Player Watch - Neil Banks

Neil Banks
Aged – 36
Occupation – Sales Manager/Sponsored Poker Player
Lives in Cheshire
Wife and 3 young children

Neil says: Having played internet Poker for nearly 3 years, I was given the chance of an online sponsorship deal which started at $300 per day on Mansion, my sponsor and I both knew Gary Ingham and we were in discussions about an affiliates package for several sponsored online players.

My first stint on Mansion however was a freeroll competition arranged through my local poker forum – this gave 20 players $150 each and whoever ended the 10 days with the most profit managed to keep it all, I finished 2nd in this challenge and graciously Mansion let any players still in profit keep their built up bankroll, whilst still paying the total profit to the overall winner.

With these winnings I entered the $150k guaranteed and placed handily, winning close to $1000 (not bad for nothing).

Now that I was getting to know the site much better, and especially the different styles of play from the French, Italians and the aggressive Scandinavians (as always) I started to pick up a few nice wins (3rd in the 50k for $6000) and several final tables in my favourite tournament the 9pm $12k guaranteed - $100 buy in.  I decided to play some satellites to the live events and managed to get a space at the GSNP championships in Manchester (less than 15 miles from my house).

My good friend John Hughes (Fishalot1) was also playing in this event, along with 6 other Mansion qualifiers, Gary was over from Gibraltar and as ever ensured all Mansion players received the V.I.P treatment during the whole tournament.  I managed to make day 2 in that event, eventually going out in 27th – holding 8 clubs 10 clubs I made a button squeeze play to an utg limper, being quite short I felt I could pick up this pot uncontested, however the sb called and so did the utg limper.  The flop was a beautiful 7c 9c Jh giving me the nut straight, flush draw and str8 flush draw.  It was not to be however as the river card brought a queen and was no match for the higher straight of the sb with KT.

After a great experience at Manchester I decided to play some satellites for the WSOP – (last year I lost a sick bubble KK v AA to qualify) but not put off by this I decided to try a $5 turbo rebuy event on the Tuesday night mainly to keep my mind occupied during the 50k gteed, 3 people won seats into a $300 weekly WSOP final and I managed to beat the 180 strong field to claim my ticket to a final of my choice.

I elected to play the side event final as it gave me 3 tournament entries if I qualified, I quickly realised that only 1 position was paid, so early on I was very aggressive and took on many coin tosses (losing AK suited to 55 very early on crippled me), however I managed to get a few nice hands and checked a 5 way limped pot on the bb with Q4 – the flop coming Q45, checked around to me I made a button raise and got 4 callers, the turn came a juicy 4 and was checked all the way around.  The river brought an ace and 2 all ins before me – I called against AK and QJ and won a very nice pot.

Final table came and I was average stacked but a table Captain had 4 times the 2nd in chips and was making it clear he was here to bully everyone – I decided to rr him all in when he tried for the 3rd time to steal my big blind with only 99 he insta called with 33 and I doubled through, the play was manic until we got to 3 handed where an excellent Scandinavian player became the aggressive attacker and he duly took out the previous big chip leader with AK v AQ, this left me on 27k chips and the Scandinavian on 68k

I was getting no cards and being overran by constant re-raise aggression, feeling frustrated I had to change the pattern of play and quickly, my friend (Fishalot1) called me at home and reminded me that this had cost me $5 and I looked as though I was trying not to lose instead of trying to win, then I started to put him all in with 3rd pair, re-raise his raises until we got to a level chip count.  Feeling that I had now taken over the aggression and was winning the war he decided he had to make a stand and the ultimate hand played out as follows.

I raise on the button with 7 8 off suit and he flat calls – the flop is 7-6-4, he bets 8000 to which I re-raise to 23,000 and then he insta sticks me all in.  I know have a big, big decision as the flop is double suited (2 clubs) and my gut feeling is that he has either a draw, or that he making a play after my constant recent aggression – my thought process decides that even if I am behind to an overpair I still have many outs, any 5 7 or 8 and I probably win so decide to call – my instincts were correct as he had shoved with K 6, the turn brings a nice J and the river an even nicer 2 and I am on my way to Vegas…….

So I have entries to $1500 NL event, $1500 Omaha event, $5000 Short handed event, 8 nights at the Venetian and $2500 expenses all from a $5 entry….  Only in Poker I imagine.  The dream is out there, they can come true and for $5 who knows maybe a WSOP bracelet (you can always dream).

A big thanks to my sponsor, and also to Gary Ingham for all the support from the Mansion team and I look forward to seeing you all in Vegas…

Living the dream…

Neil Banks