Player Interview: Dave Colclough

Poker Verdict interview Dave Colclough, winner of GUKPT Manchester (Leg 4)…

Maybe it’s because the first tournament I did live coverage on was the GUKPT Manchester, one of Colclough’s many tournament successes, but I think in all likelihood the reason I regularly, and vocally, rate Dave as one of the best poker players in the world is because his tournament results record and laid back and observant style of play is one that demands respect. As I said, the first time I covered Colclough live was at the GUKPT Manchester – he was also the first poker player I interviewed (see here). After a year analysing the UK scene, spending what probably amounts to several days of my life watching Dave Colclough at a poker table, I grabbed Dave during the break on Day 1 of the GUKPT London in October and for a follow up interview and further insight into his poker world.

Lucy: So Dave, how are you feeling today heading into the penultimate leg of the UK tour?

Dave Colclough: To be honest I really like these competitions. I shouldn’t really say this, but there seems to be an inordinate amount of what I would consider below average players in the GUKPT. I say that because obviously recently playing an EPT in Baden I think the standard is definitely a lot worse that. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to take advantage of it yet – I’ve still got 10,000 chips! But yeah, I enjoy these events, and hopefully I’ll get going after the break.

Lucy: Well, I was actually going to ask you – do you think the London leg of the GUKPT, being extended with an estimated 500 runners, brings more weak players to the field?

Dave Colclough: No I don’t think it’s got anything to do with the fact that it’s in London – I think it’s because a lot of people end up in this event because they qualify online. The standard of qualifiers is a lot lower on Blue Sq compared to the standard of a Poker Stars satellite for the EPT and I think it’s also because it’s on Channel Four you get a lot of people coming in who’ve just played a few times in their local club and want to play to get themselves on TV.

Lucy: So then, with the GUKPT is it the money or the status that means most to you?

Dave Colclough: This might sound a bit big headed, but to be honest, it’s just the money now. I’ve reached a certain level in the game where I’ve been in the top ten in Europe and where hopefully I don’t have much to prove. The only thing to be honest that I’ve got to prove is winning a bigger event. I’ve won several events between 70k and 100k but I’ve never cashed one like an EPT where we’re talking like 300k, or something huge in Vegas. So I don’t think I’ve got anything to prove at this level, but maybe something to prove by nailing down an extremely large event!

Lucy: As you say, you are really consistent at cashing in tournaments, bringing the results in, and what I’ve noticed most is that you are a very quiet player with this – at the table you don’t give the rub down and you’re not big headed. Do you think that plays a big part in your game?

Dave Colclough: I don’t know – but really it comes with the fact that I’ve been playing for 20 years now. I remember in the early days somebody said to me ‘Don’t ever get nasty at the table’ because you know I used to play a lot of cash poker and I’ve been in a lot of private cash games, and if you take for example Barry’s private cash game you’ve got several players in their who’ve lost a lot of money and the reason they kept coming back is ‘cos they enjoyed themselves. Nobody ever gave anybody the rub down, we’d talk about the football and horse racing at the table and it was friendly. They’d still be losing their money at the table so why on earth would I want to give them the rub down? I want to them to come back and lose more money! And also, if you’re nice yourself you will always be in a better mood. If I start being nasty to people then I’ll be in a bad mood myself.

Lucy: True! Another thing we’ve noticed at Poker Verdict is that you are very hard to read. Specifically, Warren Wooldridge rates you quite highly and describes you as ‘unreadable’. Have you been told that before?

Dave Colclough: Yeah! Lots of people say I’ve got dodgy eyes. It’s ‘cos they’re moving all the time and they’ve got no chance really have they? Regularly I can be walking around in normal life, feeling quite happy, and people will say to me ‘For God’s sake, smile!’ and you know, I don’t really know what to say because I’m happy. I’m thinking about a happy thing and all of a sudden somebody walks up to me and says ‘Don’t be so miserable’ and it’s just that I’m lucky to have a face that is expressionless I guess…

Lucy: Perfect for poker! Who would you pick as the best rising star on the UK Poker Tour?

Dave Colclough: Hmm, the best rising star. That’s a good question. Well I was going to say these guys but they haven’t really played the tour; but you really can’t take away from people like Mark Telscher and Stuart Fox though they haven’t really performed in this event. I’m trying to think of somebody who has continually performed well on the GUKPT. Trigger – what’s his name? Richard. Young guy with the hippy hair (Dave is referring to Richard Trigg). I like the way he plays, he messes around in a lot of pots. Xxx. I’m trying to think of people who I’ve played with for long periods of time now. Well, Warren’s quite good. Not to scratch his back because he’s scratching mine but I think in the GUKPT Warren has come to form. I’ve noticed his big stacks and in Luton he had a great game. And I tell you someone else; Roberto from Swansea…

Lucy: Roberto Romanello?

Dave Colclough: Yeah! He reminds me of a certain type of player that I used to come across a lot when I started playing poker. You’d get people who’d talk all the game and give it lots of steel – but really underneath that they are tight players. He’s got huge tells when he’s talking which are almost identical to an old poker superstar called Amarillo Slim. I played with him a few times and I remember playing him in an Omaha final – and every time Amarillo opened his mouth I knew what he had. He had a certain way of chatting when he didn’t want to be called. I think Roberto is a bit that way – but he seems to be bamboozling his opponents at the moment and it’s working. He’s playing very well. But as I say, he puts over this very aggressive talk but he’s actually playing tightly.

Lucy: With him, I’d say his table manner is the opposite to you but at the same time he is similarly unreadable, though of course, not to you as you say. What do you think?

Dave Colclough: He confuses people. He gets a lot of action where he shouldn’t get action. And the reason he gets a lot of action is he’s stopping them thinking in a straight forward way by irritating them basically. I played him for a long time down in Brighton, and he’s still got a tendency to play one or two awful hands but generally he’s a very good reader of the game, with very good psychology.I like to watch him play.

Lucy: Cheers Dave, good luck.