WSOP Champ Ensan Back in Prague, Where the Big Wins Began
Nowadays, any mention of Hossein Ensan in the poker world is usually prefaced with the phrase "World Series of Poker" champion. That's what happens when you ship the biggest tournament in the poker world and add your name to the most prestigious list of winners in the game.
Of course, to those in the know, Ensan was already a pretty accomplished player on this side of the pond.
The PokerStars European Poker Tour has long been the gold standard in its namesake continent, hosting what many have considered for years the toughest big-field tournaments out there. That's where Ensan first made his mark, and it was right here in Prague back in 2015.
A Special Two-Season Run on the EPT
Ensan had been playing and cashing for small scores in side events on the EPT for a couple of years before Season 11 in 2014-15.
In August 2014, he hit a score that dwarfed all of his other cashes combined as he made a final table run in EPT Barcelona. There, he was part of a three-way chop, taking home the third-most money with €652,667.
Later that same season, Ensan made another final table. This time at EPT Malta, he finished sixth for €153,700.
Months later at EPT Monte Carlo, he pocketed two spadie trophies in side events, winning a combined €90,693.
After contenting himself with those minor wins, the big title run would come the next season, in the Czech capital.
EPT Prague 2015
Ensan made this third EPT final table, this time in a field of 1,044.
However, he wasn't in great position going into the final six as he had only 27 big blinds, making him the second-shortest stack. He soon slipped to the bottom of the counts but then found some heat with a double in a race.
A run of preflop aggression, including a four-bet shove with pocket fours, showed everyone Ensan meant business and wasn't afraid to get his chips in the middle. That daring would pay off in a big way when he semi-bluffed all in with an open-ended straight draw against Thomas Butzhammer. The younger German had flopped top pair and quickly called off only to see Ensan turn him dead.
Suddenly, Ensan was in the driver's seat with more than half of the total chips, and that's right where he stayed as he went heads up with Gleb Tremzin. First, there was the matter of negotiation, and both players agreed to an even deal taking just under €725,000 with €30,000 left to battle over.
The match was a back-and-forth affair with both playing very aggressively, trading leads several times. Each player blasted out several big bluffs, some getting through and others picked off.
In the most notable pot, a rebluffing battle ensued on a board of A♥10♣5♦2♥6♥. With 1.5 million — only five big blinds — in the pot on the river, Ensan bet 400,000, Tremzin raised to 2.3 million and Ensan fired right back with 4.8 million. Tremzin, thinking his bluff had been picked off, tabled his eight-high airball, and Ensan wound up taking the pot with Q♥5♠ for a pair of fives after calling for a ruling to see if Tremzin should be held to calling the final bet.
It took about 40 hands, but Ensan was done giving up the lead, and he polished off Tremzin after slowplaying pocket aces to perfection and getting Tremzin to stick it all in on the river with top pair of queens.
Gunning for a Prague Double
Fast forward four years, and even Ensan's wildest poker dreams couldn't have conjured where he'd be sitting: reigning world champ with a $10 million score to his name.
More plausible but still unlikely would be the idea of doubling up as an EPT Prague champion, but Ensan's put himself in position to at least have a shot. There's still a ways to go with more than 50 players remaining, but Ensan has again advanced to the top 2% of the field.
After finding the call button for his tournament life with two pair against Xiaqing Ji, Ensan gave himself a healthy stack of just under 90 big blinds. He may need it in a loaded field featuring a number of high roller regulars still alive.
Thus far, only one player — Vicky Coren Mitchell — has managed to capture two EPT titles. Now, Ensan has a chance to be the second, and it wouldn't even be the most notable thing he's accomplished on the felt this year.
