27-year-old Karl Mahrenholz has won leg 7 of the GUKPT at the Grosvenor casino in Cardiff. He defeated a field of 120 players to claim victory and take home the first prize of £38,700 and a seat in the Champion of Champions tournament. He defeated Iwan Jones in a tense heads up battle. Iwan, who won $750,000 at the 2005 London Open, went into the final stage of the tournament with a 3-1 chip lead over Karl, but after an hour of small pot poker Karl drew level after flopping a straight against Iwan’s flush draw. A few hands later Karl emerged victorious after winning the vast majority of the chips in a race with A-K versus A-Q and it was all over the very next hand when Iwan, who only had 13,000 left was forced to put it all in with T-7. Karl had A-4 and it held up to give him the third GUKPT victory for the Hitsquad.

Karl finished as runner up to Praz Bansi in the inaugural GUKPT event in Bolton in 2007 and this was his third main event final table on the GUKPT. A former City analyst, Karl gave up his day job four years ago to become a professional poker player and is one of the most highly respected pros on the UK circuit. He has consistently done well in live events, but this is his first victory in a major tournament.

Although it was the smallest GUKPT main event field to date, the final table was one of the highest quality affairs ever witnessed in the three year history of the tour. It included 2007 WSOP finalist Jon Kalmar, Norwegian Andreas Hoivold, internet pro Craig Swotton and Londoner Tristan McDonald. Daniel Nutt was the short stack going into the 9-man final and he was the first player to be eliminated, followed by James Martin and Andreas Papantoniou in 8th and 7th places respecively. Tristan McDonald, who last month cashed in the Luton main event finished in 6th place. The five handed stage of the game then went on for over three hours, during which the lead changed hands several times. Jon Kalmer was a big chip leader at one stage, but after a series of hands in which he doubled up some of the shorter stacked players, he became the 5th place finisher. Moments later, Iwan Jones eliminated Andreas Hoivold in 4th and just a few hands later Craig Swotton became his next victim.

The tour now moves east to the Isle of Thanet, where the G Casino will host the 8th leg of the GUKPT from October 12th – 18th

The very next hand it ended. Iwan had 13k left and was all in with T-7. Karl had A-4. No improvement for Iwan and he finishes in 2nd place for £25,200. Karl Mahrenholz is the third Hitsquad player to win a GUKPT. He was runner up at the inaugural GUKPT in Bolton in 2007 and now he has joined Praz Bansi and Sunny Chattha by taking down a main event. He takes away £38,700, a seat in the Champion of Champion’s event and a nice blue trophy.

A couple of hands after the restart and they get it all in with AQ for Iwan and AK for Karl. The board is all low and Karl wins almost all the chips in play. Iwan may be left with 10k or so.

Chip stacks are almost level and the players are on a 15-minute break. Its tense, but its very watchable stuff. When play resumes the blinds will be 10,000-20,000.

Karl bets 16k on a flop of 8-T-9 with two clubs on board. Iwan raises to 60k. Karl says ‘all of it’. Iwan calls. Karl shows 6-7 for a flopped straight, while Iwan has 6-9, both clubs for 1 pair and a flush draw. The flush misses and Karl is now up to 550k, while Iwan is now on 650k. Could be a long night.

Karl

Iwan

Still no all-in showdown. In fact the biggest pot of the heads up has not been much more than 100,000. Iwan still leads. Riveting stuff.

Level 20 is just about to begin, with blinds of 8,000-16,000. No running antes as we don’t bother with them heads up. The levels will now be 45-minutes long rather than 60. So far the heads up play has been rather cagey. All small pots. Iwan’s chip lead is about the same as when they started.

The heads up is now underway. Iwan started with 920k to Karl’s 280k. Given the way this final has gone, it could be a quick one, it could be long one, we just don’t know.

After the longest five handed situation in the history of the tour, we have now lost three players in less than 15 minutes. Craig Swatton is the third placed finisher, another victim of Iwan Jones. Craig had A-Q to Iwan’s A-5, but a five fell on the turn to send Craig home £17,400 better off.

Iwan now has a massive chip lead over Karl. They are taking a short break, but the heads up match will start soon.