European Poker Tour Grand Final, Monte Carlo
Day 1a (Saturday 12th April)
Coming to the Grand Final of the EPT is very much like going to a leg of the GUKPT. A quick flight to Nice, helicopter ride to Monte Carlo….ok, ok, it’s not the same, but nonetheless it was nice to see so many GUKPT regulars sitting down on my arrival at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel.
The first person I spotted was Dave Colclough, a former GUKPT leg winner, on the same table as Roberto Romanello, 2007 GUKPT Personality of the Year. Roberto in hat and tie soon announced that they were “going to have a bit of fun” and donned a pair of white gloves. Confused, I then watched as he put on a complete Michael Jackson mask, including hair, which he kept on whilst playing for 30 minutes. Ever the showman, Roberto had every TV and press camera focussed upon him.
Unfortunately neither Dave nor Roberto lasted the day and we also lost other familiar faces from the GUKPT including Barney Boatman and Roland de Wolfe, although Ross Boatman did survive to Day 2 on Monday.
As well as our UK stars I also spied former WSOP Champion, Greg Raymer, WSOP European Champion Annette Obrestad, Phil Ivey, Erick Lindgren, Barry Greenstein, plus tennis superstar Boris Becker (although he is not playing until Day 1b).
The venue at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel is truly magnificent and befitting an event with a €10,000 + €600 buy-in! Blue Square sponsored pro, Mickey Wernick plus Blue Square qualifier (and former professional cricketer) Min Patel both play tomorrow in Day 1b and with a first prize easily in excess of €2 million we wish them the very best of luck.
Perhaps the highlight of the day was my own entry into a €200 sit and go, with ten players and prizes for the first two places. My very first hand was KK, which paid off and I managed to ride my luck into 2nd place and a €600 pay-day. No doubt all the best poker players in the world who are mingling around here heard the whisper – a new star is born.
Report by Blue Square Poker representative, Mike Butlin.
Day 1b (Sunday 13th April)
Day 1b began with a fanfare of music and the curtains of the auditorium being opened onto the bay in Monte Carlo. Almost made the hair on the back of your reporters neck go up.
More GUKPT regulars here today, including recent Irish Open Champion Neil Channing in great spirits as ever (but perhaps buoyed by his recent
success) as well as Vicky Coren, Jonathan Butters, former GUKPT leg winner Maz Nawab as well as our very own Mickey Wernick and Blue Square Poker online qualifier Min Patel.
Boris Becker also played with what appeared to be a minder behind him and constant media attention. Unfortunately Boris didn’t last the day.
A total of 450 players are sitting down today, giving a total of 842 (136 more than last year) and a prize-pool of over €8 million! No wonder they come from all over the world to play in this event and at €600 entry fee per player, no wonder they can afford so many tournament officials and staff.
Poker superstars I spotted included, Daniel Negreanu, Joe Hachem, Chris Moneymaker, Vanessa Rousso, Antonio Esfandiari and Gus Hansen. Bemused that none came to ask me for advice after my 2nd place finish in the €200 sit and go I played another to secure my new superstar reputation – predictably I crashed out half-way through and my dreams of world poker domination are broken!
More importantly and regrettably, Mickey Wernick fell just 20 minutes before the end of the day. Mickey had taken a nasty hit earlier in the day when flopping a full house, only to be outdrawn on the river by a bigger full house. Not a player in the tournament could have avoided that bad fortune and try as he might, Mickey never recovered.
The good news is that our online qualifier, Min Patel, is still going and ended the day with 21,500 chips - below average, but with plenty of room for manoeuvre. He is amongst 450 players who return for Day 2 tomorrow
(Monday) all with eyes for a huge payout, with local French player Cyril Bensoussan chip leader with a stack of approximately 130,000.
Highlight of Day 1b for me was spending half-an-hour with Polish rap star “Liroy” who was bought in by a sponsor clearly trying to get a foothold in the Polish poker market. In spite of constant references to his “bitches”
in front of his wife, he was a truly charming man with a keen passion for poker. Apparently he has sold millions of albums in Poland and presented me with one, which I look forward to listening to upon my return. It just goes to show that poker is a game for everyone and anyone.
Report by Blue Square Poker representative, Mike Butlin.
Day 2 (Monday 14th)
A record starting field of 842 players had been whittled down to 382 for the beginning of Day 2.
Unfortunately our online qualifier, former Kent and England cricketer, Min Patel, was unable to avoid being outdrawn, but in making Day 2 he is showing the potential to become almost as good at poker as he is at spin bowling!
Your reporter tried his luck in the 500 euro side event which itself included about 350 players including some very big names. Unfortunately I only made it to about 80th place...another dream shattered.
By the end of today's main event action, only 129 players remained, all vying for the €2,020,000 first prize. And there must be some seriously good players in Norway, as the first 4 chip leaders all hail from there, including chip leader Oyvind Riisem, with 441,400 chips.
Former World Champion, Joe Hachem from Australia is ominously lurking in 5th place with 255,300 chips, whereas another former World Champion, Greg Raymer spent the day in the players lounge being challenged on the Wii and table football!
The GUKPT is still represented, with Neil Channing (who has played every leg of the UK tour)in 57th place with 99,500 chips and Surinder Sunar on about half as many.
Regrettably with no further Blue Square Poker players in the tournament I'm heading home tomorrow (Tuesday), but I strongly recommend that next year you all log-in to Blue Square Poker and try to qualify for this extraordinary event.
Report by Blue Square Poker representative, Mike Butlin.
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