Andrew Hulme was all-in and at risk with the best hand, but the board didn't do him any favors.
Andrew Hulme: A♠K♣
Mark Ridley: A♣J♥
Hulme held the lead, but soon fell behind as the 6♣J♦7♦ flop paired Ridley's jack. No help arrived on the 5♥ turn or 9♦ river, which meant Hulme headed to the exit.
On another table, Gordon Huntly was eliminated to bring the field one away from bagging.
Gurrinder Konkon made a big raise to 30,000 from early position and Daniel Myers shoved for around 250,000 on the button. When it got back to Konkon, he eventually made the call for his stack of around 160,000.
Gurrinder Konkon: A♠K♦
Daniel Myers: Q♣Q♥
Konkon was flipping for his tournament life on the direct bubble, and mustn't have felt spectacular after he whiffed the J♣7♣9♥ flop. However, despair soon turned to delight as the K♣ gave him top pair, and left him one card away from survival.
Only a ten or a queen on the river would see Konkon go home empty-handed, and as the rail watched on, the dealer put out a Q♠, which improved Myers to a set, and sunk Konkon.
The UK and Ireland Poker Tour Nottingham has officially etched its name into the record books, drawing an astounding 1,282 entries at Dusk Till Dawn. This spectacular turnout not only eclipses last year’s total of 1,227 but also sets a new benchmark for the event, highlighting its growing popularity and prestige.
A new record was also set in the Nottingham leg of the UKIPT for the largest opening flight, with a staggering 568 players taking their seats in Day 1d and 85 making it into the money. Each competitor was eager to test their skills against some of the region’s finest and battle for a share of the £1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool.
Simultaneously playing out was Day 1e, the turbo flight, which drew 237 entries and saw 36 players fight their way through the field and into Day 2.
Day 1d Top Ten Chip Counts
Place
Player
Country
Chip Count
Big Blinds
1
Ashraf Desai
United Kingdom
632,000
158
2
Ishaq Ilaj
United Kingdom
534,000
134
3
Edward Quinn
Jersey
502,000
126
4
Yucel Eminoglu
United Kingdom
493,000
123
5
Arian Kashani
United Kingdom
490,000
123
6
Daniel Myers
United Kingdom
485,000
121
7
Richard Jones
United Kingdom
467,000
117
8
Zsolt Molnar
United Kingdom
452,000
113
9
Bhavin Khatri
United Kingdom
411,000
103
10
Robert Sherwood
United Kingdom
358,000
90
At the top of the pack is Ashraf Desai, who bagged a hefty 632,000 chips, which also gives him the title of overall chip leader once Day 2 kicks off. Ishaq Ilaj finished in second with 534,000 chips, and Edward Quinn rounded out the podium places with a stack of 502,000.
Another player to watch on Day 2 is Arian Kashani, who finished Day 1 with an impressive 490,000 chips. Renowned for his methodical and strategic play, Kashani has a proven track record of strong performances. With his experience and a solid chip stack, he’s well-positioned to make a deep run and could be a serious contender for a final table spot.
PokerStars Ambassador and part of Team Online Benjamin Spragg navigated his way through the field and ended with a stack of 226,000 chips. Spragg is no stranger to the UKIPT as he won the Main Event in Brighton just over a year ago for £69,120.
Benjamin Spragg
Yucel Eminoglu, also known as "The Mad Turk", booked his ticket to Day 2 and has a healthy stack of 493,000 to work with come the starting bell. Eminoglu sits fourth on Turkey's all-time money list and is closing in on $2,000,000 in lifetime career earnings.
The unfortunate title of bubble boy went to Gurrinder Konkon, when his Big Slick fell to the pocket queens of Daniel Myers. Konkon turned a king, but a queen on the river meant he was the last player to leave empty-handed.
Other notables to make it through include Christopher Brammer (351,000), Paul McAulay (325,000), Hong Pham (282,000), Longmao Fan (227,000), and Kuljinder Sidhu (208,000).
Remaining UKIPT Main Event Schedule
Date
Event
Time
17 November
Day 2
12:00 p.m.
18 November
Day 3
12:00 p.m.
Play will begin at noon on Sunday, November 17 with longer 60-minute levels. Blinds will start at Level 15 - 2,000/4,000 with a 4,000 big blind ante as that was the earliest point in which a flight finished (Day 1a).
Be sure to keep it right here with PokerNews for Day 2 as the UKIPT Main Event heads towards its business end.
