🏆 Alec Small
🏆 Congratulations Alec Small!
Alec Small is the winner of Q4QS Last One Standing Series 1.
Last One Standing – Series 2: The Field Is Down to 46
Series 2 of Q4QS Last One Standing is beginning to get serious.
We started September with 88 players, all entering the challenge on the back of a perfect 10–0 Q4QS recent-form record.
After the opening ten days, and the removal of three invalid entries from the original field, 53 genuine contenders remained.
Now another week of tournaments has taken its toll.
Seven more players have fallen, leaving just 46 still standing.
88 → 70 → 53 → 46.
And this latest week has produced one of the biggest twists of Series 2 so far.
Astbury's remarkable run finally ends
Daniel Astbury had been the outstanding story of the opening part of Series 2.
He became the first player to complete the four-tournament qualification requirement, doing it in some style by winning all four.
But Last One Standing has one unforgiving rule:
One defeat and you're out.
Astbury was back in action on 16 September and remarkably won another tournament, beating Martin Spriggs 3–0 in the final.
However, earlier in the competition Callum Lester had beaten Astbury 2–1.
That single defeat was enough.
Daniel Astbury is OUT.
It is probably the best example yet of what makes Last One Standing different. You can finish the night holding the trophy and still be eliminated from this challenge.
Tournament wins offer no protection
Astbury wasn't the only player to discover that this week.
Kyle Gilding won at Ellistown Working Mens Club, eventually beating Andrew Hibbert 3–2 in the final.
But Hibbert had already beaten Gilding 2–0 earlier in the tournament.
Gilding won the event — but his Last One Standing challenge was over.
Jack Nankervis suffered the same fate.
Nankervis won at The Pitch Sports Bar on 16 September, beating Troi Day 3–0 in the final. But his results also included a 2–1 defeat against Andrew Cook.
Another tournament winner. Another player eliminated.
Seven more are gone
The latest players to leave Series 2 are:
Daniel Astbury, Gary Court, Kyle Gilding, Martin Grearson, Jack Nankervis, James Richardson and Simon Lloyd.
Martin Grearson went close at Stratford Social Club, reaching the final before Robbie Martin beat him 3–0.
Gary Court also made a final during this period, losing 3–2 to Ben Spencer after recording seven wins on the day.
James Richardson's run has ended too, while Simon Lloyd's challenge came to an end following defeat at Hangar61.
Seven more gone.
46 remain.
Some big performances from those still standing
While several contenders disappeared, others strengthened their position.
James Lawson won at Beechwood Club on 11 September, collecting eight victories and producing a best recorded average of 96.97.
Ricky King produced one of the standout performances of the week at Swanage RBL. King won the tournament and recorded averages of 111.33 and 103.66 during his run.
Kurt Parry also remains alive after winning at Duffy's in Pontypridd. Parry collected eight victories, with a best recorded average of 100.20.
And Ashton Brown produced a big night at Hangar61 on the 17th.
Brown won the tournament with nine victories, recording a best average of 102.48 along the way.
With the four-tournament requirement becoming increasingly important, these appearances matter almost as much as the victories themselves.
The full 46 still standing
Here is the Last One Standing field after results through 17 September:
Darryl Pilgrim, Matthew Dennant, Gareth Griffiths, Jack Drayton, Owen Bates, Danny Trueman, Samuel Whittaker, Henry Cooper, Joe Hunt, Ted Evetts, Dan Nicholls, Shane Hayward, Bradley Brooks, Kurt Parry, Ricky King, James Lawson, Jesse Heal, Ashton Brown, Hayden Appleby, Tergel Khurelkhuu, Zac Prince, Tom Lonsdale, Wayne Halliwell, Mark Stock, Robert Lovelle, Luke Messer, Ronnie Pickering, John Roberts, Chris Aubrey, Adam Edger, Ieuan Bevan, Lee Rose, Stuart White, Joe Kelly, Chris Allen, Gary Whittles, Scott Lawrey, James Nicholas, Ben Watkins, Kirk Bain, Andrew Hopwood, Joe Smith, Matthew Chapman, Daniel Wood, Mark Furber and Daniel Vine.
Now qualification really matters
We're beyond the halfway point of September, so Last One Standing is about to become much more than simply avoiding a defeat.
To win Series 2, players must:
- Remain unbeaten throughout their Series 2 run.
- Compete in at least four Q4QS-recorded tournaments during September.
- Play at least once within each 14-day period.
That creates an interesting problem for some of those still standing.
Players who haven't competed enough can't simply sit out the rest of September and protect their unbeaten record. They need to play to qualify — and every tournament they enter gives someone the opportunity to knock them out.
Astbury had already completed the qualification requirement.
Then one defeat ended everything.
46 players remain.
The question now isn't simply who can stay unbeaten.
It's who can qualify and still be standing when September ends?
Last One Standing – Series 2: 88 Become 70
After Alec Small became the inaugural Q4QS Last One Standing champion, Series 2 began on 1 September with a much bigger field.
A total of 88 players started September with a perfect 10 wins from their previous 10 matches.
Five days later, the first casualties are already piling up.
18 players have now lost their unbeaten status, reducing the field from 88 to 70.
And there have already been some interesting stories.
Winners can still be eliminated
One of the best examples is Ryan Davies.
Davies actually won his tournament on 1 September, but Last One Standing isn't about tournament titles — it's about avoiding a defeat.
Earlier in the event, Keri Dacey beat Davies 2–0. Davies recovered and ultimately won the tournament, but that single loss was enough to end the challenge.
The same happened to Lee Hughes a day later. Hughes won the Clwb Emrys event, but the results also record a 2–1 defeat against Adam Jones.
Tournament winner — but OUT of Last One Standing.
That's exactly the sort of jeopardy I wanted this challenge to create.
Some big runs end
Among those falling during the opening five days are:
Stuart Dutton, Jake Eichen, Ryan Davies, William Thomas, Jamie Chaplin, Toby Clements, Deta Hedman, Dean Rogers, David Farmer, Lee Hughes, Ben Rowley, Shane Turner, David Moule, Colin Sulston, Zach Langley, Jay Cottier, Riley Herbert and Warren Rixon.
There have been some substantial winning runs amongst those eliminations.
Shane Turner, for example, recorded nine wins at the Challow Vault Break event, but Luke Cox ultimately won the tournament.
Riley Herbert was another to go on 5 September, losing 4–2 to Joshua Gregory at the JDC Volts East Midlands Regional Finals. Zach Langley was also involved in that tournament and finished with three wins as Remy Stapleton took the title.
Jay Cottier's challenge ended at the West Midlands Regional Finals, where Harvey-Lee Nelson-Harris beat Cottier in the final.
But two starters have strengthened their position
While the field has fallen from 88 to 70, two of our starters have already produced tournament-winning performances without a defeat showing in these reports.
Daniel Astbury has made a particularly impressive start, winning Q4QS-recorded tournaments on both 1 and 2 September.
And Bryan Flew won at Dowlais RFC on 2 September, recording eight wins and a superb 111.33 best average.
That's important because Series 2 isn't simply about surviving.
To become a September champion, players must:
Stay unbeaten • Play at least four Q4QS-recorded tournaments during September • Play at least once every 14 days
So players such as Astbury and Flew aren't just protecting their records — they're beginning to build towards the activity requirement as well.
88 → 70
That's a pretty dramatic opening five days.
Series 2 started: 88
Eliminated: 18
Still standing: 70
There is still a long way to go until 30 September, and many of those 70 haven't yet put their unbeaten record on the line this month.
That's where this should get interesting.
As the four-tournament requirement begins to matter, players eventually have to play.
Who will still be standing — and qualified — at the end of September?
Alec was the last player to satisfy the full qualification criteria before his unbeaten run eventually ended, earning him the first place in the Last One Standing Hall of Fame.
Alec was the last qualified player standing. He satisfied the four-tournament requirement before eventually losing on 28 August, while none of the players who remained technically unbeaten subsequently reached the monthly activity threshold.
So Alec Small goes into the Hall of Fame as the inaugural winner.
Series 2 begins on 1 September.
Everyone starts again — and the first contenders will be the players entering September with a current Q4QS form record of 10 wins and 0 defeats.
One defeat. That's all it takes.
Today marks the launch of the Q4QS Last Man Standing, a new feature that will follow every eligible player who has managed to put together a perfect recent run of 10 consecutive victories.
The concept is simple. Every player starts with a flawless recent record, but from now on the pressure begins. One defeat and they're out. Those who continue winning will keep their place, while new players can join the competition by earning a fresh 10-match winning streak.
To ensure the competition rewards active players rather than those who simply stop playing, entrants must also have played at least six tournaments during 2026 to qualify, with an activity audit planned every 28 days to ensure everyone remains active.
After removing ineligible players and correcting an erroneous database entry, 31 players remain in the inaugural Last Man Standing field.
The Current Last Man Standing Field
| Q4QS Rank | Player |
|---|---|
| 2 | Robbie Martin |
| 3 | Chas Barstow |
| 4 | Henry Cooper |
| 5 | Archie Self |
| 6 | Johnny Haines |
| 8 | Lee Evans |
| 9 | Connor Hopkins |
| 12 | Sean Holley |
| 13 | Paul Hogan |
| 16 | Bryan Flew |
| 18 | Danny Lauby |
| 19 | Ashton Brown |
| 21 | Kieran Smith |
| 22 | Alec Small |
| 24 | Reece Colley |
| 25 | Louis Melville |
| 27 | Roger Evans |
| 28 | Sion Thomas |
| 29 | Mike Harper |
| 32 | Andy Steed |
| 33 | David Farmer |
| 37 | Dan Williams |
| 43 | Jay Woodhouse |
| 44 | Rico Anderson |
| 45 | Steven Rees |
| 49 | Martin Walker |
| 50 | Dylan Person |
| 51 | Joe Smith |
| 54 | Kyle Macleod |
| 55 | Joseph Davidson |
| 56 | Steve Bird |
Players qualified with a current 10-0 recent form and at least six tournaments played during 2026. The erroneous "Dannic Holls" entry has been removed.
Who Looks Best Placed?
There is quality throughout the field.
At the top sit established Q4QS names including Robbie Martin, Chas Barstow, Henry Cooper, Johnny Haines and Lee Evans, all of whom have shown the consistency needed to build an unbeaten run while competing regularly against strong opposition.
Further down the rankings, players such as Ashton Brown, Bryan Flew, Connor Hopkins and Danny Lauby have also quietly assembled impressive winning streaks and will fancy their chances of surviving well into the competition.
Of course, maintaining perfection becomes increasingly difficult. Every tournament entered brings another opportunity for the streak to end, and that's exactly what makes Last Man Standing so intriguing.
The Rules
- Minimum six tournaments played during 2026 to qualify.
- Current recent form must show 10 wins and 0 losses.
- Lose a match and you're eliminated.
- Every 28 days an activity audit will ensure players remain active.
- New players can enter whenever they achieve a qualifying 10-match winning streak.
Tomorrow, the first eliminations could already arrive—or every one of these 31 players may survive another day.
Either way, the race to become Q4QS Last Man Standing has officially begun.
Last Man Standing Update – Six Fall on the First Day (6th August 2026)
It didn’t take long for the Q4QS Last Man Standing field to start shrinking.
After beginning with 31 eligible players holding perfect recent 10-0 records, the first full day of results has already seen six players eliminated, leaving 25 still standing.
The players knocked out were Lee Evans, Connor Hopkins, Danny Lauby, Louis Melville, Mike Harper and Andy Steed.
There were some notable exits too. Danny Lauby reached the final at Hotshots Sports Bar in Bletchley before losing 3-1 to Mat Caste, while Andy Steed also made a final before Dan Bevan ended his run at Kentisbeare.
Perhaps the best Last Man Standing storyline of the day came at Yeovil. Martin Walker and Mike Harper were both members of the original 31, but they met in the final — meaning someone's unbeaten record had to disappear. Walker won 3-0 and remains in the competition, while Harper becomes one of the first six casualties.
Four surviving players were particularly impressive because they didn't simply avoid playing — they went out and won tournaments.
Robbie Martin won at Wallisdown, Bryan Flew took the title at Brynmawr, Sion Thomas won at Llandeilo and Martin Walker claimed the Yeovil event.
25 Players Remain
Robbie Martin, Chas Barstow, Henry Cooper, Archie Self, Johnny Haines, Sean Holley, Paul Hogan, Bryan Flew, Ashton Brown, Kieran Smith, Alec Small, Reece Colley, Roger Evans, Sion Thomas, David Farmer, Dan Williams, Jay Woodhouse, Rico Anderson, Steven Rees, Martin Walker, Dylan Person, Joe Smith, Kyle Macleod, Joseph Davidson and Steve Bird.
From 31 to 25 after just one update.
Who will be next to fall?
Last Man Standing Update – 23 Remain
After six players fell in the opening update, the Q4QS Last Man Standing field has suffered two more casualties.
Jay Woodhouse and Sion Thomas are out, reducing the original field of 31 to 23 players still standing.
Woodhouse didn't go quietly. He averaged 84.11 in a 5–1 victory over Jon Platt, before Neil Pointon brought his unbeaten sequence to an end with a 5–2 victory.
Thomas also enjoyed plenty of success before his streak ended. He collected six victories at Briton Ferry, including a 3–2 win over Shane Jones in which he averaged 86.69, but couldn't make it through the entire tournament unbeaten as Corey Milward went on to take the title.
That means we've now lost eight of our original 31 players in just two updates.
The 23 Still Standing
Robbie Martin, Chas Barstow, Henry Cooper, Archie Self, Johnny Haines, Sean Holley, Paul Hogan, Bryan Flew, Ashton Brown, Kieran Smith, Alec Small, Reece Colley, Roger Evans, David Farmer, Dan Williams, Rico Anderson, Steven Rees, Martin Walker, Dylan Person, Joe Smith, Kyle Macleod, Joseph Davidson and Steve Bird.
31 → 25 → 23.
Who will be next?
Last Man Standing – Seven Fall as Just 16 Remain
The Q4QS Last Man Standing field has been dramatically reduced after a brutal day of darts.
Twenty-three players entered the latest update still protecting the unbeaten records that earned them a place in the competition. By the end of the day, seven had fallen.
That leaves just 16 of the original 31 Last Man Standing contenders still alive.
Bradmoor Farm Claims Five
The ADC Winmau Championship South events at Bradmoor Farm proved particularly damaging.
Five of our remaining contenders competed during the day — Robbie Martin, Chas Barstow, Archie Self, Sean Holley and Dan Williams — and every one of them eventually suffered the defeat that ended their Last Man Standing challenge.
Event 9 alone produced plenty of drama. Robbie Martin reached the Last 32 before James Green edged him 4–3, while Sean Holley also made the Last 32 before losing 4–2 to Kevin Leadenham. Archie Self went furthest, reaching the quarter-finals before Darren Brown beat him 5–3. Chas Barstow fell 5–1 to Jack Main in the Last 16, while Dan Williams lost 4–0 to Tom Garfield.
The afternoon didn't offer them a second chance either. Event 10 again saw Martin, Barstow, Self, Holley and Williams all record defeats.
Perhaps the most striking example was Chas Barstow. He produced a sensational 111.33 average in a 4–0 win over Matt Read, but later lost 5–1 to eventual champion Ashley Coleman.
In Last Man Standing, even a 111 average can't save you.
Haines Eliminates Hogan – Then Takes the Title
Elsewhere, we had another direct Last Man Standing versus Last Man Standing encounter.
Johnny Haines and Paul Hogan crossed paths at Burghfield, meaning one of the two was guaranteed to disappear.
Haines won 3–0 — ending Hogan's unbeaten run — and then went on to win the entire tournament. He collected seven victories and produced a superb 111.33 average along the way.
That's about as emphatic a way to remain standing as you can get.
Quiney Ends Smith's Run
Kieran Smith was the seventh casualty, losing to Joe Quiney at the 2nd Annual Doc Neale Memorial.
Quiney went on to win the tournament, beating Harry Williams in the final, meaning Smith's Last Man Standing journey was over.
More Than Half the Original Field Has Gone
The competition began with 31 players.
After just three updates, the progression is already:
31 → 25 → 23 → 16
That means 15 of the original 31 have been eliminated.
The 16 still standing are:
Henry Cooper, Johnny Haines, Bryan Flew, Ashton Brown, Alec Small, Reece Colley, Roger Evans, David Farmer, Rico Anderson, Steven Rees, Martin Walker, Dylan Person, Joe Smith, Kyle Macleod, Joseph Davidson and Steve Bird.
For the first time, more of the original field have now been eliminated than remain.
And with the numbers falling quickly, meetings between two surviving contenders are going to become increasingly significant.
16 remain. One defeat and you're out.
Last Man Standing – Three More Fall as Just 13 Remain
The Q4QS Last Man Standing field continues to disappear at an incredible rate.
We started with 31 players who had each put together a perfect recent 10–0 record. After the latest results, only 13 are still standing.
This time Johnny Haines, Martin Walker and Reece Colley are the casualties — and once again, some very good tournament performances weren't enough to survive.
From Tournament Winner to Eliminated
Johnny Haines had been one of the stars of the previous update.
He had personally eliminated fellow Last Man Standing contender Paul Hogan before going on to win the tournament himself.
Twenty-four hours later, however, Haines' streak was over.
He produced another strong tournament at the Earl of Abingdon, reaching the final after beating Steve Dennett 3–0, but Danny Lauby beat Haines 3–1 in the final.
That's the brutal nature of this challenge. Haines won one tournament, reached the final of another — and one defeat was still enough to eliminate him.
Walker's Run Ends in Taunton
Martin Walker is also out after competing at the Queens Arms in Taunton.
Walker collected four victories during the tournament but eventually suffered a 2–0 defeat against Dave Fisher, bringing his unbeaten sequence to an end.
Walker had already left his mark on Last Man Standing, having personally eliminated Mike Harper earlier in the competition.
This time it was Walker's turn to fall.
Colley Makes the Last Eight – But He's Out Too
The additional ADC Winmau Championship South Event 11 results produced our third elimination.
Reece Colley put together an excellent run at Bradmoor Farm.
He defeated Frankie Ansell, Lee Bell, Davie Kirwan, Kieran Mitchell and Jack Main, giving him five more victories before reaching the quarter-finals.
But that's where his Last Man Standing challenge ended.
Jack Drayton beat Colley 5–2, before going on to win the tournament.
Five wins and a quarter-final appearance sounds like an excellent day's darts.
In Last Man Standing, however, it still means elimination.
Just 13 Remain
The speed at which the field has disappeared is becoming one of the most interesting parts of the experiment.
Our progression now reads:
31 → 25 → 23 → 16 → 13
We've already lost 18 of the original 31 players.
The 13 still standing are:
Henry Cooper, Bryan Flew, Ashton Brown, Alec Small, Roger Evans, David Farmer, Rico Anderson, Steven Rees, Dylan Person, Joe Smith, Kyle Macleod, Joseph Davidson and Steve Bird.
We're now getting towards the stage where every elimination makes a significant difference.
And there's another interesting question beginning to emerge.
Some of our remaining players will inevitably play more often than others. That's where the qualification rule will eventually come into play — players must compete in at least four tournaments during the four-week cycle, as well as having played at least six tournaments during 2026.
So simply avoiding a defeat by not playing won't be enough.
For now, though:
31 started. 18 have fallen. Just 13 remain.
One defeat and you're out.
Who will be the Last Man Standing?
Last Man Standing – Just 12 Remain
After the drama of the previous few updates, the Q4QS Last Man Standing challenge has enjoyed a slightly quieter couple of days — but another player has fallen.
David Farmer is out, reducing our original field of 31 to just 12 survivors.
That means 19 of the original 31 players have now been eliminated.
Farmer Falls in Minehead
Farmer's unbeaten run came to an end at The Banckers Draught in Minehead.
He still enjoyed a decent tournament, collecting four victories and producing recorded averages of 85.89 and 79.11, but Anthony Freeman eventually took the title. Farmer therefore suffered the defeat that ends his Last Man Standing challenge.
It continues one of the themes we've already seen throughout this experiment.
Players don't necessarily have to play badly to be eliminated. We've seen finalists, quarter-finalists and players producing huge averages disappear from the competition.
One defeat is all it takes.
Small and Flew Keep Winning
While Farmer falls, two of our remaining contenders have done considerably more than simply avoid defeat.
Alec Small put his unbeaten record on the line at the National Club in Wattsville — and won the tournament.
Small collected seven victories, beating Ryan Davies 3–1 in the final with an excellent 104.16 average. He also recorded averages of 91.09 and 90.56 during another impressive tournament-winning performance.
Then on Tuesday it was Bryan Flew's turn.
Flew won the Vault 18.0 event at Tredegar Constitutional Club, beating Finley Bennett 3–1 in the final and collecting six victories during the tournament.
He also produced a 104.86 average, alongside further recorded averages of 95.94 and 89.31.
Both therefore remain very much alive — and importantly, they're continuing to play and win rather than simply protecting their unbeaten records through inactivity.
And Then There Were 12...
The Last Man Standing field has now progressed:
31 → 25 → 23 → 16 → 13 → 12
The remaining players are:
Henry Cooper
Bryan Flew
Ashton Brown
Alec Small
Roger Evans
Rico Anderson
Steven Rees
Dylan Person
Joe Smith
Kyle Macleod
Joseph Davidson
Steve Bird
We've now lost 19 players, meaning fewer than 40% of the original field remain.
And there is another element still to come.
To qualify at the end of our four-week cycle, players can't simply disappear and protect their record. They must have competed in at least four tournaments during the cycle, alongside our original requirement of at least six tournaments during 2026.
For now, though, twelve are still perfect.
31 started. 19 have fallen. 12 remain.
One defeat and you're out.
Last Man Standing – Down to 10 as Flew Keeps Winning
And then there were ten.
The Q4QS Last Man Standing challenge has reached another milestone, with Rico Anderson and Dylan Person the latest players to fall.
We started with 31 players carrying perfect recent 10–0 records. Now 20 have been eliminated and just 10 remain.
But while the field continues to shrink, one player is beginning to emerge as a real story of the challenge.
Bryan Flew just keeps winning.
Dylan Wins the Tournament – But He's Still Out
If ever there was a result that demonstrated the unusual nature of Last Man Standing, it was Dylan Person's tournament on 12 August.
Person competed in the JDC Volts event at Cogan Coronation and eventually won the tournament, beating Jackson Osborne 3–0 in the final.
Normally, that would sound like the perfect way to protect an unbeaten record.
There was just one problem.
Earlier in the competition, Person had suffered a 2–1 defeat against Joshua Ismail.
Under Last Man Standing rules, that's it.
One defeat and you're out.
So despite recovering and going on to win the entire tournament with seven victories, Person's challenge ended.
Remarkably, he then returned on 13 August and won again, this time collecting eight victories at Penarth.
It makes his elimination particularly cruel — but the rules are the rules.
Rico Anderson Falls
Rico Anderson is also eliminated after competing in the JDC Volts event at Out Out Bar in Newport.
Anderson picked up two victories during the tournament, but Harley Glycos beat him 3–2, ending his Last Man Standing challenge.
That takes another of our original contenders off the board.
Can Anyone Stop Bryan Flew?
While two more players fall, Bryan Flew is doing the exact opposite.
He's not protecting his unbeaten record by staying at home.
He's putting it on the line — repeatedly.
On 12 August, Flew won the Vault 18.0 event at Dowlais Rugby Club, collecting eight victories and producing some outstanding numbers.
His recorded averages included:
104.86, 103.66, 93.94, 91.09 and 88.18.
He beat Ethan McMahon 3–0 in the final.
Then, just one day later, Flew did it all over again.
This time he won at Brynmawr Social Club, collecting another eight victories and producing a best recorded average of 102.48.
That's 16 victories across those two tournaments alone without suffering the defeat that would knock him out.
And coming immediately after his tournament victory at Tredegar in our previous update, Flew is rapidly becoming the player to watch.
Just 10 Remain
The Last Man Standing field has now progressed:
31 → 25 → 23 → 16 → 13 → 12 → 10
The ten still standing are:
Henry Cooper
Bryan Flew
Ashton Brown
Alec Small
Roger Evans
Steven Rees
Joe Smith
Kyle Macleod
Joseph Davidson
Steve Bird
We have now lost 20 of the original 31.
And the activity requirement still matters. Players will ultimately need to have competed in at least four tournaments during the 28-day cycle, alongside our original requirement of six tournaments during 2026.
So there are two ways to disappear.
Lose a match — and you're out.
Don't play enough — and you won't qualify.
For now, though, ten players remain.
And while plenty can change, Bryan Flew is certainly making himself difficult to eliminate.
31 started. 20 have fallen. 10 remain.
Who will be the Last Man Standing?
Last Man Standing – All Ten Survive as Alec Small Wins Again
For once, there are no names to cross off the Q4QS Last Man Standing board.
After a succession of updates which have seen the original field of 31 rapidly reduced, all 10 remaining contenders survive another day.
But one of them did considerably more than simply survive.
Alec Small put his unbeaten record on the line again — and won the tournament.
Small Keeps His Streak Alive in Style
Small competed at Wattsville National Club on 14 August and couldn't afford a single defeat if he wanted to remain in Last Man Standing.
He didn't have one.
Small collected eight victories on his way to the title, eventually beating Andrew Mcphail in the final.
He also produced some excellent numbers, recording averages of 96.97, 93.94 and 86.71 among his best performances of the night.
It's another impressive defence of an unbeaten record and continues a developing theme in this challenge.
With players eventually needing to satisfy our minimum activity requirement, simply disappearing from competition isn't going to be enough. Small is doing the opposite — continuing to enter tournaments and continuing to win.
No Casualties This Time
None of the other nine remaining contenders appeared in the results recorded for 14 August, despite another busy night which saw 40 tournaments added to the Q4QS database.
So, for the first time in a while, our progression stops moving:
31 → 25 → 23 → 16 → 13 → 12 → 10 → 10
The ten still standing are:
Henry Cooper, Bryan Flew, Ashton Brown, Alec Small, Roger Evans, Steven Rees, Joe Smith, Kyle Macleod, Joseph Davidson and Steve Bird.
We've now eliminated 20 of the original 31, but yesterday everybody survived.
Flew and Small Emerging as Ones to Watch
The last few days have also started to give this experiment an interesting subplot.
Bryan Flew has been piling up tournament victories without losing, while now Alec Small has again successfully defended his record by winning an entire event.
At some point, of course, somebody has to beat them.
And that's what makes Last Man Standing increasingly interesting as the field gets smaller.
31 started. 20 have fallen. 10 remain.
Yesterday, nobody blinked.
Last Man Standing – Flew Finally Falls as Activity Rule Starts to Loom
The Q4QS Last Man Standing challenge is down to a confirmed nine players — and this time we've lost one of the biggest stories of the competition.
Bryan Flew is OUT.
After a remarkable run which included repeated tournament victories and long unbeaten stretches, Flew finally suffered the one result that matters in this challenge: a defeat.
And as the field gets smaller, another part of the rules is beginning to become important too.
Some of the remaining players have now gone several days without appearing in the results.
That is fine for now — but they cannot simply protect their unbeaten record by not playing.
Flew's Run Finally Ends
Bryan Flew had become perhaps the standout story of Last Man Standing.
He had repeatedly put his record on the line, winning tournament after tournament and surviving while contenders around him disappeared.
On 15 August, he came agonisingly close to doing it again.
Flew reached another final at The Top Club in Abercynon, collecting seven victories along the way.
But this time Stephen Cake beat him 3–2.
Flew still produced averages of 92.15 and 91.09 during another strong performance, but none of that matters under the Last Man Standing format.
One defeat ends the run.
So one of our strongest challengers is finally gone.
Small Keeps Doing the Opposite
While Flew falls, Alec Small continues to do exactly what this competition demands.
Rather than protecting his record through inactivity, Small has kept entering events — and keeps winning them.
He again won his tournament on 15 August, collecting eight victories and producing a best recorded average of 96.97.
Small had also won at Wattsville earlier in the challenge, where he collected seven victories and averaged as high as 104.16.
At the moment, he is beginning to look like one of the players best combining the two requirements of this challenge:
stay unbeaten — and keep playing.
The Activity Rule Is Starting to Matter
When we created Last Man Standing, I didn't want the winner simply to be somebody who happened to stop playing.
So there is an additional qualification rule.
To remain eligible at the end of the 28-day cycle, a player must have competed in at least four tournaments during that period.
That rule hasn't eliminated anybody yet.
But we're now far enough into the challenge that it is worth keeping an eye on.
For example, Henry Cooper's last appearance I can currently trace in these daily reports was his superb tournament victory at The Kings Arms on 5 August, where he won eight matches and produced averages of 109.98 and 104.86.
Some of the other survivors have also been much less active than the likes of Small and the now-eliminated Flew.
That doesn't knock them out today.
It simply means that as we approach the end of the 28 days, the challenge won't only be about avoiding defeat.
They will also have to play enough events to qualify.
Davidson Puts His Record on the Line
One remaining player who definitely did return to action on 16 August was Joseph Davidson.
Davidson recorded three wins in the U65 event at Bostin Darts and produced a 69.91 average in one of those victories.
The daily summary doesn't identify the final result of that tournament, so for now Davidson remains provisionally alive while we continue to track him.
Nine Still Standing
The progression now reads:
31 → 25 → 23 → 16 → 13 → 12 → 10 → 10 → 9
The nine remaining contenders are:
Henry Cooper
Ashton Brown
Alec Small
Roger Evans
Steven Rees
Joe Smith
Kyle Macleod
Joseph Davidson
Steve Bird
That means 22 of the original 31 have now gone.
And from here, Last Man Standing effectively has two tests.
Lose once and you're out.
But if you don't play enough during the 28-day cycle, you won't qualify either.
That makes the next couple of weeks particularly interesting.
Some players are regularly putting their unbeaten records on the line.
Others may soon need to start doing the same.
31 started. Nine remain.
Who survives both tests?
Last Man Standing – Down to Seven as Cooper Returns With a Title
The Q4QS Last Man Standing challenge has taken another sizeable step towards its conclusion.
After checking the results from 17 to 22 August, two more players have been eliminated, leaving just seven of the original 31 still unbeaten.
This time it is Roger Evans and Joseph Davidson who fall.
At the same time, Henry Cooper has answered any concerns about inactivity in the best possible way — by returning to competition and winning the whole tournament.
Roger Evans Is Out
Roger Evans' challenge ended at PSC Event 9 on 18 August.
Evans actually had a strong tournament, collecting six wins and producing averages of 88.41 and 85.89 among his best performances.
But Sam Gibbons ultimately won the tournament, which means Evans suffered the defeat that ends his Last Man Standing run.
It is another reminder of just how unforgiving this challenge is.
Six wins sounds excellent.
In Last Man Standing, though, it only takes one loss.
Davidson Falls at Bostin Darts
Joseph Davidson is also out after competing at Bostin Darts on 21 August.
Davidson picked up six victories during the event and recorded an 85.89 average in one of those wins.
However, Michael Powell went on to win the tournament, meaning Davidson's unbeaten sequence had also been broken.
That takes us down from nine survivors to seven.
Cooper Returns – And Wins
One of the most interesting developments comes from Henry Cooper.
Cooper had not appeared in the results for a little while, which made him one of the players worth watching because of the activity requirement.
On 22 August, he returned.
And he didn't just play.
He won the ADC South West Series 18.0 MODUS Super Series Qualifier at St Breward.
Cooper beat Ricky King 6–2 in the final, collected four wins and produced averages of 92.02 and 90.28.
So Cooper remains unbeaten and has also added another tournament towards the minimum activity requirement.
That's exactly what Last Man Standing was designed to reward.
Seven Remain
The shrinking field now reads:
31 → 25 → 23 → 16 → 13 → 12 → 10 → 9 → 7
The seven players still standing are:
Henry Cooper
Ashton Brown
Alec Small
Steven Rees
Joe Smith
Kyle Macleod
Steve Bird
That means 24 of the original 31 have now been eliminated.
What About the Activity Rule?
The activity rule stays exactly as we agreed.
Players must compete in at least four tournaments during the 28-day cycle to qualify at the end.
That means nobody is eliminated simply because they have not appeared for several days.
For now, if they're still unbeaten, they remain in.
But once the 28-day period is complete, anyone who hasn't reached the four-tournament minimum will not qualify.
So from here, there are effectively two challenges running at once.
Stay unbeaten.
And play enough tournaments to remain eligible.
For Henry Cooper, the 22 August victory was perfect timing.
For some of the others, the activity clock may soon become just as important as the results themselves.
31 started. 24 have fallen. Seven remain.
Who will survive both tests?
Last Man Standing – Seven Survive, But Now the Clock Is Ticking
For the first time in a while, the Q4QS Last Man Standing board hasn't changed.
After checking the latest results through 27 August, all seven players who survived our previous update remain in the competition.
Nobody has lost.
But we've now reached approximately Day 23/24 of our 28-day challenge, and that means Last Man Standing is entering a very different phase.
Avoiding defeat is no longer the only thing that matters.
The activity rule is coming into play.
Seven Still Standing
We started with 31 players who had all reached a current recent-form record of 10 wins and zero defeats.
Since then, one defeat has been enough to remove them from the challenge.
The journey has been:
31 → 25 → 23 → 16 → 13 → 12 → 10 → 9 → 7
Our seven remaining unbeaten players are:
Henry Cooper
Ashton Brown
Alec Small
Steven Rees
Joe Smith
Kyle Macleod
Steve Bird
So 24 of the original 31 have fallen.
But simply remaining unbeaten won't necessarily be enough to reach the finish.
Alec Small Wins Again
One player certainly isn't hiding from the challenge.
Alec Small has won another tournament.
Small competed in the Fun Cash In Cash Out Tournament on 27 August and came through the event with six victories, eventually beating Lucas Milligan in the final.
His best recorded performances included averages of 92.42 and 88.41.
It's becoming quite a run.
Earlier in the challenge, Small won at Wattsville National Club with eight victories, producing a best recorded average of 96.97.
So whatever eventually ends Small's Last Man Standing challenge, inactivity certainly isn't his strategy.
He's continuing to put the unbeaten record on the line.
And continuing to win.
Cooper Has Put His Record on the Line Too
Henry Cooper has also strengthened his position.
We had previously started wondering about Cooper's activity after a period without seeing his name.
Then he returned on 22 August and won the ADC South West Series 18.0 MODUS Super Series Qualifier, beating Ricky King 6–2 in the final and recording a best average of 92.02.
And Cooper's earlier performances show just how impressive his unbeaten run has been.
On 5 August he won at The Kings Arms in Wallisdown with eight victories, producing recorded averages of 109.98, 104.86 and two 100.20s.
Now Comes the Second Test
This is where the rules become particularly interesting.
When Last Man Standing began, I didn't want somebody to establish a 10–0 record and then simply stop playing until the challenge ended.
So we introduced a second qualification requirement:
A player must compete in at least four tournaments during the 28-day cycle.
Until now, there has been plenty of time for players to satisfy that requirement.
We're now roughly 23 or 24 days into the cycle.
There isn't.
That means the final few days could eliminate players without them actually losing a match.
For the players who have been competing regularly, that won't be an issue.
For anyone who hasn't yet reached four tournaments, however, the clock is ticking.
Unbeaten Doesn't Necessarily Mean Safe
That's what makes the final stage of this experiment particularly interesting.
There are now two completely different ways to fall.
Lose a match and you're immediately out.
Or...
Reach the end of the 28 days without four tournament appearances and you don't qualify.
The second rule is important because Last Man Standing was never supposed to reward inactivity.
The idea is to discover who can keep playing competitive darts and keep winning.
Seven players have survived the first test so far.
Over the next few days, we'll discover how many survive the second.
31 started.
24 have fallen.
Seven remain unbeaten.
But with the finish line approaching, being unbeaten may no longer be enough.
Last One Standing – Series 1: Small Falls, But Could Still Be Crowned Champion
The first Q4QS Last One Standing series reaches its conclusion today — and I've decided on a format that I think will make the challenge even better going forward.
Rather than running each series for an arbitrary 28 days, Last One Standing will now run by calendar month.
That means 31 August is the final day of Series 1.
And despite being eliminated from the unbeaten race on Friday, Alec Small could still end tonight as our inaugural champion.
Small Finally Beaten
Small has been one of the stories of Series 1.
He repeatedly put his unbeaten record on the line, won tournaments and became the first of our final group to satisfy the activity requirement.
His run finally ended on 28 August at Wattsville National Club.
Small again reached the final after recording six victories and the tournament's highest recorded average of 87.78, but Kai Davies beat him 3–2.
Under the basic Last One Standing rule, that meant Small was out.
But there's an important difference between being the final person who hasn't lost and actually qualifying to win the series.
The New Last One Standing Rules
The idea behind Last One Standing has always been to reward players who keep competing and keep winning.
I don't want somebody to build an unbeaten record at the beginning of a month, disappear for several weeks and win simply because they haven't played again.
So from now on, each series will run for one calendar month, with two activity requirements:
Players must compete in at least four Q4QS-recorded tournaments during the month, and must play at least once in every 14-day period.
And, of course, the fundamental rule remains:
One defeat ends your unbeaten run.
At the end of the final day of the month, any players still standing who have satisfied those activity requirements are the series winners.
And importantly, there can be more than one winner.
If two, three or even more players reach the end of a month unbeaten and fully qualified, they all enter the Last One Standing Hall of Fame for that series.
What If Nobody Is Left?
That's where Alec Small comes back into the picture.
I've added one final rule to prevent a series finishing without a champion.
If nobody remaining unbeaten at the end of the month has satisfied the qualification requirements, the winner will be the last fully-qualified player to have been eliminated.
For Series 1, that is currently Alec Small.
Small completed the four-tournament requirement and remained standing until 28 August before finally losing.
So although six players technically remain unbeaten, they still have to satisfy the activity rule.
Six Still Standing – But The Clock Has Almost Stopped
Heading into the final day, our six unbeaten players are:
Henry Cooper
Ashton Brown
Steven Rees
Joe Smith
Kyle Macleod
Steve Bird
Our Q4QS audit currently has Henry Cooper on two qualifying tournament appearances.
That means Cooper would need to play two qualifying Q4QS tournaments today to reach the four-event monthly threshold.
The other five have no qualifying tournament appearances identified in the Q4QS data we've used for Series 1, so they cannot now realistically reach the four-tournament threshold before the month ends.
And remember: this isn't about whether somebody may have played darts elsewhere.
Last One Standing is a Q4QS challenge, so only events contained within the Q4QS data used for the series count.
So Alec Small Could Still Win
That leaves us with a fascinating final day.
If Henry Cooper manages to play twice today without losing and satisfies all of the qualification criteria, he could complete Series 1 as an unbeaten, qualified player.
If he doesn't?
Alec Small will become the inaugural Q4QS Last One Standing champion.
Despite eventually losing.
And I rather like that.
Small didn't protect his record by disappearing. He kept turning up, kept putting the streak at risk and kept winning tournaments until almost the very end of the month.
If nobody can finish August both unbeaten and qualified, the last qualified player standing deserves the title.
A Hall of Fame Begins Tonight
This also gives Last One Standing a permanent structure.
Each month becomes a new series:
August – Series 1
September – Series 2
October – Series 3
And at the top of the Last One Standing page I'll maintain a simple Hall of Fame, recording the winner — or winners — of every series.
No number of days survived.
No advantage for somebody simply because they don't play very often.
Just the names of the players who successfully negotiated that month's challenge.
Series 1 started with 31 players.
Twenty-five have suffered defeats.
Six technically remain unbeaten.
But only qualification matters now.
Tonight, we'll know who becomes the first name in the Q4QS Last One Standing Hall of Fame.
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