Magic in Monte Carlo

by , Apr 16, 2008 | 6:40 pm

The European Poker Tour (EPT) Grand Final just concluded its fourth day of action, and out of an amazing 842 players, only 10 remain.

Glen Chorny – 3,370,000
Isaac ‘westmenloAA’ Baron – 2,365,000
Michael Martin – 1,579,000
Maxime Villemure – 1,220,000
Denes Kalo – 957,000
Antonio Esfandiari – 735,000
Luca Pagano – 705,000
Valeriy Ilikyan – 650,000
Stig Top Rasmussen – 590,000
Henrik Gwinner – 466,000

Antonio “The Magician” Esfandiari is doing quite well, and this comes on the heels of his recent sponsorship deal with the World Poker Tour. The WPT Poker-Made Millionaire is representin’ over in Europe!

Isaac Baron is reportedly one of the most respected online players in the game and has been doing relatively well on the live tournament circuit.

The only other name I recognize is Luca Pagano – PokerStars player and Italian guy. Be still my part-Italian heart.

First place will get nearly $3.2 million. Wheee! (Note to the eventual winner: Can I borrow a few bucks?) Live updates can be found at PokerNews and PokerListings.


8 Comments to “Magic in Monte Carlo”


  1. Dan M
    says:

    ***out of an amazing 842 players***

    how many were in it last year?


  2. California Jen
    says:

    There were 706 players in 2007.


  3. DanM
    says:

    Was last year’s tourney the one Gavin Griffin won?


  4. Kevin Mathers
    says:

    Correct sir.


  5. olivert
    says:

    Issac “westmenloAA” Baron is from Menlo Park, California, which is near Stanford University in the San Francisco Peninsula. This kid is only 20 years old and he had already won the 2007 CardPlayer Magazine Online Player of the Year competition for crushing multiple “Sunday Million” online tournaments.

    I met “westmenloAA” in person last June at Las Vegas McCarran Airport where we were waiting to board the same plane for a quick 2-day trip back to SFO. We independently subscribed to the email newsletters at United.com and took advantage of the weekend online special fare so that neither of us had to make the 1200-mile drive roundtrip.


  6. DanM
    says:

    ***United.com***

    Is that an online dating site?


  7. olivert
    says:

    Glen Chorny took westmenloAA to school on the following blind vs blind hand:

    1. Chorny raised pre-flop to 240K

    2. westmenloAA called

    3. On a flip of 762, Chorny bet 335K. PokerStars.net “host” Lee Jones called the bet a “donkey bet”.

    4. westmenloAA thought for a few minutes before Chorny called the clock.

    5. Once Chorny called the clock, westmenloAA moved all-in immediately for about 1 million.

    6. Chorny called INSTANTLY with AA. westmenloAA was caught bluffing with AQ.

    westmenloAA needed runner-runner. He got a 3rd spade on the turn, but the river was the king of clubs.

    westmenloAA goes home in 4th.

    Not only was westmenloAA taken to school, Lee Jones was thoroughly confused as well. Chorny dangled the bait and got westmenloAA to bite.


  8. olivert
    says:

    The final 4 have no personalities whatsoever. Just 4 robot-like players.

    westmenloAA’s exit interview was not good.