PokerNews Looks Back on the First Ten Years of the EPT

The PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) is celebrating its twentieth anniversary on the upcoming EPT Barcelona cease. Since its inception, the EPT has awarded over €575 million in prize cash whereas visiting 24 cities in 19 nations.

Fittingly, the EPT celebrates its twentieth birthday on the venue that kicked off considered one of stay poker’s most prestigious excursions. With that in thoughts, let’s make a journey down reminiscence lane and have a look at the primary ten years of this unimaginable tour.

Season 1

DatesEventMain Occasion ChampionPrize Sep. 18-19, 2004EPT Barcelona OpenAlexander Stevic€80,000 Oct. 9-10, 2004EPT LondonJohn Shipley£200,000 Oct. 23-24, 2004EPT DublinRam Vaswani€93,000 Jan. 29-30, 2005EPT Scandinavian OpenNoah BoekenDKr1,098,340 Feb. 15-19, 2005EPT French OpenBrandon Schaefer€144,000 Mar. 10-11, 2005EPT ViennaPascal Perrault€184,500 Mar. 15-19, 2005EPT Grand Remaining Monte CarloRob Hollink€635,000

The inaugural EPT passed off at On line casino Barcelona between September 14-19, 2004. 5 aspect occasions ran alongside the €1,100 Principal Occasion, a far cry from at present’s bustling schedules. A discipline of 229 entrants created a €229,000 prize pool, with Sweden’s Alexander Stevic claiming the first-ever EPT Principal Occasion title and €80,000.

It did not take lengthy for the EPT to award its first six-figure prime prize as a result of EPT London, a month after the opening leg of the fledgling tour, paid champion John Shipley £200,000.

Stops in Dublin, Copenhagen, Deauville, and Vienna adopted earlier than Dutchman Rob Hollink triumphed within the first €10,000 EPT Grand Remaining Principal Occasion, defeating Brandon Schaefer heads-up to secured €635,000, a prize unheard of out of doors the USA.

Season 2

DatesEventMain Occasion ChampionPrize Sep. 16-17, 2005EPT Barcelona OpenJan Boubli€426,000 Sep. 30-Oct. 2, 2005EPT LondonMark Teltscher£280,000 Oct. 4-6, 2005EPT Baden ClassicPatrik Antonius€288,180 Oct. 29-30, 2005EPT DublinMats Gavatin€317,000 Jan. 19-22, 2006EPT Scandinavian OpenMads AndersenDKr2,548,040 Feb. 8-11, 2006EPT French OpenMats Iremark€480,000 Mar. 7-11, 2006EPT Grand Remaining Monte CarloJeff Williams€900,000

By the EPT’s second season, phrase had unfold in regards to the improbable constructions and player-centric nature of the tour. Season 2 began nicely, with Jan Boubli claiming the €426,000 prime prize at EPT Barcelona, the most important prize paid in a non-Grand Remaining Principal Occasion.

A sure Patrik Antonius grew to become an EPT champion three legs into Season 2, taking down the EPT Baden Basic in Austria for €288,180.

As was turning into the norm, the season ended with the €10,000 Grand Remaining in Monte Carlo. Nineteen-year-old American Jeff “yellowsub86” Williams gained the Grand Remaining in Season 2, turning into the youngest-ever EPT champion and raking within the tour’s largest prime prize of €900,000.

Season 3

DatesEventMain Occasion ChampionPrize Sep. 13-16, 2006EPT Barcelona OpenBjorn-Erik Glenne€691,000 Sep. 21-24, 2006EPT LondonVictoria Coren-Mitchell£500,000 Oct. 7-10, 2006EPT Baden ClassicDuc Thang Nguyen€487,397 Oct. 16-29EPT DublinRoland De Wolfe€554,300 Jan. 17-20, 2007EPT Scandinavian OpenMagnus PeterssonDKr4,078,080 Mar. 8-11, 2007EPT German OpenAndreas Hoivold€672,000 Mar. 14-17, 2007EPT Warsaw OpenPeter Jepsenzl1,226,711 Mar. 28—Apr. 2, 2007EPT Grand Remaining Monte CarloGavin Griffin€1,825,010

Season 3 was filled with firsts for the EPT. Two stops in, at EPT London, Victoria Coren-Mitchell (Victoria Coren again then) grew to become the tour’s first feminine champion. Two stops later, at EPT Dublin, Roland De Wolfe grew to become the primary poker participant in historical past to win a World Poker |Tour (WPT) Principal Occasion and an EPT. De Wolfe would later seize poker’s Triple Crown by profitable a World Sequence of Poker (WSOP) bracelet.

March 2007 was the primary time the EPT stopped in Germany, with Dortmund internet hosting the EPT German Open. Norway’s Andreas Hoivold took that occasion down for €672,000.

Illinois’ Gavin Griffin triumphed within the Grand Remaining and took residence €1,825,010, the tour’s first seven-figure prime prize and the most important single prize by far. Like De Wolfe, Griffin later grew to become a Triple Crown winner.

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Season 4

DatesEventMain Occasion ChampionPrize Aug. 28-Sep. 1, 2007EPT Barcelona OpenSander Lyloff€1,170,700 Sep. 25-29, 2007EPT LondonJoseph Mowawad£611,520 Oct. 7-10, 2007EPT Baden ClassicJulian Thew€670,800 Oct. 30-Nov. 3, 2007EPT DublinReuben Peters€532,620 Dec. 10-14, 2007EPT PragueArnaud Mattern€708,400 Jan. 5-10, 2008PokerStars Caribbean AdventureBertrand Grospellier$2,000,000 Jan. 29-Feb. 2, 2008EPT German OpenMike McDonald€933,600 Feb. 19-23, 2008EPT Scandinavian OpenTim VanceDKr6,220,488 Mar. 11-15, 2008EPT Warsaw OpenMichael Schulzezl2,153,999 Apr. 1-5, 2008EPT SanremoJason Mercier€869,000 Apr. 12-17, 2008EPT Grand Remaining Monte CarloGlen Chorny€2,020,000

Simply because the poker neighborhood thought the EPT could not enhance, PokerStars added 4 new stops to the schedule. Frenchman Arnaud Mattern helped himself to the inaugural EPT Prague’s €708,400 prime prize, Michael Schulze grew to become the primary EPT Warsaw Open winner, and a then-22-year-old Jason Mercier gained his first stay event, selecting EPT Sanremo (€1,508,000) to take action!

The opposite new cease was the primary version of the PokerStars Caribbean Journey (PCA) in early January 2009. Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier was the Principal Occasion’s champion, including a $2,000,000 prize to his spectacular resume.

Season 4 additionally noticed Mike “Timex” McDonald grew to become the youngest-ever EPT Principal Occasion champion after he was victorious in Dortmund (€933,600), whereas Glen Chorny‘s victory within the Grand Remaining in Monte Carlo earned him €2,020,000, breaking the file for the tour’s largest payout.

Season 5

DatesEventMain Occasion ChampionPrize Sep. 10-14, 2008EPT Barcelona OpenSebastian Ruthenberg€1,361,000 Oct. 1-5, 2008EPT LondonMichael Martin£1,000,000 Oct. 28-Nov. 1, 2008EPT Warsaw OpenJoao Barbosa€367,140 Dec. 9-13EPT PragueSalvatore Bonavena€774,000 Jan. 5-10, 2009PokerStars Caribbean AdventurePoorya Nazari$3,000,000 Jan 20-24, 2009EPT French OpenMoritz Kranich€851,400 Feb. 17-21, 2009EPT Scandinavian openJens KyllonenDKr6,542,208 Mar. 10-14, 2009EPT German OpenSandra Noujoks€917,000 Apr. 18-23, 2009EPT SanremoConstant Rijkenberg€1,508,000 Apr. 28-Could. 3, 2009EPT Grand Remaining Monye CarloPieter de Korver€2,300,000

The EPT was going from energy to energy with every passing season, and in Season 5, there have been not less than 5 prime prizes of $1,000,000.

Sebastian Ruthenberg gained €1,361,000 for his EPT Barcelona win, Michael Martin scooped £1,000,000 for his EPT London victory, whereas Poorya Nazari acquired his palms on an unimaginable $3,000,000 after popping out on prime within the PCA Principal Occasion.

Towards the top of the season, Fixed Rijkenberg gained EPT Sanremo for €1,508,000, and Pieter de Korver claimed the €2,300,000 Grand Remaining’s prime prize.

Sandwiched between these eye-popping sums of cash was Sandra Naujoks turning into solely the second feminine EPT Principal Occasion champion after she gained in Dortmund for €917,000.

Season 6

DatesEventMain Occasion ChampionPrize Aug. 18-23, 2009EPT KievMaxim Lykov€330,000 Sep. 4-9, 2009EPT BarcelonaCarter Phillips€850,000 Oct. 2-7, 2009EPT LondonAaron Gustavson£850,000 Oct. 20-25, 2009EPT WarsawChristophe Benzimrazl1,493,170 Nov. 17-22, 2009EPT VilamouraAntonio Matias€404,793 Dec. 1-6, 2009EPT PragueJan Skampa€682,000 Jan. 5-11, 2010PokerStars Caribbean AdventureHarrison Gimbel$2,200,000 Jan 20-25, 2010EPT DeauvilleJake Cody€847,000 Feb. 16-21, 2010EPT CopenhagenAnton WiggDKr3,675,000 Mar. 2-7, 2010EPT BerlinKevin MacPhee€1,000,000 Mar. 21-26, 2010EPT SnowfestAllan Baekke€445,000 Apr. 15-21, 2010EPT SanremoLiv Boeree€1,250,000 Apr. 25-30, 2010EPT Grand Remaining Monte CarloNicolas Chouity€1,700,000

The sixth EPT season noticed the tour and the plenty of gamers head to a few new locations. The tour kicked off with a visit to Kiev, Ukraine, the place Maxim Lykov gained the Principal Occasion’s €330,000 first-place prize.

Portugal hosted an EPT for the primary time in November 2009, with EPT Vilamoura. Antonio Matias gained the inaugural occasion there, returning residence with €404,793.

The primary EPT Snowfest passed off in Austria in late March. Gamers blended snowboarding on the slopes with grinding on the tables, with Allan Baekke writing his title within the EPT’s historical past books below the heading Principal Occasion Champion, a consequence value €445,000.

British professional Jake Cody gained the primary leg of his Triple Crown in Deauville, whereas Liv Boeree grew to become the third feminine EPT Principal Occasion champion in Sanremo.

Maybe the largest story of Season 6 was not an enormous rating loved by a champion however the reality there was an armed theft at EPT Berlin! 4 masked males, armed with knives and not less than one gun, robbed the EPT Berlin Principal Occasion and escaped with €242,000. Fortunately, no person was severely injured, and police caught the robbers a number of days later; they had been later convicted and sentenced to a few years in jail.

Season 7

DatesEventMain Occasion ChampionPrize Aug. 11-16, 2010EPT TallinnKevin Stani€400,000 Aug. 28-Sep. 2, 2010EPT VilamouraToby Lewis€467,836 Sep. 29-Oct. 4, 2010EPT LondonDavid Vamplew£900,000 Oct. 26-31, 2010EPT ViennaMichael Eiler€700,000 Nov. 22-27, 2010EPT BarcelonaKent Lundmark€825,000 Dec. 13-18, 2010EPT PragueRoberto Romanello€640,000 Jan. 8-15, 2011PokerStars Caribbean AdventureGalen Corridor$2,300,000 Jan. 25-31, 2011EPT DeauvilleLucien Cohen€880,000 Feb. 21-26, 2011EPT CopenhagenMichael TureniecDKr3,700,000 Mar. 20-25, 2011EPT SnowfestVladimir Geshkenbein€390,000 Apr. 5-10, 2011EPT BerlinBen Wilinofsky€825,000 Spr. 27-Could. 3, 2011EPT SanremoRupert Elder€930,000 Could 7-12, 2011EPT Grand Remaining MadridIvan Freitez€1,500,000

Season 7 of the EPT is my private favourite as a result of it’s after I grew to become a stay reporter for PokerNews! After Kevin Stani gained the primary EPT Tallinn for €400,000, Toby “810ofclubs” Lewis gained EPT Vilamoura and David Vamplew defeated seasoned professional John Juanda heads-up at EPT London.

EPT Barcelona once more passed off, my first stay reporting gig for PokerNews, and Kent Lundmark of Sweden emerged victoriously, lifting the trophy and banking €825,000.

An emotional Roberto Romanello triumphed in Prague for the primary a part of his Triple Crown, Galen Corridor secured a $2,300,000 payday within the PCA Principal Occasion, with Vladimir Geshkenbein gained the final EPT Snowfest whereas sporting the patches of the now-defunct on-line poker web site PKR.

The angle capturing Ivan Freitez gained that season’s Grand Remaining for €1,500,000.

Season 8

DatesEventMain Occasion ChampionPrize Aug. 2-7, 2011EPT TallinnRonny Kaiser€275,000 Aug. 27-Sep.1, 2011EPT BarcelonaMartin Schleich€850,000 Sep. 20-Oct. 6, 2011EPT LondonBenny Spindler£750,000 Oct. 21-27, 2011EPT SanremoAndrey Pateychuk€680,000 Nov. 15-20, 2011EPT LiutrakiZimnan Ziyard€347,000 Dec. 5-10, 2011EPT PragueMartin Finger€720,000 Jan. 7-13, 2012PokerStars Caribbean AdventureJohn Dibella$1,175,000 Jan. 31-Feb. 6EPT DeauvilleVadim Kursevich€875,000 Feb. 20-25, 2012EPT CopenhagenMickey PetersenDKr2,515,000 Mar. 12-17, 2012EPT MadridFrederk Jensen€495,000 Mar. 26-31, 2012EPT CampioneJannick Wrang€640,000 Apr. 16-21, 2012EPT BerlinDavidi Kitai€712,000 Apr. 25-30, 2012EPT Grand Remaining Monte CarloMohsin Charania€1,350,000

The champions of the EPT Season 8 Principal Occasions learn like a who’s who of the poker world. Ronnie Kaiser, Benny Spindler, Andrey Pateychuk, and Martin Finger all reeled in titles earlier than the 12 months’s finish.

Mickey Petersen gained the battle of youth vs. expertise when he defeated Pierre Neuville heads-up at EPT Copenhagen, with Belgian Davidi Kitai making an outstanding hero name when heads-up in opposition to Andrew Chen at EPT Berlin earlier than taking down the event and turning into solely the fifth participant in historical past to finish poker’s Triple Crown.

Season 9

DatesEventMain Occasion ChampionPrize Aug. 15-25, 2012EPT BarcelonaMikalai Pobal€1,007,550 Oct. 5-11, 2012EPT SanremoLudovic Lacay€744,910 Dec. 9-15, 2012EPT PragueRamzi Jelassi€835,000 Jan. 7-13, 2013PokerStars Caribbean AdventureDimitar Danchev$1,859,000 Feb. 3-9, 2013EPT DeauvilleRemi Castaignon€770,000 Mar. 10-16, 2013EPT LondonRuben Visser£595,000 Apr. 21-27, 2013EPT BerlinDaniel Pidun€880,000 Could 6-12, 2013EPT Grand Remaining Monte CarloSteve O’Dwyer€1,224,000

Belarus celebrated its first EPT Principal Occasion champion when Mikalai Pobal raked within the €1,007,550 prime prize at EPT Barcelona to kick off Season 9. There have been additionally wins for seasoned professionals Ludovic Lacay, Ramzi Jelassi, and Dimitar Danchev, the latter profitable the PCA Principal Occasion.

Steve O’Dwyer loved his first $1M+ rating after being awarded €1,224,000 for profitable the Grand Remaining in Monte Carlo. O’Dwyer overcame a stacked ultimate desk housing Freddy Deeb, Jason Mercier, Noah Schwartz, Jake Cody, Daniel Negreanu, Johnny Lodden, and Andrew Pantling.

Season 10

DatesEventMain Occasion ChampionPrize Aug. 26-Sep.7, 2013EPT BarcelonaTom Middleton€924,000 Oct. 2-12, 2013EPT LondonRobin Ylitalo£560,980 Dec. 12-18EPT PragueJulian Monitor€725,700 Jan. 7-13, 2014PokerStars Caribbean AdventureDominik Panka$1,423,096 Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2014EPT DeauvilleSotirios Koutoupas€614,000 Mar. 23-29, 2014EPT ViennaOleksii Khoroshenin€578,392 Apr. 14-20, 2014EPT SanremoVictoria Coren-Mitchell€476,100 Apr. 26-Could. 2, 2014EPT Grand Remaining Monte CarloAntonio Buonanno€1,240,000

Season 10 rounded off the primary decade of the EPT, and noticed one other host of family names develop into EPT champions. Tom Middleton, and Dominik Panka gained the most important sums, specifically €924,000 in Barcelona and $1,423,096 on the PCA earlier than one thing particular occurred within the penultimate leg in Sanremo.

Till this occasion, every EPT cease had topped a recent Principal Occasion champion; no person had managed to win two. That each one modified when Victoria Coren-Mitchell beat Giacomo Fundaro heads-up, including her second EPT Principal Occasion title to her spectacular resume.

The tenth season ended with Antonio Buonanno develop into the EPT Grand Remaining champion. The Italian and Jack Salter locked horns for heads-up at a ultimate desk lasting 18 hours earlier than Buonanno lastly concluded the event.

Keep tuned to PokerNews for Half 2 of our trying again on the EPT glistening historical past, for stay and unique protection of the 2024 version of EPT Barcelona, and extra.

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