Manchester may not have delivered a Main Event miracle—but it did bring a much-needed mindset shift.
Last week, I clung to faint hope following a spirited—if unspectacular—run at this year’s World Series of Poker Main Event. The Manchester leg of the 888 UK Poker League marked my first chance to spark some momentum across four back-to-back events on the circuit.
And while my deep Main Event run didn’t materialize, I’m (somewhat uncharacteristically) choosing to see the positives. Next up: UKPL Leeds, and I’m walking in with renewed clarity.
🎭 A Familiar Feeling, A Different Approach
Anyone who knows me knows how easy it is for the smallest setbacks to send me into a spiral of despair. But something felt different heading into Manchester. A flicker of optimism—however faint—had me believing that maybe, just maybe, I could pull something together.
My plan was to arrive the night before the Main and get some rest, maybe catch up with the squad. But that plan quickly unraveled when I wandered into a £1/£2 cash game, drawn in by the siren call of the guy in seat 4 shouting, “I’ll make it £15 blind.”
I’m not made of stone.
With thousands in makeup and a gnarly downswing clouding my online sessions, I couldn’t say no. And honestly? I didn’t want to.
🤠 Thriving in the Chaos
Live low-stakes cash is my comfort zone. No matter how brutal things get online—or how many tourneys I brick in a row—there’s something about live cash with the locals that just clicks. It’s where I’m most confident. Most sharp.
Granted, I’ve taken some hits in live cash recently too. But it’s the one format where my self-belief is bulletproof.
After a rough start, I locked in and played some absolutely bananas pots—more than I can do justice to here. But keep an eye out for the upcoming vlog; trust me, you’ll want to see these hands.
Long story short? I booked a £1,200 win in just three hours. Might’ve played all night if the table hadn’t broken after one final casualty. Probably a blessing—it meant I could head into Day 1B of the Main Event with both a win and a bit of sleep.
💡 From Tilt to Clarity
As every poker player knows, a solid session can shift your entire mindset. That £1,200 win wasn’t just good for the bankroll—it was a lifeline.
I came into the Main Event ready to battle.
It started rocky: misplayed a strong hand on the feature table early on (yes, disappointing). But I quickly found my groove again. Since Vegas, I’ve been riding a strange but welcome wave of clarity in my live game. And in Manchester, that feeling stuck with me.
I pulled off some ambitious bluffs, trusted my reads, and felt present—confident in every decision, even when things didn’t go my way.
Eventually, variance caught up to me. A brutal distribution of hands and a standard cooler sealed my fate. But I left with something far more important than chips: belief.
🔥 Best I’ve Ever Played?
Honestly? It might be.
Mistakes were made, sure. But they were calculated. My thinking was sharp. My fear was gone.
This is the best I’ve felt at the live tables in a long time, and I’m heading into Leeds fired up and ready to make something happen.
See you at the tables.
