British Comrades Prefer Cheer For One Another

Earlier this weekend, we touched on the large German contingent that have populated this weekend’s ARIA High Roller fields but two other countries have been well represented. Dynamic duos from both Great Britain and Spain have been competing all weekend and Spain’s Adrian Mateos broke through to record the first score from the four-some, with a runner-up finish in last night’s $25K High Roller.

Britain has yet to get on the scoresheet though but Charlie Carrel and Ben Heath are hoping that that can all change in today’s $50K Super High Roller 

No one would be surprised to see either make a run today or continue their stellar early 2017 form throughout the rest of the year, as both have recorded runner-up finishes in some of the world’s biggest tournaments over the last few months. Carrel was the first, as he finished 2^nd in the $100,000 Super High Roller at the PokerStars Championship Bahamas series, good for a nearly $1,200,000 result. Heath is still waiting for his first High Roller score of 2017 but the British professional opened the year with a career best result.

Heath finished 2^nd in the Aussie Millions Main Event, good for a $755,000 score and while each are happy with their own success, they are more excited about seeing each other do well.

“It always feels like we are more happy for each other than we are for ourselves kind of thing, so I’ll enjoy Ben’s success more than I’ll enjoy my own.” Carrel said, before Heath added, “I think it’s so much easier to get emotionally involved in someone else’s because when you are at the table yourself, you are kind of shut out from it. When you are railing, you can really get into it.” 

While Carrel, pictured below, and Heath agree that the other’s success might be sweeter than their own and claim that they are extremely similar away from the felt, they could not be more opposite at the poker table.

“Definitely opposites at the poker table,” Heath said, before Carrel said, “We tend to have different strategies at the table. His is a lot more defensive and mine is to try to extrapolate information from other people.”

Sometimes that extrapolation comes off as Carrel poking and prodding his opponents, with little comments and jokes throughout the course of a hand. Heath on the other hand, joked that he is scared of getting poked or prodded.  

While it is still early in today’s $50K Super High Roller, both have been poking and prodding, in their own unique ways, up the leaderboard. Heath looks like he’s controlling the chip lead heading back from the second break of the day, while Carrel has also seen his stock rise over the last few levels.

Poker Central will pick up updates of the ARIA $50K Super High Roller once the field is down to the final table and until then, will continue to provide player features from around the room.