May 2026 Player of the Month
Imran Shah Crowned East Durham Poker May Player of the Month
East Durham Poker’s May Player of the Month has been confirmed, and this time the award goes to Imran Shah after a brilliant month on the felt.
And let’s be honest, this one had a bit of everything. Form, consistency, a first win, a strong ROI, a room full of votes, and Wayne Jones probably wondering what else he had to do apart from physically hide the voting slips.
Over May 2026, Imran played 6 games and reached 3 final tables, showing the kind of consistency that gets noticed very quickly in a poker room. He picked up 1 win, finished in the top 3 twice, cashed 3 times, and ended the month with an excellent ROI of 140%.
Not bad for a month’s work. In fact, that is the sort of return most people only see after accidentally finding a tenner in an old coat pocket.
On the tables, Imran banked 2403 Player of the Month points from his results. That alone put him right in the fight, although Wayne Jones was actually slightly ahead on official game points going into the voting.
Then came the vote.
And that is where Imran turned a close contest into a landslide.
Every single vote went Imran’s way, giving him the 200 voting and bonus points, taking his final total to 2603 Player of the Month points. Wayne may have had his nose in front on the felt, but Imran came flying down the outside like a poker room version of the Grand National, except with fewer horses and more people saying “how has he got there?”
The peer vote says a lot. It showed that the room recognised the month Imran had put together, not just in numbers, but in the way he played. His first ever East Durham Poker win was a big moment, especially after already recording strong finishes of 4th and 3rd before finally getting over the line.
That win clearly stuck in people’s minds. Imran described it himself as “going to war”, and by the end of May it felt like the whole room had accepted he had earned his medal.
This is Imran Shah’s first ever East Durham Poker Player of the Month award, and it is a well-deserved one. A strong month, a first win, a huge ROI, and a clean sweep in the vote.
Congratulations Imran, May belonged to you.
Wayne, meanwhile, has every right to ask for a recount, a steward’s enquiry, and possibly a quiet word with everyone who voted.
Saturday 6th June 2026 - Awards News