Sotirios Koutoupas Denies Eugene Katchalov EPT Deauville Title

Sotirios Koutoupas has emerged victorious in the 2014 European Poker Tour Deauville €5,300 no-limit hold’em main event, taking home the €614,000 ($839,670) first-place prize and earning 1,680 Card Player Player of the Year points, which catapulted him into third place in the POY race standings. In addition to the money and the ranking points Koutoupas also earned the distinction of becoming the first-ever Greek EPT main event champion after topping the field of 671 entrants.

“It was my time now, it was my time to win," Koutoupas told PokerStars reporters after play ended. "I was very lucky today in some situations but that’s poker. Everything went well for me.”

Koutoupas wasn’t the only player looking to get his name in the poker history books at this final table. Eugene Katchalov had the opportunity to become the sixth player in the world to ever win poker’s triple crown, capturing at least one WSOP bracelet along with WPT and EPT main event titles. Katchalov won his bracelet in a $1,500 seven card stud event at the WSOP and also took down the 2007 WPT Doyle Brunson Classic main event, but fell just short of earning the triple crown in this event when he eventually was eliminated as the runner-up.

On the final hand Koutoupas opened to 200,000 from the button and Katchalov three-bet to 500,000. Koutoupas moved all-in, having Katchalov’s 3.6 million stack well covered. Katchalov made a quick call with the AK and was well ahead of Koutoupas’ A3 until the board ran out 5332Q, securing the pot and the title for Koutoupas. Katchalov, who also finished third in the EPT Barcelona in 2011, seemed to take losing the heads-up battle in stride.

“At this point in my career I’m obviously looking for first places and the Triple Crown is always in the back of mind, but at the same time I realize how hard it is to win a tournament,” said Katchalov after play ended. "I think I was a lot more upset in Barcelona. I think I’ve grown up and don’t put so much pressure on myself to win. I’m satisfied with second place. I’ve got a lot of money to soothe my wounds!”

Katchalov climbed to eighth place in the POY race standings as a result of his deep run, earning 1,400 points in addition to the $518,981 in prize money that came with a runner-up finish.

Here is a look at the complete payouts and POY points awarded at this final table:

Photos courtesy of PokerStars / Neil Stoddart.

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