Colin McTaggart wins GUKPT Walsall Main Event

Colin McTaggart wins GUKPT Walsall Main Event

Monday, 1 March 2010

30-year old Colin McTaggart from Ormskirk outlasted what was arguably one of the best GUKPT field ever assembled to take the first prize of £57,700, 125 player of the year ranking points plus a seat in the end of year Champion of Champions event. Nice work when you're freerolling.

And freerolling was exactly what McTaggart was doing after qualifying for the event via a freeroll from BlueSquarePoker.com in association with A World of Poker.


Speaking on the GUKPT blog after his big win a delighted McTaggart said, “It had been my goal to play in a GUKPT main event this year and I was delighted to have won my way in via the AWOP Players’ Club. It is a dream to have gone on to claim the win. All it has cost me is £30 in petrol money.”


McTaggart steered his way through a tough looking final table that included two former GUKPT Main Event winners in the form of Colin Wu and Mike Ellis, Littlewoods World Heads Up runner up James Mitchell and Coral British Masters of Poker Tour winner Tom MacDonald.


After knocking out long time chip leader Alli Mallu in third place, McTaggart went into a heads up battle with Birmingham's Anthony Crotty with a healthy chip lead, an advantage he wouldn't relinquish. The final hand saw McTaggart make a great call on the river to seal the win. After McTaggart bet the river, Crotty re-raised all in on a very dangerous looking flushing board of 8-J-10-Q-10. After going into the tank, Belfast born McTaggart made the call showing AK for a straight, easily beating Crotty's top pair. The Birmingham man collected £39,150 for his second place finish.


The final table positions and payouts were as follows:
1. Colin McTaggart £57,700
2. Anthony Crotty £39,150
3. Alli Mallu £25,250
4. Mike Ellis £14,950
5. Tom McDonald £11,350
6. Darren Hickman £9,250
7. Colin Wu £7,200
8. Mike Hill £5,650
9.James Mitchell £4,100
10.Karl Limbert £3,600


The GUKPT next heads to London's Victoria Casino from 18th to 28th March for the third leg of this season's tour. The action continues online tonight though in the latest 10% Online Series event. As well as cash, the winner will also earn a seat in the Champion of Champions event.
Image courtesy of GUKPT.



Tags: Poker News, Colin, McTaggart, wins, GUKPT, Walsall, Main, Event