The looks of grim determination on the faces of seasoned veterans like Tom ‘durrrr’ Dwan, Peter Eastgate and Annette Obrestad as they went into (and then were knocked out of) the first round of the PKR Heads Up Grand Slam were enough to tell you everything you need to know about this tournament.
$10,000 is a big buy-in, and taking it off your fellow pros heads-up is no mean feat. So when Italian PKR online qualifier Massimo ‘thekabalist’ Mele did what none of the big names mentioned above could do - making it through to Round 2 on the back of a determined victory against Ivan Demidov - he was (understandably) as giddy as a puppy in a tickle factory.
"It felt great” said Massimo, reflecting on his heat one victory outside Studio 8 at 3 Mills Studios in East London where the Heads Up Grand Slam is being taped. “My confidence was very high and I was convinced that I could win it.”
Massimo had every right to feel good about himself. Maintaining your nerve isn't easy in the crucible that is Studio 8 – heads-up poker is intense on its own, never mind the added pressure of a boisterous rail, bright lights, and TV cameras aimed right at you. “The first day I felt a little bit nervous – that’s why I wore sunglasses (I’ve never worn them before to play poker). Today [Day 2] not as much - once you get into the game you end up forgetting that the cameras are there."
Bright lights. Big expectations.
Massimo 'thekabalist' Mele quickly got used to the pressure of playing on TV
Unfortunately convictions weren’t enough for the tough Roman. He drew a difficult opponent in Demidov in the first round and, arguably, an even stronger one in the second – sitting across from PKR Pro James ‘james666’ Sudworth. Sudworth was not lacking in confidence himself, having sent Phil Laak home empty handed the night before. After a tough match that saw both players take turns carrying the initiative Sudworth prevailed.
“I knew it would be a tough match – I have a lot of respect for James. I tried to look for an opportunity to trap but, unfortunately, when it came he had the better hand.” Mele was unlucky in the way that he went out, in a hand that even Sudworth described as, “a bit of a cooler”. The card that made Massimo’s two pair on the turn gave James the nut straight – that’s when it all went in and that’s when Massimo’s Heads Up Grand Slam ended.
“This is the biggest tourney that I’ve ever played so obviously I learned a lot. Next time I do this I will be much more confident and relaxed,” said Mele.
Next time indeed – this is his second big tournament qualification (his first was a ticket to WSOP 2009 that he won on PKR but had to relinquish due to an unexpected change in Italian law). It’s not hard to imagine this man mixing it with the elite again sometime soon – we can only hope that the third time will be the charm.