The World Series of Poker Europe Title Stays in the Czech Republic
Author:
Roy Brindley
Josef Gulas Jr., a 24-year-old local player from the Czech Republic, landed the last poker major of 2021 when taking the World Series of Poker Europe Main Event on Wednesday night. The tense final table took almost nine hours to complete.
King’s Casino main stage final table during a World Series of Poker Europe event. ©KingsCasino
Described as a “businessman and car salesman” the new champion earned his place in the field by winning a €10,350 entry ticket via a local €250 tournament. Collecting a €1,276,712 first prize, the player multiplied his original investment by 5,106!
When entries closed, 688 players had generated a €6,536,000 prize pool. It meant the tournament had created a new participation record. The previous mark had been 593 set in 2011.
Ace Johan Guilbert Takes Second
Gulas began the World Series of Poker Europe Main Event final table with a big chip advantage but had a roller-coaster ride. At one stage he fell to the bottom of the chip standings when his pocket-Kings proved no match for the pocket-Aces held by Frenchman Johan Guibert.
Guilbert – better known by his online alias ‘YoH ViraL’ and one of the most popular poker streamers and vloggers in Europe – ultimately finished second. His prize was €789,031.
In addition to the winner, three other final table finishers had won their seat into the King’s Casino competition via a local tournament with an entry fee of €500 or less. They were: Ilija Savevski (finished eighth collecting €125,052), Thomas Denie (seventh winning €163,434) and Slovakian fifth-place finisher Stanislav Koleno. He earned €292,862.
It’s All Happening in the Czech Republic
Despite Covid-19 restrictions in the Czech Republic, the King’s Casino has not cancelled any events on its busy forthcoming schedule. In early January the venue plan to host a World Series of Poker Circuit event. Organizers have estimated the prize-pool will be €3 million.
There is more good news for poker on the Continent as PokerStars’ management have announced they have rescheduled the European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague event. It was originally due to take place this week but was cancelled when tightened pandemic restrictions came into place during late November.
This week, the leading online poker room announced: “After much consideration, the decision has now been made to move the much-loved EPT stop to March, where PokerStars hopes to run a safe and enjoyable event for the PokerStars community.”
The Managing Director and Commercial Officer of Poker at PokerStars, Severin Rasset, added: “I am pleased that we have been able to adapt so quickly to the ever-changing situation and provide our players with new dates for EPT Prague already.”
“We know that there is a huge demand from the PokerStars community to see our live events return in full and we are excitedly working towards that, but we must be flexible along the way to ensure our players stay safe and healthy, and the experience is an unforgettable one for all the right reasons,” Rasset concluded.
The ongoing online EPT series boasts more than $17 million in guaranteed prizemoney. ©PokerStars
Big Money for Small Stakes at PokerStars
Following the postponement of the original WPT Prague, PokerStars adapted a corresponding EPT Online. Running between December 8th and 20th, this is a 68-event series that will eventually award 20 EPT trophies.
Tournament entries begin at just $5.50. Notably, an $11 ‘EPT Online Cup Mini’ features a $150,000 guarantee, and a $55 buy-in ‘Mini Main Event’ offers a $1,000,000 guarantee prize pool. In total, the ongoing series boasts more than $17 million in guaranteed prizes.
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