£1,250 Main Event Day 1a | 2022 GUKPT London

02-03-2022 23:42 UTC

Renee Xie Takes Chip Lead into Day 2 of GUKPT London £1,250 Main Event

Calum Grant

Level 10 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Day 1a of the GUKPT London £1,250 Main Event at the Victoria Casino, London has come to close with Renee Xie sitting a top of the chip counts.

In total, there were 185 entries with just 49 players making it through to Day 2, which kicks off on Saturday, February 5.

There is already £237,160 in the prize pool with another two starting flights still to play. Day 1b gets underway at 12 p.m. GMT on Friday, February 4 with Day 1c (Turbo) commencing at 9 p.m. on the same day

The field was littered with notable names and famous faces, none more than two-time EPT Main Event champion Victoria Coren-Mitchell. She was unable to replicate previous feats on the felt and fell short of making the next stage.

Grosvenor Poker Pros Katie Swift, Richard Trigg and Jamie Nixon were also big names on the GUKPT to fall at the first hurdle. Triple Crown winner Niall Farrell and PokerStars ambassador Sam Grafton also hit the rail on Day 1a.

Players such as Jack Hardcastle, WSOP bracelet winner Barny Boatman and Nick Marchington faired a little better and have all booked their seat for Day 2.

Day 1a Top Ten Chip Stacks

Player	Country	Chip Count
Renee Xie	United Kingdom	261,000
Antoine Saout	France	250,300
Chun Law	United Kingdom	167,100
Rehman Kassam	United Kingdom	166,900
Matthew Davenport	United Kingdom	148,000
Yiannis Liperis	United Kingdom	137,700
Ivor Sampson	United Kingdom	136,200
Trevor Reardon	United Kingdom	123,900
Florian Duta	Romania	123,700
Adam Miller	United Kingdom	119,800

The PokerNews live reporting team will be at The Vic tomorrow to bring you all the action from Day 1b which starts at 12 p.m. GMT.

02-03-2022 22:15 UTC

Double Up for Coren-Mitchell

Calum Grant

Level 9 : 400/800, 800 ante

Victoria Coren-Mitchell jammed for 11,200 from under the gun. Action folded around to the big blind who called.

Victoria Coren-Mitchell:
G. A.:

Mitchell was on the verge of another exit after the flop but the turn catapulted her into the lead. The river sealed the pot and the double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Victoria Coren-Mitchell	25,000	5,000

02-03-2022 22:11 UTC

Lodge Put to the Test

Calum Grant

Level 9 : 400/800, 800 ante

With 15,000 in the middle with the board showing , Harry Lodge checked in early position before Gary Miller bet 23,000.

Lodge only had 17,000 behind and after a moment, slid his chips across the calling line.

Harry Lodge:
Gary Miller:

Lodge was ahead but would have to dodge a plethora of outs on the river. The dealer put the on the table for Lodge to hold.

On the opposite table, both Sebastien Jung and Grosvenor Poker Pro Richard Trigg were seen leaving the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Harry Lodge	50,000	40,000
Gary Miller	24,000	-76,000
Richard Trigg	Busted
Sebastien Jung	Busted

02-03-2022 21:45 UTC

Dream Spot for Law

Calum Grant

Level 9 : 400/800, 800 ante

Chun Law, who is on his second bullet, opened to 1,600 from middle position before Justin Tsui three-bet to 5,200 from the hijack. Jan Svec then jammed for 33,000 from the small blind, Law put in the remainder of his stack and Tsui called, covering both players.

Chun Law:
Jan Svec:
Justin Tsui:

The pocket kings were hardly troubled as the board ran out with the for Law to triple up and Tsui to bust out Svec for the side pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Justin Tsui	80,000	40,000
Harry Law	60,000	40,000
Jan Svec	Busted

02-03-2022 21:14 UTC

Sitbon Re-enters; Loses Chips Then Doubles

Calum Grant

Level 8 : 300/600, 600 ante

Julien Sitbon moved all-in for around 10,000 from the hijack and was called by Connor Heelis on the button.

Julien Sitbon:
Connor Heelis:

Sitbon and Heelis paired their aces on the flop. Sitbon had the better kicker but Heelis picked up a wheel-draw. The turn left Heelis with just four outs and he was unable to secure the elimination following the river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Connor Heelis	55,000	-18,000
Julien Sitbon	21,000	21,000

02-03-2022 20:30 UTC

Labat and Gardner Vanquished

Calum Grant

Level 8 : 300/600, 600 ante

Antoine Labat moved all-in for his last 2,000 from middle positon. Conor Heelis made it 5,000 from the cutoff before Alan Carr moved all-in for just over 25,000. Heelis folded and Labat was at risk of busting the Main Event.

Antoine Labat:
Alan Carr:

Labat found hope on the flop, the turn was a safe card but Carr paired up on the river to scoop the pot.

As Labat made his exit, so did Mark Gardner. He was all-in against Yudhishter Jaswal who had flopped a three-of-a-kind with his . Gardner did not show his cards and left the tournament area.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yudhishter Jaswal	105,000
Alan Carr	35,000	22,000
Antoine Labat	Busted
Mark Gardner	Busted

02-03-2022 19:26 UTC

Victoria Coren-Mitchell Enters Main Event

Calum Grant

Level 7 : 200/500, 500 ante

The first ever two-time EPT Main Event winner Victoria Coren-Mitchell has entered the fray on Day 1a. She is currently under starting stack and will be looking to spin it up ahead of Saturday's Day 2.

Player	Chips	Progress
Victoria Coren-Mitchell	9,500	9,500

02-03-2022 18:59 UTC

Dyer Eliminates Grafton

Calum Grant

Level 6 : 200/400, 400 ante

Sam Grafton's seat was vacant and Grosvenor Pro Jamie Nixon relayed the action. Nixon opened to 900 before Grafton three-bet to 2,000. Eamonn Dyer called from the button and Nixon also called.

The flop came , with Nixon check-folding after Grafton moved all-in and was called by Dyer.

Dyer had flopped a set of fives while Grafton had pocket queens. Dyer filled up on the turn and sealed the checkmark on the river.

Dyer then remarked that he went on a little sunrun, knocking out another two opponents. The first KO saw his pocket sixes beat an opponents pocket queens. A few moments later, Dyer would have a pair of queens himself which held against a table-mates ace-king.

Player	Chips	Progress
Eamonn Dyer	160,000	70,000
Jamie Nixon	5,000	-15,000
Sam Grafton	Busted

02-03-2022 17:48 UTC

Hardcastle Joins Main Event

Calum Grant

Level 5 : 200/300, 300 ante

Jack Hardcastle was spotted taking his seat in the Main Event after being eliminated from the GUKPT High Roller event and was immediately involved in a hand.

Thomas Hall limped from under the gun before John Hall made it 1,300. Hardcastle called from the small blind as did Hall.

Action checked to the preflop raiser who jammed his big stack on the flop. Both players folded and Hall chipped up.