ShareBen “Spraggy” Spragg has taken down his first live tournament at the PokerStars UKIPT Brighton, winning the Main Event. The PokerStars Team Online Pro topped a field of 352 entries to collect the £69,120 first-place prize.
“It’s unbelievable. I’ve been playing UKIPT’s since 2011 and to win one…I’m lost for words.
“I’m genuinely really emotional. I didn’t think I would be because there was such a good atmosphere at the final table, it didn’t feel like a final table. Having Adam [McKola] there and other players I know, it didn’t feel that intense.”
Although predominantly an online tournament player, Spraggy was still itching to break his duck in the live arena, especially as his friend Parker Talbot is still yet to achieve a live win, too.
The tension must have been palpable when the action moved into the heads-up stage. Spraggy could see the finish line but stood between him and the win was none other German high stakes crusher Dominik Nitsche. It would be no small feat to pull this off.
Nitsche had been third in chips but luckily managed to double up through Adam McKola before Spraggy knocked him out with pocket queens which held.
Spraggy now only had a chip lead of 2-1 but almost managed to seal the deal after a few hands before a split pot saved Nitsche. The German then doubled up to make it a fair fight with equal stacks.
But the battle wouldn’t go on for much longer. Spraggy found a nice call to pick off an ambitious bluff from Nitsche, leaving him with a single chip. The next hand it really was all over and Spraggy was champion.
“...when we got heads-up for those last hands, my adrenaline really kicked in and I was really feeling it. I had such a big chip lead that it actually put pressure on me. The expectation is that I’m going to get it over the line.
“But you’re not playing just any old poker player. Dom is one of the best in our industry. He’s been there and done it, so I didn’t want to give him any room.”
UKIPT Brighton Main Event Final Table Results
| PLACE | PLAYER | COUNTRY | PRIZE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benjamin Spragg | United Kingdom | £69,120 |
| 2 | Dominik Nitsche | Germany | £42,150 |
| 3 | Adam McKola | United Kingdom | £30,110 |
| 4 | Oliver Hutchins | United Kingdom | £23,160 |
| 5 | Alessandro Spina | Italy | £17,820 |
| 6 | Sebastian Gohr | United Kingdom | £13,700 |
| 7 | Jun Beum Chun | South Korea | £10,540 |
| 8 | Stewart Kirby | United Kingdom | £8,690 |
| 9 | Oscar Tompsett | United Kingdom | £7,240 |
