Reinkemeier Takes the EPT Grand Final High Roller Event

TOBIAS REINKEMEIER WINS EPT GRAND FINAL HIGH ROLLER EVENT

Le Sporting, Monte Carlo Bay Resort, May 1, 2010:  German pro Tobias Reinkemeier has followed up his sixth place finish at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in January by winning the EPT Grand Final High Roller in Monte Carlo for nearly €1 million.

The 22-year-old from Cuxhaven won €956,000 with a career-best victory against some of the best players in the world. The €25,0000 event attracted a record 113 entrants including Team PokerStars Pros Jason Mercier, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, Barry Greenstein, Vanessa Rousso and Daniel Negreanu.

Other stars who competed included Team PokerStars SportStar Boris Becker, Gus Hansen, Viktor Blom, Tony G, Erik Seidel and John Juanda. The High Roller tournament was the last of 24 events played at the EPT Grand Final, which ran from April 25 to May 1 in Le Sporting of the Monte Carlo Bay Resort and Hotel.

Reinkemeier, the only German to win an EPT title in Season 6, won the tournament after beating American pro Olivier Busquet heads-up. He said: “It’s an overwhelming feeling. The field was definitely tough but what do you expect for a €25,000 event? There were a lot of good players but I had a really good run and everything went in my favour.”

As a supporter of the All4Kids charity started by Team PokerStars Pro Sandra Naujoks and Austrian pro Markus Golser, Reinkemeier plans to donate two per cent of his winnings. He has had a great EPT season cashing in four events, including 11th place at EPT London and 46th in the PCA Main Event. He took home $108,000 for his sixth place finish at the PCA High Roller event but his win here in Monte Carlo is more than double his total live tournament winnings to date.

A host of good players made the High Roller final including NAPT Venetian winner Tom Marchese who came fourth for €263,000, Canadian pro Sorel Mizzi who finished sixth and American Allen Bari who came seventh. Dutch pro Paul Berende, who late registered just minutes after finishing 24th in the Grand Final Main Event came fifth for €191,200. A total of 11 players were paid.

The three day High Roller event was filmed for television and the final table was covered by the celebrated EPTLive webcast. For blog reports, please see the PokerStars Blog and video blogs on PokerStars.tv.

Final table/payouts:

Season 7 of the European Poker Tour kicks off at a brand new destination - Tallinn, Estonia from August 11-16, 2010. Full details will be published shortly http://www.ept.com.

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