While your blonde updaters were living it large in Amsterdam for the Master Classics, the Welsh boys were having their own feast of fun, this time in the form of the Welsh Festival.
After visiting the Grosvenor Cardiff for the first time a few months back, it was clear to me that if I wasn't tied up in Holland, then Cardiff and the Welsh Festival would be a worthy replacement as the atmosphere is always electric and players seem to enjoy each and every comp they hold there.
The line-up was as follows:
Thu 9th Nov (7pm) -- £150+15 NLH R/B, 90 mins
Fri 10th Nov (8pm) -- £250+20 NLH F/O
Sat 11th Nov (8pm) -- MAIN EVENT: £500+50 NLH D-C F/O (final next day 3pm)
Sun 12th Nov (8pm) -- £50+5 NLH R/B
Whilst the early events were much more affordable and sure to attract high numbers, it was the Main Event that everyone had their eyes firmly fixed upon. And with 76 players turning up for the show, the pot reached a rather impressive £38,000, meaning that the near 15k 1st prize was not to be sniffed at.
Although Brits such as Notts regular Anthony Nicholls, who finished 3rd for £5,300, put up a strong fight, it was the Welsh lads who reigned supreme with Carl Thomas taking the runner up spot for £7,200 and former Welsh Masters Champion Ouday Hikary scooping the lion's share with a well deserved top spot.
Also notable for their presence at the final table were Doctor Aris and recent Welsh Masters victor John Marles, finishing 5th and 9th respectively.
The full results for the Main Event are as follows:
1st Ouday Hikary -- £14,900
2nd Carl Thomas -- £7,200
3rd Anthony Nicholls -- £5,300
4th Kev Kirtnen -- £3,400
5th Dr S Aris -- £2,300
6th Alistar Woods -- £1,700
7th Nicolas Risdale -- £1,300
8th Barbara Gibson -- £1,100
9th John Marles -- £800
And with Ouday taking the Main Event, it was another Welsh Wizard who took the £250er. A familiar name on the circuit, it was no shock to anyone when Iwan Jones won the event and the £8,950, fending off the likes of R Gurnam and D Herbert in the process.
1st I Jones -- £8,950
2nd R Gurnam -- £4,800
3rd D Herbert -- £3,000
4th P Gardner -- £2,000
5th R Wilcox -- £1,100
6th N Slaughter -- £700
7th J Jones -- £500
8th A Woods -- £400
9th K Shabir -- £300
Gurnam's name also cropped up in the festival's opening event, the £150 rebuy, which was eventually won by B Gibson.
1st B Gibson -- £7,700
2nd R Gurnam -- £4,400
3rd M Punshon -- £2,600
4th A Powell -- £1,700
5th W Nosko -- £900
6th D Harris -- £600
7th J Burberry -- £500
8th I Herbert -- £400
9th J Ghazi -- £300
Finally, with the Main Event drawing to the close, the standard smaller freezeout was also running, and on this occasion it was a £50 Freezeout, ultimately won by Brad Cowling, who outlasted a rather disappointing field of just 23 players.
1st Brad Cowling -- £3,200
2nd James Fisher -- £1,600
3rd Richard Cowley -- £960
4th Ian Herbert -- £640
But with 76 players making up the Main Event and taking into consideration the clash with the Master Classics in Amsterdam, which surely stole a player or two from the UK circuit, the Welsh Festival must be described as a success with plenty of spondoolies being handed out over the four events.
I'm sure that everyone involved will be looking forward to the next trip down to the Grosvenor in Cardiff, a casino and cardroom that is fast emerging as a cracking little place to play.