Being a WSOP Main Event Champion certainly has its perks. There's millions in prize money and sponsorship deals, worldwide celebrity and much more.
However, the downfall is just about everyone is gunning for you and bluffing becomes a difficult task, as 2010 WSOP Main Event winner and Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel found out here in Deauville in just the first few minutes.
We caught him firing 1,600 into a 2k pot on an board and while his heads-up opponent thought about it for a minute, he made the call.
"Ten high," claimed Duhamel, dropping on the felt as his opponent showed a bluff-catching to take the pot.
After a player in early position raised to 300, Sam Chartier called from the small blind. The player in the big blind called as well and an flop came down.
It was checked around, landing the on the turn. Chartier checked it over to the big blind who bet 400. The original raiser ducked out of the way, but Chartier put in a raise to 850. The big blind folded, giving the pot to Chartier.
The European Poker Tour has left the sunny, sandy shores of the Bahamas and has descended on an equally sunny, if much colder Deauville. The Normandy coastal town is normally in semi-hibernation this time of year, but an expected 1000-player plus poker players is enough to shake awake any town.
Last year it was Parisian "Rat man" Lucien Cohen who bested an 891-player field to claim the €880,000 first prize, and became the first Frenchman to win an EPT title in his home country.
The word is getting out that this event offers great value to poker players and because of that we're expecting the field to grow from last year's already impressive number. Amongst that number, taking their seats today, include Team PokerStars Pros Arnaud Mattern, Pierre Neuville, Marcin Horecki, Jonathan Duhamel, Ana Marquez, Nacho Barbero, and Team PokerStars SportStar Fatima Moreira de Melo.
Play is due to start at midday local time, which is a little over ten-minutes away.