APAT WELSH CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

An action packed and competitive weekend filled APAT’s most recent live UK stop with a return visit to Cardiff, and a return to Les Croupier Casino Cardroom, for the Welsh National Championship, which included 2 Championship Medal events with NLHE and PLO.

The Main Event, The Welsh Amateur Poker Championship (NLHE), played out with 2 live Day 1’s over Friday and Saturday which saw a total of 32 players qualify through to the final day, with a min cash of £200 locked up.

RUMMING	Stephen	Day 1a	1,657,000
MUNDAY	Paul	Day 1b	1,222,000
WIFFEN	Jack	Day 1b	1,093,000
FISK	Nick	Day 1a	1,070,000
MARTIN	Benjamin	Day 1b	1,052,000
ANDERSON	Vincent	Day 1b	1,037,000
MONCADA-MEDINA	Juan	Day 1b	898,000
BARTON	Oliver	Day 1a	862,000
HOMEWOOD	Chris	Day 1b	860,000
CAVANAGH	Martyn	Day 1a	819,000
MEAGER	David	Day 1a	785,000
GULLEN	Guy	Day 1b	770,000
MACKEN	James	Day 1a	764,000
HOLMSTROM	Seth	Day 1b	729,000
JAMES	Georgina	Day 1a	690,000
BUSH	Darren	Day 1a	675,000
HUSSAIN	Mohammad	Day 1a	637,000
LEWIS	Richard	Day 1a	592,000
BELL	Adam	Day 1a	573,000
DE VOS	Niels	Day 1a	476,000
VICKERS	Neil	Day 1a	473,000
LLOYD	Owain	Day 1b	454,000
SUCH	Jack	Day 1a	415,000
HEALY	Michael	Day 1b	391,000
TAI	Ho	Day 1a	391,000
JONES	Andrew	Day 1b	365,000
PERCIVAL	Shaun	Day 1b	357,000
BAKER	Richard	Day 1b	356,000
OLIVER	Emma	Day 1a	332,000
STUBBS	Sophie	Day 1b	325,000
HOWELLS	David	Day 1b	206,000
MISTRY	Dipesh	Day 1a	191,000

David Howells was first to collect a £200 min cash, and with the action flowing with no draws, re-draws and out draws aplenty, players reached a Final Table 9 when the QQ of Neil Vickers got beaten by the AK of Richard Baker to send Neil to the rail in 10th position, picking up a £500 payday.

1 Stephen Rumming 1.65m

2 Guy Gullen 2.52m

3 Richard Lewis 2.0m

4 Georgina James 2.4m

5 Ben Martin 4.26m

6 Richard Baker 5.3m

7 Darren Bush 0.9m

8 Paul Munday 2.65m

9 Jack Wiffen 1.45m

Chip leader Richard Baker was first to strike when his pocket 10’s held against the pocket 9’s of Paul Munday who hit the rail in 9th spot, with Steve Rumming following in 8th when he shoved from the Small Blind with 7c5c and got a call from the Big Blind of Guy Gullen.

Jack Wiffen (7th) departed when his pocket AA run into a Turned Straight of Ben Martin, with Darren Bush exciting in 6th before Georgina James shoved KT from the Button and got a call from Richard Baker in the BB holding JJ – no luck for Georgina saw her depart in 5th.

Next hand Richard Lewis was all in and finished 4th, again at the hands of Richard Baker, this time holding QQ.

As hands continue fast and furious, Guy Gullen shoved with an Ace, got a caller in Ben Martin who got there with the King as Guy took 3rd spot, £2,000 and Championship Bronze Medal.

Heads Up with Ben Martin (11.5m) and Richard Baker (8.5m).

Ben got paid handsomely with a flopped set of Kings, and moved to a 3:1 chip lead with Blinds 125k/250k, before a huge hand for Ben who got his 2m River bet paid off by Richard’s Pocket 10’s – Richard dropped to 2m as Ben hits 18m – before Richard looked and shoved with Ben snap calling with pocket 6’s – Ben held and Richard Baker takes 2nd place, winning £2,700 and Championship Silver Medal.

The Welsh Amateur Poker Champion 2023 is crowned – Ben Martin, claiming the title in his hometown of Cardiff and picking up £3,700 and National Championship Gold Medal in his first-ever APAT live event.

1st Ben Martin £3600

2nd Richard Baker £2700

3rd Guy Gullen £2000

4th Richard Lewis £1600

5th Georgina James £1350

6th Darren Bush £1100

7th Jack Wiffen £950

8th Stephen Rumming £800

9th Paul Munday £650

A great conclusion to the Welsh PLO Championship on a fun final table, with lots of banter and chat and excellent to watch it play out as Joseph Knight took Bronze, Sean Bevan Silver and Barry Dunford from Bristol bagged the title, £1,440 and Championship Gold Medal.

1st Barry Dunford (£1,440)

2nd Sean Bevan (£900)

3rd Joseph Knight (£540)

4th Andrew Balfe (£360)

5th Andrew Jones (£215)

6th Glen Frost (£145)