MPN Poker Tour 2017 – Manchester

After months of action, with the MPN poker tour having made its way across Europe, we’ve come to one of the most anticipated poker events of the year: the MPNPT Manchester stop! The MPN, with the help of Betsson, brought hundreds of Europe’s best players to one of Europe’s most historic cities. 

From July 20 – 23, the poker tournament took over the Grosvenor Casino with the main event, player parties, and a range of Betsson promotions, making this one of the most exciting Manchester poker tournaments ever. Wish you’d been there or looking for a catch-up? We’ll break down the entirety of the weekend’s action, from the first draw to the final raise, plus all the fun bits in between!

The Main Event

With a guaranteed prize pool of £150,000 up for grabs and 288 attendees eager to prove themselves on the big stage, the MPN poker tour main event was set for three days of heart-pounding action, with every decision the difference between glory and disappointment, victory and defeat. 

When all was said and done and the last chip had been wagered, Tim Chung emerged as the winner of this year’s Manchester poker tournament. The young man from Birmingham, UK, saw off every challenger in an exciting final table showdown, coolly dispatching the veteran Alex “King” Kong to claim his £29,900 prize.

In a tense one-on-one finale, Alex Kong drew Jh-10s against Chung’s 9d-3h before the flop, with both players choosing to check in a cautious opening phase. When the flop came up 7d-2c-9h, Kong looked to claim an advantage with an all-in call, only for Chung to respond in kind. When the Turn and River showed Ac-Kc, the writing was on the wall. 

After a valiant fight, Kong claimed second place in the MPN poker tournament, taking home £21,800. As for the other runner-ups, Cieran Tighe finished third after taking on Tim Chung, leaving with £16,350 in his pocket, while Yiannis Liperis Busto squandered the largest chip advantage to finish fourth, finishing the Manchester MPN poker tour with £12,350.

Betsson Promotions for Players

While the Texas Holdem tournament was undoubtedly the main event of the weekend, not all of the 288 participants could make it to the final table. Luckily, there was lots more going on! There was a range of Betsson promotions running concurrently with the main event, not to mention the side activities managed by the MPN poker tour, providing non-stop fun for everyone – not just the players with the largest stacks.

The weekend started with a bang with the infamous MPNPT player’s party. Taking place at the Grosvenor Casino where the poker tournament was also hosted, the player’s party was the perfect place for guests to relax before a weekend of intense gameplay. Here, they could catch up with old friends, scope out the competition, and most importantly, have a good time. Additionally, players could meet our friendly brand representatives and learn about the Betsson promotions on offer over the weekend.

It wasn’t just card games and parties, however. Over the weekend, players could come down and test their reaction timings on the Batak Pro Challenge, a machine used by sportsmen, race drivers, and now poker players to test their reaction timing. Basically a giant game of whack-a-mole, it was a real hit! For those who became masters of the game, side event tickets, drinks vouchers, casino packages were up for grabs.

Players who won entry to the MPN poker tour in Manchester through Betsson were treated to a number of exclusive add-ons. This included their ticket to the main poker event (worth £550), entry into the smaller side event, accommodation for themselves and a guest at the Park Inn Radisson, and £200 travel expenses. Altogether, it made for one hell of a weekend.

Side Events

The MPN poker tour main event wasn’t the only way to win over the weekend. There were multiple poker events running alongside the £150,000 draw, meaning that if players were knocked out, they had another chance to walk away with money in their pocket.

The MPNPT NL Hold’em Turbo poker tournament was held on July 21, with a buy-in of just £100. In this fast-paced form of poker, players are pitted against each other as they would be in a traditional game of Texas Holdem, only the blinds increase at a far faster rate. Another side event was the MPNPT UK Poker Cup, a smaller competition with a lower buy in than the main event, and subsequently a smaller prize. 

While neither of these events had the prestige of the MPN poker tour main event, their action-packed gameplay made them popular events amongst the competitors. Other side events included the Omaha Cup, the NLH Freezeout, and the MPN Doubles event, all of which had a variety of prizes, buy ins, and rules.

On top of this, the Betsson promotion’s team ran the Last Longer Competition, whereby participants would try and remain in the main event for the longest amount of time. These players were easily identifiable by their ‘Last Longer’ lanyards, making the competition even fiercer. The eventual winner of the Last Longer Competition would win a package to the MPN poker tournament in Tallinn worth £1500! As luck – or skill – would have it, a Betsafe player managed to last the longest, securing his entry into the upcoming Tallinn MPN poker tour.

Looking Ahead

Now that the dust has settled, it’s safe to say that the MPN poker tour’s Manchester stop was a huge success. Looking ahead, MPN and Betsson are bringing all of the excitement of this poker tournament to Tallinn, Estonia from Oct 19 – 22. So, be on the lookout for satellite poker events if you fancy a chance of booking your ticket to the main event. Who knows, you could just walk away as a winner!