The European Poker Tour (EPT) Most important Occasion has come to a detailed, with a longtime Canadian participant taking the pot. Mike Watson was the highest finisher after reducing a take care of Germany’s Leonard Maue so as to add €749,425 (US$749,425) to his poker bankroll.
Mike Watson at a poker desk throughout a event. The Canadian poker professional received his second EPT Most important Occasion title in Monte Carlo. (Picture: World Poker Tour)
The Most important Occasion attracted 1,098 entries, setting a brand new document and pushing the prize pool to €5,325,300 (US$5.87 million). Though Watson in the end emerged on the prime of the stack, he didn’t have a simple highway to get there.
On Day 4 of the tourney, the 2016 PokerStars Caribbean Journey (PCA) winner confronted elimination. Just one card separated him from a protracted aircraft journey again house, however he discovered it and stayed alive. It was virtually easy crusing from there.
The Monte Carlo Most important Occasion had a buy-in of €5,300 (US$5,847) and 323 gamers doubled down to remain alive. By the point Jason Wheeler bubbled in seventh place, all had been on the rail or heading house.
Expertise Pays Off
Watson has confirmed himself on the digital and on-line felt. He has amassed nicely greater than $19 million in lifetime earnings since his first reside money in 2006, and has 10 Championship of On-line Poker titles to his credit score.
That have allowed Watson to maintain his cool as he fought again from what ought to have been an elimination to rule the desk on Day 6. Watson now joins an unique group of 4 gamers to have received at the least two EPT Most important Occasion titles. He shares that house with Vicky Coren-Mitchell, Mikalai Pobal, and Swedish participant “WhatIfGod,” who received two EPT On-line Most important Occasions.
Heading into the ultimate desk, Watson was second in chips, solely barely behind Leo Worthington-Leese. The playing cards continued to fall in Watson’s favor, though the identical can’t be mentioned for Worthington-Leese. Gamers had been in a position to chip away at his stack till they lastly pushed him out in third place for €397,450 (US$438,506).
That left solely Watson and Maue to face off within the ultimate heads-up battle. The eventual winner was forward in chips, however they determined to chop a deal as a substitute of taking part in out the combat.
The deal gave Watson €716,085 and Maue €697,175 (US$790,056 and $769,193, respectively). The one factor left was to play for the title and the €33,340 (US$36,784) that was nonetheless on the desk.
Maue continued to surrender his remaining chips to Watson earlier than attempting a last-ditch effort to bluff whereas holding nothing. In all probability feeling assured together with his run, Watson known as with a boarded two pair to take the sport. The runner-up had tried to hit a straight and missed, and Watson didn’t fall for the entice.
Badziakouski Bounce Again
Final yr, Belarusian poker professional Mikita Badziakouski fell to Adrian Mateos within the $100K EPT Monte Carlo Excessive Curler occasion. He didn’t idiot Spain’s prime participant in a bluff, however discovered a bit of little bit of redemption this yr.
Within the €25K (US$27,582) Excessive Curler, Badziakouski discovered himself going up in opposition to England’s Ben Heath. They fought for the title earlier than deciding to cut the event, with one ultimate hand cementing the eventual winner’s place.
Badziakouski held 3-2, whereas Heath had 5-4, and a 3 on the flop gave the main Belarus participant a pair. Heath didn’t discover any assistance on the flip or river, giving Badziakouski the sport and €938,042 (US$1.03 million). Heath took house €801,068 (US$883,818).
Mateos was within the sport as nicely, which most likely introduced again unhealthy recollections for Badziakouski. He had a deep run, however solely made it to twelfth place earlier than being eradicated.
