Trailblazing Trickett: A Look at Britain's Brightest New Star

Sam Trickett's recent victory in the Partouche Poker Tour sees him eclipse the likes of Devilfish and Roland de Wolfe to become Britain's leader in the all time money list. Here, we document his meteoric rise to prominence.

Sam Trickett posing after a GUKPT victory

The past twelve months have been a whirlwind for Sam Trickett.

If it wasn't for the American contingent of Erik Seidel, Phil Hellmuth and Ben Lamb, 2011 would be dubbed year of the Trickett. The 25 year old British pro left an inimitable mark when he took home $2.8 million from January's Aussie Millions, coming 1st in the $100k No Limit Hold'em, and then finishing runner up in the $250k Super High Roller.

Trickett's penchant for highroller events continued when he finished 7th in the £20k NLH at the EPT London for $107,534. He then illustrated his diversity by coming 4th in the €5k PLO at the WSOP Europe.

Such is Trickett's dominance over the past couple of years, it would be tedious to reel off all his major tournament scores.

The most startling revelation is that Trickett, a sponored pro at Titan Poker, considers cash games to be his bread and butter.

Soccer Prodigy to Poker Pro

Trickett's first love was football, however a devastating cruciate ligament injury signalled the end of a teenage career which included spells at Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United. There's no sign of sour grapes however; Trickett concedes that it was his own fault as he plunged full blooded into a challenge he was never likely to win.

Trickett is not your archetypal poker whizzkid. He doesn't have a maths degree from MIT, and as esteemed "Voice of Poker" Jesse May is at a pains to stress, he isn't in the same mold as a Tom Dwan or Brian Townsend. Trickett enjoyed a casual introduction to poker when he was coaxed into playing live by friends.

In an interview with Gambling Online magazine, he admits to becoming addicted, and a difficult teething process saw him max out £1,500 on his credit card. Trickett embarked on a journeyman career across the British live tournament circuit throughout 2008 and 2009, where he claims that blackjack and roulette demons whittled away 80 per cent of his bankroll.

When queried on his bankroll management skills, Trickett replied "I’m pretty rubbish. That’s where I go wrong sometimes. I’m not as bad as some of them but I’ve got a bit of degen in me, like losing some on roulette or randomly playing $200/$400 when I bust a tournament or something".

As he's matured and become more ensconced in poker, Trickett states that his degenerate tendencies are behind him. He's become more stringent with his finances, selling pieces of his action in highroller events to minimize the risk.

Trickett, who counts 2010 WSOP Europe Main Event winner James Bord as one of his backers, made his major tournament breakthrough at last year's WSOP. He finished 2nd in a $5k NLH event to scoop $505,725 and set the wagon well and truly rolling. However, it was his cash game exploits in Macau that transcended his career.

Macau to Cannes, 12 Months to Remember

Trickett: on the way back home in London tube

Action junkie Trickett joined Tom Dwan last November on a trip to Macau, where he pitted his wits against the likes of Ivey, John Juanda and a host of wealthy Chinese business tycoons at the nosebleed stakes.

A fruitful trip saw him rake in £1 million over two sessions. Trickett recalls one hand where he shipped the river for £160k on a stone cold bluff - a brave move against the notoriously spewy locals. Having noticed his hand shake when he gathered the chips, Durrrr sent him a text saying "nice bluff".

Having consolidated his baller status, Trickett made the trip to Melbourne, where he came within a whisker of securing back to back highroller titles. Erik Seidel was his scourge in the $250k NLH, as he pipped Trickett to claim the $2,472,555 jackpot.

After a quiet WSOP where he recorded only two cashes, Trickett returned to Europe, impressing at the WSOPE and EPT London before his most recent triumph in the Partouche Poker Tour Main Event.

It would be naive to dismiss Trickett's emphatic run as a super heater. By racking up over $3 million in highroller events alone, Trickett has proved his ability to negotiate the toughest of fields. His disregard for money and ice cold demeanour at the tables has led to comparisons with the impregnable Phil Ivey. In fact, whilst in Melbourne, Ivey admitted, "I used to be like you, when I was 24 or 25".

Despite his tender years, in poker terms at least, Trickett is keen to distance himself from the new breed of British poker talent, which includes the likes of Triple Crown winner Jake Cody and Andrew Feldman. Having grinded the live circuit for two years, he's forged friendships with some of the older stalwarts of the UK poker scene, including Julian Thew.

Trickett may not be the most disciplined when it comes to money management, but his honesty is refreshing. Trickett comes across as very amiable in interviews, there's no posturing or hiding from the media.

There's a certain aura surrounding Sam Trickett that sets him apart from the mere poker mortal. Here's a man who ditched his plumbing apprenticeship, and with no profound theoretical or mathematical knowledge of the game, went on to win millions. If he can sustain his success and keep his wild side in check, Britain could be looking at a poker legend.