Benzimra Wins EPT Warsaw
10/26/09 – French entrepreneur and poker player Christophe Benzimra, who had only two prior live tournament cashes to his name, surprised them all at the Pokerstars European Poker Tour Warsaw in Poland over the weekend, sweeping all before him at the final table.
The week long tourney had attracted some of the biggest names in online and live poker to its 203 registrations and over a million euros prizepool but the Frenchman bested them all to win the main prize of 1,439,170 PLN – around Euros 344 338 after a brief 30 minute heads up against online champ Alfio Battisti.
The big win substantially boosts Benzimra's career earnings, which previously stood at $44 714, and was his first EPT title.
Sunday's final table comprised Oleksandr Vaserfirer who initially held the chip lead on 1 854 000, followed by Luca Pagano and Clayton Mozdzen on 984 000 and 978 000 respectively, Ruslan Prydryk (658 000), Alfio Battisti (552 000), Christophe Benzimra (465 000), Anatoly Gurtoyov (332 000) and Alexander Klimashin (266 000).
Benzimra's prize included a Euro10 000 seat into the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo next year.