2.05pm: One for Aido, one for Ward
True to form the last two hands at this final table saw pre-flop raising wars break out, both involved Sergio Aido.
In the first Wim Neys opened to 100,000 from the cut-off, Aido three-bet to 260,000 from the small-blind, Weys four-bet to 510,000, Aido slid out a five-bet of 785,000 and Neys gave it up.
The very next hand Thomas Ward opened to 100,000 from the button, Aido three-bet to 260,000 but folded to Wards' just over min-four bet of 422,000.
The player are now on a 15 minute break during which we'll get official chip counts.
2pm: Thomas Ward doubles through Sergio Aido
They say luck evens itself out, after getting horrifically unlucky earlier, Thomas Ward just got lucky to stay in it.
Sergio Aido opened to 100,000 from early position, Ward then moved all-in from the small blind for 913,000 and Aido made the call.
Ward: [Ad][Jd]
Aido: [Kc][Ks]
The [Jd][3d][Ad] flop vaulted Ward from worst to first and he stayed there as the [6h][ and [3h] completed the board. Ward up to 1,850,000, Aido down to 2,450,000. -- NW
1.50pm: Pre-flop poker
Not too many flops being seen at the moment and those that do make it post-flop aren't making it past the flop.
Thomas Ward has moved in once, he's still keeping his head above water, but is the shortest stack. -- NW
1.35pm: Cesar Garcia eliminated in seventh place (£15,050)
Just one hand after Chris Dowling was eliminated Patrick Simcoe claimed another victim...
Cesar Garcia opened from early position off a stack of just shy of a million, Simcoe set him in from the small bind and Garcia called all-in.
Garcia: [Jc][Jh]
Simcoe: [Ks][Kd]
The [8s][5s][As] flop meant Garcia was drawing to one out, it didn't materialise on the [Qc] turn or [Kh] river.
It's been some start for Simcoe who now has around 5,700,000 chips and is the clear chip leader. -- NW
1.30pm: Chris Dowling eliminated in eighth place (£12,691)
One double up was all Chris Dowling would get...
The very next hand he shoved under-the-gun for around 400,000 with [Qd][7d], Patrick Simcoe gave him a spin from the big blind with [Kh][9s]. The [As][9s][5h][10c][8c] board means Dowling suffers yet more UKIPT final table disappointment. -- NW
1.25pm: Sergio Aido doubles through Chris Dowling
A huge pot has just gone the way of Sergio Aido and as a result he's now up to 3,500,000, whilst Chris Dowling is down to just 180,000.
The action was started by Aido, Dowling then three-bet, Aido four-bet shoved for 1,763,000 and Dowling called.
Aido: [10h][10d]
Dowling: [Ad][Kd]
The [5h][Qd][8s][5c][7c] board kept the Spaniard in front and left Dowling short.
Two hands later Dowling doubled through Aido, [Ad][10c] against [As][8c] but he's still very short on chips. -- NW
1.15pm: Neys takes a chunk from Garcia
Start of final table chip leader Wim Neys just won his biggest pot of the final table so far. There was a raise to 100,000 under-the-gun from Cesar Garcia and Neys defended from the big blind. On the [4s][5c][Ac] flop Garcia c-bet 110,000, Neys check-raised to 265,000 and Garcia smooth called. The [Js] fell on fourth street, Neys stayed aggressive, firing out a bet of 305,000, Garcia riffled his chips for a couple of minutes before releasing his hand. -- NW
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 25,000-50,000 ante 5,000
1.05pm: Ward wins back to back pots
Thomas Ward was actually down to around 500,000 after losing that pot to Patrick Simcoe, but he has shoved two hands in a row to pick up some much needed chips. The first was an open shove, garnering him 80,000, but in the second he raised all-in from the big blind over the top of Wim Neys 80,000 open from the button. After getting a count Neys folded. -- NW
12.50pm: Patrick Simcoe doubles through Thomas Ward
I don't think I've ever seen someone take a beat of such magnitude or importance as well as Thomas Ward just did.
Pre-flop Simcoe raised to 80,000 from middle position, Ward three-bet to 195,000 from the small blind and Simcoe smooth called. The flop fell [3d][Jc][2d], Ward led for 175,000, Simcoe moved all-in for 1,695,000 and Ward snap called.
Ward: [Jd][Js] - top set
Simcoe: [Ad][8d] - nut flush draw
The [8c] turn was a blank as even if Simcoe hit another eight he'd still lose the pot, but the [4d] river card saw Simcoe, who had already stood up and collected his belongings, sit back down, Ward simple took his head phones out and inquired as to how much he owed Simcoe. After that hand Simcoe takes the chip lead as he's up to around 3,650,000 whilst Ward slips to around 600,000. -- NW
12.45pm: Three-bet for the win
It's been an aggressive tournament throughout and it didn't take long for the first three-bet pot of this final table. It folded to Philippe Souki in the cut-off, he opened to 80,000 then called when Sergio Aido made it 175,000 on the button.
The two of them saw a [Ks][4s][10d] flop and a c-bet of 180,000 from Aido was enough to take down the pot. -- NW
12.40pm: And they're off
The players are into the final furlong of this tournament and cards are now in the air here in London. -- NW
12.30pm: Welcome to the UKIPT final table
Hello and welcome to the UKIPT final table, we've got a mix of Brits, Irish, Belgians and Spaniards for the finale of Season 3. It's Belguim's Wim Neys who leads the way, although the chasing pack is not far behind.
This is how the final eight stack up as we get underway...
Seat 1 - Guy Goossens, Belgium, 1,250,000
Seat 2 - Patrick Simcoe, UK, 1,234,000
Seat 3 - Chris Dowling, Ireland, 2,262,000
Seat 4 - Wim Neys, Belgium, 3,270,000
Seat 6 - Cesar Garcia, Spain, 1,156,000
Seat 7 - Tom Ward, UK, 2,474,000
Seat 8 - Philippe Souki, UK, 2,402,000
Seat 9 - Sergio Aido, Spain, 1,748,000
and this is what they're playing for
1st. £156,800
2nd. £104,600
3rd. £63,560
4th. £44,870
5th. £33,680
6th. £22,490
7th. £15,050
8th. £12,691
If you'd like to know a bit more about the players in the final eight click here.
Play will be underway shortly, there's 21 minutes left in the current level.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in London: Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May.