2025 PartyPoker Tour London – £500 Main Event

Everyone’s probobly aware at this point that the 2025 PartyPoker Tour London is the very anticipated comeback for PartyPoker on the live poker stage. That begs the question; which was the most recent event?

It took stage on the green island that is Ireland, back in 2023. It was the €3,000 PartyPoker MILLIONS, a tournament that absolutely knocked it out of the park. The 286 entries created a €766,838 prize pool, and a €210,000 first-place payout that was sought by many.

The winner was no one other than Michel Molenaar, who received high praise for his win, seeing as he was only 24 years old at that point. By many, he’s known as a Dutch prodigy.

Molenaar is on-site at Aspers, competing for back-to-back wins in PartyPoker live events. It’s safe to say he’s in good form; the Dutchman came straight from Dublin, where he had a deep run in the 2025 Irish Poker Open.

Yesterday, he played Day 1a of the £500 PartyPoker Tour London Main Event, and bagged 146,000. His partner in crime, Cassandra Yong, also secured advancement to Day 2 as she secured a 125,000 stack.

The full chip counts from Day 1a can be seen here.

The players are now on a 25-minute break, and when they return, late registration will be closed. Just as is the case for any of the other Day 1 flights, we’re playing down to 25 %. These will bag for Day 2.

We’ll be back shortly with some big stacks at this current stage.

Action was caught after the flop of 4♣7♣5♦, and John Kelly checked from the big blind. Richard Watts fired for 4,000 from the cutoff, and Kelly made the call.

The 6♣ turn brought in the front door flush draw and both players checked.

After the 4♠ peeled off on the river, Kelly checked to Watts. He fired for 6,000 to put Kelly into the tank. He folded face up showing A♥5♥. “I would never bluff you,” declared Watts as he revealed A♦A♠.

Richard Watts: 153,000
John Kelly: 122,500

Featuring a star-studded lineup with the players in order from seat 1 to seat 9: Glenn Brown, Sam Acheampong, Matt Staples, Jaime Staples, Jordan Caplan, Barry Carter, Aleks Georgiev, Konstantin Zerdev, and Asif Warris. Players will start with 25,000 with blinds starting at 100/200/200.

The sit & go will play down to a winner with an invitational cash game appearing on stream shortly after. Check out the PartyPoker Youtube or Twitch channel to catch the action live.

Louis Francis opened to 2,500 from the Lo-jack, and John Kelly defended his Big Blind.

On the A♠6♠K♣ flop, Kelly check-called a 1,500 bet from Francis. Kelly checked again on the 10♠ turn, and now, Francis fired 3,000. Kelly wasted little time re-raising to 9,000. This sent Francis deep into the tank; he used a 30-second time bank chip before he let his hand go.

John Kelly: 138,000
Louis Francis: 40,000

Tyrone Brown called from middle position, along with Shi Dong on the button. The blinds called and checked.

The flop came A♠2♠K♦, and both blinds were quick to check. Brown fired for 2,400, and only Reginis made the call.

Both players checked after the turn came the 9♣.

The river was the 7♦, and Reginis led out for 13,300. He received a quick fold from Brown.

Tyrone Brown: 114,400
Valerijus Reginis: 106,900
Shi Dong: 36,500
Hang Xu: 30,500

We picked up the action at Table 25 when the full board read 3♥A♠4♥3♠10♣, with roughly 80,000 in the middle. John Doe went all in for 26,300, and Bradley Arnold had a tough decision on his hands. Eventually, he did make the call, after utilizing two timebank chips.

John Doe: K♥6♥
Bradley Arnold: A♦5♥

“I almost got you, mate,” Doe saluted Arnold, gracious in defeat. Arnold confirmed he was close to folding, but in the end, he was rewarded for his great call.

Fun fact: it was revealed afterwards that this originally was a seven-way limped pot. “Standard,” one of the players classified it as.

Bradley Arnold: 168,000
John Doe: 0

Xinlun Jiang raised to 2,100 from early position. Jody Hurley made the call from middle position, and Bash Ramahi defended his big blind.

The flop came 2♥2♠Q♥, and all three players were quick to check.

After the turn peeled the 6♠, Ramahi smelled weakness. He led out for 3,000, and was rewarded with the pot.

Bash Ramahi: 54,800
Jodi Hurley: 45,500
Xinlun Jiang: 27,900

Kevin Allen opened to 2,500 from the Lo-jack. Action folded to Min Ji who went all in for 41,000 from the Small Blind. Allen decided to make the call.

Min Ji: Q♥Q♠
Kevin Allen: A♣5♣

“I’m sucking out on you,” Allen said, hopeful to hit an ace. That wouldn’t be the case, though, as the board spelled out 2♣2♦5♦9♣3♦. This secured Li a full double-up.

Min Ji: 85,000
Kevin Allen: 48,000

Aidan Hynes raised to 2,000 from early position. Philip Butt made the call from middle position.

The flop came 10♣J♦A♠, and both players were quick to check.

After the turn peeled the 5♥, Hynes fired for 2,000. Butt took little time to make the call.

The river was the J♥, and Hynes checked to Butt. He fired for 3,500 and was called by Hynes. Butt revealed Q♥J♠ to take the pot.

Philip Butt: 73,400
Aidan Hynes: 57,500

Lok Tsui opened to 2,000 from the UTG. Cosmin Staicu (Lo-jack) and John Doe (Button) both called before Aaron Watkins made it 10,000 from the Small Blind. Back on Tsui, who went all in for an additional 30,000. Action folded to Watkins, who made the call as fast as lightning.

Lok Tsui: 7♠7♣
Aaron Watkins: A♠Q♠

A classic coinflip that went the way of Tsui, as the board ran out 6♦10♠6♣K♦3♠. He received a full double up and took a chunk out of the Watkins stack.

Lok Tsui: 70,000
Aaron Watkins: 64,000

The players are currently on a 30-minute break, and they will return to Level 7 (500/1,000 with a 1,000 Ante). Here are nine of the biggest stacks currently in the room:

Among the crowd are loads of players who will seem familiar. Many have had deep runs recently, while others have been featured time and time again on poker.pro. Bash Ramahi joined the action today jumping straight into the Main Event. John Kelly made a run in the Mini Main Day 3, sputtering out at 55th place.

Poker Against Plastic Pollution founder Karim Louis is among the hopeful’s of the day. Louis just found an elimination hitting a flush on the river. At the same table is 11th place finisher of the Mini Main Rovshan Gasimov (£1,160).

We may be a little vague on the details, but Armandas Aurila waved us over to Table 17; he had a big hand to share.

UTG, Neil McCulloch opened to 1,600. From the Cut-off, Aurila raised to 5,400, and McCulloch made the call.

On the Q♣A♦A♠ flop, McCulloch checked prior to Aurila continuing for 2,000. McCulloch called, and then, action went check-check on the 7♠ Turn.

On the 4♣ river, McCulloch bet 5,000. Aurila went all in for roughly 33,000, and McCulloch snap-called.

Neil McCullough: A♥K♠
Armandas Aurila: Q♥Q♦

Big pot for Aurila, especially considering it was his third hand of the tournament.

Armandas Aurila: 102,000
Neil McCullough: 0

Alper Gocer opened to 1,200 from middle position. Lewis Brown defended his big blind.

The flop came 9♥Q♥5♥, Brown checked to Gocer. He fired for 1,000, and was called by Brown.

After the turn peeled the J♦, both players slowed down with a check.

The 8♥ completed the board, and Brown led out for 4,000. Gocer made the call, and revealed 10♥10♣ to take the pot.

Alper Gocer: 31,300
Lewis Brown: 13,800

Dmytro Stetsiura opened to 1,200 from the Lo-jack. John Doe (Cut-off), Rovshan Gasimov (Button), Jen Chiang (Small Blind), and Vitalijus Banelis (Big Blind) all made the call.

Chiang took the aggressive path and donk-bet 1,400 on the 3♥K♣2♥ flop. Banelis and Doe both made the call prior to Chiang and Banelis folding.

All players checked on the 2♣ turn. When the 8♥ fell on the river, Chiang led out for 4,100, which was enough to make the remaining players fold.

Jen Chiang: 55,000

Only about three hours into Day 1b, and we may have already seen the call of the flight.

Boyuan Xue opened to 2,600 from the Lo-jack. Right next to him, Tristan Chaplin raised to 6,500 from the Hi-jack. Action folded back to Xue, who made the call.

The flop came 8♠10♠Q♣ and Xue donk-bet all in for 29,000. This sent Chaplin into the tank; he threw in not only one, but two 30-second timebank chips. Eventually, he made the call.

Boyuan Xue: K♥J♦
Tristan Chaplin: A♣K♣

A great call with ace high by Chaplin, and he was awarded as the 10♥5♥ didn’t feature any nasty surprises. As he passed 100,000 in chips, Xue’s bullet came to an end.

Tristan Chaplin: 103,000
Boyuan Xue: 0

Middle position raised to 1,000, and Karim Louis called from the cutoff. The big blind defended as well.

The flop came 5♥9♣2♣, and the big blind was quick to check. Middle position continued for 2,800. Only Louis made the call.

The middle position player continued for 6,800, after the turn peeled the 5♠. Louis stuck around.

After the river came the 7♣, middle position slowed down with a check. Louis moved all in for 45,300 having the other player covered. They went into the tank, but eventually made the call. Louis revealed J♣10♣ to best his opponents Q♥Q♣.

Karim Louis: 98,100

Stephen Evans opened to 800 from UTG+2. Hang Xu called from the Hi-jack, and Aleksand Puras called from the Button. Then, from the Big Blind, Tyrone Brown raised to 3,200.

Back to Evans, who 4-bet to 7,500. Xu and Puras both folded, and then, Brown moved all in for perhaps 32,000. Brown called, and we had a big pot at an early stage of the tournament.

Stephen Evans: Q♦Q♣
Tyrone Brown: A♣A♦

Brown didn’t have to improve, but for good measure, he improved to a full house on the 2♠10♦2♥A♥J♣ board. Evans’ first bullet came to an end, and time will tell if he decides to rebuy.

Tyrone Brown: 97,000
Stephen Evans: 0

Graham Hiew raised to 1,000 from middle position, and Alper Gocer made the call from the small blind.

The flop came 9♠Q♦7♣, and Gocer checked to Hiew. He continued for 1,400, and Gocer made the call.

After the turn peeled the 10♣, Gocer again checked. Hiew fired for 2,500, and was again called.

The river was the 5♣, and Gocer completed the check trifecta. Hiew blasted for 4,000, and was called off by Gocer. Hiew revealed A♦A♣ to take the pot.

Graham Hiew: 59,000
Alper Gocer: 33,700

The first break of Day 1b of the £500 Main Event has concluded, and this is the start of today’s live coverage. Make sure to tune in frequently to get all the latest live updates from this tournament, such as hands, chip counts, etc.

Graham Hiew raised to 1,000 from middle position, and Alper Gocer made the call from the small blind.

The flop came 9♠Q♦7♣, and Gocer checked to Hiew. He continued for 1,400, and Gocer made the call.

After the turn peeled the 10♣, Gocer again checked. Hiew fired for 2,500, and was again called.

The river was the 5♣, and Gocer completed the check trifecta. Hiew blasted for 4,000, and was called off by Gocer. Hiew revealed A♦A♣ to take the pot.

Graham Hiew: 59,000
Alper Gocer: 33,700

The first break of Day 1b of the £500 Main Event has concluded, and this is the start of today’s live coverage. Make sure to tune in frequently to get all the latest live updates from this tournament, such as hands, chip counts, etc.