£400K Grand Final Brings Curtain Down on 2016 GUKPT
It is fair to say the 2016 Grosvenor UK Poker Tour, the 10th season of the tour, has been a success with only one of its eight legs missing its guarantee. The Main Events of the 2016 tour are now complete and the Grand Final is right around the corner, ready to bring the curtain down on this season.
Martin Hogarty was the first champion of the 2014 GUKPT, outlasting 394 opponents in London to get his hands on the £66,538 first-place prize. Joining Hogarty in the champion’s club was Reyaaz Mulla who was victorious in Manchester.
Popular pro Ryan Spittles took down the first £550 buy in GUKPT in Reading, netting a cool £31,100. Other £550 buy in Main Event champions were Lee Wai Kiat, American Brett Kennedy and Ha Le.
The final two events on the 2016 GUKPT saw the buy-in return to £1,100. Driton Haxhiaj took full advantage of the larger buy-in and prize pool in Luton, winning £61,520, while former European Poker Tour champion Tom Middleton walked away with the Blackpool title and the £56,255 top prize.
2016 GUKPT Main Event Results
| Leg | Buy-in | Entrants | Prize pool | Champion | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1: London | £1,100 | 394 | £394,000 | Martin Hogarty | £66,538 |
| 2: Manchester | £1,100 | 232 | £232,000 | Reyaaz Mulla | £58,300 |
| 3: Reading | £550 | 240 | £120,000 | Ryan Spittles | £31,100 |
| 4: Walsall | £550 | 241 | £120,500 | Lee Wai Kiat | £34,850 |
| 5: London | £550 | 419 | £209,500 | Brett Kennedy | £45,470 |
| 6: Edinburgh | £550 | 184 | £100,000 | Ha Le | £25,000 |
| 7: Luton | £1,100 | 240 | £240,000 | Driton Haxhiaj | £61,520 |
| 8: Blackpool | £1,100 | 251 | £251,000 | Tom Middleton | £56,255 |
The season-ending Grand Final is the tournament that all GUKPT regulars look forward to. Not only has it traditionally created the largest prize pools on the tour, but it also has attracted some of the best players in the UK, Ireland and even Europe to the GUKPT-branded tables.
Canada’s Leo Kam won the first GUKPT Grand Final for £119,590. Back then, the buy-in was only £1,050 but since then it has never been less than £2,125.
Paul Folytn’s £167,050 win was only the largest GUKPT score ever for 12 months because former Chelsea and Republic of Ireland footballer Tony Cascarino won £168,800 by becoming Season 3’s Grand Final champion.
Cascarino’s score topped that of Sam Grafton, Fabian Quoss, Kevin Allen and Charlie Carrel, but when Ben Winsor triumphed in the Season 8 GUKPT Grand Final, he won £178,600 to earn the title of biggest winner from a single GUKPT event.
Previous GUKPT Grand Final Results
| Season | Buy-in | Entrants | Prize pool | Champion | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £1,050 | 433 | £433,000 | Leo Kam | £119,590 |
| 2 | £3,150 | 184 | £552,000 | Paul Foltyn | £167,050 |
| 3 | £3,150 | 183 | £549,000 | Tony Cascarino | £168,800 |
| 4 | £2,625 | 207 | £517,500 | Luong-Huu Bui | £144,905 |
| 5 | £2,625 | 195 | £487,500 | Fabian Quoss | £119,996 |
| 6 | £2,625 | 137 | £342,500 | Sam Grafton | £102,700 |
| 7 | £2,125 | 294 | £588,000 | Kevin Allen | £158,700 |
| 8 | £2,125 | 212 | £424,000 | Charlie Carrel | £108,625 |
| 9 | £2,125 | 321 | £642,000 | Ben Winsor | £178,600 |
2016 GUKPT Grand Final Schedule
It goes without saying that the Grand Final itself is the crown jewel in the 2016 schedule, not least because it has a whopping £400,000 guaranteed prize pool. However, if the £2,125 buy-in is beyond your bankroll constraints, or you have failed in your quest to win a seat online at Grosvenor Poker, there are plenty of side events to sink your teeth into if you head to the Poker Room formerly known as The Vic, London Nov. 20.
| Date | Time | Tournament |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 20 | 2:00 p.m. | £275 Mini Main Event Day 1a |
| 7:30 p.m. | £46 Super Satellite to Main Event | |
| Nov. 21 | 4:00 p.m. | £46 Turbo Satellite to Main Event |
| 7:30 p.m. | £275 Mini Main Event Day 1b | |
| Nov. 22 | 4:00 p.m. | £46 Turbo Satellite to Main Event |
| 6:00 p.m. | Mini Main Event Final | |
| 7:30 p.m. | £330 NL Hold’em Six Max | |
| Nov. 23 | 4:00 p.m. | £46 Turbo Satellite to Main Event |
| 7:30 p.m. | £275 Super Satellite to Main Event | |
| Nov. 24 | 1:00 p.m. | £2,125 Main Event Day 1a |
| 4:00 p.m. | £46 Turbo Satellite to Main Event | |
| 6:00 p.m. | £275 Omaha 4/5/6 card Round of Each | |
| 9:30 p.m. | £275 Super Satellite to Main Event | |
| Nov. 25 | 1:00 p.m. | £2,125 Main Event Day 1b |
| 9:00 p.m. | £220 NL Hold’em Bounty | |
| Nov. 26 | 1:00 p.m. | Main Event Day 2 |
| 6:00 p.m. | £220 NL Hold’em | |
| Nov. 27 | 12:00 p.m. | Main Event Final |
| 4:00 p.m. | £165 NL Hold’em |
Download Grosvenor Poker via PokerNews and you’ll be eligible for a 200 percent up to £700 first deposit bonus. Once you have an account, you’ll find satellites to the GUKPT events, meaning you can win your way to some awesome tournaments for a fraction of their actual buy-in.
