Peter 'Slots' Craw is already looking forward to winning this title and he's certain to improve on his best ever live cash of $12,000, which he took home for coming 4th in the Grand Prix Poker Tour Stadium Tour Main Event at Newcastle's St. James Park via partypoker.
He's always idolised Daniel Negreanu and would take on his hero in Las Vegas in his dream heads-up. But Peter told us that he's always satellited into these events on partypoker and would buy in directly if he hadn't purely down to the value.
Can he cash out the biggest result of his career by winning? Stay tuned for an exclusive chat with Peter Craw and his poker league friends later on tonight.
It's Tomas Fara's birthday! Yes, our Seat 1 player is 35 today and what better way to celebrate than in the electric atmosphere of Dusk Till Dawn?
Fara's finest result to date in live tournaments was when he was runner-up in Amsterdam to win $163,273...today's win would eclipse that if he take it down!
Fara told us "I love the format and Dusk Till Dawn delivers." before he sat down and is passionate about poker offering the kind of side events that we've seen today and a return to more freezeouts entering the poker tournament circuit. He won his seat in this event from a $55 satellite on partypoker online and dreams of one day playing poker on the Pacific Island of Vanuatu. Don't tell Rob Yong...he'll set up another dream destination poker tournament offering ridiculous top prizes on the beach before you can say 'value'.
The final eight assemble in the Grand Prix UK Main Event
Here are the final eight players who will do battle in an attempt to win that magical ￡150,000 top prize and golden trophy in the Grand Prix UK Main Event!
With just 17 players left and ￡11,000 up top in the ￡115 entry ￡50,000 Guartanteed Side Event, two big names have suffered bad beats in their efforts to build a stack to take to the final table.
Chaz Chattha (pictured) lost a 1.3 million-chip pot when his aces all-in pre-flop were cracked by pocket sevens.
Nim Rattan then lost when her all-in shove with a covering stack with sevens lost to deuces by the at-risk player.
Jamie Whyte raised under the gun to 1,800,000, with action folding all the way round to Dillon Scanlan in the small blind. He was down to his last few bigs, and decided now was the time to rip, for around 6,000,000. Antonis Poulengeris quickly folded his big blind, and Whyte flicked in a chip to call.
It was a flip; Scanlan's against Whyte's . The gave Whyte a huge amount of outs! Any ace, king, queen, 10, or 9 would give Whyte the lead. The landed on the turn, counterfeiting Scanlon's pair. Scanlon needed a 7 and only a 7 to win, but couldn't find one on the river and, instead, the would spell the end of Scanlon's deep run.
Dillon Scanlon will take home the first five-figure score of the festival: ￡11,250 in cash, as well as a ￡2,200 UKPC seat.
Tomas Fara turned 35 today...can he unwrap the Grand Prix trophy later on tonight?
Tomas Fara (pictured) turns 35 today and on his birthday, he's getting close to the final table of the Grand Prix UK Main Event. We thought we'd ask him if this was the ideal thing to be doing on his birthday or if it felt odd.
"It's a bit odd. Sunday is a quiet day though, not much happens on a Sunday so it's a good thing to do instead of celebrating. If I win, I'll be celebrating!"
Tomas lives in Prague, and therefore spends a lot of his time travelling to play poker. That means whenever he pitches up in a tournament, there's got to be a great time waiting for him to compensate for the constant accumulation of air miles.
"I have 16 million chips, which is 20 big blinds and the average is thirty. But there's still a way to go."
Fara has long been a consistent performer on the European circuit. That success will be bolstered by yet another big win here tonight. Can he take it down and win ￡150,000? We will find out very soon.
Action was folded around to Peter Craw in the small blind, who open shoved for his last 8,300,000. It didn't take long with Timothy Rowland to make the call for his last 7,900,000, and the two short stacks were on their backs, with Rowland at risk.
Peter Craw
Timothy Rowland
The flop didn't alter the situation, and nor did the turn. Rowland would need a king or a ten to stick around. It was paint, but not what Rowland was looking for, when the slapped the river, securing a near-double-up for Craw.
Timothy Rowland will pick up ￡9,000 and a ￡2,200 UKPC seat
Tomas Fara raised under the gun, five-handed, to 1,200,000, picking up Richard King in the big blind as two of the chipleaders went head-to-head. King checked the flop over to Fara, who continuation bet 1,300,000. King made the call and they went to an turn.
When checked to again, Fara continued for 3,850,000. After a long dwell, King flicked in four gold 1-million-value chips to call. The hit the river, pairing the board and completing the flopped flush draw. King went into the tank for around two minutes, before donk-leading for 9,500,000. Fara looked puzzled for a moment, before calmly putting in the call.
King whipped over for complete air, while Fara picked this one up with . The table was quietly stunned, while someone on the rail quipped, "Thomas Fara is my hero."
against Whyte's 
. The 
gave Whyte a huge amount of outs! Any ace, king, queen, 10, or 9 would give Whyte the lead. The 
landed on the turn, counterfeiting Scanlon's pair. Scanlon needed a 7 and only a 7 to win, but couldn't find one on the river and, instead, the 
would spell the end of Scanlon's deep run.
flop didn't alter the situation, and nor did the 
turn. Rowland would need a king or a ten to stick around. It was paint, but not what Rowland was looking for, when the 
turn.
hit the river, pairing the board and completing the flopped flush draw. King went into the tank for around two minutes, before donk-leading for 9,500,000. Fara looked puzzled for a moment, before calmly putting in the call.
for complete air, while Fara picked this one up with 
. The table was quietly stunned, while someone on the rail quipped, "Thomas Fara is my hero."
