Hampshire’s Alan Parkinson produced a stunning comeback to overcome a huge early chip lead from 12th place WSOP finisher John Magill.  
 
In a verbally explosive heat “The Magician” Howard Plant was nearly silenced in just the fourth hand.  Plant made an on the button raise with pocket 7’s.  The raise was flat called by Parkinson with pocket K’s and when the flop came 7 3 k it looked for the world that Plant would be first to go.  Somehow, Plant managed to get away from the hand for just 26,000 chips.  
 
The next key hand came between the two favorites Ireland’s John Magill and Darren “The Snake” Bloom.  Magill raised the pre flop with Q 5 and Bloom slow played his Kings.  The flop came 3 7 3 and Bloom checked.  John Magill bet 18k and Bloom flat called.  The turn came 5 and Magill bet 40k and The Snake immediately moved all in.  Dejected, Magill sat back looking beaten knowing that only a Q or a 5 would save him.  A 5 on the river was greeted by gasps from the player and Darren Bloom was the first to go.  
 
Scotland’s Alex Gault did little early on and as his chips leaked to the blinds he was looking to make a move.  Ian Parkinson picked up JJ’s in the small blind and made a big raise.  Gault looked down to see the bullets and immediately moved all in.  The flop came 5 8 7 and an A on the turn doubled count up.  
 
Howard Plant was eagerly waiting for action and when he picked up pocket 4’s he moved all in for 35,000 and was called by Parkinson.  Parkinson found an A and a J and knocked out the popular Plant.  
 
Four handed Magill was a huge chip leader and as he continuously raised pots by Guy Bowles tried to make a stance with J 10.  Bowles came up against Magill’s K Q and with neither players hitting the flop, Bowles was out in 4th.  Magill moved into overdrive and when Parkinson moved all in with pocket 8’s against Magill’s K Q it was nearly all over.  The flop came A K 7 and Parkinson rose from his chair when the turn brought a 7.  The river came back to bite Magill as an 8 came and doubled up the plucky on-line qualifier from Basingstoke.  Magill continued to bleed chips and moved all in with A Q.  Alex Gault made the call with pocket deuces and again Magill lost the race and was eliminated in 3rd.  
 
The two online qualifiers Parkinson and Gault were the shock pair in the heads up battle and in a cagey affair neither player wanted to miss out on the semi-final heat.  As the blind grew it was time for action and all the chips went in the middle with Parkinson’s A 2 against Gault’s K J.  The flop came A 3 4 and Parkinson had Gault dominated.  An A on the turn sealed the deal and Ian Parkinson became the first on-line qualifier through to the semi-finals of the 888.com UK Poker Open.