Before the World Series of Poker started I predicted a good year for British players. Forgive me for patting myself on the back, but it seems like I was right.

J.P. Kelly, a player I tipped to do well in that same column, was the first Brit to be awarded a bracelet this year when he won Event No. 20, the $1,500 pot-limit hold 'em/Omaha event. Twenty-three-year-old Kelly burst onto the UK poker scene five years ago when just 18, with a string of victories in European ranking events. He also cashed in a European Poker Tour (EPT) event in Barcelona and has a formidable record in online tournaments. This was his fourth WSOP cash and his second final table and this win proves that he has a long and successful future at the poker tables to look forward to. A consummate professional, after bagging his bracelet he soon refocused on trying to win a second.

The second Brit of the year to win a bracelet came in the familiar form of Roland de Wolfe, who became only the second player to win the triple crown when he took down Event No. 27, the $5,000 pot limit Omaha/8 event. De Wolfe admitted afterwards that he was a virtual novice at the discipline and had probably played less than an hour of it in his life, but he used skills he had from playing similar games to forge his way to victory.
Roland also is no slacker when it comes to ambition. This was his fourth cash of the 2009 series. Just a few days later he finished fifth in a $1,500 no-limit hold 'em event.

John Kabbaj, who has been a strong force in British poker for more than a decade, upped the UK's bracelet tally to three by winning the $10,000 pot-limit hold 'em world championship event. He scooped a first prize of over $600,000 for his efforts; however his victory was marred with controversy regarding the bracelet awards ceremony.

Somebody within the WSOP thought it would be hilarious to replace God Save the Queen, the British national anthem, with the Sex Pistols anti-monarchy song of the same title. Upon his return to London, John told me that a floor person at the ceremony told him they were going to play it just seconds before the ceremony started, but he did not take him seriously. Several of the other WSOP floorpersons were beside themselves with laughter during the ceremony.

John did not see the funny side and said that it put him on tilt for the first session of the HORSE event that started immediately afterwards. An apology was later issued and another bracelet ceremony was arranged for John, but he failed to attend it, and who could blame him? This was the pinnacle of his poker career to date and it was not a fitting way to mark the occasion. Imagine the uproar if an American player was subjected to something similar at an event in the UK?

In addition to these fine achievements by Kelly, De Wolfe, and Kabbaj, there were two near misses by British players. Jeff Kimber was runner up in the $2,500 pot-limit Omaha event and EPT supremo John Duthie came a close second in the $10,000 heads-up event.

There were also third place finishes for Michael Greco and Peter Gould in a series that was the most fruitful for British players in the 40-year history of the WSOP. I think next year it could be even better.

Jonathan Raab is a poker consultant and tournament reporter. He also represents online poker site Blue Square at live poker events in the UK and Europe, and manages the GUKPT. Email Jonathan at jr@bluesq.com