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Despite heading to the final table in his home country with the chip lead Italian Dario Minieri was unable to capture his first PokerStars.com European Poker Tour championship Saturday in San Remo.
Instead Jason Mercier from Fort Lauderdale, Florida took home the title and the €869,000 ($1.36 Million US) first place prize. Mercier, who qualified via online satellite, outlasted 700 other players including runner-up Antony Lellouche of France.
Minieri had to settle for third after Mercier made his flush against the local hero’s pocket queens.
The heads-up play lasted only two hands. With nearly 5.8 Million in chips when heads-up play began Mercier was ahead by 4.4 Million. The final hand was a classic race situation which any regular watcher of televised poker has grown accustomed to. Mercier held K-Q against the pocket sevens and Lellouche and both players were all-in before the flop. The board came Q-A-4-8-2 giving Mercier a pair of queens and the title.
Mercier was in full control of the final table eliminating not only Lellouche and Minieri but Eric Koskas, Gregory Genovese and William Thorson. After the tournament was over Mercier admitted the elimination of Koskas may have been the turning point.
“I felt pretty confident of winning after making a tough call against Eric. That was when I really started to believe I could win,” said Mercier, who teaches math in Florida. On that hand Mercier was facing an all-in bet from Koskas with the board showing 5-J-6-8-8. After going into the tank for several minutes Mercier called, revealing 9-5 for a pair of fives. Koskas showed ten-high and his bluff failed to work, eliminating him in fourth place.
Along with the title Mercier earned an automatic seat into next weeks EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo.
PokerStars.com European Poker Tour San Remo Final Table Payout
1st – Jason Mercier – €869,000
2nd – Antony Lellouche – €505,000
3rd – Dario Minieri – €287,000
4th – Eric Koskas – €223,600
5th – Gregory Genovese – €188,500
6th – William Thorson – €140,600
7th – Dag Palovic – €111,800
8th – Marcus Bower – €76,700
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