The Grosvenor Casino Westgate in Leeds was awash with poker players from far and wide from August 27 through to September 1 because the 888poker UK Poker League (UKPL) was in town. Seven events took place, including the £560 buy-in Main Event, which drew in 289 entrants and saw £137,270 distributed.
The top 46 finishers in the Main Event saw a return on their investment. Such luminaries as Callum Gordon, Robert Boon, serial crusher Matthew Davenport, Michael Howard, and Thomas Clack reached the money places but fell short of a final table appearance.
Philip Walker busted in tenth place and set the final table. Jamie Dale held a more than two-to-one chip lead at the start of the final table, his 2,900,000 chips worth 116 big blinds. Neal Phillips brought up the rear with the equivalent of 14 big blinds.
888poker UKPL Leeds Main Event Final Table Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Chips | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jamie Dale | 2,900,000 | 116 |
| 2 | Christopher Johnson | 1,200,000 | 48 |
| 3 | Man Li | 1,065,000 | 43 |
| 4 | Mo Romanowicz | 935,000 | 37 |
| 5 | Arian Hasskashani | 760,000 | 30 |
| 6 | Matt Tyler | 680,000 | 27 |
| 7 | “IQY” | 385,000 | 15 |
| 8 | John Bousfield | 360,000 | 14 |
| 9 | Neal Phillips | 345,000 | 14 |
Matt Tyler was the final table’s first casualty. Tyler’s stack had dwindled to 12 big blinds, when he shoved with ace-five of spades. Mo Romanowicz looked up Tyler with pocket nines, which held on a king-high board. Tyler took home £2,800, his first recorded result since October 2011.
Seasoned pro John Bousfield was the next to fall, his eighth-place finish coming with £3,300. Bousfield three-bet shoved 16 big blinds with pocket tens after Romanowicz opened with king-queen of spades. A queen on the flop was enough to send Bousfield to the cashier’s desk. Bousfield had previously finished fourth in the £250 Opening Voyage for a £4,670 score at the start of UKPL Leeds.
Seventh place and £3,850 went to Arian Hassankashani. Again, it was Romanowicz who struck the fatal blow. Hassankasahani got his last 16 big blinds in from the button with ace-nine, only for Romanowicz to wake up with the dominating ace-queen. Hassankashani also finished third in the £1,100 High Roller for £6,320 and ninth in the £250 Opening Voyage for £1,390, locking in plenty of profit for his trip to Leeds.
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You must win coinflips if you want to become a poker tournament champion. Phillips found himself flipping for his tournament life, his last 15 big blinds going into the middle with ace-nine and finding himself against Dale’s pocket eights. Phillips couldn’t melt the snowmen, and had to make do with the £4,800 sixth-place prize, which happens to be a career-high.
Dale then sent Man Li to the sidelines. Li finished seventh in the recent 888poker LIVE Manchester Main Event; he went two places deeper in Leeds. The last of Li’s 15 big blinds found their way into the middle of the felt while holding king-queen. Dale called with ace-jack, and no help arrived for Li.
The final four became three with the untimely demise of Christopher Johnson. Johnson won the GUKPT Leeds Main Event in 2022 and finished fifth in the 2024 edition. His latest Yorkshire-based deep run ended with an 11 big blind shove with ace-queen, which the anonymous “Iqy” called with ace-ten. Mr. Anonymous flopped a Broadway straight, and Johnson couldn’t find running cards.
Two losses in quick succession resigned Dale to a third-place exit. First, his ace-three lost to Romanowicz’s king-nine despite flopping an ace because Romanowicz hit running nines to double up. Next, Dale’s pocket nines fell foul to Romanowicz’s ace-ten, and he went from hero to zero, although the £15,000 he banked will help numb the pain.
The heads-up duo of “Iqy” and Romanowicz struck a deal to lessen the pay jumps; first place was originally £29,000 and second place £21,200. The final hand took place during the 50,000/100,000 level and saw “Iqy” limp on the button with jack-deuce of diamonds before calling Romanowicz’s raise to 400,000 that he made with ace-eight.
Romanowicz check-called a 400,000 bet on the seven-five-seven flop, leading to the six of diamonds landing on the turn, putting two diamonds on the board. Romanowicz check-raised a 600,000 bet on the turn to 2,000,000, and “Iqy” called.
The dealer placed the ace of diamonds on the river, giving Romanowicz top pair and “Iqy” a flush. Romanowicz shoved for the 1,575,000 he had behind, “Iqy” snap-called, and Romanowicz discovered his top pair was an expensive second-best hand.
888poker UKPL Leeds Main Event Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “IQY” | £26,355* |
| 2 | Mo Romanowicz | £23,845* |
| 3 | Jamie Dale | £15,000 |
| 4 | Christopher Johnson | £9,900 |
| 5 | Man Li | £7,000 |
| 6 | Neal Phillips | £4,800 |
| 7 | Arian Hassankashani | £3,850 |
| 8 | John Bousfield | £3,300 |
| 9 | Matt Tyler | £2,800 |
*reflects a heads-up deal
Next Up On the 888poker UKPL
Only one stop remains on the inaugural 888poker UKPL, a trip to the Grosvenor G Casino in Reading. 888poker UKPL Reading runs from September 23 through September 29, and includes the final £560 buy-in Main Event of the first season. Check out the UKPL satellites online at 888poker if you fancy winning your way into the last UKPL Main Event of the 2024 season.
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