sligoman
26/10/2005, 10:29 AM
What started off as a hobby has landed one Sligo entrepreneur the chance to win up to €5 million.
Sligo man, Paul Roper (34) of Cliffoney who calls himself “The Last Hangman” has become the first in the country to qualify for the richest poker tournament in Europe, the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour.
But it has only been eight months since he took up poker and he admits being surprised at how fast things have happened for him.
The Poitin Still pub in Sligo town was where he first learned his poker skills and after being encouraged to enter competitions, Paul admits he was hooked on the game.
“It started off as a hobby that I took up in the pub. I really enjoyed it and took to it pretty fast. But after other people noted how fast I took it up, they suggested I try entering competitions.”
Now that he has qualified for the finale of the poker tournament, which takes place next March in Monte Carlo, he stands to take home up to E5 million.
“The best of the best will be at the tournament and I am really excited about it.” Only 250 competitors will get the chance to take part.
Paul, who runs three companies, believes that the key to playing poker well is to try out different moves and see how they work.
“You need to have a good game plan. I like trying out new moves to see how they work but obviously I won’t be trying anything new when I get to Monte Carlo,” he jokes.
Paul qualified for the tournament after only two weeks of playing online poker. Up until then, he was playing in pubs with friends and doing well in various competitions.
So what does his family make of his growing stature as a poker player? “My mum Anne doesn’t understand the game but thinks it brings out good qualities in me. My dad Michael tells me he is very proud.” Michael Roper is a schoolteacher in Grange.
When Paul is not playing poker, he enjoys walking on the beaches of Mullaghmore and quad riding with his sons Paul and Lee and stepson Dale.
But with a name like Roper, Paul has used it to his advantage. “I am ‘The Last Hangman’ in Ireland but will execute only on the card table!”
His big ambition is to one-day turn professional. “That would be a fantastic achievement and it is what I am aiming towards. My biggest aim at present is to knock out the newly crowned European champion, professional poker player Jan Boubli when we meet in London.”
Paul plays a lot with good friend and fellow poker player Sligo town based dentist Patrick O’Connor.
But “The Last Hangman” has his sights firmly set on Monte Carlo. The stakes are high but this doesn’t phase him. The grand finale takes place in Monaco from March 8-11, next year.
http://www.sligoweekender.ie/news/story.asp?j=25210
Sligo man, Paul Roper (34) of Cliffoney who calls himself “The Last Hangman” has become the first in the country to qualify for the richest poker tournament in Europe, the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour.
But it has only been eight months since he took up poker and he admits being surprised at how fast things have happened for him.
The Poitin Still pub in Sligo town was where he first learned his poker skills and after being encouraged to enter competitions, Paul admits he was hooked on the game.
“It started off as a hobby that I took up in the pub. I really enjoyed it and took to it pretty fast. But after other people noted how fast I took it up, they suggested I try entering competitions.”
Now that he has qualified for the finale of the poker tournament, which takes place next March in Monte Carlo, he stands to take home up to E5 million.
“The best of the best will be at the tournament and I am really excited about it.” Only 250 competitors will get the chance to take part.
Paul, who runs three companies, believes that the key to playing poker well is to try out different moves and see how they work.
“You need to have a good game plan. I like trying out new moves to see how they work but obviously I won’t be trying anything new when I get to Monte Carlo,” he jokes.
Paul qualified for the tournament after only two weeks of playing online poker. Up until then, he was playing in pubs with friends and doing well in various competitions.
So what does his family make of his growing stature as a poker player? “My mum Anne doesn’t understand the game but thinks it brings out good qualities in me. My dad Michael tells me he is very proud.” Michael Roper is a schoolteacher in Grange.
When Paul is not playing poker, he enjoys walking on the beaches of Mullaghmore and quad riding with his sons Paul and Lee and stepson Dale.
But with a name like Roper, Paul has used it to his advantage. “I am ‘The Last Hangman’ in Ireland but will execute only on the card table!”
His big ambition is to one-day turn professional. “That would be a fantastic achievement and it is what I am aiming towards. My biggest aim at present is to knock out the newly crowned European champion, professional poker player Jan Boubli when we meet in London.”
Paul plays a lot with good friend and fellow poker player Sligo town based dentist Patrick O’Connor.
But “The Last Hangman” has his sights firmly set on Monte Carlo. The stakes are high but this doesn’t phase him. The grand finale takes place in Monaco from March 8-11, next year.
http://www.sligoweekender.ie/news/story.asp?j=25210