Maria Lampropulos defeated Cheryl Barrows to win the UK & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) Women’s Event title in Nottingham along with £1,060 in prize money.
It was a climactic final hand. With the board showing 7♠ 9♣ 7♥, 9♠ on the turn, and a 6♣ on the river, Lampropulos confidently went all-in. Barrows called, but Lampropulos’ 9♦ sealed her full house and the victory.
The tournament began with 11 players, narrowing to three by Level 12: chip leader Cheryl Barrows, Lydia Cugudda, and Maria Lampropulos.
Cugudda, who humorously acknowledged breaking her UKIPT curse of final tabling without cashing, was the first of the trio to bow out.
The heads-up battle between Lampropulos and Barrows spanned 43 high-pressure hands. The atmosphere shifted dramatically as friendly banter gave way to fierce competition.
A controversial moment arose in the 17th hand when a dispute over whether Barrows had mucked her cards was resolved in her favour, allowing her to retain the pot.
Both players adopted aggressive strategies, with frequent shoves keeping the stakes high. Barrows lamented drawing the “wrong end of the deck” at times but displayed resilience, capitalizing on her winning hands.
Lampropulos’ win showcased remarkable composure and skill, adding a thrilling chapter to UKIPT Nottingham.
