2016 EPT Grand Final High Roller
Monday May 9,2016 : BIG WIN FOR ROMANIAN POKER PRO
Alexandru Papazian takes home Euro 1.2 million after winning the Euro 25,750 buy-in EPT Grand Final High Roller.
In a fitting end to a successful 2016 European Poker Tour Grand Final in Monte Carlo over the weekend, the Euro 25,750 buy-in High Roller competition was convincingly won by Romanian poker pro Alexandru Papazian, who claimed a main prize pay day of Euro 1.2 million after besting Greek pro Alexandros Kolonias in an exciting heads up finale.
When Ivan Deyra busted at tenth for Euro 103,570 on the final-table bubble, UK player Max Silver headed the chip counts on a talented final table that included Anthony Zinno, Rafael Da Silva Moraes of Brazil and Israel's Zvi Stern.
The departure at third of Da Silva Moraes for Euro 568,200 set the scene for the heads up, with Papazian holding a massive 10 million vs. 1.5 million chip lead over Kolonias and it looked as if it would all be over quickly.
However, the Greek pro managed a telling double up almost immediately the action started, following it with another one after the dinner break that levelled the counts and introduced a new intensity to the exchanges.
With two such evenly matched players the lead swung back and forth for several more hours before Papazian was able to establish dominance and finally send a very competent opponent home with the well-earned runner-up prize of Euro 805,900.
Other final table cashes included:
4 Zvi Stern Israel Euro 460,700
5 Eddy Maksoud Lebanon Euro 364,500
6 Anthony Zinno USA Euro 276,750
7 Max Silver UK Euro 202,050
8 Imad Derwiche France Euro147,710
9 Saar Wilf Israel Euro 122,250
With the current season of the European Poker Tour now completed, thoughts are turning to Season 13, and Pokerstars has been quick to announce that Barcelona, Spain will again be the venue for the start of the new season on August 16 this year. The poker festival will run through to August 28 with the flagship Main Event carrying a buy-in of Euro 5,300.
