2026 Knocker Memorial Winner

What a genuinely cracking day yesterday was for the 6th Annual Ian “Knocker” Stephenson Memorial Tournament.

We ended up with 22 players and 11 re-entries, and from the first hand to the last the whole day just ran exactly how you’d want a poker tournament to run.

Good poker, plenty of laughs, a brilliant atmosphere and, probably most importantly from my point of view, absolutely no arguments, no drama and no bullshit. Just a room full of people enjoying a game of cards and remembering someone who absolutely loved doing exactly the same thing.

So a massive thank you to every single person who turned up and supported the game. Whether you lasted an hour or were still there at the business end, you all played a part in making it such an enjoyable and smooth-running day.

Eventually it came down to Jamie Fearn, John Stirman and Connor McManus, with Jamie getting the job done and becoming the winner of the 2026 Knocker Memorial.

And with that comes a little bit of EDP history.

Jamie becomes the first player ever to win the Ian “Knocker” Stephenson Memorial Trophy TWICE. ??

That takes some doing in a tournament that has now been running for six years, and his name will now forever have that distinction attached to it.

But as much as there has to be a winner, yesterday was really about the whole day.

We’ve said plenty this week about what Knocker meant to EDP and how much the game has never quite felt the same without him. Yesterday felt like exactly the sort of poker day he would have loved, a proper game, a good crowd, plenty of characters around the tables and everyone just getting on with it.

I think he’d have enjoyed every minute of it.

So once again, thank you to everyone who came along and made the 6th Knocker Memorial such a good one.

Same again next year?