£550 PokerNews Cup
Day 2 Completed
2025 Grosvenor GOLIATH
£550 PokerNews Cup
Day: 2
Event Info
2025 Grosvenor GOLIATH
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
£550
Prize Pool
£378,580
Entries
797
Level
39
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
800,000
Entries
229
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 797
Filter
Level 39
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
The odds of finishing second in the same tournament in consecutive years must be outlandish, but that is exactly what Kully Sidhu has achieved, after falling just short against Kartik in the PokerNews Cup.
As the curtains come down on a record-breaking GOLIATH 2025, the final event to finish the festival produced an intriguing storyline as Sidhu faced off against Kartik heads-up, in the tournament previously known as the Goliath Cup, having also been the bridesmaid against Rhys Jones in 2024.
Sidhu came into the heads-up match behind, and history repeated itself as Kartik took down the title with a superior two pair, taking the first-place prize of £76,600, while Sidhu had to settle for a £56,370 payday.
PokerNews Cup Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kartik | United Kingdom | £76,600 |
| 2 | Kully Sidhu | United Kingdom | £56,370 |
| 3 | Christopher Kirtley | United Kingdom | £37,200 |
| 4 | Scott Reynolds | United Kingdom | £23,170 |
| 5 | Joshua Gielinck | United Kingdom | £14,570 |
| 6 | Steve Jelinek | United Kingdom | £9,990 |
| 7 | Henry Bibby | United Kingdom | £8,760 |
| 8 | Paul Johnston | United Kingdom | £7,350 |
| 9 | Peter Kelly (UK) | United Kingdom | £6,020 |
Day 2 Action
Exactly 50 Day 2 entrants, with Sidhu amongst them, brought the total field to 797 runners, creating a huge £378,580 prize pool, with 229 players seated for Day 2. WSOP and GUKPT champ Steve Jelinek was the start of day chip leader, and he remained top of the pile for almost the entirety of proceedings before exiting in sixth.
The knockouts came at a frantic pace, with 101 places to be paid. The bubble was burst after the first break, and the first payout was split between two players who busted simultaneously, with a minimum cash worth £1,040.
Players such as Brandon Shiels, Alex Todd and GUKPT Player of the Year front-runner Adam Wilkinson all made the money but perished before the three-table redraw.
At that stage Christopher Kirtley led the way, and he would ultimately find himself short-stacked around the final table, grinding his way to a third-place finish.
Final Table Action
Kartik and Jelinek came into the final table at the head of the pack, and the two would collide in a huge pot, proving to be the key hand in the tournament for the champion. Kartik woke up with cowboys against Jelinek's jacks, and held to take a commanding lead.
Scott Reynolds had found some momentum at the final table, moving into the top two four-handed after knocking out Joshua Gielinck, but he also came off worst against Kartik after three-bet jamming into a monster, only solidifying Kartik's domineering position.
After the short-stacked Kirtley exited in third, Kartik enjoyed a healthy lead over Sidhu at the start of heads-up.
Sidhu took the first significant pot to close the gap, but Kartik won a succession of small ones to restore his lead, and after he turned two pair against Sidhu's pair and flush draw, it was game over for the UK pro, despite Sidhu improving to two pair on the river.
That concludes our coverage from the PokerNews Cup at GOLIATH, but be sure to check out PokerNews ongoing reporting from events around the world.
Level 39
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Kartik has emerged triumphant in the PokerNews Cup, defeating a 797-entry field after a marathon 14-hour Day 2. Stay tuned to PokerNews for a recap of the day.
Level 39
: Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante
Kully Sidhu limped the button, and Kartik checked his option.
On the 8♥3♦2♠ flop, Kartik check-called versus a bet of 800,000 from Sidhu.
The K♦ hit on the turn, and Kartik check-jammed with the covering stack versus a bet of 1,250,000 from Sidhu. Sidhu took a brief pause for thought before making the call.
Kully Sidhu: 8♦6♦ 
Kartik: K♠8♠
Kartik had turned top two pair, but Sidhu still had outs with his flush draw.
However the 6♣ river was not what Sidhu required, despite improving him to two pair. The players warmly shook hands and Kartik celebrated his victory with a friend on the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
39,850,000 | |
|
Busted |
Level: 39
Blinds: 400,000/800,000
Ante: 800,000
Level 38
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Kartik kas won a couple of small pots in a row, restoring his lead over Kully Sidhu.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
25,300,000
4,100,000
|
4,100,000 |
|
|
14,550,000
4,100,000
|
4,100,000 |
Level 38
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Kartik opened to 1,200,000 from the button, and Kully Sidhu defended the big blind.
On the K♦Q♥6♠ flop, Sidhu check-called versus a bet of 750,000 from Kartik.
The 3♦ turn was checked through to the 8♣ river, where Sidhu led out with a bet of 2,500,000.
Kartik called, and mucked when Sidhu tabled K♣5♣ for a pair of kings.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,200,000
7,150,000
|
7,150,000 |
|
|
18,650,000
7,150,000
|
7,150,000 |
Level 38
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Christopher Kirtley jammed the small blind for around 2,500,000 and was called by Kartik.
Christopher Kirtley: Q♣9♣
Kartik: A♦3♥
Kirtley needed some help, but he bricked the J♦5♥2♥K♣2♠ runout, sending us to a heads-up match between Kully Sidhu and Kartik, with Kartik in the driving seat.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
28,350,000
4,750,000
|
4,750,000 |
|
|
11,500,000
2,300,000
|
2,300,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 38
Blinds: 300,000/600,000
Ante: 600,000
Level 37
: Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Kartik opened to 1,000,000 from under the gun, and Scott Reynolds three-bet jammed from the small blind for 10,700,000.
Kartik asked for a count, and made the call with the slightly covering stack.
Scott Reynolds: K♠Q♦
Kartik: A♠K♣
Reynolds was dominated, and he bricked the 7♣5♠4♣10♠5♥ runout, bringing to an end a great run from him. Kartik now with a massive lead heading into the final three.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
23,600,000
13,600,000
|
13,600,000 |
|
Busted |
