Rene Si became the first female GUKPT champion in history

Rene Si made history by becoming the first woman to win the GUKPT Main Event in Luton, outlasting 395 opponents. Her victory marked a milestone moment for British poker.

A landmark event has taken place in the history of British poker: for the first time in twenty seasons of the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT), a woman has become the Main Event champion. Renee Xie claimed victory in the 2026 GUKPT Luton Main Event, outlasting 395 opponents and taking home the top prize of £35,435. This achievement not only brought her a career-best win, but also etched her name in the GUKPT annals as the first female Main Event winner in the series’ history. GUKPT Luton 2026 Main Event: The Road to a Historic Victory The 2026 GUKPT Luton Main Event attracted 396 entrants, each paying a £560 buy-in. The tournament’s prize pool reached an impressive £188,100, with payouts for the top 50 players. The event was held at the Grosvenor venue in Luton and marked the sixth stop of the GUKPT’s milestone twentieth season. Renee Xie already had experience at GUKPT final tables: in 2017, she finished second at the Leeds stop, earning £33,000 — her best live poker result until now. But in Luton, Xie managed to surpass herself and finally claim the title that had eluded her for nearly a decade. In a post-victory interview, Renee admitted she was overwhelmed with emotion and couldn’t believe what had happened. She emphasized how much this achievement meant to her. The Final Table: Battle for the Title The final table brought together the tournament’s nine strongest players, including both seasoned pros and new faces. Here’s how the final stage unfolded: 9th place – Yifei Dong (£3,120): Yifei Dong was the first to leave the final table, marking his third cash in live Grosvenor events. Previously, he won £51,229 in the £300 No-Limit Hold'em at Behemoth 2025 and finished runner-up in the G300 in Coventry in February 2026, earning £26,800. 8th place – Timothy Chung (£3,790): The 2022 GUKPT London Main Event champion finished in eighth place. 7th place – Jay Samani (£6,100): Busted in seventh place, taking home one of the biggest payouts of his career. 6th place – Joseph Phillips (£6,110): This was his third-largest live tournament cash. 5th place – Ciaran McCullagh (£8,480): Known for his deep run in the 2024 WSOP Main Event, where he won $140,000. In Luton, he finished fifth. 4th place – Gary Nordigian (£12,140): His tournament ended when he went all-in with 11 big blinds holding 10-5 of diamonds, but ran into Xie’s pocket aces. Although he made two pair on the turn, the river gave Xie a set, knocking Nordigian out. When three players remained, they agreed to an ICM (Independent Chip Model) deal, redistributing the prize money among them and leaving £9,100 to play for the eventual champion. 3rd place – Christopher Gallagher (£26,930): Thanks to the deal, Gallagher received significantly more than the original third-place payout (£18,600). His exit left Renee Xie and Sanjay Ranchhoddas heads-up. 2nd place – Sanjay Ranchhoddas (£28,545): For Ranchhoddas, who only recently began playing live tournaments, this was his first major success. 1st place – Renee Xie (£35,435): The win brought Xie not only the title, but also a new career-best cash. Key Hand of the Final The decisive hand took place at blinds 60,000/120,000. Ranchhoddas raised to 300,000 with A3 of hearts, leaving himself with less than a million chips. Xie called with T8. The flop came T-9-9; Xie checked, Ranchhoddas bet 375,000, and Xie moved all-in. Ranchhoddas called off his short stack. The turn was a seven, the river a queen, and Ranchhoddas finished the tournament in second place. Thus, Renee Xie became the first female GUKPT Main Event champion, and her victory sparked a storm of discussion in the poker community. Social media saw both congratulations and accusations directed at Xie: one player claimed she owed him £15,000, while others brought up allegedly unfulfilled staking deals from nearly a decade ago. GUKPT Luton Main Event 2026 Final Table Results (Reflecting the three-way ICM deal) Place Player Prize (£) 1 Renee Xie 35,435 2 Sanjay Ranchhoddas 28,545 3 Christopher Gallagher 26,930 4 Gary Nordigian 12,140 5 Ciaran McCullagh 8,480 6 Joseph Phillips 6,110 7 Jay Samani 6,100 8 Timothy Chung 3,790 9 Yifei Dong 3,120 Other GUKPT Luton Highlights: Side Events and Winners In addition to the Main Event, the GUKPT Luton stop featured other tournaments where players also competed for impressive prizes: £1,000 High Roller: The winner was Ciaran McCullagh, who took home £16,620. Notably, he also finished fifth in the Main Event. £250 Mini Main: The top spot went to Reza Moghaddam, who won £19,250. £340 GUKPT Cup: Mariusz Czech claimed victory and received £9,665. £200 Closer: Keith Littlewood finished first, adding £2,600 to his bankroll. Among the Main Event prizewinners were well-known players such as Charlie Waters (runner-up at GUKPT Luton 2025), Adam Wilkinson, John Bousfield, Lorenc Boci, Yucel Eminoglu, Paul Romain, Sinead and Matthew Davenport, as well as Keith Littlewood. What is the GUKPT and Why is the Series Famous? The Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT) is one of the oldest and most prestigious poker series in the UK, launched twenty years ago. Tournaments are held at the largest Grosvenor casinos across the country, attracting both local pros and international guests. Over the years, the series has been a proving ground for many well-known players, and winning the GUKPT Main Event is considered a major achievement for any poker professional. Each stop features not only the Main Event, but also a variety of side events with different buy-ins and formats, allowing players with all bankroll sizes to try their hand at live poker. Coming Up — GUKPT Leeds: Details and Expectations The next, seventh stop of the 2026 GUKPT season will take place in Leeds from September 24 to October 4. The schedule includes numerous tournaments, including a Main Event with a £1,000 buy-in and a £200,000 guarantee. Last year, the GUKPT Leeds title was claimed by Keith Littlewood, who outlasted 246 opponents and won £40,440. For players planning to participate, the Leeds stop is a great opportunity to test their skills in one of the UK’s most prestigious poker tournaments and compete for big prizes. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this news is a great example of how regular practice and tournament participation can lead to major achievements in live poker. Renee Xie’s story shows that even if victory takes a long time, persistence and experience will eventually pay off. Regular play in PPPoker clubs helps hone your skills, analyze tough spots, and develop mental resilience — qualities that are crucial at the final tables of major live tournaments. Moreover, the GUKPT Luton results highlight the importance of proper bankroll management and understanding tournament structures. Many series participants successfully combine playing in various formats — from high roller events to tournaments with small buy-ins. This proves that the variety of formats available in PPPoker clubs helps prepare for any challenge in a live series. Finally, experience with final table deals (ICM deals), which are common in major series, can also be valuable for online players. By mastering these skills in PPPoker clubs, you’ll feel more confident in any tournament situation — whether at a virtual table or in live play.