In It

There were twenty-one entrants in last night's £14 qualifier for the William Hill Grand Prix final.

Luke - who played like a maniac and qualified with me in the £2 qualifier - didn't last long and was ousted in 20th place.

The company gave away an extra place for Sunday's final so there were three spots awaiting the people who made it to the last table.

After almost two hours I finished in the final three securing my place in the final.

As has been recorded in this blog over the last few entries, this has been one of my targets. I put off talk of a rest period to give myself a chance of making it to the final Sunday qualifier and then the hope of challenging professional players in front of Sky TV cameras here in Cardiff.

I have completed phase one. Now I have positioned myself where I want to be. I am now a contender for the place after securing a £140 buy-in where the top two go through to the televised games in mid October.

I have reached my initial goal. Now it's time for the penultimate chapter in the hope of taking on the 'Gods of Poker' as the advertising on William Hill claims it to be.

There is a saying about having to be in it to win it.

And I am in it...