British poker pro Stephen Barnes won his first major title of his career on Sunday, after topping a star-studded field in the 2024 888poker LIVE Manchester £1,100 Main Event at Grosvenor Casino. He took home a career-best £58,000 for his grand victory.
More than the cash prize, Barnes was more fascinated by the 888poker trophy, which he received for his win. Since childhood, Barnes has always wanted to be the last one standing, and for him, the trophy is worth more than the cash prize.
The 888poker LIVE Manchester Main Event was held at the Grosvenor Casino from 21st August to 25th August. The £1,100 buy-in NLH Main Event attracted 279 players across the three starting flights, generating a prize pool of £265,050, with only the top 33 players receiving a payout.
The massive field soon narrowed down to the final 9, and they returned for Day 3 to find a champion. Here is the final table recap of the £1,100 buy-in 888poker LIVE Manchester Main Event.
2024 888poker LIVE Manchester Main Event Final Table Recap and Standings
Short stack Qasim Zia was the first casualty of the final table, as he got the last of his stacks in with A-J only to meet Man Li’s A-Q. Qasim Zia left the table in 9th place for £6,100.
Mark McDade (8th) soon followed Zia to the rail as he moved all in with pocket nines against Jamie Walden’s pocket rockets.
Man Li lost his chip stack to Aram Ramadan, leaving him short for tournament life. After a quick break, Li went all in with A-4 against Ramadan’s Q-10. Ramadan hit a Q on the flop, sending Li out in 7th place for £8,150.
As the blinds rose, short stacks were the first to leave the table. Robot Boon, with just 3 big blinds, moved all in with Q-4 against Jamie Walden’s 9-2. The board card came out K-J-2-2-6, giving Walden trips. Boon bowed out in 6th place for £10,200.
In a post-flop action, Aram Ramadan held A-K and Stephen Barnes held 6-6. The flops were A-6-2, giving Barnes a set. Barnes moved all-in, Ramadan used his time bank to think for some time before calling. The turn and the river card couldn’t improve Ramadan’s top pair, sending him out in 5th for £13,900.
David Gee was the next player to fall, Gee shoved the last of his stack with A-2 only to meet Barnes’s A-6. David Gee was eliminated in 4th place, earning £20,000, setting off the three-handed play.
The three-handed play lasted over two hours, until Zhicheng Miao eliminated the bracelet winner Jamie Walden (3rd – £30,000), starting the heads-up battle.
Before starting the heads-up both players agreed to a deal, in which Barnes got £48,000 and Miao £44,000 with the winner of the duel getting the extra £10,000.
Barnes held a massive chip lead in the heads-up, which Miao couldn’t overcome. In the final hand, Barnes went all in with Q♥︎7♦ and Miao called it with K♦7♥︎. The board came out J♠︎3♣︎2♥︎Q♦2♦, ending the deep run of Miao in 2nd place for £44,000. Stephen Barnes was awarded a £58,000 cash prize and the 888poker LIVE trophy for his win.
| Rank | Player | Prize |
| 1st | Stephen Barnes | £58,000 |
| 2nd | Zhicheng Miao | £44,000 |
| 3rd | Jamie Walden | £30,000 |
| 4th | David Gee | £20,000 |
| 5th | Aram Ramadan | £13,900 |
| 6th | Robert Boon | £10,200 |
| 7th | Man Li | £8,150 |
| 8th | Mark McDade | £7,020 |
| 9th | Qasim Zia | £6,100 |
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Image Credit: 888Poker
