The Full Tilt Poker (FTP) sponsored United Kingdom & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) Galway Festival has come to a close and its Alan Gold who is smiling wider than most after victory in the €1,000 Main Event.
It was back in May that the news broke of FTP’s involvement with the UKIPT fixture at Galway, and with it, a €1 million guaranteed prize pool. It was a move that should have sent players scurrying to Galway in their droves, but ended in a disappointing €140,000 overlay for a tour that isn’t used to failing.
It was a long two weeks…maybe too long? The local chatter has been about complications of getting to Galway, hotel and travel costs and a general Las Vegas hangover that seems to have bled more people dry than usual, but none of that matters to Alan Gold who added this win to a resume that looks as short as Gus Hansens hair
Gold defeated 859 other players to record only his second ever live cash and easily his best score with €187,494 heading into his bank. It was the clash of the auld enemy as the Englishman managed to defeat the Scotsman, Paul Febers, in heads-up action. Febers walked away with €149,906 for his troubles.
The event also saw deep runs from Max Silver (9th), Raul Paez (11th), Jack Salter (24th) and Padraig Parkinson (38th).
The €2,200 High Roller Event was won by the Spaniard Sergio Aido, after he defeated Kyle Maguire in heads up action. The FTP Ambassador, Dermot Blain, had to settle for third. Aido took €24,450 for his win, which is his third tournament victory in the past 11-months after capturing the WPT National Series in Barcelona, back in Oct, and taking down the UKIPT London event in March.
Michael Clarke Wins GUKPT Bolton
Michael Clarke has won the biggest event of his career after winning the £500 Main Event at GUKPT Bolton. Clarke took home £20,000 after defeating Todd Robinson in heads-up action at the G Casino.
The GUKPT Bolton Main Event only attracted 133-players in yet another show of dwindling attendance numbers. Clarke started the final table as the chip leader and was consistent throughout. As usual the tournament ended with a flip after the pocket eights of Clarke hit a set on the river to end the hopes of the ace-nine of Robinson who took home £14,140 for his runner-up spot.
Celina Lin Breaking Records in Macau
Team PokerStars Pro, Celina Lin, has not only added her fourth Macau Poker Cup title to her trophy cabinet, but she has also become the first player to reach 20 final tables in official Asia Player of the Year (POY) events.
Lin defeated a field of 205-players to take first spot in the HK$2,000 Deepstack No-Limit Hold’em (NLHE) event, after defeating Hazel Chui in heads-up action. She takes home HK$85,800 for her win whilst Chui had to make do with the consolation prize of HK$59,000.
“Those 20 final tables are an impressive number and doesn’t even count the final tables she’s made before the APOY scoring system was introduced in 2009,” said Dom Choi, Team PokerStars Manager for Asia, “It’s a credit to her consistency and hard work.”
