Card Player POY Update -- WPT Foxwoods and Rettenmaier Into Second

Here is a look at the Card Player Player of the Year movement from October 27th – November 2nd. Be sure to check back each week for another update from the world of tournament poker.

World Poker Tour Foxwoods World Poker Finals

Many of tournament poker’s biggest names are fresh off a European swing of events that spanned more than a month, but there is no rest for the skilled. The onslaught of huge events marched on with the WPT Foxwoods World Poker Finals $10,000 Main Event. With 189 entries, this year’s event generated a $1,778,300 prize pool.

After five days of play, the final table was set and it featured some big names, including WPT and WSOP winner Andy Frankenberger, and Christian Harder. Frankenberger finished fifth for $99,585 and 475 POY points, moving him into 78th place in the overall standings. Harder went on to get heads up with Daniel Santoro for the title. After a lengthy heads-up battle that lasted several hours, Santoro emerged victorious, taking the title, the first prize of $449,910 and 1,140 POY points.

WSOP Europe Side Events

In addition to the seven bracelet events at the 2011 World Series of Poker Europe, the Casino Barrière de Cannes also played host to 26 side events, that ranged from relatively small €200 buy-ins to fairly large €5,000 events. Some of these events qualified for POY points, including a €1,800 no-limit hold’em event that has made an impact on the POY standings. Marvin Rettenmaier finished sixth out of the 142 entrants, earning 112 POY points and overcoming Sam Stein for the second spot on the overall leader board. This was Rettenmaier’s tenth final table of the year, in which he has won two titles and garnered year to date earnings of $642,792.

The final table featured Rettenmaier, current Online Player of the Year points leader Jason Wheeler and eventual champion David Sands. For the victory, Sands earned €66,705 and 336 POY points. Sands has made four final tables, with this being his first live title of the year. He also made a deep run in this years WSOP Main Event with his fiance Erika Moutinho, with the two finishing in 30th and 29th respectively, both for $242,636.

Byron Kaverman also made a final table in these side events to climb to 15th place in the overall rankings. Kaverman finished second in a €400 no-limit hold’em turbo bounty event that attracted 111 players, earning €5,844 and 132 POY points. Kaverman has now made seven final tables in 2011, winning one title in a $5,000 eight-max event at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and cashing for $745,634 so far this year.

Many of the events awarded fairly large prizes, but did not meet requirements for entrants or prize pool in order to qualify for POY points. In the largest of these events, Michael Watson won a €5,000 no-limit hold’em six-max event with 58 entrants for €104,400. He defeated a tough final table featuring Sam Stein, Vanessa Rousso, and heads-up opponent Will Failla.

European Poker Tour San Remo

The EPT San Remo main event wrapped up last week, but it still had some side events ongoing that produced some notable victories. Roger Hairabedian won a €2,000 no-limit hold’em turbo re-buy event for €58,00, defeating final table that included Jason Wheeler, Shannon Shorr and Daniel Kelly. The event drew 27 players and 59 rebuts, building a €166,840 prizepool.

Fresh off his final table at the WSOP Europe €5,000 no-limit hold’em six-max, Sam Stein continued his impressive 2011 with a win in EPT San Remo’s €10,000 eight-max event. After making a deal heads-up, he defeated Bryn Kenney to top the 46-player field and earn €162,000.

Also at the final table were Epic Poker League champion Mike McDonald, Philipp Gruissem, Mclean Karr and Vanessa Rousso. Although this event did not qualify for POY points, it was another impressive win and another great accomplishment for Stein in a year full of them.

Looking Ahead

Some big changes to the POY top ten could be on the horizon with the November Nine playing out the 2011 World Series of Poker Main Event final table on November 6th and 8th. The winner stands to take home 3,600 points, and with Ben Lamb sitting fifth in chips and 13th in the POY standings with 3,636 POY points, it is very possible for there to be a new overall leader by this time next week.

The WPT Regional Rock and Roll Poker Open at the Hard Rock in Hollywood, FL is also running, with buy-ins ranging from $150 all the way up to the WPT Regional $2,500 main event that will starts November 11th.

The Caesars Palace Poker Classic continues this week, highlighted by its $1,100 main event that begins on November 4th.

The Venetian is currently running its Deep Stack Extravaganza IV, with 43 total events ranging from $340 up to the $2,500 no-limit hold’em main event which will begin on November 20th.

A Look At The Standings

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