As an official media partner, our team at poker.pro will be on-site at the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield at Genting Sheffield casino, covering key hands and biggest moments. Don’t miss a moment of the action as we bring you exclusive live updates from England’s most exciting autumn poker festival.
Emmanuel Mulemwa opened to 250,000 from the Cut-off, before John Leslie three-bet to 500,000 from the Button. Edin Hrnjic then snap-shoved 2,300,000 from the Button; Mulemwa got out of the way before Leslie made the call for his tournament life.
Edin Hrnjic: A♦K♠ John Leslie: A♠8♥
Leslie was dominated, and the 3♦4♦7♦ just made things more difficult as Hrnjic picked up an additional flush draw. The Poker Gods were looking out for Leslie, though; the board completed with 5♣2♥, giving both players a straight. As such, they split the pot.
Edin Hrnjic moved all in UTG for 1,100,000. Action folded to John Leslie, who re-shoved for 1,900,000 from the Small Blind. Alexander Georgiev swiftly folded his Big Blind; Hrnjic and Leslie went to showdown, with Hrnjic being the payer at risk.
Edin Hrnjic: K♠J♠ John Leslie: 9♠9♥
Leslie was ever so slightly ahead, and he maintained his lead on the 6♦7♥Q♦ flop. Hrnjic was pleased to pair his king on the K♣ turn, and the 3♠ river didn’t see a disruption in his momentum. He doubled through Leslie, who’s now the short stack.
Oliver Grice opened to 250,000 from the Cut-off. Seated in the Big Blind, Emmanuel Mulemwa made the call.
Mulemwa check-called a 255,000 bet from Grice on the 10♠2♣4♠ flop. Mulemwa then decided to take the lead on the 9♦ turn with a hefty 1,300,000 bet. This sent Grice into the tank; he counted his chips, considered his options, and then moved all in for 2,300,000 in total. Mulemwa made the call as fast as humanly possible.
Oliver Grice: 6♦6♣ Emmanuel Mulemwa: 10♥9♥
One has to be thinking that Grice put Mulemwa on a draw, but that was not the case. Grice was now trailing, and no case six on the 3♣ river. As such, Grice was eliminated in sixth place. For his achievement, he was awarded £2,030.
The first hand after the first break of the day, short-stacked Djamel Aoun moved all in for 460,000 from the Button. John Leslie made the call from the Small Blind, and Alexander Georgiev decided to defend his Big Blind.
Leslie and Georgiev both checked the Q♥9♠J♥ flop. After another check from Leslie on the 6♦ turn, Georgiev put out a 300,000 bet. Leslie decided to make the call, and the dealer revealed the 10♠ on the river. Both players decided to check it down.
Djamel Aoun: 3♦3♣ John Leslie: K♦J♦ Alexander Georgiev: Q♦10♦
Not only did Leslie win the small side pot with his rivered straight, but he also sent Aoun to the rail. For his seventh-place finish, Aoun got £1,540.
Alexander Georgiev: 5,000,000 John Leslie: 1,800,000 Djamel Aoun: 0
The very next hand after losing almost his entire stack, Djamel Aoun moved all in for 150,000 from UTG+1. John Leslie three-bet to 375,000 from the Hi-jack, and seeing as the remaining players folded, the two contestants tabled their hole cards.
Djamel Aoun: Q♠8♦ John Leslie: A♠J♣
Leslie maintained his lead on the 7♣4♣10♥ flop, but a lucky 8♣ turn saw Aoun taking over the driver’s seat. Leslie had many outs, including a flush draw, but Aoun secured the pot on the 4♥ river.
Action folded to Djamel Aoun, who moved all in for 1,400,000 from the Hi-jack. John Leslie re-shoved for 1,300,000 from the Cutoff, and the remaining players folded.
Djamel Aoun: Q♥J♥ John Leslie: A♦Q♦
Leslie was in rough shape, but he took a firm lead on the 6♥J♠10♦ flop. “A black king would kill the action,” the commentators said on stream, seconds before the dealer revealed the K♠ on the turn. No chops for Aoun on the 9♦ river, and the bigger chunk of his stack went to Leslie.
The final table of the £150 Mini Main Event is far from the only thing happening at Genting Casino Sheffield today. Below is the current state of play in the tournament area.
Start Time
Event
Status
Field
12:00
Event #4: £500 Main Event Day 1b
Registration open
73/99
13:00
£60 Target Stack Satellite to £500 Main Event (Three Seats Guaranteed)
Tournament ended
0/28
15:00
Event #1: £150 Mini Main Event Day 3 (Final Day)
Registration closed
7/472
16:00
Event #7: £250 PLO Masters Main Event Day 1a
Registration open
16/19
17:00
£60 Target Stack Satellite to £500 Main Event (Three Seats Guaranteed)
Registration open
16/16
19:00
£60 Target Stack Satellite to £250 PLO Masters Main Event (Three Seats Guaranteed)
Registration opens at 18:00
N/A
20:00
Event #4: £500 Main Event Day 1c (Turbo)
Registration opens at 19:00
N/A
22:00
Event #8: £60 Friday Party Madness NLH Double Board
Alexander Georgiev opened to 225,000 from the Lo-jack. Edin Hrnjic (Cut-off) and Daniel Stoica (Button) both called before Ryan Hetherington moved all in for roughly 900,000 from the Small Blind. Action came back to Georgiev, who re-shoved for 3,200,000. This was enough to scare the rest of the competition away, and soon enough, the two contestants went to showdown.
Ryan Hetherington: A♦J♥ Alexaner Georgiev: K♥10♥
Hetherington was ever so slightly ahead, but Georgiev took the lead on the K♣4♣2♦. The Bulgarian secured the win on the K♠ turn, and as the 5♣ river couldn’t change the outcome, Hetherington bid farewell in eighth place for £1,260.
Alexander Georgiev: 4,100,000 Ryan Hetherington: 0
The very next hand after doubling up, Lee Mulligan moved all in for 1,100,000 from the Cut-off. Daniel Stoica re-shoved for 1,580,000 from the Button, and the two contestants were soon heads-up to the flop.
Lee Mulligan: A♦K♠ Daniel Stoica: A♠A♥
Unfortunate from Mulligan, who’d just got some air under his wings. The Q♣4♠7♣8♣J♦ offered no help to Mulligan, who became the first casualty of the final table. He received £1,040 for his ninth-place finish.
John Leslie opened to 160,000 from UTG+2. The shortest stack on the final table, Lee Mulligan, moved all in for 505,000. Leslie decided to make the call.
Lee Mulligan: A♦J♠ John Leslie: A♥3♥
Mulligan was already way ahead, and he extended his lead on the 6♣5♣J♣ flop. Leslie picked up an open-ended straight draw on the 4♦ turn, but, ultimately, Mulligan secured the pot on the 8♥ river.
During one of the very first hands of the final table, Djamel Aoun opened to 135,000 from the Small Blind. Oliver Grice defended his Big Blind.
Aoun continued with a 125,000 bet on the 2♠3♣3♠ flop. Grice made the call, and the dealer revealed the K♥ turn. Aoun continued for 135,000, and Grice made the call once again.
Aoun slowed down and checked the 7♥ river. Grice overtook the driver’s seat with a hefty 620,000 bet. Aoun swiftly folded.
Thanks to the stream, we know that Grice had the goods with A♥A♦. Aoun’s hand could not be displayed this time.
The live broadcast of the £150 Mini Main Event has just kicked off, and so does the poker.pro live coverage. The stream can be viewed above, and the blog will do live updates off the stream; no action will be spoiled.
Sheffield greets you in grey. Rain in the air, pavements shining, the city in full winter mode. But the moment you step inside Genting Casino and make your way toward the poker room, everything changes. You are hit with a burst of orange, smiling faces, hugs, pats on the back, and that instant sense of recognition that feels distinctive to what the PartyPoker Tour is all about.
Richard Brown is a familiar face among them. He has been at almost every Party Poker event, travelling miles and sometimes crossing the Scottish border to be there. What brings him back is the feeling of grounding. These events turn usernames into people and hands into handshakes. I asked him what he would change about the tour. His answer was simple. A steady supply of Irn Bru for those long days at the tables. Can this be arranged?
Luke Bird’s story captures another side of what makes these events work. For him, the PartyPoker Tour stands out for making buy ins genuinely accessible, turning live poker into something welcoming and attainable rather than exclusive. It is working man’s poker in the best sense of the phrase. Friendly tables, familiar faces, and a community that makes it easy to walk in, sit down, and feel part of it straight away.
That same pull brought Carey Hollick to Sheffield. She came hoping to meet someone she admired from afar, a player she had only ever watched online, Jamie Staples. You know the saying about not meeting your heroes. This was very much the exception.
That same energy spilled over at the pub quiz last night, which saw the biggest turnout yet. The room was packed and the atmosphere was popping, thanks in no small part to the showmanship of Glenn Brown, the one and only, who kept spirits high and the room buzzing during the dinner break. Normally the talk would be about folding, bubbles, and winning hands. This time it was soup ingredients, swimming strokes, and the latest podcasts. There were winners here too.
This Sheffield stop was, of course, all about poker. But there was also space for warmth in unlikely places, for connection, and for the moment an online world becomes unmistakably real.
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 25:
30,000/60,000 (60,000)
Entries:
9/476
Prizes:
£59,500
Welcome, poker enthusiasts, to the fourth day of the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. It’s destined to be a blockbuster of a Friday at Genting Casino Sheffield, and the final table of the £150 Mini Main Event is arguably the star of today’s show.
The nine players who survived yesterday’s Day 2 flight will take their seats in roughly one hour (15:00). Edin Hrnjic is leading the field with just over 4,000,000 in chips, but it won’t be a walk in the park. All competitors have earned their seats at the final table, and with Alexander Georgiev and Djamel Aoun both playing more than 3,000,000, the conclusion to this tournament will be exciting beyond belief.
The final table will be live-streamed on PartyPoker’s YouTube channel, going live at 15:30 with a 30-minute delay. Soon, the link to the live-stream will be provided. The poker.pro editorial office will also provide coverage of the tournament, following the delay.
Below are the final table seat draw, chip counts, and remaining payouts. The live coverage will be live in roughly one and a half hour; get ready for a battle of epic proportions.
£150 Mini Main Event – Final Table Seat Draw & Chip Counts
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 25:
30,000/60,000 (60,000)
Entries:
9/476
Prizes:
£59,500
After Zhongming Liao went out in eleventh place for £860 on the TV table with Aces against Kings, the floor announced soft hand-for-hand play would commence.
Farida Ahmed was the smallest stack with 10 players remaining, and UTG, she moved all in for 390,000. John Leslie made the call from the Cut-off, and soon, the two contestants were heads-up to the flop.
Farida Ahmed: 10♠9♦ John Leslie: A♠5♠
Ahmed had two live cards, but she had no fate. After the 6♦K♦5♥, she rose from her chair and started to put on her winter coat, her scarf, and her bag. She had practically left the table before the 6♠6♣ runout. As her gut feeling was right, she finished in tenth place for £860.
That wraps up Day 2 of the £150 Mini Main Event. The nine remaining players will return tomorrow at 15:00 for the final table. The final table will be live-streamed with a 30-minute delay on PartyPoker’s YouTube channel, and the poker.pro live blog will follow all the action (also on delay, so that it doesn’t spoil anything on the stream).
With that, this poker.pro live reporter extends his gratitude to everyone who’s been following along with the blog today. The final table chip counts and seat draw will soon be uploaded; that is also the case with the chip counts from Day 1a of the £500 Main Event. The side event results will be uploaded in the morning.
Action folded to Edin Hrnjic, who opened to 150,000 from the Button. The shortest stack, Brian Frew, committed his 335,000 to an all-in from the Big Blind. Being priced in, Hrnjic made the call.
Brian Frew: A♠J♣ Edin Hrnjic: K♦10♦
Frew maintained his lead on the 3♠4♥7♥ flop, but Hrnjic took the driver’s seat on the K♣ turn. The 7♠ river didn’t help Frew, and he was eliminated in thirteenth place for £720. Hrnjic took another bite of his order of fried bites, and he agreed to buy the poker.pro live reporter a cold beverage if he wins the £150 Mini Main Event.
While the live blog has been focusing solely on the tables that aren’t live-streamed, one hand went down at the TV table that we absolutely need to get on the blog. It played out 30 minutes ago.
Emmanuel Mulemwa min-raised to 80,000 from the Cut-off. The well-merited Oliver Hutchins then moved all in for 615,000 from the Small Blind. Action folded back to Mulemwa, who made the call without hesitation, having Hutchins covered.
Oliver Hutchins: J♠J♣ Emmanuel Mulemwa: K♠K♥
Hutchins was in rough shape, but what was about to follow would create a buzz throughout Genting Casino Sheffield. Hutchins absolutely smashed the J♥J♦K♣ flop, and Mulemwa was looking for one card and one card only. The Poker Gods heard his prayers, and he secured a quads-over-quads win on the K♦ turn. The 6♦ river was dealt as a pure formality, before Hutchins headed for the payout desk, collecting £540 for his twentieth-place finish. What a brutal hand.
Joseph Parsons open-shoved for 295,000 from the Cut-off. After some consideration, Edin Hrnjic re-shoved for around 1,000,000 from the Button. The remaining players folded, and soon enough, the two contestants went to showdown.
Joseph Parsons: K♣7♣ Edin Hrnjic: A♠J♠
Hrnjic was slightly ahead, but Parsons took the lead on the 7♦9♣6♦ flop. Hrnjic never caught up on the 3♦4♠ runout, and Parsons received the full double-up.
Action folded to Chenyi Lyu, who moved all in for roughly 300,000 from the Small Blind. Brice Tiani snap-called from the Big Blind.
Chenyi Lyu: A♥5♠ Brice Tiani: J♥J♣
An unfortunate scenario for Lyu, and no ace or any other help available on the K♥9♥8♣J♠4♥ board. Lyu went out in twenty-third place for £480, and all of his chips went the way of Tiani.
Lee Mulligan opened to 55,000 from the Button. Daniel Stoica made the call from the Big Blind.
Stoica check-called a 50,000 bet from Mulligan on the K♣3♠2♠ flop. Action went check-check on the 2♣ turn, and Stoica then bet 80,000 on the 7♥ river. Mulligan made the call rather swiftly.
Daniel Stoica: A♦6♠ Lee Mulligan: A♣Q♥
An impressive call with ace-high from Mulligan; with his queen kicker, he took down the pot right before the second break of the day.
Action folded to James Grogan, who limped the Small Blind. Seated in the Big Blind, Alexander Georgiev decided to check. Two very healthy stacks went heads-up to the flop, then.
Grogan fired a 35,000 continuation bet on 5♥2♦6♣. Georgiev decided to raise to 125,000, and Grogan made the call.
Grogan slowed down and checked the 8♦ turn. Georgiev now bet 275,000, and was then faced with a 1,200,000 shove from Grogan. Georgiev made the call as fast as lightning.
James Grogan: K♠K♦ Alexander Georgiev: 2♦2♠
No help for Grogan on the 6♦ river. He was eliminated in twenty-eighth place for £480, and chances are very good that Georgiev is the current tournament chip leader.
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 20:
10,000/20,000 (20,000)
Entries:
32/476
Prizes:
£59,500
Farida Ahmed opened to 40,000 from the Cut-off. Djamel Aoun made it 95,000 from the Small Blind, and when action came back to Ahmed, she pushed for 240,000. Aoun contemplated his decision for a minute or two before ultimately making the call.
Farida Ahmed: 8♥8♠ Djamel Aoun: A♣J♥
It was a classic coin flip confrontation. Aoun took a solid lead on the 6♦J♦7♥ flop. He maintained his position on the A♥ turn. Everything can happen in poker, though; Ahmed improved to a set on the 8♦ river, and she won a considerable pot at this very crucial stage of the tournament.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 19:
8,000/16,000 (16,000)
Entries:
36/476
Prizes:
£59,500
Oliver Hutchins made it 35,000 from the Hi-jack. Seated right next to him, Robert Salisbury moved all in for 244,000. After receiving the count, Hutchins made the call.
Robert Salisbury: J♦J♥ Oliver Hutchins: K♠J♠
Salisbury were looking good for a double-up. His fishhooks were unthreatened on the 4♦Q♣6♦ flop. The 10♥ turn was more scary, as Hutchins was now open-ended. The brutal K♣ river sealed Salisbury’s fate, and the dangerous Hutchins’ stack is now again on the rise.
Trung Tran made it 32,000 from the Cut-off. Oliver Hutchins defended his Big Blind.
Hutchins check-called a 30,000 bet from Tran on the 7♠J♥6♦ flop. Both players checked the 9♠ turn, and Hutchins then took the aggressive initiative with a 35,000 bet on the 5♣ river. Tran wasted no time before forcing his opponent all in for 180,000 in total, and Hutchins mucked fairly quickly.
Chances are good that Hutchins, who won the €550 Main Event during the 2022 PartyPoker Championship Malta for €74,000, is one of the most prominent names left in the field. Another big player is Paul Carr, or was. Carr was eliminated in thirty-seventh place for £380.
Barry Carter was the sole PartyPoker Tour Ambassador who made it to Day 2 and the money. Unfortunately, he just went out in thirty-ninth place for £380.
Kevin Ferrer min-raised to 24,000 UTG. action folded all the way to Paul Carr, who decided to defend his Big Blind.
After an initial check from Carr on the 9♥4♥7♦ flop, Ferrer moved all in for 71,000. After receiving the count and doing the math in his head, Carr made the call.
Kevin Ferrer: K♠K♦ Paul Carr: 6♦4♠
Carr had some outs to crack the Cowboys of Ferrer, but the 3♣J♠ runout secured Ferrer the full double-up.
At Table 5, Brice Tiani opened to 26,000 from UTG+1. Action folded to Paul Tinsley, who moved all in for 41,000 in the dark from the Big Blind. Being prized in, Tiani had an easy call on his hands.
Paul Tinsley: A♥7♦ Brice Tiani: A♦Q♥
Tinsley was in rough shape, but he hit a crucial seven on the 7♥4♣2♠ flop. Tiani didn’t catch up on the 8♣K♠ runout, and Tinsley survived.
The PartyPoker Tour Discord server is, without a doubt, the best place to stay up-to-date with all things related to the 2026 PartyPoker Tour. There, you can also reach out to representatives of the brand, who can answer any questions you might have.
Big-stacked Trung Tran opened to 16,000 UTG. Action folded to Stefan Stroffek in the Small Blind, who was unaware of Tran’s opening; he attempted to call only the Big Blind, but instead, he now had to call the bet of Tran. Daniel Oliver folded his Big Blind, and the two players were soon heads-up to the flop.
Stroffek check-called a 26,000 bet from Tran on the Q♥A♥9♥ flop. Action repeated itself on the 6♥ river, the only difference being that the bet from Tran now was 35,000. On the 8♠ river, Tran forced Stroffek all in for 290,000. Stroffek relieved a heavy sigh before folding his hand, revealing his A♣8♦ holdings.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 16:
4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries:
50/476
Prizes:
£59,500
The poker.pro editorial office has received intelligence regarding a hand that played out at Table 1.
Allegedly, Alfie Darby and Andrew Teng were all in on the flop, Darby being the player at risk with a 276,000 stack. Both players had flopped a set; Darby was trailing with his set of fours. Much to his pleasure, though, he rivered quads to survive, taking a big chunk out of Teng’s stack in the process.
Just a few hands later, Teng managed to double up with the fishhooks against ace-queen; he’s now playing slightly more than the average stack.
Chip leader going into Day 2 (and one of the most prominent players left), Paul Carr, opened to 17,000 from the Hi-jack. Ross Whitelaw then three-bet to 44,000 from the Small Blind. When action came back to Carr, he forced his opponent all in for 158,000. Whitelaw made the call faster than you could say “Yee-haw!”
Paul Carr: 8♣8♠ Ross Whitelaw: K♣K♦
Whitelaw doubled through the well-merited Carr. That being said, Carr still plays a healthy stack.
The featured table of the £150 Mini Main Event is live-streamed on PartyPoker’s YouTube channel. Press above to follow the action on the stream (30-minute delay).
Asif Illyas min-raised to 12,000 from the Hi-jack. Lee Mulligan was the sole caller, as he decided to defend his Big Blind.
Mulligan check-called a 10,000 bet from Illyas on the 3♣9♦2♣ flop. Action repeated itself on the A♠ turn, the only difference being that Illyas’ sizing now was 25,000. Mulligan took over the aggression with a 35,000 bet on the 7♦, and Illyas made the call.
Mulligan turned over A♦5♠; his pair of aces seemed to be good, as Illyas mucked his hand.
Action folded to Trung Tran, who opened to 15,000 from the Lo-jack. Zhongming Liao called from the Button, and John Hall decided to defend his Big Blind.
Action was checked to Liao on the 6♠10♣8♣ flop, and he bet 19,000. Hal folded, but Tran (who began Day 2 as the third biggest stack) made the call. Tran check-called a 27,000 bet from Liao on the 6♣ turn, and both players then checked the dull 2♠ river.
Zhongming Liao: 7♥7♣ Trung Tran: 4♣4♦
Liao won the pot with the superior pair, but Tran is still very healthy. The only PartyPoker Tour Ambassador who made Day 2, Barry Carter, is also seated at the same table.
It’s time for Day 2 of the £150 Mini Main Event to kick off. The 72 players are now entering focus mode. They’re all aiming for the title, the trophy, and the £10,120 first-place payout.
Today, they are playing down to the final table, or until the conclusion of Level 27, whichever comes first. Level 27 features blinds 50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 Ante, and if the players finish after said level, they’ll be done around 2:30 in the morning.
The poker.pro editorial office will soon return with the full payouts, as well as the link to the stream of the TV table.
2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield – £150 Mini Main Event Day 2 Chip Counts
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Good afternoon, fellow poker enthusiasts. This poker.pro live reporter has just woken up from a very needed rest. At 18:00, Day 2 of the £150 Mini Main Event kicks off, and it’s going to be a marathon that one has to be fresh for.
The fourth and final starting-day flight, the hyper-turbo Day 1d, is currently being played at the picturesque Genting Casino Sheffield. In fact, late registration just closed; 112 entries mean that 17 players should make it through to Day 2. If that is the case, Day 2 should start with 72 players, all guaranteed a £300 min-cash.
£150 Mini Main Event – Starting-day Flights Breakdown
Flight
Entries
Advanced
Chip Leader
Country
Biggest Stack
Day 1A
99
15
Paul Carr
Ireland
1,100,000
Day 1B
167
25
Ishtiaq Ahmed
Pakistan
1,030,000
Day 1C (Turbo)
98
15
Emmanuel Mulemwa
United Kingdom
558,000
Day 1D (Hyper Turbo)
112
17
N/A
N/A
N/A
The poker.pro live coverage will commence at 18:00 when Day 2 kicks off, and the editorial office will not shut down until the flight has finished. The plan is to play down to a nine-handed final table.
See you at 18:00 then for the penultimate day. In the meantime, check out the “Results” tab to see who emerged victorious in yesterday’s £150 PLO Masters Big O.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 16:
4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries:
25/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Jobin George moved all in for 45,000 from UTG+1. Action folded to Stefan Stroffek, who re-shoved for 60,000 from the Small Blind. A small crowd gathered around the table, and soon enough, the players turned their cards on their back.
Jobin George: 10♥10♣ Stefan Stroffek: A♣K♣
It was a coin flip, but George didn’t seem too faithful. His gut feeling was right; Stroffe immediately improved to a pair on the 6♦6♥A♠ flop, and the K♥5♠ offered no miracle to George. Absolutely brutal for George, who told this poker.pro reporter that he stone-bubbled yesterday’s Day 1A flight as well. Perhaps, he’ll take his shot in tomorrow’s hyper-turbo flight.
With that, play has concluded for Day 1B of the £150 Mini Main Event. Twenty-five players are now bagging their chips, and they will return for Day 2 tomorrow at 18:00.
That wraps up today’s live coverage from the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield; thanks to everyone who’s been following along with the action today. A final current state of play-post will soon be uploaded, and the Day 1B chip counts will also be posted as soon as possible.
Tomorrow’s live coverage will commence at 18:00; the poker.pro editorial office will cover Day 2 of the tournament until it ends. The chip counts from all the flights will be uploaded before that.
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 16:
4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries:
26/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
During hand-by-hand play, Muhammad Makhmood made it 17,000 UTG. “Okay, let’s go,” short-stacked Nimisha Rattan saw as she moved all in for 51,000. Action folded back to Makhmood; perhaps, some players expected a snap-call from the pre-flop raiser, but he decided to fold his hand after spending one minute in the tank.
“What did you have?” Rattan asked her opponent as she revealed her 9♥9♦. If she got an answer, I didn’t hear it.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 15:
3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries:
26/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Nicholas Georgiou open-shoved for 139,000 from UTG+1. Seated right next to him, Georgi Bachiyski shoved for what looked to be a very even stack. The remaining players folded, and the two contestants tabled their cards.
Nicholas Georgiou: A♠J♦ Georgi Bachiyski: A♦K♠
Neither player connected on the 9♥3♣4♠Q♠2♦ board, meaning Bachiyski’s kicker played. The dealer counted the stacks, and it showed that Georgiou had survived by the finest margins, playing 4,000.
On the very next hand, Georgiou was forced all in from the Big Blind. Oliver Evenden opened to 12,000 from the Hi-jack, and Alfie Darby made the call from the Small Blind. Both players checked the 10♣4♣Q♥ flop. Darby bet 10,000 on the 5♥ turn, enough to make Evenden fold. Darby and Georgiou revealed their holdings.
Alfie Darby: K♣Q♣ Nicholas Georgiou: 6♦5♠
The 7♦ river didn’t help Georgiou, and he was eliminated in twenty-sixth place.
Alfie Darby: 374,000 Georgi Bachiynski: 285,000 Nicholas Georgiou: 0
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 15:
3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries:
27/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
The tournament has progressed at a rapid pace for the last two levels, and now, only two more players will go out before the survivors make it to Day 2.
A very short-stacked Mark Bennett moved all in for a mere 8,000 UTG. Trung Tran made it 30,000 from the Cut-off, and soon enough, the two contestants were heads-up to the flop.
Mark Bennett: Q♦6♣ Trung Tran: A♦4♦
Bennett had two live cards, but unfortunately for him, Tran took a firm lead on the A♣2♣10♦ flop. Bennett wasn’t able to catch up on the 10♥8♦ runout, and he bid farewell from the tournament.
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 14:
2,000/5,000 (5,000)
Entries:
39/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Kevin Asquith opened to 12,000 on the Button. Chip leader Asif Illyas decided to defend his Big Blind.
Illyas checked the 9♣6♦10♣ flop, and Asquith continued for 15,000. “Gamble,” Illyas said, as he threw in a fistful of purple 25,000 chips, effectively forcing Asquith all in for 64,000. Asquit made the call without any hesitation.
Asif Illyas: 10♥7♠ Kevin Asquith: Q♣Q♠
Asquith was ahead, and as the board completed with 4♣J♣, he managed to dodge the many outs of Illyas. As such, Asquith doubled up through the chip leader.
Level 13 has concluded, and the remaining 39 players in Day 1B of the £150 Mini Main Event are now on the third break of the day. Only 14 more players will go out until the survivors receive a Day 2 bag.
Below are the 10 biggest stacks in the room as of now. The last PartyPoker Tour Ambassador, Barry Carter, went out perhaps 30 minutes ago. At least he won the internal ‘last longer’ competition.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 13:
2,000/4,000 (4,000)
Entries:
42/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Seated UTG, Trung Tran decided only to limp the 4,000 Big Blind. Action folded to David Wall, who moved all in for 38,000 from the Lo-jack. It didn’t stop there, though, as Roderick Macdonald re-shoved for 55,000 from the Big Blind. Back to Tran, who made the call faster than you could say, “Anna Kournikova”.
David Wall: A♥5♥ Roderick Macdonald: K♠J♠ Trung Tran: A♣K♦
A sneaky limp from Tran had paid off so far. His Big Slick would prove to be good as the board spelled out K♥5♣2♦9♥Q♠, and he took out two players in the process. Chances are good that Tran is the current chip leader.
Trung Tran: 435,000 Roderick Macdonald: 0 David Wall: 0
Barry Carter is the last PartyPoker Tour Ambassador still standing in the £150 Mini Main Event. Glenn Brown, Rebecca Hardisty, and Sam Acheampong are all out. That is also the case with PartyPoker Team Pro Jaime Staples.
Acheampong is in the £150 PLO Masters Big O. Brown, Hardisty, and Staples aren’t in something right now, but that might change soon. Another PartyPoker Tour Ambassador, Natalie Bromley, has arrived in Sheffield and is currently playing Day 1C of the Mini Main Event, which is a turbo flight.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 11:
1,000/2,500 (2,500)
Entries:
62/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Edin Hrnjic opened to 5,500 on the Button. Muhammad Makhmood three-bet to an impressive 27,500 from the Big Blind, and Hrnjic decided to stick around. In other words, two big stacks collided.
Both players checked the 3♦8♠5♠ flop. Makhmood bet 15,000 on the 8♣ turn, and Hrnjic made the call. The river was the 6♣; Makhmood checked, and it was Hrnjic’s turn to act, but he was busy paying the waitress for his recent order of hot beverage. Once the transaction had been approved, Hrnjic bet 40,000, and Makhmood snap-called.
Edin Hrnjic: A♣J♣ Muhammad Makhmood: A♠K♣
Indeed, Makhmood had snap-called with Ace-high in a quite significant pot. He received praise from the other players at the table, and there’s a good chance he’s the current chip leader. Hrnjic, who was the chip leader at the last break, still plays a decent stack.
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 11:
1,000/2,500 (2,500)
Entries:
66/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Action folded to Chenyi Lyu, who moved all in for 35,000 from the Cut-off. Seated in the Big Blind, Scott Wallace decided to call for his tournament life, committing his 13,000 stack pre-flop.
Chenyi Lyu: K♦J♥ Scott Wallace: J♠3♠
Wallace was probably hoping to at least have two live cards, but that wasn’t the case. He didn’t manage to produce a miracle on the 10♠5♠5♣4♥7♣ board, and all his chips went the way of Lyu.
PartyPoker Tour Ambassador Sam Acheampong made it 5,500. Natalia Breviglieri made the call from the Button before Curtis Harrison moved all in for 51,000 from the Small Blind. “How much is that?” Acheampong requested the dealer. After receiving the final number, he made the call, committing a large chunk of his stack. Breviglieri mucked, and the two contestants went to showdown.
Curtis Harrison: A♥10♠ Sam Acheampong: [invalid notations]
“Hooooold!” Acheampong’s iconic catch phrase echoed through the tournament area. He wasn’t ahead for long as Harrison took the lead on the J♣A♦2♠ flop. No case seven for Acheampong as the board completed with 9♣3♠. Harrison doubled up, leaving Acheampong weak.
At the same time, at a nearby table, fellow ambassador Glenn Brown busted from the tournament after losing an all-in pre-flop with J♥J♠ against his opponent’s A♦K♣.
Curtis Harrison: 106,000 Sam Acheampong: 29,000 Glenn Brown: 0
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 10:
1,000/2,000 (2,000)
Entries:
97/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Late registration has now closed for Day 1B of the £150 Mini Main Event. The flight scored 167 entries, and considering 15 % will make it through to Day 2, it should be 25 players who’ll receive a bag later tonight. The math highly dictates that number, but if the floor decides to round it a certain way, the poker.pro editorial office will amend.
The players are currently enjoying the second 20-minute break of the day. When they return to Level 10, late registration will be closed. In other words, there are only a few minutes left of late registration.
Below are the 10 biggest stacks in the room at this very moment.
Day 1B of the £150 Mini Main Event is approaching the second 15-minute break of the day, and with that, the closure of late registration. The poker.pro editorial office took a stroll through the tournament area and identified the ambassadors’ stacks. Brown is, to no one’s surprise, on his second bullet.
Below is the current state of play. Late registration for the £30 Target Stack Satellite to the £150 Mini Main Event will close within 10 minutes. Late registration for the Mini Main Event Day 1B is open for roughly 30 more minutes.
Start Time
Event
Status
Field
14:00
Event #1: £150 Mini Main Event Day 1b
Registration open
97/155
17:00
£30 Target Stack Satellite to £150 Mini Main Event (Three Seats Guaranteed)
Registration open
12/20
18:00
Event #3: £150 PLO Masters Big O
Registration open
10/10
20:00
Event #1: £150 Mini Main Event Day 1c (Turbo)
Registration opens at 19:00
N/A
22:00
£60 Target Stack Satellite to £500 Main Event (Three Seats Guaranteed)
Johnathon Wild opened to 2,500 UTG. Seated in the Big Blind, Darren Harris was the sole caller.
Harris check-called a 2,500 bet from Wild on the 6♣A♥8♠ flop. Action repeated itself on the 3♥, the only difference being that Wild now sized up to 4,000. Both players opted to check the 4♣ river.
Harris revealed his A♣10♣, and Wild acknowledged the winning hand.
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 8:
600/1,200 (1,200)
Entries:
100/150
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Earlier in the live blog, the poker.pro editorial office listed all the £500 Main Event winners during the 2025 PartyPoker Tour. Considering we’re currently following the action in the £150 Mini Main Event, let’s recap those who claimed the “Little Brother” trophies last year as well.
Neil Hirst opened to 5,000 from the Lo-jack. Action eventually came to Mark Reddie, who made it 20,000 from the Small Blind. When it came back to Hirst, he made the call for his tournament life, playing perhaps 19,500.
Mark Reddie: K♣Q♣ Neil Hirst: A♣Q♦
Hirst had Reddie dominated, and no shenanigans as the board spelled out 2♥5♥7♠10♠A♥. As such, Hirst doubled up through Reddie.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 7:
500/1,000 (1,000)
Entries:
111/143
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Crispin Rovere opened to 2,000 from UTG+1. John Leslie (Lo-jack), Alfie Darby (Small Blind), and Nicholas Georgiou (Big Blind) all made the call.
All four players checked the 10♦K♠7♠ flop, but action would soon prove to amp up. Action was checked to Leslie on the 6♦ turn, and he dipped his toes in the waters with a 3,000. Darby made the call, and Georgiou folded before Rovere raised it up to 15,000. Darby mucked, but Leslie decided to make the call.
Rovere didn’t waste too much time before moving all in for 25,000 on the 9♦ river. Leslie made the call faster than the speed of lightning.
Crispin Rovere: 8♥8♣ John Leslie: A♦J♦
Both players improved on the river, but Rovere’s straight was no match for Leslie’s nut flush. All of Rovere’s chips went Rovere, and it’s likely he’s playing a top-five stack at this moment.
Jack Buckley opened to 1,800 from UTG+2. Matthew Tibbles called from the Small Blind, and Samuel Elson decided to defend his Big Blind.
All three players checked the 4♣7♣8♥ flop, and action repeated itself on the 6♥ turn. On the K♦ river, Tibbles bet 4,500. Elson made the call before Buckley threw his cards into the muck.
Matthew Tibbles: 3♣3♠ Samuel Elson: K♠J♣
Elson’s rivered pair of Kings was the best hand, and he was awarded the pot.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 5:
300/600 (600)
Entries:
110/131
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Seated UTG, Henry Owen opened to 1,200. He would get some company to the flop, seeing as Ishtiaq Ahmed (Lo-jack), Carroll Belfield (Cut-off), Sam Acheampong (Button), and Georgi Bachiyski (Big Blind) all made the call.
After an initial check from Bachiyski, Owen continued for 2,000 on the 9♠2♠4♥ flop. A somewhat rare scenario, seeing as all his competitors made the call. All players then checked the Q♣ turn, so still five-ways to the river. The dealer revealed the 9♥, and Owen mistakenly checked out of turn. It was still Bachiyski to act, and he sized up to 12,000. This would prove enough to take down the pot, even though Acheampong was tempted (not really, I hope) to call with Ace-high.
PartyPoker Team Pro Jaime Staples is now in the building, currently railing PartyPoker Tour Ambassador Sam Acheampong. It’s an educated guess that Staples will late register for Day 1B of the £150 Mini Main Event very soon.
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 5:
300/600 (600)
Entries:
104/122
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
It’s the first 15-minute break of the day, and the players will soon resume play on Level 5. The dealers have all identified the three biggest stacks on every table; below are the biggest stacks after the first four levels.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 4:
200/400 (400)
Entries:
99/111
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
As the dealer was distributing the hole cards to the players, the 10♥ was exposed for Justin Baldwin. The action kicked off with George Achillea opening to 800 from the Lo-jack. Christopher Briddon called from the Cut-off, and despite not having the 10♥, Baldwin three-bet to 2,000. Both of his opponents made the call.
Baldwin continued on the aggressive path with a 3,000 continuation bet on the J♣J♠K♠ flop. Both of his opponents folded, and as the dealer pushed the chips his way, Baldwin revealed his 6♥3♣. Sneaky move!
PartyPoker Tour Ambassador Sam Acheampong arrived in Sheffield today and is now in full swing in Day 1B of the £150 Mini Main Event. It’s an excited Acheampong who’s here, and he’s coming fresh off a title in London, for which he was awarded a pineapple alongside his first-place payout.
Ben Tate opened to 700 from UTG+1. Marek Jablonski (Lo-jack), Acheampong (Button), and Georgi Bachiyski (Big Blind) all made the call. Tate continued for 1,000 on the 3♥3♠10♠ flop, and Acheampong was the only one to stick around. Tate slowed down with a check on the 2♠ before calling a 1,000 bet from Acheampong.
Action went check-check on the A♦ river. Tate turned over 9♠9♦, and Acheampong turned over the winning hand; word in the street is that “Mr. Pineapple” only had King high.
The undisputed best way to stay up-to-date with everything regarding the 2026 PartyPoker Tour is to join the official Discord server. There, you can easily access all the information about the tour, and even reach out to community representatives if you have any questions and whatnot. Press here to join the Discord server.
Seated UTG+1, Jack Buckley opened to 500. Rheanne Ireland then three-bet to 2,800; action folded back to Buckley, who made the call.
Buckley check-called a 3,200 bet from Ireland on the 6♦Q♣9♠ flop. After another check from Buckley on the 3♣ turn, Ireland fired 5,000. After calculating the pot, Buckley completed a check-raise move to 15,000. Ireland decided to make the call.
Buckley wasted little time before forcing his opponent all in for 19,500 on the J♠ river. Ireland sighed before ultimately making the call.
Jack Buckley: Q♠Q♥ Rheanne Ireland: K♥K♣
Unfortunate for Ireland as her Cowboys were cracked, and all her chips went the way of Buckley.
Play is roughly halfway into Level 2, and there are already some notable names in the field. One of them is Mark “The Beast” Labbett, seated at Table 9. Other contestants include 2025 PartyPoker Tour Leaderboard winner Alexander Georgiev and PartyPoker Tour Ambassador Glenn Brown.
Speaking of ambassadors: PartyPoker has created a team consisting of six ambassadors for the tour this year. While Brown is the only one of them currently in play, Barry Carter and Sam Acheampong are both in the building, and it’s an educated guess that they’ll throw their names into the competition very soon.
Jaime Staples is on-site in Sheffield. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Before we suck our teeth into Day 1B of the £150 Mini Main Event, let’s take a trip down memory lane.
Last year, PartyPoker made its much-anticipated return to the live poker scene. It was a slam-dunk success, and to see the tour growing in 2026 is wonderful.
Sheffield is the first out of a total of four announced stops of the 2026 PartyPoker Tour. The flagship tournament of each event will arguably be the £500 Main Event. Below is a breakdown of last year’s Main Event winners, and time will tell which players join the Hall of Fame in 2026.
*Aspers Casino Stratford, London, became Genting Casino Stratford a few months after the 2025 PartyPoker Tour London (Spring Edition). **A five-way deal was made in the £500 Main Event during the 2025 PartyPoker Tour London (Winter Edition).
In the live blog, you can press “Results” to see all the results from the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. This will be updated on a regular basis, and the results from yesterday’s £60 NLH Mystery Prize Draw £2,000 Added Prizes have just been posted. Check it out and see how your fellow poker friends did.
While today’s live coverage will focus on Day 1B of the £150 Mini Main Event, this reporter will do his best to upload a general current state of play for all today’s tournaments once an hour. This is to give you players an overall view of what’s going on at Genting Casino Sheffield.
Start Time
Event
Status
Field
14:00
Event #1: £150 Mini Main Event Day 1b
Registration open (open for nine 30-minute levels)
55/55
17:00
£30 Target Stack Satellite to £150 Mini Main Event (Three Seats Guaranteed)
Registration opens at 16:00
N/A
18:00
Event #3: £150 PLO Masters Big O
Registration opens at 17:00
N/A
20:00
Event #1: £150 Mini Main Event Day 1c (Turbo)
Registration opens at 19:00
N/A
22:00
£60 Target Stack Satellite to £500 Main Event (Three Seats Guaranteed)
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Good morning, Sheffield, and welcome to the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield! It’s the first PartyPoker Tour live poker event of the year, and it’s destined to be a great one. PartyPoker is bringing the heat to Genting Casino Sheffield, and the tournament area will boil over with immense poker action throughout the week.
As the official media partner, poker.pro has boots on the ground in the UK’s seventh-largest city. Today, January 28, poker.pro live reporter will cover all the action from Day 1B of the £150 Mini Main Event. In fact, said tournament will be the theme of the coverage for the upcoming days. Once a winner has been crowned, focus will switch to the £500 Main Event. That being said, all side event results will also be posted on www.poker.pro inside the live blog.
The second (out of a total of four) starting-day flights of the Mini Main Event will kick off today at 14:00, and that is also when the live coverage will commence. Day 1A was, obviously, played yesterday, during the first day of the festival. That flight scored ++ entries, and as 15 % of the field makes it through to Day 2, 15 players bagged their chips.
2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield – £150 Mini Main Event Day 1A Chip Counts
Position
Player
Country
Chips
1
Paul Carr
Ireland
1,110,000
2
Lynne Beaumont
England
406,000
3
Jack Andrew
United Kingdom
337,000
4
John Bonadies
United Kingdom
312,000
5
Phillip Hepburn
United Kingdom
302,000
6
Brian Frew
United Kingdom
270,000
7
Deniz Orhan
United Kingdom
257,000
8
Andrew Chambi
United Kingdom
227,000
9
Paul Tinsley
United Kingdom
159,000
10
Daniel Henderson
Ireland
143,000
11
Matthew Newman
United Kingdom
126,000
12
Farida Ahmed
United Kingdom
121,000
13
Zak Elliott
United Kingdom
96,000
14
Roy Fowler
United Kingdom
52,000
15
Wendy Watson
United Kingdom
52,000
While the live blog will be centered around the Mini Main Event, there are four other events on today’s tournament schedule. At 17:00, there’s a £30 target stack satellite, in which players can try to claim their Mini Main Event seat for a cheaper buck. The said satellite has three seats guaranteed. At 18:00, all four-card enthusiasts can compete in the £150 PLO Master Big O. For those who’ve missed, the PLO Masters is created by UK poker legend JJ Hazan, and it’s a series of PLO tournaments that’s running in conjunction with other poker tours; the PartyPoker Tour more so than any other tour.
Jaime Staples is on-site in Sheffield. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
At 20:00, the third Mini Main Event flight that is Day 1C kicks off. This is a turbo flight with 20-minute levels instead of 30; while poker.pro won’t be doing live coverage of this flight, the chip counts will be uploaded after the survivors bag their chips.
Last but not least, the £60 target stack satellite to the Main Event kicks off at 22:00. As was the case with the aforementioned satellite, this one also has three seats guaranteed, and it’s a sublime opportunity for players to claim sought-after Main Event seats.
2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield – January 28 Tournament Schedule
Time
Event
14:00
Event #1: £150 Mini Main Event Day 1b
17:00
£30 Target Stack Satellite to £150 Mini Main Event (Three Seats Guaranteed)
18:00
Event #3: £150 PLO Masters Big O
20:00
Event #1: £150 Mini Main Event Day 1c (Turbo)
22:00
£60 Target Stack Satellite to £500 Main Event (Three Seats Guaranteed)
All in all, it’s going to be a fun week in Sheffield. This is the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield, ladies and gentlemen, and it’s safe to say it’ll be one of the highlights of the 2026 UK poker calendar.
Live reporting from the PartyPoker Tour Sheffield starts today, with poker.pro following all the action from the £150 Mini Main Event starting flight as the cards go in the air at Genting Casino Sheffield. The opening stop of the 2026 PartyPoker Tour promises a packed schedule, familiar fan-favorite tournaments like the £500 Main Event and Mini Main, a strong PLO Masters lineup, and unique poker.pro side events.
With Sheffield hosting a major festival for the first time in years and PartyPoker building on the momentum of a hugely successful 2025 comeback, the stage is set for a week of big fields, deep runs, and another defining chapter in the tour’s growing legacy.
Joseph Parsons open-shoved for 295,000 from the Cut-off. After some consideration, Edin Hrnjic re-shoved for around 1,000,000 from the Button. The remaining players folded, and soon enough, the two contestants went to showdown.
Joseph Parsons: K♣7♣ Edin Hrnjic: A♠J♠
Hrnjic was slightly ahead, but Parsons took the lead on the 7♦9♣6♦ flop. Hrnjic never caught up on the 3♦4♠ runout, and Parsons received the full double-up.
Action folded to Chenyi Lyu, who moved all in for roughly 300,000 from the Small Blind. Brice Tiani snap-called from the Big Blind.
Chenyi Lyu: A♥5♠ Brice Tiani: J♥J♣
An unfortunate scenario for Lyu, and no ace or any other help available on the K♥9♥8♣J♠4♥ board. Lyu went out in twenty-third place for £480, and all of his chips went the way of Tiani.
Lee Mulligan opened to 55,000 from the Button. Daniel Stoica made the call from the Big Blind.
Stoica check-called a 50,000 bet from Mulligan on the K♣3♠2♠ flop. Action went check-check on the 2♣ turn, and Stoica then bet 80,000 on the 7♥ river. Mulligan made the call rather swiftly.
Daniel Stoica: A♦6♠ Lee Mulligan: A♣Q♥
An impressive call with ace-high from Mulligan; with his queen kicker, he took down the pot right before the second break of the day.
Action folded to James Grogan, who limped the Small Blind. Seated in the Big Blind, Alexander Georgiev decided to check. Two very healthy stacks went heads-up to the flop, then.
Grogan fired a 35,000 continuation bet on 5♥2♦6♣. Georgiev decided to raise to 125,000, and Grogan made the call.
Grogan slowed down and checked the 8♦ turn. Georgiev now bet 275,000, and was then faced with a 1,200,000 shove from Grogan. Georgiev made the call as fast as lightning.
James Grogan: K♠K♦ Alexander Georgiev: 2♦2♠
No help for Grogan on the 6♦ river. He was eliminated in twenty-eighth place for £480, and chances are very good that Georgiev is the current tournament chip leader.
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 20:
10,000/20,000 (20,000)
Entries:
32/476
Prizes:
£59,500
Farida Ahmed opened to 40,000 from the Cut-off. Djamel Aoun made it 95,000 from the Small Blind, and when action came back to Ahmed, she pushed for 240,000. Aoun contemplated his decision for a minute or two before ultimately making the call.
Farida Ahmed: 8♥8♠ Djamel Aoun: A♣J♥
It was a classic coin flip confrontation. Aoun took a solid lead on the 6♦J♦7♥ flop. He maintained his position on the A♥ turn. Everything can happen in poker, though; Ahmed improved to a set on the 8♦ river, and she won a considerable pot at this very crucial stage of the tournament.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 19:
8,000/16,000 (16,000)
Entries:
36/476
Prizes:
£59,500
Oliver Hutchins made it 35,000 from the Hi-jack. Seated right next to him, Robert Salisbury moved all in for 244,000. After receiving the count, Hutchins made the call.
Robert Salisbury: J♦J♥ Oliver Hutchins: K♠J♠
Salisbury were looking good for a double-up. His fishhooks were unthreatened on the 4♦Q♣6♦ flop. The 10♥ turn was more scary, as Hutchins was now open-ended. The brutal K♣ river sealed Salisbury’s fate, and the dangerous Hutchins’ stack is now again on the rise.
Trung Tran made it 32,000 from the Cut-off. Oliver Hutchins defended his Big Blind.
Hutchins check-called a 30,000 bet from Tran on the 7♠J♥6♦ flop. Both players checked the 9♠ turn, and Hutchins then took the aggressive initiative with a 35,000 bet on the 5♣ river. Tran wasted no time before forcing his opponent all in for 180,000 in total, and Hutchins mucked fairly quickly.
Chances are good that Hutchins, who won the €550 Main Event during the 2022 PartyPoker Championship Malta for €74,000, is one of the most prominent names left in the field. Another big player is Paul Carr, or was. Carr was eliminated in thirty-seventh place for £380.
Barry Carter was the sole PartyPoker Tour Ambassador who made it to Day 2 and the money. Unfortunately, he just went out in thirty-ninth place for £380.
Kevin Ferrer min-raised to 24,000 UTG. action folded all the way to Paul Carr, who decided to defend his Big Blind.
After an initial check from Carr on the 9♥4♥7♦ flop, Ferrer moved all in for 71,000. After receiving the count and doing the math in his head, Carr made the call.
Kevin Ferrer: K♠K♦ Paul Carr: 6♦4♠
Carr had some outs to crack the Cowboys of Ferrer, but the 3♣J♠ runout secured Ferrer the full double-up.
At Table 5, Brice Tiani opened to 26,000 from UTG+1. Action folded to Paul Tinsley, who moved all in for 41,000 in the dark from the Big Blind. Being prized in, Tiani had an easy call on his hands.
Paul Tinsley: A♥7♦ Brice Tiani: A♦Q♥
Tinsley was in rough shape, but he hit a crucial seven on the 7♥4♣2♠ flop. Tiani didn’t catch up on the 8♣K♠ runout, and Tinsley survived.
The PartyPoker Tour Discord server is, without a doubt, the best place to stay up-to-date with all things related to the 2026 PartyPoker Tour. There, you can also reach out to representatives of the brand, who can answer any questions you might have.
Big-stacked Trung Tran opened to 16,000 UTG. Action folded to Stefan Stroffek in the Small Blind, who was unaware of Tran’s opening; he attempted to call only the Big Blind, but instead, he now had to call the bet of Tran. Daniel Oliver folded his Big Blind, and the two players were soon heads-up to the flop.
Stroffek check-called a 26,000 bet from Tran on the Q♥A♥9♥ flop. Action repeated itself on the 6♥ river, the only difference being that the bet from Tran now was 35,000. On the 8♠ river, Tran forced Stroffek all in for 290,000. Stroffek relieved a heavy sigh before folding his hand, revealing his A♣8♦ holdings.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 16:
4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries:
50/476
Prizes:
£59,500
The poker.pro editorial office has received intelligence regarding a hand that played out at Table 1.
Allegedly, Alfie Darby and Andrew Teng were all in on the flop, Darby being the player at risk with a 276,000 stack. Both players had flopped a set; Darby was trailing with his set of fours. Much to his pleasure, though, he rivered quads to survive, taking a big chunk out of Teng’s stack in the process.
Just a few hands later, Teng managed to double up with the fishhooks against ace-queen; he’s now playing slightly more than the average stack.
Chip leader going into Day 2 (and one of the most prominent players left), Paul Carr, opened to 17,000 from the Hi-jack. Ross Whitelaw then three-bet to 44,000 from the Small Blind. When action came back to Carr, he forced his opponent all in for 158,000. Whitelaw made the call faster than you could say “Yee-haw!”
Paul Carr: 8♣8♠ Ross Whitelaw: K♣K♦
Whitelaw doubled through the well-merited Carr. That being said, Carr still plays a healthy stack.
The featured table of the £150 Mini Main Event is live-streamed on PartyPoker’s YouTube channel. Press above to follow the action on the stream (30-minute delay).
Asif Illyas min-raised to 12,000 from the Hi-jack. Lee Mulligan was the sole caller, as he decided to defend his Big Blind.
Mulligan check-called a 10,000 bet from Illyas on the 3♣9♦2♣ flop. Action repeated itself on the A♠ turn, the only difference being that Illyas’ sizing now was 25,000. Mulligan took over the aggression with a 35,000 bet on the 7♦, and Illyas made the call.
Mulligan turned over A♦5♠; his pair of aces seemed to be good, as Illyas mucked his hand.
Action folded to Trung Tran, who opened to 15,000 from the Lo-jack. Zhongming Liao called from the Button, and John Hall decided to defend his Big Blind.
Action was checked to Liao on the 6♠10♣8♣ flop, and he bet 19,000. Hal folded, but Tran (who began Day 2 as the third biggest stack) made the call. Tran check-called a 27,000 bet from Liao on the 6♣ turn, and both players then checked the dull 2♠ river.
Zhongming Liao: 7♥7♣ Trung Tran: 4♣4♦
Liao won the pot with the superior pair, but Tran is still very healthy. The only PartyPoker Tour Ambassador who made Day 2, Barry Carter, is also seated at the same table.
It’s time for Day 2 of the £150 Mini Main Event to kick off. The 72 players are now entering focus mode. They’re all aiming for the title, the trophy, and the £10,120 first-place payout.
Today, they are playing down to the final table, or until the conclusion of Level 27, whichever comes first. Level 27 features blinds 50,000/100,000 with a 100,000 Ante, and if the players finish after said level, they’ll be done around 2:30 in the morning.
The poker.pro editorial office will soon return with the full payouts, as well as the link to the stream of the TV table.
2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield – £150 Mini Main Event Day 2 Chip Counts
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Good afternoon, fellow poker enthusiasts. This poker.pro live reporter has just woken up from a very needed rest. At 18:00, Day 2 of the £150 Mini Main Event kicks off, and it’s going to be a marathon that one has to be fresh for.
The fourth and final starting-day flight, the hyper-turbo Day 1d, is currently being played at the picturesque Genting Casino Sheffield. In fact, late registration just closed; 112 entries mean that 17 players should make it through to Day 2. If that is the case, Day 2 should start with 72 players, all guaranteed a £300 min-cash.
£150 Mini Main Event – Starting-day Flights Breakdown
Flight
Entries
Advanced
Chip Leader
Country
Biggest Stack
Day 1A
99
15
Paul Carr
Ireland
1,100,000
Day 1B
167
25
Ishtiaq Ahmed
Pakistan
1,030,000
Day 1C (Turbo)
98
15
Emmanuel Mulemwa
United Kingdom
558,000
Day 1D (Hyper Turbo)
112
17
N/A
N/A
N/A
The poker.pro live coverage will commence at 18:00 when Day 2 kicks off, and the editorial office will not shut down until the flight has finished. The plan is to play down to a nine-handed final table.
See you at 18:00 then for the penultimate day. In the meantime, check out the “Results” tab to see who emerged victorious in yesterday’s £150 PLO Masters Big O.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 16:
4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries:
25/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Jobin George moved all in for 45,000 from UTG+1. Action folded to Stefan Stroffek, who re-shoved for 60,000 from the Small Blind. A small crowd gathered around the table, and soon enough, the players turned their cards on their back.
Jobin George: 10♥10♣ Stefan Stroffek: A♣K♣
It was a coin flip, but George didn’t seem too faithful. His gut feeling was right; Stroffe immediately improved to a pair on the 6♦6♥A♠ flop, and the K♥5♠ offered no miracle to George. Absolutely brutal for George, who told this poker.pro reporter that he stone-bubbled yesterday’s Day 1A flight as well. Perhaps, he’ll take his shot in tomorrow’s hyper-turbo flight.
With that, play has concluded for Day 1B of the £150 Mini Main Event. Twenty-five players are now bagging their chips, and they will return for Day 2 tomorrow at 18:00.
That wraps up today’s live coverage from the 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield; thanks to everyone who’s been following along with the action today. A final current state of play-post will soon be uploaded, and the Day 1B chip counts will also be posted as soon as possible.
Tomorrow’s live coverage will commence at 18:00; the poker.pro editorial office will cover Day 2 of the tournament until it ends. The chip counts from all the flights will be uploaded before that.
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 16:
4,000/8,000 (8,000)
Entries:
26/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
During hand-by-hand play, Muhammad Makhmood made it 17,000 UTG. “Okay, let’s go,” short-stacked Nimisha Rattan saw as she moved all in for 51,000. Action folded back to Makhmood; perhaps, some players expected a snap-call from the pre-flop raiser, but he decided to fold his hand after spending one minute in the tank.
“What did you have?” Rattan asked her opponent as she revealed her 9♥9♦. If she got an answer, I didn’t hear it.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 15:
3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries:
26/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Nicholas Georgiou open-shoved for 139,000 from UTG+1. Seated right next to him, Georgi Bachiyski shoved for what looked to be a very even stack. The remaining players folded, and the two contestants tabled their cards.
Nicholas Georgiou: A♠J♦ Georgi Bachiyski: A♦K♠
Neither player connected on the 9♥3♣4♠Q♠2♦ board, meaning Bachiyski’s kicker played. The dealer counted the stacks, and it showed that Georgiou had survived by the finest margins, playing 4,000.
On the very next hand, Georgiou was forced all in from the Big Blind. Oliver Evenden opened to 12,000 from the Hi-jack, and Alfie Darby made the call from the Small Blind. Both players checked the 10♣4♣Q♥ flop. Darby bet 10,000 on the 5♥ turn, enough to make Evenden fold. Darby and Georgiou revealed their holdings.
Alfie Darby: K♣Q♣ Nicholas Georgiou: 6♦5♠
The 7♦ river didn’t help Georgiou, and he was eliminated in twenty-sixth place.
Alfie Darby: 374,000 Georgi Bachiynski: 285,000 Nicholas Georgiou: 0
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 15:
3,000/6,000 (6,000)
Entries:
27/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
The tournament has progressed at a rapid pace for the last two levels, and now, only two more players will go out before the survivors make it to Day 2.
A very short-stacked Mark Bennett moved all in for a mere 8,000 UTG. Trung Tran made it 30,000 from the Cut-off, and soon enough, the two contestants were heads-up to the flop.
Mark Bennett: Q♦6♣ Trung Tran: A♦4♦
Bennett had two live cards, but unfortunately for him, Tran took a firm lead on the A♣2♣10♦ flop. Bennett wasn’t able to catch up on the 10♥8♦ runout, and he bid farewell from the tournament.
The sought-after 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield trophies. Photo: Nunzia Esposito
Level 14:
2,000/5,000 (5,000)
Entries:
39/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Kevin Asquith opened to 12,000 on the Button. Chip leader Asif Illyas decided to defend his Big Blind.
Illyas checked the 9♣6♦10♣ flop, and Asquith continued for 15,000. “Gamble,” Illyas said, as he threw in a fistful of purple 25,000 chips, effectively forcing Asquith all in for 64,000. Asquit made the call without any hesitation.
Asif Illyas: 10♥7♠ Kevin Asquith: Q♣Q♠
Asquith was ahead, and as the board completed with 4♣J♣, he managed to dodge the many outs of Illyas. As such, Asquith doubled up through the chip leader.
Level 13 has concluded, and the remaining 39 players in Day 1B of the £150 Mini Main Event are now on the third break of the day. Only 14 more players will go out until the survivors receive a Day 2 bag.
Below are the 10 biggest stacks in the room as of now. The last PartyPoker Tour Ambassador, Barry Carter, went out perhaps 30 minutes ago. At least he won the internal ‘last longer’ competition.
The 2026 PartyPoker Tour Sheffield. Photo: Hunzia Esposito
Level 13:
2,000/4,000 (4,000)
Entries:
42/167
Prizes:
£40,000 GTD
Seated UTG, Trung Tran decided only to limp the 4,000 Big Blind. Action folded to David Wall, who moved all in for 38,000 from the Lo-jack. It didn’t stop there, though, as Roderick Macdonald re-shoved for 55,000 from the Big Blind. Back to Tran, who made the call faster than you could say, “Anna Kournikova”.
David Wall: A♥5♥ Roderick Macdonald: K♠J♠ Trung Tran: A♣K♦
A sneaky limp from Tran had paid off so far. His Big Slick would prove to be good as the board spelled out K♥5♣2♦9♥Q♠, and he took out two players in the process. Chances are good that Tran is the current chip leader.
Trung Tran: 435,000 Roderick Macdonald: 0 David Wall: 0
Barry Carter is the last PartyPoker Tour Ambassador still standing in the £150 Mini Main Event. Glenn Brown, Rebecca Hardisty, and Sam Acheampong are all out. That is also the case with PartyPoker Team Pro Jaime Staples.
Acheampong is in the £150 PLO Masters Big O. Brown, Hardisty, and Staples aren’t in something right now, but that might change soon. Another PartyPoker Tour Ambassador, Natalie Bromley, has arrived in Sheffield and is currently playing Day 1C of the Mini Main Event, which is a turbo flight.
Alexander Georgiev
Emmanuel Mulemwa
Daniel Stoica
Lee Mulligan
Daniel Lubera
Stefan Stroffek
Thomas Besnier
Kevin Ferrer
Csaba Kovacs
James Grogan
Asif Illyas
Ishitaq Ahmed
Fucheng Zhang
Crispin Rovere
Fucheng Zhang
James Grogan
Paul Carr
Jaime Staples
Dost Ghrabie
Christian Watt
André Emerenciano
Yin Chan
Siddharth Sudunagunta
Kristaps Kalva
Timothy Treffert
