1 Oct 2026

GUKPT Blackpool Leg Gets Full Schedule Release Ahead of 2026 Dates

Grosvenor Casino Blackpool venue hosting the GUKPT series

Grosvenor Poker has released the complete schedule for the GUKPT Blackpool leg, which serves as the penultimate stop in the tour’s 20th season and runs from 29 October to 8 November 2026 at Grosvenor Casino Blackpool, and the announcement outlines thirteen distinct events that build toward the season’s close in London the following month.

The Blackpool portion centers on a £1,250 Main Event carrying a £250,000 guarantee that spreads across multiple starting flights, while additional tournaments include a £250,000 guaranteed Mini Main, a £100,000 High Roller, and a PLO High Roller that together create a varied program for participants at different buy-in levels.

Structure of the Thirteen Events

Thirteen events fill the Blackpool calendar, and the Main Event functions as the centerpiece because its guarantee and flight structure accommodate larger fields while side events run concurrently to maintain daily activity throughout the ten-day period. Observers note that the inclusion of both No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha variants expands participation options without altering the core guarantee framework.

Multiple starting flights for the Main Event allow players to enter on different days and still compete for the same prize pool, and this format has been used in prior seasons to manage table allocation at Grosvenor Casino Blackpool. The Mini Main carries its own £250,000 guarantee, which stands separate from the flagship event and draws a distinct player pool focused on a lower entry point.

High Roller and PLO Components

The £100,000 High Roller and the dedicated PLO High Roller add premium and variant-specific competition to the schedule, and these tournaments typically feature shorter fields yet higher average buy-ins that contribute to overall festival volume. Data from previous GUKPT stops shows that High Roller events often conclude within two or three days, which leaves room for the remaining schedule to proceed without overlap conflicts.

Poker tournament tables set up inside Grosvenor Casino during a GUKPT leg

According to industry reports published by the European Casino Association, mixed-game and PLO offerings have increased attendance at regional stops by attracting specialists who might otherwise skip standard Hold’em festivals, and the Blackpool leg incorporates that trend directly through its PLO High Roller listing.

Season Context and London Finale

The Blackpool dates sit one stop before the season concludes in London from 19 to 29 November 2026, where a £2,000 Main Event carries a £500,000 guarantee that represents the largest single guarantee of the entire 20th season. This progression means Blackpool functions as the final regional gathering before the tour moves to its capital-city conclusion, and players who perform well in Blackpool often carry momentum into the London events.

Figures released alongside the schedule indicate that the London Main Event guarantee exceeds the Blackpool headline figure by £250,000, which reflects the tour’s decision to allocate its largest prize-pool commitment to the season-ending stop. The fourteen-day London window also includes additional side events that mirror the Blackpool structure yet scale upward in guarantee amounts.

Venue and Operational Details

Grosvenor Casino Blackpool has hosted GUKPT legs in previous seasons, and the venue’s layout supports simultaneous running of multiple tournaments across separate areas, which prevents bottlenecks during peak flight days. Staff coordination between registration, table assignments, and payout processing follows established procedures that have been refined over the tour’s two decades of operation.

Travel and accommodation packages tied to the dates become available through Grosvenor’s booking channels once the schedule appears, and those arrangements typically cover the period from late October through early November to align with the published tournament calendar. Observers note that advance notice of thirteen events allows both recreational and professional players to plan entries without last-minute adjustments.

Conclusion

The released schedule confirms the Blackpool leg as a key waypoint in the 20th season and supplies concrete dates, guarantees, and event types that participants can reference when preparing for the October and November 2026 window. The progression from Blackpool’s £250,000 Main Event guarantee to London’s £500,000 headline provides a clear arc for the tour’s final two stops, and the thirteen-event program at Grosvenor Casino Blackpool supplies the immediate focus for players targeting the penultimate gathering.