A POKER player from Potters Bar proved he knows when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em, after finishing second in a national tournament and scooping �2,000.

David Ansell, 27, joined the Redtooth Poker League, at the Green Man, in High Street, a year-and-a-half ago, where he soon mastered the game of Texas Hold’em.

The Trewenna Drive resident qualified for two consecutive regional finals before landing a place at the table at the national finals among 403 other card sharks on Sunday.

The star-studded event, at “infamous” Nottingham poker club Dusk Till Dawn, featured a number of VIP guests and celebrity poker players, including snooker ace Steve Davis, glamour girl Lucy Pinder and legendary World Series of Poker bracelet winner Dave ‘The Devilfish’ Ulliott.

David, who was playing solidly for 11 hours at the marathon contest, told the Potters Bar Edition: “I was overjoyed just to be there and it’s really good to get to the final table.”

He said his �2,000 prize was the biggest pot he’s won “by a mile”.

Despite suffering what could be considered a ‘bad beat’ against eventual winner David Cheesman, who made a pair of aces on the River (the final card dealt), David [Ansell] was magnanimous in defeat.

“I played a great game but David [Cheesman] outplayed me at the end.

“He was brilliant on the final table and a deserved winner,” he said.

Green Man landlord Alan Meadows, who runs the qualifying events every Monday night, was full of praise for David, who showed off his trophy at the pub on Monday night.

“Everyone’s a bit in awe of him,” he said.

“It’s a great achievement for him to get through the regionals and to get to the nationals is fantastic.

“Everyone is over the moon for him.”