Iman Sarkeshik Wins the NPL Pro Playoff as Anon Player Takes Down G500 Event
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The Grosvenor Victoria Casino in London was a hive of activity over the weekend with the 2026 Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT) London festival bursting into action. The festival may only be a handful of days into proceedings, but a trio of players has already become champions, including Iman Sarkeshik.
Sarkeshik came out on top in the National Poker League (NPL) Pro Playoff. His victory earned him £7,665 worth of live credit, which means we are likely to see a lot more of him during the 2026 GUKPT.
Only four players walked away with some free live credit. Robert Douras, who has started 2026 in sparkling form, finished fourth for £2,000 before Dale Wilson crashed out in third for £4,925. Sarkeshik defeated seasoned veteran John Bousfield heads-up, claiming the £7,665 top prize and leaving the runner-up to walk away with £5,410.
| Rank | Player | Prize (Live Credit) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iman Sarkeshik | £7,665 |
| 2 | John Bousfield | £5,410 |
| 3 | Dale Wilson | £4,925 |
| 4 | Robert Douras | £2,000 |
Anonymous Player Wins the G500 for £26,920
While Sarkeshik was busy adding to his bankroll, the £500 buy-in, £100,000 guaranteed G500 played out. The tournament drew in 321 entrants, who created a £137,220 prize pool that the top 40 finishers shared.
Grosvenor ambassador Katie Swift was one of the first players to finish in the money, her 39th-place finish coming with a £1,170 prize.
Jiaze Li, Mariusz Czech, Sebastien Jung, Yucel "Mad Turk" Eminoglu, and Wantao Tang also cashed. Jake Inness busted in 10th place, which set the final table.
GUKPT London G500 Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | S.S. | £26,920* |
| 2 | Lee French | £18,940* |
| 3 | Calogero Morreale | £19,950* |
| 4 | Phillip Corion | £9,100 |
| 5 | Mor Kamber | £6,250 |
| 6 | Jack Bryant | £4,680 |
| 7 | Joe Hindry | £3,650 |
| 8 | Seyed Sarkeshik | £2,950 |
| 9 | Angela Ramm | £2,450 |
*reflects a three-handed deal
Angela Ramm was the first finalist out of the door. Ramm banked £2,450 for her ninth-place finish, narrowly missing out on a new career best, which stands at £2,630.
Eighth-place and £2,950 went to Seyed Sarkeshik, with Joe Hindry falling in seventh for £3,650. Grosvenor Casinos regular Jack Bryant fell in sixth for £4,680, while Israel's Mor Kamber crashed out in fifth for £6,250.
The final four became three when Phillip Corion was eliminated. Corion scooped £9,100, a prize that pushes his lifetime live poker tournament earnings past the $500,000 mark.
With Corion out of the way, the final three agreed to a deal to lessen the pay jumps. Serial crusher Calogero Morreale was the main beneficiary of the deal because he fell in third yet still took home £19,950, £1,010 more than Lee French got his hands on when he lost heads up to the anonymous "S.S." The champion headed to the cashier's desk to collect £26,920 and the G500 winner's trophy.
Kubba Takes Down the PLO Event
The third champion crowned was Ridha Kubba, who triumphed over 61 opponents in the £250 Pot-Limit Omaha event. According to The Hendon Mob Database, this victory was only Kubba's fourth recorded result, and his second-largest score. The largest weighed in at €15,000, his reward for a fourth-place finish in the 2025 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague Seniors event.
Kubba had to battle against the likes of Paresh Doshi and the legendary Brighton & Hove Albion football club owner Tony Bloom at the final table before defeating Phil Marsden heads-up, after a heads-up deal, to claim the winner's trophy and £3,689 in prize money.
| Rank | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ridha Kubba | £3,689* |
| 2 | Phil Marsden | £3,331* |
| 3 | Tony Bloom | £1,880 |
| 4 | David Wood | £1,300 |
| 5 | Phil Ward | £930 |
| 6 | Paresh Doshi | £730 |
| 7 | Cesar Rincon | £580 |
| 8 | C.S. | £520 |
*reflects a heads-up deal
