Rao wins Newcastle GUKPT main event

Early on the morning of Monday 19th May Ganesh Rao, a doctor from Sheffield who now lives in Newcastle, won the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour main event at the Grosvenor casino in Newcastle, after an energy-sapping two hour heads-up battle with online qualifier Ian Farrell.

Rao, who is making a name for himself on the poker circuit after managing a WSOP cash last year in the $2,000 No Limit Hold'em event, claimed his first major title and with it the first prize of £57,175, easily eclipsing any previous cashes he had won.

Rao saw off Farrell, who had qualified online via the Blue Square Poker site for free and ended up earning over £33,000. Farrell had qualified by playing a freeroll for a regular $109 rebuy satellite, and without needing a rebuy he won through to the main event. He was not the only person to do so with two other members of the final table David Allen (5th) and Cheryl Routledge (9th) also making the final table in Newcastle without spending a penny!

The heads-up battle between Rao and Farrell was an absolute classic. The title could have gone either way as the chip lead swung back and forth and it cam to a head when Ian decided to move all in on a stone cold bluff with 5-2 while Rao held pocket jacks. Rao, who had worn his heart on his sleeve throughout the final table, let out an almighty cheer and celebrated with his fans on the rail when his Jacks held up.

He became the fifth player to win a GUKPT event this year and in seeing off the other 188 players he not only won the title of GUKPT Newcastle leg champion but he also wins a seat in the GUKPT Champion of Champion's event at the end of the year.

The final standings were. 1. Ganesh Rao - £57,175; 2. Ian Farrell - £33,075; 3. James Akenhead - £23,625; 4. Mark Dalimore - £16,075; 5. David Allan - £12,275; 6. Fraser McIntyre - £9,450; 7. Mike Hill - £7,550; 8. Alan Vinnicombe - £5,675; 9. Cheryl Routledge - £4,725

The GUKPT now has a break until August when the tour heads to Luton.