This is an H1

Top Praz in London Goes Back to the Hit Squad

Praz Bansi, the London-based professional player has bookended the entire GUKPT thus far by both taking down March's Main Event at the Vic and being the first ever champion in the first season of the Tour in Bolton back in 2007.  This outstanding achievement has been interspersed with a couple of World Series of Poker bracelets and a score of other international cashes, and this March in style which made the Hit Squad proud a combination of good timing, experience and a never-relinquished chip lead gave him his second title in record time.

The Main Event final table line-up:

Praz Bansi........1,281,000
Gary Lindsay........842,000
Chris Kyriacou......412,000
Manig Loeser........340,000
Karl Mahrenholz.....317,500
Jim Dunsfield.......190,500
Ken Wong............110,000
Jamie Roberts.......109,500
Jeff Kimber..........79,500

The Day Two run-up to the final table had ended with a sprint as the ten-handed table lost David Rudling at the end of an hour-long final bubble.  Praz Bansi was the beneficiary of a million-plus pot when he flopped the nuts after three-betting Rudling preflop with Jh-Th.  Rudling, who’d called with Ac-Qc, hit the 7h-8c-9c flop hard enough for the pot to become an all-in situation (meanwhile two short stacks could only look on with raised eyebrows).  The flush failed to hit and the final was set to be one for the GUKPT record books, as two Hit Squad members joined GUKPT-sponsored pro Jeff Kimber on his record-breaking sixth final table appearance on the tour.

The four short stacks (holding between 79,500 and 190,500) returned knowing that it would take an aggressive and fortunate start to build back to the point where they could take on Praz Bansi (1,281,000 chips) or former leader Gary Lindsay (842,000).  Jamie Roberts and Ken Wong quickly rose to the double-up-or-bust challenge, staying in the game while Jeff Kimber, GUKPT title holder and record six-time finalist busted in 9^th for £7,350 when he ran A-T into the A-Q of Manig Loeser. 

Loeser took out 8^th place, too, raising implacably when it folded to him with three short stacks behind – Jim Dunsford finally made a stand with K-Q suited but Loeser’s rag Ace held.  Dunsford took home £10,010 for his three days’ worth of action here at the Vic. 

As if the action were not fast enough already, there followed a double elimination – Chris Kyriacou (7^th - £12,500) and Ken Wong (6^th - £16,170).  Wong raised on the button, and both blinds moved their whole stacks in (Jamie Roberts in the big blind covering both potential opponents).  Wong called with pocket sevens and faced four overcards in total to fade to stay alive.  Roberts with A-Q offsuit hit the top pair and being the big stack bid farewell to two at once.

Jamie Roberts was not to last too much longer, himself, though – the popular young Vic regular raced A-K against Praz Bansi’s pocket nines with no spike.  The result was a £19,840 5^th prize for Roberts and an extension of the double bracelet-winner’s chip lead.

Karl Mahrenholz (an impressive third GUKPT champion to grace the table alongside Kimber and Bansi) finished another deep run in 4^th place, winning £26,640.  His penultimate A-Q was just outpipped preflop by Gary Lindsay’s A-K and he left the Main Event three-handed shortly afterwards just over two hours into the final day’s play.

The trio was led by Praz Bansi, chip leader at the start of the day and with over three times second place Gary Lindsay’s stack three-handed.  His Day 3 domination was unquestionable, but both of his opponents at this stage gave him no easy ride, taking turns to shove over his raises or simply at him when their turn came around.  Both players gained a little ground, but eventually Bansi called a Lindsay shove with A-9.  Lindsay’s A-J was immediately outdrawn as a nine fell on the flop and the Shoal Survivor £1,500 GUKPT tournament package winner (for being the longest surviving live qualifier) took his leave in 3^rd, winning £44,100.

Heads up, Bansi’s stack dwarfed that of Manig Loeser, but the German’s experience showed through in his solid and unintimidated heads up play.  Loeser has a string of results to his name, including a 9^th place finish at the WSOPE £2,500 6-max Hold’em event last year and while he might not be as familiar on the UK circuit as Bansi, showed ability which could make him more so in months to come. 

Loeser had evened up the stacks by the time a huge showdown dropped him right down to the felt whence there was no return.  Bansi had turned the nut straight vs. Loeser’s flopped top pair, and when he found his opponent moving in on him once again, snap called to seal his fate.  Loeser, whom Bansi described as “tough, as he kept over-betting the river,” took home £67,070 having put in a bravura performance on the final.

After three long days, however, Bansi lifted the trophy and in his usual understated style said that it was a pleasure to win his second GUKPT Main Event and that he had run well against his final table opponents.

The next leg of the GUKPT runs from the 24^th April to the 1^st May at the Grosvenor Casino, Walsall.