The 2023 Grosvenor Poker Goliath festival has now wrapped up its tournament offerings after boasting an incredible prize pool of over £2.9 million collectively across the series.
This year’s edition showcased the true essence of poker, where skill, luck, and determination collided on the grand stage. All eyes were onAlex Todd’s triumphant journey in the Goliath Main Event, while other big names from the UK poker circuit found success on the live felt.
As the dust settles, the Goliath dates for next year have been announced – mark your calendars from July 25 – August 4 for another unforgettable poker spectacle.
If you missed out on the action this time around, continue to reading to catch up on everything that has happened over the two weeks.
Alex Todd Wins Biggest Ever Goliath Main Event
The Goliath Main Event, one of the most anticipated tournaments in the UK poker scene, concluded in spectacular fashion this year with an extraordinary display of skill, and determination. The £150 buy-in event boasted a staggering prize pool of £1,379,160, attracting a massive field of 11,493 entries, all vying for a shot at poker glory.
The final showdown saw Alex Todd emerge as the triumphant champion, taking home an impressive £178,860 in prize money.
In an unexpected turn of events, the remaining six players decided to strike a deal and opt for a six-way chop. Each of them secured a substantial payday, bagging at least £75,000, leaving £44,000 to battle for.
Among the noteworthy finalists was Nigel Brampton, who claimed the seventh-place spot, walking away with £22,510. Brampton’s journey to the final table was unique, as he secured his seat through a giveaway on the GUKPT live stream,
Matthew Davenport Triumphs in GUKPT
The GUKPT £1,000 event featured a thrilling battle of wits, with 544 players competing for a share of the £489,600 prize pool. The tournament ultimately crowned Matthew Davenport as its champion, rewarding him with a well-deserved £116,000 in winnings.
For Davenport, this victory was a long-awaited moment of triumph. He had consistently demonstrated his prowess at Grosvenor Poker events, which ultimately led to him clinching the National Poker League title in 2022 and earning the esteemed title of Grosvenor Sponsored Pro.
WSOP Main Event Star Dean Hutchison Gets High Roller Success
What would you do if you had recently padded your bankroll with $1,850,000? Jet off on holiday for a month or two? Take a break from the poker grind? Or head to Coventry, buy into the £2,000 Goliath High Roller event and take it down for £55,200? Dean Hutchison decided on the latter.
Hutchison was one of 103 entrants in the Goliath High Roller this week; he helped create a £185,400 prize pool. The top 11 finishers shared that princely sum. You may recall Hutchison recently finished sixth in the 2023 World Series of Poker Main Event.
Adam Neighbour Claims the Bounty
The Mystery Bounty event, with a buy-in of £440, witnessed an intense clash of players, with a total of 1,105 entries competing for a shot at victory. In the end, it was Adam Neighbour who emerged as the champion, securing £42,820 in prize money along with an additional £10,000 in bounties for eliminating other players.
The event’s talking point was Luke Abbott, who managed to claim the top bounty of £25,000. Abbott’s prior best live cash was a modest £250, making his bounty triumph all the more remarkable.
Supporting a Good Cause – Jokers Wild Charity Event
Poker players showed their generosity and compassion in the Jokers Wild charity event, which aimed to raise funds for the Carers Trust. With a buy-in of £100 and a percentage of the prize pool going towards charity, the event drew 492 entries, raising over £5,000 for the noble cause. The winner, Andrew Penn, emerged victorious, taking home £3,795 in the spirit of fun and giving back to society.
Other Notable Events
The Goliath series offered a diverse range of events to cater to various poker enthusiasts. Some of the other standout events included:
- The Super High Roller, the biggest buy-in event (£3,500) of the series, saw 28 entries. Paul Trotter bagged top spot and claimed £34,940 of the £91,000 prize pool.
- The Ladies Event, which saw Lisa Peplow claim the title and £2,990 in prize money.
- The Seniors Event, where John Hanley emerged as the victor, taking home £10,965 in winnings, proving that age is no barrier to success in the world of poker.
- The Goliath Turbo Event, which saw Matthew Boyce take the crown and a prize of £6,895.
- The Goliath Cup, featuring a buy-in of £550 and a prize pool of £307,000, witnessed Sebastian Darby claiming the victory and £47,670 in prize money after a thrilling nine-way chop.
Editor & Live Reporter
Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum’s proudest poker achievement is winning the only tournament he has ever played in Las Vegas, the prestigious $60 Flamingo evening event.