After a absence of more than two-and-a-half-years the UKIPT packed its bags and headed back to Bristol for the fourth UKIPT stop of Season 5. Fortunately our Sat Nav didn't take us to Bristol, Connecticut and like many poker hopefuls we found ourselves ensconced in the Rainbow Casino today for the start of the UKIPT5 Bristol Main Event.
By the time late registration slammed shut after five levels of action 140 players from as far a field as Romania, Uruguay, USA, China, Vietnam and Trinidad had taken their shots at becoming the next UKIPT Bristol champion. With players from the UK and Ireland accounting for around 80% of the field it's no surprise that it's a player from closer to home who tops the chip counts tonight. Javed Ullah (224,700) was the player who topped them all, pipping local player Leslie Packer (212,700) to lead the 39 players who advanced. Although they were the only players to finish on more than 200,000 they're closely followed by Paul Loughlin (196,700), Chris Brice (181,800), Ben Winsor (175,600) and Ryan Spittles (171,100) who'll all have to arrive early on Day 2 to unbag their chips.
Whilst there were no Red Spades in the field today - Jake Cody and local lad Alex Millar play tomorrow - there were numerous big names who took to the felt on the opening flight all of whom were hoping to make an impression on this tournament. Fortunes were, as you'd expect, mixed, this is tournament poker after all and the Poker Gods care not for reputation. Whilst Dan Carter (43,300), Neil Raine (78,800), David Lappin (20,000), Richard Jones (64,300), Remigiusz Wyrzykiewicz (49,300), Lawrence Bayley (63,500), James Atkin (57,700), Paul Vas Nunes (33,500) and David Clarkson (134,500) all progressed to Day 2 with stacks of varying size, the likes of Kuljinder Sidhu, Fraser Macinture, Dara O'Kearney, Ollie Price, Phil Huxley, Fergal Nealon, Gary Clarke, Chris Gordon, Jonathan Rees and Ben Martin all busted out during today's 12 levels of play.
As well as Cody and Millar, Niall Farell, Owain Carey, Sam Macdonald and UKIPT champions Ludovic Geilich and Dean Hutchison are all slated to play tomorrow. You can catch up on all today's action by clicking the links below. Day 1B proceedings will start at noon, join us then for more UKIPT5 Bristol action, but for now, goodnight.
Levels 1-5
Levels 6-12
Overnight chip counts
All photos are copyright of Mickey May.