With a total of 768 poker players participating in the PokerStars EPT Deauville, it appears that the game of poker is alive in France. In fact, with sixty-one percent of the playing field coming from within France, including one of the best poker players on the world, one might even say that the game is one the rise in France.
Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier said on January 22nd, 2010 that EPT Deauville is a very good tournament to participate in. He said that it is always special to play in France since he rarely gets the opportunity to play in poker tournaments held in the country.
While poker tournament entry numbers are going down in North America, the 768 entries in PokerStars EPT Deauville are bigger by more than 100 participants compared in 2008, increasing the prize pool of up to 3,686,400 euros.
When the poker event is done, a total of one 104 spots will take home some money, including 847,000 euros for the champion-the only number that Bertrand Grospellier seemed focused on. Grospellier said that he really wants to do well in EPT Deauville.
Although Grospellier's 2009 winnings paled in comparison to the $3,686,476 in live poker tournament earnings he earned in 2008, it is still a good one for Grospellier. He followed up his 2008 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure main event with a victory in the tournament's $25,000 High Roller event.
Plus, adding a 3rd place finish at the $25,000 World Poker Tour (WPT) championship in Las Vegas to his win in the 2008 World Poker Tour (WPT) Festa Al Lago helped him take home Season 7 WPT Player of the Year honors. Now, returning to EPT Deauville after a 3rd place finish in the 20,000 euros High Roller event in 2008, Grospellier has set some new goals for himself.
Grospellier said that there are a lot of reasons to get excited since he will be able to face the best poker players in the world. Grospellier said that he also wants to get his 1st place EPT ranking back since Luca Pagano has got it now.
While he has both a WPT and EPT title, a WSOP (World Series of Poker) bracelet still eludes Grospellier. Grospellier said that it one of his goals for 2010.
For now, Grospellier has a big playing field on home ground to contend with, heading into the second day in Deauville among the four hundred-odd survivors from day two on heats. Grospellier added that he wants to have good results at EPT Deauville.
02/14/2010 11:42 PM