With the end of the year in just a couple of months, one of the venerable institutions of the British poker playing community, the 2013 British Poker Awards, is just around the corner.
Now in its fourth year, the 2013 BPA honors the best of the English poker scene through voting by the fans and a select panel of judges. There are thirteen different awards that fans can vote on (and four chosen by the blue-ribbon panel) through a “Readers’ Choice” website and, as usual, there are some familiar faces on the ballot for 2013.
One of the most coveted awards is the Readers’ Choice award for Best Live Tournament Player. This is reserved for British poker players (we will get to the international award in a moment) and the list is a strong one. Matt Ashton, who battled with Daniel Negreanu for the 2013 World Series of Poker Player of the Year award and is also contending in many of the major POY races, heads a field that also includes Stephen Chidwick, David Vamplew, Toby Lewis, Matt Perrins and Sam Trickett. While Ashton may be thought of the “hands down” winner of this category, Chidwick has had his own success this year with 10 WSOP cashes and over a half million dollars in earnings.
The Readers’ Choice award for Best International Player will probably be the easiest one to handicap. The roster of players features David “Bakes” Baker, Dan Kelly, Viktor ‘Isildur1’ Bloom, Marvin Rettenmaier and Negreanu. After taking his second WSOP bracelet of 2013 at the WSOP Europe High Roller (he won the inaugural WSOP Asia/Pacific earlier this year) and locking up the WSOP POY, Negreanu should be the overwhelming favorite to take this award home.
Arguably the one award that will be most watched is the Readers’ Choice award for Best Online Tournament Player. In the history of the BPAs, only one man – Chris ‘Moorman1’ Moorman – has taken the trophy home. He is nominated again this year with a tough field that includes Chris Brammer, Charlie Combes, Andrew Hulme, Craig McCorkell and Lewis. For Best Online Cash Player, Ashton receives a second nomination alongside Alexander Millar, Rob Akery, David Gent and Ben Grundy.
More familiar faces make an appearance for the Readers’ Choice Performance of the Year award. Ashton (with his third nomination), Perrins, Vamplew and Chidwick are all here along with Barny Boatman, whose stirring run in winning his first WSOP bracelet this summer should garner him some votes. In the category of Poker Personality of the Year, Jake Cody, Sam Grafton, Neil Channing, Liv Boeree and Sam Razavi will vie for the honor.
The other categories that will be voted on by the fans are Best UK Poker Tournament, Best Poker League, Best Blogger, Best Social Media User, Best Live Card Room, Best Poker Software and Best Poker Training Site. The judging panel will select the recipient of Best Tournament Director, Best Live Cash Game Player, Best Contribution to Growing Poker and the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.
Over the history of the BPAs, Trickett has taken home the most trophies with five and Moorman ranks second with his three Best Online Tournament Player wins. Others who have taken awards include Vanessa Selbst (2012 Best International Player), Jason Mercier (2011 Best International Player), Phil Ivey (2010 Best International Player), Vicky Coren (a two-time winner in 2010 and 2011), Channing and Boeree.
The ceremonies for the 2013 British Poker Awards will be held on November 12 (a venue for the festivities has yet to be chosen) and voting for the Readers’ Choice awards will run up until the day before the ceremonies will be conducted. Readers can cast their vote through a dedicated site and, in mid-November, the winners will be crowned in the latest rendition of the British Poker Awards.
