South African James Parker took down the second leg of the Genting Poker Series in Sheffield from 12-16 March 2014.
Parker outlasted the 21 hopefuls who returned for Sunday’s final day and picked up £22,120 and the trophy to take home to SA after a heads-up battle with Richard Kellett.
When it got to heads-up play it was just the trophy at stake after a deal had been reached three-handed and the players were pretty level in chips, but after Parker rivered a flush against the flopped set of Kellett there was no way back and eventually the last of Kelletts chips went in with A-7 against the South African’s A-K.
The players reached their deal before long-time chip leader Ali Mallu went out in third, taking home a whopping £31,425 after a great effort in Sheffield. Kellett and Parker agreeing on £24,855 and £22,120 respectively.
Mallu went into the final table as the chip leader and didn’t slow down, just putting constant pressure on the other players.
Gabriel Tuna was the first player to be eliminated, holding pocket 10s he got it all in against Mallu’s K-J. Gabriel flopped a set but Ali hit runner, runner for broadway to net all Tuna’s chips.
Steve Devine would be the eighth-placed finisher after a huge pot with Kellett, whose kings stood up.
Charles Akadiri went out next after shoving with 7-6. He got looked up by Steve Warburton holding A-9. Despite flopping a straight draw Akadiri couldn’t get there and departed in seventh place.
Dean Clay was the man to bust out in sixth place. All-in with pocket threes against the A-10 of Ashley Locker, Locker flopped an ace to scoop the pot.
Then perhaps the sickest hand of the final table. Mallu moved in and Warburton called off his remaining stack with pocket eights with Mallu tabling 5-2. But a two on the flop and a five on the river saw Warburton out in fifth place.
After a lengthy four-handed exchange which went on for more than an hour, proceedings eventually came to a head when Locker called off his stack with K-J and ran into the A-10 of Mallu. Locker flopped a jack, but an ace on the turn awarded the pot to Mallu.
So Mallu took home the lion’s share of the money but the Sheffield trophy heads off to South Africa, with the series moving on to Southend for the third leg, which takes place from 9-13 April 2014.
GPS Sheffield 2014 main event
1st James Parker £22,120
2nd Richard Kellett £24,855
3rd Ali Mallu £31,425
4th Ashley Locker £13,335
5th Steve Warburton £10,490
6th Dean Clay £7,950
7th Charles Akadiri £6,205
8th Steve Devine £4,720
9th Gabriel Tuna £3,205
