Ben Mayhew Wins UKIPT4 Nottingham 6-Max Main Event for £72,840
Season 4 of the United Kingdom and Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) continued this past weekend with the Nottingham 6-Max Main Event, which attracted 458 players over the course of three starting flights. On Monday, the final six players returned to battle down to a winner, and in less than seven hours of play the UK’s Ben Mayhew emerged victorious.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ben Mayhew | United Kingdom | £72,840* |
| 2nd | Tony Salmon | United Kingdom | £64,296* |
| 3rd | David Clifton-Burraway | United Kingdom | £66,514* |
| 4th | Ben Vinson | United Kingdom | £34,000 |
| 5th | Tim Wong | Malaysia | £26,750 |
| 6th | Sergio Aido | Spain | £20,700 |
*Denotes three-handed deal
Notable finishes: Jamie Sykes (11th - £7,150), Adam Forsyth (12th - £6,100), John Eames (22nd - £3,700), Sinem Melin (32nd - £2,800), Jason Wheeler (35th - £2,800), Mickey Petersen (36th - £2,500), Matt Perrins (40th - £2,500)
According to the PokerStars Blog, the first elimination of the day came two hours into play during the 20,000/40,000/5,000 level. It happened when 25-year-old Sergio Aido moved all in from the small blind for nearly 700,000 and Ben Vinson called from the big.
Aido: A♦3♥
Vinson: A♣Q♥
Aido, who won the UKIPT3 London last year as well as the Full Tilt Poker UKIPT Galway High Roller back in August, no doubt liked his ace at first, but was in dire straits when Vinson woke up with a bigger ace. The K♥A♠8♣ flop gave both players a pair of aces, but of course Vinson’s queen kicker had him well out in front. Neither the 2♠ turn nor J♥ river helped Aido, and he was eliminated in sixth place for £20,700.
About a half hour later in the 25,000/50,000/5,000 level, a short-stacked Tim Wong moved all in from the button for 335,000 and Vinson isolated by moving all in over the top from the small blind.
Wong: 10♦7♦
Vinson: Q♣J♣
According to the PokerNews Odds Calculator, Vinson was a 64.76% favorite while Wong would survive the hand 34.34% of the time. The 10♣6♠8♣ flop made things interesting as it delivered Wong top pair, but he still only had a 37.78% chance of surviving as Vinson picked up a straight flush draw to go with his overs, something he’d hit 62.22% of the time. Unfortunately for Wong, this was one of those time as the dealer burned and turned the 3♣. Wong was drawing dead, and after the 3♠ was run out on the river for good measure, he took his leave in fifth place for £26,750.
“I’ve knocked two players out at this final table and I’ve still got the shortest stack,” Vinson quipped after the hand.
Indeed he did, so it was no surprise to see him exit next. His demise happened in the 30,000/60,000/5,000 level when Mayhew opened for 130,000 from the small blind and Vinson called from the big. When the flop fell 9♣7♠7♦, Mayhew bet 100,000 and then moved all in for 1.3 million after Vinson raised to 285,000. Vinson, who actually had a slightly bigger stack at that point, made the call and the cards were turned up.
Vinson: 9♠8♦
Mayhew: A♦J♥
Vinson was a huge favorite to score the elimination, but then the 8♣ appeared on the turn followed by the 10♦ river. Mayhew hit a runner-runner straight to stay alive and Vinson was crippled. Vinson managed a double, but was eliminated a short time later when his 8♣6♥ failed to overcome the J♦7♠ of Mayhew after the board ran out a dry 9♥5♠10♦10♥4♠. Vinson earned £34,000 for his fourth-place finish.
With just three players left, a deal was struck that saw David Clifton-Burraway lock up £66,514, Mayhew £62,840, and Tony Salmon £59,296, which left ten percent on the table. Ironically, Clifton-Burraway, who had locked up the most money because he had the biggest stack, was the next to go thanks to detrimental back-to-back hand.
The first saw Mayhew’s A♦8♥ best Clifton-Burraway’s A♥K♦ in an all-in preflop situation, and the second ended up being his last. With the blinds at 40,000/80,000/10,000, Clifton-Burraway three-bet shoved for 1.4 million and received a call from Salmon.
Salmon: A♣6♣
Clifton-Burraway: J♠7♠
The board ran out A♥4♥3♥7♦6♥ and that was all she wrote for Clifton-Burraway. Salmon held 5.77 million to Mayhew’s 3.39 million at the start of heads-up play, and it took 45 minutes to determine a winner.
Mayhew managed to double into the chip lead, and then sealed the deal a short time later. It happened with the blinds at 50,000/100,000/10,000 when Salmon opened for 200,000 from the small blind and then called off when Mayhew shoved.
Salmon: 6♣6♥
Mayhew: A♦K♣
It was a classic flip, and Salmon was looking to dodge an ace or a king. That proved easier said than done though as the flop came down 8♠J♦K♣. Mayhew took a commanding lead with a pair of aces, which held after the 5♦ blanked on the river followed by the 8♣ on the river. With that, Mayhew captured the title while Salmon had to settle for a £64,296 consolation prize.
The next UKIPT will take place from Jan. 16-20, 2014 in Edinburgh, and of course PokerNews will bring you a recap of that event in the New Year.
*Hands, info, and pictures courtesy of the PokerStars Blog.
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