Annette Obrestad at the WSOPE(credit: BetfairPoker)
A short walk away from Buckingham Palace, European poker players staged their own changing of the guard just before midnight yesterday.
Not one of the world’s most recognizable poker pros were among the final nine players who advanced to vie for a £1 million first-place prize at the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe Presented by BetfairPoker.com.
Continuing a theme set in the first two WSOP Europe events, the emergence of aggressive and accomplished young European players heralded a new reality for poker’s elite: The global game is no longer dominated by a handful of American pros.
“The stage has been set for European poker players to continue to shine,” said WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack. “Clearly, the inaugural World Series of Poker Europe has lived up to its name and promise in every respect.”
The final table of nine players – which starts at 1400 on 16th September – have made it through a field of the most distinguished players ever assembled in Europe. There were more than 100 WSOP bracelets between all the participants.
The great Phil Hellmuth – who has amassed a record eleven World Series bracelets – said yesterday: “You have nineteen of the top twenty players in the world here in London for this event.”
Betfair’s Head of Poker Ben Fried said, “Betfair has four online qualifiers at the final table. This just goes to show that it is possible to build up from relatively small stakes to play for a million pounds and the World Series Bracelet. It’s a talent meritocracy.”
The WSOP Europe final table is also making history in that it is the youngest final table ever assembled. Female Norwegian player Annette Obrestad is only 18 while Johannes Korsar is 20 years old. If either of these players wins the bracelet, they will be the youngest bracelet holders in WSOP history. The average age at the final table is only 25.
The last high-profile pro eliminated was Gus “The Great Dane” Hansen, who added £41,620, or more than $83,000, to his $3.7 million in official prize money for his 10th place finish.
In addition to the £1 million top prize, second place in the WSOP Europe Main Event is worth £570,150, third £381,910, fourth £257,020, fifth £191,860 sixth £152,040, seventh £114,030, eighth £85,070 and ninth $61,540.
The 10th through 36th place finishers received from £41,630 to £27,150, depending on their final position.
The final table of the WSOP Europe Main Event begins at 2 p.m. GMT September 16 at The Casino at the Empire on Leicester Square.
- Matthew McCullough, 33, is a nurse and anaesthetist from New Jersey, USA. He is the only American at the table in a field that started with every one of the top poker players in the world – including American poker legends Phil Hellmuth and Johnny Chan. 1,278,000 chips
- Magnus Persson is 24 years old from Gothenberg Sweden. He is a student when he is not playing poker. 1,231,000 chips
- Johannes Korsar is 20 years old and won his seat on Betfair Poker. He is a professional poker player. If he wins he would be the youngest bracelet winner in WSOP history. 1,134,000 chips
- Annette Obrestad is a 19 year old online poker player from Norway. She is now regarded as one of the best female players in the world. If she wins she would be the youngest ever WSOP bracelet winner. 697,000 chips
- John Tabatabai is 22 from London. He is has a passion for strategy games of Poker, Chess and Backgammon. 982,000 chips
- Oyvind Riisen is 22 from Norway. He won his seat on Betfair Poker and is a professional poker player. 664,000 chips
- Theo Jorgensen is a 35 year-old poker player from Denmark with two previous 4th place finishes on the European Poker Tour. 605,000 chips
- Dominic Kay qualified through a freeroll on Betfair Poker. He is 30 years old from London and is a professional sports trader on Betfair.490,000 chips
- James Keys, age 21, is doing work experience at Betfair. He won his seat via a $78 satellite on Betfair Poker. He is currently studying Physics at Durham University 172,000 chips