David Johnson Takes GUKPT Blackpool

David Johnson won the latest round of the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour in Blackpool, in what proved to be a very successful tournament, hosted this year by the G Casinos. There were hundreds of hopeful entrants for the £1,000 buy-in Hold’em competition and the number of side events that complemented the tour. 

Johnson’s victory in Blackpool also pushed him to the top of the GUKPT leaderboard, and with only one tournament left to play, it put him in a good position to take the title and £200,000 prize money. He had to beat a strong field of 246 other poker players to reach the final table and then faced a tough heads-up competition against Richard ‘Strummer9’ Herbert to take the title. 

The final nine were rapidly whittled down and at one point it even looked like a finish was on hand before the dinner break. As things drew to a head, three players were out in front, with Herbert leading the pack, before weakening Ronald Musson’s stack and then putting the boot in. 

Musson finished a creditable third and took home £29,500. This just left Herbert and Johnson; with Herbert holding a 2-1 chip lead it looked on the cards for Johnson. Less than half an hour later though, Johnson had turned the tables and was now in the driving seat. 

The last hand saw Johnson come good with a top pair against Herbert’s second pair, bringing a quicker than expected finale to the tournament. A jubilant Johnson won the first prize of £67,750 and Herbert took home £44,900 for his troubles.