The Winner of the Photo Competition from South Africa: Francois Mouton!
The Photo Compeitition was introduced during our previous stop at Banco Casino Bratislava, where players had the opportunity to share a photo, or a bunch of photos, on their social media channels. Many people had signed up and eagerly shared it all over the place. The winning prize? A full package worth 1,600 euros for the next Festival Stop, in..... Bratislava!! Thanks to a generous gift of a poker player who prefers to stay anonymous, we were able to add it as top prize, awarding creativity of the players who had been in Bratislava!
With plenty of people who had signed up, it was up to an extremely experienced and over-qualified panel of jury members to decide who was going to win that coveted title of the photo competition, alongside a full package for The Festival Bratislava 2026. To explain it to you a little bit: there were four jury members involved, and each member had to award points to their own top three.
Eventually, it was Francois Mouton, South African and living in Norway, who was awarded first place. His photo collection, which he had shared on his social media account, expressed the overall vibe of The Festival Series, and this made it happen that he “unknowingly” railed in the full package!
We reached out to Francois to ask him everything possible, so that it would give a great reflection of how he had experienced the event. Hospitality events, fun at the tables, poker results, and meeting good people from the get-go at the airport — everything is included. Enjoy!
Interview with Francois Mouton - Winner of the Photo Competition Bratislava
You’re originally from South Africa and now living in Norway. How did that journey happen, and how did you first get into poker? Has living in Norway influenced your poker life in any way?
''I moved from South Africa to Norway at the end of January 2020, just two months before Covid, after relocating for a job opportunity. It turned out to be a very good decision, although moving countries required far more effort than expected for example: learning a new language, adapting to a new culture, redoing a driving license, and building a new network all took time.
I first got into poker in South Africa through casual home games, which later developed into pub games and higher stakes environments. Poker quickly became a social outlet and a way to meet like minded people. As a student, our local pub game even included dinner with the buy in, so my running joke was that I played poker once a week for a proper cooked meal. At the time, larger tournaments were often held in Swaziland, now Eswatini, due to local regulations, although it is great to see that South Africa now hosts strong tournaments within its own borders.
After moving to Norway, my focus for the first few years was on re establishing myself professionally and personally. Poker also appeared to exist in a legal grey area, which made me cautious. That changed in June 2025 when I discovered a local pub game and took the time to understand how the Norwegian poker scene operates. This led me to 'Pubspill' and into the wider poker community. I quickly became involved, cashed in my first beginner tournament at 'Norgesmesterskapet i poker', and made Day 2 of the Norwegian Championships in October 2025 at the 'Norgesmesterskapet i poker'. Once again, poker proved to be a great way to meet new people, which remains one of the main reasons I enjoy the game.''
How did you hear about The Festival Series, and what made you decide to attend the Bratislava stop? Was this your first time at a Festival event, and did you qualify online for the hospitality package?
''I first heard about The Festival Series from the same person I met at my very first local pub game in Norway. This was only my second or third time playing there, and they mentioned they were competing the next day in an event hosted by Coolbet to win a seat to The Festival in Bratislava. The following week, I heard about someone who had won a package but was unable to attend. Thanks to the flexibility of my profession, I was able to step in on short notice. I found out on the Thursday or Friday and had to be in Bratislava by Tuesday, so it all happened very quickly. This was my first Festival event, but based on the experience, I am confident it will not be my last.''
Recently, I had the honour to contact you and mention that you had won the photo competition. By a panel of crew members of The Festival Series, your post on Facebook with various pictures of the hospitality events got you to first place. The package is worth 1,600 euros! How happy are you with it?
''I was on holiday in South Africa at the time and not paying close attention to notifications on my phone, so the message came as a complete surprise. When I eventually saw it, I was genuinely overjoyed. I had already been planning to attend future Festival Series events, and winning the package made it even more special. One of the biggest positives is that this time I can bring my wife along, as she was unable to join me at the previous event due to work commitments.''
The Festival in Bratislava isn’t just about poker – package winners got to enjoy activities like brewery tours, bowling, treasure hunts, and even an ice hockey game. Which hospitality event was your favourite and why?
''When I first decided to attend, I expected the additional activities to be fairly basic, so I was genuinely pleasantly surprised when I attended the activities. Every event had a great atmosphere, and it was easy to connect with new and interesting people. Plenty of contact details were exchanged, and plans were already made to meet again at future events, which really says a lot about the experience. The quality of the activities was exceptional, and the effort that went into planning them was very noticeable.
If I had to choose a favorite, it would be the ice hockey game. It was a great experience and offered a real taste of local Slovak culture, which made it especially memorable as part of the Festival Series experience.''
You were part of the team that won the Treasure Hunt in Bratislava’s Old Town. What was that experience like, racing through the city solving clues? Any memorable or funny moments from that adventure?
''The treasure hunt was genuinely challenging, and I am sure each team experienced it differently. Our team was highly competitive from the start. We were four people from very different backgrounds, and while Scandinavian culture often emphasizes equality through the idea of Janteloven, our approach was very much about pushing ourselves and each other to perform at a high level. That mix of backgrounds and competitiveness worked in our favor and made the collaboration both intense and effective.
Several of the challenges required creative thinking, and some even encouraged us to go beyond the original task to earn bonus points. Racing through Bratislava while solving clues added to the excitement. We had to be quick, decisive, and inventive, and even made use of generative AI to help animate parts of the experience, which added a fun and unexpected twist to the adventure.''
You’ve said that the hospitality package turned the week into an actual holiday, not just a poker event. Can you elaborate on that? How did those extra activities enhance your overall experience of the festival?
''From the start, Franke made it clear that The Festival Series is about more than just poker. It is about meeting people and building friendships at and away from the table, a message that was echoed by many players throughout the week. The hospitality activities played a big role in that. Shared experiences create natural connections, and those moments made it easy to get to know people beyond the game itself.
Not every poker session ends with a cash, but every activity brought people together in a relaxed and social setting. On top of that, the program gave everyone the chance to experience parts of Bratislava and its local culture, which is what truly turned the week into a holiday rather than just a poker trip.''
Let’s talk about the poker itself. Which tournaments or cash games did you play during the week, and how did they go for you? Any personal highlights at the tables or interesting hands you’d like to share?
''I used my package ticket for the Main Event 1A and also played several other tournaments during the week, including the NLH Tuesday Knockout, Chicago 1H, NLH 15k GTD, and the Sunday NLH Turbo. Results wise it did not go quite as planned, and getting knocked out with pocket pairs in every event was frustrating. That said, I genuinely enjoyed the games, and for me that was still the most important part of the experience.
One personal highlight was learning how to play Chicago. I missed the Chicago school due to playing Main Event 1A, but after the treasure hunt a few players took time out of their own schedules to teach me the game. That in itself says a lot about the atmosphere of The Festival Series. I enjoyed it enough to enter the Chicago tournament, which turned out to be anything but typical. The first round ended in about ten minutes, there were three quads, and round three finished in five minutes with a royal flush. It was chaotic, fun, and memorable, and I will definitely play Chicago again if it is offered in February.''
The Festival Series brings together players from all over Europe (and beyond). How was the atmosphere for you? Did you make new friends or connections thanks to the mix of nationalities and the social events during the week?
''One moment that really stood out happened before the event had even started. When I arrived at the bus stop in Bratislava, I was immediately welcomed by other poker players, Joakim Olin among others, who had arrived on the same bus. They were incredibly friendly and quickly took charge, grouping everyone together and leading us to the hotel since they knew the way. There was even a couple travelling with a child, and the first priority became finding some candy for the kid. That small gesture, before checking into the hotel or setting foot on the poker floor, made it clear that The Festival Series was going to be something special.''
After experiencing The Festival in Bratislava, and again in February next year as you have won a full package including hospitality. What would you tell other poker players from Norway, South Africa, or anywhere else about why they should consider joining The Festival Series?
''I already have been recommending it. With the timing this year being just before the Norwegian Poker Championships, it could make a lot of sense for some players to spend two weeks in Bratislava. I have already booked my flights and am genuinely excited to see what The Festival Series has to offer this time around. Hopefully my pocket pairs are a little kinder to me next time.
I am also very fortunate that my wife can join me on this trip, which makes it even more special. The Festival is about more than just poker, and I am looking forward to experiencing the full atmosphere again, both at the tables and away from them.''
The Festival in Bratislava 2026
The first event of 2026 is planned to be in Bratislava from February 23 to March 1, and you can expect once again a plethora of tournaments in ant type of format. Unfortunately, we do not have Chicago Poker in the schedule for this time, but we are certain that many will play Chicago Poker on the outer tables.
So Francois, don't worry, there will be plenty of Quads and Straight Flushes dealt as well! Would you like to attend The Festival in Bratislava, and have a cool poker holiday where having fun is number 1? Then make sure to check out our qualifier page, where you can find every single tournament that is awarding tickets or packages for the event.
