean she remains in second with former League Champion Adam 'JHobbit' Saunders just two points behind in third.

1st bornToflirt -- 371 points
2nd Sarannedipity -- 356 points
3rd JHobbit1 -- 354 points
4th BoatDrink -- 344 points
5th KBV1TALS -- 338 points
6th NPenfold -- 332 points
7th bagpussrocks -- 330 points
8th JaytheHippy71 -- 322 points
9th losbert40 -- 308 points
10th TeeDeeEye1 -- 308 points

11th elvis18111 -- 308 points
12th badbeefy -- 303 points
13th lionrampant27 -- 297 points
14th 45683ah -- 297 points
15th ChipRead77 -- 293 points
16th taylormade777 -- 293 points
17th Georgia20 -- 291 points
18th doochats -- 289 points
19th ACarey -- 285 points
20th tentofollow -- 285 points

Tuesday was a hectic night in that it saw two other value-added tournaments grace the Black Belt Poker felt. First, a $5 satellite to the iPOPS Main Event with one seat added threw out the following results:

1st JumboPeanuts -- iPOPS Main Event seat
2nd GOLDENSOMBRE -- iPOPS Main Event seat
3rd wicky01 -- iPOPS Main Event seat
4th KBV1TALS -- $28.80
5th insider66666 -- $19.80
6th doochats -- $12.15
7th JHobbit1 -- $9.00
8th losbert40 -- $6.75
9th LukeHallinan -- $5.40
10th ourkidsid -- $4.50
11th dougiepete -- $3.60

And soon after, our Nottingham Live Finalst Freeroll - exclusive to those who made a final table in any Nottingham Live event - saw Bruce 'UsainZeus88' Jones best a field that included Warren Wooldridge, Neil Channing and Nottingham Live bubble boy Nick Finn to earn himself entry into all four iPOPS events.

'UsainZeus88' was in fine poker fettle this week as he followed victory on Tuesday with a Mulligan win the very next day. A record-breaking 46 players battled it out for the $690 prize pool, Belt Points and added iPOPS seat, but UsainZeus88 was in unstoppable mood and brushed aside the competition to pick up the booty. He'll be exchanging his seat for a satellite into the iPOPS Live Open.

1st UsainZeus88 -- $276.00 & iPOPS Main Event seat (50 Belt Points)
2nd vinsangel -- $172.50 (30 Belt Points)
3rd insider66666 -- $110.40 (10 Belt Points)
4th xxMohicanxx -- $75.90 (5 Belt Points)
5th originalcynic --$55.20 (5 Belt Points)

An incredible four seats were added to the top four in the final Aftermath event, a $50+5 freezeout on Thursday evening. Black Belt Richard Ashby was among the winners, despite just missing out on a cash prize.

1st NeilsBitch -- $700.00 & iPOPS Main Event seat
2nd AMANESS13 -- $420.00 & iPOPS Main Event seat
3rd beltdarkjf -- $280.00 & iPOPS Main Event seat
4th CHUFTY11 -- iPOPS Main Event seat

If you thought we were mad to give away so many seats this week, then start padding up the solitary confinement as next week we're giving away even more!

Every day from Monday to Saturday, there will be a Bang for Ya Buck tournament in which first prize will have one seat into the iPOPS Main Event added, meaning that if you slip up on the Monday, you can simply have another stab on the Tuesday - for a mere $1 investment. These aren't satellites into satellites; we're literally giving you the chance to qualify for a single buck!

Each event can be found in the tournament lobby under Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments > iPops Bang For Ya Buck which kicks off daily at 20:00. If you don't already have an account, then opening one is easy: simply click here to download the software and follow the step-by-step process provided.

No other sites adds as much value to events as Black Belt Poker. Even when you win your iPOPS seat, it doesn't stop there. If you Bust a Black Belt in the Main Event, we'll jet you off to Prague to play the iPOPS Live - a package worth €1,450. No catch, no charge - just a free added bonus that you can only win by playing on Black Belt Poker.

With so much incentive, if you're not playing the iPOPS on Black Belt Poker, then you're making a minus EV decision.

Previous reports:

Week 1 - 'JosseWales' Shoots to League XII Victory
Week 2 - 'JaytheHippy71' Rocks Leg 2
Week 3 - Stevie Does It

Black Belt Nottingham Live Results

Main Event Results:

Event: $125+10 Main Event
Date: 18-20 Nov
Entires: 492
Prize Pool: $61,500

1st Stuart Hyson -- $15,500 ($14,000)
2nd Daniel Robertson -- $9,020 ($9,000)
3rd Arran Fletcher -- $6,000
4th David Buckland -- $4,000
5th Byron Brewer -- $3,000
6th Nicholas Wealthall -- $2,400
7th Paul Lynch -- $1,820 ($1,800)
8th Adam Carey -- $1,300
9th Kevin Corcoran -- $1,000
10th Nicholas Drinkwater -- $750
11th Adam Reid -- $925 ($750)
12th Timotheos Timotheou -- $500
13th Andy Hood -- $500
14th Nigel Hill -- $380
15th Simon Thompson -- $380
16th Kim Vernon -- $340
17th Ryan Carr -- $340
18th Anonymous -- $300
19th Andrew Cooper -- $300
20th Michael Fletcher -- $300
21st Gary Kinnersley -- $320 ($300)
22nd Tim Slater -- $300
23rd Twm Sion Jones -- $300
24th Paul Jenkinson -- $300
25th Benjamin Wooldridge -- $330 ($300)
26th Nicholas Todd -- $300
27th Kyle Smith -- $260
28th Ben Lake -- $260
29th Gareth Ainsworth -- $260
30th Sean Randall -- $260
31st Andrew Wright -- $260
32nd Zahir Aslam -- $260
33rd Scott Harvey -- $260
34th Jack Meldrum -- $260
35th Brian Cunningham -- $286 ($260)
36th Thomas Ambler -- $230
37th Richard Duncan Hodgkins -- $230
38th Chris Nicol -- $353 ($230)
39th Richard Milner -- $230
40th Leo McClean -- $230
41st Ben Meredith -- $276 ($230)
42nd Ashton Clayton -- $230
43rd Philip McGregor -- $230
44th Hasmukh Khodiyara -- $253 ($230)
45th Simon Cawley -- $230
46th Mark Cooling -- $200
47th Hannah Thorburn -- $200
48th Ebrahim Razavi -- $200
49th Jamie Strickland -- $200
50th Joanna Sharp -- $200
51st James Lowrey -- $200
52nd Patrick Pritchard -- $200
53rd Patrick Scott -- $200
54th Beverley Monks -- $200
55th Kenny Prazer -- $180
56th Robert Ayres -- $180
57th Aaron Spence -- $200 ($180)
58th Jean-pierre Carmier -- $180
59th Debra Kimm -- $180
60th Steven Chennells -- $180
61st Catherine O'Brien -- $180
62nd Darius Demetriou -- $198 ($180)
63rd James Bywater -- $170
64th Sean Fennessey -- $187 ($170)
65th Jarrett Owen -- $170
66th Mark Sanders -- $170
67th Daniel Amphlett -- $170
68th Stephen Knowles -- $170
69th Matthew Bennett -- $170
70th Tony Salmon -- $170
71st Sean Spalding -- $170
72nd Tim Atherton -- $160
73rd Luke Tatum -- $160
74th Aidan Doherty -- $160
75th Adam Saunders -- $176 ($160)
76th Richard Hurst -- $276 ($160)
77th Scott McGrory -- $160
78th Ricky Farbrother -- $160
79th Chris Seagriff -- $160
80th John Little -- $160
81st Justin Farmiloe -- $160
82nd Jack Stokes -- $150
83rd David Milligan -- $150
84th Glenn Henderson -- $150
85th Craig Napier -- $150
86th Mhazir Khan -- $150
87th Jason Herbert -- $150
88th Casey Quinlan -- $150
89th Richard Horton -- $150
90th Joshua Sharp -- $150

Bounty Eliminations:

$890 of a possible $5,250 paid.
1 x Purple Belt+ ($250)
3 x Orange Belt (£300)
17 x Yellow Belt ($340)

Jamie Burland by Paul Williams ($20)
Peter Wigglesworth by Dean Cryz ($20)
Chris Edwards by Sarah Priest ($20)
Kevin Williams by Mark England ($250)
Paul Spillane by Sinem Melin ($20)
Richard Ashby by Nick Finn ($20)
David Gentry by Paul Lynch ($20)
Warren Wooldridge by Tristan McDonald ($20)
Julian Thew by Daniel Robertson ($20)
Jerome Bradpiece by Ben Lake ($20)
Tristan McDonald by Gareth Ainsworth ($20)
Paul Marrow by Giovanni Albanese ($20)
Sam Razavi by Andy Potts ($20)
Simon Mairs by Gary Kinnersley ($20)
Bob Bulman by Tom Gurden ($20)
Jake Cody by Richard Hurst ($100)
Andy Miles by Chris Nicol ($100)
Neil Channing by Jean-Pierre Carmier ($20)
Adam 'Snoopy' Goulding by Zahir Aslam ($20)
Ben Meredith by Adam Reid ($20)
Nick Wealthall by Stuart Hyson ($100)

Belt Bonuses:

$1,674 of a possible $12,300 paid.

1st Stuart Hyson -- $15,500 (Orange Belt)
11th Adam Reid -- $925 (Orange Belt)
25th Benjamin Wooldridge -- $330 (Orange Belt)
35th Brian Cunningham -- $286 (Orange Belt)
38th Chris Nicol -- $353 (Orange Belt)
41st Ben Meredith -- $276 (Blue Belt)
44th Hasmukh Khodiyara -- $253 (Orange Belt)
62nd Darius Demetriou -- $198 (Orange Belt)
64th Sean Fennessey -- $187 (Orange Belt)
75th Adam Saunders -- $176 (Orange Belt)
76th Richard Hurst -- $276 (Orange Belt)

High-Roller Results:

All Nottingham Live finalists also won entry into a Freeroll on Tuesday whereby the winner won a season ticket to the iPOPS.

Event: $1,000+90 High-Roller (with re-entries)
Date: 19 Nov
Entires: 27
Prize Pool: $28,000

1st Ben Vinson -- £12,600
2nd Stuart Fox -- £7,560
3rd Matt Perrins -- £5,040
4th Jake Cody -- £2,800

Side Events Results:

Event: £15+5 £750 GTD
Date: 18 Nov
Entires: 175
Prize Pool: £2,625

1st Wesley Davies -- £866.25
2nd John Deabill -- £509.25
3rd James Taylor -- £301.88
4th Mike Tindall -- £210.00
5th Craig Hunt -- £157.50
6th Gareth Deighton -- £118.13
7th David Memmory -- £91.88
8th Thomas Hutchinson -- £65.63
9th Jonathon Morris -- £52.50
10th Adam Goy -- £36.75
11th Jonathan Gill -- £36.75
12th John Powdrill -- £36.75
13th James Wigmore -- £36.75
14th Andrew Mccullagh -- £26.25
15th Matthew Tippin -- £26.25
16th Ian Pears -- £26.25
17th William Swinscoe -- £26.25

Event: £50+6 £2,000 GTD
Date: 18 Nov
Entires: 121
Prize Pool: £6,050

1st Jamie Green -- £2,117.50
2nd Philip Mildon -- £1,210.00
3rd Warren Wooldridge -- £804.65
4th Scott Williams -- £514.25
5th Jay White -- £393.25
6th Patrick Thomas -- £272.25
7th Charles Grant -- £211.75
8th David Porter -- £151.25
9th Victoria Lambert -- £121.00
10th Wakas Aslam -- £84.70
11th Simon Beglarian -- £84.70
12th Paul Thorpe -- £84.70

Event: $100+12 High-Roller Mega Sat (with re-entries)
Date: 19 Nov
Entires: 61
Prize Pool: £7,800

1st Mark Hayes -- £0.00
2nd Stephen Lovatt -- £0.00
3rd Basharat Mahmood -- £0.00
4th Samad Razavi -- £0.00
5th Jack Pilkington -- £0.00
6th Willian Ullauri -- £0.00
7th Waheed Ashraf -- £0.00
8th Paul Romain -- £170

Event: £50+6 tubro £2,000 GTD
Date: 19 Nov
Entires: 124
Prize Pool: £6,200

1st Sean Randall -- £2,170.00
2nd Benjamin Mortlock -- £1,240.00
3rd Oluwashola Akindele -- £824.60
4th Owain Jones -- £527.00
5th Matthew Cox -- £403.00
6th Amjad Mohammed -- £279.00
7th Julie Golds -- £217.00
8th Frank Grainger -- £155.00
9th Stephen Ayres -- £124.00
10th Bruce Jones -- £86.80
11th Sukru Yildirim -- £86.80
12th Gareth Ainsworth -- £86.80

Event: £50+8 Super 50 £7,500 GTD
Date: 20 Nov
Entires: 209
Prize Pool: £10,450

1st Dafydd Elias -- £3,396.25
2nd Gordon Adam -- £1,985.50
3rd Gavin Foster -- £1,191.30
4th Phil Quelch -- £836.00
5th Tasos Grigoriou -- £627.00
6th Bruce Jones -- £470.25
7th Mark Arkley -- £365.75
8th Jose Pena -- £261.25
9th Craig Stonley -- £209.00
10th Emmanuel Sant -- £146.30
11th Adam Ray -- £146.30
12th Martyn Winn -- £146.30
13th Wayne Catchpole -- £146.30
14th Chris Russell -- £104.50
15th Anonymous -- £104.50
16th Michael Limming -- £104.50
17th Darren Rideout -- £104.50
18th Victoria Lambert -- £104.50

Event: £15+5 £750 GTD
Date: 20 Nov
Entires: 118
Prize Pool: £1,770

1st Chantelle Smedley -- £619.50
2nd John Deabill -- £362.85
3rd Paul Brown -- £238.95
4th Connor Brown -- £159.30
5th John Hammond -- £115.05
6th Parmjit Singh -- £79.65
7th Paul Barradell -- £61.95
8th Samual Wynn -- £44.25
9th Chris Tidmarsh -- £35.40
10th Mark Valentine -- £26.55
11th Jason Catchpole -- £26.55

Event: £50+6 £2,000 GTD
Date: 20 Nov
Entires: 66
Prize Pool: £3,300

1st Luke Hallinan -- £1,221.00
2nd Sau Lee -- £759.00
3rd Gareth Jones -- £495.00
4th Habib Chatoo -- £297.00
5th Reuben Marriott -- £231.00
6th Paul Neaves -- £165.00
7th Iftakhar Ahmed -- £132.00

For more information, check out the following links:

Nottingham Live Main Event - Live coverage/upadates
Press release: Hyson Cleans up at Nottingham
Press Release: Vinson Victory in High-Roller

Vinson Victory in High-Roller

This past weekend, Dusk Till Dawn became the battleground for a 492-strong war, all fighting for the honour of becoming the Sheriff of Nottingham and inaugural Black Belt Nottingham Live Champion.

But before a king could be crowned, Black Belt Poker hosted a six-max High-Roller event on the Saturday evening for those with a slightly larger budget.

The £1,000+90 price tag lured an all-star cast of 27 to the felt, including Black Belt Poker sponsored pros Neil Channing, Kevin Williams, Jamie Burland and Sam Razavi. The field also boasted Daniel Elder who had qualified for the reduced price of £110 through an online satellite on Blackbeltpoker.com.

The eventual winner was Ben Vinson. He overcame an incredibly tough final table that also featured Jake Cody, Matt Perrins and heads-up opponent Stuart Fox, to collect £12,600 for first prize.

The tournament ended on a coinflip, Fox the man all in with Kc-Jd versus 4s-4h. Although Fox paired his cowboy, the flop came a decisive 4d-8d-Kh to give Vinson a set. By the 9s turn it was all over and Vinson had bested one of the strongest fields ever to grace Dusk Till Dawn.

"I was really surprised. There weren't really any weak spots," commented Vinson just moments after victory. "Everyone knew what they were doing, and the final was like a who's who of poker. Matt Perrins in particular is one of the toughest I've played against. I rate him a lot and really like his game."

"These guys are capable of doing anything," he continued, "so you have to be on your guard at all times, and think outside of the box. They're never going to be playing ABC. You need to try and outthink them, because they can play no hand the same as the nuts."

Despite his tender years, Vinson has been playing the circuit for over five years and collated in excess of $600,000 in live tournament winnings. His biggest payday came at the 2007 GUKPT Grand Final when he finished fourth for £53,500. Just a fortnight earlier, he finished third in the Blackpool leg for £38,850.

This year, Vinson has been somewhat quieter in comparison, but with a recent cash in Cannes and his High-Roller triumph in Nottingham, he's finishing the year strong and could well be enjoying a turn of fortune as we head towards the festive period. You Vinson, you lose some - Ben's hitting that winning form.

The High-Roller event was just one of a number of tournaments hosted by Dusk Till Dawn over the Nottingham Live weekend. The Main Event was a $125+15 freezeout won by Orange Belt Stuart Hyson who took home a total of $15,500, as well as the illustrious trophy. Poker personality Nick Wealthall also made the final.

For more information, check out the following links:

Nottingham Live Main Event - Live coverage/upadates
Press release: Hyson Cleans up at Nottingham

Stuart Hyson Cleans Up at Nottingham Live

In the early hours of this morning, Stuart Hyson survived an epic final table to win the year's most sought after title in poker and become the first ever Black Belt Nottingham Live Champion.

400 players were originally pencilled in to grace the exquisite Dusk Till Dawn Poker Club in Nottingham, but after selling out a week before the event, the field was extended so that a total of 492 would ultimately stump up the $125+15 buy-in fee and take their seat in the UK's largest cardroom.

Among them were 21 coveted bounties including poker pros Julian Thew and Jake Cody, as well as London Live II Champion Peter Wigglesworth. Eliminating a bounty could net up to $250 depending on Belt level, and that was precisely the reward reaped by Purple Belt Mark England when he despatched Blue Belt Kevin Williams early on Day 1a.

The day also marked the debut of Koddzilla's Carps, an eight-man team of misfits who'd been sponsored into the event by Black Belt Sam Razavi with 50 percent of winnings going to Cancer Research. Elvis, a panto dame, and Blanka from Street Fighter were among the motley crew, but it was a giant chicken who led from the front, cashing in 53rd and donating his entire $200 winnings to charity - far from a paltry gesture.

107 players returned for Day 2 with Thomas Ambler boasting a monster chip lead of 266,600, over 100,000 clear of Kim Vernon in second. Later that day, Ambler was involved in an incredible pot against a fellow big stack in which he seven-bet shoved Q-3 uncontested. But despite his bravery, he would lose some crucial pots and tumble out in 36th.

With Nicholas Drinkwater feeling the splash of the bubble, our final table was set with Daniel Robertson holding the chip lead:

Seat 1: Arran Fletcher -- 625,000
Seat 2: Stuart Hyson -- 1,331,000
Seat 3: David Buckland -- 723,000
Seat 4: Byron Brewer -- 1,014,000
Seat 5: Adam Carey -- 444,000
Seat 6: Daniel Robertson -- 2,070,000
Seat 7: Kevin Corcoran -- 539,000
Seat 8: Nick Wealthall -- 148,000
Seat 9: Paul Lynch -- 591,000

For a moment, it looked as though poker personality and last bounty standing Nick Wealthall was destined for victory as he climbed three money-rungs and doubled up no fewer than three times. On each occasion he was behind, most memorably when he called the exact river with Ac-3d versus Ah-4h on an eventful 4d-2c-Qs-9c-5d board. It was third time unlucky for Nick, however, as he eventually departed in sixth.

After Arran Fletcher crashed out with Ad-Qc versus Qs-9h on an emphatic 9c-Qd-9d flop, it was left to Stuart Hyson and Daniel Robertson to contend for the illustrious title. And what a classic battle it was; two-hours of roller coaster, back and forth action culminating in one decisive hand as the clock struck 3:00.

All in with As-8d versus Kd-Qc, Robertson - who'd earlier been one coinflip away from tasting victory - just needed to avoid paint to earn a vital double-through. The 5s-2s-Jd flop looked harmless, and the 4s turn narrowed Hyson's outs even further, but the Poker Gods had one last trick up their sleeve when a Kh river hit the felt to bring the inaugural Nottingham Live to its dramatic conclusion.

Robertson had fought a plucky, Rocky-esque war, but when the smoke had cleared and the dust settled, it was Stuart Hyson of Rye in East Sussex who emerged as Champion. In doing so, he earned himself the sparkling trophy and a $15,500 payday, which included an additional $1,400 for being an Orange Belt in the Black Belt Poker Belt-Up Rewards System and $100 for eliminating bounty Wealthall.

Stuart, who was nicknamed 'The Dyson' during the live coverage due to his ability to vacuum up chips, plays on Blackbeltpoker.com under the moniker 'diiscostu' and qualified for the event for just $20. Meanwhile, he worked his way up to Orange Belt to take advantage of the added value on offer.

"I'm absolutely knackered," confessed Stuart just moments after victory. "I came up with the crazy idea that to stay awake I'd get myself a Red Bull and coke, which didn't taste very nice, but did the job. Daniel was a tough opponent and I was relieved to hit that king because I was really tired and knew he could grind it out if he had to."

"I used to work with Stuart at the racecourse and he is a great guy and a worthy champion," complimented Black Belt Neil Channing. "He told me he needed the money because he had a 23 year-old daughter, a 21-year old girlfriend and a bit of a gambling addiction [laughs], so I'm pleased he won."

1st Stuart Hyson -- $15,500 ($14,000)
2nd Daniel Robertson -- $9,000
3rd Arran Fletcher -- $6,000
4th David Buckland -- $4,000
5th Byron Brewer -- $3,000
6th Nick Wealthall -- $2,400
7th Paul Lynch -- $1,820 ($1,800)
8th Adam Carey -- $1,300
9th Kevin Corcoran -- $1,000

(Prize in brackets is standard payout without bonuses)

Bounty Eliminations:

Jamie Burland by Paul Williams
Peter Wigglesworth by Dean Cryz
Chris Edwards by Sarah Priest
Kevin Williams by Mark England
Paul Spillane by Sinem Melin
Richard Ashby by Nick Finn
David Gentry by Paul Lynch
Warren Wooldridge by Tristan McDonald
Julian Thew by Daniel Robertson
Jerome Bradpiece by Ben Lake
Tristan McDonald by Gareth Ainsworth
Paul Marrow by Giovanni Albanese
Sam Razavi by Andy Potts
Simon Mairs by Gary Kinnersley
Bob Bulman by Tom Gurden
Jake Cody by Richard Hurst
Andy Miles by Chris Nicol
Neil Channing by Jean-Pierre Carmier
Adam 'Snoopy' Goulding by Zahir Aslam
Ben Meredith by Adam Reid
Nick Wealthall by Stuart Hyson

Click for Live Updates/Coverage...

Nottingham Live - Day 1B Chip Counts

Click for Live Updates/Coverage...

Kim Vernon -- 162,900
David Buckland -- 155,000
Paul Jenkinson -- 152,600
Nicholas Wealthall -- 138,000
Andy Hood -- 135,700
Kevin Corcoran -- 122,500
Arran Fletcher -- 115,900
Simon Thompson -- 112,500
Robert Ayres -- 109,100
Zahir Aslam -- 105,200
Jack Stokes -- 101,900
Brian Cunningham -- 98,100
Hasmukh Khodiyara -- 96,700
Stuart Hyson -- 93,300
Nigel Hill -- 92,100
Benjamin Wooldridge -- 91,700
Nicholas Drinkwater -- 87,500
Hannah Thorburn -- 86,200
Chris Seagriff -- 78,600
Gary Kinnersley -- 77,200
Stephen Knowles -- 75,800
Daniel Amphlett -- 74,900
Jarrett Owen -- 71,600
Luke Tatum -- 70,400
Joshua Sharp -- 66,400
Darius Demetriou -- 65,400
Adam Morris -- 61,500
Jean-Pierre Carmier -- 60,100
Philip Mcgregor -- 58,300
Ben Meredith -- 56,400
Richard Horton -- 51,300
David Milligan -- 51,000
Jack Meldrum -- 49,700
Dean Aldred -- 48,300
Sean Fennessey -- 48,200
Aaron Spence -- 46,500
Patrick Pritchard -- 46,200
Adam Reid -- 45,700
Patrick Scott -- 45,200
Adam Goulding -- 43,200
James Lowrey -- 42,400
Adam Saunders -- 40,800
Chris Nicol -- 38,000
John Little -- 37,300
Sean Philburn -- 36,700
Casey Quinlan -- 34,700
Debra Kimm -- 32,000
Richard Hurst -- 30,100
Ashton Clayton -- 29,900
Scott Harvey -- 24,100
Matthew Bennett -- 20,800
Paula Cowling -- 20,700

Bounty Eliminations:

Paul Marrow - by Giovanni Albanese
Sam Razavi - by Andy Potts
Simon Mairs - by Gary Kinnersley
Bob Bulman - by Tom Gurden
Jake Cody - by Richard Hurst
Andy Miles - by Chris Nicol
Neil Channing - by Jean-Pierre Carmier

See here for Day 1A chip counts...

Nottingham Live - Day 1A Chip Counts

Click for Live Updates/Coverage...

Thomas Ambler -- 266,600
Tim Slater -- 147,500
Nicholas Todd -- 129,600
Ben Lake -- 128,100
Andrew Wright -- 122,800
Daniel Robertson -- 115,100
Tim Atherton -- 108,300
Andrew Cooper -- 102,900
Joanna Sharp -- 96,800
Leo Mcclean -- 96,300
Adam Carey -- 94,800
Byron Brewer -- 94,000
Anonymous -- 91,100
Richard Milner -- 82,000
Twm Sion Jones -- 81,500
Kenny Prazer -- 76,600
Paul Singhal -- 75,600
Simon Cawley -- 74,000
Glenn Henderson -- 70,500
Jason Herbert -- 68,600
Nick Finn -- 67,000
Mhazir Khan -- 66,600
Ian Mcdonald -- 62,700
Sean Randall -- 62,000
Catherine Obrien -- 61,700
Aidan Doherty -- 60,300
Scott Mcgrory -- 59,400
Mark England -- 57,600
Richard Duncan Hodgkins -- 56,500
Tony Salmon -- 51,800
Sean Spalding -- 51,600
Justin Farmiloe -- 49,600
Shana Casaletto -- 48,700
Steven Chennells -- 47,600
Timotheos Timotheou -- 47,100
Craig Napier -- 47,000
James Bywater -- 46,800
Ebrahim Razavi -- 43,500
Ryan Carr -- 43,000
Johnny Barr -- 41,000
Michael Fletcher -- 40,800
Kyle Smith -- 40,700
Sarah Priest -- 39,300
Gareth Ainsworth -- 38,300
Mark Sanders -- 35,500
Mark Cooling -- 35,300
Paul Lynch -- 31,300
Stuart Riddell -- 30,600
Alan Darby -- 29,900
Sukru Yildirim -- 28,900
David Hart -- 27,600
Beverley Monks -- 27,000
Ricky Farbrother -- 26,200
Jamie Strickland -- 19,400

Bounty Eliminations:

Jamie Burland - by Paul Williams
Peter Wigglesworth - by Dean Cryz
Chris Edwards - by Sarah Priest
Kevin Williams - by Mark England
Paul Spillane - by Sinem Melin
Richard Ashby - by Nick Finn
David Gentry - by Paul Lynch
Warren Wooldridge - by Tristan McDonald
Julian Thew - by Daniel Robertson
Jerome Bradpiece - by Ben Lake
Tristan McDonald - by Gareth Ainsworth

20 Bounties - We've Gone Coco-Nuts

Buckle up and get ready for the ride of your poker life; the Nottingham Live is here and in less than a day, 250 poker players will ambush the UK's largest cardroom for the opening day of the newest addition to the poker calendar.

As with previous Black Belt Poker events, the Nottingham Live will be swimming in value, and for the inaugural event, we're serving up an incredible 20 bounties with 10 on each starting day.

Unlike any event with such an affordable buy-in, amateurs can share the felt with experienced pros, and this week will be no different as you'll get to lock horns with seasoned pros such as Nottingham-based Julian Thew. Only one month ago, Julian was holding aloft an unprecedented third GUKPT crown when he won in Coventry. Along with an EPT title and a list of results longer than Mr. Tickle's arms, he's undoubtedly one of the best pros the UK has ever produced.

Now you can play against him at Nottingham Live.

Black Belt Poker will also be well represented with all three Black Belts in attendance - Sam Razavi, Neil Channing, and Richard Ashby - as well as all of our Blue Belts, including most recent acquisition David Gentry who recently final-tabled the London Calling Main Event in his first outing as a Black Belt Poker sponsored pro.

The players who will be entering Dusk Till Dawn with a giant target etched on their foreheads are as follows:

Friday:

1. Peter Wigglesworth (London Live II Champion)
2. Richard Ashby (Black Belt)
3. Warren Wooldridge (Brown Belt)
4. Jerome Bradpiece (Brown Belt)
5. Jamie Burland (Blue Belt)
6. David Gentry (Blue Belt)
7. Julian Thew (Poker Pro)
8. Chris Edwards (BBP Staff Member)
9. Paul Spillane (BBP Staff Member)
10. Tristan McDonald (BBP Shareholder)

Saturday:

1. Neil Channing (Black Belt)
2. Sam Razavi (Black Belt)
3. Andy Miles (Blue Belt)
4. Simon Mairs (Blue Belt)
5. Ben Meredith (Blue Belt)
6. Adam 'Snoopy' Goulding (Blue Belt)
7. Robert Bulman (League XI Champion)
8. Jake Cody (Poker Pro)
9. Nick Wealthall (Poker Personality)
10. Paul Marrow (Poker Personality)

Each bounty will be easily identifiable by a chocolate Bounty bar, which they are under strict orders not to consume. If you eliminate a bounty, then dependent on your Belt level, you will receive a cash prize:

Yellow Belts: $10
Orange Belts: $100
Purple Belts+: $250

Nottingham is renowned for being the home of Robin Hood, and now is your chance to be an expert archer with equal prowess. You know your targets - so if you spot them at your table, pull back you bow, aim and fire, and who knows, you could be racking up those cash prize with multiple strikes.

News - Leg 3: Stevie Does It

Super Tuesday once again entertained us this week with another poker slobberknocker. As always, the Black Belt Poker League was first and foremost, and 95 were lured to the virtual felt in an attempt to echo the prior achievements of 'JosseWales' and 'JaytheHippy71'.

Although the field drew a number of unfamiliar names - a result, perhaps, of the Nottingham Live - the final table was a mixed bag with first-timers sharing the spotlight with regular attendees such as 'RykanShadow', 'Bambury' and League I winner (think smoke-filled saloons) Adam 'JHobbit1' Saunders.

After the pomp and circumstance transferred into a dogged and bloody battle, it was 'stevegw' who came out with his sword held high ($142.52 was the reward), closely followed by 'craigsidders' who'd turned a token into a $95.00 payday.

1st stevegw -- $142.52
2nd craigsidders -- $95.00
3rd Nanoplankton -- $59.37
4th FlopTheNuts77 -- $45.12
5th Bambury -- $35.62
6th RykanShadow -- $28.50
7th ChipRead77 -- $23.75
8th JHobbit1 -- $19.00
9th merlin52 -- $14.25
10th kippery -- $11.87

League XII has thus far proved to be one of the most open outings to date with none of the three opening leg winners featuring in the top five of the League Standings. Proving that the key to success to consistency is current leader Hasmukh '45683ah' Khodiyara with finishes of 3rd, 26th, and 32nd.

It was this kind of display that witnessed Hasmukh take down the 2011 WSOP Warrior League, which led to a WSOP package where he joined the Black Belt Poker team in the luxury Vegas mansion.

1st 45683ah -- 289 points
2nd taylormade777 -- 278 points
3rd bornTOflirt -- 276 points
4th losbert40 -- 264 points
6th JHobbit1 -- 263 points
6th Sarannedpity -- 262 points
7th JosseWales -- 255 points
8th tentofollow -- 252 points
9th NPenfold666 -- 249 points
10th JaytheHippy71 -- 249 points

If the top 10 are snug, then the next batch are like sardines in an elevator with a mere 23 points separating them.

11th Georgia20 -- 249 points
12th BoatDrink -- 247 points
13th bagpussrocks -- 244 points
14th doochats -- 243 points
15th RykanShadow -- 243 points
16th habbad -- 238 points
17th lionrampant27 -- 235 points
18th TeeDeeEye1 -- 234 points
19th KBV1TALS -- 231 points
20th Bambury -- 226 points

With the League behind them, 20 players decided to try and recoup their losses in the Deepstack Mulligan the following day. In the end, only three achieved that goal, although a total of five collected some added-bonus Community Points.

1st Cranfield -- $150.000 ($50 Belts Points)
2nd paul6543 -- $90.00 (30 Belt Points)
3rd losbert40 -- $60.00 (10 Belt Points)
4th Snotterz (5 Belt Points)
5th russellhansen (5 Belt Points)

On the same evening, the latest Orange Belt Freeroll saw 54 players lock horns. Five reaped the reards, thus earning themselves a slice of a Brown Belt in a future tournament. Congratulations to:

1st rustypokerhead -- $100 sponsorship
2nd stokelad112 -- $50 sponsorship
3rd JustinBieber -- $25 sponsorship
4th ourkidsid -- $25 sponsorship

The final Nottingham Live satellites also took place this week. Four players earned their entry at the very death: 'SchmidtSting', 'AmiDodge1986', 'drinko103' and 'playbadrungood'. Meanwhile, Yellow Belt Daniel 'Elderman10' Elder won entry into Saturday's £1,090 High-Roller event at DTD after fending off Neil Channing in last night's satellite.

As you may have already read, the iPOPS Giveaway graces our screens next week with iPOPS seats being handed out like Smarties. One event treated to the added value will be Leg 4 of the Black Belt Poker League - end the tournament as the last man standing and not only will you be entered into the Second Chance SNG, but you'll also win a a free token into Event #4 of the iPOPS.

We've made you an offer you can't refuse...

Too good to refuse? Then click here to download the software and open an account following the simple step-by-step process provided.

Previous reports:

Week 1 - 'JosseWales' Shoots to League XII Victory
Week 2 - 'JaytheHippy71' Rocks Leg 2

Thanksgiving on Black Belt Poker

November is a time for giving thanks Stateside with a family gathering and a turkey dinner, but on this side of The Pond, we'll be expressing gratitude by showering our players with more value than a January sale in our iPOPS Giveaway.

Next week, and following the conclusion of the Black Belt Nottingham Live, Black Belt Poker will be hosting three online tournaments with a total of six free seat into the iPOPS Main Event added to the prize pool:

Tue, Nov 22 (20:30) - $5+0.50 No Limit Hold'em Freezeout (1 x seat)
Wed, Nov 23 (20:30) - $15+1.5 Deepstack Mulligan (1 x seat)
Thu, Nov 24 (20:30) - $50+5 Deepstack Freezeout (4 x seats)

In addition, the winner of Leg 4 of League XII will also receive a free iPOPS seat. The Black Belt Poker League is a $5+0.50 No Limit Hold'em freezeout that takes place every Tuesday at 19:30.

It doesn't end there. In an exclusive offer to Nottingham Live players, anyone who makes the final table of any of the Black Belt Poker sponsored events spread across the three days (Friday - Sunday) will earn entry into our Nottingham Live Finalist Freeroll.

Scheduled for Tue, Nov 22 (21:00), the Nottingham Live Finalist Freeroll will see players battle it out for an iPOPS season ticket, the winner earning entry into all four iPOPS events.

The iPOPS (iPoker's Online Poker Series) is a mini-series of four online MTTs spanning from November 28 to December 4 with a combined $1,000,000 in guarantees.

The schedule is as follows:

Nov 28 -- Event #1: $100+9 NLH six-max freezeout ($200K GTD)
Nov 30 -- Event #2: $50+5 NLH turbo rebuy ($150K GTD)
Dec 02 -- Event #3: $100+9 PLO six-max single rebuy ($150K GTD)
Dec 04 -- Event #4: $125+10 NLH Main Event freezeout ($500K GTD)

Unique to Black Belt Poker, we're offering players even more opportunities to play the Main Event by completing one of five tasks during Events #1 to #3. And if you can eliminate a Black Belt from the Main Event, we'll send you over to the Czech Republic to play in the iPOPS Live Open. See here for more details.

With Belt Bonuses and cash bounties, it promises to be pouring value in Dusk Till Dawn, and the November rain will continue with our iPOPs Giveaway and Bust a Black Belt Promotions. So, tuck in your napkin, grab a glass of wine and prepare to dig into our poker roast, only on blackbeltpoker.com. You'd be clucking mad not to.

Click here to donwload the poker client.

Nottingham Live: Last Chance Saloon

In an unexpected twist, this week's Black Belt Nottingham Live has enjoyed a surge of late entries with seats being snapped up quicker than the Olympics, and despite adding 25 seats only three days ago, both days are close to selling out yet again.

As a result, Black Belt Poker have decided to add another 25 seats to both days, thus ensuring that anyone who wishes to play in the most fun event of the year can still secure their place at Dusk Till Dawn.

Registration is available exclusively through the poker client via Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments > Nottingham Live Day1A/1B. If you don't yet have an account, then simply click here to download the software and follow the step-by-step process provided.

The Nottingham Live is just two days away with Day 1A commencing on Friday at 12pm. Players will be competing for what is currently a $56,375 prize pool with added value in the form of Belt Bonuses and cash bounty prizes.

Tonight, at 20:30, also sees the final satellite grace the cyber felt. This truly is last chance saloon as Black Belt Poker once again guarantee two seats in our $20+2 No Limit Hold'em qualifier.

The evening's action doesn't end there. Also at 20:30, we have our $15+1.5 Deepstack Mulligan in which the top five receive Belt Points on top of the standard prize pool, whilst at 19:00 we have a $10+1 feeder into a $100+10 High-Roller satellite at 21:00.

Good luck at the tables, and we look forward to seeing everyone in Nottingham.

If you fancy a flutter, then click here to bet on the winner of Nottingham Live.

For more information on the event including satellites, hotels, side events and more, see our FAQs.

High-Roll to Nottingham

The Black Belt Nottingham Live is almost upon us, and with the likes of Jake Cody, Neil Channing and Julian Thew gracing the Dusk Till Dawn felt, the tournament is destined to be a high profile event with amateurs offered the chance to battle seasoned pros across the live baize.

The $125+15 Main Event is an affordable, fun-filled tournament accessible to all, but in order to cater for the more wallet-heavy in attendance, we'll also be holding a £1,000+90 High-Rollers six-max event on the Saturday evening at 7pm.

If there's a grand currently weighing down your pocket, then direct buy-in is available via the DTD cashier.

The tournament is scheduled to be a two-day event (dependent on numbers), with a 15,000 starting stack and 40-minute blinds. Re-entries and late registration will be allowed for the first six levels.

If £1,090 threatens to overstretch your bankroll, then don't worry, as on Wednesday, November 15 at 21:00, Black Belt Poker are hosting an online satellite with a $100+10 buy-in with a minimum of 18 entries.

But wait, if you don't even fancy stumping up $110, we have an even cheaper route: just two hours earlier at 19:00, there will be a $10+1 feeder, meaning that you could be a high-roller in Nottingham for just $10.

Both satellites can be located via the cardroom lobby under Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments.

If you can't make the online satellites or fancy a last-ditch attempt at High-Roller glory, then Dusk Till Dawn will be guaranteeing an incredible five seats in a live mega satellite at 3pm on the day of the tournament. The buy-in will be £100+12 with players starting with 5,000 in chips.

The High-Roller event runs adjacent to the Main Event, so if you're registered for the former but still alive in the latter come kick-off, you'll be entitled to a full refund. With four avenues, and satellites from as little as $10+1, this is an opportunity not to be missed.

The Nottingham Live commences on Friday, November 18-20. As well as the aforementioned tournaments, there will also be side events spread across the days with buy-ins ranging from £15 to £50, including a Super 50 with a £7,500 guaranteed prize pool.

For more information, check out our Nottingham Live FAQs.

Blue & Improved

Black Belt Poker already boast two UKIPT Champions, but in 2012 we're giving you even more incentive to complete the hat-trick with an incredible offer exclusive to Blue Belt players.

If you are a Blue Belt on January 1, 2012, you'll be eligible for an entire season's worth of UKIPT Main Events in addition to your standard sponsorship package. No Spending Points will be deducted and you'll still receive Prize Points - this is added value at no added cost!

The Blue and Improved offer is open to everyone. If you've been eying up Blue Belt, then now is the perfect time to work your way through the Belt-Up Rewards System and reap the rewards of being a Black Belt Poker sponsored pro.

To qualify for each leg of the UKIPT, all you have to do is ensure that you are Blue Belt during the month of the tournament. If you are, then Black Belt Poker will buy you in to that month's UKIPT Main Event, whether it be in Brighton, Galway, Nottingham or Newcastle.

The UKIPT is a popular series of tournaments spread across the UK and Ireland with buy-ins ranging from €500 to €1,000. Players featured include Vicky Coren, JP Kelly, Julian Thew and Jude Ainsworth.

In 2010, Jamie Burland became the first Black Belt Poker Champion when he took down the Brighton leg for £65,400. The following season, Black Belt Sam Razavi echoed that feat when he triumphed in Cork for €71,000. Sam would ultimately finish Season 2 as the Leaderboard Champion, earning himself free entry into each leg of the upcoming season.

Now you have a chance to join him.

As well as the standard $1,500 per month in live tournament backing, there are numerous advantages to being a Blue Belt on Black Belt Poker. Not only do you receive an array of training benefits, but you are also made to feel a part of a team with the chance to raise your profile through the many media opportunities that arise.

So, in 2012, make sure you're not singing the blues, but actually being blue as we look to take the upcoming UKIPT season by storm and crown a third consecutive champion.

Interested? Check out our promotions page and Belt-Up Rewards System for more details.

50 Seats Added to Nottingham Live

The fashion for modern day poker festivals has been low entry events with players embracing a deep structure and a chance to turn a small investment into a sumptuous payday.

The Black Belt Nottingham Live has proved no exception as players sold out Day 1B a week prior to kick-off, and are on the verge of snapping up the remaining Day 1A seats.

As a result of the demand, Black Belt Poker, in accordance with Dusk Till Dawn Poker Club, have decided to open up another 50 seats, with 25 added to each starting day.

If you've been holding back before registering, or were simply unable to make Day 1A, then now is your chance to participate in the most fun-filled, affordable event of the year. But don't delay, as seats are sure to sell quicker than a Neil Channing signed photo.

Registration is available exclusively through the poker client via Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments > Nottingham Live Day1A/1B. If you don't yet have an account, then simply click here to download the software and follow the step-by-step process provided.

The Nottingham Live commences on Friday, November 18, and is a three-day $125+15 No Limit Hold'em event in which 450 players will battle it out over a now $56,250 prize pool. There will also be mouth-watering bonuses with a potential $250 per bounty and up to 20 percent added to all cash prizes.

If you suffer an early crash in the Main Event, then don't fret as there are plenty of side events available to suit all bankroll sizes, including a £15+5 freezeout on Friday and a £1,000+90 six-max High-Roller event the following evening. DTD are even holding a £100+12 mega satellite into the High-Roller with an incredible five seats guaranted. There will also be SNGs and cash games available throughout the three days.

If you fancy a flutter, then click here to bet on the winner of Nottingham Live.

For more information on the event including satellites, hotels, side events and more, see our FAQs.

'JaytheHippy71' Rocks Leg 2

The second outing for the latest Black Belt Poker League graced the virtual felt last Tuesday, as 104 success-hungry poker fanatics returned to the cyber baize to once again battle it out for the Super Tuesday crown.

Seven days earlier, it was Barry 'JosseWales' Styles who took the proverbial bull by the horns when he reigned supreme in the opening leg, and this time he was in tip-top form once again as he continued his money-making formula with a second consecutive cash.

Top honours, however, fell in the hands of 'JaytheHippy71', who bested a brand new lineup of finalists in order to snap up the $140.40 booty. In doing so, he also joined 'JosseWales' in the Second Chance SNG, a one-table war in which all eight leg winners receive a second bite at the star-prize cherry.

1st JaytheHippy71 -- $140.40
2nd PaulAoKRoper -- $83.20
3rd bagpussrocks -- $52.00
4th stokelad112 -- $41.60
5th lionrampant27 -- $36.40
6th forget2piknik -- $31.20
7th MajorMustard -- $26.00
8th GGlitter69 -- $20.80
9th BoatDrink -- $15.60
10th losbert40 -- $10.40
11th Georgia20 -- $6.24
12th D014hyd3 -- $6.24
13th taylormade777 -- $6.24
14th IanLeBruceBBP -- $6.24
15th Nanoplankton -- $6.24
16th 10Royals -- $6.24
17th JosseWales -- $6.24
18th megaranaxx -- $6.24
19th ourkidsid -- $6.24
20th brigal19 -- $6.24

For either of these two players, it's possible that they won't need that second life, as they lead the way after two legs, 'JosseWales' with his nose in front. Meanwhile, Hasmukh '45683ah' Khodiyara is echoing the consistency that led to him becoming the 2010 WSOP League Ultimate Warrior with 3rd and 26th place finishes.

1st JosseWales -- 246 points
2nd JaytheHippy71 -- 238 points
3rd 45683ah -- 225 points
4th lionrampant27 -- 216 points
5th taylormade777 -- 213 points
6th ACarey -- 206 points
7th NeilChanning -- 198 points
8th bagpussrocks -- 197 points
9th tentofollow -- 196 points
10th bornTOflirt -- 194 points

Just missing out on the prize spots, but still well within reach, are a number of familiar monikers including League XI runner-up Andy 'BoatDrink' Butcher. Reigning champion Bob 'myteamouse' Bulman is far from 'mighty' this time around with a start that would make my 15-year old Ford Fiesta look reliable: 132nd and 73rd.

11th Sarannedpity -- 190 points
12th BoatDrink -- 190 points
13th adygolf -- 182 points
14th PaulAoKRope -- 181 points
15th losbert40 -- 180 points
16th Georgia20 -- 180 points
17th doochats -- 173 points
18th JHobbit1 -- 171 points
19th AMANESS13 -- 170 points
20th Iceman78Danny -- 170 points
21st liquidpoker101 -- 170 points

Whilst 'myteamouse' is stuttering in the League, he's running rampant elsewhere. Not only did he win this week's Yellow Belt Freeroll (congratulations to 'maffew1' who triumphed in the White equivalent), but he was also one of two winners in the Bang for Ya Buck Nottingham Live satellite.

Bang for Ya Buck offered players the chance to qualify into the upcoming Black Belt Nottingham Live for just $1, and it was this carrot that lured precisely 100 hopefuls into their armchairs. The other seat, meanwhile, went to the curiously named 'friedliceplick' who will be joining 399 others at the luxurious Dusk Till Dawn Poker Club.

This wasn't the only avenue to Nottingham, as our thrice-weekly satellites once again produced four more seats. They went to: 'NLsoldier07', 'gnomeeee', 'HammerHorror' and 'megaranaxx'. I tip my hat to you all, in particular 'gnomeeee' who earned his ticket for just $6 in Tuesday's $3 rebut.

Finally, Wednesday's Deepstack Mulligan once again found a winner, that wo/man being 'Yosemity2207'.

1st Yosemity2207 -- $142.50 (50 Belt Points)
2nd myteamouse -- $85.50 (30 Belt Points)
3rd Snotterz -- $57.00 (10 Belt Points)
4th losbert40 (5 Belt Points)
5th MUSTBENICE11 (5 Belt Points)

If you would like to join in with any of the above tournaments, then be sure to check out next week's schedule as we inch closer to Nottingham. Next week will be your last chance to unearth your golden ticket, so make sure you take a stab at one of our satellites, including our ongoing $20 SNGs that can be found in the Black Belt Poker lobby.

Desperate to join in? Then click here to download the software and open an account following the simple step-by-step process provided.

Previous reports:

Week 1 - 'JosseWales' shoots to League XII victory

Sam Trickett Joint Favourite to Win Nottingham Live

With the Black Belt Nottingham Live precisely one week away, Boylesports.com have decided to run a book for all entrants with recently announced bounties Jake Cody and Sam Trickett joint favourites at 25:1 to take down the lion's share of the $50,000 guaranteed prize pool and become the inaugural Champion.

Few could argue with the decision. With a near $8 million in live tournament winnings between them and more silverware than the Manchester United trophy cabinet, Sam and Jake are undoubtedly two of the country's most talented players. Whilst Jake boasts the fastest Triple Crown in poker, Sam - who is sponsored by Titan Poker - is a high-rolling machine, winning almost A$3 million at the Aussie Millions and partaking in some of the world's biggest cash games in Macau.

Snapping at their heels like a starved alligator is Black Belt Poker co-founder and 2008 Irish Open Champion Neil Channing at 33:1, whilst sharing the same odds is Blue Belt and UKIPT Brighton Champion Jamie Burland. Meanwhile, Jerome Bradpiece is priced at 40:1 with fellow Brown Belt and former London Live finalist Warren Wooldridge not too far behind at an enticing 50:1.

Also available for a punt are Black Belt Poker sponsored pros Richard Ashby, Kevin Williams, Sam Razavi, Ben Meredith, Andy Miles, Simon Mairs, and recently crowned Blue Belt David Gentry. Past League winners are also featured, including League XI Champion Robert 'myteamouse' Bulman who comes in at an alluring 100:1.

If you fancy spicing up your day, then click here to place your bet on the winner of the Black Belt Nottingham Live.

The Nottingham Live is scheduled for November 18-20 and marks Black Belt Poker's debut at the UK's largest and most celebrated cardroom, Dusk Till Dawn. As well as 20 bounties, Black Belt Poker are also adding up to 20% onto all prizes, meaning that you could potentially add thousands to your prize.

Day 1B has sold out, but there are still seats available, but you need to be quick. Registration is available through the poker client only at Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments > Nottingham Live Day1A. If you don't yet have an account, then simply click here to download the software and follow the step-by-step process provided.

For more information on the event including satellites, hotels, side events and more, see our FAQs.

UK's Hottest Talents Head to Nottingham

As has become customary with Black Belt Poker live events, pros and amateurs alike share the felt in a bid to become Champion, with first-time players having the opportunity to face some of the game's greatest poker prodigies. The Nottingham Live is no exception, as we announce Jake Cody and Sam Trickett as two of the bounties for the inaugural event.

With in excess of $5 million in tournament winnings, Sam is considered by many to be the UK's hottest talent. In the last 12 months, he has sky-rocketed to stardom with an endless run of big-money scores including final tables in the WSOPE and Partouche Poker Tour. His most lucrative achievement, however, was first and second in the two biggest tournaments he'd ever played: the A$100,000 and A$250,000 High-Roller events at the 2011 Aussie Millions.

Even before his trip to Melbourne, Sam was turning heads. In 2008, he became Luton GUKPT Champion and then final-tabled two WSOP events a couple of years later. Following an EPT final table in Vilamoura, he captured his second title just a month later when he won the World Open VI for $200,000. Meanwhile, he has become the face of Titan Poker, where he currently plays some of the highest stakes available online.

If those accolades send a shiver down your spine, then consider the contents of Jake's trophy cabinet. Earlier this year, the poker whiz from Rochdale lapped up his first WSOP bracelet to date, defeating Yevgeniy Timoshenko in the finale of the $25,000 Heads-Up event to best what was likely one of the toughest line-ups ever assembled.

Victory also marked the completion of the Triple Crown, which includes his EPT Deauville and WPT London triumphs. Jake achieved this incredible feat quicker than anyone else before him. In total, he boasts over $2.8 million in live tournament winnings, and this will be his third Black Belt Poker appearance to date after competing in both London Live events.

It is therefore a great honour that Sam and Jake will be gracing us with their presence at Dusk Till Dawn Poker Club, and playing as bounties in the event. There will be 20 bounties in total, and cash bonuses for removing them from the tournament. Everyone will receive $20 for eliminating a bounty, but if you are an Orange or Purple (or above) Belt, you will earn $100 and $250 respectively for each scalp.

The Nottingham Live is just over one week away, scheduled for November 18-20, but it's not too late to enter and secure your shot at the incredible bonuses on offer. If you fancy competing against the likes of Sam and Jake and taking your shot at a guaranteed $50,000 prize pool, then this is your chance.

Day 1B has sold out, but there are still seats available, but you need to be quick. Registration is available through the poker client only at Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments > Nottingham Live Day1A. If you don't yet have an account, then simply click here to download the software and follow the step-by-step process provided.

For more information on the event including satellites, hotels, side events and more, see our FAQs.

iPOPS: Bust a Black Belt

Tis the season for giving, and this year Christmas is coming early at Black Belt Poker with our Bust a Black Belt promotion.

In a special offer exclusive to Black Belt Poker players, if you eliminate Neil Channing, Richard Ashby or Sam Razavi from event #4 of iPOPS, you'll win a package to the iPOPS Live worth €1,450, including entry into the €700+70 iPOPS Live Open.

The iPOPS (iPoker's Online Poker Series) is a mini-series of four online MTTs spanning from November 28 to December 4 with a combined $1,000,000 in guarantees.

The schedule is as follows:

Nov 28 -- Event #1: $100+9 NLH six-max freezeout ($200K GTD)
Nov 30 -- Event #2: $50+5 NLH turbo rebuy ($150K GTD)
Dec 02 -- Event #3: $100+9 PLO six-max single rebuy ($150K GTD)
Dec 04 -- Event #4: $125+10 NLH Main Event freezeout ($500K GTD)

Event's #1 to 3 will be hosted by a Black Belt with a free tournament token into Event #4 up for grabs for achieving any of the following feats:

Bust the host
Bust by the host
Chip leader at the second break
Bubble boy (within five places)
Final table bubble

Complete any of these tasks and you'll receive entry into the $125+10 iPOPS Main Event on December 4, where you'll get to compete for a $500,000 guaranteed prize pool. And if you are able to eliminate a Black Belt from this final event, you'll be on your way to Prague to test your skills at the live felt.

This is a truly i-popping offer with value you won't find anywhere else. The promotion is only available to Black Belt Poker players, so if you don't play it on Black Belt Poker, you won't be eligible for any of these added bonuses.

The iPOPS tournaments can be found in the poker client on the left hand side. If you don't already have an account, then creating one is easy. Simply download the cardroom software by clicking here and follow the step-by-step process provided.

Once you iPOP, you just can't stop… just make sure you do so on Black Belt Poker.


Terms and Conditions:

- only those who play via Black Belt Poker are elligible
- to bust a host, you must eliminate them from the event (i.e. void if they decide to rebuy)
- players can not win multiple event #4 seats
- only one iPOPS Live package can be won
- package winner will represent Black Belt Poker at the event
- Black Belt Poker have the right to publish the name of anyone who wins an iPOPS Live package
- standard blackbeltpoker.com terms and conditions apply
- all decisions made by Black Belt Poker are final
- prizes are non-refundable, non-transferable, and cannot be converted to cash. The only exception is if a player makes the final 27 of Event #4 having also Bust a Black Belt. He then has the choice of playing iPOPS Live as well as the concluding stages of Event #4, or receiving the cash equivalent for his iPOPS Live package.

Gentry: A Class Above at London Calling

Last night, Blue Belt David Gentry finished fourth place in the London Calling Main Event at the Fox Poker Club in his first ever tournament as a sponsored pro. His performance netted him £6,000, as well as 19,221 in Belt Points.

In all, 120 players paid £540 to battle it out across the two days, including Orange Belt Dawn Cooke and Green Belt Paul Romain, the latter fresh off a DTD Monthly Deepstack final. On this occasion, however, Paul was unable to repeat that feat, the honour instead going to David who entered the final nine seventh in chips.

On a final table that witnessed more all-ins than the hokey cokey, David's coin appeared to be buttered the right side when he completed a hattrick of double-ups: first, he miraculously unraveled Ah-As with Kc-Qs on an ensuing Js-9s-Qd-Ts-8c board; then he won with 8-8 versus K-9; before surviving yet again when his Ah-7h improved to a flush against Kd-Jh.

Sadly, the rollercoaster soon dipped the other way when David doubled up a short-stack with A-J versus 7-7. And a few hands later, he was catapulted from the ride: three-bet shoving with Kc-Jh, but being looked up by Ah-Ts which ultimately held firm on an thrill-less Qs-4h-2d-5d-6c board. His assassin was 25-year old stockbroker and eventual champion Chris Gordon.

Despite walking the plank, David still collected some sumptuous booty for his troubles and kicked off his Black Belt Poker career in spectacular fashion. In addition to picking up £6,000 for fourth place, David also earned 19,221 in Prize Points, which equates to almost an entire month of Blue Belt maintenance.

A 26-year old former dealer from Broadstairs, Kent, David is a full-ring cash game pro who worked his way through the Belt-Up Rewards System to become the latest Black Belt Poker sponsored pro, joining the likes of Jamie Burland and Kevin Williams as a Blue Belt and receiving $1,500 in live tournament backing every month.

Click here to read an interview with David in which he discusses his ascent through the ranks, life as a pro, and his aims for the future.

In other news, former Graders Joe Roberts and Tom Drew also featured on final tables. Joe came third in the H.O.R.S.E. event, whilst Tom captured the title in the six-max event for a £2,700 payday.

1st Chris Gordon -- £17,000
2nd Bruno Fernandes -- £14,000
3rd Simon Hemsworth -- £7,200
4th David Gentry -- £6,000
5th Terrence Mitford -- £4,700
6th Chuck Clark -- £3,000
7th Willie Tann -- £2,400
8th Alan Mansbridge -- £1,800
9th Simon Brooks -- £1,200