Seat 8 - Thomas Ward, United Kingdom, PokerStars Qualifier - 544,000
Thomas Ward is a 28 year old professional poker player from Aberdeen. He's been playing for 10 years; he first started playing with his friends for £1 coins, but soon became involved in the casino scene and four years ago he went pro. The UKIPT has been a particularly happy hunting ground for him, this being a record twelfth cash for Ward on the tour, his best performance a runner-up spot at the 2013 London UKIPT worth £116,845.
Ward prefers Live MTTs, as online poker feels too much like a job. Were he to win the Isle of Man Main Event he told us, "I would continue to feed myself, play more tournaments and add to the bankroll."
He finds the UKIPT "loads of fun, with loads of really cool people. Everyone's really friendly and enthusiastic. You can go outside for a cigarette, talk to a random person and make a really good friend." Ward will be adapting his strategy tomorrow. "I'm shortstacked versus some very competent players so I'll be looking to find a good spot with a good hand. That's the plan."