2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester

Apart from reigning champion Ion Oprea, two other notable names in the field are Matt Cartwright and Paul Newman. Below are their achievements (source: The Hendon Mob):

The 25 players who are registered for Day 1b of the £150 Mini Main Event from the get-go have now taken their seats, and the dealers are preparing the decks. Reigning champion Ion Oprea is one of the players in the field from the start.

Press here to read about Oprea’s Mini Main Event win from last year.

The second day of the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester is here, ladies and gentlemen. Yesterday set the tone for the nine-day festival, and the expectations for today are high.

For poker.pro live reporter Christoffer Karlén, the main focus of today will be Day 1b of the £150 Mini Main Event. Yesterday’s inaugural flight attracted 123 entries, and the field included PartyPoker Tour Ambassador Natalie Bromley. Bromley sadly finished in twentieth place, not long before the last 18 players bagged their chips for Day 2. The chip lead belongs to Cieran Tighe at this point (686,000), and time will tell whether someone can find a bigger bag in Day 1b. The reigning champion, Ion Oprea, is confirmed to play today’s Mini Main Event flight.

The tournament (and the poker.pro live coverage) will kick off at 16:00. In terms of side event action, today’s schedule also features the £150 PLO Masters 4/5/6 Bounty, a tournament that is destined to bring immense action. Later tonight, there’ll also be a £30 Target Stack Satellite to the Mini Main Event.

2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester – Sunday, June 14, Schedule

Make sure to check out the “Results” tab, which has been updated with all side event results from yesterday. What’s noteworthy is that Lewis Henderson claimed his third trophy on the PartyPoker Tour by winning the £60 poker.pro PL Sviten Special. He, Alexander Georgiev, and Deniz Orhan (who, by the way, won the £500 Main Event during the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Manchester) are now the three players with three PartyPoker Tour trophies.

All in all, the stage is set for yet another thrilling day at Manchester235 Casino. See you all at 16:00.

Day 1a of the £150 Mini Main Event attracted 123 entries. Below are the chip counts of those 19 who made it through to Day 2.

Roughly 30 minutes into bubble play, Wanhan Lee open-shoved 61,000 from the Lo-jack. Seated right next to him, Mark McFadden re-shoved for 123,000 from the Hi-jack. Once the action concluded at the other tables, the two contestants were given the green light to table their holdings.

Wanhan Lee: J♠10♣
Mark McFadden: A♦Q♣

Lee was the player at risk, but he was alive. He even took the lead on the 8♦2♦J♥ flop. “Nine of diamonds,” McFadden urged the dealer to make things interesting. “I change my mind, no nine of diamonds,” he joked, as he paired his queen on the Q♥ turn. Lee didn’t improve on the K♣ river, and he became the unfortunate bubble boy.

Mark McFadden: 209,000
Wanhan Lee: 0

That wraps up today’s live coverage from the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester. The poker.pro editorial office will soon return with the full chip counts from Day 1a. Also, make sure to check out the “Results” tab frequently, as all results from the various side events will be posted there as fast as possible.

Tomorrow’s live coverage will commence at 16:00, when Day 1b of the £150 Mini Main Event kicks off. See you all then.

Gail Sturrock opened to 12,000 on the Button, and Jude Lawal made the call from the Big Blind.

Lawal check-called a 15,000 bet from Sturrock on the 6♠J♦3♣ flop. Lawal checked again on the 5♣ turn, and Sturrock continued for another 15,000. Lawal made it 30,000 within seconds, and Sturrock made the call.

Lawal took the initiative on the 2♥ river with a 60,000 bet. Sturrock sighed before making the call.

Jude Lawal: Q♣2♦
Gail Sturrock: 8♠8♦

Turned out Lawal was deep-sea fishing. Sturrock trusted the gut feeling and won a crucial pot in a crucial moment.

Gail Sturrock: 264,000
Jude Lawal: 229,000

Action folded to PartyPoker Tour Ambassador Natalie Bromley, who pushed her shy 35,000 in the middle from the Hi-jack. After doing some quick maths, Dwane Ofoeme decided to make the call from the Big Blind.

Natalie Bromley: A♣5♥
Dwane Ofoeme: 4♠4♦

It was a classic coin flip confrontation. Bromley took a solid lead on the 5♠K♠3♦ flop, but Ofoeme reclaimed the driver’s seat on the 4♥ turn. No straight for Bromley on the Q♣ river, and as she was eliminated in twentieth place, hand-for-hand play has now begun for the remaining 19 players. Only one more will go before the survivors can bag for Day 2.

Dwane Ofoeme: 134,000
Natalie Bromley: 0

Andrew Mathews opened to 11,000 from the Hi-jack. Gail Sturrock made the call from the Cut-off before Jonathan Hole three-bet to 39,000 from the Small Blind. Mathews wasted little time before going all in for perhaps 200,000. Sturrock swiftly folded, while Hole committed his 100,000 stack to make the call.

Andrew Mathews: J♥J♣
Jonathan Hole: Q♦Q♠

Hole was looking good to receive a full double-up, but it was Mathews who improved to a set on the 8♦10♥J♦ flop. Hole was up and down on the K♦ turn, but the 7♣ river ultimately secured Mathews the pot, and Hole was eliminated.

Andrew Mathews: 307,000
Jonathan Hole: 0

The remaining 24 players in Day 1a of the £150 Mini Main Event are currently on what is destined to be the final 15-minute break of the day, considering 18 will make it through to Day 2 (and be guaranteed a min-cash). Below are the biggest stacks in the room as of now.

Mark Westby opened to 7,000 from UTG+1. Richard Eyre made the call from the Lo-jack before Imran Primohamed three-bet to 23,500 on the Button. Westby pondered for a minute or two before moving all in for what this poker.pro live reporter estimated at 85,000. Faster than the speed of lightning, Eyre committed his stack to making the call, which was slightly less than Westby’s. Back to Primohamed, who defied the laws of physics, as he made the call even faster than Eyre.

Mark Westby: K♣Q♣
Richard Eyre: J♥J♣
Imran Primohamed: A♠A♣

What a hand, and what a spot for Primohamed. Pocket aces were good on the Q♥4♥8♠8♥3♥ board; Primohamed sent two opponents to the rail, as he won the massive pot.

Imran Primohamed: 315,000
Mark Westby: 0
Richard Eyre: 0

Annalee Barlow opened to 7,500 UTG. Seated in the Small Blind, Imran Primohamed was the sole caller.

Primohamed check-called another 7,500 from Barlow on the 7♥J♥4♠ flop. Barlow must really like that number; she bet 7,500 for a third time on the 9♠ turn. Primohamed called again, then checked the 4♥ river. Now, Barlow sized up to 16,500. Primohamed contemplated his decision. “You show if I fold?” he asked his opponent. “Yes,” Barlow replied, and Primohamed mucked.

Barlow tabled A♠K♣ before stacking her newly-won chips.

Annalee Barlow: 214,500
Imran Primohamed: 103,500

Jude Lawal limped the 2,500 Big Blind from UTG+2. Peter Turner denied it, though, as he made it 12,500 from the Hi-jack. Mark Salmon then re-raised all in for roughly 70,000 from the Small Blind. Lawal mucked before Turner made the call without hesitation.

Mark Salmon: A♣8♣
Peter Turner: K♥K♦

Turner was well ahead with the Cowboys. The 3♣8♠9♥ gave some hope to Salmon, and he received even more additional outs on the 6♣ turn. In the end, though, the 7♥ river secured Turner the win, and Salmon was eliminated.

Peter Turner: 318,000
Mark Salmon: 0

“Triangle’s out,” the dealer pointed out to the rest of the table, as Daniel Ryder open-shoved 31,500 UTG. Nicholas Mitchell attempted to re-shove for 81,500 from the Lo-jack, but it was deemed a string bet, and he had to settle with the call. PartyPoker Tour Ambassador Natalie Bromley contemplated a call for a minute from the Cut-off, but eventually let her hand to. Soon enough, Ryder and Mitchell were heads-up to the flop.

Daniel Ryder: Q♠Q♥
Nicholas Mitchell: K♥10♠

Ryder was well ahead with pocket queens, but the 6♥10♥4♥ wasn’t the worst flop imaginable for Mitchell. Ryder maintained his lead on the 9♠ turn, but the K♣ ultimately ended Ryder’s tournament life in brutal fashion.

Nicholas Mitchell: 122,000
Daniel Ryder: 0

It has been confirmed that 18 players (i.e., 15% of the field) will make it through to Day 2.

PartyPoker Tour photographer Nunzia Esposito is on-site at Manchester235 Casino, and she will capture as many players as possible on picture as possible the event throughout. Below is the batch from today’s Day 1a of the £150 Mini Main Event.

Play has resumed after the 45-minute dinner break, and late registration is now closed.

Wanhan Lee opened to 5,000 from the Cut-off. Mark Westby made the call on the Button before Csaba Kovacs moved all in for 30,500 from the Big Blind. Lee folded, but Westby made the call.

Csaba Kovacs: A♦3♠
Mark Westby: K♣Q♦

Kovacs was ahead, and he managed to dodge everything, as the board spelled out 8♦10♥7♦4♦5♥.

Mark Westby: 89,000
Csaba Kovacs: 67,000

The 55 players in Day 1a of the £150 Mini Main Event are currently midway on the 45-minute dinner break. When play resume at Level 10, late registration will be closed. Below are the 10 biggest stacks this poker.pro live reporter was able to identify.

Seated UTG, Ashley Canning open-shoved 21,500. Csaba Kovacs made the call from the Small Blind; Gail Sturrock folded the Big Blind, and the two opponents were soon heads-up to the flop.

Ashley Canning: J♦J♥
Csaba Kovacs: A♥6♥

Canning had a solid lead with the fishhooks, and no improvement for Kovacs on the 10♣7♣10♠9♦3♦ runout. As such, Canning received a full double-up during one of the last hands before the 45-minute dinner break.

Ashley Canning: 46,700
Csaba Kovacs: 17,500

Mark Westby opened to 4,000 UTG. Gail Sturrock (Hi-jack) was the sole caller.

After a round of checking on the J♣Q♥2♣ flop, Sturrock called a 1,600 bet from Westby on the 6♥ turn. While Westby was counting out a 9,500 bet on the 9♥ river, Sturrock squeezed the cards in at the bottom of the muck. The dealer smiled, and Westby was made aware that he, in fact, won the pot before putting his bet out.

Mark Westby: 92,000
Gail Sturrock: 42,000

Nigel Burge-Jones opened to 3,200 UTG. Action folded all the way to Imran Primohamed, who decided to defend his Big Blind.

Primohamed check-called 3,500 from Burge-Jones on 10♦7♦8♠, before action went check-check on the 8♥ turn. On the 7♣ river, Burge-Jones called 3,200 from Primohamed.

Primohamed turned over 10♠4♠, and with two pairs, he was awarded the pot.

Imran Primohamed: 120,000
Nigel Burge-Jones: 95,000

Val Bennet opened to 3,500 from the Lo-jack. Seated right next to her, Annalee Barlow made the call from the Hi-jack.

Bennet continued for 2,400 on the 10♥2♣10♠ flop. Barlow then raised to 6,800, and Bennet wasted little time before making it 22,400. After a minute’s worth of consideration, Barlow mucked.

Being a good sport, Bennet revealed her A♣10♣ holdings. Barlow claimed she folded pocket nines. With Bennet, Barlow, and Roberta Tassiello, there are three women seated at Table 12.

Val Bennet: 126,000
Annalee Barlow: 82,000

Nicholas Mitchell limped the 1,200 Big Blind from the Lo-jack. Slann Michael (Hi-jack) and Craig Beardsworth (Small Blind) made the call before Peter Turner checked his Big Blind.

Action was checked to Mitchell on the 8♣2♣7♠ flop, who continued for 2,000. Michael made the call, Beardsworth mucked, and Turner called. It was once again checked to Mitchell on the 5♣ turn, and now, he raised it up to 5,000. Michael was the only caller. Both contestants then checked the 4♦ river.

“I’ve got a deuce,” Mitchell told his opponent without revealing his cards. Michael tabled A♠8♥, and top pair was good enough to take down the pot.

Slann Michael: 155,000
Nicholas Mitchell: 54,000

Connor Butt min-raised to 2,000 on the Button. Big-stacked Cieran Tighe defended his Big Blind.

Tighe check-called a 1,500 continuation bet from Butt on the J♠9♦3♣ flop. Both players swiftly checked the 9♥ turn, and this poker.pro live reporter had the feeling there wouldn’t be any immense action this hand. Boy, was that gut feeling wrong. After another check from Butt on the 2♦ river, Butt fired a 10,000 overbet. Then, Tighe re-raised his opponent all in for perhaps 21,000 in total. “I know I should fold, but I can’t,” Butt said before making the call.

Tighe tabled K♠9♣ for trips, and, as he probably knew himself, Butt couldn’t beat it. All his chips went to Tighe, who could be the current chip leader. Butt still has two levels and a break left to re-enter Day 1a of the £150 Mini Main Event, if that’s what his heart desires.

Cieran Tighe: 168,000
Connor Butt: 0

Seated UTG, Benjamin Liu (who finished ninth in the £500 Main Event during the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield) opened to 1,600. Nigel Burge-Jones made the call from UTG+1, and the two were soon heads-up to the flop.

Lie continued for 1,500 on the 10♣6♦2♦ flop, and Burge-Jones snap-called. Lie then check-called 2,500 from Burge-Jones on the 10♦ turn, before both players checked the J♦ river.

Burge-Jones revealed his 7♥7♦ holdings for a flush, and Liu mucked his hand.

Nigel Burge-Jones: 54,500
Benjamin Liu: 34,400

Action folded to Nicholas Mitchell, who limped the Small Blind. Seated in the Big Blind, Slann Michael decided to check.

Both players checked down the A♥K♥9♠J♠6♠ runout.

Nicholas Mitchell: 5♣2♦
Slann Michael: 5♥3♣

Both players shared a laugh as they saw each other’s premium holdings. “It just wasn’t worth paying for,” Mitchell joked as the two players split the pot.

Slann Michael: 131,500
Nicholas Mitchell: 55,000

Tony Cartwright opened to 1,500 from the Hi-jack. Seated in the Big Blind, Connor Butt was the sole caller.

Both players checked the 4♥10♠2♦ flop. On the 8♣ turn, Butt check-called another 1,500 from Cartwright. Action then went check-check on the Q♠ river.

Butt tabled 9♣2♣, and Cartwright chuckled as he tabled his A♠K♣ holdings. “How can you call with that garbage?” Cartwright joked with his opponent. Suited cards are good enough, Butt claimed, as he stacked his newly-won chips.

Connor Butt: 56,200
Tony Cartwright: 44,500

Play has resumed after the first 20-minute break of the day. There are some prominent names in the field; below is a list of some of the biggest live poker players, according to The Hendon Mob.

Two hours have passed, and it’s time for the first 20-minute break of the day for the £150 Mini Main Event Day 1a players. Below are some of the biggest stacks in the room, as play soon will resume with Level 5.

The board read 3♣4♦K♣ with 6,000 in the middle. Kyle Naylor (Big Blind) checked it over to Wanhan Lee (UTG), who continued for 2,000. UTG+2 and the Button both folded before Naylor made the call. Both players checked the 3♠ turn, and Naylor then bet 2,600 on the 10♣ river. Lee then raised to 10,000, and Naylor made the call fairly swiftly.

Lee tabled 10♥10♦ for a rivered set, and Naylor couldn’t beat it, seeing as he mucked his hand. Playing double the average stack, Lee is probably one of the chip leaders at this point.

Wanhan Lee: 95,000
Kyle Naylor: 36,500

While Day 1a of the £150 Mini Main Event will be the tournament in focus on the poker.pro live blog today, the £60 poker.pro PL Sviten Special and the £60 PLO Masters Saturday Party Courchevel Bounty deserve some kind of shoutout as well. The Sviten tournament kicks off at 19:00, while 21:00 will be Courchevel time.

Sviten is a game that lies close to the heart of the poker.pro editorial office. This five-card draw and PLO5-hybrid of a game brings immense action, and is, in our opinion, the funniest poker discipline that there is.

Press here to learn how to play Sviten.

A big pot was brewing between PartyPoker Tour Ambassador and Richard Mackay at Table 11. The board read K♠5♠10♦6♦A♠ with 4,000 in the middle. Mackay (Small Blind) checked it over to Bromley (Big Blind), who bet 5,000. After a minute’s worth of consideration, Mackay moved all in for 24,500. Bromley leaned back in her chair, releasing a heavy sigh. She claimed the A♠ was a horrendous river, and she tried to get a comment from Mackay. After monologuing for a minute or two, Bromley made the call.

Her gut feeling was right; Mackay tabled Q♠6♠ for a rivered flush. Bromley’s K♥K♦ didn’t stand a chance. As such, a big chunk of the Bromley stack went to Mackay.

Richard Mackay: 53,000
Natalie Bromley: 19,500

The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester is the fourth stop of the 2026 PartyPoker Tour. It all kicked off in Sheffield in January, before the tour expanded abroad with two stops in Spain (Seville and Madrid). Through the links below, you can catch up on the £150 Mini Main Event and the £500 Main Event action from the previous three stops.

£150 Mini Main Event Recaps

• Online Qualifier John Leslie Claims Mini Main Event Title at the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield
• 2026 PartyPoker Tour Seville Day 4: Juan Anguas Wins €150 Mini Main Event; Gloreiou Claims €500 Main Event Day 1a Chip Lead
• Estrada Mazzarella Wins All the Mozzarella in 2026 PartyPoker Tour Madrid €150 Mini Main Event

£500 Main Event Recaps

• Siddharth Sudunagunta Claims £500 Main Event Win in First 2026 PartyPoker Tour Stop
• 2026 PartyPoker Tour Seville Day 7: Francisco Garrido Wins the €500 Main Event for €30,500
• Neofitov Dominates €500 Main Event Competition during the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Madrid

During the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Manchester, Ion Oprea was the player who had the best overall success. Not only did he win the £150 Mini Main Event for £8,885, but he also came third in the £500 Main Event for an additional £10,200. Time will tell whether Opera turns up to defend his Mini Main Event title.

Press here to read all about Oprea’s £150 Mini Main Event from last year.

Natalie Bromley is one of 10 PartyPoker Tour Ambassadors for the 2026 PartyPoker Tour. She’s just arrived at Manchester235 Casino, making her the first ambassador on-site. Historically, Bromley hasn’t had much luck in the £150 Mini Main Event, something she’s looking to change. Considering Manchester is her home leg of the tour, perhaps, this will be the time she conquers this popular tournament.

The poker.pro journalist Christoffer Karlén interviewed Bromley roughly one week ago. You can read the interview and get to know Bromley a little bit better by pressing here.

Play has started in Day 1a of the £150 Mini Main Event, and the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester is officially underway.

Late registration will be open for nine 30-minute levels. Today, play will wrap up when 15% of the field remains.

Welcome, fellow poker enthusiasts, to the live coverage of the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester.

The poker.pro live reporter Christoffer Karlén arrived to Manchester yesterday afternoon, and after a good night’s rest, he’s ready to cover every knook and cranny of the action that’s about to fold at Manchester235 Casino for the next nine days.

Today’s schedule features three events. First and foremost, the whole festival will kick off with Day 1a of the £150 Mini Main Event. In terms of entries, this is always the most popular tournament of the PartyPoker Tour. This time will be no different, with six starting-day flights. The inaugural flight will kick off at 16:00.

Then, at 19:00, it’s time for the first poker.pro-branded tournament of the week. The £60 poker.pro PL Sviten Special is a tournament no one wants to miss. Sviten, the Swedish game that is a mix between five-card draw and five-card PLO, offers unparallelled action, and it’s destined to become a Saturday night party.

Last but not least, JJ Hazan’s PLO Masters makes its first appearance on the schedule with the £60 PLO Masters Saturday Party Madness Courchevel Bounty. Cards will be in the air at 21:00, and together with the Sviten tournament, these two tournaments makes this quite the Mixed Games-heavy Saturday at Manchester’s finest card room.

All and all, the stage is set for an exciting first day of the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester. Today’s live blog will focus on the Mini Main Event, but under the “Results” tab, all results from the side events throughout the festival will be uploaded. The poker.pro live blog will be the place to be this week to catch up on all the action from Manchester235 Casino, and this live reporter is beyond ex cited for the event to kick off. See you all at 16:00.

2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester – Saturday, June 13, Tournament Schedule

The remaining 28 Day 1c players are just about to resume play on Level 14. Below are the most significant stacks in the room as of now.

Reigning champion Ion Oprea opened to 9,000 from the Lo-jack. Reece Aimson three-bet to 26,000 from the Hi-jack, and Michael Hutchinson then immediately four-bet shoved for 76,500. Hutchinson met the gaze of this poker.pro live reporter: “Don’t call me an old dog again. Yeah, that’s right, I read the blog,” Hutchinson teased me, referring to an earlier post. Before I had the time to make my case that I only wrote it and that it was, in fact, Adam Cavanaugh who said it, Aimson had already made the call after a fold from Oprea. “Don’t tell me it’s jacks,” Hutchinson sighed. He was about to get disappointed.

Michael Hutchinson: 10♦10♣
Reece Aimson: J♦J♥

Hutchinson didn’t manage to crack the fishhooks of Aimson as the board spelled out 3♥3♠K♥7♠A♥, and Hutchinson was eliminated right before the third break.

Reece Aimson: 290,000
Michael Hutchinson: 0

Seated UTG+1, Matas Gerdziunas open-shoved for 50,000 on the dot. Action folded all the way to Kevin Remeile, who made the call from the Big Blind.

Matas Gerdziunas: Q♦J♦
Kevin Remeile: 7♦7♥

It was a classic coin flip confrontation. Gerdziunas took a solid lead on the Q♣3♦K♣ flop, and Remeile wasn’t able to catch up on the 3♣A♠ runout.

Kevin Remeile: 106,000
Matas Gerdziunas: 102,500

Andreas Olympios opened to 6,000 from UTG+2. Action folded to Daniel Ryder in the Big Blind, who forced his opponent all in for what looked to be 58,000. Olympios made the call without hesitation.

Daniel Ryder: A♦Q♥
Andreas Olympios: K♦K♥

Olympios was looking good for a double-up, and the K♣2♦10♥ flop didn’t make things much worse. Unfortunately for him, though, Ryder improved to a straight on the 4♥J♦ runout, and sent Olympios to the rail.

Daniel Ryder: 122,000
Andreas Olympios: 0

As this poker.pro live reporter was covering the action at another table, reigning £500 Main Event champion Deniz Orhan approached and told the tale of how he busted.

Harley Adams opened to 6,000, and Orhan moved all in for 37,000. Willaims Ro-Shaun committed his 30,000 stack to make the call, and Adams too joined in on the fun.

Deniz Orhan: A♣K♦
Willaims Ro-Shaun: 3♦2♦
Harley Adams: A♦J♦

Despite having the best hand pre-flop, Orhan lost to both opponents on the 9♠A♠3♣2♠J♠ board. Orhan and Ro-Shaun were both eliminated, while Adams added a decent chunk of chips to his already impressive stack.

Harley Adams: 202,000
Deniz Orhan: 0
Willaims Ro-Shaun: 0

It has been confirmed that 17 players will make it through to Day 2.

Level 10 has kicked off, meaning late registration is now closed. Day 1c scored 114 entries, just shy of the 123 that was made during Day 1a.

One of those who jumped into the tournament at the very last minute was Deniz Orhan. Orhan is the reigning £500 Main Event champion here in Manchester, and now, he’s back at Manchester235 Casino, ready to compete for prestigious titles.

Play is just about to resume after the second 15-minute break of the day. Below are the top 10 stacks this poker.pro live reporter was able to identify during the break.

Seated in the Lo-jack, James Normanton opened to 3,500. Matas Gerziunas (Cut-off), Ion Oprea (Small Blind), and Xhonathan Hoxha (Big Blind) all made the call.

After an initial check from Oprea, Hoxha bet 4,000 on the 7♣4♦8♦ flop. What followed was a somewhat rare scenario, seeing as all three of his competitors called. After another Oprea check on the 10♥ turn, Hoxha fired 13,000. This time, Normanton and Gerziunas both folded before Oprea made the call.

Oprea completed the check trifecta on the 4♣ river, and Hoxha then forced his opponent all in for 40,000. Oprea leaned forward and studied the board. After some consideration and monologuing, he made the call.

Xhonathan Hoxha: Q♦5♦
Ion Oprea: J♥8♥

Oprea was thrilled over the call, and he secured quite the decent pot just a few moments before the second 15-minute break.

Ion Oprea: 140,000
Xhonathan Hoxha: 47,500

Reece Aimson opened to 4,000 from the Hi-jack, and Michael Hutchinson decided to defend his Big Blind.

Hutchinson checked the 4♥A♥2♥ flop. “You got a straight flush?” Aimson asked his opponent before checking back. Check-check again on the 7♠ turn. “Now you’ve got to have it!” Aimson joked with Hutchinson as the dealer revealed the 3♥ river. “I have to check,” Hutchinson replied with a cheeky smile, and all the players at the joyful table shared a laugh. After peeking at his hole cards, Hutchinson bet 3,200, and Aimson snap-folded.

For the giggles, Hutchinson tabled K♦6♣, and there was once again laughter all around. “This old dog got some tricks up his sleeve,” table mate Adam Cavanaugh saluted Hutchinson.

Michael Hutchinson: 107,500
Reece Aimson: 36,000

This poker.pro live reporter saw a potentially interesting hand developing at Table 15. Missing the action up until the turn, one of the players at the table not involved in the hand, Elliot Lythgoe, was kind enough to tell the story.

Prominent player Elliot Anthonioz (who came close to bagging in yesterday’s Day 1b flight) opened to 2,500 UTG. Zhanxi Mao made it 6,000 from the Hi-jack, and Anthonioz made the call.

Anthonioz checked the J♦K♣J♥ flop, and Mao continued for 3,500. Anthonioz then completed a check-raise move to 8,000. It didn’t scare Mao; he made the call, and the dealer revealed the 8♥ turn. Action went check-check, and Anthonioz checked once again on the 4♦ river. Mao bet 20,000, and after spending a minute or two in the tank, Anthonioz let his hand go.

Elliot Anthonioz: 96,500
Zhanxi Mao: 65,000

Seated in the Hi-jack, Natan Turner attempted to raise to 2,400. “Attempted” because it was a string bet, and therefore deemed just a call. Perhaps, this was the reason that Kevin Remeile (Button), Wanhan Lee (Small Blind), and Joseph Houghton (Big Blind) all decided to see a flop.

Action was checked to Remeile on the 8♥2♥J♣ flop, who bet 4,500. Wanhan Lee folded, and while the decision was on Houghton, Turner called out of turn. The dealer explained that his action would stand unless Houghton raised. That is what happened: Houghton made it 15,000, which allowed Turner to get out of the way. He did just that, whilst Kevin Remeile decided to force his opponent all in for 59,000. Houghton made the call.

Kevin Remeile: J♦8♣
Joseph Houghton: J♠2♠

An unfortunate scenario for Houghton. Both players improved to a full house on the 6♠J♥ runout, but it was Houghton who waved the white flag.

Kevin Remeile: 118,000
Joseph Houghton: 0

James Normanton opened to 2,500 from UTG+1. Reigning champion Ion Oprea made it 6,700 on the Button before Xhonathan Hoxha four-bet to 16,500 from the Big Blind. Back to Normanton, who five-bet shoved for roughly 100,000. This poker.pro live reporter found it rather anticlimactic as Oprea and Hoxha both mucked.

James Normanton: 118,000
Xhonathan Hoxha: 35,500
Ion Oprea: 35,500

Chip leader Marcus Adams opened to 3,000 from UTG+1. Seated in the Hi-jack, Sean Swimby made it 7,500. Once the remaining competition folded, Adams made the call.

Both players checked the K♥5♦9♠ flop, and the J♦ turn. Adams bet 11,500 on the K♣ river, and Swimby snap-called.

Marcus Adams: K♦J♠
Sean Swimby: 6♥5♥

Two-pair was not enough for Swimby to take from the chip leader. As such, Adams added to his already impressive stack.

Marcus Adams: 188,000
Sean Swimby: 33,500

From afar, this poker.pro journalist sees PartyPoker Tour Ambassador Rebecca Hardisty at the registration desk. She must be tired after the 21-hour all the way from Canada together with PartyPoker Team Pros Jaime Staples and Matt Staples. That doesn’t stop her, though; she is ready to jump into the £60 poker.pro PL H.O.R.S.E. which kicked off roughly 45 minutes ago.

On top of that, it’s Hardisty’s birthday today, so if you see her, salute her.

It’s only the third day of the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester; there’s a lot more action to come. The £150 Mini Main Event has always been the most popular tournament of the PartyPoker Tour, and this time will most likely not be an exception. Let’s reminisce and take a look at the final table results from last year’s editon:

Press here to read more about Ion Oprea’s road to the title during the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Manchester.

Late Night Poker legend/sublime poker player Surinder Sunar is now in Day 1c of the £150 Mini Main Event. With nearly $5,000,000 in total live earnings (The Hendon Mob), he is a force to be reckoned with.

Anthony Mathias opened to 1,100 from UTG+1. Guntis Baumans (Hi-jack), Kevin Remeile (Cut-off), and Sunar (Big Blind) all made the call.

All four contestants checked the J♥K♥Q♦ flop. Action was checked to Remeile on the K♠ turn, who bet 2,400. Mathias was the sole caller. Mathias checked the 7♣, then snap-called a 12,000 bet from Remeile.

Kevin Remeile: 5♥2♠
Anthony Mathias: K♦9♣

Perhaps, Mathias sensed his opponent was deep-sea fishing. Mathias claimed the decently-sized pot.

Anthony Matias: 80,000
Kevin Remeile: 59,500

The players in Day 1c of the £150 Mini Main Event will soon resume play after the first 15-minute break. Below are the five biggest stacks in the room as of now.

Tom Cazaletz opened to 1,100 from the Lo-jack. Matthew Comes (Cut-off) and Masoud Etemadiherisi (Big Blind) both made the call.

All three players checked the 4♣Q♠Q♥ flop. After another check from Etemadiherisi on the J♥ turn, Cazaletz bet 1,500. After a swift fold from Comes, Etemadiherisi made it 3,500. Cazaletz made the call almost instantly.

Etemadiherisi proceeded by betting 8,000 on the 2♠ river. After counting out how much his opponent had behind, Cazaletz raised to hefty 30,000. Etemadiherisi decided not to commit his entire stack to make the call, and threw his cards quickly into the muck.

Tom Cazaletz: 70,000
Masoud Etemadiherisi: 23,000

Elliot Lythgoe opened to 1,300 UTG. Ali Mallu (Lo-jack) and Yu Wu (Big Blind) both made the call.

After an initial check from Wu, Lythgoe continued for 2,500 on the Q♣5♠Q♦ flop. Mallu folded before Wu made the call. Wu then claimed the driver’s seat with a 3,500 bet on the 3♣, a bit that Lythgoe called. Action then went check-check on the A♣ river.

First to show, Wu tabled Q♠10♥, and Lythgoe acknowledged the winning hand.

Yu Wu: 34,000
Elliot Lythgoe: 22,200

Seated UTG, Paul Tinsley limped the 200 Big Blind. Anthony Hitchmough called from the Small Blind, and Adam Cavanaugh checked his Big Blind.

After an initial check from Hitchmough, Cavanaugh bet 600 on the intriguing J♠Q♠10♠ flop. Hitchmough called out of turn, and Tinsley also came along for the ride. Hitchmough checked again on the 5♠ turn; Cavanaugh bet 1,100, Tinsley called, and Hitchmough folded.

Cavanaugh bet 2,500 on the 6♥ turn, and Tinsley called after some consideration.

Adam Cavanaugh: J♥7♠
Paul Tinsley: K♠A♦

Second nut flush was good for Tinsley, and he secured the pot.

Paul Tinsley: 46,000
Adam Cavanaugh: 33,000

Michael Meade (Cut-off) and short-stacked Ion Oprea (Button) got the money in the middle after some unknown pre-flop action. Oprea had maybe 5,000.

Michael Meade: 8♣8♦
Ion Oprea: A♠10♠

Meade didn’t have to improve to a set on the K♣J♥2♣6♣8♠ board, but, hey, for good measure. Oprea’s first bullet came to an end, but he headed for the re-entry desk. His campaign for a second £150 Mini Main Event trophy resumes.

Michael Meade: 49,500
Ion Oprea: 0

Anthony Hitchmough limped the 200 Big Blind from UTG before reigning champion Ion Oprea made it 700 from UTG+1. Marcus Adams then made it 1,800 from the Lo-jack. Hitchmough made the call, and Oprea then raised once more to 8,700. Adams made the call; as the hand wasn’t already crazy enough, Hitchmough moved all in for somewhere around starting stack. Oprea re-shoved, and so did Adams. Three-way showdown to the flop, then, with all players having almost as much.

Anthony Hitchmough: Q♦J♥
Ion Oprea: A♣J♦
Marcus Adams: A♠K♦

Quite a unique hand, and Adams had the best hand. Hitchmough picked up a flush draw on the 8♥7♥3♥ flop, but the K♠7♦ runout secured Adams the win and the double knock-out. The dealer counted the stacks; Hitchmough was eliminated, whilst Oprea survived with coffee money. It’ll be interesting to see how Adams plays his massive chip lead on the earlier levels.

Marcus Adams: 103,500
Ion Oprea: 5,000
Anthony Hitchmough: 0

Harley Adams opened to 200 from the Lo-jack. Clive Dickinson made the call on the Button before Alfie Chesworth made it 2,000 from the Small Blind. Adams made the call, while Dickinson decided to let his hand go.

Both players checked the 3♦4♦10♠ flop, and Chesworth then check-called 3,000 from Adams on the 5♠ turn. After a third check from Chesworth on the 4♥ river, Adams bet 11,000. Chesworth, who “only” played 15,900, announced fold, showing his A♣K♣.

Harley Adams: 43,500
Clive Dickinson: 15,900

Daniel Keiller, who finished third in the £150 Mini Main Event during the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Manchester, is one of the 33 players currently in the mix. Below is a list of five of the most prominent players (according to The Hendon Mob), apart from reigning champion Ion Oprea.

Day 1c of the £150 has kicked off, with 22/22 players in it from the get-go. The reigning champion Ion Oprea is back after not making it through from Day 1b yesterday.

The weekend may be over, but the fun has only started at Manchester235 Casino. The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester is in full swing, and after the first two days in the books, a whole week of cards flying and chips trading owners is now in front of us.

It’s Monday, and the action will kick off at 17:00 with the third starting-day flight of the ever-so popular £150 Mini Main Event. From Day 1a and 1b combined, 28 players have made it through thus far out of the 188 entries. Cieran Tighe, who bagged 686,000 in 1a, is still the chip leader. All starting-day flights are playing down to 15% of the field; 1a and 1b both wrapped up during Level 16 (featuring Blinds 4,000/8,000), meaning today’s players could expect to finish some time around 2:00 a.m.

Today’s schedule also features the £100 poker.pro PL H.O.R.S.E. Then, later, there is a £30 Target Stack Satellite for the Mini Main Event.

2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester – Monday, June 15, Schedule

poker.pro live reporter Christoffer Karlén, who is thrilled as his Sweden won 5-1 against Tunisia last night, will commence the poker.pro live coverage at 17:00, and he won’t stop until the Day 1c players bag n’ tag. See you all in a few hours.

Day 1b of the £150 Mini Main Event attracted 65 entries. Below are the chip counts for those 10 who made it through to Day 2.

Action folded to David Greenough, who opened to 16,000 from the Hi-jack. Seated right next to him, James Riley moved all in for 85,000 from the Cut-off. When action came back to Greenough, he made the call, having his opponent covered.

James Riley: 9♦9♣
David Greenough: 7♦7♣

As soon as the ongoing hand was finished at the other table, Riley and Greenough were given the green light to turn over their cards. Riley maintained his solid lead on the 10♣5♠K♣ flop, but a brutal 7♥ turn saw Greenough claiming the driver’s seat. Riley didn’t manage to catch up on the 5♣ river, and as such, he became the unfortunate bubble boy. The remaining 10 players are now all through to Day 2 and guaranteed a min-cash.

David Greenough: 236,000
James Riley: 0

And that, fellow poker enthusiasts, wraps up the poker.pro live coverage from the second day of the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester. Day 1b of the £150 Mini Main Event attracted 65 entries, and with four more flights to go, the overall turnout in this flagship tournament is predicted to be astonishing.

Tomorrow’s live coverage will commence at 17:00, when Day 1c kicks off. See you all then. That being said, the Day 1b chip counts will be uploaded within minutes.

Gary Smith opened to 15,000 on the Button. Gerald McSorley (Small Blind) and fairly short-stacked Josh Hardman (Big Blind) both made the call.

Action went check-check-check on the 6♦Q♦8♣ flop. McSorley and Hardman both checked the 7♠, which was foreplay to a 20,000 bet from Smith. McSorley then raised to 45,000; Hardman got out of the way before Smith made the call.

McSorley fired 65,000 on the J♦ river, and Smith didn’t take too long before making the call.

“He has got it,” a somewhat surprised Smith said as McSorley tabled his K♦2♦ holdings. Smith flashed his 9♦9♣ holdings while McSorley stacked his chips.

Gerald McSorley: 485,000
Gary Smith: 210,000
Josh Hardman: 144,000

Action folded to Nigel Burge-Jones, who opened to 15,000 on the Button. Joshua Price made it 40,000 from the Small Blind, and Burge-Jones made the call.

Price continued on the aggressive path with a 15,000 continuation bet on the 8♦8♠5♦ flop. Burge-Jones decided to make it 40,000. After considering his options for a good two minutes, Price forced his opponent all in for 118,000. Burge-Jones monologued for a while before making the call.

Joshua Price: A♣Q♥
Nigel Burge-Jones: J♠J♥

Burge-Jones had made the correct decision, and he was in good shape. That being said, poker can be a brutal game at times. While Burge-Jones may have maintained his lead on the 9♦ turn, a brutal Q♦ river saw Price improving to the best hand. A disappointed Burge-Jones exited the tournament area, as Price secured the current chip lead. The floor announced hand-for-hand play was about to commence.

Joshua Price: 435,000
Nigel Burge-Jones: 0

On a 7♠3♣A♦ flop with 28,000 in the middle, Gary Smith (Small Blind) bet 10,000, and Elliot Anthonioz (Big Blind) made the call. Action repeated itself on the 5♦ turn, the only difference being that the sizing from Smith this time was 20,000. Smith then bet 30,000 on the 7♦ river, and Anthonioz raised to 175,000, enough to force his opponent allin for 142,000 in total.

To say Smith looked agonized would be an understatement. He was twisting and turning in his chair, taking off his glasses, and was trying to make sense of the situation. Eventually, Anthonioz called the clock on his opponent. With just a few seconds left on the countdown, Smith made the call.

Elliot Anthonioz: 6♠5♣
Gary Smith:9♠9♣

It’s hard to tell if Smith was more happy or relieved. Nevertheless, the splendid call at this crucial stage of the tournament granted him the significant pot, while Anthonioz lost the bigger chunk of his stack.

Gary Smith: 410,000
Elliot Anthonioz: 54,000

The remaining 13 players in Day 1b of the £150 Mini Main Event are now on the final 15-minute break of the day. Below are the full chip counts.

Gary Smith opened to 8,000 on the Button. Gerald McSorley three-bet to 24,000 from the Big Blind, and Smith made the call.

McSorley continued for 10,000 on the 8♠5♠K♣ flop. Smith moved all in for 69,000, and McSorley decided to make the call.

Gary Smith: K♠Q♥
Gerald McSorley: 10♥10♦

Smith was ahead, and as the board completed with Q♠J♣, he secured a full double-up just minutes before what is destined to be the final 15-minute break of the day.

Gary Smith: 188,000
Gerald McSorley: 135,000

As Joshua Price eliminated Adrian Burns and Benjamin Parkes in the same hand with a flush, there are now only 13 players remaining. Considering 10 of them will make it through, play might conclude earlier than expected today.

By the way, reigning champion Ion Oprea was eliminated in seventeenth place. Time will tell whether he decides to play any of the upcoming four starting-day flights.

Elliot Anthonioz opened to 6,000 on the Button. Gerald McSorley made the call from the Small Blind before short-stacked Asa McGrath moved all in for 18,000 from the Big Blind. The window was open; Anthonioz clicked it to 31,000, and McSorley made the call.

McSorley check-called 16,000 from Anthonioz on the J♣2♦4♥ flop. The two contestants checked down the A♣8♥ runout.

First to show, McGrath tabled 7♠4♥; it was evident he hadn’t looked at his cards. Anthonioz then turned over 10♦10♥; McSorley threw his cards into the muck, and as Anthonioz scooped the lot, McGrath went out in sixteenth place.

Elliot Anthonioz: 278,000
Gerald McSorley: 211,000
Asa McGrath: 0

Reigning champion Ion Oprea opened to 6,500 UTG+1. Adrian Burns moved all in for 72,000 from the Hi-jack, and Joshua Price then shoved for 44,500 on the Button. After some consideration, Oprea decided to gamble, and he made the call, having both of his opponents at risk.

Adrian Burns: 9♥9♦
Joshua Price: A♠Q♠
Ion Oprea: 8♦7♦

Quite the exciting three-way showdown. Burns maintained the lead on the 7♣3♠6♥ flop, while Oprea improved to a pair. The board completed with 2♣A♣, meaning there would be no elimination. Price tripled up, while Burns won a small side pot against Oprea.

Joshua Price: 143,000
Adrian Burns: 55,000
Ion Oprea: 33,000

Gary Smith opened to 5,500 from the Cut-off. Action eventually came to Ashley Canning, who moved all in for maybe 40,000 from the Big Blind. Smith snap-called.

Ashley Canning: 7♦7♥
Gary Smith: A♣2♣

Canning was ahead, but Smith wasted little time flopping trips on A♦5♠A♠. “Just give me some hope!” Canning questioned the almighty Poker Gods, as the board completed with K♥J♥. He was eliminated, and the dealer pushed the chips towards Smith.

Gary Smith: 235,000
Ashley Canning: 0

Lucas Poleszczuk opened to 6,000 from the Hi-jack, and Paul Newman made the call from the Small Blind.

Newman check-called 5,000 from Poleszczuk on the J♣A♥4♠ flop. Both players checked the Q♦ turn, and Newman then bet 6,000 on the 5♠ river. Fast and deliberate, Poleszczuk put out a 26,000 raise. After a minute’s worth of consideration, Newman made the call.

Poleszczuk tabled Q♣4♣ for two-pair, and a somewhat surprised Newman threw his cards into the muck. The very next hand, he was eliminated after open-shoving A♦7♦ and running into the pocket aces of Chris Allen.

Lucas Poleszczuk: 277,000
Paul Newman: 0