Factory Worker Wins PartyPoker German OpenLucrative Night Shift for Marco Joos Who Scoops €50,000 in Televised Tournament |
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Marco Joos, a factory worker from Stuttgart, Germany, has won the PartyPoker.com German Open, taking down the €50,000 first-place prize after dispensing with some of the biggest names in the German-speaking poker world.
He defeated Ph.D. student Kristijan Dragicevic, from Zurich, Switzerland, heads up by turning around a 3-1 chip deficit. A bold move with K-4 finally paid dividends when it improved to two pair, while Dragicevic's A-3 failed to hit.
"I have to say, I was a bit card-dead in the heat but got two really good breaks," said Joos of his incredible run. "I have been successful offline in the last year or so, and because of this, I got the opportunity to play in this tournament, but this was the first time I had played in front of cameras.
"I won more in one heat of poker than I earn in a year at the factory," he said. "I'm very proud. I have been playing offline for three years and just started playing online a little while ago. I am now happy to say that I have a bankroll to go forward with. I am back on night shifts now, but I am just so happy. This money will change my life. I was so pleased to make the final and cannot believe the result!"
Joos is now eyeing up the Spring Poker Festival in Vienna and potentially the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.
Heavyweight German players Michael Keiner, Eddy Scharf, and Thomas Bihl had been made favorites by PartyBets.com, but all were eliminated in their heats.
Keiner, however, still managed to enjoy the final. "In every heat, there were very different styles and creative strategies, and it was a great tournament," he concluded. "The drama of the final was excellent; there was a great atmosphere amongst all the spectators."
A PartyPoker.net spokesman said: "Last year's winner, Sebastian Ruthenberg, has gone on to make a significant impact in the poker world, and the same could be the case for Marco.
"The tournament was a success. Some people would say that being a Ph.D. computer science student would give you more chance of succeeding in the poker world than a factory worker, but Joos proved that poker is game for anyone from any walk of life."
Thirty-six players paid a €2,500 buy-in to play in London. The tournament was organized by Matchroom Sport and offered a total prize pool of €117,000.
The payouts were:
Coverage of the German-language event will be broadcast next year. Commentary is provided by Michael Koerner, Michael Keiner, and Eddy Scharf.