£560 Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2024 EAPT UK
£560 Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2024 EAPT UK
Buy-in
£560
Prize Pool
£480,000
Entries
858
Level
31
Blinds
600,000 / 1,200,000
Ante
1,200,000
Entries
16
Players Left
1
An Emotional Night: Local Lad Ali Ayub Wins Inagural EAPT UK Main Event for £67,400!
Level 31
: Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Ali Ayub has become the first-ever EAPT UK Main Event champion and bag a cool £67,400 for his troubles at Dusk Till Dawn Poker Room, Nottingham
The local hero outlasted 858 players and, after agreeing to an ICM chip-chop, beat Ionut Dumitrana heads-up to take the crown.
The DTD regular and commentator was a popular victor with a dozen players in his winner’s photograph including Waheed Ashraf, James Clarke, and the infamous Will Kassouf.
The winning moment came when Ayub shoved with an open-ended straight draw and flush draw. Dumitrana made the call with a pair of threes.
Ayub had two over cards with the five-four of clubs and had 20 outs to take down the championship. He hit the eight of clubs for a flush to lift the light-up EAPT trophy.
EAPT UK Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ali Ayub | United Kingdom | £67,400* |
| 2 | Ionut Dumitrana | United Kingdom | £59,600* |
| 3 | Jason Riley | United Kingdom | £33,500 |
| 4 | Yanwen Li | United Kingdom | £23,250 |
| 5 | David Langsdale | United Kingdom | £16,500 |
| 6 | Longmao Fan | United Kingdom | £11,000 |
| 7 | Trevor Pearson | United Kingdom | £8,000 |
| 8 | Yinchuan Liu | China | £6,000 |
| 9 | Ben Clark | United Kingdom | £5,000 |
* Denotes ICM chop
Winner’s Reaction
When the dust settled, Ayub spoke to PokerNews about his victory and thanked Jon McCann, Waheed Ashraf and Antonius Samuel who have supported him throughout his career.
Ayub is regular cash game player and commentator at the Dusk Till Dawn cash game streams and was asked if that experience helped him on the final table.
“Yes, I am used to playing under the lights and I know it can have a strange effect on some players who are mindful of what they are going to say, but it helps when you have been there and done that and feel comfortable in the environment.”
Ayub clashed with Dumitrana for the majority of the day, PokerNews asked Ayub if he respected his game. “Without sounding arrogant, I believe the best two players made it heads-up and I said to him that I respected him and I wouldn’t be too fussed if I lost to him. Fortunately for me, I pipped him on the line.”
PokerNews asked if this win would be a catalyst for playing any more events in the future. “ To be honest with you I am actually winding down playing as I have been playing a long time. I will probably stick to the same level and enjoy the win with friends and family.”
Finally, Ayub wanted to heap praise to the EAPT “It was a fantastic tournament and well run with a great structure and price point and the trophy is beautiful!” Ayub was ecstatic when he discovered that there was an in-built light in the trophy!
Highlights of the day
Sixteen players returned to compete for the EAPT UK Main Event trophy. The action got off to a flying start with Jorge Palomino and Lewis Nuttall both eliminated within 30 minutes of the first level of the day.
It was a frustrating start for the eventual champion Ayub, who came into the day 13th in chips. He bemoaned about the lack of hands he was receiving and chastised Foad Sattarzadeh for picking up hands on a regular basis.
Soon Ayub’s fortune was starting to turn and won three all in confrontations in a row against the unfortunate Ryan Cooper who finished in 13th place.
Sattarzadeh’s purple patch soon fizzled out and was eliminated cruelly when he was all in preflop with king-queen and was cracked by Dumitrana’s king-nine.
Ayub went into the final table 4th in chips and ramped up the aggression to dominate proceedings. He climbed to the top of the chip standings with seven players remaining after making a full house against Dumitrana.
The undisputed hand of the day occurred when the final table was six-handed and Yanwen Li raised under the gun with pocket kings. Li was called by four of her five opponents.
On a ten-high flop, Li shoved and was called by Ayub and Longmao Fan. Ayub shoved on the turn with ace-ten which got Fan to fold. A brick came on the river and Li quadrupled up to take her from last place to second place.
Li was one of the brightest stars in the tournament and had only recently discovered poker. Li started playing regularly at local comps at Luton, before moving to Nottingham and has become a regular at Dusk Till Dawn.
Before the EAPT UK Main Event Li had only three recorded cashes to her name for total live earnings of $2,897. Li was devastated to finish in 4th place for £23,250, but this experience has certainly whetted her appetite for future success.
The final three came down to Ayub, Dumitrana and Jason Riley, who was the significant short stack. This did not deter Riley as he came out all guns blazing by moving all in regularly to the annoyance of his opponents.
Riley managed to claw back into second place, but a mistimed triple-barrel against Dumitrana decimated his stack to eight big blinds. Riley was dispatched by Ayub shortly after when the champion made a pair of kings.
With only two big blinds separating the final two, both players agreed to do an ICM chop. Ayub was guaranteed £55,900 and Dumitrana £56,600. Play continued for the trophy and an additional £7,500.
Ayub took the initiative after a four-bet shove on the flop with a flush draw which gave him a two-to-one chip advantage. Shortly after Ayub hit one of his twenty outs to put his name in the history book.
This concludes the exclusive coverage of the EAPT UK Main Event at Dusk Till Dawn, Nottingham. Stick with PokerNews for more live reporting content from tours around the world.
Ionut Dumitrana Eliminated in 2nd Place (£59,600)
Level 31
: Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Ionut Dumitrana bet 4,000,000 from the button and Ali Ayub called from the big blind.
The flop came 8♣3♦2♦ and Dumitrana continued for 5,000,000 which was called by Ayub.
The J♣ landed on the turn and Dumitrana bet 15,000,000. Ayub thought it over and moved all in to put Dumitrana at risk for 35,900,000. He made the call after using two time bank chips.
Ionut Dumitrana: 9♦3♣ 
Ali Ayub: 5♣4♣
Dumitrana was ahead, but barely as he had to fade 20 outs at the river. The 7♣ completed the board to give Ayub a flush and the EAPT UK Main Event trophy, while Dumitrana had to settle for the runner-up spot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
171,500,000
60,700,000
|
60,700,000 |
|
Busted |
Ayub Wins Power Poker Skirmish and Creates Breathing Room
Level 31
: Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Ionut Dumitrana limped from the button with 10♥6♣ and Ali Ayub checked with 110♣2♣.
The flop came K♣J♣8♠ and Dumitrana bet 2,000,000. Ali clicked back with a raise of 7,000,000. Dumitrana took his entire shot clock and three-bet to 19,000,000.
Ayub wasn't having any of it and responded with a four-bet jam to put Dumitrana at risk for 60,700,000. Dumitrana raised the white flag and Ali now has a near two-to-one chip advantage.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
110,800,000
22,200,000
|
22,200,000 |
|
|
60,700,000
-23,000,000
|
-23,000,000 |
Deal Agreed
Level 31
: Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
The clock was stopped and the players discussed a deal. They agreed to do an ICM chip-chop and to play for £7,500 and the EAPT trophy.
Ali Ayub will have £55,900 locked up, while Ionut Dumitrana is guaranteed to take home £55,600
Jason Riley Eliminated in 3rd Place (£33,500)
Level 31
: Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Ali Ayub moved all in from the small blind and covered Jason Riley for 11,800,000. Riley called without hesitation.
Jason Riley: A♣Q♦
Ali Ayub: K♦8♦
A king in the window left Riley in rough shape as Ayub made top pair. The 5♥ gave Riley additional wheel outs. But the 6♣ on the river was not the help that Riley needed and his eventful final table adventure is over.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
88,600,000
15,000,000
|
15,000,000 |
|
Busted |
Riley Falls Into the Danger Zone
Level 31
: Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Ionut Dumitrana bet 3,500,000 with K♠5♠ from the button and Jason Riley defended his big blind with 10♥9♠.
Both players connected on the 8♥7♠3♠ flop. Dumitrana had a flush draw and Riley was up and down. Riley bet 4,000,000 and was called by Dumitrana.
Riley paired up on the 9♦ turn and bet 10,000,000. Dumitrana picked up a gutshot and stayed in the hand.
The 8♠ landed on the river to give Dumitrana a flush. Riley bet 20,000,000, which puzzled Dumitrana. He used two time bank chips and made the call to win the pot. Riley is now left with eight big blinds.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
83,700,000
36,700,000
|
36,700,000 |
|
|
73,600,000
2,400,000
|
2,400,000 |
|
|
14,200,000
-39,100,000
|
-39,100,000 |
Dumitrana Gets Vital Double Through Ayab
Level 31
: Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Ali Ayub bet 2,500,000 from the button and Ionut Dumitrana shoved from the big blind. Ayub asked for a count and found that 22,300,000 was acceptable to call.
Ionut Dumitrana: 3♥3♠
Ali Ayub: K♣J♥
A flip for Dumitrana's tournament and it was a safe runout of A♥8♣6♦3♣7♠ to give him a set and brought him to almost parity with Jason Riley.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
71,200,000
-23,100,000
|
-23,100,000 |
|
|
53,300,000
3,600,000
|
3,600,000 |
|
|
47,000,000
19,500,000
|
19,500,000 |
Ayub Creates Distance From Opponents
Level 31
: Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Jason Riley limped from the button, Ionut Dumitrana completed from the small blind and Ali Ayub checked his option.
The flop came J♦10♦4♠, and Riley bet 4,000,000 which got Dumitrana to fold 6♣3♦ and Ayub called.
The 6♠ on the turn saw Riley bet 8,000,000. Ayub responded with a shove to put Riley at risk for 49,700,000. Riley went into the tank and used two time bank chips before folding J♥7♥ for top pair. Ayub revealed [10c4] for a flopped two pair.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
94,300,000
20,000,000
|
20,000,000 |
|
|
49,700,000
-16,800,000
|
-16,800,000 |
|
|
27,500,000
-3,200,000
|
-3,200,000 |
Riley on the Charge
Level 31
: Blinds 600,000/1,200,000, 1,200,000 ante
Jason Riley flatted in the small blind with K♦8♣ and Ionut Dumitrana raised to 4,500,000 with A♣J♦ and was called by Riley.
Both players checked the 9♦3♣3♥ flop, but Riley bet 5,000,000 when he paired with the 8♠ on the turn. Dumitrana made the call.
The 2♥ came on the river and Riley bet a massive 10,000,000 without a moment's thought. Dumitrana went into deep thought and made the call before his shot clock elapsed.
Riley dragged in a massive pot and is closing in on chip leader Ali Ayub, Dumitrana has fallen below 20 big blinds.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
74,300,000
5,400,000
|
5,400,000 |
|
|
66,500,000
18,600,000
|
18,600,000 |
|
|
30,700,000
-24,000,000
|
-24,000,000 |