The popular Dusk Till Dawn casino in Nottingham recently hosted the beloved UK Poker Championship (UKPC) - a series that has garnered a reputation as a homegrown festival with international ambitions. In recent years, it has become a solid season opener – a festival that can pack the tournament halls.
Last year's Main Event carried a million-pound guarantee, with the top six participants of the final deal benefiting the most - Jiawei Wan claimed the title along with £113,440. This year's edition took place from January 17th to 26th, with the main attraction being the UKPC Main Event featuring a £560 buy-in and a £500,000 guarantee.
Exceeded Guarantee and a Battle for £101,000
Now to the crux – the Main Event. It recorded 1,159 entries, creating a prize pool of £556,320. Payouts began at position 175 (min-cash £1,000), and the tournament went through the usual marathon: a long Day 2, with a substantial dose of genuine poker, concluding with the final sixteen.
At the beginning of the final day, Amir Zaregarizi held the chiplead with 16,150,000, putting him in the best position to attack the £101,000 premium. Unfortunately, Amir's final day did not go as planned and he transformed this advantage into merely a 10th place (earning £4,250), as he was the one to form the final table. The action was streamed live:
The Fairy Tale Run of Hong Pham
And then came a story that will be talked about at UKPC for years. Hong Pham entered Day 3 in the short stack position with just around 9 blinds. But a few hours later, she was the one setting the pace. She gradually accumulated chips, handled critical spots, and pressured her opponents at the right moments – at the final table, it was clear she would be unstoppable.
The final table moved at a brisk pace, and within 4 levels, the tournament transitioned into heads-up. There, Dickinson attempted to stop Pham, but unsuccessfully – in the last hand, he went all-in with A d 5 c, and Pham had no doubts with K h K d. The board offered no help, and it was done: Haydn Dickinson took £63,000 for second place while Hong Pham lifted the trophy and £101,000. Hong Pham thus became the first female champion of the UKPC Main Event in the series' history – a milestone that gives the 2026 edition a special mark.
Final Table Results:
| Position | Player Name | Country | Amount |
| 1 | Hong Pham | England | £101,000 |
| 2 | Haydn Dickinson | England | £63,000 |
| 3 | Paul Tait | England | £43,450 |
| 4 | Jacque Ramsden | England | £29,370 |
| 5 | Nicholas Rose | England | £20,250 |
| 6 | Stephen Blow | England | £14,250 |
| 7 | Jose Bazan | England | £10,250 |
| 8 | John Hall | England | £7,250 |
| 9 | Alistair Massie | England | £5,250 |
Sources – Poker.Pro, SoMuchPoker, DuskTillDawnPoker, YouTube, Photo: Jemma Grice
