2014 CarbonPoker Card Player Player of the Year Update -- Eugene Katchalov Climbs To Fourth Place

There were some big moves made this week in the 2014 Card Player Player of the Year race, sponsored by CarbonPoker. Here is a look at the events that most influenced the overall standings over the past seven days:

Eureka Poker Tour Vienna High Roller

The €2,200 Eureka Poker Tour Vienna High Roller no-limit hold’em event, which began just days before the ongoing European Poker Tour Vienna €5,300 no-limit hold’em main event, attracted a sizable field of 455 entrants, building a total prize pool worth $1,217,595 USD.

In the end it was 2014 EPT Deauville main event runner-up Eugene Katchalov who emerged victorious, defeating Niki Jedlicka heads-up to take home $206,080 and 1,080 POY points for the win. As a result of these two huge scores in Europe Katchalov has climbed into fourth place in the overall POY standings with 2,480 points and year-to-date earnings of $725,061.

Current POY second-place occupant Dominik Panka, who won the 2014 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure main event and then followed that up with a win in the EPT Deauvilee high roller, finished eighth in this event to slightly close the gap between him and current POY leader Mike “Timex” McDonald. Panka is now just 20 behind the McDonald.

World Poker Tour Jacksonville bestbet Open Main Event

A total of 258 entries were made in the 2014 World Poker Tour Jacksonville bestbet Open. building a $825,600 prize pool. After two starting days and three more full days of poker action that number was whittled down to just one champion: Jacksonville local Nabil Hirezi.

The 59-year-old dentist and avid poker player earned $206,041 and 612 POY points for the win. Hirezi defeated James Calderaro heads-up for the title. In early February Calderaro topped a field of 415 to win the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open main event at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, but fell just short of winning back-to-back Florida-based WPT titles.

Calderaro earned $133,764 and 510 POY points for runner-up finish, which combined with the $271,103 and 1,080 points from his earlier win to move him into 15th place in the overall Player of the Year standings.

World Series of Poker Circuit – The Bicycle Casino

A total of 756 players posted the $1,675 buy-in in the 2014 World Series of Poker Circuit no-limit hold’em main event at The Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles, California, building a $1,134,000 prize pool.

The lion’s share of that went to eventual champion Nipun Java, who defeated Shane Schleger heads-up to claim the title, his first gold ring, the $226,785 first-place prize and 912 POY points.

Java had already started 2014 off well, finishing runner-up in a $500,000 guaranteed $1,600 side event at the L.A. Poker Classic in late February for $114,955 and 700 points. As a result of these two scores he now sits in 12th place in the overall POY standings with 1,612 points and year-to-date earnings of $341,740.

Queen City Classic Main Event

The $1,500 no-limit hold’em main event of the 2014 Queen City Classic, held at the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati, drew 529 entries to build a $714,150 prize pool.

Nick Guagenti came out on top, defeating Kevin Stammen heads-up for the win and earning $153,548 and 880 points in the process. Stammen had already made two final tables before this one in 2014, finishing third in the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open $3,500 main event and then winning a $2,140 six-max no-limit hold’em side event at the L.A. Poker Classic. As a result of his consistency this year he climbed into a tie with Nipun Java in 12th place.

Here is a look at the current top twenty in POY standings:

Katchalov photo courtesy of European Poker Tour / Tomas Stacha.

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