blonde poker

There must be something in the air in Timmins, North Ontario, as the Canadian city seems to be breeding EPT winners with Glen Chonry following in the footsteps of Mike ‘Timex’ McDonald by becoming the latest EPT Champion.

Last year’s Monte Carlo Grand Final boasted a record-breaking 706 runners, but with the tournament circuit becoming more expensive by the year, that feat looked unlikely to be beaten. However, with 200 online qualifiers and the promise of a star-studded cast that included the likes of Daniel Negreanu, Erick Lindgren, Freddy Deeb, Phil Ivey and Gus Hansen, PokerStars attracted a field of 842 to make this year’s event the biggest major tournament in European poker history.

Although France and England flew the flag with pride, it was the USA who provided the numbers, players such as Isaac Baron, Sean Deeb, Jeff Garza and recent Betfair acquisition Sorel Mizzi all swapping the lappie for the live felt to challenge for that mouth-watering €2 million first prize.

PokerStars sponsored pro Joe Hachem came close with a highly credible 11th place finish, but after Stig Top-Rasmussen and eventual bubble Henrik Gwinner formed a Danish double in 10th and 9th, we had our final table line up with Glen Chorny boasting a mammoth chip lead:

Seat 1: Denes Kalo (Hungary) -- 1,119,000
Seat 2: Michael Martin (USA) -- 1,326,000
Seat 3: Luca Pagano (Italy) -- 688,000
Seat 4: Valeriy Ilikyan (Russia) -- 1,396,000
Seat 5: Antonio Esfandiari (USA) -- 501,000
Seat 6: Maxime Villemure (Canada) -- 1,206,000
Seat 7: Glen Chorny (Canada) -- 3,613,000
Seat 8: Isaac Baron (USA) -- 853,000

Although equipped with the most experience at the final table, Antonio Esfandiari’s short-stack meant it was push or fold, and when he ran A-8 into the A-J of Luca Pagano, the Magician was unable to pull anything out of the hat and was gone in 8th.

Out in 7th was Valeriy Ilikyan. After doubling up Michael Martin with A-4 versus A-K, the Russian’s fate was sealed when he tackled with Martin again, his A-Q failing to ougun the American’s A-K.

Although temporarily snatching the chip lead off Glen Chorny, Luca Pagano lost a crucial Jacks v A-K race against Maxime Villemure before being eliminated in 6th. Re-raising Denes Kalo’s initial raise all-in, the Hungarian snap-called with Pocket Queens to leave Luca and his A-J in need of an Ace which failed to emerge.

5th place would fall to Michael Martin. After seemingly finding little in the way of hands, Martin made his move with Q-T on a Ten high Flop but ran into the Pocket Jacks of Chorny.

Four left and it was anyone’s game, but after doubling up Maxime with Eights v Queens, Isaac Baron found himself the shortstack with one million. Soon after he was gone, his A-Q no match for Glen’s Pocket Rockets on a 7 high Flop.

With just three remaining, Glen boasted a formidable lead with Maxime and Denes (left) battling it out for second. And when Maxime Rivered a straight against Glen’s bigger straight, we were heads up, with Chorny out-chipping his Hungarian opponent almost five to one. Two hands later, it was all over, Glen snapping up gold when his A-5 Flopped an Ace against Denes’ K-Q, all-in pre-flop.

A full time pro since January, business student Glen raised his arms in victory before celebrating with his parents who had been watching throughout. “Winning this tournament is incredible because it’s such a great event,” commented the Canadian, “I feel like a complete rockstar and I know I’m going to feel amazing in the morning. I’m ecstatic at the moment, it’s as if I’m on top of the world.”

After the dwindling numbers of the Dublin event, there were a number of concerns as to the EPT’s future, but with impressive numbers in San Remo and now a record-breaking field in Monte Carlo, John Duthie and co have answered their critics in full and subsequently cemented the reputation of the EPT as the undisputed figurehead of European Poker. Bring on season five!

1st  Glen Chorny (Canada) -- €2,020,000
2nd  Denes Kalo (Hungary) -- €1,179,000
3rd  Maxime Villemure (Canada) -- €715,000
4th  Isaac Baron (USA) -- €589,000
5th  Michael Martin (USA) -- €421,000
6th  Luca Pagano (Italy) -- €337,000
7th  Valeriy Ilikyan (Russia) -- €253,000
8th  Antonio Esfandiari (USA) -- €168,000