PokerNews Cup and 2016 EPT Barcelona Trip Report

In August, I was covering two live events and both pretty much highlighted the difference and uniqueness of rather small tournaments and big festivals, as well as the problems and challenges that come along with it. At the end of the blog entry, I will also include the stats of my fitness watch tracker with regards to steps and kilometers walked while on duty. Now if only I could stop the kilos from going back up while cooking at home ...

PokerNews Cup in Rozvadov

The PokerNews Cup returned to the King's Casino in Rozvadov and the €250 Main Event was scheduled with four starting days, one reentry per flight and a guarantee of whopping €200,000. The last two Day 1s overlapped, which made things a bit more complicated with regards to updates, but ultimately they turned out to have a strong field each and smashed the guarantee by quite some.

With such a rather low buy-in, it's somewhat inevitable that you won't know many players right away. Some familiar faces from other circuits make for a base to start with, and fortunately the casino ensured that all players would go to their tables with a copy of the entry ticket in order to identify them.

By the time the last three tables were reached, all remaining participants were known and that obviously helped a lot for the live reporting. Since only Day 2 and Day 3 were scheduled in order to determine a winner, all Day 1s and Day 2 ran pretty long, but that is nothing uncommon anymore for smaller festivals and one gets used to it. Also, if you missed one elimination there was no big drama about it, while at big events this may become an issue.

The final table played fast and furious at the start, then slowed down a lot as it does often when a live stream is available. Even though the first-place payout of just over €44,000 may not sound much for a professional poker player, it can be quite important for a recreational. No deal was made in heads-up, and the underdog in chips emerged victorious and screamed out his joy after the last hand - that's what poker is and should all be about: Having fun at the table, showing emotions, and not being boring.

Pros:
- Less pressure due to more relaxed atmosphere
- Many participants appreciate the reporting
- Free buffet and soft drinks available to the participants

Cons:
- Big fields with barely any known players
- Players tend to get rid of the media tickets or prefer nicknames
- There really isn't much else one can do in Rozvadov

PokerNews Cup summary

Number of days: 5
Number of steps: 38,830
Distance walked: 31.85km
Weight change: -1.2 kilos

2016 EPT Barcelona

The stark contrast going from the small festival at a big casino in a middle of nowhere to a big festival spread across two tournament rooms in a big tourist city such as Barcelona was a given right away. The hotel was a good 20-minute walk away from the venue and there were small corner shops open 24/7 every other street. This year I didn't run into any trouble with pickpockets, while some players and dealers did have the misfortune.

One year ago, the festival at the Casino Barcelona already smashed many records in terms of participation, as well as players getting their seats quite delayed as alternates. The latter wasn't as much of a problem this time around, except for maybe the €1,100 Estrellas Main Event. However, it was inevitable not to notice, that the venue was very close to their max capacity and that had some negative impact on the Satellite and cash game waiting lists.

A few days before the start of the festival, PokerStars announced that the Main Events will be paying out the top 20% of the field and the initial €10,000 High Roller paid as much as 23% much to the disguise of many pros. The money in the €1,100 Estrellas Main Event and €2,200 High Roller was reached early on Day 2 and the early starting times of 10am didn't necessarily find much love in general.

Whether or not that trend will continue remains to be seen, as PokerStars and the EPT should have received plenty of feedback from the pros and recreational players alike. They even reverted the payout back to 15% for the €50,000 Super High Roller and the €25,000 Single-Day High Roller, further giving all participants a questionnaire to fill out with regards to their preference. Since those events include the option to reenter, I cannot imagine many votes towards keeping a payout of the top 20%.

For the first time in many years, the EPT Main Event reached the money at the end of Day 2 and a minimum cash ensured a net profit of €330 compared to the buy-in of €5,300. This may or may not keep more players sticking around on the circuit, but only Satellite and online package winners can really be "happy" about that kind of return after putting in quite some effort in the tournament. It was also the first time that I have seen a "lunch break" being introduced for a live poker event, and from a personal point I'd have preferred to have a dinner break instead on those few days when it happened.

There were four major events to be covered, and German wunderkind Fedor "CrownUpGuy" Holz did what he knows best by winning the initial €50,000 Super High Roller in impressive fashion. Next up, there was the choice between going mental in the huge Day 1b field of the Main Event or eventually pulling an all nighter in the €25,000 Single-Day High Roller the next day. I will likely always opt for the latter, because it helps to know a lot of the players from the years on the live reporting circuit.

As of Day 4 of the Main Event, the reporting teams split up to cover the final €10,000 High Roller as well and especially the restart of the Main Event turned out to be quite hectic. The back-and-forth running at least helped to reach the daily goals on my tracking app, while the final day saw a very long final table of the last seven and 36 players return for the High Roller.

While not all tables were being used anymore, and the new events were played as Turbo anyways, the High Roller took place in the far corner of the main tournament room. Down to the last nine, two other final tables were moved to the tables right nearby and one of them turned out to be very disturbing with a very loud rail during ongoing deal and "who gets to keep the trophy" negotiations. After some 15 minutes, the table was moved away further, while one mistake during that time may have cost €100,000 in equity.

It did have one big advantage though - at least for us live reporters: We could set up nearby for the final day and didn't need to run back and forth to the media room in order to maintain more thorough updates when it matters the most.

All in all, the EPT Barcelona was a crazy and frantic as I remembered from two sears ago. It was nice to see many familiar faces again and catch up briefly while running back to the tables. Except for one day, I was able to work out in the morning before heading to the casino - this should always be a priority of mine whenever possible. And improving my Spanish. Mierda.

2016 EPT Barcelona summary

Number of days: 11 (incl travel days)
Number of steps:140,775
Distance walked: 115.46km
Weight change: -2.0 kilos

What is up next? September will mainly focus on sorting out a few personal things back at home before the WSOP Circuit kicks off at the end of the month in Berlin. And the EPT will be calling again at the end of October on Malta prior to a semi-morning-vacation-ish experience at the WSOP Circuit on Sint Maarten. By then, I shall hopefully have lost a few more kilos and regained a more balanced physical shape - fingers crossed!

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The Art and Insanity of Poker Live Reporting

It has become quite common for a lot of poker players to take live reporting at bigger events as a given and then complain about the lack of updates or mistakes in it. There even used to exist a running gag that “bloggers” do this job, because they are not good enough at playing poker themselves. Below I'd like to give my own perspective about what we do as live event reporters and maybe that will change the point of view for some.

For approximately five and a half years, I have been working at live poker events. This somewhat corresponds with my education, as I studied business and languages at a business school in Germany. I may not be able to type with ten fingers, as attempted to bring upon me by my teachers back then, but the project management part fits quite nicely. Furthermore, I actively use all the languages taught, some more and some less frequently, and the business aspect in poker is also quite important.

Now, if I was supposed to explain my teachers what I am doing for a living, many would rise their eye brows and others would simply shrug. Same applies for family members as well. It's a very uncommon kind of job, you cannot really learn the art of poker live reporting in any school. Most of us are actually thrown into cold water and it soon becomes obvious who can adapt quickly and who cannot.

A certain enthusiasm for the card game does come in handy, though, and it also helps to play poker to a certain degree in order to know all the game types, expressions and terms in question. For me, it is important to enjoy the experience and I don't mind the pressure to deliver while coping with often unpredictable scenarios and strange working hours. After all, without the joy and excitement, it would just be work and that appears rather boring.

So what does it take to be a live event reporter and what tasks does one have to deal with? First of all, preparation is the key. It helps to arrive well in time before an event starts and check out the venue, get in touch with local staff and take a closer look at the schedule and structure. Such key details should then be mentioned in the introduction every day. Once the event gets underway, the time has come to look through the field of players and see if you recognize anyone.

Only a few tournaments have in fact a media tracking system in place, many still don't. As a participant in the event, if you are asked for the name or more details, please don't come up with something fake because that seems like a genius idea in that very moment. After all, many poker players also want to be reported on when they are doing well or in case of losing in very unfortunate fashion.

As the day progresses, a live event reporter is expected to update general information such as the number of entries, the prize pool and payouts. This also includes big stacks and, if possible, how they got there, as well as keeping track of players that were previously mentioned within the updates. Towards the end of the day, this becomes increasingly important, as it comes in handy to know who has the most chips.

Most hosts expect a short and precise recap of the daily action and, depending on the number of entries and survivors, the full chip counts and available seat draw going forward. It isn't the time to get witty, as that fits way better to specific tournament highlights, but the recap will ideally be enough to summarize what happened and may even be used as news article.

This sounds rather easy thus far, am I right? Well, there is more to it. The interaction with the participants plays a big role and in most stages of a tournament, it becomes increasingly important to be very selective and time-efficient about what to include in the updates. If there is more than one live event reporter in charge for the coverage, the tasks of getting hands, highlights, quotes and the atmosphere in general can be split up. Apart from the breaks, there won't be much time to relax and check your Facebook for the latest funny pictures without possibly missing some crucial action at the tables.

All that being said, there are a few aspects that make the job in itself very appealing for me personally.

• Completing challenges.
• The interaction with players.
• The opportunity to travel.
• Improving as writer and photographer.
• Making sure I can pay my bills.

Every tournament is a challenge and I tend to be a competitive person. Not everyone is used to shifts of 12-16 hours per day and a poker event can quickly become physically and mentally tiring. Keeping up the balance and focus under such circumstances is exactly that, a challenge. You may work at a location you have never been to before. There are no media cards and you barely know anyone. Take a deep breathe, ask the floor for some notables and take a closer look at all tables.

Be prepared to make yourself look like a fool when asking for a name or other details. And then go with the flow, that's it really. The way you approach the players will determine your success. It usually helps to be friendly and smile, ask in a calm manner. The more you get to know the players, the easier it will be to track them throughout the event and they may very well provide details relevant to the updates. Some of them may even become more than just a source of information, they will greet you at a different tournament and have a friendly chat to reduce the stress level.

Of course it would be foolish not to mention the chance to travel and the excitement that comes along. Back in school, it was already a big thing to travel with your class to London or Paris for a few days. Over the last few years, I was very fortunate to explore far more exotic destinations, for which I am very thankful. There are some empty spots to be filled still, while favorite cities and countries have been established such as Australia and Canada.

As far as the writing is concerned, I am no magician or poet with words like the staff of the PokerStars Blog. But seeing them in action and being able to interact provides the chance to see their point of view, learn and constantly question the own quality. Without practice, it is unlikely to improve after all. I am also no Joe Giron (WSOP and WPT lead photographer) or Neil Stoddart (EPT lead photographer), nor any of the other talented people that take pictures for a living. Again, I have a lot to learn, and the chance to combine and exercise my passions of poker, writing and photography are crucial for the entire experience.

Last but not least, the monetary aspect is also important. While the players in the poker events I cover are not guaranteed to make profit, I more or less know the salary in advance already. Depending on the own performance and impression, it opens further doors and certain bills require to be paid, especially when being self-employed. Some hosts are more reliable than others and it becomes increasingly difficult to get enough work when poker sites and live event operators are trying to cut down their expenses.

If you happen to see a live event reporter or photographer at the next poker tournament you participate in, be nice to him or her. Most of them will even accept kind donations in the form of (healthy) drinks such as coffee, tea, juices or smoothies to feed their inner child.

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2016 WSOP Trip Report

For more than five years, I have been traveling the international poker circuit as a blogger and also partly as a photographer. This usually comes with plenty of stereotypic pictures of planes, casino views and breakfast buffets, but recently the according trip report has been missing and it is about time to catch up on those again more frequently.

One year ago I tried to get a deal to work at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) as a live event reporter, but ultimately didn't hear back for a month before then being told that their team was already full. As consolation, I was fortunate enough to travel to Asia twice for other tournaments, and worked the European pendant in Berlin later that year.

Fast forward to Spring 2016, when I was contacted about the summer and working the WSOP for the full seven weeks. After some consideration and negotiation, an agreement was reached and the usual hunt for affordable and reasonable flight tickets was next on the agenda. In previous years, I was typically booked on US Airways and they are on my top five most-disliked list of airlines.

However, since they merged with American Airlines, I obviously ended up on the very same flights with stopover in Philadelphia. Much to their credit, the service was actually pretty decent and their assistance via social media (Twitter) highly appreciated, the mobile app for the iPad also very sophisticated.

Since I don't have a driver's license, the accommodation tends to be a tricky question when not arranged by the host and the Extended Stay about ten minutes away from the Rio's was the only reasonable choice, albeit more expensive and cutting into my earnings. At least, it offers some free coffee in the morning and the option to wash your clothes for only a few dollars. A supermarket is also in walking distance, though I'd definitely recommend to just walk outside in the early morning or after 8 p.m. due to the Las Vegas heat.

I am not going to bore you with the details of how all the events I covered went on, for obvious reasons. The main focus should be on the players and the media politely stands behind the table and makes sure to get as much information out as possible. Instead, below are some positive and negative highlights.

Highlights of the trip:

• Getting to work the full series and especially the $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha and $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship.
• The money bubble of the Main Event, it simply always has a special flair.
• Watching some players that you know for years from smaller events take a shot at WSOP glory.

Biggest letdowns of the trip:

• Infrequent fitness schedule, it definitely had an big influence on my work performance.
• Too many minor and stupid mistakes, some often very repetitive and annoying.
• Catching a virus and not being able to work the last few days of the Main Event.

While most other events all over the world mostly include No-Limit Hold'em for their flagship tournaments, the WSOP provides a wide variety of poker variants and I highly appreciated the opportunity to get more practice at covering some of them live. My personal favorites are Seven Card Stud and Pot-Limit Omaha, which took most of my schedule for the first month. I also got to help out in H.O.R.S.E and in a 2 to 7 Triple Draw event.

In hindsight, it has been yet another important learning experience and I realize how far I still have to go in order to improve further. Especially with such a long duration, this endurance challenge will put your body and mind to the test. Not recognizing some well-known players after being away from the U.S. for almost two years was another consistent pet peeve of mine.

No matter how often you have been to Las Vegas before as a tourist or for work, it always appears so different to the normal life and I try to not get carried away. Whether or not I will be back there next year, I cannot say right now, as the next events are only a few weeks away and I want to get back in an acceptable physical and mental shape again until then.

Also, for what it's worth, apart from the initial group meeting I didn't play a single hand of live poker and will stick to that strategy. It was nice to see some familiar faces again after quite some time and make them smile, mainly via German chocolate.

As much as I sometimes “dislike” my middle of nowhere back home, being able to grab your bike and dive into the green nature within half an hour can be very relaxing. It is important to keep a certain balance, especially when the work itself includes such a strange niche market in the eye of the public.

Seat open!

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An Urgently Needed Break or Bad Beat Story?

I have been to Las Vegas a few times already to cover the World Series Of Poker previously, of which 2014 with just over six weeks for PokerNews was probably the most memorable one. This year, the WSOP decided to do the live reporting in-house and many freelancers must have applied. Either way after about one month I eventually heard back that they "are afraid there was no spot for me" on the reporting team and photographers were already booked as well.

So, is this actually good or bad news?

The start of the year has been quite extraordinary in terms of events to cover, I have already done about a dozen of them and will be heading to Malta next week for the Mega Poker Series. Physically, I am probably in the worst shape for the past 12 months right now but that doesn't have any influence on my writing during the events. There is still a certain lack of consistency when it comes to taking pictures, even though the feedback is mostly positive.

At the events itself, "yours idiot" is the first of the staff to be at the venue each day and the last to leave in the evening / night / early morning hours. I love my kind of work most of the time and it helps to be a workaholic and have German blood in the veins with regards to the work ethics. Fortunately there is also a specific sample of familiar faces that keep the spirit alive. And if everything else fails, a quick chat with the person that always makes you smile gives the extra boost to survive another day without going crazy.

They say, when one door closes, another one will open ... or you get hit in the back when failing to exit quickly enough. I will definitely miss a lot of friends on the circuit who are going to be at Sin City, but this hiccup also represents an opportunity to focus on what or who deserves more attention as well.

Whether a miracle happens still or any other events pop up instead, c'est la vie.

Until then, may the flops, turns and rivers be with you.

P.S. That was my two cent towards the topic of daily bad beat stories.

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World Poker Tour returns to the Montesino for partypoker WPT Vienna March 4-17 2015

London, UK (January 15, 2015) - World Poker Tour makes a welcome return to Montesino Poker Club and the fabulous city of Vienna for the €3,300 WPT Main Event March 12-17, sponsored by partypoker. The Austrian poker festival, March 4-17, contains a range of different events including the €6,000 WPT High Roller, €200,000 guaranteed €340 WPT Warm Up and the €550 WPT PLO.  The full schedule can be found on WPT.com.

“World Poker Tour Vienna 2015 will be one of the biggest events ever held at the Montesino Poker Club with combined estimated prize pools up to €2,500,000. As well as hosting such a prestigious and renowned poker brand, what is extra special about this festival is the wide variety of buy-ins offering huge prizepools.” commented Karl Novak, CEO of the Montesino Vienna. “After three successful events previously, WPT Vienna will return to Austria from March 4 to March 17. The Montesino anticipates the European poker elite to attend. We want to succeed in smashing the numbers this year to make WPT Vienna 2015 the most successful WPT event ever in Austria. Players can qualify in our live satellites at the Montesino and many more poker casinos in Austria.”

partypoker.com online qualifiers for the €200,000 guaranteed €340 WPT Warm Up are available every day from January 19 until March 1. The partypoker winning package includes the WPT seat plus  €600 spending money* ($700 dollars).

To find out all partypoker qualifier information here: http://www.partypoker.com/whats-going-on/tournaments/wpt/season-XIII.html

Discounted rates for all WPT players are offered at the Roomz Vienna hotel (50m to Montesino). Bookings from only €76 a night can be made via alexander.teufel@montesino.at.

Known as the city of music, Vienna is full with imperial history boasting contemporary museums, beautiful traditional Austrian restaurants and an abundance of nightlife scenes to explore. Players will be treated in style to a VIP players party at local hotspot Platzhirsch.

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Time for another Adventure on the Road

In an attempt to increase the blogging ratio after a rather silent year 2014, I shall take a look at the upcoming next few weeks with five live event coverages until the end of February. The highlight of the trip surely the trip to Deauville for the European Poker Tour when it comes to following the progress of some of the biggest names on the circuit.

However, I very much enjoy the smaller festivals as well because you never know what surprise may be waiting. This special mixture along with the different playing style and atmosphere creates challenges out of the ordinary to keep the mind busy. Of course the travel to different destinations is yet another perk of the job, even though the net working hours may be quite the contrary.

Below is my upcoming schedule:

‎WPT National Cyprus‬ Jan 22-26

Mega Poker Series Vienna Jan 27-31

‪‎EPT Deauville‬ Feb 1-7

‪WPT National London‬ Feb 12-15

Tanger Poker Festival VII Feb 26-Mar 1

Which one am I looking forward to the most? I haven't been to Cyprus yet and can cross off another country on my must-visit list. The Mega Poker Series is my favorite child, as I started reporting from the very first event and also do the (social) media duties and website updates as well.

The European Poker Tour is not only one of the most well known festivals out there but the best-run event with the far-and-away best staff and dealers. Furthermore, I can practice my French and it always comes in handy to practice other languages in order not to get too rusty.

A quick glance at the National Event of the World Poker Tour revealed the accumulator structure, which I first reported on at the WSOP Asia-Pacific last October in Melbourne. The buy-in may be rather small, but the expected aggressive playing style shall make for some very interesting situations at the tables.

Last but not least is the Tanger Poker Festival, which will be my third trip to the north of Morocco. Everyone there is very friendly, they have an excellent free buffet at the casino and I can again take advantage of my French lessons from school.

So that's the first two months of the year covered, unless I suddenly squeeze in another event. Just kidding, obviously.

P.S. I shall take some pictures during the events and make for a proper trip report eventually.

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So that was the Year 2014

Another 12 months are done and the year 2014 now lies in the past, left behind like an empty cookie jar. There were some delicious treats in it, a lot of disappointments and many ups and downs. Basically, it fits very much to the last few years that brought a lot of uncertainty, surprises and whatnot's. The end could have surely been better though, as I had to go through some legal bullshit in Germany and illness also played a certain role.

This may sound very rich given the interesting opportunities I experienced, but as avid GrumpyCat fan and natural born pessimist the dark side of the mood is far more appealing most of the time. It helps as well to keep the expectations in general rather low and thus lessens the overall disappointment.

By the middle of January I only had one live event guaranteed, everything else was pretty much in the open with the efforts of my usual employer reduced to almost zero. I then received an invitation for Dublin and Tanger to kick off the reporting duties slowly. A return to Morocco was due in September and that was one of the pleasant surprises of the year, as I can practice my French over there and soak in a completely different mentality.

Apart from beating a dead horse part-time, things eventually took a turn for the better during the EPT Vienna when I was covering the Eureka and EPT High Roller events for Pokerfirma. Chad Holloway, one of the PokerNews bloggers and senior writer on the site, suggested to apply for the World Series Of Poker in the summer. I was given a trial run at EPT Sanremo shortly after and snap-called the offer to work my ass off in Las Vegas for six weeks.

A few German bracelets in Sin City provided some additional exposure, but a late and totally unexpected birthday present would be the cherry on top of the cake. PokerNews hired me to cover the World Series Of Poker in Melbourne and I didn't have to think twice before accepting. Australia was always on my list of countries to must visit, hopefully it wasn't the last time either.

I returned to the beautiful island of Sint Maarten for 10 days of work followed by four live events almost in a row in November and December. Pretty much exactly one month on the road with two days back home after two back-to-back coverages left the brain almost empty and the facial expression almost as priceless as the two GrumpyCat plush toys that I received from dear friends. One simply cannot not smile when you see this cat.

Was it a lost year? To a certain degree this may have been the case, as the future is still rather uncertain. I made some progress with regards to taking pictures and several shots were used in print media, one of them in a book and even on the cover of a German poker magazine. It is still a long way to go though and I am painfully aware of the lack of consistency.

The biggest disappointment lies with myself though and that has nothing to do with being hard on yourself. I am eating more healthy and the last drop of alcohol stems from April 2012, but that's not the problem. Nor are the three kilos that I gained either. The laziness and fact I wasn't doing fitness as often and regularly as I could will be one of the crucial goals to improve for the upcoming year 2015. And finding some happiness, as that tends to be sold out on eBay and Amazon.

Ah well, we don't always get what we want.

# GrumpyZed

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Finishing off 2014 with Mega Poker Series, MCOP and EPT Prague

After Australia and the Caribbean, I get to work at another three events before the end of the year. Fortunately, the travel is far easier for all destinations but the bigger field sizes will definitely keep me busy:

Mega Poker Series Wiener Neustadt: November 18th - 23rd

Master Classics of Poker Amsterdam: November 25th to 29th

EPT Prague: December 9th to 17th

Once I am done in Austria early on the 24th, a shuttle picks me up and straight to the airport for an early morning flight. This way I arrive in time to take pictures at the MCOP Highroller Day 2 even though that's not part of my work responsibilities yet. But is there any better opportunity to once again get used to the light conditions?

Besides that, there is one further reasons for poker players why they shouldn't miss the event in the Dutch capital:

Exclusive invitation to the Heineken Players Party Dear Pokerfriend, From 21 - 29 November, the 23rd Master Classics of Poker tournament will take place at Holland Casino Amsterdam, the Main European Poker Event! The MCOP opening promises to be just as spectacular as it is every year, with the Celebrity Sit&Go and the exclusive Heineken Players Party. Exclusive opening party The exclusive Heineken Players party will take place on Friday evening, 21 November from 10.30 pm, following the official opening at 10 pm - and will be fully dedicated to our ambassador Jorryt van Hoof. After playing the final of the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas and finishing in third place, he’ll be back home in time for this party and the MCOP. We are delighted to invite you to this special and exclusive Heineken Players Party with drinks and snacks at the Lido Club at Holland Casino Amsterdam. We look forward to welcoming you to the Heineken Players Party on 21 November!

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Day 2 of the WPT Caribbean 2014 ends in the Money

The second day of the $3,200+300 WPT Caribbean at the Casino Royale on Sint Maarten restarted in level nine with 53 players and it would take until level 15 to let the bubble burst and ensure that all remaining participants are in the money.

The unfortunate bubble boy was Julio Belluscio from Argentina, who had his pocket aces cracked by the KdQd of Christophe Rosso. The Frenchman will also be the chip leader with 474,000 when play resumes at 16:00 local time with 1:03:37 left in level 15 at blinds 1,500-3,000 / ante 500.

Among those that didn't make it into the money were Ben Wilinofsky, Mike Leah, Barry and Allyn Shulman, Marvin Rettenmaier, Allen Kessler and defending champion Tony Dunst. Sabina Hiatullah was the last woman in the field and busted in 17th, just two spots shy of the money.

A total of five WPT Champions Club members are still in: Darren Elias (421,000), Jonathan Roy (371,000), Anthony Zinno (286,000), Mike Linster (115,500) as well as Will Failla (90,000).

The $200+20 NLHE Event #10 of the Caribbean Poker Tour determined its winner within one hour and ended up with a chop between Michel Pecot and Menalque Volet, both from Sint Maarten.

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Position	Player	Nationality	Payout
1	Michel Pecot	Sint Maarten	5,160 $
2	Menalque Volet	Sint Maarten	5,160 $
3	Clyde Lorance	USA	2,580 $
4	Eric Munoz	France	2,150 $
5	Charly Grenet	France	1,740 $
6	Christophe Enrici	Sint Maarten	1,510 $
7	Nicolas Distribue	France	1,290 $
8	Teddy William Edouard	Martinique	1,080 $
9	Clyde Hugh	Scotland	880 $

Furthermore, the $200 Bounty Event drew 97 entries and Gerrard Henry not only accumulated 17 bounties but took down the tournament for smooth $3,400 after cutting a deal with heads-up opponent Albert Balayn. Last but not least, Joshua Nagel overcame a large chip deficit and defeated Cedric Adam to win the $200+20 Pot Limit Omaha Event #12.

Day 8 of the CPT 2014 will reduce the field in the WPT Main Event from 15 to six and at 18:00 local time, a $500+50 NLHE Event kicks off with 20,000 in chips and levels that last 30 minutes. It is a three-day event that concludes on November 8th.

*If you use the above picture on your website, please make sure to credit the Caribbean Poker Tour.  

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WPT Caribbean 2014 Day 2 Redraw by Last Name

First Name	Last Name	Nationality	Chip Count	Table	Seat
Cedric	Adam	France	53500	22	2
Micheal	Amato	USA	68000	22	3
Youssef	Bejjani	Canada	53600	23	6
Samuel	Bellinger	USA	23400	15	6
Julio	Belluscio	Argentina	72900	23	5
Pascale	Bendavid	Sint Maarten	34500	16	1
Arman	Bosnakyan	Canada	51300	27	4
Randy	Burnette	USA	52800	23	7
Raymond	Carter	Canada	43200	18	6
Pieter	de Korver	Netherlands	11400	18	7
Frank	Delval	France	29300	15	5
Olivier	Douce	France	16900	15	7
Fabrice	Drai	France	46600	23	8
George	Dunst	USA	13500	16	2
Darren	Elias	USA	65500	15	8
Michaele	Esposito	USA	35700	19	6
Emanuel	Failla	USA	28600	23	3
Stefanita	Fechete	Romania	45300	27	2
Jan Rose	Fisher	USA	27600	27	5
Jean-Nicolas	Fortin	Canada	64600	16	8
Jonathan	Gray	USA	80600	15	4
Brian	Green	USA	72000	16	4
George	Griffith	Barbados	95400	23	1
Keith	Hart	USA	57300	15	3
Sabina	Hiatullah	Germany	72200	27	3
Ziga	Jamnikar	Austria	84400	23	2
Allen	Kessler	USA	14400	22	6
Bruce	Kramer	USA	183800	19	4
Grant Maurice	Lang	USA	41400	22	7
Michael	Leah	Canada	121000	19	3
Michael	Linster	USA	146400	22	4
Bruno	Lopes	France	45100	19	1
Frederic	Maniez	France	128900	18	1
Mihai	Manole	Romania	98600	15	2
Joseph	Mc Keehen	USA	71300	23	4
Alain	Medesan	Romania	133300	15	1
Myriam	Mehnana	Sint Maarten	90500	27	1
Dan	Murariu	Romania	111500	16	3
Mohamed	Nahed	Morocco	12100	18	5
Justin	Oliver	Canada	34900	18	3
Dany	Parlafes	Romania	70800	16	6
Micah	Raskin	USA	19700	18	4
Marvin	Rettenmaier	Germany	22800	27	7
Guillaume	Rivet	Canada	12100	16	7
Christophe	Rosso	France	98400	19	2
Jonathan	Roy	Canada	236700	18	8
Patrick	Sacrispeyre	France	39700	19	5
Thibault	Saillard	France	13200	22	1
Allyn	Shulman	USA	107700	18	2
Barry	Shulman	USA	105500	16	5
Peter	Tahin	Hungary	25600	19	7
Benjamin	Wilinofsky	Canada	128500	22	5
Anthony	Zinno	USA	136900	27	6

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