2017 partypoker LIVE Grand Prix UK

Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2017 partypoker LIVE Grand Prix UK

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k10
Prize
£150,000
Event Info
Buy-in
£200
Prize Pool
£1,028,600
Entries
5,143
Level Info
Level
43
Blinds
1,500,000 / 3,000,000
Ante
300,000

Robertas Gordonas Wins Grand Prix UK Main Event for £150,000!

Level 43 : 1,500,000/3,000,000, 300,000 ante
Robertas Gordonas lifts the fabled Grand Prix Main Event trophy.
Robertas Gordonas lifts the fabled Grand Prix Main Event trophy.

We started the Grand Prix UK with 5,143 runners (clearing the massive £1,000,000 guarantee by a generous £28,600) across a plethora of Day 1's, both online on partypoker and live at Dusk Till Dawn, through a number of Day 2's, until the field was whittled down to just 53 players coming back for Day 3 of the Main Event at high noon. When it was all over, Robertas Gordonas was the victor, beating Richard King heads-up to take the £150,000 top prize and the Grand Prix UK Main Event trophy.

The field broke down quickly, with some household names failing to convert their deep run, although 50 players did manage to secure themselves a £2,200 UKPC seat. Three tables out was when we really started to see who would make a legitimate shot at the title of Grand Prix UK champion, with some huge stacks giving us a masterclass on how to close a poker tournament.

Each of our eight finalists were as good as the next, each equally deserving of the trophy, but it would be the man who took the chiplead into the final table, Robertas Gordonas from Lithuania, who would ultimately take it down. He took control of the table early on, after some of the short-stacks disappeared, had over half of the chips in play with four players left. Going into the heads up battle against Richard King, Gordonas had a resounding chiplead and it was his tournament to lose and he maintained his composure to see it out for the win.

Robertas Gordonas will take home the massive £150,000 first prize, for a £200 + £20 tournament and lifted the prestigious Grand Prix UK Main Event trophy. We spoke to Robertas and Richard after the dust settled.

Congratulations Robertas from all of the team and a massive thank you to everyone who contributed, from the commentary team of Jesse May and Simon Trumper, all the staff at Dusk Till Dawn and of course the players, but most of all everyone who read along with the updates and joined in by chatting to the commentators as such a high quality final table played out.

"He fully deserved the win, he was the best player on the day," Richard King said of his opponent as the two men congratulated each other on a fine heads-up battle in the moments after the tournament ended. On that note, we look forward to seeing you at the next partypoker event where another major title and stunning top prize is bound to won in dramatic circumstances!

Both Richard King and Robertas Gordonas have tickets to the Caribbean Poker Party and the UK PC Main Event, so we may very well see them renew rivalry later this year.

From Nottingham's Dusk Till Dawn Casino and the Grand Prix UK Main Event, good night, good morning, but most importantly good luck!

Richard King Eliminated in 2nd Place (£100,000)

Level 43 : 1,500,000/3,000,000, 300,000 ante
The winning moment for Robertas Gordonas stings for Richard King
The winning moment for Robertas Gordonas stings for Richard King

Robertas Gordonas raised the button to 7,500,000, with Richard King immediately coming over the top for his entire 26,000,000 stack. Gordonas wasted no time in making the call, and the cards were on their backs.

King {q-Hearts}{2-Hearts}
Gordonas {k-Hearts}{10-Clubs}

The {5-Clubs}{8-Hearts}{5-Spades} flop bricked both players hard, Gordonas' king high still way out in front. The {k-Diamonds} on the turn meant that it was all over.

Richard King takes home £100,000 and a £2,200 UKPC seat.

Tags: Robertas GordonasRichard King

Jamie Whyte - Travelling Man

Level 43 : 1,500,000/3,000,000, 300,000 ante
Jamie Whyte may not have won, but he span an incredible return of £70,750 from a $2.20 satellite ticket online at partypoker
Jamie Whyte may not have won, but he span an incredible return of £70,750 from a $2.20 satellite ticket online at partypoker

Jamie Whyte may have busted in third place, but the amiable Scot told us that he was more than happy with his result in the Grand Prix UK Main Event, which saw him collect £70,750 and a seat to the UKPC Main Event worth £2,200.

"I'm exhausted!," Whyte told us in the immediate aftermath of his bust-out hand to poker pal Richard King. "I busted Day 2 at 3pm yesterday and was being driven back to Scotland by my friend. I live five hours away and played the $2.20 satellite to pass some time. I made the Day flight, then the Day 2 flight. I made it through to Day 3 at 2.00am. I got home, booked a flight back and flew at 6am into Birmingham, got a cab here and played Day 3. I need some sleep."

Whyte's spin-up story from a $2.20 satellite to £70,750 being in his bank account 36 hours later may sound miraculous, but he's not green. Whyte has some impressive online results, and in 2016, cashed in the $10,000 WSOP Main Event. This still represents his biggest live win.

"I came back with 15 big blinds, but already had £2,500 locked up, so that made the flight costing £200 well worth it, and it worked out really well, it's a great score, I'm really happy. I met Richard [King] when he came 12th in another million-pound guaranteed tournament here a couple of years ago. He's a really nice guy and the hand at the and was fine. I'm obviously gutted he has A-Q in that spot, but I've talked it through a little with my backers and it's fine. I have a decent percentage of myself and it's a really good amount, especially with how tough online has got in recent years."

Jamie is coached by two players right now, one from the high-stakes and another from mid-stakes. He told us that the blend of knowledge is something he loves to learn from.

"They're great and it's fun. I love the strategic side of the game, I don't really focus on results, just making better decisions and dealing with things well. I'm 28 now...when I was 23 I would have reacted way more emotionally. "

Unlike many of his peers, Whyte is not heading to Las Vegas to take on the Main Event this year. The reason is a good one. In fact, you might say it's the best one.

"I have a really good friend who's getting married while the Main Event is going on. I've not done any best man speech preparation yet, but that's what I'm supposed to be doing! The funny thing is that his wife's booked their honeymoon for Vegas on the final day of the World Series. So we all miss the Main to be at the wedding and they flight out to it as husband and wife on final day."

Tags: Jamie Whyte

Leon Campbell Wins £50,000 Guaranteed Side Event for £11,000!

Level 42 : 1,200,000/2,400,000, 300,000 ante
Leon Campbell collects the Side Event trophy from Dusk Till Dawn and poker legend Simon Trumper
Leon Campbell collects the Side Event trophy from Dusk Till Dawn and poker legend Simon Trumper

After a gruelling two days, London-based Leon Campbell has taken down the £50,000 Side Event, winning £11,00 and the trophy (pictured).

With seven player players left, Campbell dodged a bullet in a massive pot where he managed to get away from quads on the river to preserve a strong stack. That key protection of his presence at the felt led to more chances and he ran out a comfortable winner when he went into heads-up with a commanding lead.

"I was 3:1 going into heads-up. The other guy wanted a deal, but c'mon you know me. It would have to be Sam Trickett opposite me for me to do a deal when I'm that far ahead heads-up!"

Tags: Leon CampbellSam Trickett

Richard King - Life's a Beach

Level 41 : 1,000,000/2,000,000, 300,000 ante
Richard King has already locked up his biggest ever live poker score...can he take down the tournament?
Richard King has already locked up his biggest ever live poker score...can he take down the tournament?

During the break, we caught up with Richard King, who is looking for his first major title by winning this Grand Prix Main Event.

"I've played a lot more online, but obviously this represents my biggest score live. It's tough now, Although [Roberto] Gordonas has played really well, I've noticed him slow down a little in the last level. Jamie Whyte is an incredible player, he's really good heads-up too, so he will definitely want to get there where he'll have an edge."

King isn't just a poker player, he also owns some rather unique property. He almost literally stumbled upon the opportunity over ten years ago now.

"I was backpacking in Cambodia and came across this place called Lazy Beach. It was beautiful and completely unique, but there was no resort. It all happened very quickly. We signed a contract to start building on the area the next day. Now we own a resort and its called Lazy Beach. Look it up!"

We have and he's not bluffing. King is going to be enjoying some beach time courtesy of partypoker later this year as he's won a $10,000 package already today by reaching the final table with a Golden Chip in front of him.

Life's a beach.

Tags: Richard King

Andrei Frujina eliminated in 5th place (£37,750)

Level 39 : 600,000/1,200,000, 200,000 ante
Frujina had hope offered then snatched away from him in an epic final hand.
Frujina had hope offered then snatched away from him in an epic final hand.

Andrei Frujina exited in 5th place after he clashed with Robertas Gordonas.

The hand began when the action folded to Frujina on the button, who then opened to 2.4 million.

Gordonas, sitting in the small blind three-bet to 8m, but Frujina wasn’t finished with the hand, declaring all-in for 32m, as he chucked a chip into the middle.

Gordonas made the call, seeing his {A-Diamonds}{K-Clubs} in front of the {Q-Spades}{J-Clubs} held by Frujina.

It would be Frujina who took a commanding lead when the flop fell {J-Spades}{Q-Diamonds}{7-Hearts} but the {10-Clubs} turn, once again flipped the odds.

Frujina failed to boat up as the {9-Diamonds} fell on the river, meaning we lose him in fifth place.

Player Chips Progress
Robertas Gordonas
Robertas Gordonas
141,000,000 61,700,000
Andrei Frujina gb
Andrei Frujina
Busted

Tags: Andrei Frujina

Tomas Fara Eliminated in 6th Place (£27,450)

Level 39 : 600,000/1,200,000, 200,000 ante

Tomas Fara found himself down to his last 8 big blinds and found a good spot to shove, under the gun, for 10,000,000. Richard King re-shoved on the button for 32,000,000, with the blinds getting out the way.

Richard was King by name and {k-Spades}{k-Clubs} by nature, with Fara's {a-Hearts}{j-Diamonds} in big trouble, and at risk. The {7-Hearts}{6-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds} didn't offer much help to Fara, although the {5-Diamonds} turn did give him a flush draw. The river bricked as hard as rivers can, with the {3-Spades} coming down and sending Fara to the rail.

Thomas Fara takes home £27,450 in cash, plus a £2,200 UKPC seat!

Player Chips Progress
Richard King gb
Richard King
44,000,000 -2,800,000
Tomas Fara cz
Tomas Fara
WSOP 1X Winner
Busted

Tags: Tomas Fara

Peter Craw Eliminated in 7th Place (£21,450)

Level 37 : 400,000/800,000, 100,000 ante
Peter Craw busts out, to his obvious disappointment
Peter Craw busts out, to his obvious disappointment

Peter Craw moved his last 17 big blinds all-in from early position, getting folds all the way round to Antonis Poulengeris in the small blind who makes the call.

Craw's {a-Clubs}{j-Hearts} was a 3:1 dog versus Poulengeris' {j-Clubs}{j-Diamonds}, who held on a {8-Clubs}{k-Hearts}{4-Hearts} flop. The {7-Hearts} turn offered Craw a flush draw, but the river bricked the {10-Clubs} and Poulengeris picked up the 34,000,000 chip pot.

Peter Craw's 7th place finish earns him a huge £21,450 as well as a £2,200 UKPC seat!

Player Chips Progress
Antonis Poulengeris gb
Antonis Poulengeris
45,000,000 3,000,000
Peter Craw
Peter Craw
Busted

Tags: Peter Craw

Badgers on Tour

Level 37 : 400,000/800,000, 100,000 ante
Peter Craw in action while his friends hover in the background, ready to cheer him on.
Peter Craw in action while his friends hover in the background, ready to cheer him on.

Peter Craw came to Dusk Till Dawn on his own after qualifying for the Grand Prix Main Event online via partypoker's satellites, but he's not on his own at the final table. Watching from the rail are three of Craw's best friends in poker - Ged Ronan, Leon Inman and Dave Moore.

"We're from the Brinsworth Poker League," Inman, a manager in a popular clothes retailer told us. "There are fifteen of us who play. It's £50 a week for 12 months and there are four winners at the end of the year."

Peter Craw steps in to tell us how it was set up.

"The original idea was that we'd all play all year and by the end of the year one of us would win the league and play the WSOP Main Event and everyone else would have a piece of their action."

The question begs asking: where did Craw finish in last year's league. He laughs and so do the others.

"Third!"

"He's never even won that!" chips in Ged Ronan, who is a bookmaker by trade. "I make him 6/4 to win this final though."

The group are known as the Badgers, a group term that is so fondly remembered because no-one has any idea when the name was established. It's just stuck.

"Whatever happens, it's a badger or that player is a badger." explains Moore, who is a courier by trade. All three friends travelled down from Rotherham to watch their pal clean up. "Peter plays a bit more than us, though. He does treat the game a bit more seriously."

"I do play a little more and I qualified for this online." Craw confirmed. Then with that, he's back to the action, the next hand, each one closer to the dream of a major title. He's already guaranteed his best ever live score. He has time to mention one last thing, that would he take third-place money if offered.

"£70,000 is a lot of money but I'd love to go for the win, I really do want the trophy. I know... but it's true."

Adam Maxwell Eliminated in 8th Place (£15,250)

Level 37 : 400,000/800,000, 100,000 ante
Adam Maxwell during the final table of the Grand Prix UK Main Event
Adam Maxwell during the final table of the Grand Prix UK Main Event

Adam Maxwell was the first casualty of the official final table after he was knocked out by Antonia Poulengeris.

From early position Maxwell moved all in for his remaining 12 million holding {10-Spades}{10-Hearts} and found himself flipping against the {A-Diamonds}{K-Hearts} of Poulengeris, who re-shoved from the button, having Maxwell covered.

The flop was safe for Maxwell, showing {5-Hearts}{7-Clubs}{7-Hearts} but the {Q-Hearts} turn gave Poullengeris a flush draw to go with his two over cards.

The {8-Hearts} was enough for Poulengeris, and with his backdoor flush, he sent Maxwell to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Antonis Poulengeris gb
Antonis Poulengeris
42,000,000 13,000,000
Adam Maxwell gb
Adam Maxwell
Busted