PokerStars Live League Heats Up as Docherty Chases Top Spot

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Nov 20, 2025 4 min read Last updated Dec 10, 2025

With the PokerStars Live League heading into its final two stops, David Docherty finds himself perfectly positioned for a late surge.

Just EPT Prague and PokerStars Open Cannes remain, not just for Docherty to overtake Steinn Thanh Du Karlsson at the top of the Low tier, but also there are winners to be crowned in the Medium and High tiers as well.

Docherty spoke with the PokerStars Blog about how he's shaping up for December, and a final push for the title.

Eyes on the Prize

Docherty's run started off strongly, with a final table performance in the PokerStars Open Second Chance at PokerStars Open Campione early in the season, where he finished seventh for €9,950.

It was this result, he says, that solidified his decision to compete in the Low tier.

"I felt it would be the one that offered the best prospects for me finishing in the top 10," he told the PokerStars Blog. "I definitely planned on playing for the leader board–it was just a matter of which tier I focused my efforts on."

"Getting the contract would be a genuine honour"

And the carrot dangling at the end of a year-long grind? A shot at a PokerStars Ambassador contract.

"Anyone who knows me knows how passionate I am about poker, and for most of my career, PokerStars has been the brand whose ethos I’ve felt most closely aligned with. Getting the contract would be a genuine honour, and it would also give me a platform where I could give something back to a game that has shaped the last 18 years of my life.”

A Year's Grind

From Campione, Docherty headed to the Irish Open in Dublin, before more PokerStars Live stops in Monte-Carlo, Namur, and Malaga. A career's worth of experience, including the 2024 UKIPT Player of the Year, combined with early momentum, is what Docherty believes gives him an edge as the race tightens.

"I’ve just seen it all before, and that can give a significant edge any time the pressure ramps up"

"I’ve won major tournaments and won a player of the year title, but I’ve also bluffed off EPT chip leads, taken nasty beats at the deep end for huge amounts of money, and fired dozens of bullets in a row without cashing before. I’ve just seen it all before, and that can give a significant edge any time the pressure ramps up."

PokerStars Open Manchester is where Docherty really showed his class, winning two titles including the £220 Deepstack for £7,232 and the £550 Last Chance Deep Stack for combined cashes of over £14,000 — not to mention a third-place in the PokerStars Open Second Chance for £12,710.

Docherty says he's feeling relaxed as the PokerStars Live League draws to a close, with just two events remaining.

“I think, psychologically, the fact that I’ve won a leaderboard before means I’m probably feeling a little less pressure. I know how to get over the line, and I have a robust understanding of ICM, which won’t hurt either if things get tight in the final events.

"I’m only a few points behind now, and my competitive instincts are starting to kick in. I’m all-in on trying to win it from here.”

PokerStars Live League Standings

Low Tier

Docherty says he's good friends with many of the players competing in the Low tier of the PokerStars Live League, and has enormous respect for current leader Steinn Thanh Du Karlsson.

"He is an incredibly high-morale guy to play poker with, and I’d love to go drinking with him. I’ll be the first to shake his hand if he beats me."

Medium Tier

Meanwhile, in the Medium tier, there's a familiar face as PokerStars Ambassador Kenny Hallaert trails Gerard Rubiralta at the head of proceedings.

High Tier

Austria's [Removed:557] has a more than 400-point lead in the High tier, thanks in no small part to five top-five finishes across EPT Barcelona and EPT Malta.

Based in the United Kingdom, Will started working for PokerNews as a freelance live reporter in 2015 and joined the full-time staff in 2019. He now works as Managing Editor. He graduated from the University of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He also holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports Journalism.

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