The latest leg of the GUKPT has been another huge success with 116 poker players taking part in the main event. This is another promising turnout for a poker event that is growing in popularity all the time. There are plenty of UK poker tours and events to look out for the strong name that the GUKPT seems to have is helping to convince players to come out in good numbers. Of course, the fact that there are decent prizes on offer too is always going to be of benefit in enticing players to get involved.
There is no doubt that Neil Raine will be delighted with the money that is on offer. The new GUKPT Stockton champion will hopefully be delighted with the trophy and all of the adulation he will receive for his triumph but you can bet that he will be delighted with picking up £17,690. This was the first prize for the event and this is certainly the sort of poker prize that many players will be interested in playing for. It may not be at the high end of poker prizes but when you think about the size and scope of the event, it is definitely a prize worth taking a look at!
Poker success is a big thrill
After claiming top spot, Neil Raine gave a quick interview to GUKPT where he said;
It was a tough final because we were so deep but I was really lucky with the table draw, Tom was on my table, but he couldn’t do anything because he couldn’t get past me. It was really enjoyable, a really good structure. Three handed was a nightmare it took so long, no one was getting coolered! I had a few hands where my opponent was in front ’til the river and I got there a few times.
Neil was head to head with Dave Collins and the 28 year old poke professional held his nerve to beat his opponent and take home all the glory and the big cheque! This was the first GUKPT title for Raine and it was quite a journey from him. Raine made his way to the final table all the way from a £55 online qualifier. This again should give confidence to players that taking part in satellite events and online qualifiers can provide the perfect starting point for big success at tournaments.
There were a number of major players involved in the GUKPT Stockton Main Event including a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner. Lawrence Gosney was the main trying to snap up more poker glory as was Martin Holmes, who is a GUKPT Leader board champion. Add in the fact that Ellie Biessek, a recent poker winner in Newcastle was involved too and you start to think that there were a lot of big poker names involved in Stockton. Martin Holmes fell by the wayside quite quickly but Lawrence and Ellie were well involved deep into the final day of the event. Ellie was the player that was the final table bubble, which was unfortunate but it allowed every other poker to breathe a sigh of relief.
If the excitement at this GUKPT event has whetted your appetite for the next event, you will be delighted to know that you don’t have to wait too long. This is because the fourth leg of the GUKPT 2013 schedule is heading to Portsmouth at the end of May and will run all the way through until the 2nd of June. The festival of poker in the G Casino will begin on the 26th of May and the Main Event, which is a guaranteed £50,000 Main Event will start on Thursday the 30th of May, which is a Thursday.