83-Year-Old Casino Regular Lilian Welch Shocks the Field to Win UKPL Blackpool

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By Samantha Doyle
14 May 2026
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Samantha Doyle 14 May 2026
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  • Lilian Welch, 83, wins the 888poker UKPL Blackpool Main Event.
  • She defeated 317 players, including top ambassadors, to take £31,390.
  • Her success highlights experience and love for the game over analytics.
888poker UKPL Blackpool
Sometimes, the best poker strategy is simply playing for the love of the game. Lilian Welch, an 83-year-old local who has been a fixture at the Grosvenor G Casino in Blackpool for 14 years, defied the odds this week by winning the 888poker UKPL Blackpool Main Event. 

Without the aid of solvers or advanced analytics, Welch gracefully outmaneuvered 317 opponents to claim the championship trophy and the lion's share of the £151,050 prize pool.

How Welch Won It All

The £560 buy-in UKPL Blackpool Main Event drew a robust field, including prominent figures like 888poker Ambassador Ian Simpson. But as the tournament progressed, the spotlight shifted entirely to Welch, who commanded the final table with the composure of a seasoned professional.  

The nine-handed final table quickly lost its shorter stacks, with Chris Flint bowing out in ninth after his pocket sixes failed to crack Frankie Mok’s queens. Yucel Eminoglu and Gaoyang Yang soon followed in eighth and seventh. Bryan Taylor’s deep run ended in sixth place when a flopped two pair wasn't enough to beat Brian Clarke’s set.

After Peter Charalambous hit the rail in fifth, Welch took complete control. She eliminated Paul Orritt in fourth place, setting up a crucial three-handed chop. Locking up the bulk of the remaining cash, the trio agreed to leave £7,500 and the hardware in the middle to play for. 

Welch remained composed under pressure, catching a king on the flop with ace-king to bust Clarke's pocket queens in third. The heads-up battle against newcomer Frankie Mok was short-lived; Mok pushed his short stack with jack-deuce, but Welch snap-called with jack-ten, riding a clean board to victory.

UKPL Blackpool Main Event Final Table

RankPlayerPrize
1Lilian Welch£31,390*
2Frankie Mok£21,710*
3Brian Clarke£21,755*
4Paul Orritt£10,455
5Peter Charalambous£7,140
6Bryan Taylor£5,200
7Gaoyang Yang£4,030
8Yucel Eminoglu£3,295
9Chris Flint£2,765

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