Sijbrand Maal Wins Belgium Poker ChampionshipNetherlands Beats Ireland in Belgium Championship Main Event |
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The fourth annual Belgium Poker Championship took place at Casino de Namur, Belgium from Nov. 15 to 23. The €1,500 + €150 main event attracted 843 players, breaking all records for the largest field in Europe at a €1000 plus event. It bumped the previous record — last year’s EPT Monte Carlo — off the scale by just one player. This resulted in a top prize of €315,875, which was won by Sijbrand Maal from the Netherlands, after he beat Irishman Colm O'Brien heads up.
The final hand of the night came when Maal limped preflop with Q8 and was faced with a raise from O'Brien to 180,000, which he called. On a flop of 1087, Maal checked and O'Brien went all in with A-K. Maal insta-called, and the turn fell the 2. The river then brought the 6c and Maal took the pot with a pair of eights.
The final table payouts were:
1. Maal Sijbrand (Holland) – €315,875
2. Colm O’Brien (Ireland) -- €202,980
3. Jolmer Meelis (Holland) -- €101,980
4. Michel Fontenoy (Belgium) -- €75,980
5. Carlo Giovanni (Belgium) -- €55,980
6. Fabrice Vreux (Belgium) -- €40,980
7. Gaetano Di Salvo (Belgium) -- €30,480
8. Xavier Closset (Belgium) -- €20,480
9. Kristof Segers (Belgium) --€15,380
10. Alain Dubreuille (France) --€12,280