Ex-Republic of Ireland International footballer Tony Cascarino bested a field of 183 players in the GUKPT Grand Final sponsored by Blue Square Poker. The event took place at the Grosvenor Victoria Casino in London.
Cascarino won a stage of the tour last year, playing in the Bolton leg, and though he’s appeared at the final table in the GUKPT twice before, this year he managed to turn it all around eliminate the competition to ensure a payday close to £250,000.
He was facing off against some of the top players from the UK and Europe and this looks to be a stepping stone, with Cascarino likely to have a go at the World Series of Poker next year.
Interestingly enough, Cascarino went heads-up at the end with Louis Vuitton head of communications Antoine Arnault. Both of these players came into the final table with the fewest chips, but managed to outlast everybody else. Arnault took home £107,100 for his troubles. London cash-game legend Bambos Xanthos (and reigning World Heads Up Champion) was eliminated in 6th place.
1st - Tony Cascarino - £168,800
2nd - Antoine Arnault - £107,100
3rd - Philip Patrick - £71,400
4th - Daniel Millar - £43,900
5th - Albert Iversen - £32,900
6th - Charalambos (Bambos) Xanthos - £27,400
7th - Romano Pizzo - £22,000
8th - Mike Hill - £16,500
9th - Stuart Rutter - £11,000
