It all could have gone so much differently had Jason Mercier decided to cancel the trip after his friend backed out of coming along a few weeks ago.
"But luckily two of my online friends told me they were coming and I could meet up with them so I decided to do it," Mercier told PokerListings.com in an interview.
Mercier is a professional online poker player, and this was only his second major live tournament. His first was the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, where he didn't last through the first day.
After winning a seat in the EPT San Remo event at PokerStars, it wouldn't have been surprising if Mercier cashed out the prize instead of taking the trip after his PCA experience. However, he's now €869,000 richer for having the guts to try another live event.
Of course, Dario Minieri might be wishing the American from Florida had stayed home. Minieri was the favorite to win the event going into the final table as he was buoyed by the hometown crowd.
It certainly helped that Minieri had the chip lead as well, starting with $1,832,000. The starting chip counts at the final table were:
- Dario Minieri $1,832,000
- Jason Mercier $1,591,000
- Antony Lellouche $1,192,000
- Gregory Genovese $694,000
- Dag Palovic $585,000
- Eric Koskas $449,000
- William Thorson $418,000
- Marcus Bower $278,000
In what was the fastest final table in EPT history so far, it didn't take long see the first casualty of the day, and it only took about two and a half hours for the whole thing to be decided.
First to go was Marcus Bower, taken out by Antony Lellouche. Lellouche had opened the pot to $70,000 and it folded around to Bower, who decided it was time to make a move, going all-in for his remaining $155,000.
Lellouche made a quick call and showed #Ad-#Jc against Bower's pocket fours. A board of #Ks-#9h-#8h-#7s-#Ah gave Lellouche the higher pair and Bower the boot.
As the end of the first level of the day neared, a second player was eliminated. Dag Palovic raised to $96,000 after Minieri had limped into the pot. Minieri called and they saw a flop of #6d-#3d-#2s.
Palovic ended up all-in with pocket queens and Minieri made the call with pocket threes. The board finished with runner eights and Minieri sent Palovic packing in seventh place.
Mercier picked up some more chips to stay on the heels of Minieri with the elimination of William Thorson in sixth place. Thorson was all-in pre-flop with #Ah-#Qh, and Mercier called with #Ad-#Kh.
The flop dropped #Kd-#6c-#5c, giving Mercier the lead. The board finished out #Ac-#4d to seal the deal for Mercier.
Mercier took out the next player as well in a hand that started out as a three-way between him, Minieri and Gregory Genovese. After they all saw a flop of #Ad-#7s-#5d, Mercier bet out $120,000, and Minieri folded, leaving an all-in Genovese to duke it out with Mercier.
Mercier showed an #Ah-#3c to Genovese's #Th-#9c. Genovese couldn't make up any ground when the rest of the board played out with #Qs-#2h, leaving him with a fifth-place finish.
There was just no stopping Mercier as he steamrolled through the remaining players to claim the win. Next he took out Eric Koskas with an amazing call that is best related in the PokerListings.com Live Tournaments section, where details of all the final-table play can be read.
#img: dario-minieri_18947.jpg: left: Oh so close, and yet so far away once again for Minieri.#
In a surprise blow for all the Italian fans present, Mercier then took out Minieri in third place. Minieri had pocket queens up against Mercier's #Ac-#4d. When the flop brought two more diamonds and then the turn brought a #4h, Minieri and his fans were hoping to see anything but another four or diamond on the river.
No such luck for the Italian Harry Potter lookalike, as the river brought a #3d. As a result, Minieri left with another third-place finish in an EPT event, waiting for another chance to get his first win in a major live event.
Two more hands later, Mercier had the win. Lellouche had built a reputation during the game as an aggressive player and it got him in trouble on just the second hand of heads-up play.
After a raise and a re-raise, Mercier shoved all-in and got an insta-call from Lellouche. Lellouche showed pocket sevens to Mercier's #Ks-#Qd. The board came #As-#Qs-#4c-#8c-#2c, giving Mercier a higher pair and the EPT crown.
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WPA increases efforts with WSOP events
To help its efforts along, the WPA will host its first educational conference at the Rio May 28-29. Mike Caro, poker pro and author, will MC the event.
On the second day of the conference, the WSOP has agreed to host a mega-satellite tournament at the World Series of Poker.
Wendeen Eolis, newly crowned chair of the WPA Board, secured the deal soon after being named chair and convinced the tournament organizers to have nine-handed tables for the mega-satellite.
According to the WPA Web site, the organization will soon begin working with WSOP Tournament Director Jack Effel in an effort to incorporate various additional rules recommended by the WPA for the mega-satellite as well.
"This is a good first step in the WPA's efforts to improve playing conditions for tournament competitors around the world," Eolis said.
#img: wpa-logo_2505.jpg: left#
Eolis has also been talking to Director Thomas Kremser, tournament rules chairman, to work on continuing to expand the WPA Tournament Rules. The rules build on those set out by the Tournament Directors Association.
"Wendeen has been the work horse of the executive committee," said Harry Thomas Jr., WPA treasurer and executive committee member. "Seldom have I seen someone do in the private sector for money what she has done for this organization gratis. Without her, Jesse Jones' vision would be nowhere near where it is now. We owe her a debt of gratitude."
Eolis previously served the WPA as the vice-chair of the board. She has had a hand in several of the major projects the association has undertaken since it was created by Jesse Jones.
Eolis oversaw drafting of an ethics code. A finalized Code of Ethics is being completed by re-appointed Ethics Chair and WSOP Champion Tom McEvoy and newly appointed Ethics Co-Chair Roger Saad for approval by the board of directors and presentation to the membership at WPA's first annual meeting.
Eolis also worked directly this past year on bylaws provisions. She has turned over the chairmanship of the Bylaws and Elections Committee to Ken Adams. Adams will oversee completion of bylaws and a board of directors slate for approval by the board of directors and presentation at the annual meeting.
"I plan to keep my foot on the pedal and our collective feet to the fire so as to provide concrete results that serve our membership's interests - sooner rather than later," Eolis said.
Related Articles:
- Jesse Jones Named WPA Chairman Emeritus
- WPA Elects Ken Adams to Board
- WPA Brings Ethics into Tournament Poker
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Titan Poker to send players to Austria
The Salzburg Poker Cup is anticipated to attract 400 players for its Main Event as well as hundreds more to the two side events scheduled.
Not only will winners at Titan Poker get a shot at the main event, they'll also get to play in Event 2 of the Poker Cup. The $4,000 prize packages being given out at Titan Poker include the buy-ins for both events.
The prize package also includes accommodation, flights and spending money as well as the opportunity to enjoy what the city has to offer. Titan Poker will take its players on a private beer tour, provide an exclusive iPoker lunch, and give players a chance to explore the city.
The first super-satellite at Titan Poker for the Salzburg Poker cup took place April 3, and players will get their final chance to win a prize package April 10.
The super satellite has a $100+$9 buy-in and will start at 8:05 p.m. (CET). There are also ongoing and daily qualifiers for players to win their way into the super-satellite for much less of an out-of-pocket investment.
The schedule of qualifiers is as follows:
| Date | Time | Event | Details |
| Ongoing | Ongoing | $10.90+$1 Stage 1 SNG | One seat in super-satellite for every 10 players |
| Daily | 5:30 p.m. | $15+$1.50 Stage 1 Freezeout | One seat in super-satellite for every $109 collected |
| Daily | 8:50 p.m. | $10+$1 Stage 1 R/A | One seat in super-satellite for every $109 collected |
| Ongoing | Ongoing | $1.10+20¢ Stage 2 SNG | Seats awarded to next daily Stage 1 at 8:50 p.m. (CET) |
| Daily | 12:10 p.m. | $2+20¢ Stage 2 Freezeout | One seat for every $16.50 awarded for daily Stage 1 Freezeout |
| Daily | 1:45 p.m. | 2+20¢ Stage 2 Turbo R/A | One seat for every $11 awarded for daily Stage 1 R/A |
Titan Poker hands out plenty of seats and other prizes to its players. Along with the EPT San Remo seats, the site has dished out Aussie Million, World Series of Poker, World Poker Showdown, Irish Open and other EPT event seats.
The poker site also recently signed on as the main sponsor of the Eurocity Poker Tour, which is hosting its inaugural event, the Madrid Open, in May.
The European Championship of Online Poker II will also take place on Titan Poker this May with $3.5 million in guaranteed cash spread through 10 days of events.
Related Articles:
- Titan Poker Sending Players East
- Titan Poker to stage $2 million tournament
- Titan player wins seats in two European events
- Titan Poker sending players to San Remo
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PokerStars launches Battle of the Planets
The new competition is expected to pay out more than $3 million a year to SNG players as they battle their way through their favorite levels of sit-and-go tournaments.
Whether players prefer $2 games or $500 tournaments, there is a competition level on the Battle of the Planets for them.
The Battle divisions are:
| Division | SNG Buy-in | Low Orbit Prize Pool | High Orbit Prize Pool |
| Mercury | $1-$2.99 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Mars | $3-$4.99 | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Venus | $5-$9.99 | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| Earth | $10-$19.99 | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Neptune | $20-$49.99 | $3,500 | $3,500 |
| Uranus | $50-$99.99 | $4,000 | $4,000 |
| Saturn | $100-$299.99 | $4,500 | $4,500 |
| Jupiter | $300+ | $5,000 | $5,000 |
"One of the greatest things about the new SNG TLB is that it gives both casual and high-volume players a shot at winning," said Brad Willis in his PokerStars blog about the new feature. "PokerStars has devised Low Orbit and High Orbit competitions. Low Orbit competitors will compete in blocks of 20 SNGs at a time, while High Orbit players will fight it out in 100-game blocks. The monthly prize pools are divided equally between the two Orbits."
For the Low Orbit Leaderboard, the player's points total is recorded in blocks of 20 tournaments, with a player allowed to play up to five 20-tournament blocks per division in any given week. Only the player's best block score will count toward the Leaderboard, and only completed blocks of games will be eligible for the leaderboard.
For example, say a player takes on 42 nine-handed $5 tournaments in one week. That player will have completed two, 20-tournament blocks for the Mars Division: Low Orbit Leaderboard.
That player's first 20 games are recorded as the first block and the next 20 as the second block, while the extra two won't count because they're not part of a completed block. Of the two completed blocks, the one with the highest points will be the one that gets ranked on the leaderboard.
The High Orbit Leaderboard works much the same way as the Low Orbit, except that players are recording points in blocks of 100 tournaments instead of 20. Their highest block will count toward the High Orbit Leaderboard.
For the Low Orbit, players are limited to 20 blocks filled per week. There is no limit to the amount of blocks filled for High Orbit players and no limit on the number of division players can participate in.
Cash isn't the only thing the top players in each division and orbit will receive. Every player who finishes in the top 10 of the divisions each week will receive an exclusive ticket to a monthly tournament.
The highest-ranking players from each division will come together to fight in the Battle of the Planets, a triple shootout, for a monthly prize pool of $50,000.
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