The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is now a full three days in and more info is now emerging about which British players have arrived to chase for the early bracelets. Many are already there and others are in the process of shifting their geo-location to the hot dry city in the desert known as Las Vegas.
First Cashes for British Players at the Series
Just one event has concluded so far, Event #2, the $500 Industry Employees No Limit Hold’em. This one has traditionally been reserved for casino employees, but it had always been a bit vague as to who actually counted as a casino employee. This year the event reinvented itself as the Industry Employees event, therefore making it fully kosher for people working in poker media to take part.
One such Brit who benefited from this change in entry requirement was Myles Phago, who is reprising his role as a live event reporter, which he has put on hold for well over a decade. Myles reported on the very first GUKPT event back in 2007, but soon moved on to other things.
He was one of four British industry employees to cash in the Industry Employees event, finishing in 119th for $1,006. James Morris (87th for $1,056), Raymond Franklin (39th for $1,549), and Michael Yueng (23rd for $2,096) were the others who cashed in the tournament, which had 914 entries in total.
No other events have concluded yet, however a few other Brits have booked their first cashes in events that are still ongoing.
Niall Farrell was the highest placed of six from the UK who secured their first flags of the series in Event #3, the $5,000 8-Handed NLH. He exited in 53rd place for $12,089, with Chris Moorman two places further back in 55th, cashing for the same amount. Ryan Mandara, Paul Hizer, Ryan Plant and Jack Sinclair, who all banked $10,000.
Stuart Rutter was the highest placed of just two Brits cashed in Event #4 $1,500 PLO Hi-Lo. He finished in 76th for $3,305 while Robert Price banked $3,027 for 119th.
Table of all British Cashes from Events 2-4
| Player | Event | Finishing Position | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Yueng | Event #2 $500 Industry Employees No Limit Hold’em | 23rd | $2,096 |
| Raymond Franklin | Event #2 $500 Industry Employees No Limit Hold’em | 39th | $1,549 |
| James Morris | Event #2 $500 Industry Employees No Limit Hold’em | 87th | $1,056 |
| Myles Phago | Event #2 $500 Industry Employees No Limit Hold’em | 119th | $1,006 |
| Niall Farrell | Event #3 $5,000 8-Handed No Limit Hold’em | 53rd | $12,089 |
| Chris Moorman | Event #3 $5,000 8-Handed No Limit Hold’em | 55th | $12,089 |
| Ryan Mandara | Event #3 $5,000 8-Handed No Limit Hold’em | 64th | $10,000 |
| Paul Hizer | Event #3 $5,000 8-Handed No Limit Hold’em | 69th | $10,000 |
| Ryan Plant | Event #3 $5,000 8-Handed No Limit Hold’em | 88th | $10,000 |
| Jack Sinclair | Event #3 $5,000 8-Handed No Limit Hold’em | 97th | $10,000 |
| Stuart Rutter | Event #4 $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo | 76th | $3,305 |
| Robert Price | Event #4 $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo | 119th | $3,027 |
Other Series Taking Place in the City
While the action at the Horseshoe & Paris Casinos is where most of the attention is focused, there are several other poker festivals in progress in town. British players love to explore Las Vegas and there’s likely to be plenty of them taking part in all of these series throughout the summer:
- Venetian Deepstack Championship Series runs until July 31st
- Wynn Summer Classic runs until July 14th
- MGM Grand Summer Poker Festival runs until July 6th
- 2025 Orleans Summer Open runs until July 13th
- Golden Nugget Poker Series runs until July 2nd
- 2025 Aria Poker Classic runs until July 13th
Katie Swift Wins Golden Nugget Event #1
One of the players we featured in UK Players Selling Action at the 2025 WSOP has already tasted success, in the first event she played after arriving. Grosvenor sponsored pro Katie Swift took down the very first event of the Golden Nugget Poker Series after an ICM deal, for $9,750.
Katie’s victory also secured her a seat in the Goldenaire, a $1m dollar guaranteed Mystery Bounty event at the end of July. Congratulations Katie, who is poker.pro CEO Jason Glatzer’s secret pick for one to do well this year at the series. Oops, I guess that’s not a secret anymore. Today is actually Katie’s birthday and she’s just earned herself a great day. What a time to be alive!
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Blondes Arrive in Vegas
Blondepoker was once the go-to place for info about the UK’s poker scene and although it’s not the hotbed of connectivity that it once was, a few discussions do still take place on the site. It’s named Blondepoker after its founder, the late (and great) David Colclough. His nickname was “El Blondie,” although he wasn’t even a true blonde, earning the nickname due to his penchant for bleaching his hair.
It was co-owned by Tony Kendall, who is already in Las Vegas, but apparently doesn’t need backing this year, as he’s won so much money sharking people on the golf course. Having recently left his role at Sky Poker, this trip is his self-styled Great Retirement Adventure and he’ll be living that dream for most of the summer.
Tony started a trip report thread called Vegas and the Aftermath for his 2007 trip to the WSOP and has maintained it as his personal diary ever since. It’s now 3,972 pages long and this year’s trip begins on page 3,787. He’s already had a couple of cashes, including an 8th place in the Big O event at the Venetian.
Another user of Blondepoker is Stuart Rutter, who used the site to advertise his 2025 WSOP staking package. He’s long since sold out the 60% that was on offer for $112,500 worth of tournaments, at a very reasonable mark-up of 1.05. If Stuart’s staking plans had been discovered sooner, it would have been featured in the recent article about Brits Selling Action at the 2025 WSOP.
His first event resulted in a cash, 76th place for $3,305 in the $1,500 PLO Hi-Lo. Stuart is updating his backers daily on a thread in the live staking section of the Blondepoker forum.
Through to Day 2
A few Brits have made it into Day 2 of various WSOP events that are currently in progress.
Event #1 $1,000 Mystery Bounty has completed 3 of its 5 starting flights and only one Brit has progressed from each of these starting days. This includes Dean Hutchinson, the Scotsman who made the WSOP Main Event Final Table in 2023. He bagged 760,000 chips from Day 1c.
Daniel Charlton came through the opening flight with a stack of 640,000 while Gareth Devereux was the sole UK passport holder from Day 1b, securing his seat in Day 2 with 740,000.
Three British players have made it into Day 2 of Event #5, the $5,000 PLO, which had 128 of 757 entrants still in contention at the end of the first day of play. Ludovic Geilich has the largest stack of the three, sitting in 42nd place overnight with 340,000 chips. Jon Shoreman (216,000) and Samuel Del Castillo (67,000) are the other Brits who survived the day. Benny Glaser, Richie Allen, Jack Moore and Rob Cowen all tried, but failed to progress with them.
Just two British players made it into Day 2 of Event #6, the $1,500 Seven Card Stud and one of them is defending champion Richard Ashby. He is short stacked with just 36,500, but compatriot Robert Wells has an above average stack of 245,000.
