HISTORY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hetton-le-Hole
Hetton Social Poker Club was founded in November 2006 by David Sykes and Gary Roberts.
The games were played every Wednesday at 8pm, originally in Easington Lane W.M.C.
The aim was and still is to run a fun and friendly, well run pub league for small stakes while having a few pints and banter with like minded individuals with the winners of the leagues to get into a tourney they wouldnt normally even think about playing in.
In the beginning there were only a handfull of players who attended every week.
From August 2011, well over 200 different players have attended atleast one game with a normal Thursday night game attracting an average of 46 runners from a "core" of approx 80 regular players.
When the league first started we played through Poker In The Pub where the top 3 in the league got a seat in the Regional finals down south. We had a few good results in this a 2nd and a 3rd. These games had 120+ runners and were "free" to enter so it was a good place to start.
Due to the lack of runners in Easington Lane WMC, the league was moved to Hetton Social Club in early 2007 where the amount of runners started to grow. This is the best thing that could have happened as if the league stayed were it was, i wouldnt be typing this now. It would have died a death. Instead its thriving.
Hetton Social Club is a quality venue.
This is a snapshot of the poker club when the game was first moved to its current venue and became
Hetton Social Club is a quality venue.
This is a snapshot of the poker club when the game was first moved to its current venue and became
We then started to run our own league as it made more sense due an increase in runners.
We decided to pay the top 10 in the league into a £55 buy in at Aspers. This was a big deal at the time as we wouldnt have ever dreamed of paying £55 out of our own pocket for a game of cards. These days its common practice to buy into a casino for that amount for the majority of the club.
Since we play in a private club we can play for upto £10 and payout £250 so we set the buyin at £7.
£5 towards cash on the night and £2 towards league prizes to keep things legal.
A snapshot of September 2007
Since we play in a private club we can play for upto £10 and payout £250 so we set the buyin at £7.
£5 towards cash on the night and £2 towards league prizes to keep things legal.
A snapshot of September 2007
We had a few games where the rake was used for some decent tables, cards
and chips and we were half way to having a proffessional setup. We further invested in a laptop with Tournament Director
which is used in casinos keeps the blinds, league and tourney running smoothly.
We have had lots of success in the end of league casino games, almost everyone has now cashed and a lot have won the game on these days out.
Its an absolute pleasure to be involved in Hetton Social Poker when we go through the casino and a qualifier who had never even played the game before he played at the Social finishes deep on the final chabble. It makes it all worth while.
A Hetton Social Poker Group was made on fyas byuk in April 2008 and the numbers exploded to a record 63 runners on school night. An unexpected arrival of a minibus full of players from Murton caused mass panic but we still managed to get everyone seated.
Casinos in Newcastle were not getting this many runners.
We had created a monster!!
Al steps up to help Gaz with the club as its too much for one person to handle anymore
2008/2009
We have had lots of success in the end of league casino games, almost everyone has now cashed and a lot have won the game on these days out.
Its an absolute pleasure to be involved in Hetton Social Poker when we go through the casino and a qualifier who had never even played the game before he played at the Social finishes deep on the final chabble. It makes it all worth while.
A Hetton Social Poker Group was made on fyas byuk in April 2008 and the numbers exploded to a record 63 runners on school night. An unexpected arrival of a minibus full of players from Murton caused mass panic but we still managed to get everyone seated.
Casinos in Newcastle were not getting this many runners.
We had created a monster!!
Al steps up to help Gaz with the club as its too much for one person to handle anymore
2008/2009
We started getting mammoth rails on a school night for the final chabble with awesome banter such as this.
The game had to be moved upstairs to the bigger function room for
everyone to get a game that turned up and even better tables were
bought. To afford new gear we play a game that doesnt contribute any of
the pot towards casino places and use that money for new chabbles.
The fact remained too many runners spoilt the game as the blinds had to
go up faster to get it finished before closing time so we capped the number at 48
which makes for a better game and keeps the game legal.
To cater for the demand, a Tuesday league sprung up in the past 2 year at the Davy Lamp in Easington Lane and also Saturday and Sunday games which have a much more relaxed blind structure and larger starting stacks. These have since died a death but this only benefits the main Thursday game as it isnt poker overkill anymore.
By the time Thursday comes everyones clamming for a game and a few pints.
A private online game on a Monday night was started on Pokerstars and then Cake Poker which got 25 runners.
Every year we hold the Hetton Social Championship Game and we also have a Team game once a year which get 60+ runners. They are held on bank holiday weekends where there is a non pop drinking policy which makes for a great day in the pub.
The 2011 team game had to be capped at 16 teams (80 runners) which is unreal for a pub game as i could get 100 runners without breaking a sweat. The cap was introduced to keep the game legal.
We also attend NPF games and APAT games. We play in the Online National League for Team Sunderland in the top league after back to back promotions and a league title. Our conduct in these games have led to these nice comments about us here.
We host our own home games now on Pokerstars on a Tuesday night.
2011 looks like its gonna be a busy year as we look to move the club forward with more ambition.
We have already attended the APAT Team Game and the CardGuard Cup this year and plan to run the new league for buyins towards local festivals such as UKIPT, Coral and attend as many APAT games as possible.
In league 18 only 25% of the people who played were actually from Hetton.
This shows that people dont come because its local they come because its a well run game and a cracking night out.
The beer, banter and piss taking is 1st class and thats what its all about.
In general Hetton Social Poker has got some very good players in its ranks.
Most of the lads play the game as it should be played and thats with a smile on their face and a pint in their hand.
Over the years Hetton Social Poker has developed from a bunch of strangers into a tight knit bunch of friends (The Pit Yackers) and long may it continue.
If you turn up and drink pop you get absolutley slaughtered. Only people who travel from a distance get let off.
We have also had nothing but praise from other poker forums by the way we conduct ourselves when we have been away. "Cracking set of lads them Hetton lads" is the usual comment and thats what its all about in my opinion.
In 2010 we won 4 seats to the APAT World Championship for winning division 3 of the online league and took a minibus and 2 cars down full of "Pit Yackers" to the game with Jbong coming 2nd in the Omaha event.
To cater for the demand, a Tuesday league sprung up in the past 2 year at the Davy Lamp in Easington Lane and also Saturday and Sunday games which have a much more relaxed blind structure and larger starting stacks. These have since died a death but this only benefits the main Thursday game as it isnt poker overkill anymore.
By the time Thursday comes everyones clamming for a game and a few pints.
A private online game on a Monday night was started on Pokerstars and then Cake Poker which got 25 runners.
Every year we hold the Hetton Social Championship Game and we also have a Team game once a year which get 60+ runners. They are held on bank holiday weekends where there is a non pop drinking policy which makes for a great day in the pub.
The 2011 team game had to be capped at 16 teams (80 runners) which is unreal for a pub game as i could get 100 runners without breaking a sweat. The cap was introduced to keep the game legal.
We also attend NPF games and APAT games. We play in the Online National League for Team Sunderland in the top league after back to back promotions and a league title. Our conduct in these games have led to these nice comments about us here.
We host our own home games now on Pokerstars on a Tuesday night.
2011 looks like its gonna be a busy year as we look to move the club forward with more ambition.
We have already attended the APAT Team Game and the CardGuard Cup this year and plan to run the new league for buyins towards local festivals such as UKIPT, Coral and attend as many APAT games as possible.
In league 18 only 25% of the people who played were actually from Hetton.
This shows that people dont come because its local they come because its a well run game and a cracking night out.
The beer, banter and piss taking is 1st class and thats what its all about.
In general Hetton Social Poker has got some very good players in its ranks.
Most of the lads play the game as it should be played and thats with a smile on their face and a pint in their hand.
Over the years Hetton Social Poker has developed from a bunch of strangers into a tight knit bunch of friends (The Pit Yackers) and long may it continue.
If you turn up and drink pop you get absolutley slaughtered. Only people who travel from a distance get let off.
We have also had nothing but praise from other poker forums by the way we conduct ourselves when we have been away. "Cracking set of lads them Hetton lads" is the usual comment and thats what its all about in my opinion.
In 2010 we won 4 seats to the APAT World Championship for winning division 3 of the online league and took a minibus and 2 cars down full of "Pit Yackers" to the game with Jbong coming 2nd in the Omaha event.
We gained promoton as part of Team Sunderland to divison 1 for a 3rd place finish in the APAT Online League and are curently 2nd in the premier league as i am typing this.
In late 2010 we were shocked and honoured to be invited to the 2011 APAT Team Championships in Bolton. Unfortunately we ran like shit and were all eliminated in the first day but atleast we wernt out 1st.
This was another cracking weekend away.
APAT 2011 UK Team Championship
Representing Hetton Social at the 2011 APAT Team Championships were
Trevor Roberts
Craig Johnson
Alan Storey
Norman Hall
Gary Metcalfe
Gary Roberts
David Sykes
Terry Oakley Senior
2011 Hetton Social Team Game
This game was played on Easter Sunday in the lounge of Hetton Social Club. A record 80 players played with teams from Low Fell, Gateshead, South Sheilds, Sunderland, Houghton, Murton, South Hetton plus all the usual Hetton Mob.
What a great day this was and it is a day to remember for all.
Winning Team - Team Spawn captained by Gary Roberts and the Individual places were 1st Owen Fenwick, 2nd Craig Hindson and 3rd Lee Johnson.
A few pics of the day below
What a great day this was and it is a day to remember for all.
Winning Team - Team Spawn captained by Gary Roberts and the Individual places were 1st Owen Fenwick, 2nd Craig Hindson and 3rd Lee Johnson.
A few pics of the day below
NPF Team Game April 2011
We were lucky enough to get a team in for the NPF game which we were over the moon about.
Once again we ran like shit.
Cam finished 18th for our best finish
Once again we ran like shit.
Cam finished 18th for our best finish
APAT Pub Championships June 2011 @ Blackpool
Representing Hetton Social Club were
Gary Metcalfe
Norman Snaith
David Carver
Ian Ayre
Michael Stoker
Norman Hall
Lee Atkinson
Emma Newton
Gary Metcalfe
Norman Snaith
David Carver
Ian Ayre
Michael Stoker
Norman Hall
Lee Atkinson
Emma Newton
In 2011 we decided to start sending people to bigger buyin events such as the UKIPT
UKIPT Newcastle June 2011
With the places won through league 20 we eventually had 4 runners in the main event and 9 in the side game. Gav Anderson done the best in the £100 game and finished 15th.
Lee Atkinson, Gary Roberts, Kev Taylor and Craig Hindson all managed to get to Day 2 in the main event with the latter 2 making day 3 and cashing. Kev finishing 67th and Craig finishing an awesome 18th.
With the places won through league 20 we eventually had 4 runners in the main event and 9 in the side game. Gav Anderson done the best in the £100 game and finished 15th.
Lee Atkinson, Gary Roberts, Kev Taylor and Craig Hindson all managed to get to Day 2 in the main event with the latter 2 making day 3 and cashing. Kev finishing 67th and Craig finishing an awesome 18th.
Hetton Social Championship Game - August 2011
The once a year Championship game this year at the club was also another decent game where all the Hetton Mob gets together for a game and a piss up.
1st place Mr Palin 2nd Alex Swnney 3rd Kris Swinbanks
APAT World Amateur Championships August 2011
We ran a League towards this event. The top 16 in the league won a £100 seat plus their hotel and Free mini bus.
In total we had 31 runners in this event. We had 7 make day two and 4 make the money.
Paul Cammiss finished a magnificent 3rd for just under £4500 after only playing the game for less than a year.
For £8 per week in the weekly league he got into this event and comes away with over £4000, thats what its all about.
Hetton Mob in Vegas - October 2011
Metz won a Tourney at Binnions and Norman Hall won at Orleans.
Also Norman Hall lost a pot with 66 on a 4566 flop to scoop a badbeat jackpot of $63800 which takes him top of the money list.
Also Norman Hall lost a pot with 66 on a 4566 flop to scoop a badbeat jackpot of $63800 which takes him top of the money list.
APAT UK Forum Team Championships - Luton - October 2011
5th out of 23 teams!!
Representing Hetton Social Poker were :
Ian Ayre
Norman Hall
Gary Roberts
Paul Cammiss
Craig Hindson
Paul Thompson
Owen Fenwick
Trevor Roberts
Hetton Social Finished in 5th place in this event.
Magnificent performance by the team.
Were always in contention for the win for the entire event and finished on 98 points with Gary Roberts, Trevor Roberts and Paul Thompson all contributing finishing in 22nd place, 19th and 14th respectivley. Craig Hindson finished on the points bubble in a horrible donk beat and i have no doubt we would have finished 3rd minimum with 4 in the points.
Never the less im over the moon with the result.
Should be proud of yourselves.
Magnificent performance by the team.
Were always in contention for the win for the entire event and finished on 98 points with Gary Roberts, Trevor Roberts and Paul Thompson all contributing finishing in 22nd place, 19th and 14th respectivley. Craig Hindson finished on the points bubble in a horrible donk beat and i have no doubt we would have finished 3rd minimum with 4 in the points.
Never the less im over the moon with the result.
Should be proud of yourselves.
The Card Guard Cup - Team Event Newcastle G Casino - January 2012
_
The main Hetton team dones fantastic and WON the card guard cup and returned to the club our 1st team trophy.
EVERYONE from the club should feel some pride from this result. Even if you didnt play or even did play and you were on a different team.
I am over the moon with the result, i wouldnt be happier if i had won the event individually as the trophy for the club means more than money on this occasion.
Very well played everyone but will give the following an extra mention as they done the dirty work.
Gary Roberts - 6th place and 35 team points - 1st picked for obvious reasons. Always puts in a shift, only time he doesnt go deep is when donked.Played class yesterday as always.
Nico - 11th,and 30 team points. it was a toss up between nico and junior to be on this team but Nico got the nod for extra spwaniness - done excellent yesterday to come back from a very shortstack and go so deep.
Dale Froud - 13th and 28 team points - A player ive wanted on the social team for a long time but hasnt been unavailable in the past. Selection justified with another casino deep run.
Hindson - 14th and 27 points - Another player who was picked for being Mr Consistant. Solid and reliable to go deep in any game
Owen - 20th and 21 points - Picked for deep runs in most well stuctured games and pokerstars results. Desperatly unlucky yesterday in 2 hands which would have seen him to final chabble if he wasnt outdrawn.
There has never been any doubt in my mind that we could win a team game. .
We didnt just win this game, we annihilated it.
It was won with 25 players left or sumik - if not sooner. I thought we had but didnt believe it untill final 2 tables.
Weve been knocking on the door for a while now in events and this just cements my feelings that a lot of people down the social have it in them to make a deep run or win any game we enter, either individually or as a team.
This game was seen as a "fun day" which team games usually are but dispite that this game had a lot of very good players in it making a lot of very very strong teams.
Teams and players who would have loved to win this game.
And we won it.
The players mentioned above won it.
I agree it wasnt the world series, but its a start.
Onwards and upwards - next stop total world domination and getting Weelet into the Oxford dictionary.
2012 off to a flyer
The main Hetton team dones fantastic and WON the card guard cup and returned to the club our 1st team trophy.
EVERYONE from the club should feel some pride from this result. Even if you didnt play or even did play and you were on a different team.
I am over the moon with the result, i wouldnt be happier if i had won the event individually as the trophy for the club means more than money on this occasion.
Very well played everyone but will give the following an extra mention as they done the dirty work.
Gary Roberts - 6th place and 35 team points - 1st picked for obvious reasons. Always puts in a shift, only time he doesnt go deep is when donked.Played class yesterday as always.
Nico - 11th,and 30 team points. it was a toss up between nico and junior to be on this team but Nico got the nod for extra spwaniness - done excellent yesterday to come back from a very shortstack and go so deep.
Dale Froud - 13th and 28 team points - A player ive wanted on the social team for a long time but hasnt been unavailable in the past. Selection justified with another casino deep run.
Hindson - 14th and 27 points - Another player who was picked for being Mr Consistant. Solid and reliable to go deep in any game
Owen - 20th and 21 points - Picked for deep runs in most well stuctured games and pokerstars results. Desperatly unlucky yesterday in 2 hands which would have seen him to final chabble if he wasnt outdrawn.
There has never been any doubt in my mind that we could win a team game. .
We didnt just win this game, we annihilated it.
It was won with 25 players left or sumik - if not sooner. I thought we had but didnt believe it untill final 2 tables.
Weve been knocking on the door for a while now in events and this just cements my feelings that a lot of people down the social have it in them to make a deep run or win any game we enter, either individually or as a team.
This game was seen as a "fun day" which team games usually are but dispite that this game had a lot of very good players in it making a lot of very very strong teams.
Teams and players who would have loved to win this game.
And we won it.
The players mentioned above won it.
I agree it wasnt the world series, but its a start.
Onwards and upwards - next stop total world domination and getting Weelet into the Oxford dictionary.
2012 off to a flyer
End of Al era. By Al.
Sometime around 2007 Gaz was sick of having to do everything himself and was going to pack in. I saw the potential the club had and offered to help as I knew if Gaz packed in, the club would be fucked. I really did do everything i could to take the club as far as it could.
Saying that it's a crying shame the vast majority did and do fuck all to help by not setting up and putting shit away tidy and that was the straw that broke the camels back and made me pack in. Same lads every week were the same ones who never helped to put the tables up, never put the gear away or left the cash table in a mess.
Example - turning up to the club with 20 or so "players" already in the club playing pool doing nothing and then get shouted at "when's this game going to start", how's about never marra.
When Jordan got caught cheating was a massive kick in the cock, that was a massive factor in packing in. Cheeky bastard. I never thought anyone would do that. Put me right off. I lost trust and let down.
I packed the apat online game in 1 year before I packed the club in. It was a precursor to see what would happen. No one took over. What a waste of fucking time that was. Someone could and should have been arsed to keep it going. Instead just loads of thoughtless posts on Facebook about how people could have been playing the online game if the team captain never packed in. Anyone could have took over ffs. I felt really let down by this.
Betfred Game
So somehow we managed to host a Betfred sponsored game at HETTON SOCIAL CLUB, thats a Betfred sponsored game at Hetton Social Club. Thats a club that everyone played a part in building and this was the pinnicle. I was so proud.
Questions were asked such as "Will you sell the event out?". Nee bother marra, we will sell out the event due to the strong CORE that was 40+ on a Thursday and 100 in recent team game so i thought it would sell out pre reg online. It didnt sell out. It was no where near. Failed there. Never seen it coming. I let people down there and people who didnt play that day let themselves down and the club. Was it 5k Guarrenteed and it didnt sell out. It still baffles me how the interest was so poor. Should have been queues out the door on a waiting list. Fucking mental.
I Got No Help setting up that day. Storm turned up and give me a hand and i told him then thats me finished. I dont enjoy it cos i feel like im doing an unpaid job for ungratefull bastards, Then people started turning up for the game saying they had been in the cricket club, new inn ect while i was struggling on with massive poker tables and the lads who brung the game to the club had to help setting the stacks up while the regulars were swanning about instead of helping out. How embarrising.
Got grief on facebook for not playing an "on the spot game" on the Friday night before the game when a game should not have been on. The night before a big game is reserved to get all the tables out and chipstacks ready so theres nee fucking about to do on the day of the game. See above.
Game Didnt Sell Out So I Failed And Packed In. That Should Have sold Out. What more could we give you?
Also The Lack Of People Helping To Paint The Upstairs was Totally Disapointing. People Just Expected It doing. Could have had that done in a weekend.
I Loved The Club, I still love the club and i will always love the club but it just ended up being a chore after a series of unnessessary let downs.
Sometime around 2007 Gaz was sick of having to do everything himself and was going to pack in. I saw the potential the club had and offered to help as I knew if Gaz packed in, the club would be fucked. I really did do everything i could to take the club as far as it could.
Saying that it's a crying shame the vast majority did and do fuck all to help by not setting up and putting shit away tidy and that was the straw that broke the camels back and made me pack in. Same lads every week were the same ones who never helped to put the tables up, never put the gear away or left the cash table in a mess.
Example - turning up to the club with 20 or so "players" already in the club playing pool doing nothing and then get shouted at "when's this game going to start", how's about never marra.
When Jordan got caught cheating was a massive kick in the cock, that was a massive factor in packing in. Cheeky bastard. I never thought anyone would do that. Put me right off. I lost trust and let down.
I packed the apat online game in 1 year before I packed the club in. It was a precursor to see what would happen. No one took over. What a waste of fucking time that was. Someone could and should have been arsed to keep it going. Instead just loads of thoughtless posts on Facebook about how people could have been playing the online game if the team captain never packed in. Anyone could have took over ffs. I felt really let down by this.
Betfred Game
So somehow we managed to host a Betfred sponsored game at HETTON SOCIAL CLUB, thats a Betfred sponsored game at Hetton Social Club. Thats a club that everyone played a part in building and this was the pinnicle. I was so proud.
Questions were asked such as "Will you sell the event out?". Nee bother marra, we will sell out the event due to the strong CORE that was 40+ on a Thursday and 100 in recent team game so i thought it would sell out pre reg online. It didnt sell out. It was no where near. Failed there. Never seen it coming. I let people down there and people who didnt play that day let themselves down and the club. Was it 5k Guarrenteed and it didnt sell out. It still baffles me how the interest was so poor. Should have been queues out the door on a waiting list. Fucking mental.
I Got No Help setting up that day. Storm turned up and give me a hand and i told him then thats me finished. I dont enjoy it cos i feel like im doing an unpaid job for ungratefull bastards, Then people started turning up for the game saying they had been in the cricket club, new inn ect while i was struggling on with massive poker tables and the lads who brung the game to the club had to help setting the stacks up while the regulars were swanning about instead of helping out. How embarrising.
Got grief on facebook for not playing an "on the spot game" on the Friday night before the game when a game should not have been on. The night before a big game is reserved to get all the tables out and chipstacks ready so theres nee fucking about to do on the day of the game. See above.
Game Didnt Sell Out So I Failed And Packed In. That Should Have sold Out. What more could we give you?
Also The Lack Of People Helping To Paint The Upstairs was Totally Disapointing. People Just Expected It doing. Could have had that done in a weekend.
I Loved The Club, I still love the club and i will always love the club but it just ended up being a chore after a series of unnessessary let downs.