Leading rugby players from Leeds Rhinos joined the Great British Poker Tour (GBPT) when it hit Leeds Gala Casino at the weekend, but none of the three rugger stars proved poker aces.
Great Britain captain Jamie Peacock and Leeds Rhinos team-mates Lee Smith and Danny McGuire all signed up to win a share of the prize pool, but failed although fellow sports star, athlete Darren Campbell did rather better.
Jamie Peacock won £460 on the second day for placing sixth out of a field of 110, but that was all the rugby stars could muster.
But Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell managed to reach the final table as chip leader, with a stack of 141,200, but he couldn't cut it and crashed out to quad jacks.
It was then time to let the poker pros get on with it, although the table of 14 had already made a deal to share the whole pot between them.
Eventually it was Lee Richardson who showed his poker class, winning £11,500 and a seat in the £2,500 Grand Final Main Event in November, with a chance to pocket £165,000 and a trip to Las Vegas.
After the Head's up, Sunderland's Richard Howe could only manage second place, although he still walked away £10,500 richer and with a place at the Grand Final NLHE secured.
Leading rugby players from Leeds Rhinos joined the Great British Poker Tour (GBPT) when it hit Leeds Gala Casino at the weekend, but none of the three rugger stars proved poker aces.