Yifei Dong wins the Grosvenor Behemoth and £51,229 — the best result of his career

Yifei Dong scored a major victory in the Grosvenor Behemoth Main Event, outlasting 1,355 entrants and earning a record £51,229.

At the end of the year, every poker player dreams of a big win, and for Yifei Dong, this December turned out to be truly special. In the main event of the £300 Grosvenor Behemoth series held in Coventry, he managed to outplay 1,355 entrants and claimed the biggest prize of his career — £51,229 from a total prize pool of £334,680 . Event Context: What is the Grosvenor Behemoth The Grosvenor Behemoth Main Event with a £300 buy-in is part of a major poker series held at the Grosvenor venue in Coventry. The tournament format is No-Limit Hold'em , and the affordable entry fee attracts both professionals and amateurs. This time, 1,355 players registered for the tournament, ensuring an impressive prize pool and a diverse group of finalists. Payouts were awarded to the top 169 players. Among them were well-known Team Grosvenor members: Katie Swift , Lorenc Boci , Keith Littlewood , Alex Montgomery , Thomas Clack , Robert Douras , Michael Rosaman , and Jay Harwood . The latter is better known for his work as a commentator at GUKPT tournaments alongside Phil "The Tower" Heald. Yifei Dong’s Road to Victory: Final Table Details At the start of the nine-handed final table, Yifei Dong held the chip lead, but his advantage was minimal — just one big blind ahead of Ben Liu in second place. Dorin Barban began the final with the shortest stack — only seven big blinds. Finalists’ Starting Stacks Yifei Dong — chip leader Ben Liu — second place, trailing by one big blind Dorin Barban — short stack, seven big blinds Final Table Action The first to leave the final table was Craig Conway . He went all-in with pocket aces (AA), but ran into Dong’s pocket nines (99). A nine hit the flop, and Conway couldn’t improve, exiting the tournament. Next out was Dorin Barban from Romania. Down to three big blinds, he shoved with A5, and Ali Sarkeshik called from the big blind with 98. An eight came on the flop, ending Barban’s run. Soon after, Chris Balmforth put his 11 big blinds in with AQ, and Liu called with JJ. Liu flopped a set, and Balmforth couldn’t survive. When six players remained, Ali Sarkeshik shoved pocket fives (55) from the small blind (12 big blinds). Mark Wagstaff called from the big blind with QJ. A queen hit the flop, and Sarkeshik finished in sixth place. Notably, his total live tournament winnings now exceed $750,000. Qing Zheng finished fifth, having earlier this year won £10,720 in the £250 Grosvenor 25/50 tournament in Birmingham. In the Behemoth, he earned £10,040, busting after going all-in with A4 against Liu’s KK. The kings held, ending Zheng’s run. Four-Way Deal and Tournament Conclusion When four players remained, they asked the tournament director to pause play and discuss a deal. After negotiations, each secured a payout ranging from £29,042 to £38,314, with another £15,000 left for the eventual champion. Mark Wagstaff benefited most from the deal, as he exited in fourth place. He went all-in with KJ against Dong’s K7. Dong hit one of the three remaining sevens on the turn, eliminating Wagstaff. Csaba Kovacs finished third. Down to three big blinds, he shoved with Q6. Dong Liu called from the small blind with K2 of hearts, and Dong called with T4 of clubs. Kovacs paired his six on the flop and was favored for a triple-up, but the river brought a king, and the chips went to Liu. Heads-Up: Battle for the Title In the final showdown, Yifei Dong started with a lead of 42 big blinds to Ben Liu ’s 25, but soon the stacks flipped. Dong then regained the advantage. In the decisive hand, Dong shoved with J9, and Liu called off his 22 big blinds with 73 of clubs. Dong paired his jack on the flop, and a deuce came on the turn, leaving Liu drawing dead. Thus, Ben Liu finished second, earning the biggest prize of his career — £38,314 , while Yifei Dong became champion with a payout of £51,229 . Brief History of Yifei Dong’s Success Before this victory, according to The Hendon Mob database, Yifei Dong had only two live tournament cashes: 4th place in a $230 buy-in event at Aria Las Vegas in March 2017 38th place in the £250 No-Limit Hold'em Mini Main at the GUKPT Edinburgh 2023 festival Total winnings from those events amounted to just $1,825. Thus, the Behemoth win was not only Dong’s largest, but also a true breakthrough in his poker career. Final Table Results of the £300 Behemoth Main Event Payouts reflect the four-way deal Place Player Prize (£) 1 Yifei Dong 51,229 2 Ben Liu 38,314 3 Csaba Kovacs 32,314 4 Mark Wagstaff 29,042 5 Qing Zheng 10,040 6 Ali Sarkeshik 7,080 7 Chris Balmforth 5,320 8 Dorin Barban 3,850 9 Craig Conway 2,820 Key Moments and Tournament Statistics Total number of entrants: 1,355 Prize pool: £334,680 Buy-in: £300 169 players received payouts Final table payouts ranged from £2,820 to £51,229 The winner — Yifei Dong, for whom this is the biggest success in live poker A deal was made among the final four players What This Means for PPPoker Club Players This success story clearly shows that even players with minimal live tournament experience can achieve major victories. For PPPoker club members, it’s a great example of how regular online play helps build skills that can then be applied at major live series. Even if you don’t yet have a long list of cashes, the main thing is not to miss opportunities and not to be afraid to compete in big events. Moreover, the tournament’s affordable buy-in (£300) and large field are similar to the structures often found in PPPoker club games. This means that the experience gained in online clubs translates directly to such live events: playing short stacks, making decisions in ICM spots, and discussing deals at the final table. Finally, making a deal at the final table is common not only in live events but also in PPPoker online clubs. Mastering negotiation and prize-splitting skills can significantly increase your long-term earnings. Follow the successes of players like Yifei Dong and apply the best practices in your own club tournaments!