Dominik Nitsche wins LAPT Mar del Plata at the age of 18

Posted on April 23, 2009 in LAPT

How would you feel if you had won a major international poker tournament before you got your high school degree? Well, probably you would feel more than awesome, but if you have any doubt, you can ask the German high school student who travelled to Argentina the last week and won the PokerStars Latin American Poker Tour. The LAPT Mar del Plata champion is now Dominik “DOMinator” Nitsche, who claimed the $381,030 check for his first prize. Nitsche has the chip lead from Day 3 and finally beat the 19-year-old Mexican Jorge Landazuri in the final heads up.

Nitsche started the day with a significant chip lead over his opponents, and the chip counts were the following:

Dominik Nitsche – 817,000
Sergio Farias – 474,000
Jason Skeans – 338,000
Jorge Landazuri – 329,000
Leo Fernandez – 329,000
Jose Barbero – 181,000
Rodolfo Awad – 170,000
Derek Lerner – 155,000
Alfons Fenijn – 65,000

Finally it all ended when with the heads-up between the 19-year-old Landazuri (who had some advantage) against the 18-year-old Nitsche, but Nitsche took a 2-to-1 chip early before reaching the HU. And that wouldd be fast. It took exactly one hand. Nitsche raised preflop from the button, and Landazuri called to see a flop of

Kh-9d-8h. Nitsche bet the flop and Landazuri check-raised. Nitsche called, and then

called again when Landazuri bet out after the turn discovered the 10S. The river brought the Kd and Landazuri moved

in. Nitsche called with Ks-Jh with the made trips, while Landazuri showed Js-5c for the missed straight draw. The young Mexican made a good return for his efforts (he qualified through a PokerStars freeroll) and a $211,700 paycheck. Dominik Nitsche picked up $381,030 in his first major tournament victory. Congratulations!

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Betfred Ladies Poker Tour goes bigger

Posted on April 11, 2009 in Poker News

Betfred.com announced last week their continued support to femenine poker with the presentation of the 3rd season of the Betfred Ladies Poker Tour. The tour will cover eight stops and will start, on April 18th at the Alea Casino in Leeds, UK then will advance to Caesars Lounge, in Calahonda, Spain and will end in London, on November 7th.

Betfred Ladies Poker Tour is the only all-female poker tour in United Kingdom and is trying to get bigger. With about 100 players per stop, the tour continues growing as more women in Europe discover and feel attracted by poker:

“We are delighted with the success of the Betfred Ladies Poker Tour in its Mansion Poker first two years and we are sure it will continue to go from strength to strength,” said Jon Wildes, the Betfred Ladies Poker Tour manafer. “It was an innovative project that has been warmly received by lady poker players throughout the UK.”

Betfred continues to add incentive to the tour: £1,500 will be injected to the prize pool of each £110 tournament. The winner of each event, will play on a 10-seat sit and go on November 21st. Leg winners will be joined by an online qualifier. The winner of this single-table tourny will earn a £20,000 sponsorship for 2010. The sponsorship pack consists of tournament buy-ins and a chance to represent them as their Ladies Poker Ambassador.

For those who are thiking in giving these series a shot, you should know that Lynne Beaumont has won the Betfred Ladies Poker Tour two years in a row and, for sure, she will try (and is capable) to win for a third time. She has claimed more than 20 cashes and amassed more than £50,000 in prize money. “Lynne Beaumont has proven herself a truly exceptional champion,” stated Wildes.

2009 Betfred Ladies Poker Tour calendar:

April 18 — Leeds, Alea Casino
May 9 — Scarborough, The Opera House
June 6 — Sheffield, Napoleons Owlerton
July 4 — Swansea, Aspers
August 8 — Stockport, Casino 36
September 5 — Birmingham, The Broadway
October 3 — Calahonda, Spain, Caesars Lounge
November 7 — London, The Western Club

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APT Macau announces big changes

Posted on April 8, 2009 in Asian Poker Tour

The Asian Poker Tour has announced that it has received government approval to expand its offer at APT Macau. As result, the 2009 APT Macau event, which will be celebrated this August, will last 12 days instead of the original 12 and has its name has been changed to Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival. The event will run during August 12-23 at the Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino in Macau. The APT also sponsors the poker room at the StarWorld.

The festival will feature high-stakes ring games, Sit & Go action and a good amount of side/preliminary events which haven’t been announced yet. However, the main event is already set, running on August 19-23 and will have 3 different Day 1. The buy-in for the big dance will be US $4,300 ($4,000+300). Also
Bwin Poker returning is a “high rollers” event; tournament organizers promise a higher buy-in than in 2008, but have not yet formalized the structure.

Yevgeniy Timoshenko, from Russia, was the winner of the 2008 APT Macau Main Event, claiming the title and $500,000 in the first-ever event last year. Among the entrants there were some well-known first class players as Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, John Juanda, Huck Seed, Jack Binion, Liz Lieu, Todd Brunson, Kenny Tran and David “Chino” Rheem, among others. More than 40 countries were represented .

It seems, as said by the Asian Poker Tour founder Chris Parker, that “The Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival will feature a side event schedule never seen in Asia before”. That would be awesome news.

You can find full details on the Asian Poker Tour at the official website: www.asianpt.com.

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The Unibet Poker Open Algarve 2009

Posted on March 23, 2009 in Unibet Open

We are living an unstoppable poker boom. With the constant grow of online poker players and online poker rooms, live poker tours are appearing from under the rocks. ¿The hegemony of the most famous poker series like EPT and WPT is in danger? Today we are going to talk about one of these recent-created tours: the Unibet Poker Open.

The tour, sponsored by Unibet has already featured stops in Madrid, Warsaw and Budapest and has announced the next venue of his 1100 EUR buy-in event. The next stop of the series will be on Algarve, Portugal, from May 14th to 17th.

Located in the Algarve, on the south-west tip of Europe, Vilamoura is one of Europe’s hot spots. Considered a unique jewel surrounded by turquoise beaches, this sun-drenched resort is where the next Unibet Open will take place. The event will be hosted by Casino Vilamoura,

Nobody doubts about the success of one of the newest series in the circuit. The last event in Budapest, Hungary, attracted 360 players from all over the world and featured a first place prize of 135.000 EUR. The eventual winner was the Spaniard Alvaro Áspas, from Unibet team, who claimed the title after keeping the lead from Day 1.

Some players talked about other UPO events. For instance, Ilka H, from Findland, On Unibet Open Warsaw said: “Yes, it rocked so hard that it takes at least a month to recover (physically, mentally, bankrollwise)”.

With those awesome destinations, all packed with young players in good mood, I believe the Unibet Poker Tour prepared to jump to the high-stakes of the poker circuits. I really look forward to my trip to Algarve the next May.

For more information about the event, visit the Unibet Poker Open Algarve 2009 page. If you plan to win your seat at the Portuguese stop of the tour, you can visit the Satellites to Unibet Open Algarve page.

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Karl Hevroy conquers LAPT Punta del Este

Posted on March 21, 2009 in LAPT

Three hundred twenty-seven players started this event three days ago. The top 36 walked away with cash, but the big money was handed out tonight at the final table. And was for Karl Hevroy.

Taking time out from his political studies, 20-year-old student Karl Hevroy from Bergen, Norway has won one of South America’s largest ever poker events. The poker tournament, full of poker stars from all over the world, attracted 327 players and created the biggest prizepool in a LAPT event ever: $1.1 million. It took 3 days of intense competition to reach the end of the road and, finally, Hevroy earned a check of USD$283,500 for his efforts.
karl_hevroy_poker

Punta del Este stop of Season 2 of the Latin American poker Tour featured one of the largest buy-ins of the tour, exactly $3,700. The young Hevroy hadn’t even intended to play the event, but was persuaded to at the last moment by a group of Peruvian players he met at the PokerStars EPT Copenhagen, a decision that has reaped him incredible sucess.

The 3-day event was held at the Mantra Resort & Casino located in Punta Del Este, Uruguay. After 3 days of high level play, Hevroy claimed the LAPT victory on the very first hand of the final heads up. On a board of 9-9-8 his opponent, Alejandro De Arruabarrena, from Argentina, got commited with Q-J and was terrified when he saw Karl’s 9-8 for the flopped nuts.

Despite a dominant final table performance Hevroy remains humble about his play. “I’m so happy, I don’t feel like I know anything. It’s so sick,” Hevroy said of his win. “I had a few moments where I was in danger, and then I lock boxed my way out.”

LAPT Punta del Este final table results:

1 – Karl Hevroy – Norway – $283,500
2 – Alejandro De Arruabarrena – Uruguay – $155,420
3 – Angel Guillén – Mexico – $99,120
4 – Ron Wasiel – USA – $82,160
5 – Oliver Rowe – Canada – $59,960
6 – Waldemar Cogo – Brazil – $48,840
7 – Bolivar Palacios – Panama – $37,740
8 – Magno Aragao – Brazil – $26,640
9 – Andre Ventura – Brazil – $21,000

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Rory Cox wins LAPT Mexico, Helen Prager runner-up

Posted on March 17, 2009 in LAPT

Let’s remember the history, Day 1 of the LAPT Mexico event was played live in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. It was postponed due to unclear circumstances. So, what was essentially Day 2 of the event played out online at PokerStars. Once play reached a final table, the final nine players traveled more than 5,000 miles south of where they started the event to play down to a champion. Probably, we won’t see something like this again.

At the start of the match, there was a disparity in chip counts. At the end of the online part of the event, American Rory Cox went on an amazing rush and somehow managed to pick up almost half the chips in play.

Seat 1: Rory Cox (USA) 1,074,500 in chips
Seat 2: Victor Ramdin (USA) 104,000 in chips
Seat 3: Pavel Naydenov (USA) 80,000 in chips
Seat 4: Helen Prager (USA) 326,500 in chips
Seat 5: Leonardo Emperador (Venezuela) 284,000 in chips
Seat 6: Steven Thompson (Costa Rica) 135,500 in chips
Seat 7: Bolivar Palacios (Panama) 128,500 in chips
Seat 8: Martha Herrera (Mexico) 88,000 in chips
Seat 9: Alex Brenes (Costa Rica) 154,500

While Cox’s chip lead was unbelivable, with him there were other eight players who weren’t just going to give it up. In the early going, Cox used his stack to push people around. Eventually, Steven Thompson flopped a set against Cox’ big pair to double up. Cox rolled with the minor loss and kept playing.

Victor Ramdin was the first eliminated

Victor Ramdin was the first eliminated

When we reached the heads-up, Rory Cox still had a huge chip lead, it didn’t seem like he could loss the match. Helen Prager entered with moderate stack, but too short for Cox’ one: Cox had Prager by 5 to 1.

It seemed like it would be all over in a matter of minutes. Instead of that, Prager could double up a couple of times in the first minutes. The first time after going in with second pair against Cox’s top pair. She completed a gutshot. Moments later, she turned the nuts against Cox’s big pair. He got it in with a flush draw against her nut straight.

After the dinner, the pair settled in for two more full hours of heads-up play. At one point, Cox got it all in with pocket sevens versus Prager’s K-T. Prager flopped her ten and Cox fell way behind in chips. But he battled back and back and back. Ultimately, he regained the chip lead.

Rory Cox opened from the button for 72,000, Helen Prager moved all in for 972,000 from the big blind and Cox made the call.

Prager Kh-7d
Cox As-Ts

The flop came Ac-Jh-8c, leaving Prager drawing only to running cards. With her husband’s arm around her, she watched the 5s land on the turn, a resigned look on her face as she realized she was drawing dead. The river was the Js and Cox extended his hand to Prager, congratulating her on a good game.

When it was over, Cox looked at Prager and said, “You made me go bald!”. He was right.

Rory Cox, LAPT Mexico winner

Rory Cox, LAPT Mexico winner

LAPT Mexico final table results:

1st — Rory Cox (USA) $15,000
2nd — Helen Prager (USA) (Mexico) $11,000
3rd — Pavel Naydenov (USA) $7,500
4th — Leonardo Emperador (Venezuela) $5,000
5th — Steven Thompson (Costa Rica) $4,000
6th — Martha Herrera (Mexico) $3,000
7th — Bolivar Palacios (Panama) $2,000
8th — Alex Brenes (Costa Rica) $1,500
9th — Victor Ramdin (USA) $1,000

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LAPT Nuevo Vallarta final table, today in Uruguay

Posted on March 17, 2009 in LAPT

You should remember that. A few months ago, LAPT Nuevo Vallarta, celebrated (or pseudo-celebrated) in Mexico, was suspended and further postponed due unclear circumstances. Today, three months later, and so far away from its original destination, the final table of the most accidental Latin American Poker Tour event will finally play out.

The action will begin today at 2pm (1pm ET) and the final nine players from LAPT Mexico will sit down at the TV table to play for the title.

If you follow the LAPT at all, you probably will know some of the names in the coveted seats.

Rory Cox (USA) 1,074,464 in chips
Helen Prager (USA) 326,235 in chips
Leonardo Emperador (Venezuela) 283,309 in chips
Alex Brenes (Costa Rica) 154,465 in chips
Steven Thompson (Costa Rica) 135,006 in chips
Bolivar Palacios (Panama) 128,260 in chips
Victor Ramdin (USA) 103,576 in chips
Martha Herrera (Mexico) 87,600 in chips
Pavel Naydenov (USA) 79,585 in chips

Let’s give the first Mexican LAPT Nuevo Vallarta a good end.

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Sandra Naujoks claims the EPT Dortmund title

Posted on March 16, 2009 in EPT Dortmund, European Poker Tour

Two years ago at the Victoria Casino in London, Vicky Coren triumphed on home soil to become the first woman to win an EPT main event. Coren remained alone until about an hour ago at Hohensyburg Casino, Dortmund, when Sandra Naujoks joined her in the records books, winning €917,000 and the EPT champion title.

sandra_naujoks

Naujoks, 27, took the lot after a tense heads up finale against countryman Holger Kanisch. An all-in with aces over jacks gave Naujoks the momentum and despite a battling comeback from Kanisch, Naujoks never looked like losing the match.

However, the last time their chips went to the middle, pre-flop and with the stacks close to even, Kanisch was ahead, A-Q over Naujoks’ A-9. An ace landed on the flop changing nothing but the crucial nine hit the turn making Naujoks the champion.

Tribute to the popularity of the game in Germany more than a third of the field called this their home EPT with German players picking up more than €2.1million of the €3.3 million prize pool. Sebastian Ruthenberg in Barcelona, Moritz Kranich in Deauville and now Sandra Naujoks, not to mention German winners of past seasons Thang Duc Nguyen and Michael Schultze, have proven that German poker is here to stay.

Results of the EPT Dortmund final table:

1st – Sandra Naujoks, Germany, €917,000
2nd – Holger Kanisch, Germany, €533,000
3rd – Marc Gork, Germany, €307,000
4th – Johan Storakers, Sweden, €237,000
5th – Mike McDonald, Canada, €197,000
6th – Luca Pagano, Italy, €153,000
7th – William Thorson, Sweden, Team PokerStars Pro, €116,500
8th – Cengizcan Ulusu, Turkey, €83,500

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EPT Dortmund is about to start

Posted on March 9, 2009 in EPT Dortmund, European Poker Tour

It takes a special kind of poker nerd to be able to reel off the winners from all five seasons of the European Poker Tour. But there are some people who can do it, and they can often even name the runner up, the venue, other notable incidents and give a rough estimation of the prize pool. Some people like that kind of thing.

On the eve of the tournament (now), latest figures suggest that there are 143 qualifiers here in Germany who won their seats on a PokerStars satellite. Half that number again comprise a band of players who have made their way here after exchanging PokerStars dollars for their tournament entry and/or accommodation. That’s 215 in total, and registration remains open for last-minute additions. There’s as high a chance as ever before that Germany could crown its third winner of the season.

We’ll find out if that proves to be the case over the coming five days in Casino Hohensyburg. Day 1a of the tournament kicks off tomorrow, a €5,000 affair, capped at 700 runners. Although it would be hugely remarkable for us to reach that number, there’s a very good chance that we could get past 500. And that would mean another monstrous prize-pool, soaring far past a million euros, and another remarkable (and remarkably rich) champion.

From Team PokerStars Pro, Dortmund welcomes Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier, Katja Thater, Noah Boeken, Dario Minieri, Luca Pagano, Alexander Kravchenko and William Thorson. And the chances are, that if any of them can outlast all the PokerStars qualifiers here, they will be new winner of an EPT event.

Play begins at 3pm local time.

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Huck Seed wins the NBC Heads-up, Rousso finishes second

Posted on March 9, 2009 in Tournaments

Eight players returned on Sunday to quarterfinal seats in NBC’s National Heads-Up Poker Championship, each with three wins already, halfway to the title and its $500,000 payday. The day’s lineup was formidable, including Daniel Negreanu, former WSOP ME champions Phil Hellmuth and Huck Seed, Sam Farha, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, Vanessa Rousso, David Williams, and last-minute replacement entrant David Oppenheim, who acquitted himself well here. At the end of a lightning Day 3, it was Huck Seed who emerged with the title.

Huck Seed wins NBC Heads-Up

Huck Seed wins NBC Heads-Up

Rousso’s blitz through poker’s legends gained her even more respect. Her seat at the final table put her in the history books. Though she couldn’t take down the championship, she still proved her place in the poker world. For her efforts, she will take home $250,000. Seed will go with $500,000 more in his pocket.

Huck Seed became the only player to cash in all five years of the championship on Day 2, and moved past 2008 champion Chris Ferguson to set the best overall lifetime record in the event (18-4) with his performance in the finals.

Congratulations to all the winners.

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