￡5,300 EPT Main Event
Day 6 Completed
2022 PokerStars EPT London
￡5,300 EPT Main Event
Day: 6
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 6
2022 PokerStars EPT London
Buy-in
£5,300
Prize Pool
£3,632,650
Entries
749
Level
34
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Entries
6
Players Left
1
Level 34
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Britain's Ian Hamilton became the first European Poker Tour (EPT) champion on UK soil in eight years by taking down the PokerStars EPT London ￡5,300 Main Event for ￡664,400 and his first EPT title. The 31-year-old ran pure throughout the more than eight hours of play on Day 6 and overcame the sizable heads-up chip lead of fellow Brit Jack Sinclair.
“A couple of levels in I went out feeling a bit like demoralized and then just came back and said it’s time to put the pedal down and go for it," Hamilton said in a winner's interview with PokerStars commentator Joe Stapleton. "We’re here now, let’s take it while we can.”
Only six players remained of a field of 749 players heading into Day 6 of the ￡5,300 buy-in event, which generated a prize pool of ￡3,632,650. Those players included Switzerland's Alexandre Vuilleumier (3rd - ￡296,150), Day 5 chip leader Roman Hrabec of the Czech Republic (4th - ￡227,800) and Romanian filmmaker Danut Chisu (5th - ￡175,250).
￡5,300 EPT Main Event Final Table Results
| PLACE | PLAYER | COUNTRY | PRIZE (IN GBP) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ian Hamilton | United Kingdom | ￡664,400 | |
| 2 | Jack Sinclair | United Kingdom | ￡414,650 | |
| 3 | Alexandre Vuilleumier | Switzerland | ￡296,150 | |
| 4 | Roman Hrabec | Czech Republic | ￡227,800 | |
| 5 | Danut Chisu | Romania | ￡175,250 | |
| 6 | Nils Pudel | Germany | ￡134,800 | |
| 7 | David Docherty | United Kingdom | ￡103,700 | |
| 8 | Harry Lodge | United Kingdom | ￡79,750 |
A Revolutionary Victory
Hamilton, who had $271,971 in live tournament cashes heading into the EPT London Main Event, according to The Hendon Mob, started the day as a short stack but was able to stay afloat with a little help from positive variance.
In a crucial hand early in the day, Hamilton was at risk and dominated with ace-five against the ace-queen of Vuilleumier and had just three outs heading to the river. The river brought him one of those outs earn him an unlikely double as his rail erupted in celebration.
What does Hamilton attribute to his incredible Day 6 sun run?
“Months of run-bad,” Hamilton told Stapleton with a laugh.
Throughout the final table, Hamilton’s face was heavily concealed beneath a dark oversized hoodie and pair of sunglasses that called back to the Golden Age of televised poker. But after the final hand was dealt, the British grinder was all smiles.
“That’s just me blocking the world out and trying to just play my cards and not worry about all the screens and stuff in your face," he explained.
Another Close Call for Sinclair
It appeared likely Sinclair would be the next EPT London champion as the 2018 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) winner dominated the final table and entered heads-up play with a sizable chip advantage.
But Sinclair, who had help from his hippopotamus card protector and a supportive father on the rail, had to settle for second place — his second runner-up finish in a major tournament in just the last few months. Back in August, he finished second in the €1,100 Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event at EPT Barcelona for €377,120 to Rick van Bruggen of the Netherlands.
With his latest close call, the British poker pro adds ￡414,650 to his $4.7 million in career live earnings.
Day 6 Action
Germany's Nils Pudel was the first to go on Day 6 and he fell in brutal fashion as his pocket aces were cracked by the runner-runner flush of Sinclair's ace-king.
Not long after, Romania's Chisu bowed out in fifth place when his king-jack couldn't get ahead of the pocket queens of Vuilleumier.
In a turn of events, Hrabec, a former ice hockey professional who started the day with the chip lead, fell in fourth place when his ace-ten was dominated by the ace-jack of Sinclair.
Hamilton stayed quiet for most of the Day 6 action but that changed when he open-shoved holding queen-jack only to be called by the ace-queen of Vuilleumier, who had a slightly smaller stack but couldn't fade Hamilton's run-good as the Brit made a straight to eliminate his Swiss opponent.
Despite entering heads-up play with a chip deficit, Hamilton managed to double through Sinclair and later took the lead by making trips to take a big pot off the 2018 WSOPE champ.
In the final hand of the tournament, Sinclair moved all in with ace-queen only to find himself dominated by the ace-king of Hamilton. Both players managed to flop gutshots but bricks on the turn and river left Hamilton ahead with the better ace-high to earn him the title.
“I’m feeling very good," Hamilton said after the victory. "I’m very tired, it’s been six long, long days.”
That wraps up the PokerNews live reporting team's coverage of the ￡5,300 Main Event here at EPT London at the luxurious Hilton Park Lane. Be sure to check out the team's coverage of other events throughout the festival.
Level 34
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Ian Hamilton raised to 900,000 and Jack Sinclair moved all in for 2,700,000. Hamilton quickly called.
Jack Sinclair: 
Ian Hamilton: 
The dealer spread the 
flop and Sinclair was now looking for a king to make Broadway.
The 
turn changed absolutely nothing to leave Hamilton one card away from the title, and the 
was put down onto the felt to confirm the result as Hamilton rejoiced with his exuberant rail.
Sinclair will have to settle for the ￡414,650 runner-up consolation prize, while Hamilton is the EPT London Main Event champion and claims the trophy and ￡664,400.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
22,470,000
4,350,000
|
4,350,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 34
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Ian Hamilton raised to 900,000 with 
and Jack Sinclair defended with 
.
The 
flop was checked to the 
turn and Sinclair check-called for 900,000.
The 
landed on the river, Sinclair checked, and Hamilton moved all in. Sinclair had a decision for his remaining 4,350,000 and sent his cards into the muck to concede the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
18,120,000
3,550,000
|
3,550,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,350,000
-3,550,000
|
-3,550,000 |
Level: 34
Blinds: 150,000/300,000
Ante: 300,000
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
The two remaining players are now on an extended 30-minute break.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
14,570,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
7,900,000
-300,000
|
-300,000 |
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Jack Sinclair completed on the button with 
and Ian Hamilton checked his option in the big blind with 
.
Hamilton checked on the flop of 
and Sinclair checked back. Hamilton checked again on the 
turn and Sinclair bet 500,000 after picking up the flush draw. Hamilton check-raised to 2,000,000 with his trips and Sinclair called.
The river brought the and Hamilton checked. Sinclair took a stab with a bet of 2,000,000 and went in the tank before moving all in for 7,525,000. Sinclair folded and Hamilton raked the big pot to take the chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
14,270,000
4,820,000
|
4,820,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
8,200,000
-4,820,000
|
-4,820,000 |
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Ian Hamilton limped with and Jack Sinclair raised to 800,000 with 
. Hamilton called.
The dealer fanned out the 
flop and both players checked to the 
turn. Sinclair bet out 600,000 and Hamilton moved forward a stack of chips for a raise to 2,000,000.
Sinclair used a time bank and deliberated before he announced "all in", prompting Hamilton to quickly call all in for his 3,800,000 total chips.
Hamilton was a big favorite but had to dodge outs, and the completed the board to confirm his double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,020,000
-4,280,000
|
-4,280,000 |
|
|
9,450,000
4,280,000
|
4,280,000 |
|
|
||
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Ian Hamilton opened to 700,000 on the button with 
and Jack Sinclair called in the big blind with 
.
Sinclair checked on the flop of 
and Hamilton bet 600,000. Sinclair raised to 1,800,000 with his flopped straight and Hamilton called with his flush draw.
The turn brought the 
and Sinclair checked. Hamilton fired for 3,500,000 and Sinclair called. The 
on the river completed the board and Sinclair led all in. Hamilton laid it down.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
17,300,000
5,930,000
|
5,930,000 |
|
|
5,170,000
-5,930,000
|
-5,930,000 |
|
|
||
Level 33
: Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Jack Sinclair limped with and then called when Ian Hamilton raised to 1,100,000 with .
The dealer put the flop onto the felt and Hamilton bet 1,000,000. Sinclair called.
The landed on the turn and Hamilton put forward a bet of 2,500,000, prompting Sinclair to muck, and the two players are now nearly even in chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
11,370,000
-3,230,000
|
-3,230,000 |
|
|
11,100,000
3,230,000
|
3,230,000 |
|
|
||