Ivan Freitez Wins European Poker Tour Grand Final Main Event

The winner of the PokerStars European Poker Tour Grand Final main event came after much anticipation. The event got down to four before there was a break for the season 7 EPT awards. On break, Ivan Freitez was the chip leader and when we returned, he kept going until he became the Grand Final champion. He takes home €1.5 million to Venezuela and becomes the first South American EPT champ, while Torsten Brinkmann takes home the runner-up prize of €900,000 to Germany.

The casualties from the main event began with SuperNova Elite Andrew Li. Eugene Yanayt raised and Li made his move with 1.5 million with pocket threes. Yanayt (also a SuperNova) did not look too happy but called with A Q and the board came down 9-9-4-7. It looked like Li was about to double up when a 4 came on the river and sent Li to the rail in eighth place for €130,000.

Yanayt then went on to knock out Team PokerStars pro Alex Gomes. Gomes’ dreams of a triple crown ended when he shoved all in from the small blind with 8 7 and Yanayt called with pocket tens from the big blind. The board came K-5-3-8-5 and Yanayt moved on up to 5 million. Gomes left in seventh place for €185,000. Yanayt moved on up to near the 5 million mark.

Tamas Lendvai was short when he moved all in from the hijack for 695,000 with A-7 and Torsten Brinkmann made the call with 10-4. The board brought three aces and Lendvai moved up to just over 1.4 million. He continued to increase his stack soon after, this time against Ivan Freitez. Freitez bet 120,000 and Lendvai moved all in. Freitez thought about it and then called with A-J to find himself up against Lendvai’s A-K. The board fell 7-7-5-8-A and Lendvai raked in yet more chips.

Eugene Yanayt wasn’t having as good a time at this stage. He lost most of the chips he previously gained and then hit the rail when Freitez bet 245,000 from under-the-gun and Yanayt three-bet all in for 2.6 million.

Freitez called with pocket nines and Yanayt revealed pocket fives. The board fell Q-10-6-A-6 and Yanayt hit the rail in sixth place for €250,000. Fretez was then monster chip leader with 7,500,000 and players continued to fall around him.

The final Spaniard in the event, and last Team PokerStars pro, Juan Maceiras, then made his exit at the hands of Torsten Brinkmann with J 10 versus A K respectively. The board was dealt Q 4 2 4 6 and Maceiras left in fifth place for €315,000.

At this point there were four players remaining and they would have to wait until the EPT awards were over to discover their fates.

The final four and their chip counts:

Ivan Freitez 7,720,000
Torsten Brinkmann 6,750,000
Tamas Lendvai 3,790,000
Andrey Danilyuk 2,460,000

Freitez got off to a flying start after the break and his opponents never really stood a chance. First to go at this stage was Andrey Danilyuk at the hands of chip leader Freitez. Russian Danilyuk moved all in from the button with pocket threes and Freitez moved all in on top with A-9. An ace came on the river and Danilyuk left in fourth place for €400,000.

Continuing his run with ace-heavy hands, Freitez then knocked out Tamas Lendvai. Brinkmann opened for 350,000 from the button and Lendvai moved all in for 2.2 million from the big blind with pocket nines. Freitez called with A 9 and Brinkmann got out of the way. An ace fell yet again for the Venezuelan and he took Lendvai’s chips as the Hungarian left the event in third place for €550,000.

It was Brinkmann, a regular heads-up cash game player, versus monster chip leader Freitez. Freitez held 16 million to Brinkmann’s 4.5 million and the two tangoed until a champ was found.

The final hand came when Freitez opened from the button with 10 9 and Brinkmann moved all in with A K. The board came 9 5 2 6 8 and Freitez was crowned champion of the EPT Grand Final 2011.

Brinkmann goes home with €900,000 for his efforts while Freitez will play again tomorrow as he has now earned his seat in the first ever Champion of Champions event.

Here are the final results and payouts:

1. Ivan Freitez (Venezuela) €1,500,000
2. Torsten Brinkmann (Germany) €900,000
3. Tamas Lendvai (Hungary) €550,000
4. Andrey Danilyuk (Russia) €400,000
5. Juan Maceiras (Spain) €315,000
6. Eugene Yanayt (United States) €250,000
7. Alex Gomes (Brazil) €185,000
8. Andrew Li (United States) €130,000

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