Sandra Naujoks is European Poker Tour Dortmund Champion
Luca Pagano: 1,115,000
Johan Storakers: 1,615,000
Mike McDonald: 746,000
Holger Kanisch: 661,000
Sandra Naujoks: 586,000
Marc Gork: 540,000
Cengizcan Ulusu: 537,000
Shortly after being crippled by Mike McDonald’s pocket kings, Turk Cengizcan Ulusu moved all in for 256,000 and was called by Johan Storakers. Marc Gork then moved all in on top for 499,000 and Storakers called. In a three-way pot and their cards were:
Gork: JJ
Ulusu: J9
Storakers: 66
The board brought a gift for Gork, who just couldn’t seem to lose today – QJ3. However, there was also the threat of a six-high flush with Storakers’ pocket sixes. The turn and river brought only diamonds with the 4 and 2 and Gork’s set took the pot.
Ulusu was eliminated in eighth place for €83,500 and Storakers took a hit.
William Thorson Eliminated in Seventh Place (€116,500)
William Thorson had been moving all in and picking up the blinds. Eventually he got a caller in Johan Storakers.
Thorson was on the button with about 11 big blinds left when he made the move, and Storakers beside him decided to call. Thorson showed 98 and Storakers had KJ. The flop looked good for Thorson, who clearly wanted this title to add to his resumé – 10×97. The turn however brought the K and the river was no good for Thorson when it fell the 4.
Thorson left the tournament in seventh place for €116,500 and he was terribly disappointed. His family has flown over and he has played amazingly well. He told presenter Kara Scott, “I’m really disappointed … It feels bad to be on the bad side of the luck.”
Luca Pagano was all in on the button with 77 and Marc Gork called with A9. Gork had Pagano covered but not by very far with 834,000.
The board rolled out K10495. The nine knocked a very weary and tired looking Italian out of the competition. The disappointment swept across the casino here in Dortmund. Pagano is a well liked character on the circuit and has great decorum, representing the game well.
He cashed for the tenth time in an EPT with this sixth place for €153,000.
Mike McDonald pushed all in on the button, Sandra Naujoks called from the small blind.
McDonald: KJ
Naujoks: 1010
Board: Q7563
Last year’s champion Mike McDonald was no longer in the running for a double EPT. He took home €197,000 for fifth place.
Naujoks is going good.
Johan Storakers Eliminated in Fourth Place (€237,000)
Holger Kanisch raised 160,000 on the button and Sandra Naujoks called. Marc Gork took his chance and pushed all in for 242,000. Kanisch then reraised it to 900,000 and Naujoks cleared the way for the two to battle it out.
Kanisch revealed pocket sevens and Gork showed K10. The board brought nothing for either of them: Q52J5 and Kanisch’s sevens held up.
The poet and philosopher, Marc Gork, has been quite the character on this German dominated final table. He leaves €307,000 richer for third place.
The final table was now heads up now with the two remaining Germans, Sandra Naujoks and Holger Kanisch.
Sandra Naujoks is EPT German Open Champion (€917,000)
After about an hour of heads up play which saw some significant swing hands, the ultimate hand came with Sandra Naujoks and Holger Kanisch all in with AQ versus A9.
The board fell A72 and Naujoks was behind, but the tournament was meant to be for her as the 9 fell on the turn, and the 8 on the river.
She becames the second woman to win an EPT, and, just like Vicky Coren before her, in her own country. She takes home €917,000 for first place, while Holger Kanisch is the runner up for €533,000.
Players will get their next shot at a prestigous PokerStars.com European Poker Tour title next month at the penultimate stop of the EPT – San Remo. Card Player will be there of course to bring you the best of all the action. So join us then.
