Nuno Duarte Takes Down the £1,650 High Roller at 888poker LIVE London
The 888poker LIVE London festival continues awarding big prizes and crowning champions, and Nuno Duarte is the latest player to fall into both categories. Duarte bested a star-studded 115-strong field in the £1,650 High Roller to take home a career-best £43,510 and his first title on British soil since November 2019.
The 115 entrants created a £163,870 prize pool that the final 15 finishers shared. 888poke ambassador Ian Simpson was the first to cash. He was one of three 888poker ambassadors who navigated to the money place. Simpson added £3,770 to his ever-growing lifetime winnings tally.
Others who saw a return on their investment but fell short of the final table's bright lights included Robbie Bull, Philippe Souki, and Kevin Allen. The latter busted in tenth for £5,900 and popped the final table bubble.
£1,650 High Roller Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nuno Duarte | £43,510 |
| 2 | Ravi Sheth | £29,660 |
| 3 | N.B. | £20,320 |
| 4 | Vivian Saliba | £14,010 |
| 5 | Martins Adeniya | £9,920 |
| 6 | Josh Manley | £7,370 |
| 7 | Hussni Alkhuzai | £5,900 |
| 8 | Jack Hardcastle | £4,590 |
| 9 | Stephen Bean | £4,260 |
Earlier this week, we reported that Stephen Bean had won the Crazy 8 Opening Event, which happened to be his first in-the-money finish since January 2020. Since ending his drought, Bean has finished second to 888poker's Vivian Saliba in the £550 Big Shot for £10,135 and completed a hat trick of results with a ninth-place finish here, worth £4,260.
Jack Hardcastle joined the list of busted players, his eighth-place finish being worth £4,590, before Hussni Alhuzai crashed out in seventh for £5,900.
Then came the untimely demise of another 888poker ambassador. Josh Manley had to make do with a sixth-place finish in this event, which came with a £7,370 payday. That sum represents Manley's largest live cash, an impressive result from the predominantly online poker grinder and streamer.
The surviving finalists breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Martins Adeniya's stack evaporate. Adeniya is a talented grinder who often frequents tournaments with $10,000 or high buy-ins, but the lure of 888poker LIVE London £1,650 High Roller proved strong. Adeniya's fifth-place exit saw him win £9,920, locking in five-figure prizes for the remaining players.
Fourth place went to the last 888poker ambassador in the field, the hot-running Vivian Saliba. Fresh from her £550 Big Shot victory, Saliba busted in fourth in the £1,650 High Roller, a finish good for £14,010.
Heads-up was set when a player wishing to remain anonymous bowed out in third for £20,320, pitting Nuno Duarte against Ravi Sheth for the title and the lion's share of the prize pool. Sheth has a most impressive record once he reached the one-on-one section of a tournament, but that seemed not to faze Duarte.
The final hand saw all the chips go into the middle, Sheth holding ace-jack, and Duarte, the powerhouse that is pocket aces. Sheth was drawing dead on the turn, handing the title and £43,510 to a delighted Duarte, who posed for the winner's photo with several Team 888poker members.
Most people's attention now turns to the £1,250 buy-in, £250,000 guaranteed 888poker LIVE London Main Event. Day 1a concluded on September 11, with Days 1b and 1c running on September 12.
