Card Player Poker Player of the Year -- Erik Seidel and Matt Waxman Jump In The Rankings

Here is a look at the Card Player Player of the Year movement from September 7th-14th. Be sure to check back each Wednesday for another update from the world of tournament
poker.

Epic Poker League Series II Main Event

The second Epic Poker League main event, a $20,000 buy-in eight-handed no-limit tournament, attracted 97 players. This was a steep decline from the series’ first event, which drew 137 players. There are a few possible causes for the drop in attendance, but the predominant theory is that the concurrent running of the popular World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) on PokerStars kept many international players at home and drew many American pros out of the country in order to play the massive online series of events. Despite having 40 fewer entrants, this elite field of 97 still built a $2,301,200 prizepool and a first-place prize of $782,410.

Mike “Timex” McDonald was the eventual champion, defeating a table that included Fabrice Soulier, David Steicke, Nam Le, Dutch Boyd, Isaac Baron, Sean Getzwiller, and the incredible Erik Seidel, who finished fourth at this final table and has now accumulated nearly $6.3 million in earnings for 2011. With the 300 points he gained for his second EPL final table of the year, Seidel now sits in sixth place overall with 3,867 POY points.

Here are the final table results and POY points awarded:

1. Mike McDonald — $782,410 (600 POY points)
2. David Paul Steicke — $506,260 (500 POY points)
3. Fabrice Soulier — $299,160 (400 POY points)
4. Erik Seidel — $184,100 (300 POY points)
5. Nam Le — $126,570 (250 POY points)
6. Isaac Baron — $92,050 (200 POY points)
7. Sean Getzwiller — $69,040 (150 POY points)
8. Dutch Boyd — $57,530 (100 POY points)

World Poker Tour Grand Prix de Paris

Across the Atlantic, the Aviation Club de France played host to the World Poker Tour Grand Prix de Paris €7,500 main event. The tournament attracted 312 entrants, but it was Matthew Waxman who eventually took down the title, the $729,886 (€500,000) first prize and 1,860 POY points, moving him into seventh place in the POY race with 3,852 points. Waxman has made six final tables in 2011, with this win in Paris and another in a $2,200 main event at Florida’s Isle Casino Pompano Park. Waxman also scored third-place finishes in both the $5,000 Wynn Classic main event and a World Series of Poker $1,500 Omaha eight-or-better event. All told, Waxman has cashed for $1,077,958 so far this year.

He was not the only player to make moves in Paris however, as Martin Jacobson also used this final table as a springboard. Jacobson finished sixth in this event for $125,083 and 620 POY points, catapulting him into 12th on the overall leaderboard with $1,273,979 in earnings and 3,507 points. Jacobson has made five final tables this year, with an a runner-up finish at the European Poker Tour Deauville main event for $762,185 and 1600 POY points and a fourth-place finish at the EPT Berlin main event for $327,337 and 960 POY points.

Also moving up in the rankings after this event was Byron Kaverman, who finished fourth for $218,860 and 930 POY points, moving him into 17th place in the race with 3154 POY points. Kaverman has made four final tables so far this year, including a win in a $5,000 eight-handed event at the 2011 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure for $320,840 and a third place finish in the Florida State Championship main event for $144,650.

Here are the final table results and POY points awarded:

1: Matt Waxman — $729,886 (1,860 POY points)
2: Hugo Lemaire — $442,645 (1,550 POY points)
3: Frederic Magen — $299,834 (1,240 POY points)
4: Byron Kaverman — $218,860 (930 POY points)
5: Mikko Sundell — $187,597 (775 POY points)
6: Martin Jacobson — $125,083 (620 POY points)

Looking Ahead

There are a number of tournaments around the world that will be awarding Player of the Year points this week, including a huge event in Cannes. This city on the shores of the French Riviera may be known as home to the world’s most famous film festival, but it also plays host to the massive Partouche Poker Tour Grand Final. Currently in progress, this €8,500 buy-in attracted 764 players last year including eventual champion Vanessa Selbst, who earned $1,823,430 and 2400 POY points for her win.

On America’s east coast, the 2011 WPT Borgata Poker Open main event is set to begin on Sept. 18th. This $3,500 event drew 1042 players last year, with eventual champion Dwyte Pilgrim taking home $733,802 and 1800 POY points. Pilgrim went on to finish second in the 2010 Player of the Year race, and Selbst ended the year in fourth place, both partly as a result of winning these huge events, so it would not be a surprise if they end up playing a key role in the POY race once again.

A Look at the Standings

Related Articles

Weis Continues Career Year With EPT Cyprus Triumph

Akimov Wins 2024 CPPT Venetian Main Event

Watson Wins EPT Barcelona High Roller For $660,478

Most Viewed Articles