Il Campeonato España de Poker 2007 - well, that's the official name of what I will simply call the "Spanish Championships." In 2006, this series of tournaments started off in a rather successful fashion. The eventual winner was Francisco Lopez, and I got the chance to meet him in Goa - because just like Gerard, he was also here for this Asian Poker Classic. Francisco is known in Spain known as "Pakito" or "Little Pako" - this despite the fact that he is not particularly little - and in Goa, he proudly wore the gold bracelet that he received as the first-ever Spanish Champion. And it needs to be said: It looked like a beautiful piece of jewellery.
In January 2007, the second season of these Spanish championships started off in Barcelona, with Pakito as the defending champion. Every month, different towns will serve as hosts (Villajoyosa, Valladolid, Badajoz, Tarragona, Mallorca, Peralada, San Sebastián, Málaga, and finally Castellon), each time with a €600 + €60 buy-in. The Grand Final will then be played in Madrid December 14, 15, and 16, almost certainly with a €2000 + €200 buy-in. Just as in the
European Poker Tour, anyone can buy in directly to this final without first having to participate in any of these stops. However, the actual Spanish champion is not the one who wins this grand final - no, it's the one who ends up with the most points over all stops, the "best all-round player" if you will.
As said, Gerard Serra (30) is the tournament director of this tournament series. Having started his poker career as tournament coordinator at the Gran Casino Barcelona, he is now Thomas Kremser's right hand at TK Poker Events, the leading company in Europe when it comes to organizing and hosting big poker events. Gerard: "We are delighted that these Spanish Championships have become such a big success. With www.eurosuperpoker.com, we have found an excellent and dedicated sponsor, and this series of events that we are hosting truly helps poker grow throughout our country. Pakito was an excellent winner last year, and we are pleased that this year things have gotten even bigger than in 2006. Plain and simple, Rolf: Poker in Spain is booming right now. This is not in the last place, because of some of the excellent players that we have - Angel Blanco Puras (winner
World Heads-Up 2004), Isaac Mayolas de Vega (winner of the same event in 2006), Margarita Gonzalez, and Raul Paez Corral, to name just a few. And of course Carlos Mortensen, the former world champion, who still participates in big Spanish events, time permitting of course."
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