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Ian Simpson Won the UKPL High Roller, Then He Won the Main Event Too
Ian Simpson arrived in Manchester looking to put a difficult summer behind him. A couple of days a countless chips later, he left with both of the festival’s biggest trophies.
The 888poker ambassador won the £1,100 High Roller on Friday before coming back to top 345 entries in the £560 UKPL Manchester Main Event, collecting another £38,000. The two victories added up to £54,620 and gave Simpson one of the standout weeks of the 2026 UK Poker League season.
Simpson Tops 345-Entry Main Event
The Main Event brought together a final table filled almost entirely with familiar names from the British circuit.
Colin Myott was first to leave in ninth, followed by Mohammed Ifzail and Gaoyang Yang. Callum Morgan went in sixth before Tom Cazaletz and Ronnie Marland departed, leaving Simpson alongside Lewis Spencer and Ali Mallu for the final three.
Spencer’s elimination in third set up the final duel between Simpson and Mallu.
The 888poker ambassador eventually closed out the tournament for £38,000, with Mallu taking £25,400 for second. Spencer’s third-place finish was worth £16,700.
UKPL Manchester Main Event Final Table
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ian Simpson | £38,000 |
| 2 | Ali Mallu | £25,400 |
| 3 | Lewis Spencer | £16,700 |
| 4 | Ronnie Marland | £11,000 |
| 5 | Tom Cazaletz | £7,500 |
| 6 | Callum Morgan | £5,400 |
| 7 | Gaoyang Yang | £4,200 |
| 8 | Mohammed Ifzail | £3,400 |
| 9 | Colin Myott | £2,840 |
The result added another Main Event trophy to a résumé that already includes the 2013 Irish Open, the 2025 888poker LIVE Madrid Main Event and last year’s UKPL Newcastle Main Event.
The High Roller Win That Started the Week
Before Simpson reached the Main Event final table, he already put one trophy in the bag.
The £1,100 High Roller attracted 49 entries, with six players eventually reaching the money. Simpson’s route to the title nearly ended with nine remaining.
He three-bet ace-king from the button before Josh Manley four-bet pocket kings from the big blind. The chips went in, and Simpson remained behind through a jack-ten-five-five board. Fortunately, an ace on the river kept him alive.
Yucel Eminoglu later became the bubble player, while Simpson eventually reached heads-up against Andy Wilson and completed the run for £16,620. Wilson earned £11,400 and Martin Byrne took £7,600 for third.
UKPL Manchester High Roller Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ian Simpson | £16,620 |
| 2 | Andy Wilson | £11,400 |
| 3 | Martin Byrne | £7,600 |
| 4 | Harry Sandford | £5,230 |
| 5 | Niall Grace | £3,800 |
| 6 | Josh Manley | £2,850 |
Manchester Main Event Grows From 2024
The UKPL returned to Manchester this year after its previous visit in 2024.
That edition drew 328 Main Event entries, with Jamie Geraghty taking the title and £30,610. Simpson’s 2026 victory came against 345 entries and paid £38,000, giving the latest Manchester stop a slightly larger field and considerably larger first prize.
| Manchester Main Event | Entries | Main Event Winner | First Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 328 | Jamie Geraghty | £30,610 |
| 2026 | 345 | Ian Simpson | £38,000 |
The next UKPL stop is the Coventry Grand Final from November 10–15, one of only a couple more live events Simpson currently expects to play this year. Before then, he is also due at 888poker LIVE London in October.
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