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Down to just 95,000 chips with blinds of 40,000/80,000 the run of Michael Martin at the final table of the European Poker Tour’s London stop was all but over. That’s when he went on an improbable run that saw him triple up before doubling up twice to get back into the game. From there, the remaining four players were nothing but fodder for Martin as he cruised to the £1,000,000 victory.
The final table featured two Americans and one player each from Poland, Canada, Ireland, Sweden, Germany and France. Unlike the star-studded WSOP-Europe final table last week this final table didn’t deliver any bona find superstars.
Anthony Lellouche was the first player to hit the rail. Short-stacked and desperate Lellouche moved all-in with Ad-9h and was called by Johannes Strassmann with Ks-Js. The board included a king on the flop and the Frenchman Lellouche’s night was over.
However Strassman’s night would come to an end shortly after that. After calling the pre-flop all-in bet of Martin, Strassman turned over Jh-Js and was racing against the Kd-Qh of Martin. The Qd on the flop left Strassman hoping for help on the turn or river and when none came his championship hopes were gone.
Maybe the most well-known name at the table would go out in sixth. Irishmen Alan Smurfit, who won his WSOP bracelet in 2007, ran into the Jh-Jd of Martin with only As-4h. The Jc on the flop gave Martin set and when the turn and river both produced fives it gave him a full house and reduced Smurfit to spectator status.
Hopes for another Canadian winner on the EPT were dashed when Philippe D'Auteuil busted out in fifth place. D’Auteuil moved all in from UTG with pocket eights only to have Marcin Horecki move all-in over the top with pocket kings. Unable to improve his hand D’Auteuil had to settle for fifth place money.
It was at this point that Martin began his remarkable comeback. As the players headed for a dinner break Martin was the shortest remaining player with only 830,000. Horecki, the chip leader at the time, had 2,180,000 chips. Down to just barely enough to cover the big blind Martin then went on a tear.
After tripling up and doubling up twice Martin then eliminated Eric Liu in fourth place with Ac-9s vs. Liu’s Js-10h. He then sent Horecki home after calling his all-in with Ks-Jd. Horecki showed a dominated Kh-8d but found relief on the turn with the 8h before falling to the Js on the river. When heads-up play began Martin held a 4:1 chip lead over Michael Tureniec.
One hour and 45 minutes later Martin captured the EPT London title and the £1,000,000 first place prize when his pocket fours held up against the Kh-9c of Tureniec. The £5,200 buy-in event attracted 596 players to create a total prize pool of £3,349,200. The event showed tremendous growth over last year which had a field of only 392 players.
European Poker Tour Final Table Payouts
1st - Michael Martin – £1,000,000
2nd - Michael Tureniec – £525,314
3rd - Marcin Horecki – £303,439
4th - Eric Liu – £234,920
5th - Philippe D'Auteuil – £195,766
6th - Alan Smurfit – £153,351
7th - Johannes Strassmann – £120,723
8th - Antony Lellouche – £81,569
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