The search for the first female champion of a Grosvenor UK Poker Tour Main Event continues after Keith Johnson prevailed in Luton, overcoming Charlie Waters in a gripping finale. The £1,250 Main Event drew 231 entries at the Grosvenor G Casino, creating a prize pool of £240,140. Johnson walked away with the trophy and £56,890, while Waters narrowly missed out on history, taking £38,250 for her runner-up finish.
Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keith Johnson | £56,890 |
| 2 | Charlie Waters | £38,250 |
| 3 | Jonathan Schuman | £25,530 |
| 4 | Harry Sandford | £17,120 |
| 5 | Mark Wagstaff | £11,840 |
| 6 | Horatiu Cont | £8,720 |
| 7 | John Bousfield | £6,920 |
| 8 | Daniel Rudd | £5,830 |
| 9 | Jack Benson | £5,120 |
Early Exits at the Final Table
Action moved quickly once the nine-handed final began. Jack Benson was the first casualty when his second pair ran into Jonathan Schuman’s turned two pair. Daniel Rudd followed in eighth after his short-stacked pocket threes were beaten by Johnson’s ace-five, which spiked an ace on the flop.
John Bousfield hit the rail in seventh when his pocket eights lost a flip against Mark Wagstaff’s ace-king, while Horatiu Cont, who began six-handed play in a strong position, saw his tournament end in sixth after running into Waters’ higher straight. Cont collected £8,720, by far his biggest live score.
Momentum Shifts and Deep Runs
Wagstaff’s run ended in fifth after Johnson made a straight against his combo draw. Despite the elimination, Wagstaff’s £11,840 prize marked his best GUKPT Main Event result.
Harry Sandford continued his remarkable summer with a fourth-place finish worth £17,120. Sandford had already claimed titles in Edinburgh and London earlier in the season, but here his pocket sixes fell to Johnson’s ace-queen.
Jonathan Schuman, a former UKIPT Marbella champion, secured third place for £25,530. His ace-ten was dominated by Waters’ ace-king, sending play into heads-up with Waters chasing a historic win.
Waters vs. Johnson – A Two-Hour Duel
Johnson entered the heads-up battle with a slight chip advantage, but the momentum shifted several times across nearly two hours of play. The decisive hand came at the 40,000/80,000/80,000 level, the 213th hand of the final table.
Johnson opened on the button with pocket jacks, Waters three-bet shoved her last 2,135,000 with ace-five of clubs, and Johnson made the call. A jack on the flop left Waters almost drawing dead. The board completed with a five and a six, ending Waters’ valiant run in second place.
Johnson’s victory not only secured him £56,890 but also kept intact the GUKPT’s run of male champions, stretching back to the very first event in 2007.
Side Event Highlights in Luton
The busy festival schedule produced several other notable results:
- £250 Mini Main Event: 765 entries, champion Michael Rosaman for £31,730.
- £1,650 High Roller: 62 entries, won by Adam Neal for £31,470.
- £300 Opener: 423 entries, Freddie Bogie claimed £17,684.
- £550 GUKPT Cup: 118 entries, Robert Douras took home £13,280.
- £250 PLO: 107 entries, Matthew Cartwright collected £5,300.
- £200 Closer: 77 entries, won by Caraalos Preciado for £3,330.
- £200 Turbo: 32 entries, W.T. earned £2,740.
- £330 PLO Bounty: 37 entries, Luke Tatum won £2,640.
- £150 Seniors: 80 entries, Joanne Cox secured victory and £2,215.
Looking Ahead to GUKPT Edinburgh
Next on the calendar is GUKPT Edinburgh, running October 9–19. The Scottish capital hosted a memorable stop in 2024, highlighted by Paul Mcaulay’s Main Event victory. With momentum building in 2025, players will soon turn their focus north for another marquee leg of the long-running tour.
