This Week’s Big Winners – February 1st

by , Feb 1, 2011 | 2:25 pm

With the biggest gambling holiday of the year just days away, it seems appropriate that the world has gone poker crazy. We have reached a crescendo to the post-PCA madness, as big events wrapped up in Australia, France, and down in Mississippi. We also have a report from India, as well as some action in Los Angeles, Atlantic City and Hollywood (Florida, that is).

Aussie Millions (Melbourne, Australia)

What was originally planned as an 8-man, winner-take-all $250,000 sit-n-go ballooned into a 20-player turbo with a $5 million prize pool. The top three players would get paid, with $AUD 2.5 million for the biggest degenerate winner. Tom Dwan, Roland de Wolfe, John Juanda, Annette “annette_15” Obrestad, Chris Ferguson and some guy named Phil Ivey were amongst those to lose a quarter of a million dollars in one day. While Dwan and Ivey are probably used to that on any given Tuesday, it was probably enough to ruin a few peoples’ weeks.

It seems like a wealth of riches was reserved to quite an exclusive group. David Benyamine cashed for $AUD 1 million for his third place finish, leaving a heads-up battle between two players who had very good January’s. Erik Seidel finished fourth in the $10K High Roller at PCA, while Sam Trickett won the “regular” $AUD 100K Super High Roller event less than a week before this tournament. Trickett entered the heads-up match with the chip lead, but failed to finish the impressive back-to-back performance, as Erik Seidel was victorious, taking home $AUD 2.5 million for his efforts.[PokerNews]

Then there’s the matter of the Aussie Millions Main Event, which somehow managed to take a back seat to this event, despite the $AUD 7 million prize pool. Among the final eight, the biggest name by far was Patrik Antonius. His stay at the final table was not a long one, as he had his pocket kings cracked early on in the day to go out in eighth. The last man standing was local tournament pro David Gorr, who took home $AUD 2 million for the win. This was Gorr’s biggest score, having toured the greater-Australia tournament scene since 1998. [Poker News]

WPT Southern Poker Championship (Biloxi, Mississippi)

An interesting collection of six made up this WPT final table at the Beau Rivage. Former champion Allen Carter was trying to become the first person in the history of the World Poker Tour to win the same event twice. Also among the six was Alabama native Shannon Shorr, with over $3.4 million in lifetime cashes, and Leif Force, whose deep run in the 2006 WSOP Main Event was one of the more memorable stories of that year.

Shorr would end up in fourth, while Carter’s run at history would fall short in third place. Alexander Kuzmin, who made a final table at this past WSOP, went head-to-head with Force, and it was the pesky Russian Kuzmin taking the crown, along with the $601,469 prize and a seat in the WPT Championship later on this year. [WPT]

EPT Deauville (Deauville, France)

The EPT got back underway with its first post-PCA event in Deauville. 891 players ponied up €5,000, with the winner taking home €880,000. The final table saw players from six different countries, but the biggest story was about a local Frenchman by the name of Lucien Cohen. The Paris native runs a pest control company and used a small rubber rat as a card protector. Lucien Cohen was “The Exterminator” on this evening, taking home the EPT Deauville Main Event and nearly €900K. [PokerStars Blog]

Making some noise for the first time since his WSOP win in November, Jonathan Duhamel won the €10,000 High Roller event in Deauville. [PokerStars Blog]

India Poker Series (Goa, India

A few weeks ago, the fourth in a series of poker tournaments was held at Casino Royale Goa in India. Three events were held; a 5,000 rupee rebuy event, a 10,000 rupee freezeout and a 5,000 rupee freeeout. Players from around the world, including the USA, UK and Sweden, participated in the tournaments, which each got at least 90 players. Congratulations to Anand Patil, Lawrence Sanjay and Pulkit Kalia for their victories at IPS Chapter 4. [India Poker Series]

LA Poker Classic (Commerce, California)

Action continued this week with more than a dozen tournaments. The biggest news of the week, however, might have been an appearance from a wild and crazy guy. No, not Matt Savage, but the OG wild and crazy guy, Steve Martin! For updates on everything going on at LAPC, head elsewhere on that blog and check out the amazing work that veeRob is doing over there. That guy never sleeps.

Borgata Winter Poker Open (Atlantic City, New Jersey)

At last check, there were just over 100 players left in the $3k main event. First place in this tournament is over $500,000, and you can check out updates as they happen here.

Photos courtesy of PokerStarsBlog.com & WPT.com


5 Comments to “This Week’s Big Winners – February 1st”


  1. JW
    says:

    I might have argued the Op-Ed on poker’s tipping point until I read about the poker tournament in India….I mean REALLY??

    The IPS…makes me ROFL


  2. Scott Diamond
    says:

    You can check out my blog to for Commerce action over the next few weeks at http://www.TheDeputyBlog.com but VeeRob is the man!

    Jess Wellman is coming in soon also to help out.


  3. Dee
    says:

    Well apparently the IPS isn’t the only tournament series in India. Another one called the India Poker Championship which is also operating there. Their blog (http://indiapokerchampionship.blogspot.com) seems to suggest they are the bigger entity.

    Any played in either of these? Me and the fiancee headed for a workshop and thought we’d get away to Goa for a bit. Get some poker in too…


  4. F-Train
    says:

    Ah, a chance to razz Timtern…

    5000 rupees = ~US$110.
    10000 rupees = ~US$220.

    Are you going to start reporting on the Venetian dailies now, too? 😉


  5. INDIA POKER SERIES
    says:

    INDIA POKER SERIES – CHAPTER 6 FROM 6TH TO 8TH MAY 2011
    Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament at CASINO ROYALE GOA

    India Poker Series to hold IPS 6 under the aegis of Casino Royale Goa, which would be held from Friday the 6th of May to Sunday the 8th of May 2011 at Casino Royale Goa.

    Day 1 – Fri 6th May 2011 – 5K Re-Buy Tournament
    Day 2 – Sat 7th May 2011 – 15K Freeze-Out Tournament
    Day 3 – Sun 8th May 2011 – 10K Freeze-Out Tournament

    For Enrollments please visit http://www.indiapokerseries.com/enrollment.aspx.

    Full schedule of India Poker Series – Chapter 6

    Day 1 – Friday 6th May 2011
    6:00 pm – Satellites would commence. Read Notes on Satellites below for details

    7:00 pm – Registration starts for 5K Re-Buy Tournament
    8:30 pm – Registration closes for 5K Re-Buy Tournament
    9:00 pm – 5K Re-Buy Tournament begins

    Day 2 – Saturday 7th May 2011
    6:00 pm – Satellites would commence. Read Notes on Satellites below for details

    7:00 pm – Registration starts for 15K Freeze Out Tournament
    8:30 pm – Registration closes for 15K Freeze Out Tournament
    9:00 pm – 15K Freeze Out Tournament begins

    Day 3 – Sunday 8th May 2011
    6:00 pm – Satellites would commence. Read Notes on Satellites below for details

    7:00 pm – Registration starts for 10K Freeze Out Tournament
    8:30 pm – Registration closes for 10K Freeze Out Tournament
    9:00 pm – 10K Freeze Out Tournament begins

    NOTES:

    1. For blinds structure details visit http://indiapokerseries.com/typical-blinds-levels-structure.aspx

    2. For Enrollment please go to http://www.indiapokerseries.com/enrollment.aspx

    3. Read about our Pay-Out Structure on our website and also go thru the FAQ Section and past Reports.

    4. For details about Leader Board / Player of the Year (POY) and the Mega Event at end of Year (Champ of Champs) visit our website.

    5. Your names would then be put on the Guest List. Those who participate in the event would get access on board the Casino Royale Goa and the entry fee for the same of Rs 3,500 would be waived off as their names would be their in the Guest List.

    6. Please reach the jetty a bit early as there is a rush to board the same by regular Casino guests and tourney players and feeder boats leave only at approx every 15 minutes interval.

    7. Registration close at 8:30 pm or when we have 90 players so we request you to be there on time to avoid disappointment.

    8. One can register for all 3 days on the first day, if one wishes to do so. Please visit the Registration Desk for the same.

    NOTES ON SATELLITES:-

    1. All Satellites would either be Turbo Satellites or One Hand Satellites (Bolt).

    2. Satellites would commence 6 PM onwards. Please enroll your name with the concerned officer in the tourney hall for the same

    3. The last turbo satellite would start at 7:30 PM on all the days.

    4. One hand satellite for the same day’s event would be there from 6 PM till 8-15 PM.

    5. Satellites would commence whenever there are 10 players ready. Please register your names for the same with our representative there.

    6. Satellites would be held subject to availability of dealers. Do appreciate our limitations as the same dealers would make you play the tourney all night.

    Day 1

    One Hand Satellite – 500 buy-in, subject to 10 players participating.Entitles you to a seat for the 5K Re-buy Tourney.

    Turbo satellite would be of 3000+300 buy-in for satellite where it gives entry on all 3 days & of 2000+200 buy-in for satellites to give entry for Day 1 & 2.

    Day 2

    Satellites for 15K event of Day 2 would begin after two hours of play of Day 1 event and when there are 10 players ready.

    Buy-in is 1500+150 (for entry into Day 2) with 10 players per table for Turbos and also 2500+250 (for entry into Day 2 and Day 3). Also One Hand satellites with a buy-in of Rs 1500 for entry into Day 2 event would be conducted.

    Day 3

    Satellites for 10K event of Day 3 would begin after one hour of play of Day 2 event and whenever there are 10 players ready. One Hand Satellites with a Buy-in of 1000 would be conducted. The Turbo Satellites would be with a buy-in of 1000+100.

    Please refer to our terms and conditions “Terms & Conditions” for details.

    FACEBOOK LINK :http://www.facebook.com/InPkrSrs

    For further queries please contact:-

    INDIA POKER SERIES
    Bharat Agarwalla
    +91 9836990000
    info@indiapokerseries.com
    http://www.indiapokerseries.com
    WE HAVE THE BEST HAND !!!