Bryan Taylor continues to lead the Grosvenor Casinos National Poker League with over 440 points, while Brandon Sheils and Robert Douras top the High Roller and Low Roller Leagues as the 2026 season enters its final months
The competition for the top spot in the Grosvenor Casinos National Poker League (NPL) remains intense as the 2026 season moves into its final third. Bryan Taylor has maintained a commanding lead, accumulating 442.02 points, and has been the frontrunner for much of the year. With more than 3,400 players earning NPL points so far, Taylor’s consistent performance—highlighted by 10 final table appearances and three outright wins between March and May—has set a high bar for the rest of the field.
Current Standings and Key Contenders
Brandon Sheils has emerged as Taylor’s closest challenger, currently sitting in second place with 321.39 points. Sheils’ recent results at the GUKPT Goliath festival, including a win in the £1,500 High Roller and a runner-up finish in the £2,000 Super High Roller, have propelled him up the leaderboard. Mariusz Czech (313.57 points), Yucel Eminoglu (312.00), and Robert Douras (304.37) round out the top five, each in contention for significant end-of-year prize packages. The top ten is completed by Calogero Morreale, Aqeel Butt, Keith Littlewood, Tai Hoang, and John Bousfield, all of whom remain in the running for valuable live poker packages if the standings hold.
High Roller and Low Roller League Updates
While Taylor leads the overall NPL, Sheils has edged ahead in the High Roller League with 117.84 points, narrowly surpassing Taylor’s 115.94. Chris Balmforth, Peter Stewart, and Conor O'Driscoll currently occupy the remaining payout positions. In the Low Roller League, Robert Douras leads with 365.79 points, thanks in part to a strong showing at the GUKPT Goliath festival. Taylor is also a factor here, holding second place with 315.68 points. Other notable names in the Low Roller top ten include Calogero Morreale, Helder Casaca-Sena, Mariusz Czech, Philip Tate, Aqeel Butt, John Bousfield, Damon Burch-Hyson, and Lee French, all vying for prize-awarding positions.
Upcoming Events and Points Opportunities
The GUKPT is currently underway in Luton, offering players additional chances to earn NPL points. The tour will move to Leeds later in the month, with the 888poker UKPL Manchester festival scheduled between the two Grosvenor events. This busy calendar means the leaderboard could see significant changes before the end of September, as players look to close the gap on Taylor and secure their positions for year-end prizes. For context, the competitive nature of high-stakes poker events was recently highlighted when Fedor Holz made a notable return to the PokerStars EPT Barcelona High Roller, as covered in our previous reporting on major European poker tournaments.
Understanding the structure of poker league leaderboards is essential for following these developments. In the NPL, points are awarded based on player performance in eligible tournaments, with higher buy-ins and deeper runs yielding more points. Separate leaderboards for High Roller and Low Roller events allow players to compete for prizes within their preferred stakes, while the overall NPL ranking determines the most consistent performers across the entire season. This system rewards both volume and success, making every event in the closing months critical for those chasing top honors.
