Local amateur poker player Colin Pearson has won the Teesside stop of the Great British Poker Tour, earning him almost £20,000 and a seat into the GBPT Grand Final Main Event.

Father of three Colin from Stockton, Teesside, qualified for the festival as a $20 online Galapoker.co.uk player. The Gala Stockton casino regular went on to beat 100 other poker players, over the two day Main Event leading up to the final TV table on Easter Sunday.

His prize includes £19,610 winnings and a package to the £2,500 Grand Final Main Event in October 2007, where the ‘Great British Poker Champion’ will be crowned.

Second place finisher was Swedish amateur Ricard Norman who carried off winnings of almost £12,000 along with a Main Event seat at the Nottingham GBPT Festival.

Colin said of his win: “I’m over the moon – the Great British Poker Tour is the best chance UK players have to show off their skills at home. There is a lot of UK poker talent to face, but I’m hoping I can bring the overall Grand Final title home to Teesside.

“The quality of play at the Gala Stockton casino is superb,” he continued. “My game has really improved over the last year thanks to the support and challenge provided by the local poker community. This has definitely helped me win the Teesside GBPT festival.”

Final table results
1st: Colin Pearson, £19,610 + Bristol GBPT Grand Final Main Event seat
2nd: Ricard Norman, £11,930 + Main Event seat at Nottingham GBPT
3rd: Rajesh Kanabar, £8,180 + Main Event seat at Nottingham GBPT
4th: Paul Gardiner, £4,980 + $320 ticket to $75,000 ‘Big Deal’ on Galapoker.co.uk
5th: C T Law, £3,580 + $320 ticket to $75,000 ‘Big Deal’ on Galapoker.co.uk
6th: Carl Eglintine, £2,460
7th: Arran Wilson, £2,070
8th: Ian Davidson, £1,790
9th: Tony Corrolla, £1,400

The next stop for the GBPT is Nottingham 9th – 13th May. Interested players can qualify by playing on www.galapoker.co.uk, or at selected Gala Casinos throughout Great Britain.