London’s Paul Bracken has won the tenth leg of the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour at the recently refurbished G Casino in Blackpool. He outlasted over 350 opponents on his way to securing the first prize of just under £120,000. He sealed the victory shortly after 10.30pm following a lively heads up battle against Teesside’s Paul Gardner. In the final hand he moved all in on a 9-T-6 board holding 9-6 for two pairs. His opponent called with T-5 and after a harmless queen and a seven followed on the turn and river it was all over. Paul, originally from Ireland, is mainly a cash game player and has been a professional for the last four years, but will be having another crack at winning a big money tournament in the GUKPT Grand Final in less than two weeks’ time.

The chip counts going into the final were:

The final table included several tour regulars such as Neil ‘Bad Beat’ Channing, London winner Leo Kam and Paul ‘The Lemon’ Murrell. Canadian Chef Leo was looking to make it two wins in a row but was eliminated on the first hand of the final when his AK was no match for Mike Williams’ pocket kings. Nevertheless, it was a spirited performance to get this far again and he has certainly proven that his victory in leg 9 was no flash in the pan. Yorkshire’s Ben Herron went out in 8th while local Lee Biddulph was the 7th place finisher. Ex pro cyclist Mike Williams lost the early lead he had taken after eliminating Kam when Paul Gardner’s pocket aces defeated his pocket eights. Shortly thereafter he became the 6th placed man when he got it all in with A9 only to come up against Ben Vinson’s AK. Neil Channing, playing in his second major final this month finished in 5th place. Paul Murrell, who had held the chip lead going into the final, took 4th while 20-year old Ben Vinson finished in 3rd. Ben’s father Alan finished in 4th place in the Luton leg and although Ben was obviously disappointed not to have gone the distance, the £38,000 prize money that he won will surely make him the envy of his fellow students at Derby University, where he is working towards a business studies degree.

The GUKPT is nearly over for 2007. Ten legs have come and gone, with ten very worthy winners, but there is still one very big one left to be decided. In less than two weeks the tour returns to London’s Victoria casino where the £3,000 Grand Final will be contested.

Sponsors Blue Square give an additional £10,000 to the winner plus a seat in the GUKPT Grand Final!