University of Georgia Student Wins EPT Grand Final

Jeff Williams, a 19-year-old American college student, won the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour Grand Final and the €900,000 that comes with it today (March 11).

He outlasted a field of 298 that included 2005 World Seiries of Poker champion Joe Hachem, tough Russian poker pro Kirill Gerasimov, his mentor Marcel Luske, female champion Liz Lieu, 2001 WSOP and World Poker Tour champion Carlos Mortensen, and 2004 WSOP champ Greg Raymer.

Williams got into the tournament through cash qualifiers at PokerStars.com. Last night, his parents caught a red-eye to watch their son play at the final table of the five-day event. They got to see their University of Georgia student win enough cash to pay his tuition and the tuition of everyone he knows, too.

The top prize translates into about $1 million.

Williams faced a tough final table, which included Luske and British poker pro Ross Boatman. He started the final table fourth out of eight in chips with €495,700, but built his stack to over €1 million right before the dinner break and never looked back.

Arshad Hussain finished second and won €492,000. Norwegian Aleksander Strandli finished in third place for €251,000. Marc Karam won €195,000 for fourth. Thierry Cazals won €168,000 for fifth. Boatman won €140,000 for sixth, Luske €112,000 for seventh, and Fraser Dunphy returned to Britain with €84,000 for his efforts.

Although Dunphy was the first player to go at the final table, he helped determine the tournament's final outcome on the hand he was unlucky enough to lose. He moved all-in for about €240,000 with pocket aces, and Williams, who had about €400,000, called him with pocket tens.

A 10 on the flop gave Williams close to €1 million in chips, and about six hours of tough poker playing later, the EPT Grand Final title.

Karam and Hussain both qualified for this event for free at PokerStars.com. They got in by playing in tournaments using their frequent players points. Strandli joined Williams as a PokerStars.com cash qualifier.

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