Ben Grundy, AKA Milkybar Kid, stormed to the final table at this months EPT tournament in Monte Carlo. Paul Sandells recently caught up with him for a chat.

27 year old Ben Grundy is a fresh faced poker talent residing in London. He started playing poker at the age of 9, but played in his first live tournament event at the age of 18 in Cardiff.  He won this event and has been hooked on poker since, his recent success in Monte Carlo where Ben finished 7th for a prize of 79,000 Euros has elevated his status both on and off line. 

Hello Ben, firstly congratulations on your brilliant result in Monte Carlo. That must of been a special day for you?

It was a great day and I'm glad that I saved my best tournament performance for such a big event. My first goal was to make Day 2, and then it was to make the money and then the final table. All of which I achieved so I am happy with how it went.

The cream of European poker went to Monte Carlo. Who impressed you the most?

I would have to say that the eventual winner Rob Hollink impressed me the most. He was sat to my left for the entire first day of the tournament and was a tricky opponent to say the least.

Your prize for your hard work was 79,000 Euros. Is that going straight back into your bankroll or will you be treating yourself?

I imagine I will be treating myself to something. A large proportion of it will be going into my bankroll, but I am thinking about buying myself a decent car with some of my winnings.

You are known as The Milkybar Kid, how did that nickname come about?

The Milkybar Kid nickname is because everyone always comments on how young I look. Even now at the age of 27 some poker players think I am just out of school.

I guess after Monte Carlo, "Milkybars are on you"?

I guess so. It would have been good if I had won Monte Carlo to throw a load of Milkybars in the air and say "The milkybars are on me."

Have your goals for 2005 now altered?

I guess the only thing that has changed is that I will probably enter a few more big festival tournaments. My primary focus is still to make money playing online and in live cash games.

You're an online player as well. Whereabouts can we find you playing? and at what stakes?

I play on Pokerstars, Betfair and Partypoker. Though I have probably spent more time on Betfair than anywhere else which is where I qualified for Monte Carlo. I usually can be found playing $5/$10 Pl Omaha or Omaha Hi/Lo though I occasionally play $5/$10 NL Holdem as well.

What nicknames do you use for your online poker activities?

Bennyboi or Milkybarkid. It's been a bit strange since Monte Carlo as quite a few opponents at the tables have realised who I am and congratulated me whilst I have been playing. It seems there are a large number of younger, online players who are winning (or cashing in) a lot of events.

Besides yourself, which of the younger crop impresses you and why?

I have been quite amazed by the number of young players I have seen lately at tournaments, especially the EPT events. Most of the young Scandinavian players are tricky opponents because they are fearless. As for specific young players I think Noah Boeken, Julian Gardner and Richard Gryko will all continue to get decent results in any tournaments they enter.

Will we see you at the WSOP later this year?

I hope so. I am traveling in Mexico for a month in June so I may go straight there to play in the WSOP after that. I imagine there will be around 6000 runners and I definitely wouldn't say no to finishing 7th in that one.

Thank you for your time Ben. 

Catch up with Ben and all his latest news via his blog: http://www.milkybarkids.blogspot.com