2022 PokerStars EPT London

��5,300 EPT Main Event
Day: 6
Event Info

2022 PokerStars EPT London

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
ak
Prize
£664,400
Event Info
Buy-in
£5,300
Prize Pool
£3,632,650
Entries
749
Level Info
Level
34
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Players Info - Day 6
Entries
6
Players Left
1

Ian Hamilton Wins British Heads-Up Battle to Take Down EPT London Main Event (��664,400)

Level 34 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Ian Hamilton
Ian Hamilton

Britain's Ian Hamilton became the first European Poker Tour (EPT) champion on UK soil in eight years by taking down the PokerStars EPT London ��5,300 Main Event for ��664,400 and his first EPT title. The 31-year-old ran pure throughout the more than eight hours of play on Day 6 and overcame the sizable heads-up chip lead of fellow Brit Jack Sinclair.

��A couple of levels in I went out feeling a bit like demoralized and then just came back and said it��s time to put the pedal down and go for it," Hamilton said in a winner's interview with PokerStars commentator Joe Stapleton. "We��re here now, let��s take it while we can.��

Only six players remained of a field of 749 players heading into Day 6 of the ��5,300 buy-in event, which generated a prize pool of ��3,632,650. Those players included Switzerland's Alexandre Vuilleumier (3rd - ��296,150), Day 5 chip leader Roman Hrabec of the Czech Republic (4th - ��227,800) and Romanian filmmaker Danut Chisu (5th - ��175,250).

��5,300 EPT Main Event Final Table Results

 PLACEPLAYERCOUNTRYPRIZE (IN GBP)
 1Ian HamiltonUnited Kingdom��664,400
 2Jack SinclairUnited Kingdom��414,650
 3Alexandre VuilleumierSwitzerland��296,150
 4Roman HrabecCzech Republic��227,800
 5Danut ChisuRomania��175,250
 6Nils PudelGermany��134,800
 7David DochertyUnited Kingdom��103,700
 8Harry LodgeUnited Kingdom��79,750

A Revolutionary Victory

Hamilton, who had $271,971 in live tournament cashes heading into the EPT London Main Event, according to The Hendon Mob, started the day as a short stack but was able to stay afloat with a little help from positive variance.

In a crucial hand early in the day, Hamilton was at risk and dominated with ace-five against the ace-queen of Vuilleumier and had just three outs heading to the river. The river brought him one of those outs earn him an unlikely double as his rail erupted in celebration.

Ian Hamilton
Ian Hamilton reacts after doubling up by hitting a three-outer on the river

What does Hamilton attribute to his incredible Day 6 sun run?

��Months of run-bad,�� Hamilton told Stapleton with a laugh.

Throughout the final table, Hamilton��s face was heavily concealed beneath a dark oversized hoodie and pair of sunglasses that called back to the Golden Age of televised poker. But after the final hand was dealt, the British grinder was all smiles.

��That��s just me blocking the world out and trying to just play my cards and not worry about all the screens and stuff in your face," he explained.

Another Close Call for Sinclair

It appeared likely Sinclair would be the next EPT London champion as the 2018 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) winner dominated the final table and entered heads-up play with a sizable chip advantage.

But Sinclair, who had help from his hippopotamus card protector and a supportive father on the rail, had to settle for second place �� his second runner-up finish in a major tournament in just the last few months. Back in August, he finished second in the �1,100 Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event at EPT Barcelona for �377,120 to Rick van Bruggen of the Netherlands.

Jack Sinclair
Jack Sinclair

With his latest close call, the British poker pro adds ��414,650 to his $4.7 million in career live earnings.

Day 6 Action

Germany's Nils Pudel was the first to go on Day 6 and he fell in brutal fashion as his pocket aces were cracked by the runner-runner flush of Sinclair's ace-king.

Nils Pudel
Nils Pudel

Not long after, Romania's Chisu bowed out in fifth place when his king-jack couldn't get ahead of the pocket queens of Vuilleumier.

In a turn of events, Hrabec, a former ice hockey professional who started the day with the chip lead, fell in fourth place when his ace-ten was dominated by the ace-jack of Sinclair.

Roman Hrabec
Roman Hrabec

Hamilton stayed quiet for most of the Day 6 action but that changed when he open-shoved holding queen-jack only to be called by the ace-queen of Vuilleumier, who had a slightly smaller stack but couldn't fade Hamilton's run-good as the Brit made a straight to eliminate his Swiss opponent.

Despite entering heads-up play with a chip deficit, Hamilton managed to double through Sinclair and later took the lead by making trips to take a big pot off the 2018 WSOPE champ.

In the final hand of the tournament, Sinclair moved all in with ace-queen only to find himself dominated by the ace-king of Hamilton. Both players managed to flop gutshots but bricks on the turn and river left Hamilton ahead with the better ace-high to earn him the title.

��I��m feeling very good," Hamilton said after the victory. "I��m very tired, it��s been six long, long days.��

Ian Hamilton
Ian Hamilton celebrates with his rail after winning the 2022 EPT London Main Event
Ian Hamilton
Ian Hamilton

That wraps up the PokerNews live reporting team's coverage of the ��5,300 Main Event here at EPT London at the luxurious Hilton Park Lane. Be sure to check out the team's coverage of other events throughout the festival.

Tags: Alexandre VuilleumierDanut ChisuDavid DochertyHarry LodgeIan HamiltonJack SinclairNils PudelRick van BruggenRoman Hrabec