2026 PartyPoker Tour Manchester

James Riley opened to 5,000 on the Button. Seated in the Big Blind, Alexandros Gkampranis was the sole caller.

First to act, Gkampranis checked the 6♦Q♣2♠ flop. Riley continued for 4,000, and faster than the speed of lightning, Gkampranis raised to 16,000. Riley made the call, and Gkampranis then moved all in for 41,000 on the 9♣ turn. “Call,” Riley announced as fast as Gkampranis’ raise on the flop.

Alexandros Gkampranis: 6♥2♦
James Riley: Q♥9♥

Quite a beautiful river card for Riley, and Gkampranis didn’t reclaim the driver’s seat on the A♦ river. Gkampranis swiftly left the tournament area, while Riley added chips to his stack.

James Riley: 152,000
Alexandros Gkampranis: 0

Seated UTG, Tom West limped the 2,000 Big Blind. Osaretin Ubebe then moved all in for 31,000 from the Hi-jack. After receiving the count, West made the call.

Osaretin Ubebe: A♦J♣
Tom West: 9♥9♠

It was a classic coin flip confrontation. The pocket nines of West stood the test of time as the board spelled out [invalid notations]Qd7h7d6c3d[/pcn, and Ubebe went out in twenty-eighth place.

Tom West: 170,000
Osaretin Ubebe: 0

All starting-day flights of the £150 Mini Main Event are playing down to 15% of the field. Considering 65 entries were made into today’s Day 1b, it’ll be 10 players who make it through to Day 2. They will all be in the money.

As previously mentioned, 18 players made it through from Day 1a (123 entries). Cieran Tighe bagged the chip lead, 686,000.

Play has resumed after the 45-minute dinner break, and late registration is now closed with 65 entries.

Reigning champion Ion Oprea opened to 4,500 from the Cut-off. James Riley (Button) and Tom West (Big Blind) both made the call.

Action was checked to Riley on the 6♥A♣4♦ flop, and he bet 5,000. West folded before Oprea made the call, and the dealer revealed the Q♣ turn. Oprea check-called 7,500 from Riley, and both players then checked the 5♥ river.

Riley tabled A♠J♣. Oprea sighed, looked at his hand, then threw the cards into the muck. As Riley was stacking his newly won chips, Oprea’s gaze met the eyes of this poker.pro live reporter. “Two Cowboys,” he said. Yeehaw!

James Riley: 96,500
Ion Oprea: 57,500

It’s time for a 45-minute dinner break in Day 1b of the £150 Mini Main Event. After refueling, the players will resume play on Level 10. The dinner break is the last opportunity to register for the tournament.

Below are the biggest stacks this poker.pro live reporter was able to identify during the break.

Ion Oprea opened to 3,400 from the Lo-jack, then called a 10,000 three-bet from Tom West (Button).

Oprea check-called 15,000 from West on the 10♦4♥Q♥ flop, then another 15,000 on the 8♠ turn. On the 6♣ river, action went check-check.

At the same time he checked, West tabled A♥A♠, and Oprea mucked his hand.

Tom West: 126,000
Ion Oprea: 67,000

The flop was 2♠2♣3♥. With roughly 12,000 in the middle, Chenyi Lyu (Big Blind) checked it over to Alexandros Gkampranis, who bet 4,000. Gary Smith (Button) made the call before Lyu completed a check-raise move to 17,000. Gkampranis folded before Smith made the call.

Pedal to the metal from Lyu on the 9♣ turn, as he moved all in for 46,500. Smith immediately requested the count, then asked the dealer to spread the pot. After some consideration, Smith made the call.

Chenyi Lyu: 6♠3♠
Gary Smith: 8♠8♦

Smith was correct, and the J♣ river ensured he was awarded. Lyu was eliminated, but he still has about an hour to re-enter, if that is what his heart desires. Meanwhile, Smith is one of the biggest stacks.

Gary Smith: 160,000
Chenyi Lyu: 0

Mark Kershaw opened to 3,200 from the Hi-jack, and Chris Allen made the call from the Big Blind.

Action went check-check on the 6♦6♣A♠ flop, and on the J♥ turn. It was Allen who dipped his toes in the waters with a 2,500 bet on the 3♥ river. Kind of out of nowhere, considering the action up to the river, Kershaw then put out a 17,000 raise. Allen cracked a smile, a smile that read, “Well, that escelated quickly,” before he folded his hand.

Being a good sport, Kershaw revealed his J♦J♣ holdings before raking in the pot.

Mark Kershaw: 126,000
Chris Allen: 105,000

Chenyi Lyu opened to 2,500 from the Hi-jack. Nigel Burge-Jones (Button) and Alexandros Gkampranis (Small Blind) both made the call before Gary Smith pumped it up to 9,000 from the Big Blind. Gkampranis was the only one willing to pay to see the flop.

Gkampranis checked the Q♣2♦6♦ flop, then snap-called a 6,000 continuation bet from Smith. Action repeated itself on the 3♥ turn, the only difference being that the Smith sizing now was 12,000. Both players checked the 8♥ river.

Alexandros Gkampranis: 5♣5♦
Gary Smith: A♦J♣

Gkampranis’ gut feeling was right, and he secured the decently-sized pot.

Gary Smith: 121,500
Alexandros Gkampranis: 118,000

Action folded to Lucas Poleszczuk, who opened to 2,500 from the Cut-off. Nim Ratta decided to defend her Big Blind.

Both players checked the 10♦A♦3♦ flop. Ratta check-called 3,000 from Poleszczuk on the K♦ turn before action went check-check on the K♠ river.

Lucas Poleszczuk: A♠2♥
Nim Ratta: Q♦9♣

Ratta didn’t manage to trap Poleszczuk with the nut flush, but a pot is a pot.

Lucas Poleszczuk: 82,300
Nim Ratta: 45,500

David Greenough limped from the Hi-jack. Josh Hardman called on the Button and Anthony Lui checked his Big Blind.

Action was checked to Hardman on the 3♥2♣5♠ flop. He bet 1,500, and both of his opponents made the call. Check-check again on the Q♠ turn, and Hardman sized up to 6,500. Lui made the call before Greenough folded. Lui completed the check trifecta on the 8♦ river, and Hardman now bet 40,000, effectively forcing Lui all in for 25,500. Lui contemplated his decision for a minute or two before making the call.

Josh Hardman: 6♠4♠
Anthony Lui: Q♥5♦

Hardman had flopped a straight, and Lui’s two-pair couldn’t compete. All of Lui’s chips went the way of Hardman.

Josh Hardman: 125,500
Anthony Lui: 0

This poker.pro live reporter has returned to the tournament area, after making quick work of the buttermilk fried chicken burger.

Anthony Hitchmough limped UTG before Gary Smith made it 2,800 from the Hi-jack. Mark Kershaw called from the Big Blind, and Hitchmough joined in on the fun.

After 10 seconds, Kershaw donk-shoved 43,000 on the 8♥K♥9♦ flop. Hitchmough folded; Smith shared a “What’s going on?” gesture as he made the call, being the player at risk with 33,000.

Mark Kershaw: 7♥4♥
Gary Smith: K♣J♥

Smith was ahead, but Smith immediately improved to a flush on the 3♥ turn. No luck for Smith on the 3♣ river, and he swiftly exited the tournament area.

Mark Kershaw: 84,400
Gary Smith: 0

Level 4 has concluded, and it’s time for the first 15-minute break of the day. Below are the current biggest stacks in the room prior to Level 5 that this poker.pro live reporter was able to identify.

The flop was 8♣6♥2♥ with 3,000 in the middle. Sattar Aval bet 3,500 before Caroline Cove moved all in for 33,700. This sent Aval into the tank, and after receiving the count, he started talking. He said something about Q♥J♥, and Cove joked, “You can’t have that; if you do, we have to check the deck.” In the end, Aval mucked, showing the Q♥, and Cove revealed her K♥K♠ holdings before stacking her newly-won chips. Good thing she didn’t have the Q♥; that means the deck is correct. There are 52 cards.

Caroline Cove: 40,200
Sattar Aval: 34,500

Slowly but steadily, the number of entries increases. Only time will tell if Day 1b will be bigger than yesterday’s Day 1a (123 would be the number to beat). Another decent player has joined the field, namely Cody Wagner, who secured his by far biggest live cash (£40,000) when he won the £1,100 NLH DTD1000 during the 2017 DTD 1000 Nottingham.

As this poker.pro live reporter was walking to Table 15 with the sole purpose of counting Wagner’s current stack, he was involved in some pre-flop action. Michael Broadhurst (Hi-jack) had made it 7,500 after some earlier pre-flop action. Wagner made the call from the Cut-off before David Heard folded from the Big Blind (after having committed 2,000 during the aforementioned unknown pre-flop action).

Action went check-check on the 6♦Q♠3♦ flop. Wagner then called a 3,500 bet from Broadhurst on the 2♥ turn. He then called the 6,400 shove from Broadhurst on the 10♥ river.

Michael Broadhurst: A♥A♠
Cody Wagner: K♣K♠

Quite the cold deck, but considering the blinds are still small, there’s no reason for Wagner to panic.

Michael Broadhurst: 37,700
Cody Wagner: 25,000

The flop was 9♥10♠7♣ with roughly 4,000 in the middle. Ion Oprea (Small Blind) and Mark Dickinson (Big Blind) both checked to Henry Owen (Button), who bet 1,500. Oprea made the call before Dickinson got out of the way.

Action went check-check on the K♠ turn. On the 9♠ river, Oprea bet 4,000. Owen leaned back in his chair, and after contemplating his decision for a minute, Oprea engaged his opponent in some table talk.

“You have a seven?” he asked. “No,” Owen replied. “Wow, a ten,” Oprea continued. “I have better than a ten,” Owen declared. “Oh, wow, you’re strong!” Oprea seemed surprised. Owen talked the hand through, and it became evident that he couldn’t imagine Oprea bluffing in this spot. “4,000 is not that much,” Oprea said, perhaps trying to get his opponent to call. Eventually, Owen made his decision.

“If you’re bluffing, good job,” Owen said as his cards hit the muck. “Of course I’m bluffing,” a joyful Oprea replied, revealing his J♣3♣. He collected the pot, and he’s one of the biggest stacks as Level 3 is about to begin.

Ion Oprea: 71,000
Henry Owen: 51,700

Asa McGrath opened to 600 from the Hi-jack. Seated in the Small Blind, Tony Cartwright was the sole caller.

Cartwright checked the 9♦7♦3♠ flop and McGrath bet 800. “You on a draw?” Cartwright asked his opponent before moving all in for 10,500. McGrath made the call faster than the speed of love.

Tony Cartwright: 8♦6♦
Asa McGrath: 9♣9♥

It was, in fact, Cartwright who had the draw, and boy, wouldn’t it be cool if he hit a straight flush? The said scenario didn’t play out, though; the K♣K♥ runout secured McGrath the pot, and Cartwright was eliminated. Time will tell whether he decides to re-enter the tournament; late registration is open until Level 10 starts (i.e., 21:30).

Asa McGrath: 50,500
Tony Cartwright: 0

The board read 4♦6♠3♣A♠2♠ with 13,000 in the middle. Karl Roberts (Big Blind) checked to Alexandros Gkampranis (Lo-jack), who bet 7,100. Caroline Cove (Button) decided to make a call after a few minutes’ worth of consideration before Roberts mucked.

Gkampranis tabled Q♠4♠ for a rivered flush, something Cove couldn’t beat. Gkampranis won a decently-sized pot on Level 1.

Alexandros Gkampranis: 52,500
Caroline Cove: 24,200

Mark Kershaw opened to 1,200 from the Lo-jack, and Tom West made the call from the Small Blind. It wasn’t much action to follow; West check-folded to a 3,500 continuation bet from Kershaw on the straight flush-teasing 4♠6♠8♠ flop.

“A pocket pair again,” Kershaw said as he tabled his J♣J♥ holdings. If this poker.pro live reporter has learned somehow to understand the British accent, Kershaw had pocket kings earlier. What a premium start.

Mark Kershaw: 42,000
Tom West: 38,300

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