'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

'JosseWales' Shoots to League XII Victory

It seems like only yesterday that Adam 'JHobbit1' Saunders was busy tearing up the virtual felt to capture the inaugural League title. Over two years on and the Black Belt Poker League is back once again for its twelfth outing, the fields having swelled to 100-plus, and the added value making Super Tuesday an unmissible evening of poker festivity.

This time, 133 players set about their journey to League glory with all eyes on reigning Champion Bob 'myteamouse' Bulman, whose League XI victory earned him free entry into the upcoming Black Belt Nottingham Live. On this occasion, however, his venture endured a bumpy start when he bubbled the wooden spoon in 132nd.

After a hard-fought battle, first blood would ultimately be drawn by Orange Belt Barry 'JosseWales' Styles. He defeated Kim insider66666' Vernon to capture the $179.55 first prize. Meanwhile, League XI runner-up and pacesetter Karl 'KV1TALS' Briggs got off to another explosive start with a fifth-place finish, whilst Black Belt Neil Channing also made the money in nineteenth.

1st JosseWales -- $179.55
2nd insider66666 -- $106.40
3rd 45683ah -- $66.50
4th badbeefy -- $53.20
5th KBV1TALS -- $46.55
6th Sarannedipity -- $39.99
7th Mrdroodle -- $33.20
8th bornTOflirt -- $26.60
9th tentofollow -- $19.95
10th luckyed147 -- $13.30
11th huzi9mm -- $7.98
12th ACarey -- $7.98
13th taylormade777 -- $7.98
14th NPenfold666 -- $7.98
15th KidDonut -- $7.98
16th themackem1968 -- $7.98
17th Iceman78Danny -- $7.98
18th doochats -- $7.98
19th NeilChanning -- $7.98
20th UsainZeus -- $7.98

As a result - and many thanks to my maths A-level for finally coming into use - the League Standings currently look as such after one leg.

1st JosseWales -- 158 points
2nd insider66666 -- 150 points
3rd 45683ah -- 146 points
4th badbeefy -- 142 points
5th KBV1TALS -- 139 points
6th Sarannedipity -- 136 points
7th Mrdroodle -- 133 points
8th bornTOflirt -- 130 points
9th tentofollow -- 127 points
10th luckyed147 -- 125 points

Triumph not only places 'JosseWales' at the top of the tree, but also secures him a spot in our Second Chance SNG. Brand new to Black Belt Poker, any player who wins a leg over the course of the eight weeks will be automatically eligible for a SNG taking place on December 21 with the eventual winner receiving the same star prize as the overall champion.

Before Santa Clause descends the chimney tops, however, Black Belt Poker are dishing out our own seasonal gifts at the Black Belt Nottingham Live, due to grace the Dusk Till Dawn Poker Club from November 18-20. Registration is currently available through the Black Belt Poker client, but you can also gain reduced entry through one of our thrice-weekly satellites.

This week, we gave away another five guaranteed seats, including two in Wednesday's qualifier which witnessed an incredible $100 overlay.

Monday, $10+1 freezeout, 19 runners, one seat guaranteed:

1st Nanoplankton -- Nottingham Live seat
2nd gingerninja11111 -- $25.00
3rd jokerage -- $15.00
4th deanmac1 -- $10.00

Tuesday, $3+0.3 rebuy, 20 runners, one seat guaranteed:

1st ACarey -- Nottingham Live seat
2nd gnomeeee -- $5.00
3rd russellhansen -- $3.00
4th HammerHorror -- $2.00

Wednesday, $20+2, 9 runners, two seats guaranteed:

1st myteamouse -- Nottingham Live seat
2nd GOLDENSOMBRE -- Nottingham Live seat

If you would like to join the above players in Nottingham, then be sure to check out our qualifiers next week, including Thursday's Bang For Ya Buck at 20:30, a one-off satellite with a buy-in of just $1. With two seats guaranteed, many are forecasting an overlay, thus making this an incredible opportunity to qualify for the year's most fun-filled event for a single buck.

For the second week running, the Deepstack Mulligan rewarded the top five players with Belt Points, in addition to the standard prize pool. In the end, it was Sean 'Snotterz' Fennessey who rose highest, besting a field of 31 (of which included Black Belt Sam 'KODDZILLA' Razavi and Blue Belt Ben 'AsboKid666' Meredith) to snap up the 50 Belt Points and $186.00 first prize. Triumph also marked a hat-trick of Mulligan wins for the Scot.

1st Snotterz -- $186.00 (50 Belt Points)
2nd 7onyB -- $116.25 (30 Belt Points)
3rd tentofollow -- $74.40 (10 Belt Points)
4th nakgeela4 -- $51.15 (5 Belt Points)
5th ZoeRiZZ0 -- $37.20 (5 Belt Points)

In other news, Malcolm 'lionrampant' Sievweright and Carey 'CareyBearBBP' Hollick lapped up the two Nottingham Live packages (including spending money) in Wednesday's Nottingham Live Freeroll, whilst 'Iam2real2deal' and 'booterswex' won this week's White and Yellow Belt Freerolls on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.

Next week, we're once again inviting you to take the Black Belt Poker tour through Valueville with yet more satellites, freerolls, and deep-stacked tournaments, all at affordable prices and with juicy prizes/money added.

Meanwhile, Leg 2 of the League will commence at 19:30 on Super Tuesday. Even if you missed the opening leg, you can still become Champion and join the Black Belt Poker pros at the Vic in December. And remember, if you participate in all eight legs, we'll instantly credit your account with 200 Belt Points, regardless of position. It's value too good to be ignored.

Want a piece of the pie? Then click here to download the software and open an account following the simple step-by-step process provided.

Play Nottingham Live for a Single Buck

Black Belt Poker thrive on offering players the chance to win a lot from a little, and in less than a week's time, we'll be giving you exactly that with our Bang For Ya Buck Nottingham Live satellite.

At 20:30 on Thursday, November 10, we'll be offering players the chance to qualify into the inaugural Black Belt Nottingham Live for just $1. What's more, we're guaranteeing two seats worth $125+15 each, with the winners heading to the Dusk Till Dawn Poker Club to battle it out with 400 others for a $50,000 prize pool.

This is a one-time opportunity and available to all players. To participate, all you have to do is start up the Black Belt Poker client and locate the event in the lobby via Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments > Notts Live Bang For Ya Buck.

If you're yet to open an account, then doing so couldn't be easier: simply click here to download the poker software and follow the step-by-step process provided.

The tournament will be a $1+0.10 Not Limit Hold'em event with one rebuy and add-on, meaning that you can qualify for a single buck, with a maximum expenditure of just three dollars. For those looking to save the pennies, this is an incredible chance to secure your seat in the most fun-filled event of the year for a bargain-bucket price.

The Nottingham Live is fast approaching and will hit DTD shores this November 18-20. The event will be a feast of value with Belt Bonuses, pro bounties and more! Day 1B may have sold out, but seats are still available for Day 1A. If you would like to buy-in directly, then registration is available through the poker client at Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments > Nottingham Live Day1A.

Don't forget, that even if you have already bought in, you can still win a cheap seat via any of our satellites, and receive an immediate refund on your original buy-in by unregistering from the event. Satellites run thrice-weekly at 20:30 on Monday to Wednesday, followed by the Bang For Ya Buck satellite on Thursday.

Don't miss out on your chance to turn a small acorn into a giant money tree.

For more information on the Nottingham Live, please see our FAQs.

Day 1B of Nottingham Live - Sold Out!

The November Nine are still dreaming of bracelet-gold; we're yet to light our sparklers for Bonfire Night; our doors haven't even been graced by the ghouls and ghosts of Halloween!

Yet, with over three weeks to go, Day 1B of the Black Belt Nottingham Live has already sold out.

Earlier today, the final seats for the second starting day were snapped up quicker than a hiccup as players looked to secure a seat into the most exciting event of the year. Making its debut this November 18-20, the Nottingham Live is a $125+15 No Limit Hold'em freezeout boasting pro bounties, Belt Bonuses and a mouth-watering $50,000 guaranteed prize pool.

In addition to the Main Event, there will also be five side events spread across the three days, including a two-day £1,000 High Roller event taking place at 7pm on Saturday. Players can register for these tournaments and the other side events at the Dusk Till Dawn cashier.

With three days remaining, it's not too late to increase your Belt Level and take advantage of the sumptuous added value on offer. Play the event as an Orange Belt and you'll receive $100 for each bounty and 10% added to all prizes, but play as Purple, and you'll earn $250 per bounty and an amazing 20% added!

With 15,000 starting stacks and 40-minute blind levels, the Nottingham Live provides players with a fun-filled, yet competitive tournament for an affordable price. 200 players have already booked their place in Saturday's starting day, but there are still seats available for Day 1A on the Friday. However, they will sell out, and fast, so don't delay, register now before it's too late.

Registration is via the Black Belt Poker poker client only. To buy in directly, locate the event in the lobby at Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments > Nottingham Live Day 1A. Alternatively, you can purchase a token using Spending Points, or qualify through one of our three weekly satellites. If you haven't donwloaded the software, then you can do so by clicking here.

For more information, please see our FAQs.

Razavi Tops UKIPT Leader Board

With the London EPT marking the conclusion of this season's UKIPT, Black Belt Poker sponsored pro Sam Razavi has been crowned UKIPT Leaderboard Champion, winning buy-ins and accommodation for the entire third season.

Sam topped the table with 240.35 points, fending off a tough chasing pack that included serial casher Rupinder Bedi, double finalist Chris Dowling, and Edinburgh Champion Fintan Gavin.

Despite being an online cash game pro, Sam secured victory with four in-the-money finishes totalling an impressive $108,754. These included cashes in Nottingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Cork, where he left with the title in hand, thus giving Black Belt Poker its second Champion to date after Jamie Burland won Season 1's Brighton leg.

The final results were as follows:

1st Sam Razavi -- 240,35
2nd Rupinder Bedi -- 220,9
3rd Chris Dowling -- 206,95
4th Paul Nash -- 194,7
5th Nick Abou Risk -- 192,3
6th Mike Hill -- 178,8
7th Fintan Gavin -- 167,5
8th Richard Lawlor -- 165,25
9th Richard Haile -- 165,1
10th Sam MacDonald -- 164

Fellow Black Belt Poker pros Jamie Burland and Kevin Williams finished 14th and 19th respectively with a combined five cashes.

A former thespian from Brighton, Sam was a product of the Black Belt Poker Grading, which led him to Sidney where he final-tabled the Aussie Millions Main Event for A$225,000. His sixth place finish awarded him enough Prize Points to join Neil Channing and Richard Ashby as one of three Black Belts earning $10,000 a month in live tournament backing.

"Although I have a long way to go to cement a name for myself in tournament poker," commented a jubilant Sam, "I've enjoyed consistently deep runs throughout 2011. I only decided to put my foot into tournament poker at the start of this year, so to then go and top the UKIPT leaderboard is the icing on the cake. It should put a temporary 'cork' into the mouths of those people who think I just sit around all day waiting for fish without working on my game."

"With regards to Season 3 of the UK," he continued, "and in the words of Tony G: ''I'm going to destroy you. I'm going to send you all home. Go on. On your bike!''"

Before Season 3, however, Sam will be busy with the Champion of Champions, which is due to be filmed prior to the opening leg.

In the meantime, he will be sharing his knowledge to debuting players in a live Dojo Session at the Black Belt Nottingham Live. Tickets are a snip at just 300 Spending Points and are available via the Black Belt Poker Store under Live Events.

In the Nick of Time

After finishing second in January's event, the Black Belt Poker faithful returned to the APAT UK Team Championships this past weekend with the goal of climbing one more rung and bringing home the coveted team title.

'The British Cowboy' Jon Woodfield jumped into the saddle once more, captaining an eight-player team that included a trio of Orange Belts in Richard Hurst, Chris Osborne and Nick Mazur. They were joined by Alan Lake, Michelle Gascoine, and future husband-wife combo Adam Sharples and Julie Holness.

In the end, 184 runners ambushed the G Casino in Luton, thus creating a £9,200 prize pool. 50 percent would end up in the welcome hands of the top three teams, whilst the other half would be spread across the highest individual finishers.

Although Black Belt Poker boasted two players in the top 50, only one man made it to the money, Nick Mazur, and with the final table set, he lay in a respectable fourth place with 195,000. The then-leader was Rob Swindells of the Gambling Network Forum with 353,000.

Thankfully, Black Belt Poker's lone soldier enjoyed a fruitful start when he eliminated Phil Laws in ninth, Nick's aces holding against kings in an unavoidable cooler. A few spots later, and Nick found the bullets again, this time snipering down fourth-place finisher John Murray who'd moved all in from the button with 4-2.

After disposing of Karl McDonald in third (A-J improving versus T-T), Nick found himself heads-up for the title against final hurdle Ian Thompson of the APAT Forum. Armed with a substantial chip lead, Nick saw off his foe an hour later with 7-4 versus K-J, all in on the turn of a J-4-x-4 board. A harmless river and Nick was the Champion, earning himself £1,300 and giving Black Belt Poker back-to-back titles following Niall Farrell's triumphant performance in January.

As per that occasion, Black Belt Poker weren't quite able to compliment individual success with a team victory for the desired double. That honour instead went to Gambling Network Forum (who boasted two finalists) whilst The Hendon Mob came second. Team Black Belt didn't miss out entirely, however, as their pooled performance was enough to pick up third for a highly respectable £920, placing them above no less than 20 other teams.

"I'm glad I managed to secure some money for the team," beamed Champion Nick Mazur later than night. "I'm also very happy that the boss agreed to give me the morning off since I've just got in after a few beers and jaegerbombs with Jon!"

"The structure of these APAT games are superb," added Chris Osborne, "and there are loads of play in them if anyone is looking for live games to play."

So, all in all, a profitable journey for Team Black Belt, in particular Nick who left with some silverware in hand. Our thanks go out to Jon for organising the team, and the team members themselves for keeping Black Belt Poker on the podium.

Individual results:

1st Nick Mazur -- £1,300
2nd Ian Thompson -- £700
3rd Karl McDonald -- £450
4th John Murray -- £350
5th George Lawson -- £250
6th Gary Peniket -- £200
7th Rob Swindells -- £170
8th Peter Lawton -- £150
9th Phil Laws -- £130

Team results:

1st Gambling Network Forum (120 points) -- £2,300
2nd The Hendon Mob Forum (108 points) -- £1,380
3rd Black Belt Poker (105 points) -- £920

4th APAT Forum (101 points)
5th Hetton Social Poker League (98 points)
6th Blonde Poker (91 points)
7th A World Of Poker (89 points)
8th Live Pub Poker League (89 points)
9th Newcastle Poker Forum (89 points)
10th Punters Lounge (80 points)
11th Black Country Poker Club (44 points)
12th APAT Luton Club (41 points)
13th Lee Barrett Poker Nights (38 points)
14th Bristol Meetup (36 points)
15th Elite Amateur Poker League (35 points)
16th Eatmystack Forum (34 points)
17th Chorley Poker League (21 points)
18th London Poker Meetup (20 points)
19th Maple Dragon Poker Club (18 points)
20th APAT Champions (10 points)
21st FISO (8 points)
22nd Betfair Forum (0 points)
23rd iLovePlayingPoker (0 points)

Deepstack Mulligan: Value to a Tee

Every Wednesday at 20:30, Black Belt Poker host the Deepstack Mulligan. At just $15+1.5, the tournament offers players an affordable avenue into the world of deep-stacked poker, serving up a blind and level structure that gives skill the utmost chance to prevail over luck.

Starting this week, Black Belt Poker will now be offering Belt Points for the top five finishers in the Mulligan, as well as the usual cash prizes.

Belt Points will be awarded as follows:

1st 50
2nd 30
3rd 10
4th 5
5th 5

The Mulligan is a small tournament mainly populated by community players, so with five prizes up for grabs, it now presents a great opportunity to add some vital points to your Belt Points balance, whilst aiding your Belt maintenance/promotion for the month.

If you're yet to taste the value on offer at Black Belt Poker, then now is the perfect time to join, in particular with the upcoming Nottingham Live hitting Dusk Till Dawn shores this November.

To sign up, simply download the Black Belt Poker client and follow the step-by-step instructions provided. The tournament can then be found in the tournament lobby under Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments > Deepstack Mulligan.

The Mulligan isn't the only great tournament exclusive to Black Belt Poker. As well as thrice-weekly satellites into the Nottingham Live (20:30, Mon-Wed), we also host three freerolls for various Belts, including a $50 White Belt Freeroll every Wednesday at 20:00.

On Tuesday, November 01, the Black Belt Poker League will return for its twelfth outing with players once again battling it out over the course of eight legs of $5+0.50 No Limit Hold'em. This time, the winner will be invited to the Black Belt Poker Christmas party where they'll get to wine and dine with the pros, before participating in a £100 SNG with the likes of Neil Channing and Richard Ashby.

For more details on League XII, and any other of our promotions, check out the site now.

iPOPS Live: Czech-Raise to Prague

This December 9-11, Black Belt Poker are offering players the chance to exchange the online world for the live felt and celebrate the festive season in style with the first ever iPOPS Live Open.

Set to grace the Corinthia Hotel in Prague, the iPOPS Live Open will be a €700+70 No Limit Hold'em freezeout with players Czech-raising their way through two days of hot poker action. Entry will initially be exclusive to network players, with open registration on the day of the event.

Players currently have three opportunities every week to qualify for the event via the following super satellites:

Sundays (19:00) -- €80+8 NLH freezeout
Wednesdays (19.00) -- €50+5 rebuy
Thursdays (19:00) -- €80+8 NLH freezeout

As always, Black Belt Poker are also supplying an array of feeders and catering for all wallet sizes with tiered qualifiers starting from as little as $0.66+0.06. There will also be also be numerous SNGs running throughout the week.

If you're fortunate to earn entry into a super satellite and then go on to secure your seat into the iPOPS Open Live, you will receive a package worth €1,450. The package includes:

€770 buy-in for the Main Event
€255 for 4 nights of accommodation
€25 for handling fees.
€400 for flights and spending.
Players' party December 9 at 20:30.

The iPOPS Live Open will also play host to the conclusion of the iPOPS (iPoker's Online Poker Series), taking place from November 28 to December 4 and serving up a cool $1,000,000 in guarantees. The final 27 players in Event #4's $125+10 freezeout will be flown to Prague where they will play to a finish on December 10.

December is usually a quiet month in poker, but iPoker are ensuring that Christmas comes early with the iPOPS. So, whether you wish to play the live event, or soak up the guarantees in the online mini-series, be sure to do so on Black Belt Poker and we'll see you in Prague.

Going Live with Sensei Razavi

Excitement is reaching boiling point as the inaugural Black Belt Nottingham Live is fast-approaching and now less than four weeks away. Scheduled for November 18-20, the Nottingham Live will see players from across the nation ambush the Dusk Till Dawn Poker Club to participate in the year's most affordable and fun-filled event.

For many, the Nottingham Live will be their first foray into the world of live poker, and some will likely be anxious about making that nerve-wracking transition from the virtual felt to green of the live baize and competing in a 400-runner field in the UK's largest poker cardroom.

But don't worry, as help is available in the form of Black Belt and UKIPT Cork Champion Sam Razavi.

Armed with a decade of experience at the live felt, Sam will seek to guide you through those first steps in a one-off live Dojo Session. Starting at 7pm on Friday, November 18, our 'Going Live' Dojo Session is the perfect opportunity for Day 1B players to learn from one of the game's best players before entering the battlefield themselves the following day.

An poker pro from the mean streets of Brighton, Sam burst onto the Black Belt Poker scene when he was one of two winners in Grading III, earning himself an Aussie Millions package. Several weeks later and Sam was A$225,000 richer courtesy of a sixth place finish in the Main Event and had enough Prize Points to become the first player ever to work their way through the Belt-Up Rewards system to Black Belt. He would late go on to win UKIPT Cork and become the overall UKIPT Leaderboard Season Two Champion.

Oozing in onfidence and a master of 'table talk', Sam is the perfect host and will be on hand to answer any questions you may have regarding the live experience, as well as warning you about some of the pitfalls debutants tend to stumble into. And if anyone can tell you about what live tells to be aware of, it's Sam, whose thespian background has made him an expert of reading players and detecting bluffs.

If you would like one of the game's best young(ish) players to help quench those last-minute nerves and introduce you to the world of live poker, then sign up now by purchasing a token with your Spending Points. Tickets are a bargain at just 300 Spending Points, and can be located in the Black Belt Poker Store under 'Live Events'. But don't delay, as the Session is limited to 10 seats and will sure to sell out long before the event.

League XII: A Black Belt Poker Christmas

O come, all ye faithful, the new league is upon us, and we're once again decking the halls with boughs of value with a festive star prize, as well as some added bonuses yet to be seen on Black Belt Poker.

League XII is coming to town on Tuesday, November 01 at 19:30. Players will compete over eight weeks of $5+0.5 No Limit Hold'em shenanigans with the final leg concluding on Tuesday, December 20.

For many, all they want for Christmas is the chance to meet Neil Channing, but in League XII, the lucky winner will receive an invite to the Black Belt Poker Christmas dinner on Thursday, December 22 at the Grosvenor Victoria Casino where he or she will dine with our entire team of sponsored pros.

After the mistletoe and wine of dinner, the Champion will then be entered into a one-table £100 SNG to battle it out across the live felt against the BBP pros, including the likes of UKIPT winners Jamie Burland and Sam Razavi, and bracelet-winner Richard Ashby.

Points for each leg will be awarded in reverse order, so that in a 50-runner event, 50th would earn 1 point, and 1st 50 points. The top 10 finishers per leg receive the following additional points:

1st 25 Points
2nd 18 Points
3rd 15 Points
4th 12 Points
5th 10 Points
6th 08 Points
7th 06 Points
8th 04 Points
9th 02 Points
10th 01 Point

Once again, 10 players will be having themselves a very merry Christmas with some juicy added prizes:

1st Invite to BBP Christmas Party & Seat in £100 Pro SNG
2nd 1,000 Belt Points
3rd 850 Belt Points
4th 725 Belt Points
5th 600 Belt Points
6th 500 Belt Points
7th 400 Belt Points
8th 300 Belt Points
9th 200 Belt Points
10th 100 Belt Points

The BBP Wonderland doesn't end there, however, as on Wednesday, December 21, we'll be hosting a Second Chance SNG online for all leg winners. The winner will then join the overall Champion at the Christmas party to play and participate in the Pro SNG, thus meaning that even if you fall behind in the standings or join proceedings as late as Leg 8, you still have a shot at the star prize!

And it doesn't end there. In keeping with the season of giving, we'll be dishing out an additional 200 Belt Points to anyone who participates in all eight league legs, absolutely free and regardless of position.

So here it is, Merry Xmas, everybody. On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 12 drummers drumming; on the 12th league, we're going to shower someone in added value and add them to an illustrious list.

This time, it could be you...

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
League VIII: Trevor Ingman
League IX: Jamie Burland
League X: Tom Drew
League XI: Bob Bulman
League XII: ?

League XII can be located under Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments in the tournament lobby. To download the software, simply click here and follow the step-by-step process provided.

iPOPS: $1,000,000 in Guarantees

Start plucking the turkey and hanging up the stockings as Christmas has come early for Black Belt Poker players this year with our latest mouth-watering promotion: iPoker's Online Poker Series.

Starting November 28, iPOPS is a mini-series of four online tournaments that will see players fight it out for an incredible $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, including $500,000 for the Main Event.

The schedule is as follows:

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

If you are lucky to make the final 27 of the Main Event, then you will be whisked off to the Czech Republic where the tournament will play to a finish at the Corinthia Hotel in Prague. You'll also be playing alongside the first ever iPOPS Live Open, a €700+70 freezeout taking place on December 10-11.

With such huge guarantees, there's a very high chance that the iPOPS will boast overlays, in particular the Main Event which will require a hefty 4,000 entrants in order to reach the guarantee - the maths suggest that this could be yet another visit to Valuetown.

If the buy-ins put a strain on your bankroll, then don't fret, as Black Belt Poker are serving up satellites from as little as $0.1+$0.01, as well as the usual array of SNG qualifiers. And for those looking to play in the iPOPS Live Open, qualifiers are also available via the tournament lobby.

Don't miss out on this i-popping promotion!

Click here for more information.

Academy - PLO: The Action Game

In less than a week's time, Black Belt Poker will be ambushing the Grosvenor Victoria Casino in London for our penultimate Academy of the year. Scheduled for Saturday, October 22, the topic of discussion will be: PLO: The Action Game.

Although Hold'em may be the game of choice for many players, Omaha is quickly increasing in popularity as players go in search of a more action-packed game. As a result, there is a lot of value in Omaha, and our mentors will be on hand to teach you just how you can take advantage of all that value and become a winning Omaha player.

And who better to learn from than bracelet-winner Richard Ashby? An online pro with decades of Omaha experience, Richard has played at some of the highest stakes available, competing against many of the biggest names in the game including Phil Ivey, Tom 'durrrr' Dwan, Patrik Antonius and Ilhari 'Ziigmund' Sahamies.

Richard will be joined by poker theorist and Bluff Europe Columnist Alex Rousso. Like many before him, Alex decided to make the transition from two cards to four, and has been making his living at the Omaha cash tables ever since. Armed with an in-depth knowledge of the game, Alex will take you through all the nuances of the four-card format, as well as ensuring you have the fundamentals in place to profit from what many believe to be the future of the game.

Very rarely will you be offered an intensive course in Pot Limit Omaha, but we're serving up that opportunity this Saturday with lectures, demonstrations, and workshops within smaller groups. Our mentors will also be happy to answer any questions or queries you might have.

"If this one doesn't get 25 people involved," commented Black Belt Poker co-founder Neil Channing, "then I really will wonder what people expect. To spend a day learning from one of the world's best for less than a hundred quid is amazing value."

Tickets cost a mere £99. If you would like to attend, then drop us an email as soon as possible at training@blackbeltpoker to discuss payment options and secure your seat. Alternatively, you can purchase a token in our Store under Live Events using Spending Points accrued at the Black Belt Poker tables.

See you there!

Jerome Bradpiece Finals WSOPE Event #3

After four years in the English Capital, this week marked the debut of the World Series of Poker Europe in Cannes, a tourist hotspot in the French Riviera which also plays host to the hugely popular Partouche Poker Tour.

One player who pursued the WSOPE down the English Channel is Black Belt Poker pro Jerome Bradpiece. Having already cashed in Event #2, Jerome further lined his pockets with a final table finish in Event #3's Pot Limit Omaha freezeout, ultimately departing in fifth place for €57,912.

A respectable 180 stumped up the €5,300 entry fee, including a seemingly endless array of poker talent: Tom 'durrrr' Dwan, Daniel Negreanu, Patrik Antonius, Jason Mercier, Bertrand 'ElkY' Grospellier and recent Hall of Fame nominee Barry Greenstein. But despite the esteemed opposition, Jerome finished Day 1 third in chips with 128,500, before surviving turbulent winds on Day 2 to make the final table in seventh place with 146,000.

The final lineup was tougher than a two-dollar steak with the likes of Ramzi Jelassi, Erich Kollmann, November Niner Eoghan O'Dea and Sam Trickett, the latter holding a mammoth chip lead with almost double that of Steve Billirakis in second. It was also an eclectic final, with Britain boasting the only duplicated flag.

After O'Dea seeped first blood in ninth, Jerome dispatched of Canadian Sam Chartier before climbing another two rungs when Kollmann and Konstantin Uspenskiy departed in seventh and sixth respectively.

With five remaining, Jerome was left as the short stack, but would enjoy a fortunate double-up after moving all in with Kh-Jh-Td-5d on a 7s-Js-Jd flop. Despite Trickett holding Ks-Kc-Jc-5c, Jerome snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when the As turn was pursued by a house-filling Tc river.

Those chips proved to be a temporary luxury, however, as Jerome doubled up American Billirakis shortly after, flat-calling a three-bet preflop with 6s-6h-2s-2h before open-shoving the Qs-8s-4c flop. Billirakis made the call with Ah-Ac-Th-7d and duly held firm on a harmless 8c turn and 3d river.

This setback left Jerome as the short stack once again, and upon returning from the dinner break, he moved his final chips in on a 9c-Kc-2s flop with Kd-Qc-Td-9d. Nemesis Billirakis' Jd-Tc-7c-3d improved to a flush and Jerome was forced to settle for fifth.

Although he later commented, "Cheers for the funk. I'm pretty gutted at the moment, but I'm sure I'll see the upside soon," this confirmed a return to form for the Brown Belt and former GUKPT Walsall Champion who has now cashed an impressive eight times since July for over $100,000, including a win in a London Calling Mini Festival side event in which girlfriend Sarah Berry finished in the runner-up spot.

In total, Jerome now has $602,502 in live tournament winnings, but makes his bread and butter online at Black Belt Poker where he plays Pot Limit Omaha cash, along with Black Belt Richard Ashby who had been railing him throughout the final. In this event, Jerome sold a small percentage of his action to a number of Black Belt Poker members, including Blue Belt Kevin Willams who'd shrewdly purchased a two percent share.

Following Jerome's demise, it was Billirakis who took top honours, adding to the gold he won in Vegas four years prior when he became the youngest bracelet-winner to date having only been above the minimum age for 11 days. Trickett, meanwhile, finished fourth and, like Jerome, will have to wait before adorning his wrist with a first bracelet win.

1st Steve Billirakis (United States) -- €238,140
2nd Michele Di Lauro (Italy) -- €147,171
3rd Ramzi Jelassi (Sweden) -- €105,937
4th Sam Trickett (United Kingdom) -- €77,642
5th Jerome Bradpiece (United Kingdom) -- €57,912
6th Konstantin Uspenskiy (Russia) -- €43,950
7th Erich Kollmann (Austria) -- €33,922
8th Samuel Chartier (Canada) -- €26,610
9th Eoghan O'Dea (Ireland) -- €21,221

The End Is Now; Bullseye for Bulman

The eleventh Black Belt Poker League drew to an exciting close last night as four Merry Men secured their seat into the inaugural Black Belt Nottingham Live in November. Not only do they receive buy-in to the $125+15 Main Event, but they'll automatically be entered into a last-longer with the last man standing (or sitting, rather) earning entry into the 2012 Black Belt London Live.

Heading into the final Leg, the top four was populated by Bob 'myteamouse' Bulman, Andy 'BoatDrink' Butcher, Nick 'nickhem1' Hemming, and Karl 'KBV1TALS' Briggs, and despite the chasing pack snapping at their heels like starved alligators, impressive performances from all four poker gladiators led to them holding firm to those spots and walking away with a star prize in their hands.

Although both 'nickhem1' and 'KBV1TALS' final-tabled (the latter losing the heads-up battle), the eighth and final leg was won by the debuting and fittingly named 'Th3End1sN1gh'. He defeated a super tough lineup to pick up the final bragging honours of League XI, as well as $81.61 in prize money.

Also notable in his presence was Jason 'Elysiumjay' Layland, who had been running hotter than the sun following wins in both previous legs. Vying for a record-breaking third consecutive League win, Layland just missed out on an incredible feat by departing in third.

1st Th3End1sN1gh -- $81.61
2nd KBV1TALS -- $56.10
3rd Elysiumjay -- $34.42
4th stevegw -- $25.50
5th ChipRead77 -- $19.12
6th TheZartog -- $25.50
7th nickhem1 -- $12.75
8th sceaga2 -- $10.20
9th RykanShadow
10th UliKoko

The overall Champion - of whom will now also receive a personalised Black Belt Poker hoodie - was 'myteamouse'. He'd already sewn up his seat heading into the event, but finished in style with a highly credible 16th place finish.

1st myteamouse (614 points) -- Nottingham Live seat & personalised hoodie
2nd KBV1TALS (587 points) -- Nottingham Live seat
3rd BoatDrink (574 points) -- Nottingham Live seat
4th nickhem1 (571 points)-- Nottingham Live seat

Despite the final League standings and scores, there were a handful of players who were still in touching distance of a Nottingham Live seat, but ultimately fell the wrong side of Lady Luck. '1895IAIAN', for example, was a mere six points behind fourth place 'KBV1TALS' at the start of play, but a disappointing 39th place finish saw him slip into sixth.

5th MrDroodle (526 points) -- 600 Belt Points
6th 1894IAIN (526 points) -- 500 Belt Points
7th sceaga2 (522 points) -- 400 Belt Points
8th Elysiumjay (509 points) -- 300 Belt Points
9th tristiano (506 points) -- 200 Belt Points
10th stevegw (505 points) -- 100 Belt Points

A number of players were close, but no cigar, with poor 'RykanShadow' dropping from 9th to 11th, replaced in the top 10 by 'stevegw', whose second consecutive final table was just about enough to see him pick up some prize points at the death.

11th RykanShadow (500 points)
12th dajaroo (467 points)
13th mork1971 (453 points)
14th ourkidsid (441 points)
15th PaulFauret (438 points)
16th Touagorimou (435 points)
17th BoraBoraBoy (429 points)
18th lionrampant27 (423 points)
19th ACarey (421 points)
20th StakattakBBP (418 points)

With the Nottingham Live nearing, players flooded into this week's satellites in an effort to earn their seat at a reduced rate. Four players achieved that feat" Geoff 'G3OFF' Douglas, Barry 'JosseWales' Styles, 'AnthonyZuzs85' and 'jaws30'. Mulligan honours went to 'CreamfieldsAA'.

If you were unable to find momentum in League XI, then don't fear as League XII is just around the corner and will commence in three weeks time on Tuesday, November 1. Details of the event will be announced shortly.

Previous reports:

Week 1 - New League, New Records
Week 2 - Godlike Performance from Chaplin
Week 3 - And It Was All Yellow
Week 4 - Alan Steer to Victory
Week 5 - Winning With Fennesse-y
Week 6 - Elysiumjay Denies Golden Boy
Week 7 - Elysiumjay Does the Double

Elysiumjay Does the Double

You've heard the saying: you wait ages for a bus then all of a sudden two come at the same time. Jason 'Elysiumjay' Layland can empathise with that.

It wasn't exacly centuries ago, but the last time the Orange Belt tasted victory in the BBP League was back in Leg 8 of League IX. Since then, things haven't been going as well.

But then, last week, Lady Luck returned as he took down Leg 6 of our latest League. It seems she liked him so much, she decided to stick around for another week too!

On Tuesday night, Elysiumjay bested a field of 58 runners in the penultimate leg of League XI to win $92.80 and 83 points. That win has lifted him into 10th place in the overall standings.

Despite that, it's not all rosey. Jason is cursing at the moment because he missed Leg 5, which he says was due to "laptop failure". To have any chance of finishing within the top four spots, he is hoping for a big turn out in the eighth and final leg, as well as an unprecedented third win on the spin.

Yellow Belt Steve 'stevegw' Westcott vastly improved on last week's 30th place exit to finish second this time around. He picked up a $63.80, 75 points and is currently breathing down Elysiumjay's neck in 11th place.

Coming in third was Gary 'browndog0' Brown. The Orange Belt, who was absent last week, claimed $39.15 and 71 points. He is 35th in the overall standings with 312 points.

1st Elysiumjay -- $92.80
2nd stevegw -- $63.80
3rd browndog0 -- $39.15
4th 1894IAIN -- $29.00
5th Ourkid888 -- $21.75
6th uSayMrE -- $17.40
7th newrhino -- $14.50
8th S0lution -- $11.60
9th Snotterz -- $0.00
10th generalshifty -- $0.00

So, as we approach the final leg of League XI, 'myteamouse' still clings on to the top spot with a total of 578 points. The Orange Belt's 21st place exit for 39 points in Leg 7 was enough to keep him ahead of the chasing pack.

Yellow Belt Andy 'BoatDrink' Butcher remains second with 541 points. He edged a few points closer to 'myteamouse' after finishing in 15th for 44 points.

This week, third and fourth place swapped hands. After weeks of chasing, Nick 'nickhem1' Hemming finally leapt past 'KBV1TALS' after finishing 16th to claim 43 points. He is now third in the overall standings with 520 points. 'KBV1TALS', now fourth with 519 points, finished in 36th place for 24 points.

1st myteamouse -- 578 points
2nd BoatDrink -- 541 points
3rd nickhem1 -- 520 points
4th KBV1TALS - 519 points
5th 1895IAIN -- 513 points
6th Mrdroodle -- 485 points
7th tristiano -- 475 points
8th sceaga2 -- 474 points
9th RykanShadow -- 455 points
10th Elysiumjay -- 445 points

11th stevegw -- 445 points
12th dajaroo -- 439 points
13th ourkidsid -- 436 points
14th Touagorimou - 418 points
15th Ourkid888 -- 417 points
16th mork1971 -- 416 points
17th PaulFauret -- 398 points
18th StakattakBBP -- 397 points
19th ACarey -- 396 points
20th generalshifty -- 392 points

With Nottingham Live seats going to the top four finishers, this league has been hotly contested throughout. The current top four may have held those positions for most of League XI, but it's far, far from over. As history has proven, anything can happen, and there are still a few players that could creep in to snatch those coveted seats.

Join us again next Tuesday for the climax of League XI. Who will win those seats to our inaugural event in the East Midlands? Find out here on Black Belt Poker!

Previous reports:

Week 1 - New League, New Records
Week 2 - Godlike Performance from Chaplin
Week 3 - And It Was All Yellow
Week 4 - Alan Steer to Victory
Week 5 - Winning With Fennesse-y
Week 6 - Elysiumjay Denies Golden Boy

Nottingham Live Bonuses: Last Chance Saloon

With the Nottingham Live gracing the poker circuit in November, this month is your last chance to ascend the Belt-Up Rewards System and hit Dusk Till Dawn shores as one of our VIP players.

All entrants receive a minimum of $20 for every bounty eliminated, but if you play as an Orange Belt, you will receive our VIP package and earn a welcome $100 per bounty. What's more, we'll add an incredible 10% to any winnings!

To become Orange Belt, you need to reach the 500 Belt Points threshold before November 1. Your journey is dependent on numerous factors such as stakes, session length and playing style, but you should also take into account the potential for community points, as well as our one-month Belt Boost for new sign-ups.

If Orange Belt seems like a doodle, then you'll be pleased to know that we're offering a VIP Plus Package for anyone who hits Purple Belt or above. If you are Purple at the turn of the month, then bounties will earn you a hefty $250, with a juicy 20% added to all prizes.

At the 2011 London Live, Black Belt Poker paid out an additional $4,075, including $1,600 to third-place finisher and Green Belt Gareth Alder. Meanwhile, if Champion Peter Wigglesworth had been Purple or above, he would have earned an extra $3,204, excluding any bounties he may have despatched of along the way.

If you would like to follow in the footsteps of Gareth and ensure you take full advantage of all the benefits on offer in Nottingham, then be sure to hit the table over the next few weeks and start racking up the points, whether you're a brand new player, or a Black Belt Poker veteran.

In the meantime, signing up is easy: simply locate the tournament in Scheduled > Black Belt Tournaments and select your preferred starting day.

The Black Belt Nottingham Live makes its debut this November 18-20 at the Dusk Till Dawn Poker Club in Nottingham. The event will be a $125+15 No Limit Hold'em Freezeout offering a deep blind and clock structure for an affordable price. Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, we hold satellites from as little as $3, with five seats guaranteed every week.

Click here for more information on our Belt-Up Rewards System.