2025 PartyPoker Tour Birmingham

Seated UTG+1, Kamran Hussain decided only to call the Big Blind. Angelo Avanzato wouldn’t allow it; he raised to 1,500 from the Button. Laine Lewis (Small Blind), David Langsdale (Big Blind), and Hussain all made the call.

Action checked around to Avanzato on the dull 2♠4♣4♦ flop. The preflop aggressor continued for 3,000, and all of his opponents decided to fold.

While I took a stroll around the tournament area looking to for big pots, I noticed there’s a lot of limping going on at the earlier stages of the tournament.

Angelo Avanzato: 37,000

Action folded to Stephen Nash, who decided to limp from the Cut-off. Tauseef Amjad (Button) and Darren Harris (Small Blind) both made the call before James Buckley decided to check from the Big Blind.

Harris checked the 10♥5♠6♥ flop before Buckley bet 700. Nash checked, prior to Amjad moving all in for 3,100. Action folded back to Buckley, who relieved a sigh before making the call.

Tauseef Amjad: 9♦7♥
James Buckley: 10♦2♦

Buckley was ahead with a pair of tens, and he managed to avoid any shenanigans on the 3♣6♦ runout.

James Buckley: 59,500
Tauseef Amjad: 0

Deniz Orhan, who won the £500 Main Event during the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Manchester, has taken his seat in Day 1c of the £150 Mini Main Event.

Thanks to his success on the 2025 PartyPoker Tour, Orhan is currently third on the tour’s leaderboard. Read more about the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Leaderboard here.

2025 PartyPoker Tour Leaderboard – Current Standings

Day 1a of the £150 Mini Main Event attracted 96 entries. Below are the chip counts for those 19 who made it through to Day 2.

Day 1a of the £150 Mini Main Event attracted 121 entries. Below are the chip counts of those 24 who made it through to Day 2.

Day 1c of the £150 Mini Main Event started roughly 15 minutes ago.

Before the hand coverage starts, this poker.pro live reporter will upload the chip counts from Day 1a and Day 1b. Sit tight.

Welcome all to the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Birmingham, and to the poker.pro live reporting!

My name is Christoffer Karlén, and I’m the blonde, Swedish poker.pro live reporting, who’ll provide the coverage this week. On this live blog, you’ll be able to view tournament results, chip counts, photos (taken by the amazing PartyPoker photographers Giovanna De Falco & Nunzia Esposito), crucial hands, and much, much more.

In terms of pure live reporting (i.e., hands and chip counts), the £150 Mini Main Event and the £500 Main Event will be the primary focus. That being said, there may be occasional updates from the various side events as well. Once again, though, the results and photos from all events will be posted (you’ll be able to see these under the “Photos” and “Results” tabs).

Today, the live reporting will commence with Day 1c of the Mini Main Event. Day 1a and 1b were played during the weekends; check back in a couple of minutes to take part of the full chip counts from the two flights.

Two side events have already been completed. Eva-Hola Smith beat PartyPoker Ambassador Glenn Brown heads-up in the £200 NLH Bounty for £1,465, and Rong Haoran won the £60 Mystery Prize Draw for £780 (the full results will soon be uploaded under the “Results” tab).

The aforementioned Day 1c of the Mini Main Event will kick off at 14:00 local time; in other words, in roughly one hour. That’s when the live reporting will commence; the team at poker.pro is excited for a week filled with action here in Birmingham. Just like the late Birmingham legend Ozzy Osbourne claimed, we’re indeed going off the rails on a crazy train.

With 130 entries and counting, Day 1d is already the biggest starting-day flight of the £150 Mini Main Event so far. Out of the 97 players currently in the tournament, there are three PartyPoker Tour Ambassadors and one PartyPoker Team Pro (Matt Staples) in the field. The rest of the ambassadors are scheduled to arrive later in the week.

Read all about the PartyPoker Tour Ambassadors by clicking here.

The players are now on a 15-minute break before they tackle Level 6 (Blinds 400/800, with an 800 Ante). Below are ten of the biggest stacks in the room.

Seated UTG, Jed Ryall opened to 1,500. Sean French (Hi-jack), Florin Sucala (Button), and Blaise Bourgeois (Big Blind) all made the call.

After an initial check from Bourgeois on the 5♣6♠3♠ flop, Ryall fired a 5,000 continuation bet. French made the call, before Sucala and Bourgeois swiftly folded.

Ryall didn’t slow down on the 3♥ turn. He bet 15,000, and French made the call just as fast. The dealer revealed the 9♣ on the river, and Ryall wasted little time going all in for 25,000. French leaned back in his chair, contemplating his decision, and eventually, he made the call. Ryall didn’t seem too comfortable when he turned over his Q♠Q♣ holdings, but French mucked his hand, and Ryall received the full double-up.

Jed Ryall: 99,900
Sean French: 11,500

UTG, Gareth Williams opened to 900. Alexandros Gkampranis (Small Blind) and Michael Stanley (Big Blind) both made the call.

Action was checked to Williams on the somewhat wet 4♠6♣6♠ flop, and he continued for 1,200. Gkampranis quickly made the call, and Stanley folded just as swiftly.

Gkampranis check-called another 1,200 bet from Williams on the 7♣ turn, and again, Gkampranis made the call as fast as humanly possible. Gkampranis completed the check treifecta on the 10♣ river, Williams bet 2,400, and Gkampranis again made a lightning-fast call.

“Straight,” Williams announced as he turned over 9♠8♠ for a rivered straight, and Gkampranis mucked his holdings.

Gareth Williams: 50,000
Alexandros Gkampranis: 8,500

The reporter joined the action at Table 15 when the board read 9♠8♠Q♣ with roughly 21,000 in the middle. Vaibhav Aggarwal (Big Blind) moved all in for 31,900, something that had Andrew Probyn (Cut-off) visibly troubled. After two to three minutes in the tank, he decided to let his hand go, revealing Q♠ as one of his holdings. Aggarwal started stacking his newly won chips, while he, between the lines, revealed to Probyn he had flopped a set.

Vaibhav Aggarwal: 52,900
Andrew Probyn: 39,500

At Table 5, Jake Flockhart clicked it to 400 UTG. Seated in the Cut-off, Gareth Boyce was the sole caller.

Flockhart continued for 1,100 on the Q♠9♥A♣ flop, and Boyce wasn’t going anywhere. Flockhart slowed down and checked on the 4♥ turn, and then called a 3,300 bet from Boyce. Another check by Flockart on the 6♣ river, before Boyce fired a hefty 10,000 bet. Without thinking too long, Flockhart made the call.

Boyce turned over 9♦9♠ for a flop set, a hand Flockhart couldn’t beat as he mucked his hand.

Seated on the same table is Joe Beevers. Old school poker legend, co-founder of The Hendon Mob, PartyPoker Tour Ambassador…the sharp-dressed man has quite the resumé. During the Flockhart versus Boyce hand, a waitress approached the table. “Did anyone order a glass of ice water and a Coke Zero?” she asked. “I ordered water and a cappuccino,” Beevers replied. Beevers got his hands on the water, and rumors have it he’ll soon receive his coffee order. Allegedly, the Coke Zero returned to the bar.

Gareth Boyce: 57,500
Jake Flockhart: 27,000

Welcome all to the poker.pro live coverage of Day 1d of the £150 Mini Main Event. Play started roughly five minutes ago with 50 players in from the get-go; this reporter has a hunch today’s going to be a busy day at Resorts World Birmingham.

No one in the history of mankind has slept as well as I did last night. After roughly 13 hours of constant sleep, we’re ready to rock and roll on this glorious Tuesday in Ozzy City.

Before the dedicated hand coverage, please excuse me for 30-40 minutes while I update the results from yesterday’s side events, upload yesterday’s photos, etc. In the meantime, feel free to scroll down in the blog and read the recap of yesterday’s action.

Action folded to short-stacked Alan Monksfield, who opened to 25,000 from the Small Blind, leaving himself perhaps 15,000 behind. Seated in the Big Blind, John Carr, who had his opponent just covered, forced Monksfield all in. Monksield called fairly quickly.

John Carr: A♠10♠
Alan Monksfield: K♥K♣

Monksfield was ahead, but, as we all know, poker can be a brutal game sometimes. Carr quickly overtook the lead on the 5♣9♥A♣ flop, and the J♥5♠ wasn’t in Monsfield’s best interest. As such, Monksfield went out in fourteenth place, meaning the remaining 13 players now will bag their chips for Day 2.

Day 2 will start on Blinds 2,000/4,000 (4,000), but that’s not until Wednesday; tomorrow, the Day 1d flight commences at 14:00, and Day 1e at 20:00. What’s more, there’s the 1f Turbo flight on Wednesday at 13:00, before Day 2 starts at 18:00.

The poker.pro editorial office will soon return with the full chip counts from Day 1c, as well as a small recap of today’s action. Stay tuned!

John Carr: 144,000
Alan Monksfield: 0

It’s the last 15-minute break in Day 1c of the £150 Mini Main Event. Play will soon resume on Level 14: Blinds 2,000/5,000, with a 5,000 Ante. Below are the chip counts, as only one more player must go before the remaining players move on to Day 2.

Action folded to Stefan Stroffek, who min-raised to 8,000 from the Button. After a minute’s worth of consideration, Thomas Howell moved all in for perhaps 85,000 from the Big Blind. Stroffek made the call as fast as humanly possible.

Thomas Howell: A♥7♥
Stefan Stroffek: Q♦Q♣

Howell’s ace was alive, but his chances of winning the hand were drastically reduced on the J♦5♠Q♥ flop. The 8♣10♥ didn’t change anything, and Howell’s farewell meant only 15 players now remain in the tournament.

Stefan Stroffek: 355,000
Thomas Howell: 0

Seated in the Hi-jack, Kevin Greathead opened to 12,000. Gurminder Jandu then moved all in for perhaps 25,000. Being priced in, Greathead made the call.

Gurminder Jandu: A♣Q♠
Kevin Greathead: Q♣10♣

Jandu was ahead, but the K♥3♣J♠ brought a real sweat. Greathead got even more outs on the 5♣ turn. He sealed Jandu’s fate when the flush hit on the K♣ river.

That means that there are now only two tables remaining. Eighteen players will become 13, before the survivors bag n’ tag for Day 2.

Kevin Greathead:160,000
Gurminder Jandu: 0

Action folded to Christopher Johnson, who committed 31,500 of his 37,000 stack to a pre-flop raise from the Small Blind. Seated in the Big Blind, Mohammed Ghollamrezapour forced his opponent all in for the last 5,500. Naturally, Johnson made the call.

Mohammed Ghollamrezapour: K♦K♥
Christopher Johnson: 9♣7♣

“Back to back,” one of the other players at the table said, indicating that Ghollamrezapour’s been running hot. No luck for Johnson on the 5♣8♦Q♥10♠4♦ runout, and he headed to the rail.

Mohammed Ghollanrezapour: 319,000
Christopher Johnson: 0

Action folded all the way to Stefan Stroffek, who opened to 5,000 from the Cut-off. Seated in the Big Blind, Deniz Orhan was the sole caller.

Orhan check-called a 7,500 bet from Stroffek on the J♠6♣10♥ flop. Action went check-check on the J♥ turn. Orhan completed the check trifecta on the J♣ turn, then folded to yet another 7,500 bet from Stroffek.

Stroffek revealed one of his two hole cards, the J♦. That means we’ve seen quad jacks two times today.

Deniz Orhan: 64,000
Stefan Stroffek: 60,000

Back to Day 1c of the £150 Mini Main Event, where Thomas Howell opened to 5,000 from the Cut-off. Big-stacked Darren Harris (Small Blind) and Kevin Greathead both made the call.

Action checked to Howell on the 5♦7♠K♣ flop, and he fired a 5,500 continuation-bet. Harris made the call before Greathead (an awesome name, by the way) folded.

Action went check-check on the J♣ turn. Harris then took the aggressive lead on the A♥ turn, as he fired a hefty 10,000 bet. After some consideration, Howell made the call.

Harris turned over A♦7♥, a hand Howell couldn’t beat as he mucked his hand.

In other news, Rebecca Hardisty decided not to re-enter for the Mini Main Event. Instead, she registered for the £60 poker.pro Sviten. It’s the first time Hardisty plays the game (this reporter taught her the rules about an hour ago), and she managed to get a three-way scoop on what was perhaps her tenth Sviten hand.

Darren Harris: 200,000
Thomas Howell: 69,000

Since late registration for Day 1c of the £150 Mini Main Event is now closed, the numbers are official. Considering each starting-day flight plays down to 20 %, it has been confirmed that 13 players will bag their chips for Day 2.

In other news, the £60 poker.pro Sviten started 20 minutes ago in the outer tournament area. This Swedish-originated game is probably the poker discipline that offers the biggest action. It’s a great game that guarantees a lot of fun, and poker.pro is very grateful to have three poker.pro-branded Mixed Games events at the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Birmingham.

Learn how to play Sviten here.

2025 PartyPoker Tour Birmingham – poker.pro-branded Mixed Games

Learn how to play all poker.pro-branded Mixed Games here.

The 31 remaining players in Day 1c are currently on a 45-minute dinner break. They will return to Level 10: Blinds 1,000/2,000, with a 2,000 Ante. The dinner break is also the last window to register for the tournament. Below are the current chip counts.

“The PartyPoker Power Couple,” Jaimes Staples and Rebecca Hardisty, both busted their first bullet, almost simultaneously.

Jaime Staples busted over at Table 1 in dramatic fashion. He’d opened to 4,000 with [Ad][3d], and his opponent three-bet to 8,000. Staples made the call, and then proceeded to check the 6♥6♣3♣ flop. His opponent then forced the Canadian professional all-in for 36,000. Staples engaged his opponent in some back-and-forth table banter, and eventually, he decided to make the call.

The PartyPoker Team Pro had made a good read, and he was flipping against K♣Q♣. Sadly for him, his villain improved to a flush on the 10♣ river and knocked out the Maple-leafer.

On anearby table, Hardisty was all in with K♦Q♦, and was in rough shape against her opponent’s K♣K♥. No dice for Hardisty on the A♠7♣Q♣9♠3♥ board, and she joined her other half at the rail.

Rumors have it they’re both heading to the rebuy-desk.

This live reporter heard commotion at Table 5 and quickly ran over. Chandrakant Patel had gotten his stack all in pre-flop against Jobin Jacob George, who had him covered. Patel was dominating George with ace-queen over ace-jack, but George hit not one, not two, but three jacks to knock out Patel with four-of-a-kind.

Jobin Jacob George: 115,000
Chandrakant Patel: 0

There is more than one PartyPoker Team Pro here in Birmingham, and there’s more than one Staples. Jaime Staples and Matt Staples are the brothers who’ve been proudly representing PartyPoker for multiple years. While Jaime has attended all 2025 PartyPoker Tour stops this year, Matt is making his first appearance on the tour since the London event.

Matt Staples:52,500

Seated UTG, Gurminder Jandu opened to 2,500. David Langsdale (Lo-jack) and Michael Brown (Button) both made the call, prior to Jonathan Mychalkiw moving all in for 15,100 from the Small Blind. Back to Jandu, who re-shoved for 33,600 in total. Langsdale and Brown both folded before the two remaining contestants turned over their holdings.

Jonathan Mychalkiw: K♥K♣
Gurminder Jandu: 8♥8♦

Not a bad spot for Mychalkiw to pick up the Cowboys. The 2♠4♦5♦ didn’t concern Mychalkiw, but Jandu picked up additional outs on the 7♥ turn. The A♠ favored Mychalkiw, though, who won the decently-sized pot.

Jonathan Mychalkiw: 38,600
Gurminder Jandu: 18,500

The players returned from the first 20-minute break a while ago; this live reporter missed out on a level while I was enjoying a tandoori salad bowl.

PartyPoker Team Pro Jaime Staples registered for the tournament shortly after the break. I had a small chat with Jaime, who claimed that Deniz Orhan (winner of the £500 Main Event during the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Manchester) won’t stand a chance against the Canadian this week. Will Staples be right? Time will tell.

The players are currently on their first 20-minute break of the day. They will soon return to Level 6: Blinds 400/800, with an 800 Ante. Below are five of the biggest stacks in the room.

Seated UTG, Thomas Howell opened to 1,500. He got three callers in the form of Mark Burrell (Cut-off), Kevin Greathead (Button), and Croasdale Turton (Big Blind).

All four players checked the 6♦3♣3♦ flop. On the K♦ turn, Howell bet 2,000 after an initial check from Turton. Burrell made the call in a heartbeat, before Greathead and Turton both mucked.

Howell sized up to 8,000 on the 7♥ river. Burell didn’t take too long before making the call.

Thomas Howell: J♦10♦
Mark Burrell: A♥K♥

Howell managed to get good value from his opponent, and chances are big he’s one of the biggest stacks in the room.

Thomas Howell: 91,000
Mark Burrell: 38,000

Rajbinder Badwal opened to 1,500 from the Hi-jack. When action came to Daniel Hannigan, he moved all in for 13,200 from the Small Blind. Seated in the Big Blind, Nimisha Rattan (who seems to be the only lady in the tournament currently), Rattan calculated her opponent’s stacks before re-shoving for something like 30,000. Badwal let his hand go, and thus, it was time for a showdown.

Daniel Hannigan: A♠10♠
Nimisha Rattan: A♦K♠

Hannigan picked up a gutshot on the 8♠9♣6♥ flop, but Rattan emerged victorious in the end as the board completed with 2♥K♣.

Nimisha Rattan: 55,000
Daniel Hannigan: 0

Seated UTG+1, Kamran Hussain decided only to call the Big Blind. Angelo Avanzato wouldn’t allow it; he raised to 1,500 from the Button. Laine Lewis (Small Blind), David Langsdale (Big Blind), and Hussain all made the call.

Action checked around to Avanzato on the dull 2♠4♣4♦ flop. The preflop aggressor continued for 3,000, and all of his opponents decided to fold.

While I took a stroll around the tournament area looking to for big pots, I noticed there’s a lot of limping going on at the earlier stages of the tournament.

Angelo Avanzato: 37,000

Action folded to Stephen Nash, who decided to limp from the Cut-off. Tauseef Amjad (Button) and Darren Harris (Small Blind) both made the call before James Buckley decided to check from the Big Blind.

Harris checked the 10♥5♠6♥ flop before Buckley bet 700. Nash checked, prior to Amjad moving all in for 3,100. Action folded back to Buckley, who relieved a sigh before making the call.

Tauseef Amjad: 9♦7♥
James Buckley: 10♦2♦

Buckley was ahead with a pair of tens, and he managed to avoid any shenanigans on the 3♣6♦ runout.

James Buckley: 59,500
Tauseef Amjad: 0

Deniz Orhan, who won the £500 Main Event during the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Manchester, has taken his seat in Day 1c of the £150 Mini Main Event.

Thanks to his success on the 2025 PartyPoker Tour, Orhan is currently third on the tour’s leaderboard. Read more about the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Leaderboard here.

2025 PartyPoker Tour Leaderboard – Current Standings

Day 1a of the £150 Mini Main Event attracted 96 entries. Below are the chip counts for those 19 who made it through to Day 2.

Day 1a of the £150 Mini Main Event attracted 121 entries. Below are the chip counts of those 24 who made it through to Day 2.

Day 1c of the £150 Mini Main Event started roughly 15 minutes ago.

Before the hand coverage starts, this poker.pro live reporter will upload the chip counts from Day 1a and Day 1b. Sit tight.

Welcome all to the 2025 PartyPoker Tour Birmingham, and to the poker.pro live reporting!

My name is Christoffer Karlén, and I’m the blonde, Swedish poker.pro live reporting, who’ll provide the coverage this week. On this live blog, you’ll be able to view tournament results, chip counts, photos (taken by the amazing PartyPoker photographers Giovanna De Falco & Nunzia Esposito), crucial hands, and much, much more.

In terms of pure live reporting (i.e., hands and chip counts), the £150 Mini Main Event and the £500 Main Event will be the primary focus. That being said, there may be occasional updates from the various side events as well. Once again, though, the results and photos from all events will be posted (you’ll be able to see these under the “Photos” and “Results” tabs).

Today, the live reporting will commence with Day 1c of the Mini Main Event. Day 1a and 1b were played during the weekends; check back in a couple of minutes to take part of the full chip counts from the two flights.

Two side events have already been completed. Eva-Hola Smith beat PartyPoker Ambassador Glenn Brown heads-up in the £200 NLH Bounty for £1,465, and Rong Haoran won the £60 Mystery Prize Draw for £780 (the full results will soon be uploaded under the “Results” tab).

The aforementioned Day 1c of the Mini Main Event will kick off at 14:00 local time; in other words, in roughly one hour. That’s when the live reporting will commence; the team at poker.pro is excited for a week filled with action here in Birmingham. Just like the late Birmingham legend Ozzy Osbourne claimed, we’re indeed going off the rails on a crazy train.