Broadcast on live television across Europe (albeit with a two-hour delay) and across the world, and those watching on EPT Live, watched Freitez put on a show of unorthodox, but effective high-stakes poker, surging past his seven opponents with ease to a first place prize of €1,500,000, a bracelet from Official Sponsor Shamballa Jewels, and a seat (should he choose to accept it) to the Champion of Champions event tomorrow. A few bottles of champagne may be the decider on that front.

Ivan Freitez

"Overall he was the best player at the final table," said David Williams, in the EPT Live commentary box. "He may have been unorthodox, but he deserved to win."

EPT Grand Final winner Ivan Freitez

Four players had been dispatched before the live broadcast began, to those watching it was obvious, it was simply Freitez's event to win. The Venezuelan had the momentum in what was never going to be a long affair. Andrey Danilyuk was first to go from the final four, Freitez sending him home - or to the two hour sequestered debrief area - just half-an-hour after the restart, his pocket threes undone by Freitez's ace-nine with a nine landing on the river.

Then went Tamas Lendvai; again Freitez sending him for an early consolatory drink, and again with ace-nine, this time overcoming Lendvai's pocket nines when the ace hit the flop.

Tamas Lendvai

By now Freitez had it sewn up, with only Torsten Brinkmann between him and an EPT Grand Final title.

In terms of opposition to Freitez, Brinkmann was perhaps most able. Watched by his girlfriend on the rail, the German put up what defence he could but was always behind, entering the heads-up phase behind 4,500,000 to 16,000,000, and never able to get a
foothold.

Torsten Brinkmann

When Brinkmann looked down at ace-king he three-bet shoved for his last few million. Freitez made a speculative call with [td][9d] turning over the hand that would win him the title. It was, a nine on the flop sending his railbirds into delirium, and Freitez himself into euphoric celebration.

Handshakes all round heads-up

Freitez, the champion, the final four decided in less than two hours.

The Venezuelan was not the first choice, but he was the worthy one. Entering the final table this afternoon eyes were on Team PokerStars Pros Alex Gomes and Juan Maceiras; Gomes for being on the brink of a Triple Crown, Maceiras as potentially being the first Spanish EPT champion. Neither would come to good, each departing in the first part of the day.

Alex Gomes

Juan Maceiras

That all seems so long ago, when the cards were faced down and the sun still shone. As far as the latter stages went the poker was some of the most gripping in EPT history. There is no denying that hole cards faced up added a shot of pure adrenaline, giving the audience a welcome sense of dramatic irony that made each hand more delicious as the winning hand approached. There may have been a delay, but few would argue that it wasn't worth it.

The tour now winds down, the players released from their enforced quarantine, the celebrations allowed to commence in public. It brings an end to another fantastic season on the European Poker Tour. They'll be a gap now until August but the prospect of Season 8 makes the wait all the more easy to bear.

The season may be over but there's still one more day of action to look forward to. Tomorrow the Champion of Champions event kicks off at 2pm, a unique invitation only tournament with a cast comprised entirely of EPT winners. It will make for a perfect epilogue to the season.

Until then that's all from the lobby bar of the Intercontinental Hotel. To be honest we expected a late night. Instead we got a high speed finale, which has at least pleased the barmen counting on tips from another round of gin and tonics.

For now, it's goodnight from Madrid.

Today, then, was just another day in the office for ElkY, winning as he did €525,000 by beating Benny Spindler heads-up in the €25,000 EPT Madrid High Roller. It was the second big High Roller win of his career, coming after his $433,000 success at the PCA High Roller in 2009, and it adds another notch to his life-winnings bedpost on top of his PCA main event win in 2008 and WPT Festa al Lago win later the same year.

All in all, ElkY has now put together a life score of $7.3million. Your correspondent is a little way behind with around $4,500. Man envy, for sure.

But at the start of today, when our eight finalists sat down to do battle, ElkY looked well out of contention. It was Galen Hall, the winner of this year's PCA, who was the dominant chip leader. Hall, however, doubled up a shorter-stacked David Sands and, after Peter Jetten bust in eighth place, Hall lost a monumental pot against new chip leader Benny Spindler to bust himself.

If it was a shock to us on the rail, it must have been a body blow to Hall, who saw hopes of his own mega payday reduced instead to 'just' €57,500 for seventh place.

That re-shaped everything. Spindler, who looks about 16 below a mop of hair that a 1960s John Lennon would have been proud of, was now such a dominant chip leader that it seemed only a matter of time before he won the title. He had four times as many chips as the next man. That man was Juha Helppi, his cause helped by busting businessman Alex Repik in sixth place. Repik's A-7 was dominated by the Finn's A-K and he departed with €72,000.

With such a powerful stack it was no surprise to see Spindler applying the pressure, min-raising just about every hand pre-flop. It explains why Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Rousso, facing yet another Spindler raise, decided to push her last 181,000 with [as][6d]. Alas, the German pro had a decent hand with [8d][8h], and Rousso never caught up. She got €100,000, and although that's a decent score, she really wanted to repeat her EPT Grand Final High Roller victory two years ago in Monte Carlo.

Then, out of nowhere, David Sands doubled up through Spindler to look like the one man who could threaten him - but he then busted to the German, his A-Q dominated by A-K. A €135,000 consolation awaited him.

Without really being involved much, then, ElkY found himself three-handed for the title. That swiftly became heads-up when he busted Helppi. The Finn pushed with 10-J but was in terrible shape against ElkY's pocket queens. The board didn't help and he left with €185,000.

So then there were two. ElkY was more than 2-1 behind in chips to Spindler, but his class shone through. Naked, relentless aggression was his game, and it paid off. One big double-up gave him the lead, and he never looked back. Finally, ElkY's full house bested the German's trips, and we had a new champion.

Congratulations to ElkY, who took three days to overcome 57 other players. Commiserations to Spindler, who picked up €316,000 for second place.

While the high roller is done and dusted, the EPT Madrid main event is now in full swing. Be sure to check out our coverage which will go all the way through to the final table on Thursday. Thanks to Neil Stoddart for his fine pictorial support, and remember he does not take kindly to content thieves.

Thanks for reading, and cheerio.

The short version of the day's story is that Vladimir Geshkenbein is the new EPT Snowfest champion, winner of €390,000 and a seat in the Champion of Champion event, having beaten Kevin Vandersmissen heads-up.

EPT Snowfest winner Vladimir Geshkenbein

The long version is an epic tale of engagement, of ego, of stubbornness and Twitter, as characters collided in a nine-hour scramble that added together was about more than a simple game of poker.

Geshkenbein now reigns, one of the European Poker Tour's most unusual champions. The Russian may have started the day fourth in chips, but few doubted that he was the player to watch. Wildly unpredictable, fantastically cheeky and maddeningly smug, Geshkenbein at times dominated, at times infuriated, but always looked the champion he now is.

Geshkenbein victorious

But despite such astounding levels of swagger, no one should have been in any doubt as to Geshkenbein's instinctive talent, as his friends who lifted him onto their shoulders at the bell, certainly felt.

The final table

This day started just after 2pm this afternoon. Morten Mortensen started things off in admirable spirit, shoving on the first hand to no avail. He may not have got business, but when Italian Giacomo Maisto tried the same thing he doubled up - twice - first against Vandersmissen, then Philip Meulyzer. Suddenly the impulsive Italian was a contender again. No one would know it at the time but this five minute spell would be pivotal, shaping the final for the next seven-and-a-half-hours of play.

Morten Mortensen

Mortensen went first, departing in eighth place when his eights fell to the ace-jack of Koen de Visscher. A short while later Irishman Denis Murphy would follow, this time taken out by Vandersmissen.

Denis Murphy

The short stacks continued to struggle, Philip Meulyzer, assuming the role and going next in sixth place, countryman Vandersmissen dispatching him when his queen-jack made two pair to topple Meulyzer's ace-king.

Philip Meulyzer

As the final developed, two players began to take key roles.

First Geshkenbein. So raw with confidence, he seemed to believe that if he simply thought he was the best player - and he arguably was - that would be enough. In the levels before the dinner break he began to struggle, as if he'd started to believe his own propaganda. That cost him, losing hands to Cristian Dragomir, an arch rival from earlier main event days.

Vladimir Geshkenbein

Giacomo Maisto

He also spent much of the day combating Vandersmissen, both on the table and off. On the table, the two seemed up for a scrap. Away from the table, that extended to Twitter also, where Geshkenbein fired off some un-pleasantries. Vandersmissen, in response, did what anyone else under attack would do - he returned the fire.

Vladimir Geshkenbein: Up to two mil.. Valuetowned a fat Belgium guy.

Kevin Vandersmissen's response: Valuetowned the russian alcoholic! 6.6mill now play resumes in 5 min.

Kevin Vandersmissen

It made for some interesting dramatic irony, as anyone with a smartphone picking up the free hotel wireless knew exactly what was going through the minds of the two main protagonists.

The other key player was Maisto. Written off as the weaker player, playing tight to edge deeper in the money, it's unwise to write off his performance as an anomaly. Maisto filled the roll of fourth place finisher ably, and, as suggested, his double double-up gave him the ammunition to be the thorn in the side of everyone, even Geshkenbein, who had the knack of scaring everyone but couldn't always challenge Maisto's habit of re-raising the Russian off of hands.

Giacomo Maisto

Dragomir would go in fifth place but until Maisto was dispatched he took on the role of kingmaker, and until his elimination in fourth place the others played the waiting game, fearful that the Italian would snatch the top-three finish they believed they rightfully deserved.

Cristian Dragomir

So it was a backhanded compliment when, following on from his departure, the other three players celebrated with a €600 bottle of Dom Perignon Rose Vintage 1998. Liberated, and now friends, play loosened, and soon big towers of chips went into the middle. Ultimately De Visscher gave way.

Geshkenbein toasts a top three finish

A word on De Visscher, who throughout the event never engaged in the petty recriminations that had created rivalries aplenty. Instead he put in a solid performance, worthy of at least third place, taking his champagne and prize money to the rail with the instruction to his friends, paraphrased I should add, that they should perhaps, energetically, have another drink or two.

Koen de Visscher

Heads-up, and with chips relatively equal, there was every chance that play would go on into the early hours of Saturday morning. Instead it was all done within half an hour, the coup de grace delivered by Geshkenbein in five minutes, first when his two pairs snatched him the lead ("Don't be sad," Geshkenbein had said to Vandersmissen. "second place is good as well."), and then again five minutes later with the chips in the middle. The Russian flopped two pairs and Vandersmissen was beaten for good.

Vladimir Geshkenbein waits...

Vladimir Geshkenbein wins...

For Tureniec it puts to right his previous best on the EPT, when he finished second to Michael Martin back in London in season five. With events going on around the world the poker world crowns a new king almost every week. Whether it's on the European Poker Tour or its Latin American or Asian equivalent, the aristocracy gets a new dose of fresh blood, players released into the world, their results forever examined for authenticity. In Tureniec's case that's a record now unlikely to be challenged.

EPT Copenhagen champion, Michael Tureniec

It came after a heads-up duel lasting more than three and a half hours that was in stark contrast to the early stages of the day, a period that featured the elimination of three players in less than an hour.

Tureniec gets his hands on the trophy

Play started at 12 noon with perhaps one of the most unusual of starts. At the beginning of the week we'd forecast that today's final wouldn't be an ordinary affair. EPT Copenhagen has a knack for producing the unexpected and as promised today proved no different.

The final table

On the first hand of the final, Englishman John Eames doubled-up through Nikolas Liakas with pocket kings. Two hands later he sent Finnish hope Juha Helppi to the rail, again with pocket kings. Soon after, and with a sheepish look of embarrassment on this face, Eames dispatched Andrea Dalle Molle in seventh place. His winning hand? Pocket kings, natch.

Andrea Dalla Molle

By now Eames looked on his way to the title, having cancelled out Per Linde's chip lead. But that seemed as far as Eames, supported both on the rail and from the bar by several British pros, could depend on his trusted cowboys, which with one later exception, would no longer be used in anger.

John Eames

After Tureniec saw to it that Mudassar Khan would go no further than sixth place, he then turned to Eames, crushing his stack by doubling-up through the Brit, using the same pocket kings that had propelled Eames into the lead.

Mudassar Khan

Nikolas Liakos went next. Having doubled through American Kevin Iacofano (Ice-o-fanno), Tureniec busted Liakos in fifth place, his pocket sevens winning the race against Liakos's shove with ace-eight.

Nikolas Liakos shakes the hand with Michael Tureniec

Iacofano was left struggling but scored a fortuitous double-up, his pocket fours making a set against Tureniec's pocket sixes. Then, while Eames was doubling-up again with kings once more through Per Linde, the American crashed out in fourth place, calling Michael Tureniec's all-in on the river, oblivious to Tureniec's flopped trip tens. Iacofano was devastated, testimony if any were needed, that it's not always the money that finalists have their eye on.

Kevin Iacofano

Three-handed the chips flew one way and another. Linde doubled through Eames, then Tureniec did the same, to cripple Eames what would be a pivotal hand; queens for Eames, ace-king for Tureniec. The king on the flop slashed Eames's stack from several million to just several hundred thousand. Eames clawed his way back but he was out little more than half an hour later.

John Eames (right), three-handed

By now the final table had demonstrated what exciting live (and televised) poker is all about. Eames's performance had demonstrated how a talented player can take advantage of the feckless nature of the poker Gods. Iacofano; how much an event like this and the prestige attached can mean so much to a player. Tureniec and Linde meanwhile, former chips leaders in the early stages of the event, were text book practitioners of a game played by many but mastered by few.

Per Linde (left) and Michael Tureniec, heads-up

After three hours and 39 minutes of heads-up play, Tureniec finally put an end to an arduous week. Linde had fought admirably, twice doubling up to keep his chances alive. But this final duo was evenly matched. That Linde gave way did nothing to diminish his own remarkable performance. Tureniec finished second in an EPT before winning one. Look no further than Linde for a future candidate to do the same.

Tureniec shows off the winners bracelet, provided by Shambala Jewels

"I'm feeling very happy," said an emotional Tureniec after collecting the trophy and the winner's bracelet. "It's been a good day. I'm glad I managed to win against these tough opponents. I'm very proud.

"It feels good to win in Copenhagen. It's such a tough field here with a lot of Scandinavian players. My plan now is to first get a driver's license, then get a nice car."

What do we do now? Institutionalised, we now climb back into our box until the next time, reappearing half-way up a mountain at EPT Snowfest, next month.

See you in the Alps.

Tonight Lucien Cohen can call himself an EPT champion, the sixth from France, having driven home an unlikely two-to-one chip advantage against Sweden's Martin Jacobson. Jacobson was forced to accept his second runner-up finish of the season to allow Cohen the limelight in what was a spirited home turf display.

Lucien Cohen wins EPT Deauville

Cohen triumphed after an unpredictable final table in which the likely lads became unlikely losers and the underdogs barked and bit for all they were worth.

Cohen celebrates one of several winning hands

Chief among them was Cohen. Using a toy plastic rat as a card protector, the mascot of the pest control company he owns in Paris, he would produce an even bigger version from a rucksack by his feet when involved in a big hand. It annoyed and amused in equal measure among the populous local rail, although his victorious hollering may not have gone down too well with the players paying him off with chips. Over-achievement perhaps, but Cohen finished having done what all champions must do - win every chip in play.

Lucien Cohen

In terms of pests at least three players might have wished Cohen had been able to rid the table of Latvian Kaspars Renga. Ruslan Prydryk, Anthony Hnatow and Kenny Hallaert must all feel that they busted prematurely today. Renga, who runs a hunting magazine when not playing poker, arrived at the final table as the short stack yet nursed his handful of chips into an unlikely fifth place, eliminated about four hours after everyone expected him to be gone.

Hanging on, Renga

Sometimes you just have to sit tight and wait for the nuts. Renga did, and got them three times, including a royal flush, for a hard-fought fifth place cheque worth €200,000.

Prydryk had gone first within minutes of the start, earning €66,800, while shortly after Jacobson had his first setback, a three-way pot with the indefatigable Renga and Wice which resulted in Jacobson reduced to 2,000,000 while Renga and Wice split the main pot, the Canadian taking the lead with more than 10,000,000 chips.

The end finally comes for Kaspars Renga

Jacobson fought back while the likes of Anthony Hnatow and Kenny Hallaert departed in seventh (€110,000) and sixth place (€155,000) respectively, not before Cohen had doubled through Wice with a turned full house, a critical moment.

Anthony Hnatow

Kenny Hallaert

Following Renga in fifth place was Julien Claudepierre, whose solid performance was worthy of a hat tip and €260,000. Suddenly the field had been reduced from six to three in just 20 minutes, while Claudepierre's elimination sent Wice back past the 10,000,000 mark and put him on a collision course with Jacobson and Cohen.

Julien Claudepierre

The young Canadian had dominated all through the week, never being far from the leaders, and the pre-match predictions that he and Jacobson would meet heads-up almost came to fruition.

Alex Wice

But there was Cohen again. The image of him screaming and that blasted giant rat on the table may haunt Wice for weeks. The pair clashed for what would be the last time when after receiving a walk with aces Wice found ace-queen and raised from the small blind, only for Cohen to find pocket queens and raise from the big blind. Soon enough the money was in the middle and the blank board sent Wice out in third for €330,000. A superb performance obliterated in a wall of noise.

Wice in action

Cohen's two-to-one heads-up lead soon became five-to-one. Jacobson had to act and shoved for [6h][7h] with 1,500,000 chips. Cohen called with [as][kd] and he, his rat, and the bundle of vocal supporters standing a few feet away braced themselves for one last hand. The board missed everything the Swede was looking for and Cohen erupted.

Martin Jacobson

For Jacobson it's his second near miss this year following Vilamoura, to go with the third place finish he secured in Budapest back in season five. The €560,000 Jacobson takes away tonight will be some consolation, but somehow you sense this will not be the last we see of him.

Congratulations to Lucien Cohen, the newest champion on the European Poker Tour. Night time Deauville better brace itself.

EPT Deauville champion Lucien Cohen

If anyone thought poker was a game lacking emotion, except perhaps that of over-achieving tub-thumpers; or if they believed it to be a game based purely on money, on ego and of one-upmanship against their fellow man, they need only look as far as the European Poker Tour's newest champion Roberto Romanello, for proof of otherwise.

Tonight, Romanello endeared himself to a poker community eager to see one of its natural talents succeed. After the last hand against runner-up Emiliano Bono, of Italy, Romanello simply couldn't help it. He covered his face with his hands trying to hide a stream of tears. His attempt to manfully cough it off failed as he looked for a steadying embrace from Thomas Kremser. Even those watching from the stage began to choke up.

Roberto Romanello

So, six days and 562 eliminations after it began, the defining image of EPT Prague will not be one of cards, nor towers of chips or the arms-aloft celebration of some lucky outdraw. It will be of a 34-year-old man, alone in the corner of a room, sobbing helplessly into his arms, completely overcome by emotion, to the utter delight of a contented crowd.

Roberto Romanello

"This means everything to me," Romanello would say when he'd had a few deep breaths and a sip of beer. "I felt I had so much support here, and I would like to thank everyone who has given it."

Tournament Director Thomas Kremser embraces Roberto Romanello

It marks the end of a breakthrough year for Romanello who just ten months ago knew exactly how it felt to fall as this final stage. A few hours after his sixth-placed finish in Copenhagen, he was picking at a consolatory dinner in the hotel restaurant, his face speaking more than any words. "It felt like it was my tournament," he'd said, wondering if he would ever get as close again. Well today he found his answer, one worth €640,000.

Romanello with Emiliano Bono

To see Romanello in action today was to see skilful poker at its best and in its purest form. Serious, and playing with unbroken concentration, Romanello angled his stack for attack, he never weakened, he never lost his resolve and he's an EPT champion because of it.

For his part Bono showed all the good grace that defeat demands. Today he had been a bundle of contradiction. Quiet while the others put in the legwork, Bono would explode in jack-in-the-box fashion and chest-thump his way through several vital double-ups. With a curious black cloth draped over his head, Bono led a charmed existence which seemed pre-ordained to end with over-achievement. That meant second place for the amiable Italian, who leaves Prague happy with €435,000.

Runner-up Emiliano Bono

The final got off to a lively start. Within minutes Roberto Nulli, one of three remaining Italians, was bidding his opponents farewell, to be followed minutes later by Frenchman Manuel Bevand. Any notion of a quick staccato final seemed assured when Slovakian Jan Bendik followed in sixth place. But then the frost settled. Four hours and nine minutes would pass before Marco Leonzio was dispatched in fifth.

The EPT trophy

Leonzio had been Italy's brightest hope, reaching the final day as chip leader and was on course to emulate his countryman Salvatore Bonavena's win in Prague two seasons ago. But while his rise to the top had been swift yesterday, that same impetus vanished today, and he proved unable to counter the precision of Romanello and the quiet focus of Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki. Ultimately it was Romanello who sent him on his way.

Marco Leonzio

Peter Skripka would go next, a player with obvious talent and the right degree of ambivalence to be a perpetual thorn in others's sides. Horecki had been victim of Skripka's nonchalant panache but got the last word, out kicking him into fourth place.

PokerStars player Peter Skripka

Horecki's hopes of a first EPT title would also be lost some two hours later. Three-handed, the man from Poland suffered in two key hands, against both Romanello and then Bono, before Bono, in an Ace-Jack vs Ace-King encounter, delivered the coup de grace. The Italian edged a jack on the river, leaving Horecki with a result equal to his third place in London back in 2008.

Romanello and Bono console third-placed Horecki

An hour and 15 minutes later, after an exhausting final table, Romanello had what he'd come for, an EPT title. We'd be happy to see him get a second.

That concludes our live coverage from Prague, made memorable for snow, dancing Santas, and a Welshman in a fuzzy hat, sobbing gently and clutching his EPT trophy. We're now going to take advantage of the early finish and the free bar proffered by Mr Romanello by way of celebration. Maybe after that we'll check-up the travel news from home, peer through the window at the snow in Prague, and gulp.

The Prague Hilton, going weird

Provided we get through the ice blockade we'll be back on 6 January 2011 with live coverage of the first events at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure on Paradise Island. As ever it promises everything that poker players would want, with all the conch chowder and pink drinks you could wish for.

Until then it's good night, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Prague.

Chouity eliminated six of his seven final table opponents to land himself the €1,700,000 first prize that accompanies the winner's trophy in these parts. If winning a poker tournament means beating everyone else, then Chouity, who qualified for this tournament via a $22 rebuy satellite, took that policy to its extreme.

"I played my best, I ran good, everything went OK and I won," said Chouity, in as accurate and economical summary of the past two days as could be wished for. "This is the best thing that has ever happened to me."

In truth, an eventuality other than a win for Chouity would have been even more surprising. He entered the final table with more than 40 percent of the chips in play. And while those around him spent the day with at least one eye on the payout ladder, which awarded a €100,000 jump in prize-money for each spot higher they could clamber, the scene was set perfectly for the big gun to pick them off one by one.

If those short-stacks were waiting for hands with which to double up, Chouity had the luxury of waiting for the hands with which to knock them out. The full final table coverage, available via the links at the bottom of this post, spells out the blow-by-blow action. But here's the bullet-point version, which pretty much says it all:

Chouity enjoyed another outdraw to send Dominykas Karmazinas out in third. The first Lithuanian ever to make a final, Karmazinas played pretty much perfect final table strategy until he couldn't get [ad][7s] to stand up against Chouity's [ac][6d]. A six on the turn ended that.

Dominykas Karmazinas: bust in third

All those eliminations left the heads up duel between Chouity and Klinger, a former chess champion from Austria. Klinger had been one of few prepared to get his chips in the middle during the final table, and his willingness to play poker paid dividends.

Josef Klinger clung on until the heads up stage

However, the heads up battle was brief. Klinger got unlucky when his flopped top pair, eight kicker, was counterfeited on the river, meaning he chopped a pot against Chouity. And when he picked up a pair of eights he was willing to get all his chips in pre-flop. Problem: Chouity had aces.

All over at the end of play

That, of course, was the end of that, and Chouity was not only crowned the new EPT Grand Final champion, but he also got to pose with a pair of aces as his winning hand. That must be nice.

Nicolas Chouity: a winner with aces

It's also a fitting end to another season on the European Poker Tour, which visited further flung districts than ever before, witnessed 74 days of competition, named another 12 champions without repeat, and will be back again next season for even more.

Congratulations then to Nicolas Chouity, and all the Grand Final Main Event winners.

]]> http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/nicolas-chouity-wins-ept-grand-final-in-069844.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/nicolas-chouity-wins-ept-grand-final-in-069844.html European Poker Tour European Poker Tour Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:46:22 +0000 San Remo is a peaceful place, the 'city of flowers' on the Italian Riviera that comes to life in the summer sunshine then spends the fall and winter waiting for that sun to come back.

But once a year it gets an early shot of adrenaline in the form of a thousand poker players who fill the streets in the morning, the casinos through to the evening, and demand 24 hour service at night. They may not always get it, but what they do get is one of the best poker tournaments in the world. And those watching get one of the most exciting.

Since the San Remo leg was first added to the EPT calendar it has always provided a little extra, be it a three hour final table or a shock Dutch winner. This year has been no different, just ask the new champion Liv Boeree.

EPT San Remo winner Liv Boeree

Four years ago Boeree won her first poker tournament, a £5 re-buy event, in the Gutshot poker club in London. Four years later she paid €5,000 to play in San Remo on the Italian Riviera. Well, tonight she won that as well, winning €1,250,000, the EPT San Remo title and a seat to the Monte Carlo Grand Final next week.

"I can't even speak," said Boeree as she was grabbed by EPT presenter Michelle Orpe seconds after winning.

Liv Boeree embraces EPT presenter Michelle Orpe moments after winning

"I don't want to cry because that's not professional but I can't believe that I've won this. This is incredible. Everyone today played so good. Jakob was the one person I didn't want to get heads-up against, he's such a good player. But I ran well and I played good."

Boeree had stunned everyone when she eliminated Toni Pettersson in third place to take a massive lead into the heads up, not least eventual runner-up Jakob Carlsson who had led until then.

At one point Carlsson was able to wrestle control of the heads up battle from Boeree but the 25-year-old heavy metal fan from London was in touching distance of a long held dream and was not prepared to give it up without the hardest of fights. She prevailed, salvaged the lead once more to finally get her way.

Heads up

In the final hand the money went in pre-flop, raising, then calling a Carlsson shove. To win she needed her pocket fives to survive a race against Carlsson's ace-six. The board brought blanks and missed any Carlsson get outs. Few champions have looked more tense beforehand, sick during and ecstatic after a winning hand.

"It's exactly what I've been working towards when I started playing poker four years ago; to win a major tournament," said Boeree. "I just didn't think it'd come so quickly."

Despite being done and dusted long before the sun had completely set beyond eastern horizon this final did not have the quick start most had anticipated. Instead it took an hour for the first elimination. Atanas Gueorguiev left first when he moved in with [jh][6h] with two callers, eventually sent to the rail for €90,000 by Alexey Rybin's [kc][jc] with a king on the board.

Atanas Gueorguiev

An hour later we saw the first competitive turn card of the final. It would be the first and last for seventh placed Claudio Piceci, whose [5c][6c] was bettered by Carlsson's ace-deuce on an ace-high board when Piceci bluff-shoved on the river. Piceci took away €150,000.

Claudio Piceci

Diep, the other Italian, watched all this with an Italian flag covering his face as his stack got smaller and smaller. He pushed with [8c][9c] after a hand against Rybin had left him crippled. Michael Piper had pocket tens making Diep's shove one to dash hopes of an Italian winner. Diep settled for sixth place and a cheque for €210,000.

Giuseppe Diep

Alexey Rybin had been among the leaders throughout the week, and despite the handicap of a short stack played with a fearlessness common in men of shocking wealth and no financial concerns. Winking his way through the final he was taking back chips before he ran into Carlsson.

Alexey Rybin

Piper had raised, which Rybin three-bet from the cut off. Carlsson four-bet from the button which dispatched Piper, but on a flop of [2d][th][8d] Rybin shoved with ace-ten behind Carlsson's bet and was called by pocket jacks. It was over right there, fifth place for Rybin and €270,000.

Michael Piper

Piper had his fair share of Carlsson clashes and the last of them would send him to the rail. Piper, who with aviator glasses and horseshoe moustache looked more like a fictional New York detective from the 1970s than a graduate of astrophysics, shoved with [qh][th] behind a Carlsson bet and a Pettersson call. Carlsson insta-called with [ac][kh] and a king on the flop stripped Piper of his chips, badge and weapon. Remember the moustache for sure, but remember the name also, for it's one likely to appear again soon.

With three left the final entered a new phase. Initially it looked an easy task for Carlsson. But while this may have all taken place in a theatre used to dramatics, poker doesn't always follow the script.

Three handed

Pettersson had survived some close shaves, doubling up twice already and at one point being rubbed for luck by the other players. As they began three-handed play Carlsson began losing pots, evening up both Pettersson and Boeree who combined could not out chip the leader. Then the hand that would send Pettersson crashing out.

Pettersson made it 600,000 from the button and Boeree three-bet from the big blind. When the Finn called for a flop of [4s][kd][3s] Boeree made it another million and a half, but Pettersson seemed unconvinced, raising to 3.2 million making for an 8 million pot.

Toni Pettersson

Boeree bided her time, waiting, staring at her opposition as she had done all week, then she suddenly announced she was all-in. The 18-year-old Pettersson snap called then snap-cursed as Boeree tabled pocket threes. His own king-queen was soon drawing dead. He was out in third for €420,000.

It changed everything, giving Boeree the lead, 23.2 million to Carlsson's 14.5 million. Carlsson, who once towered over his competition, dominating the landscape and thwarting any well intentioned rebellion, was now left looking up at a new foe, a well spoken Boadicea from the Home Counties, casting an ominous shadow over the Swede ready to become a champion.

Boeree couldn't believe it

The final table results:

1 - Liv Boeree, UK, €1,250,000
2 - Jakob Carlsson, Sweden, PokerStars player, €750,000
3 - Toni Pettersson, Finland, PokerStars qualifier, €420,000
4 - Michael Piper, UK, PokerStars qualifier, €345,000
5 - Alexey Rybin, Russia, €270,000
6 - Giuseppe Diep, Italy, €210,000
7 - Claudio Piceci, Italy, €150,000
8 - Atanas Gueorguiev, Bulgaria, €90,000

It may be all over in San Remo but don't be sad as while we drift off for pasta, aperitifs and the fish course, busy people a few miles from here are at work preparing Monte Carlo for the arrival of hundreds of the best poker players in the world each armed with a hotel reservation, ten grand and the dream of winning European poker's richest prize.

]]> http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/liv-boeree-takes-ept-san-remo-title-069843.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/liv-boeree-takes-ept-san-remo-title-069843.html European Poker Tour EPT San Remo Season 6 Liv Boeree Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:33:03 +0000 Whenever you try anything new, even under the auspices of something so well-established as the European Poker Tour, there's always some element of risk. But rather like in poker itself, where the most skilled players reduce the influence of chance to its bare minimum, the wily operators of the EPT can sense when they're holding all the aces.

Snowfest - a poker tournament in an Alpine paradise of winter sports, warm hospitality, snowball fights and goats - was a brilliant idea all the way from drawing board to final execution. And after six days of intense competition over the poker tables at the Alpine Palace in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Austria, we have just named our first king of the mountains. And this was as deserved a success as we've ever seen.

Allan Baekke, from Copenhagen, Denmark, took over the chip lead on day three and he barely relinquished it for a moment before he etched his name on the winner's trophy and on a cheque for €445,000 tonight. "I feel awesome," said Baekke. "It's so big. It's every poker player's dream."

Allan Baekke: Champion

The final stretch of that slaloming journey was today's final table, and seven opponents who were no mere moguls to be casually overrun. This was actually a gruelling battle today - more than 11 hours from start to finish - and for a while it seemed as though it really could have gone any which way.

A three-handed battle between Baekke, Russell Carson and Johannes Strassmann was the fitting end. There were big hands and major outdraws; there was relentless aggression and hero calls; there was terrific poker from start to finish. Both Strassmann and Carson wounded Baekke, but he would not lie down. Strassmann was sent to the rail and then Carson followed after another lengthy heads-up battle.

"I feel pretty good, considering," said Carson, who took €296,000 for second place. "I've had worse days."

Russell Carson: second, but happy

We reconvened at 2pm today, with our final challengers looking rather like this:

EPT Snowfest final table (from l-r): Alain Medesan, Daniel Van Kalkeren, Jonathan Schroer, Johannes Strassmann, Allan Baekke, Lukas Baumann, Brent Wheeler, Russell Carson.

Our first man to depart was Daniel Van Kalkeren, who arrived to the final table with a short stack and knew he had to move it. He got it all in with pocket fives, but ran into an ace-king and a king on the flop. We were off and playing, but playing without our final Dutchman.

Daniel Van Kalkeren: a brief stay at the final table

Home hopes this morning were all on the young shoulders of Lukas Baumann, an engineering student who had manufactured himself a final table spot, against the odds. Humble but clearly no slouch, and having won his seat here for nothing in a Frequent Player Point satellite, Baumann had considered himself the underdog coming into today. But pretty much any player would have shoved a short stack over the top of Strassmann's opening raise with [ah][jc]. This time it couldn't win the race against Strassmann's eights, however, and we were down to six.

Lukas Baumann: pride of Austria

Jonathan Schroer is more accustomed to life over the chequered chess board, where he is an international master. But having played online for ten years, and having also taken the FPP satellite route to Snowfest, he also knows his way around the poker tables. And he explored pretty much every inch of today's final table too, eyes darting around at his opponents and their stacks ... until he decided to enter a pot himself. Then, Schroer pulled a hoodie tightly over his face, laid his forehead flat on the table, and shoved all his chips over the line.

The game-face of Jonathan Schroer

The routine confounded all his opponents time and again, and he steadily chipped up into contention. But eventually Schroer tried it one time too many, and shoved his messy stacks into the impeccably ordered skyscrapers of Strassmann, who also happened to have pocket kings. Schroer was slain.

The Jonathan Schroer shove

Brent Wheeler was the next to go. Having been forced to play it pretty tight by the dominant Baekke to his left, Wheeler eventually seized his opportunity to chip up through the Romanian Alain Medesan. Wheeler flopped two pair and wasn't getting much resistance from Medesan. But little did Wheeler know, he was walking into a trap. Medesan had flopped a set of fives and there was no way back for the American, Baekke applying the final blow on the next hand.

Brent Wheeler: Rolled out in fifth

Medesan emerged from the skirmish with Wheeler as the chip leader, but he wound up following him out the door. The three more experienced campaigners around him began to target the Romanian's huge stack, and it was Carson who managed to snaffle the lion's share when Medesan was on the wrong end of another cooler.

Carson and Medesan went at it pre-flop and it was Carson's kings that were decisive against Medesan's jacks. That put Medesan barely above the felt and his attempt at a heroic comeback foundered on the third time he was all in. Baekke again snapped him off - and the EPT still searches for its first Romanian champion.

Alain Medesan: done in fourth

That left us with that epic three-handed battle, which stretched from the dinner break long into the Alpine night. Even the floodlights went out on Mount Zwölferkogel as those three titans - Baekke, Carson and Strassmann - did battle, with any of them a worthy winner, and any of them possibly the next out.

Baekke hit the ropes after he ran fours into Carson's queens, but he mounted such a comeback that by the time he had rivered a flush against Strassmann's top two, and all the chips went in, it was the Team PokerStars Pro who was looking for the cash table.

Johannes Strassmann: once a PokerStar always a PokerStar

Strassmann, yet again, has shown class in bundles here at Snowfest, leading on day two and cruising ruthlessly to the last eight. But there was no budging Baekke and Strassmann remains in search of his first EPT title even after his fourth visit to a final table.

The two players left were two of the very best, and they each had a vocal rooting section in the bleachers. Carson was down to his last few chips and staring at elimination with his [ah][js] versus Baekke's [ac][qd] all in pre-flop. The poker gods left it until the river to throw the lifeline, and when the jack popped out, the comeback was on.

Russell Carson's cheering section

Heads up play

Carson hauled himself all but level after another big double up, but heads-up play is Baekke's speciality. And he also has patience in abundance. He picked his spots perfectly, moved the chips in at all the right times. Eventually he managed to get pocket sevens to stand up against Carson's [kc][js] and we finally had the champion we'd known about since Tuesday.

On the whole, then, this was another EPT that over-delivered on even the most lofty promises. Snow? Check. Skiing? Check? Parties? Check. Thrilling, top-quality poker? Check, check, check. Next season's schedule has not yet been confirmed, but I'll wear lederhosen for a week if Snowfest is not a fixture. And you wouldn't want to see me in lederhosen.

The next stop on the European Poker Tour is San Remo mid way through April, followed swiftly by the Grand Final in Monte Carlo. But before even that, the PokerStars Blog will be in action to cover the second stop on the North American Poker Tour, at Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut, USA. Join us there.

Over. And. Out.

]]> http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/allan-baekke-wins-ept-snowfest-066346.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/allan-baekke-wins-ept-snowfest-066346.html European Poker Tour EPT Thu, 01 Apr 2010 11:39:52 +0000

]]> http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/ept-berlin-kevin-macphee-wins-065662.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/ept-berlin-kevin-macphee-wins-065662.html European Poker Tour EPT Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:27:33 +0000 There are countless reasons why this week will live long in the memory of poker enthusiasts. This was the first EPT event to be hosted in Berlin and it was the first time there was a guaranteed €1m to the winner. And, of course, there was that incident. It happened, but no need to say more.

Today's final table, however, was the perfect tonic to end a week of highs and lows. It featured eight players who had each earned their place by playing the best poker of their lives, and they gave a terrific show of fearless deep-stack final table play. When we were down to three - Kevin MacPhee, Ilari Tahkokallio and Marc Inizan - any of them would have been a more than worthy winner. The other five weren't too shabby either.

In the event, our first EPT Berlin champion is that man MacPhee from Coeur d'Alene, in Idaho, USA. MacPhee, a serial qualifier to major tournaments on PokerStars, is better known as "ImaLuckSac" online, and his immediate reaction echoed the sentiments of that username.

"I am a luck-sack," MacPhee said. "What can I say? I ran extremely good and I had the nuts every time someone played back at me." Advised that he was now a millionaire, MacPhee said: "Yeah, that's nice. About time." MacPhee is 29-years-old.

Kevin MacPhee: EPT Berlin champion

Tahkokallio, from Finland, who finished second, emerged with immense credit too. "He's an amazing player and my hat's off to him," MacPhee said of his adversary. And MacPhee was in the best position to judge.

Early yesterday, MacPhee had turned to Tahkokallio and said: "Are we going to get heads up again?" It was a reference to a side event at EPT London earlier this season, when the same two players had gone mano-a-mano for that title. "Probably," Tahkokallio replied, and despite all the intervening disturbances, the two of them kept their date tonight.

Ilari Tahkokalio, defeated heads up

Their heads-up battle this time lasted more than three hours, with more than one exchange of the chip lead. MacPhee eventually persuaded Tahkokallio to get all his money in on a low board with the Finn holding a couple of overcards. MacPhee had middle pair and rivered a straight. Cue hugs, handshakes and a new champion.

Final table line-up: (l-r) Marko Neumann, Marc Inizan, Artur Wasek, Kevin MacPhee, Ilari Tahkokallio, Marcel Koller, Nico Behling, Ketul Nathwani

MacPhee had the dominant stack coming into the final, but he was gracious enough to allow two of the shorties to get involved early on, costing Nico Behling his shot at the million. Behling was out on the second hand of the day, sent packing by Marcel Koller's pocket tens.

MacPhee then came out firing, flopping a set with pocket sevens to out-run Marko Neumann's big slick, and busting Ketul Nathwani in fifth with [ad][9c] against the Englishman's [as][6d].

Ketul Nathwani

Tahkokallio stuck his head briefly above the parapet to knock out Marcel Koller in between. That was a standard queens (Tahkokallio) against [ac][qs] (Koller) cooler - a rare moment of normalcy amid all the fireworks.

Marcel Koller

The first slowdown came four-handed, but the most pressure was on the Polish player Artur Wasek. He had made a last-minute decision to play this event, wagering money made at the cash tables on the eve of day one, and so had already progressed further than he could have hoped.

Artur Wasek: happy throughout the tournament...

He wouldn't be shifted without a fight - or another cooler. Wasek found queens when Inizan had kings, and Inizan had a bigger stack. It all went in, the board was dry, and out went Wasek.

...until it all went wrong for Wasek

Inizan's tournament didn't last much longer, but here was a man who had demonstrated beyond doubt that he is a shark patrolling the waters of the biggest tournament fields. He led almost from pillar to post in a recent 800-strong event in Belgium, making the final table but finishing ninth, and he had been in the top nine at the end of every day here.

Marc Inizan

The momentum took him further than ever before in Berlin, but he was halted in third, flopping top pair when MacPhee had hit the nut straight. All in. Gone.

So here it was, the second date MacPhee and Tahkokallio had arranged in October. And although this time it was MacPhee picking up the check, few would bet against this tete-a-tete prospering around the tables of major poker tournaments on many more romantic occasions from here.

All the photography on PokerStars Blog comes from Neil Stoddart and the words are the combined magic of Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young. Hubble hubble, boil and bubble, etc.

We'll be back on the EPT at Snowfest in Austria on March 21. We can safely assume that you'll be there too - without the compound fractures that us non-skiers will surely have suffered during our ill-advised attempts at cliff-hucking and indie grabs.

Until then, cheerio from Germany.

The Berlin Parliament building

]]> http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/kevin-macphee-wins-ept-berlin-and-1milli-065660.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/kevin-macphee-wins-ept-berlin-and-1milli-065660.html European Poker Tour EPT Kevin MacPhee Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:10:41 +0000

]]> http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/jake-codys-deauville-title-063789.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/jake-codys-deauville-title-063789.html European Poker Tour European Poker Tour Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:08:18 +0000 The European Poker Tour is no stranger to breaking new ground and welcomes players from across the globe. Earlier in January it was in the Caribbean, soon it will be the ski-slopes of Austria, after it hits Berlin for the first time. Its 51 champions hail from 15 countries, and in Deauville, there was the chance to jab a flag in even more virgin turf.

We thought we were going to get our first double champion, then we thought we would see the first man from Romania to clinch one of these events. But when push came to shove there was no getting past a 21-year-old named Jake Cody, who produced a miraculous comeback from the brink of elimination to become the seventh British player to enter the EPT winner's enclosure.

"This is so overwhelming," Cody said. "It's the sort of stuff I dreamed about with my mates just a few weeks back. I feel like I should be asleep as I can't believe this is happening."

It was his first time at an EPT but few would deny him the plaudits. This kid can play.

Jake Cody, EPT Deauville champion

Cody takes €847,000 and a buy in to the Grand Final in Monte Carlo. He also has the satisfaction of emerging victorious from arguably the most compelling final table in any poker event in years. Cody found himself utterly crippled by a massive coup against the Canadian Mike McDonald when they were six handed: ace-king against tens, king on the flop. But Cody simply would not die and eventually got it heads up with Teodor Caraba, the aforementioned Romanian, who was chip leader going into the final table, as he was when there were 24 players left.

Teodor Caraba came out of the wings to take centre stage

Caraba played an almost strategically perfect match, mostly sitting out the opening exchanges of the final table as players around him bust. He stayed out of trouble until his chip lead cruised him to the final three. But even after pulling out all the stops when it got short-handed, he could not overcome the fearless tenacity of Cody, who embraced the variance, rode the volatility, and only broke into a smile once the deal was sealed.

The final hand came after they had played two hours mano-a-mano during which Caraba had Cody strangled, then the Brit had the Romanian scratching the felt, and then honours evened out again. But after massive chip leads in each direction, the death knell sounded at 11.45pm local time. Caraba found ace-king and Cody had kings. All in. Game over.

Heads up play

Before that, McDonald had carried the hopes of the sentimentalists. No one has ever won two EPT Main Events, but the young Canadian, known as "Timex", had the best chance to break that hoodoo since Mark Teltscher finished second in Barcelona in 2007. Still too young to play cards in Las Vegas, McDonald is an online and an EPT sensation: this was his third final table and he is still only 20 years old.

Mike McDonald: Timex made to wait for his two-time

McDonald assumed the chip lead at one point today, prompting the engraver's hand to hover over the trophy, looking for the stencil of "Mc". But he hadn't accounted for Caraba, who enjoyed the first major suck-out of the final table, taking [as][td] against McDonald's jacks and flopping an ace. Timex and history will need to wait.

Going into the final table, the other story featured a man named Peter Eastgate. The Team PokerStars Pro had the chance to add an EPT title to his glittering resume - something that no other former World Champion has managed, despite six seasons in the attempt.

Indeed, no other former World Champion has ever made an EPT final table, but this was Eastgate's second in the same season - and he was keen to go one better than his second place in London in October.

However, it was always going to be a tough ask with a short stack, and although Eastgate set it to work in the opening level, he eventually ran pocket tens into Craig Bergeron's [kc][9s] and a king flopped. Eastgate's own quest for an historic double was put on ice. He was out in eighth.

Peter Eastgate, pictured on day three but in day five pose

A division in the chip stacks soon developed, with the likes of Michael Fratty, Stephane Albertini and Claudiu Secara languishing way behind the big four. And although they all jousted and doubled up a couple of times apiece, the big stacks found big hands at the right time to pick them off.

Fratty ran [ah][qd] into Jake Cody's kings; Albertini's [kc][9c] couldn't beat Cody's aces. And then when McDonald's cowboys held on over Secara's jacks, pins seven, six and five had been quickly skittled.

Michael Fratty, out in seventh

Stephane Albertini, sixth

Claudiu Secara, our fifth placed finisher

Amid the wanton culling of the short stacks, there had also been some violent swings at the top of the ladder, with McDonald and Cody chomping at one another's throats like pit-pulls in the back-room of a pub. Timex was actually all in and with his tournament life on the line when he flopped a king holding [ad][kd] to beat Cody's [10c][10h]. They had three, four, five bet it pre-flop as the shorties looked on in glee.

Jake Cody suffers a set-back

"The flip I lost against Timex was a big moment as I felt I would have a great chance of winning if I won that hand," Cody said. "It wasn't to be and I had to grind to get back in to it, which I did."

No kidding. The Cody fightback was terrific, starting with a major pot against the lone American Bergeron, who will probably regret limping from the button with [9s][6s] and flopping a nine. Cody, who had checked his big blind also had a nine, but flopped two pair and they got it all in.

Bergeron could not recover and fell in fourth, two places short of fulfilling the wish of his online screen-name to play HU4ROLLZ. But he had played his part particularly in the tournament's later days, where he had never been far from the chip lead.

Craig Bergeron: HU4ROLLZ will wait for another day

No one had any clear advantage when they went three handed - each of Cody, McDonald and Caraba had about the seven million mark. Caraba had been the quietest of the three at the final table, but loosened up as befitted the situation when the octet was reduced to a trio. He re-raised McDonald out of a decent pot to be the first through the ten million mark. And he certainly looked comfortable and at home amid the madness of a fearlessly fought three-handed battle.

But Cody. There was no denying Jake Cody.

Jake Cody celebrates the winning moment

There are video blogs and loads of other goodies always available at PokerStars.tv. And pictures, pictures and more pictures are all © Neil Stoddart.

So there we have it. Romania still waits for its first champion and still no one has won two EPTs. But on the showing of the Deauville event, Jake Cody has as much chance as any of breaking through that glass ceiling. It'll be fun to watch him try.

Live event coverage on PokerStars Blog barely lets up for one minute, with the ANZPT Adelaide event, the UKIPT tournament in Manchester, the NAPT's debut at the Venetian in Las Vegas, the EPT Copenhagen event and the LAPT Punta del Este tournament in Uruguay all coming at you in February.

Good night for now, but see you again very soon. We'll leave you with all this in moving pictures...

Watch EPT Deauville 2010: Main Event Final Table on PokerStars.tv

PokerStars Blog reporting team: Howard Swains, Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey and Simon Young

]]> http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/jake-cody-wins-ept-deauville-and-847000-063788.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2010/jake-cody-wins-ept-deauville-and-847000-063788.html European Poker Tour European Poker Tour Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:50:48 +0000

There was a story waiting to be written in Vilamoura tonight, one of a child chess prodigy turned poker player winning an EPT event and rocking the poker world after he'd only narrowly missed out three weeks ago in Warsaw. But as anyone who has played this game will know, poker is nothing if not unpredictable.

Instead, in front of huge crowds in Casino Vilamoura, another story will be written. A 54-year old economist named Antonio Matias from Setubal, Portugal, a cash game player who couldn't resist playing in the first EPT in his home country, became the tour's oldest winner. A champion and €404,793 richer, he is the first winner on home soil since Sandra Naujoks in Dortmund last season.

Champion Antonio Matias (spot the deliberate mistake*)

In the last hand, Neuville, holding [jh][ts] raised 240,000 from the button. Matias called with [8s][7d] for a [jd][7h][8h] flop. Matias was ahead with two pairs to Neuville's top pair and gutshot straight draw. Matias checked before Neuville made it 315,000 to play. Matias made it another 500,000 more before Neuville pushed all in. Matias called, already ahead, and the [7c] gave Matias the full house on the turn. It also won him the title.

The heads-up duel was the conclusion to a thrilling final. The runner-up Pierre Neuville, fulfilling a poker dream held for 50 years, had to settle for €257,681. But he's shown one or two of the youngsters that at 67 he can still play.

Pierre Neuville

All this began some eight hours ago. Andrei Vlaskenko was first to depart, thanks to the 18-year-old PokerStars qualifier Ryan Franklin who would himself be sent to the rail by Jeff Sarwer two hours later. The French tour veteran Michel Abecassis followed him in sixth place, his chips helping bolster the stack of the chip leader Matias.

Andrei Vlasenko

Ryan Franklin

Michel Abecassis

The local boy Joao Silva was the obvious crowd favourite. Despite being hamstrung by a short stack Silva would double up through Sarwer twice, lifted out of his chair each time by the roar of the rail. He would eventually depart at the hand of Jan Skampa in a queens vs. jacks showdown, ending the Portuguese player's adventure. Skampa now had the chip lead but there was a thread of chaos weaved into the final and Skampa would be next to leave.

Joao Silva

Jan Skampa

The Czech player hadn't finished stacking Silva's chips when he gave them to Sarwer. Sarwer opened under-the-gun, Skampa raised, before Sarwer re-raised. Skampa then shoved, called in a flash, showing king-nine to Sarwer's pocket queens. The queens held. Sarwer celebrated with a Portuguese-style "Vamos!", followed by a lap of honour. He now had 5 million. Skampa was crushed and would be gone in a matter of hands.

Three players remained, passing chips around for two and a half hours. Pierre Neuville and Antonio Matias knew they couldn't out-think Sarwer, so they tried muscle instead, ultimately using big hands to crush Sarwer's hopes.

Frustrated by what seemed an incredible run of cards that had ultimately stolen the chip lead, Sarwer took a last stand against Matias who re-raised him all-in on a flop of [9c][7h][3c]. He had [9s][5s] and called, but Matias was ahead with pocket tens.

Jeff Sarwer

Sarwer needed help, and got it, a [5c] on the turn. For the first time Sarwer released a primal howl before regaining his composure. But the relief was short lived. A [3d] on the river left Matias cheering, now with a bigger two pair, while Sarwer, who seems to be busy cracking poker's code, sought comfort from the likes of Shaun Deeb, Jim Collopy and Jonathan Aguiar, his new entourage gathered on the rail.

The rest is now inked into the EPT history book. Neuville and Matias girded themselves for a heads-up scrap that soon went Matias's way and Neuville graciously conceded the limelight to a new local hero who also wins a seat at the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo.

"I like to think of myself as a citizen of the world," said Matias. "But it is very satisfying win an EPT in my home country. I just decided to play the way I play, and hope that luck didn't turn its back on me. When I got the chip lead yesterday the only thing I had on my mind was winning."

And if you would rather see the chuffed chap (apologies, we're English) then this is for you...

Watch EPT Vilamoura Winner presentation on PokerStars.tv

That's everything there is from EPT Vilamoura. Thanks for following our coverage throughout the week. Our thanks go to Neil Stoddart for his work with his camera and the Portuguese legal system, and the video blog team whose work can be seen in full over at PokerStars.tv.

Next stop for us is Prague in just over a week's time. See you there.

Cheerio.

* The winning hand was actually [8s][7d]. Matias posed with the incorrect eight.

]]> http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2009/ept-vilamoura-antonio-matias-wins-in-hom-061741.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2009/ept-vilamoura-antonio-matias-wins-in-hom-061741.html European Poker Tour EPT Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:47:58 +0000

]]> http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2009/ept-6-warsaw-benzimras-victory-060740.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.net/european_poker_tour/2009/ept-6-warsaw-benzimras-victory-060740.html European Poker Tour European Poker Tour Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:49:59 +0000