Jason Mercier is EPT £1 Million Showdown Champ£1 Million Showdown Raises Roof off Grosvenor Victoria Casino |
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The PokerStars.com European Poker Tour London main event may have ended, but as some prepared to go home, and some to party, another final table was playing out. An entourage of the world’s best players turned out for the EPT £1 Million Showdown, and yesterday evening starry-eyed railbirds watched as the final table reached dizzying heights.
Not many tables have fit the expression ‘table of doom’ quite so accurately as this one. Recent World Series Of Poker Europe main event champion John Juanda demonstrated his skills in yet another London casino, sitting beside the likes of Scotty Nguyen, Isabelle Mercier, Isaac Haxton, Peter Jetten, Masaaki Kagawa, and David Benyamine. As if there weren’t enough credentials on the table, add in former World Poker Tour Bellagio Cup champion Michael Watson, and reigning EPT San Remo winner Jason Mercier, and there was sure to be some fireworks.
Isabelle Mercier was the first to go, after making her first EPT final table. The Canadian received a £51,000 cheque for her achievements. She was soon followed by Frenchman David Benyamine for £59,000, and the rest went something like this:
7th: Masaaki Kagawa £86,000
6th: Isaac Haxton £103,000
5th: Scotty Nguyen £137,500
4th: Peter Jetten £189,000
3rd: Michael Watson £241,000
Juanda proved his talents with the addition of a crushing cheque of £327,000 to add to his London winnings. He was beaten heads up by young gun Jason Mercier, who withstood 85 other players to take home the title, the trophy, £516,000, and most importantly, a suitcase full of respect.
The EPT now officially moves on to Hungary. In the meantime players can sharpen, study, hoan, and moan about what has been and what is yet to come.