The British poker player Thomas Clack has been stripped of its sponsorship package with Grosvenor Poker following an online suspension issued by the iPoker network, the platform on which Grosvenor Poker operates.
Clack, holy Player
of the Year 2025 of the National Poker League (NPL) and awarded a sponsored pro package worth £40,000, confirmed the decision in a video statement shared via a series of Instagram stories under the handle @airdraken.
Clack claims not to have used solver to cheat
Speaking publicly ahead of any official statement from Grosvenor Poker, Clack confirmed that the incident occurred during an online Day 1 of Grosvenor’s Behemoth tournament, after he had already secured first place in the 2025 NPL leaderboard.
“I wasn’t trying to use it to cheat. »
“I was just studying with an open GTO solver while I played,” Clack explained.
“After a hand was played, I looked to see if I played it well. I wasn’t using it to influence my decisions, but opening it was stupid. »
Clack said he understood the network’s decision to suspend him, while acknowledging that the situation was a result of poor judgment.
“I wasn’t trying to cheat. I wasn’t looking to get an advantage,” he added. “It was a really stupid way to study. »
Statement from Grosvenor Poker
Following the incident, Grosvenor Poker confirmed via a publication
Facebook that Clack would no longer receive the £40,000 sponsored pro package awarded to the NPL Player of the Year.
“At the conclusion of the National Poker League 2025, we were informed by the iPoker network that one of our players had been suspended from their online platform,” the statement said.
“As a result, the player, who had qualified as the leader of the National Poker League 2025 promotion, no longer met the criteria set out in Article 46 of the National Poker League 2025 Terms and Conditions and therefore could not be awarded the full prize, including the sponsored pro package. »
Grosvenor added that following his investigations, any remaining prizes would be paid out in due course.
“We recognize that this outcome may be disappointing for some; However, the integrity of Grosvenor Poker and the events we host for our players is of paramount importance and must be preserved,” the statement continued. “We will not make any further comments on this matter. »
If article 46 of the NPL 2026 Terms and Conditions differs from last year, PokerNews understands that this is now section 53, which states that all players must remain eligible to play at Grosvenor casinos, both live and online. Players who subsequently become ineligible may lose winnings already earned, which may be reallocated to another player or carried over to a future league season.
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Clack surprised by online suspension
Clack confirmed that, although he is suspended from the Grosvenor Poker online platform, he is not banned from playing live in Grosvenor casinos. However, this online suspension means that he no longer met the eligibility conditions necessary to receive sponsorship.
In a follow-up video, Clack thanked his supporters and reiterated that the solver was not used to influence his in-game decisions.
He also pointed out that his decisions at the table were evidence that the software was not being used in real time.
“A lot of sites use what are called fair play checks,” Clack said. “And a lot of hands I played, I didn’t play according to optimal theory. You would think they would see that and be like, “OK, no problem.” »
Clack was coming off a remarkable season on the GUKPT and UKPL, with 36 cashes, 15 final tables, two GUKPT High Roller wins and a £217,500 second place on the £200 Goliath, performances which earned him the NPL Player of the Year award.
Calum Grant
date: 2026-02-07 21:04:00
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