UKIPT Dublin Final Table Player Profiles

Seat One: Jason Tompkins - 2, 388,000

Jason Tompkins, the chip leader on the final table, has been playing for three years and travelling around his home country of Ireland to do it.  This result represents his biggest live win to date, and he’s already looking ahead to the UKIPT Grand Final (the London EPT) as a chance for him to keep the momentum going and “win big.”  When pressed, he admits that it would be more likely for him to invest the winnings in a house should he win the event.  Tompkins, 26, was also interested in football as a youngster, but illness prevented him from following that goal and he has recently been recovering from a lung operation.  Keen on golf in his spare time, Jason Tompkins has no lack of stamina at the poker table and is comfortably ahead of the – admittedly tough – lineup he will face tomorrow.

Seat Two: Max Silver - 699,000

21 year old Max Silver needs no introduction on the UKIPT circuit, and particularly not here in Dublin - the reigning UKIPT Dublin champion took home €72,000 for first place here almost exactly a year ago. He followed it up a month later with an £83,588 win in the £1,500 NLH side event at EPT London, but side events are not enough for this young Englishman. When questioned on what he loves about the UKIPT, Silver said, "Great structure, great people, and I have to beat Nick Abou Risk. He has two titles and I want to beat him on that."   Silver is now in a great position to take a shot at his second UKIPT title - although as the short stack on just 699,000, he's going to have get busy pretty early on at tomorrow's final table. When asked what his dreams were when he was a child, he replied, "To be a double champion winner at UKIPT and beat Nick Abou Risk."

Seat Three: Rory Curtis - 725,000

Rory Curtis, 40, has made the final table playing his first ever UKIPT.  He has been playing for years, however, both live in Northern Ireland where he lives, and online.  His biggest result has been on the virtual felt, a $12,500 online score which he intends to augment by “picking spots to be aggressive” tomorrow, as the second shortest stack.  When younger he dreamed of being a pro footballer; now working as an IT consultant Curtis bought in to this event having wanted to play on the Tour for a while.  “Dublin is a beautiful city,” he said, “I thought it was about time I played one – this was close to home so it made sense to buy in.”

Seat Four: Charles Fabian - 1,023,000

Charles ‘Chuck’ Fabian is another finalist to have moved to live and work in Ireland.  Originally hailing from Chicago, he’s been local for five years.  Now in software development at 44, when younger he’d wanted to be a mathematician.  A participant in home-games frequented by the likes of tour double-champ Nick Abou Risk, Fabian’s previous live result has been a cash at the huge Nottingham leg of the UKIPT this year.  Guaranteed a far higher placing – and much greater prize – having made the final here, Fabian’s stack is among the lower of the pack but with a fairly tight spacing is one double up away from the lead.

Seat Five: Joeri Zandvliet - 1,835,000

Joeri Zandvliet already has a UKIPT title under his belt – his victory in Manchester in 2010 netted him £63,200 and made a reality his dream of spending the next few years studying and travelling rather than heading into a traditional career.  Zandvliet, 22, is currently finishing his Masters in Urban Geography, but has his sights set on Spanish as his next subject.  Based in Utrecht in the Netherlands, Zandvliet enjoys live poker occasionally for its own sake.  “I don’t come here to make money.  I’m not a headphones and sunglasses type of person.”  His results might not reflect that, however – having played six UKIPT events he’s made three final tables and won one!  He admits that that run is extraordinary, but will be aiming to make the most of his shot at a second trophy.

Seat Six: David Docherty - 958,000

Professional poker player David Docherty hails from Coatbridge in Scotland and has been making his living at the game for three years.  He has visited Dublin several times before, enjoying the craic and occasionally running deep in a tournament as he is now.  Docherty, 24, has played big buy-in tournaments from the USA to Australia, and already has a promising string of cashes.  When he was younger he wanted to be a taxi driver – however now, finding himself carless, a vehicle might be on the cards should he take home the trophy.

Seat Seven: Noel O'Brien, Ireland, 1,991,000

Noel O’Brien enters the final table second in chips and with no shortage of confidence.  The 59 year old from Clonmel in Tipperary has been playing for around two years, both live and online, and has a relaxed attitude towards this, his biggest live result.  He warmed up for the UKIPT by placing 4th in the Celtic Poker Tour, Carlow back in June for €7,000 and admits that he’s “always up for a gamble.”  Off the felt, O’Brien is a keen golfer and a keener handball player, having travelled the globe with this latter sport.  

Seat Eight: Robert Csire - 1,145,000

Robert Csire is a 23 year old Hungarian now residing in Ireland and has been playing poker for around 4 years.  He started off in home-games before hearing about regular live poker in Swords and becoming a regular at the Bluff Card Club.  Since then he’s experienced the rollercoaster of tournament poker, recently recovering from a down-swing with a win of over €4,000.  Supported by his fiancée by phone and a group of friends in Dublin on the rail, Csire announced his intention to follow victory here with an EPT title and, “become the next Richard Toth!”  Though originally due tomorrow at the printing factory, Csire has an understanding boss who seems to be just one of the many supporters of the as-yet-unrecognised but enthusiastic young live player.