��2,100 Main Event
Day 3 Completed
��2,100 Main Event
Day 3 Completed
A dominant final table performance from Jack Hardcastle saw him top a 96-player field to win the 888poker LIVE London High Stakes Series Main Event for ��57,098.
In the final hand, Hardcastle cracked Kings to defeat Neil McCulloch heads-up who had to settle for ��37,500, while start-of-day chip leader Jaspreet Panchhi fell in third place.
Tipped earlier this year as a 'British Player to Watch', Hardcastle moved into the chip lead after the very first hand and held on through a rapid-fire four-hour final day.
Place | Player | Country | Payout |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Jack Hardcastle | United Kingdom | ��57,098 |
2 | Neil McCulloch | United Kingdom | ��37,500 |
3 | Jaspreet Panchhi | United Kingdom | ��24,500 |
4 | Shah Athar | United Kingdom | ��17,200 |
5 | Andrew Seabright | United Kingdom | ��12,700 |
6 | Euan McNicholas | United Kingdom | ��9,400 |
7 | Matthew Skeadas | United Kingdom | ��7,250 |
8 | Eoghan O'Dea | United Kingdom | ��5,800 |
9 | Harry Law | Ireland | ��5,100 |
A regular in both England and the United States, Hardcastle admits that the tournaments are much tougher on this side of the Atlantic.
"American tournaments have bigger fields for sure, so that makes them more minefield-esque," he told PokerNews. "The standard of poker [in England] is much better, but also you're more familiar with everyone."
After knocking out Eoghan O'Dea on the very first hand of the day, Hardcastle never once relinquished the chip lead in what was a dominant performance. He said that that first elimination was a "sign of things to come."
"I don't think I lost an all-in all day," had said. "There wasn't any pressure with a big stack; it's just about taking it spot by spot and making the best decisions I can."
After securing victory, Hardcastle was planning to head off to his father's 50th birthday party, with a newly-acquired shiny new gold trophy in hand. Would that make the perfect birthday gift?
"If he wants it, he can have it!" replied Hardcastle.
There was a rapid-fire start to the final table, with two eliminations in the space of three hands. Harry Law had his kings cracked by Jack Hardcastle on the first hand of the day, before Eoghan O'Dea was felted by Shah Athar.
Matthew Skeadas failed to pick up anything at the final table, before falling in seventh. Euan McNicholas was then on the receiving end of a bad beat to bust in sixth, losing out to the running diamonds of Athar.
Hardcastle had held the chip lead since the early stages, and boosted his chip stack further with the elimination of Andrew Seabright.
Read More: Five British Poker Players to Watch in 2022
Five eliminations in the space of two hours were always going to inflate the average stack, but with Hardcastle holding more than 150 big blinds he was the clear chip leader.
The remaining three players nervously battled it out against one another, failing to land a clear blow on the chip leader as Athar fell in fourth place and start-of-day chip leader Jaspreet Panchhi in third place.
Hardcastle held a huge chip lead heads-up and despite McCulloch securing a double-up, he never looked like catching up to his opponent, who held on to secure victory at the Victoria Grosvenor Casino.
Neil McCulloch opened to 38,000 and Jack Hardcastle moved all in.
McCulloch called all in for his last 461,000.
Neil McCulloch:
Jack Hardcastle:
McCulloch was in a good spot to double up although Hardcastle did pick up a ten on the flop.
The turn was the and the river was the giving Hardcastle trips and eliminating McCulloch in second place.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jack Hardcastle |
1,920,000
476,000
|
476,000 |
Neil McCulloch | Busted |
Level: 22
Blinds: 8,000/16,000
Ante: 16,000
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jack Hardcastle |
1,444,000
-56,000
|
-56,000 |
Neil McCulloch |
477,000
76,000
|
76,000 |
Jack Hardcastle raised to 27,000 and Neil McCulloch called.
The flop came and McCulloch checked. Hardcastle continued for 12,000 and McCulloch called.
The turn saw both players check and the river was the .
Both players checked and McCulloch took down the pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jack Hardcastle |
1,500,000
-100,000
|
-100,000 |
Neil McCulloch |
401,000
71,000
|
71,000 |
Jack Hardcastle limped and Neil McCulloch checked.
The pair checked the flop and McCulloch check-called 24,000 on the turn.
The river was the and McCulloch checked. Hardcastle shoved and McCulloch snap-called for his last 129,000, and he doubled up.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jack Hardcastle |
1,600,000
-100,000
|
-100,000 |
Neil McCulloch |
330,000
126,000
|
126,000 |
Jack Hardcastle raised to 27,000 and Neil McCulloch called.
The flop was and both players checked. McCulloch check-called 36,000 on the turn.
The river was the . McCulloch checked and Hardcastle bet 90,000. McCulloch folded.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jack Hardcastle |
1,700,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
Neil McCulloch |
204,000
-87,000
|
-87,000 |
Jaspreet Panchhi shoved blind on blind for 202,000 and Jack Hardcastle called.
Jaspreet Panchhi:
Jack Hardcastle:
There was no help for Panchhi as Hardcastle flopped a set on and the start-of-day chip leader was eliminated in third place.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jack Hardcastle |
1,600,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
Neil McCulloch |
291,000
-17,000
|
-17,000 |
Jaspreet Panchhi | Busted |
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jack Hardcastle | 1,400,000 | |
Neil McCulloch |
308,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
Jaspreet Panchhi |
227,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |