Seat 4: Zorlu Er, 53, Mersin/Turkey (7,090,000)
Zorlu Er is here at EPT Barcelona with his poker-playing son, also called Zorlu – in fact it was Zorlu Junior’s idea to come here. The 24-year-old said: “My dad is very talented, a really clever man. He’s been playing poker for about forty years – at first it was just draw poker, but he took up Texas Hold’em about ten years ago.”
According to Zorlu Junior, his father didn’t want to come to Barcelona but was eventually persuaded to by his son who’s just graduated from university in construction engineering. He said: “My dad doesn’t like beaches and, if he goes on holiday, he likes it to be closer to home – somewhere like Bodrum or Cyprus. But I wanted to come to the EPT. We both entered the Main Event but I bust before the money.
My father owns a Texas Hold’em club in our home town and coaches people as well. They don’t play for money – it’s an association and they have a league – it can only be Texas Hold’em though which is considered a mind sport in Turkey. He also plays tournaments and cash games in Northern Cyprus. My mother died when I was only one so it’s always just been my Dad and me. Poker is our passion and I’m very proud of what’s he’s achieved here.”