British Poker Awards

The British Poker Awards handed out several honors at the inaugural event this week. Richard Ashby was awarded the best all-around player at the awards and Sam Trickett was awarded best new player.

The British Poker Awards were created to honor a number of top players in categories ranging from best tournament player, best online player and best overall poker player to the best UK card room and best cash player.

Following the awards, the attendees were given the opportunity to play in an optional $75 no limit hold’em tournament.

Ashby is coming off a very successful year. In June 2010, he won the World Series of Poker Event #21, taking home $140,000 for the $1,500 buy-in seven card stud event. Two weeks later, he placed second in the WSOP event #43, which netted him $378,000. That was for the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E world championship.

Trickett plays for Team Titan Poker and he recently won Party Poker’s World Open Poker Tournament in London taking home the cash prize of $200,000. That came on the heels of him finishing in fourth place at the European Poker Tour’s Vilamoura 2010 Main Event tournament in Portugal.

Other award winners at the British Poker Awards included an editor’s choice for player of the year. That went to Praz Bansi. The best UK poker forum was awarded to Hendon Mob. Best contribution to poker was awarded to Vicky Coren.

Perhaps no surprise to poker fans, Phil Ivey was awarded as best international player.