Renee Xie makes history in Luton, becoming the first woman to win the GUKPT!
Regional newsRenee Xie has become the first woman to win the GUKPT Luton Main Event, emerging victorious from a field of 396. She took home £35,435. While the season is now in its sixth event of the 20th season of the Grosvenor British Poker Tour (GUKPT), the historic tournament has finally seen a woman win its Main Event. Xie emerged victorious from a field of 396 in the £560 GUKPT Luton Main Event, earning £35,435 and making history as the first woman to win the GUKPT Main Event. “This means a lot to me,” Xie said in a post-victory interview. “I’m speechless, I can’t believe it.” Xie previously came close to winning the GUKPT Main Event in 2017, finishing second in Leeds and earning a career-best £33,000. This victory at Luton brought her a new career high of £35,435. 2026 GUKPT Luton Main Event Final Table Results: Rank | Player | Prize Money 1st | Renee Xie | £35,435* 2nd | Sanjay Ranchhoddas | £28,545* 3rd | Christopher Gallagher | £26,930* 4th | Gary Nordigian | £12,460 5th | Ciaran McCullagh | £8,480 6th | Joseph Phillips | £6,110 7th | Jay Samani | £4,700 8th | Timothy Chung | £3,790 9th | Yifei Dong | £3,120 *Reflects the prize money distribution after the tripartite agreement. The top 50 players shared a total prize pool of £188,100. Charlie Waters, runner-up at the 2025 GUKPT Luton, along with Adam Wilkinson, John Bousfield, Lorenc Boci, Yucel Eminoglu, Paul Romain, Sinead and Matthew Davenport, and Keith Littlewood, are all in the money. Yifei Dong was the first finalist to be eliminated, his ninth-place finish earning him £3,120. Dong's first two Hendon Mob records both came from Grosvenor events – his £300 No-Limit Hold'em at Behemoth in 2025.
