European Poker Tour London Main Event Gives England Another Poker Title

Posted on: October 31, 2022, 10:18h.

Last updated on: October 31, 2022, 11:10h.

Erik Gibbs Read More

Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

The European Poker Tour (EPT) has wrapped up its London stop following a number of crushing games. The £5,300 (US$6,084) Main Event drew a large field before it dragged on through days of brutal action, trying to find a winner.

The UK’s own Ian Hamilton shipped the EPT London 2022 Main Event after defeating a field of 749 registrations. It’s the first time a Brit captured an EPT championship since Niall Farrell’s victory at the 2015 EPT Malta.

With this title, the UK now has 18 EPT championships in total. Although it went through a dry spell, it became the European country with the most titles in the history of the EPT off Hamilton’s win.

Hamilton Rises To the Top

Hamilton entered the final day of competition provisionally fourth out of the last six players. By the time the last cards were revealed on the felt, he left with the title and a prize of £664,400 (US$763,528).

The British players monopolized the final table with four players. However, two of them, Harry Lodge and David Docherty, failed to reach Day 6.

Nils Pudel was the first eliminated on the day when his pocket Aces couldn’t hold up. He ran into the A-K of Jack Sinclair, who rivered a spade flush to send him to the rail. The German player was the first to cash, taking home £134,800 (US$154,912) for his sixth-place exit.

Danut Chisu was the next player to leave the poker tournament. He moved all-in with K-J, but dropped to the Q-Q of Alexandre Vuilleumier. For his performance, the Romanian pocketed £175,250 (US$201,397).

Next up, Roman Hrabec, who entered the event through an online satellite, fell in fourth place. Sinclair proved to have the upper hand once again, with his A-J squeaking by against Hrabec’s A-10. Hrabec had to go, but he left with £227,800 (US$262,787).

That gave Sinclair a clear advantage in chips, and he was determined to use it as much as possible. Down to just three, he had a chance to control the table and put pressure on his two opponents, Hamilton and Vuilleumier.

His strategy worked, as he let the other two battle for position. They found themselves all-in preflop, with Hamilton’s Q-J off-suit going up against Vuilleumier’s A-Q off-suit.

The flop and the turn gave Hamilton a straight to stay alive. Vuilleumier then left the tournament in third place with a prize of £296,150 (US$340,335).

The British Battle

The final heads-up would see two British greats fighting for the title. Hamilton gained the lead after taking out Vuilleumier, but the leadership changed from one player to the other on several occasions.

Then, everything changed. Hamilton stared down at A-K; Sinclair was looking at A-Q. They shoved preflop, with Hamilton leading in chips, and the result was in fate’s hands.

The flop didn’t produce a match for either, and the turn didn’t help, either. It was down to one card to decide who would win. Sinclair’s only hope was a Q and, when it didn’t appear, he finished second for £414,650 (US$476,515).

The next stop on the EPT will be in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, from December 7-18. There are a couple of high roller tournaments in the lineup, and the €5,300 (US$6,090) Main Event will run from December 12-18.