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02 Aug 2026Read More
Record Field and Double Knockout Close 2026 Goliath
- Damon Burch-Hyson won Goliath 2026, earning £365,520 and outlasting 14,663 players.
- A four-player deal preceded Burch-Hyson's final knockout; festival also saw wins for Jamie Dwan and Brandon Sheils.
- Burch-Hyson's victory marked the largest payout and highlight of the festival.
The 2026 Goliath did not need a final heads-up hand.
Damon Burch-Hyson eliminated both Jonny Elworthy and Lewis Aikman in a three-way all-in, closing a tournament that had already set a new attendance record with 14,663 entries. The victory earned Burch-Hyson £365,520 from a prize pool of more than £2.22 million.
Four-Player Deal Precedes Final Knockout
The last day started with 36 players, including two former champions. Defending winner Paul Worsley finished 27th, while 2023 champion Alex Todd exited two places later.
Burch-Hyson reached the final table with enough chips to pressure the shorter stacks and soon eliminated Bryan Taylor. He then won a three-way all-in with pocket queens, sending Wai Lun Lam and Lorenc Boci to the rail together.
After Reema Bodalia finished fifth, the remaining four agreed to redistribute the prize money. The deal left £88,520 undecided and guaranteed each player at least £167,330.
Dayle Gallagher’s later elimination left Burch-Hyson, Aikman and Elworthy. Elworthy was the shortest stack and moved in with queen-nine. Aikman joined the pot with ace-five, while Burch-Hyson held the dominating ace-eight.
The board paired twice without improving either opponent. Burch-Hyson won the pot, with Elworthy placed third and Aikman second based on their starting stacks.
Top Five Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Damon Burch-Hyson | £365,520* |
| 2 | Lewis Aikman | £173,700* |
| 3 | Jonny Elworthy | £167,330* |
| 4 | Dayle Gallagher | £178,850* |
| 5 | Reema Bodalia | £71,500 |
*Payout reflects the four-handed deal.
Festival Results Overview
| Event | Entries | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| £200 Goliath | 14,663 | Damon Burch-Hyson | £365,520 |
| £1,250 GUKPT Main Event | 876 | Dean Hutchison | £163,280 |
| £550 GGPoker Cup | 713 | Michael Donofrio | £65,600 |
| £300 Travel Open | 1,238 | David Sandford | £55,760 |
| £1,500 High Roller | 211 | Brandon Sheils | £54,130 |
| £2,000 Super High Roller | 89 | Jamie Dwan | £47,200 |
| £440 Mystery Bounty | 1,176 | Brett Wilkins | £36,040 |
Dwan Adds Super High Roller Title
Jamie Dwan arrived in Coventry shortly after winning his first WSOP bracelet and continued the run by taking down the £2,000 Super High Roller.
Dwan topped 89 entries and defeated Brandon Sheils heads-up. No deal was agreed, leaving Dwan with the full £47,200 first prize and Sheils with £31,500.
The final table also included Yuzhou Yin, who finished fifth only a few days after placing third in the GUKPT Main Event.
Sheils Records Two High Roller Podiums
Sheils had already won the £1,500 High Roller before facing Dwan.
That event drew 211 entries and produced a £270,610 prize pool. Sheils, Antony Rubin and Tu Nhat Vuong agreed a three-handed deal, after which Sheils was declared the winner and collected £54,130.
His subsequent Super High Roller runner-up finish brought his combined payout from the two tournaments to £85,630.
The closing results gave the festival several separate storylines, but none matched the scale of Burch-Hyson’s win. A £200 entry ultimately became the largest payout of the Coventry series—and it ended with two opponents leaving on the same hand.
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