The 888poker LIVE festival in Manchester is officially in the books and it was another in the series of great live events thrown by 888. If there were ever any doubts that moving the stop from London to Manchester would have a significant negative impact on the numbers, the final tally put those concerns to rest.
The Manchester festival was another strong showing across the board, with the £1,100 Main Event attracting 279 entries over the course of four initial Day 1 flights. This turnout meant a big prize pool and £60,000 for the winner — a prize well worth fighting for.
As always, numerous 888poker ambassadors took their seats at the tables, and although none of them could make it to the final table of the Main, they posted some decent results, with Ian Simpson finding some success in side events.
Stephen Barnes Finds Luck in Manchester
One player in particular will have fond memories of the Manchester event, and that player is Stephen Barnes. With just $40,000 in live tournament earnings heading into the tournament, Barnes managed to become the last person standing in the 279-player field, picking up £58,000 for his efforts.
His results may not have been impressive thus far, but according to the interview he gave after the win, he’s only been playing poker for two years, so he’s been fairly successful over his short career, and things seem to be looking up.
The final score was a result of the heads up deal between Barnes and the last remaining opponent, Zhicheng Miao, where they locked up £48,000 and £44,000, respectively, leaving £10,000 and the trophy to play for.
In the final skirmish, Barnes continued the domination he started when the final table was down to five players. Despite Miao finding one double-up, it wasn’t enough to get him back in the match, and on the second showdown, Barnes spiked his queen on the turn to wrap things up.
Ten Days of Quality Poker Action
The Manchester event lasted August 14 — 25, and in addition to the Main Event, there was plenty of action around it to accommodate all buy-ins and give players something to enjoy in the days leading up to the Main or after busting.
The £550 Dragon was one of the final events on the schedule, and this is the one where Ian Simpson brought some redemption for Team 888poker, finishing a runner-up in a 101-player field and picking up £8,880 for his efforts.
There were also many tournaments in the £200 – £300 buy-in region on the docket, as well as numerous affordable Main Event satellites running around the clock, so all players who came out to Manchester could find plenty of action without breaking the bank.
The Main Event action was also streamed on the operator’s Twitch channel, giving those who made a deep run an opportunity to share their journey with their friends.
With things wrapping up in Manchester, 888poker LIVE will be staying in the country, as the next stop is taking place in October in Coventry. As always, there will be online satellites running, offering packages to the £880 Main Event (including travel and accommodation), so you can secure your experience on a budget!