Shuffle up and deal for another Final

Pub Poker is now a big business in the UK, and few forms of the game give amateur players affordable opportunity to hone their skills in comfortable environments with friends, yet give the more able or ambitious a chance of playing for big money should they progress.

I write this blog ahead of the East Midlands leg of the Poker Down The Pub regional final due to be held at the Nottingham Gala Casino. For me, it will be my 6th time at these finals, which are held on a quarterly basis up and down the country. Nine players will reach the final table from the starting field of around 100 runners; these will join the players already in from the previous three events here and from around the nation at April's national final at the fantastic Dusk Till Dawn club. In total, over 100 people will play at DTD for the title of National Pub Poker Champion, and a prize pool of £10,000.

Another reason for this blog is to pay tribute to the way that Poker Down The Pub has been run over the last couple of years. Although they have been far from the market leader in the industry, the rapport between its players has been a great asset to all involved and helped to build the name from scratch. In January, the company was bought by Redtooth Poker, who will continue to run the leagues while maintaining the good reputation and respect that PDTP brought to the table, with two of its staff joining forces to boot. Therefore this will be the last regional final under the Poker Down The Pub name.

After five disappointing results in the regional finals over the last year or so - I have only one top-50 finish to my credit - I am desperate to give a better account of myself this time around. I finished top of my pub league, so I start with the maximum 5000 chips, and I am looking to make the most of that substantial advantage. Two players from our league - Rob Daxner and my brother Alex Gray - have already qualified for DTD and I would love to join them, as would the rest of the guys from the Friar Tuck, so good luck to them.

I'll be back later in the week to let you know how it went.