Modern poker increasingly coexists with advanced study tools, but crossing the line – even without intent to cheat – can be very costly. That’s exactly what happened to Thomas Clack
The English player, champion of the 2025 National Poker League (NPL) rankings, was suspended by the iPoker Network, the platform on which Grosvenor Poker operates. That decision had an immediate effect: the loss of the sponsorship package valued at £40,000 that he had won thanks to his outstanding season.
A solver open at the wrong time
Clack decided to face the situation quickly. In a series of videos posted on Instagram, he explained that the incident occurred while he was playing an online flight of the Behemoth tournament, having already mathematically secured the lead in the 2025 NPL rankings. “I wasn’t trying to use it to cheat. I was just studying with GTO while playing.”
As he recounted, he had a solver open and consulted it only after some hands, with the aim of reviewing whether he had made good decisions. “I wasn’t using it to influence my play, but having it open was stupid.” Clack himself admitted that, although he wasn’t seeking an advantage in real-time, his judgment was flawed, and he acknowledged that he understood the network’s stance.
Grosvenor Poker’s firm stance
Shortly after, Grosvenor Poker issued an official statement confirming that Clack no longer met the established requirements to receive the NPL’s main prize. The key lay in the ranking’s terms and conditions, which require players to maintain full eligibility in both live and online poker.
By being suspended on the iPoker network, Clack automatically lost that condition, which invalidated the sponsorship, regardless of his sporting results. “The integrity of Grosvenor Poker and the events we offer is extremely important and must be preserved.”
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The room further clarified that, although the player is not banned from live casinos, the online sanction was sufficient to exclude him from the professional package.
A brilliant season tarnished by carelessness
The blow is particularly harsh when considering the magnitude of Clack’s year. In 2025, he had his best season of his career, with numbers that speak for themselves:
36 cashes
15 final tables
Two GUKPT High Roller titles
Second place in the £200 Goliath, with a prize of £217,500
That performance led him to be recognized as NPL Player of the Year, an achievement that is now partially overshadowed by an incident that had nothing to do with cards.
Thomas Clack Had A Brilliant 2025 Season In The Npl.
A clear warning for the digital poker era
Thomas Clack’s case sends a strong message to the entire community: study tools cannot coexist with real-time play, even if there is no intention to cheat. In the current environment, the mere perception of a possible advantage is enough to trigger severe sanctions.
In an increasingly technological poker world, the line between studying and playing is thinner than ever. And Clack learned it the hardest way: with a suspension, no sponsor, and his name at the center of the debate.
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