After visiting seven superb stadiums and the incredible GPPT Killarney event in Ireland, the inaugural Grand Prix Poker Tour returns to the Dusk Till Dawn Casino in October to crown a final champion. After millions of dollars in guarantees, tens of thousands of new poker players entering the tournaments and drama at every stop, we refuel before the last lap to take in every breakneck bend on the road.
Grand Prix Poker Tour Stamford Bridge, London
Winner: Sunil Mistri, £35,000
The first tournament that ventured out of Nottingham was in London. It was a case of capital gains for popular player on the circuit Sunil ‘Sunny’ Mistri, who was left feeling flush after beating Pak Chung heads-up. The final table also featured Vincent Sanchez, brother of F.A. Cup-winning goalscorer Lawrie. Vinny finished in seventh place, with the High Roller tournament also notable for featuring popular poker couple Liv Boeree and her boyfriend Igor Kurganov. The German crusher of dreams got the better of the entire field and took the lion’s share of that event at 1am!
Grand Prix Poker Tour Old Trafford, Manchester
Winner: Daniel McNairney, £35,000
Manchester United fan Daniel McNairney arrived at the tournament as an unknown chef from Oakham. By Sunday evening on the best-attended GPPT of them all, he’d cooked the opposition and won £35,000, all the while covered up by his United shirt, wraparound home team scarf and a ski mask to block anyone reading his facial tells! McNairney toppled Brian O’Connor heads-up at the event, which was also attended by United’s former 1985 F.A. Cup-winning goalscorer Norman Whiteside and 1999 treble winner David May!
Grand Prix Poker Tour St. James’ Park, Newcastle
Winner: Nathan Farnaby, $35,000
Local lad Nathan took the title and trophy in the North-East, beating Dusk Till Dawn regular Thales Salomao heads-up after an epic final table battle threatened to send the action to an enforced chip-count declaration. Farnaby took it down, however, and won the biggest tournament cash of his life. Plenty of other fun was had at the home of Newcastle United with football legend Rob Lee swapping the St. James’ Park turf of yesterday for the poker felt and players such as Ian Simpson – who would go on to win an Online GPPT leg – taking part in the High Roller.
Grand Prix Poker Tour Elland Road, Leeds
Winner: Jack Kent, $40,000
Leeds United’s ground saw a marquee constructed adjacent to the old ground for the GPPT players, and one of the most fun stops on the tour saw Farnaby back-to-back final tables. Sadly for him, he was first to leave the final felt, and Jack Kent went on to win, beating DTD pub qualifier Richard Evans heads-up for the win. Kent took home $40,000 for the victory, by far his biggest poker win to date, but Evans was delighted with a massive $24,000 consolation prize for being a gallant runner-up.
Grand Prix Poker Tour Hampden Park, Glasgow
Winner: Drew Kirkland, $41,000
The action headed North of the Border to Scotland as the Grand Prix Poker Tour reached the second half of its season. There was no time for any orange segments, however, with the popular player Drew Kirkland winning $41,000 for outlasting a final table featuring Scottish legend Paul McTaggart. Kirkland got the better of Jonathan Gray heads-up to take down the tournament in style!
Grand Prix Poker Tour Amex Stadium, Brighton
Winner: James Dempsey, $40,000
James ‘Flushy’ Dempsey triumphed in the home of Brighton & Hove Albion where he himself owns a season ticket! Just 100 feet from his seat, Dempsey toppled Tom Simm heads-up to win $40,000. In denying Simm, Dempsey guaranteed himself a warm welcome every time he visits Dusk Till Dawn, because Simm held a ‘Golden Chip’ which would have netted him an additional $50,000 for the win! The tournament was a blast, and featured possibly the strongest final table, with players such as James Alsop and Seth Webber proving dangerous opponents. Brighton also featured a right royal celebrity clash as Adebayo Akinfenwa, Melinda Messenger, Jorgie Porter and Carl Fogarty shuffled up on the TV table!
Grand Prix Poker Tour Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff
Winner: Alan Picken, $40,000
The last football stadium to host our Grand Prix Poker Tour players saw DTD veteran and GPPT regular Alan Picken win the biggest score of his poker career. Picken, who traveled to the event with a sleeping bag in his car in case he ran deep, got the better of Daniel Hamblin heads-up in what was Hamblin’s first ever Hendon Mob result! It was Picken who took the trophy back to the North-East, however, and he’ll be going for back-to-back live wins on the Grand Prix Poker Tour back at the home of UK poker, Dusk Till Dawn!
If you want to bring home the title of Grand Prix Poker Tour champion, you just have to come along to Dusk Till Dawn Casino in Nottingham in October. It’s going to be the homecoming of all homecomings…and you could take home $35,000 for having the weekend of your life!
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