Sandra Naujoks is European Poker Tour Dortmund ChampionTwenty-Six-Year-Old Economics Student Tops Field of 667 for €917,000 Payday |
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Shortly after being crippled by Mike McDonald's pocket kings, Turk Cengizcan Ulusu moved all in for 256,000 and was called by Johan Storakers. Marc Gork then moved all in on top for 499,000, and Storakers called. In a three-way pot, their cards were:
Gork: J
J
Ulusu: J
9
Storakers: 6
6
The board brought a gift for Gork, who just couldn't seem to lose today -- Q J 3. However, there was also the threat of a six-high flush with Storakers' pocket sixes. The turn and river brought only diamonds with the 4 and 2, and Gork's set took the pot.
Ulusu was eliminated in eighth place for €83,500, and Storakers took a hit.
William Thorson had been moving all in and picking up the blinds. Eventually he got a caller in Johan Storakers.
Thorson was on the button with about 11 big blinds left when he made the move, and Storakers beside him decided to call. Thorson showed 9 8, and Storakers had K J. The flop looked good for Thorson, who clearly wanted this title to add to his résumé -- 10x 9 7. The turn, however, brought the K, and the river was no good for Thorson when it fell the 4.
Thorson left the tournament in seventh place for €116,500, and he was terribly disappointed. His family had flown over, and he played amazingly well. He told presenter Kara Scott, "I'm really disappointed ... It feels bad to be on the bad side of the luck."
Luca Pagano was all in on the button with 7 7, and Marc Gork called with A 9. Gork had Pagano covered, but not by very far with 834,000.
The board rolled out K 10 4 9 5. The 9 knocked a very weary and tired-looking Italian out of the competition. The disappointment swept across the casino here in Dortmund. Pagano is a well-liked character on the circuit and has great decorum, representing the game well.
He cashed for the 10th time in an EPT with this sixth place for €153,000.
Mike McDonald pushed all in on the button, and Sandra Naujoks called from the small blind.
McDonald: K J
Naujoks: 10 10
Board: Q 7 5 6 3
Last year's champion, Mike McDonald, was no longer in the running for a double EPT. He took home €197,000 for fifth place.
Naujoks is going good.
Johan Storakers Eliminated in Fourth Place (€237,000)
Holger Kanisch raised to 160,000 on the button, and Sandra Naujoks called. Marc Gork took his chances and pushed all in for 242,000. Kanisch then reraised it to 900,000, and Naujoks cleared the way for the two to battle it out.
Kanisch revealed pocket sevens, and Gork showed K 10. The board brought nothing for either of them: Q 5 2 J 5, and Kanisch's sevens held up.
The poet and philosopher Marc Gork has been quite the character on this German-dominated final table. He leaves €307,000 richer for third place.
The final table was now heads up with the two remaining Germans, Sandra Naujoks and Holger Kanisch.
Sandra Naujoks is EPT German Open Champion (€917,000)
After about an hour of heads-up play, which saw some significant swing hands, 
the ultimate hand came with Sandra Naujoks and Holger Kanisch all in with A 9 versus A Q, respectively.
The board fell A 7 2, and Naujoks was behind, but the tournament was meant to be for her as the 9 fell on the turn, and the 8 on the river.
She became the second woman to win an EPT, and, just like Vicky Coren before her, in her own country. She takes home €917,000 for first place, while Holger Kanisch is the runner-up for €533,000.
Players will get their next shot at a prestigous PokerStars.com European Poker Tour title next month at the penultimate stop of the EPT San Remo. Card Player will be there of course to bring you the best of all the action, so join us then.
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