EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final

The PokerStars European Poker Tour Season 5 Monte Carlo Grand Final was won by Dutch Team PokerStars Pro Pieter de Korver. A record field of 935 of the world’s best players entered the event, including Team PokerStars Pros Daniel Negreanu, Joe Hachem, Chris Moneymaker, Luca Pagano, Vanessa Rousso and 2007 EPT Grand Final Champion Gavin Griffin.

Korver’s win was good for a €2,300,000 ($3,024,167) payday, one of the biggest cash prizes ever won in a live poker tournament outside of the US. Alex Kravchenko and Sebastian Ruthenberg cashed for €40,000 ($52,594) each, after finishing in 38th and 33rd place respectively. Meanwhile, Luca Pagano added another result to his long list of previous EPT cashes, picking up €31,000 ($40,761) for his 55th place finish.

Elsewhere at the week-long poker festival, Vanessa Rousso won €720,000 ($946,696) for her victory in the $25,000 High Roller event, and ElkY set a new world record for the most Sit & Go tournaments played in one hour. Team PokerStars Pro and a host of celebrities also played in the first ever Ante-Up for Africa Europe charity tournament, helping to raise €160,000 for Darfur. The Grand Final took place at the luxurious Monte Carlo Bay Resort and Hotel, with its stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea - a fitting venue for Europe’s biggest annual poker event.

Visit the PokerStars Blog for a full report on all the events at the Grand Final, and PokerStars.tv for the best video blogs and interviews.

The EPT is Europe’s richest poker tour. Season 6 is underway and includes visits to Kiev, Barcelona, London, Warsaw, Vilamoura, Prague, Deauville, Copenhagen, San Remo and the Caribbean. The tour will once again culminate with the Grand Final in Monte Carlo, April 25-30, 2010.

Satellites for Season 6 events are running now. Go to www.pokerstars.com/ept/ and www.europeanpokertour.com to find out more.