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Casinos> 2009
- Real Casinos News Archive> POKERSTARS QUALIFIER MORITZ KRANICH WINS EPT DEAUVILLE
DEAUVILLE, France, January 26, 2009: The PokerStars.com European
Poker Tour celebrated a spectacular return to France this week with
PokerStars qualifier Moritz Kranich winning €851,400 against
a record field in the first EPT to be held here for three years.
Moritz Kranich, who was in contention for the title for most of
the final days of the tournament, eventually triumphed after knocking
out French business student Arnaud Esquevin.
Moritz, a 28-year-old online pro from Hamburg, took up poker four
years ago and has already enjoyed considerable success, including
third place in the PokerStars WCOOP Second Chance tournament. As
part of his EPT Deauvile prize, he also wins a seat in the €10,000
EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo. He said: “It’s amazing
to win this event. I never imagined when I got here on Tuesday that
this would happen. I’m very, very happy.”
Moritz, who only married six months ago, now plans to buy an apartment
with his wife Jessica - as well as play more EPT tournaments and
the World Series next summer.
Italian Andrea Benelli continued his phenomenal EPT run by making
the Deauville final – his second final table this season,
and his third cash. He won €219,800 for fourth place.
Team PokerStars Pro Isabelle Mercier, who made the final table
here in Season 2, cashed again – coming 61st for €6,225.
The tournament also featured a wealth of other international stars,
including PokerStars-sponsored WSOP champion Peter Eastgate as well
as Team PokerStars Pros Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier,
Noah Boeken, Dario Minieri, Luca Pagano, Alex Kravchenko and German
ShootingStars Sebastian Ruthenberg and Sandra Naujoks. Former French
international footballer Vikash Dhorasoo and French rap star Bruno
“Kool Shen” Lopes also competed alongside poker pros
Andy Black, Dave “Devilfish” Ulliott, Freddy Deeb, Fabrice
Soulier and Bruno Fittoussi.
The €5,350 buy-in tournament, hosted by Barrière Poker
at the beautiful Casino de Deauville, attracted a record field of
645 players from 50 countries, including 120 players who won their
seats online with PokerStars. The total prize pool was €3,096,000.
The final table was filmed for broadcast by French national TV
channel NRJ12. Extended highlights of the final table, featuring
cards up action, were broadcast directly after the conclusion of
the tournament. The extended highlights were also shown, with commentary
in English and French, via EPT.com.
The EPT founder John Duthie said: “Two years in exile seems
to have strengthened the resolve of French poker players to support
and celebrate this popular event. The EPT’s return to Deauville
– with record field and prize pool – has been an extraordinary
success.”
Final Table / Payouts
Name Country PokerStars status €
1 Moritz Kranich Germany PokerStars qualifier 851,400
2 Arnaud Esquevin France 495,400
3 Tristan Clemoncon France 284,800
4 Andrea Benelli Italy 219,800
5 Jonathan Azoulay France 182,700
6 Jorn Walthaus Holland PokerStars player 142,400
7 Bruno Launais France 108,300
8 Thomas Delattre France 77,400
The next stop on the PokerStars European Poker Tour is EPT Copenhagen
in Denmark. The €5,300 event takes place February 17-21, 2009
at Casino Copenhagen in the Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel. For
more information on the European Poker Tour, please visit www.ept.com.
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