A rising UK poker star hits a setback after a minor software slip. Thomas Clack, fresh off a breakout 2025 season and his NPL Player of the Year title, has lost his £40,000 Grosvenor Poker sponsorship due to a ban from the iPoker network. The reason? Having a GTO solver open during play, which the network flagged as Real-Time Assistance (RTA).
A Stellar 2025 for Clack
Clack’s 2025 campaign had been nothing short of extraordinary:
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Runner-up in the Goliath for £217,500
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36 cashes and 15 final tables across GUKPT and UKPL events
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Crowned National Poker League Player of the Year
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Awarded a Team Grosvenor pro contract for 2026
However, the excitement came to an abrupt halt when iPoker’s security detected the open solver, a violation of their online play rules.
“An Honest, Costly Mistake”
Clack was candid about the incident, clarifying that he wasn’t using the solver to influence live decisions:
“I was just studying with GTO while I was playing. After a hand had been played, I looked up a hand to see if I’d played it well. I wasn’t using it to affect my play… It was a silly way to study.”
Despite his explanation and evidence that his in-game play often deviated from “perfect” theory, the presence of the software during active tables triggered an automatic breach of iPoker rules.
“One silly mistake at the end of the year has cost me my sponsorship. I was so happy to be working with them [Grosvenor]. I’m not sure what that means for me going forward.”
Grosvenor’s Position
Grosvenor Poker emphasized that the decision was dictated by NPL terms and conditions. According to Clause 53, a sponsored pro must remain eligible to play on Grosvenor’s platforms—live and online. Once iPoker issued the ban, Clack automatically lost eligibility for the full sponsorship package.
“The player… no longer met the criteria outlined in the National Poker League 2025 Terms and Conditions and therefore could not be awarded the full prize, including the sponsored player pro package.” – Grosvenor Poker
Silver Lining
All is not lost for Clack. While barred from iPoker, he remains eligible for live Grosvenor events, meaning he can continue competing on tours like the GUKPT, just without the Grosvenor patch for now.
What began as a dream season has become a cautionary tale about strict online poker rules, but Clack’s talent and live eligibility still leave him with plenty of opportunities to rebound.
