InterPoker

Visit InterCasino

First EPT title for Mercier

2008-04-07 16:48:12

Jason Mercier became a European Poker Tour (EPT) champion on Saturday night following his victory at Casino Sanremo.

The American maths teacher defeated Antony Lellouche of France in a two-hand heads-ups to take the winner's prize of €869,000 ($1.35 million).

Lellouche received €505,000 for second, while Dario Minieri, Eric Koskas and Gregory Genovese rounded out the top five.

Mercier, who eliminated Koskas as well as two other players in the quickest final table in EPT tournament history, moves into 14th position in Card Player's player of the year rankings after what was only his second live event.

Afterwards, the 21-year-old remarked: "I felt pretty confident of winning after making a tough call against Eric. That was when I really started to believe I could win."

The call in question was when he decided to play an all-in bluff by Koskas with pocket fives.

Koskas called it "the best poker play I have ever seen".

Poker Stuff