Reporting by PokerStars Media Coordinator Jen Mason

Tuan Le has won the 927-runner £1,100 PokerStars Open Manchester Main Event, defeating Chris Brammer heads-up after a deal was made to split all but £15,000 of the top two prizes from the £1,000,000 prize pool.

Brammer and Le had started the day with two-thirds of the chips in play, evenly split between them, and four hours later, they were similarly tied heads-up. After a level’s worth of battling for the trophy, it was Le who edged out his opponent to secure the first title in a PokerStars-sponsored event to be awarded in Manchester since UKIPT 2011.

Le, a recreational player who is also a Manchester local, admitted, “It was tough playing against a pro. I’ve got four kids, so I’ve got no time. I’m not technically good, I can’t think numbers. These guys talk about how many big blinds have you got – I’ve got no idea!”

His results are impressive for a self-proclaimed amateur, however; he might only play sporadically, but his cashes include victory in the UKIPT Blackpool Main Event in 2023 and a runner-up spot in the GUKPT Manchester Main Event back in 2017.

Once the final table started, a couple of early cracked kings for Brammer pushed him down closer to the average stack (and gave Mohamed Kerkeni a boost), but this did not stop his early aggression.

Brammer moved all-in regularly against his shorter-stacked opponents, and when he did it on the button with a suited jack-seven, Sinead Davenport, with under ten big blinds remaining, made the call – with ace-queen. One rivered jack and her run at the title was over; she collected £35,440.

Mohamed Kerkeni, despite his initial double through, found himself down to just five big blinds in the second level of the day, making a stand with what turned out to be a dominated king-ten against Tuan Le, finishing 5th for £46,070.

Swedish semi-pro Adam Andersson, who qualified online on PokerStars after max-late-registering a $109 satellite (with 30 seconds left), takes home a tidy profit after finishing 4th for £59,890. This was both his first experience at a live PokerStars event and his biggest ever live cash.

Third place (£77,860) went to Hasmukh Khodiyara, another casualty of a Brammer board-spike (he’d put Khodiyara to the test for his stack, blind on blind, with ten-deuce, called by king-nine). This left the start-of-day dual chip leaders heads up for the title, with Le ahead 15 million chips to 10 million.

When, over the course of a level, stacks eventually returned to even (as they had been at the start of the day), a heads-up deal was made: £134,200 each with £15,000 and the trophy left to play for. Key pots thereafter went Le’s way at first, before Brammer doubled back into the chip lead. It was not to last long, however; despite a fierce battle for the title, Brammer eventually found himself short-stacked after a late-stage flip, and the final pot, the trophy and £149,200 top prize went to Le.

Final table results:

1. Tuan Le, United Kingdom – £149,200 (heads up deal)
2. Christopher Brammer, United Kingdom – £134,200
3. Hasmukh Khodiyara, United Kingdom – £77,860
4. Adam Andersson, Sweden, PokerStars Qualifier – £59,890
5. Mohamed Kerkeni, France – £46,070
6. Sinead Davenport, United Kingdom – £35,440

RESULTS

Check out the full results from PokerStars Open Manchester (including all side events) here.

PHOTOS

You’ll find all photo galleries from PokerStars Open Manchester here.

DAY 2 UPDATE

After four starting flights at The Manchester Deansgate Hotel, it’s Wednesday’s High Roller champion Ian Simpson who starts Day 2 as the chip leader, turning the 30,000 starting stack into 306,500.

Late registration remains open until the start of play on Friday, with the current number of entries standing at 853.

Day 1C was the busiest flight, with 478 entries over its ten hour-long levels. Six of the top ten stacks built their chip towers on Thursday afternoon, with the exceptions of previously-bagging Terrance ‘TJ’ Reid (247,500), and Rhys Keen and Tuan Le, both with 216,000.

Notables bagging Day 2 chips included previous UKIPT champions Artus Gimenez (64,500), Brett Angell (62,000) and Robbie Bull (43,000), Jack Hardcastle (133,000), Andrew Hulme (81,500), Barny Boatman (74,000) and PokerStars Ambassador Kenny Hallaert (39,350).

Day 2 players with chip counts
Day 1C gallery

The prize breakdown will be available after the close of registration on Friday, October 24. Live reporting begins on PokerNews from the start of Day 2 at 12:00.

While the Main Event players start the three-day journey to the title, the PokerStars Open Manchester £550 Second Chance gives everyone else exactly that. The Second Chance is a two-day event, featuring 30,000 starting chips and 30 minute levels, starting at noon.

Simpson takes down High Roller

Reporting by PokerStars Media Coordinator Jen Mason

The two-day £2,200 PokerStars Open Manchester High Roller’s trophy has been lifted by a self-confessedly on-form Ian Simpson, who outlasted a total field of 106 to claim the £53,140 first prize.

“It’s great to see poker in England thriving,” said Simpson, as he prepared for his winner photo. “This is a class venue, amazing.”

The £203,520 prize pool began to be paid out at 15th place, with Tuan Le the unlucky bubble finisher (watch him run into aces courtesy of PokerNews here).

Both PokerStars Ambassadors who had made Day 2, Kenny Hallaert and Adam McKola, cashed, finishing in 12th and 15th place respectively. Belgian pro Hallaert is making a run in the PokerStars Live League in the Medium tier, currently lying in second place in the battle for end-of-season points supremacy that translates to €25,600 in buy-ins for the top finisher (see below for more information).

The final table saw an average stack of around 50 big blinds, with no runaway chip leader – at first. Simpson and Joan Hereu began to break away from their competitors, together holding over half the chips in play six-handed, when one huge pot saw Simpson double through for a monster chip lead.

He had made a huge all-in bet on the river on a board of K♥ 8♣ 10♣ 4♥ 3♠ – receiving a hero call with K♣ J♣ . Simpson’s pocket aces were good, and this spelt the beginning of the end for the rest of his opponents, formidable though they were.

Heads up, his final opponent, Nicholas Swann, asked if he had had much live heads-up practice, to which Simpson replied, “I’ve had a good couple of years…”

The run of form continued here in Manchester: he said of his tournament experience, “You’re meant to have been short at some point – I just wasn’t. I did have to make some calls and bluffs, but I had a series of big hands – I just had to click the call button. On one bullet too – very nice!”

Though Simpson loves poker, it’s family first (his wife and daughter are joining him in Manchester as he heads into the Main Event). Asked about his upcoming plans, he said it would be, “A little bit of online grind, but December is magic for a five-year-old.”

Final table results:

1st – Ian Simpson, United Kingdom, £53,140
2nd – Nicholas Swann, United Kingdom, £34,300
3rd – Antoine Labat, France, £24,500
4th – Andrew Hulme, United Kingdom, £18,840
5th – Rui Bouquet, Portugal, £14,500
6th – Joan Perez Hereu, Spain, £11,160
7th – Gerard Cortes, Spain, £8,920
8th – Mitchell Johnson, United Kingdom, £7,140

All payouts | High Roller Day 2 Gallery

£1M GUARANTEED MAIN EVENT KICKS OFF

At noon on Wednesday, as the High Roller began its last day, the £1,100 PokerStars Open Main Event dealt its first hands at The Manchester Deansgate Hotel. Featuring hour-long levels and unlimited re-entries, Day 1A attracted 222 players, of whom 66 progressed to Day 2, Friday, October 24.

A smaller Day 1B, currently registering and in progress with 30-minute levels (still hardly a turbo), will add to the total Day 2 players in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Leading the overnight chip counts is Eduard-Daniel Prahoveanu with double the chips of his nearest rivals Terrance ‘TJ’ Reid and Rhys Keen. Among notables already through to Day 2 are 2024 UKIPT Nottingham winner Arian Kashani and 2013 UKIPT London champion Robbie Bull.

Gerard Carbo, who finished as the PokerStars Open Malta runner-up earlier this month (for €264,650), made it through to Day 2 as one of the short stacks.

AMBER SULLIVAN WINS WOMEN’S EVENT AND OLEKSANDR SHEVCHENKO THE £220 PLO

Two further one-day side events took place on Wednesday: the £220 Pot Limit Omaha and the £220 Women’s event.

Amber Sullivan won £2,478 along with the Women’s Event trophy, besting Gemma Thomas heads up (£1,600). The remaining prizes were claimed by Franky Green, Valerie Bennett and Natalia Trzcinska.

Sullivan has racked up 12 cashes this year alone, including in the Irish Open Main Event; she won the GUKPT Ladies Event at Goliath in July for £5,940.

Meanwhile, the PLO winner was Alexandr Shevchenko, who collected £5,186 in prize money for outlasting 102 opponents.

All results from PokerStars Open Manchester

Docherty bolsters Live League bid with Deep Stack win

It was the first non-satellite tournament at a PokerStars Manchester event since 2011, and yet, judging by the winner, you’d never know so much time had passed.

David Docherty was just a young buck bursting onto the scene the last time PokerStars was in Manchester. He was already a regular on the UK and Irish poker circuit, with WSOP and Aussie Millions Main Event cashes to his name. Since then, however, he’s gone from strength to strength, amassing $1.5 million in live cashes, taking down the Irish Open, making an EPT final table, and being crowned the UKIPT Player of the Year.

A tireless traveller and consistent grinder, Docherty is now a front-runner in the PokerStars Live League, a leader board competition where players gain points by participating and cashing in live events (there are cash prizes and a PokerStars Ambassador contract worth €100,000 up for grabs). Heading into this festival, he was a top contender in the Low buy-in leader board, so the £220 Deep Stack at PokerStars Open Manchester was a must-play.

It was a big one, too. With 161 total entries, the tournament proved so popular that it had to be paused heads-up in the small hours of Tuesday morning, with Docherty and his opponent Kasim Mahmood returning to duel later that day. Docherty had a 3:1 chip lead overnight, and although Mahmood doubled early, the whole thing lasted just a few hands.

Mahmood collected £4,520 for second place, while Docherty picked up £7,232, the first trophy of the festival, and those coveted Live League points (he went on to cash another £220 side event, too).

Docherty sits in fourth place on the low leader board and is a serious contender for the €15,000 first prize (ten PS Open entries and ten PS Open Cup entries). See below for more on the PokerStars Live League.

LOW LIVE LEAGUE LEADER BOARD

Info correct as of 22/10/2025

1 – Steinn Du Karlsson (Iceland) – 789 pts
2 – Andreas Froehli (Switzerland) – 716
3 – Soraya Estrada (Spain) – 696
4 – David Docherty (UK) – 639
5 – Thomas Clack (UK) – 557

Thanks to PokerStars Media Coordinator Jen Mason for the reporting.

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

What’s the story, Manchester? It’s been a while. But thankfully, the wait is finally over.

PokerStars is returning to one of the UK’s biggest cultural cities this month with the PokerStars Open Manchester, running from October 20-26, 2025. Get ready for all the excitement this tour brings, including a massive £1 million guaranteed £1,100 Main Event, a £2,200 High Roller, a £400 Mystery Bounty Cup, and so much more both on and off the felt.

Even better, we’re going to be located slap bang in the heart of the centre, thanks to The Manchester Deansgate Hotel, just a short walk from Deansgate. Manchester is a renowned entertainment hotspot, offering fantastic places to eat, drink, and party nearby when you’re not in the action. Quite simply, we’re mad for it.

But thanks to a fantastic tournament schedule, plus cash games running on demand and free activities organised by PokerStars, you’ll never find yourself killing time. When you’re not playing, you can head to the Players Lounge for complimentary drinks and footy on the TV, head on a tour of Manchester United’s stadium, Old Trafford, and enjoy a games night with guests and fellow players.

It’s going to be electric, and you won’t want to miss it.

PLEASE NOTE: The PokerStars Open Manchester is a cashless event.

KEY FESTIVAL DATES

OCTOBER 20-26, 2025

Meet and Greet Welcome Drinks: October 22

PokerStars Open Main Event: October 22-26 – £1,100 (£1,000,000 GTD)

High Roller: October 21-22 – £2,200

Mystery Bounty Cup: October 25-26 – £400

Second Chance: October 24-25 – £550

Check out the full tournament schedule here.

WHAT IS THE POKERSTARS OPEN?

A new era of live poker in Europe began in 2025 with the launch of the PokerStars Open, an exciting tour consolidating PokerStars’ popular and prestigious regional tours under one dynamic banner.

The PokerStars Open combines the best elements of the UK and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT), Eureka Poker Tour, Estrellas Poker Tour (ESPT), and France Poker Series (FPS) to create a schedule of unmissable events across some of Europe’s most vibrant destinations. 

So far, the PokerStars Open has visited Campione, Namur, Monte Carlo, Malaga, Barcelona, and Malta.

All events take place at established partner casinos and will feature PokerStars’ industry-leading dealers and floor staff, seamless registration processes, unmissable player activities, an informative Live app, and a fun and friendly atmosphere at every stop.

Each festival is headed by a €1,100/£1,100 (or €1,650 if at an EPT) PokerStars Open Main Event with €1M/£1M guaranteed, supported by a large side-event schedule and tons of fun activities. Players can expect the world-class live event experience PokerStars is known for.

Each stop will feature a wide range of online satellites, offering more players the chance to qualify. You can also use your Power Path Silver Passes to play PokerStars Open events.

The PokerStars client provides more information on qualifying routes. 

Head to the official PokerStars Open site for more information on upcoming stops.

POKERSTARS OPEN MAIN EVENT WINNERS

Adrian-Sorel State (Romania) – €363,000 (Campione, March 2025)

Jon Kyte (Norway) – €340,000 (Monte Carlo, May 2025)

Jean-Vincent Lehut (France) – €238,000 (Namur, May 2025)

Manuel Ferrari (Italy) – €206,300 (Malaga, June 2025)

Alexis Nicolai (France) – €772,000 (Barcelona, August 2025)

Scott Margereson (UK) – €423,700 (Malta, October 2025)

EVERYTHING ELSE

POKER NEWS LIVE UPDATES
Our live reporting partner is offering hand-by-hand updates from the Main Event.

POKERSTARS OPEN MANCHESTER OFFICIAL SITE
The PokerStars Live official page has everything you need to know about the tournament series in Manchester.

FULL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
The full PokerStars Open Manchester schedule can be viewed here.

DOWNLOAD THE POKERSTARS LIVE APP
All the info you need on your mobile device from the Apple iStore or Google Play for Android.

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