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Iman Sarkeshik won the NPL Pro Playoff title at GUKPT London 2026, while the champions of the G500 and PLO events were also crowned, heating up the London poker extravaganza.
Iman Sarkeshik won the NPL Pro Playoff championship at the 2026 GUKPT London.
Iman Sarkeshik wins GUKPT London 2026: The London poker extravaganza is in full swing.
The 2026 Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT) London leg officially kicked off at the renowned Grosvenor Victoria Casino. Three champions were already crowned early in the tournament, creating a buzz for the poker festival. Among them, Iman Sarkeshik emerged victorious in the National Poker League (NPL) Pro Playoff, becoming one of the most watched figures.
This victory not only earned him £7,665 in live credit, but also quickly made "Iman Sarkeshik GUKPT London" a popular search term in the poker world.
NPL Pro Playoff: Sarkeshik dominates to win the championship
In the NPL Pro Playoff tournament, only four players received prizes. Iman Sarkeshik ultimately defeated veteran player John Bousfield to claim the title.
The final rankings are as follows:
- Winner: Iman Sarkeshik (£7,665)
- Runner-up: John Bousfield (£5,410)
- Third Place: Dale Wilson (£4,925)
- Fourth place: Robert Douras (£2,000)
It's worth noting that Robert Douras was in excellent form at the beginning of 2026, but only managed fourth place this time. Sarkeshik, on the other hand, secured the championship thanks to his consistent performance and control of crucial matches.
This Live Credit means he will continue to appear in upcoming GUKPT events, further enhancing his exposure and competitiveness.
G500 Main Event: Mystery Player's Victory Sparks Discussion
Besides the NPL tournament, the G500 tournament, with a £500 buy-in and a guaranteed £100,000 prize pool, also attracted considerable attention. This tournament drew 321 participants, resulting in a final prize pool of £137,220, with the top 40 players making it into the money.
The final table results are as follows:
- Champion: SS (£26,920)
- Runner-up: Lee French (£18,940)
- Runner-up: Calogero Morreale (£19,950)
- Fourth place: Phillip Corion (£9,100)
- Fifth place: Mor Kamber (£6,250)
- Sixth place: Jack Bryant (£4,680)
- 7th place: Joe Hindry (£3,650)
- 8th place: Seyed Sarkeshik (£2,950)
- Ninth place: Angela Ramm (£2,450)
The biggest highlight of this competition was that the champion, "SS," chose to participate anonymously, adding an air of mystery to the event. Furthermore, the top three players reached a deal, redistributing the prize money so that third-place Morreale earned even more than the runner-up.
Final Round: Intense Competition, Frequent Upsets
The G500 final table was fiercely competitive, with several strong players being eliminated in succession:
- Angela Ramm was the first to stop at ninth place.
- Seyed Sarkeshik (who is suspected to share the same surname as the champion) ranked eighth.
- Phillip Corion's elimination brought his career winnings to over $500,000.
As the competition entered the three-person duel stage, the situation became even more intense. In the end, anonymous player SS defeated Lee French in a one-on-one match to win the championship.
PLO Tournament: Ridha Kubba adds another title
In another £250 Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) event, Ridha Kubba defeated 61 opponents to win the title and a prize of £3,689.
Final table highlights include:
- Competing against Tony Bloom, owner of the renowned football club Brighton & Hove Albion.
- He faced Phil Marsden in a one-on-one match and ultimately won.
It is worth noting that this is only Kubba's fourth recorded achievement in his career, but it has already shown great potential.
GUKPT London 2026: The Series Continues to Heat Up
With the champions of the three tournaments crowned, GUKPT London 2026 has entered its peak season. From NPL to G500 to PLO, various types of tournaments have attracted players of different levels, making the overall competition more diverse.
The industry generally believes that:
- London Station will still produce more dark horses
- High-profile events will continue to attract more attention.
- The European poker market is picking up.
Conclusion: Diverse tournaments create a poker extravaganza
From Iman Sarkeshik's consistent victory to the mysterious triumph of an anonymous player, and Kubba's dark horse run, this year's GUKPT London has demonstrated a high level of competitive tension and generated considerable buzz.
As the tournament progresses, there are bound to be more exciting matches and champions to be crowned in the coming days, so stay tuned.
Advanced Thinking Review: From "Knowing How to Play Cards" to "Making the Right Decisions"
When you stop just looking at your own hand, what truly sets you apart is how well you understand Range, EV, Blocker, position, and overall betting strategy.
The following advanced thinking methods are key to most players' progress from "occasionally getting it right" to "long-term stable profitability":
[Range Thinking] How to truly apply Range thinking in actual gameplay? Hand review and analysis.
[River Decision Making] How does the Blocker influence River's calling, raising, and folding? Strategy Breakdown
[Result Bias] EV vs Result: Why did we still lose even when we bet correctly? Retrospective Analysis
[Bluff Core] What constitutes proper Bluff? Hand replay analysis
[Semi-Bluff Timing] When is the most profitable time to use a semi-bluff? Strategy Analysis
[Bet Line] How to construct a complete betting line? Practical analysis and review.
[Position Advantage] Why does position directly influence your every decision? Hand Analysis
[SPR Application] How does SPR affect your playing style and pot planning? Strategy Analysis
[Vulnerability Analysis] How to identify vulnerabilities in an opponent's Range vulnerability? Post-mortem analysis and breakdown.
[Marginal Hands Problem] Why do expert players rarely play marginal hands? Decision Analysis
【Lập kế hoạch ba vòng cược】Làm sao thiết kế chiến thuật cho flop, turn và river? Phân tích thực chiến trong poker
[Fold Equity Pressure] How to Create Fold Equity? Hand Replay Analysis
[Area Contraction] How to analyze the process of the opponent's area being compressed? Strategy breakdown
[Strategy Selection] Balance vs. Exploit: Which to Choose in Practice? Retrospective Analysis
[Long-Term Profitability] How to Train a Long-Term EV Mindset? Decision Model Analysis
The biggest difference between advanced players and casual players isn't remembering more terminology, but rather the ability to integrate range, EV, position, blocking cards, and betting lines in every decision. Through these advanced thought processes, you can gradually build a more complete Texas Hold'em decision-making framework.
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