Sunny's Delight at GUKPT Manchester

Sunny's Delight at GUKPT Manchester

Monday, 23 September 2013

The Blue half of Manchester weren't the only people celebrating in Manchester yesterday. Sunny Chattha had plenty of reason to cheer too after taking down the latest leg of the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT) at the city's G Casino.

Chattha worked his way through a field of 180 runners before defeating Bluff Europe's own strategy columnist Jeff Kimber to the trophy. A third runner up finish shouldn't be too disappointing for Kimber though who with Shebhaz Hussain took home the largest cash score of £43,000 after a chop when play was three handed.

It took about an hour for the first final table elimination to take place with the short stacked Danny Tran taking a stand with A2. Unfortunately for him he ran into Hussain's AK which held. Irish Open winner Ian Simpson was the next to go when his A6 couldn't overturn Kimber's pocket 10s. Mark Lane followed soon after, dropping all of his stack in the space of two hands. The big damage was done when he lost a flip with jacks against Chattha's AK. He moved in again next hand with J-10, this time running into Jeff Kimber's ace king which once again held. Tony Broadbent followed in sixth when his A9 couldn't outrun Gordon McArthur's 10s.

McArthur would be ruing his ill fortune soon after though. He appeared to be in great shape after calling Shehbaz Hussain's four-bet pre flop shove. With only the river to come his aces looked set to double up against Hussain's pocket 10s but, you've guessed it, the final card was a 10 to send McArthur to the rail.

After Adam Forsyth departed in fourth, the final trio agreed a deal that would see Hussain and Kimber take £43,000 apiece, Chattha £33,000 with £2,000 left to play for.

Hussain's great run eventually stalled in third when his K6 was unable to beat Chattha's A6. The £43,000 payday is a great achievement fro a player whose highest previous live score was £520. That left the two veteran British pros to battle it out for the title.

Kimber started heads up play with a two to one chip lead but that position was reversed almost immediately after both players flopped top pair. Chattha had the better kicker and didn't look back from there. Bluff's regular strategy columnist shoved his final 10 big blinds with 5h4h and was looked up by Chattha's KhJh. A jack on the flop sealed the deal to give Chattha his second GUKPT title after winning in Walsall in 2009.

The final table positions and payouts were as follows:

1st - £35,000 - Sunny Chattha**
2nd - £43,000 - Jeff Kimber**
3rd - £43,000 - Shehbaz Hussain**
4th - £15,000 - Adam Forsyth
5th - £11,500 - Gordon McArthur
6th - £9,500 - Tony Broadbent
7th - £7,500 - Mark Lane
8th - £5,500 - Ian Simpson
9th - £4,000 - Danny Tran

The tour heads south next month with the G Casino the venue for GUKPT Luton. The festival runs from 13-20 October with the £1,000+£70 Main Event taking place from Thursday 17 October. Qualify online at Grosvenor Poker.
Image courtesy of GUKPT.



Tags: GUKPT Manchester, Sunny Chattha, Jeff Kimber