Two amateur businessmen will take on six of the richest and best tournament poker players in the world with more than €5 million on the line when the 2016 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final €100,000 Super High Roller final table goes off in Monaco with coverage beginning just after 2 p.m. local time today.
British venture capitalist turned high-stakes regular Paul Newey will come into the event's final eight as the shortest stack, but Ali Reza Fatehi actually has the healthy chip lead.
The pros who sit between them include high roller veterans Sam Greenwood, Ivan Luca, Stephen Chidwick and one of the most colorful, entertaining and hottest players on the high-roller circuit right now, Italian Mustapha Kanit. Repeat final tablist are Ole Schemion (7th in 2014 for €307,000), and Igor Kurganov (3rd for €1,128,300 in 2014, 5th for €551,000 in 2015).
When Canadian Mike "Timex" McDonald bubbled the money and the final eight Friday, each of these players guaranteed themselves a €236,750 minimum cash, but this afternoon they will have the opportunity to play for a massive €1,775,500 first place prize.
Plus, there's some pretty hefty pay jumps with even the runner up earning a seven-figure payday as second-place pays €1,284,300.
While it sounds like life changing money for most, it amounts to just another poker game for these characters, meaning they will not wilt under the pressure of the stakes, and should remain laser focused, providing for some great poker play today.
Play will actually begin at 1 p.m. at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, but EPT Live is broadcasting the final with cards-up coverage on a one-hour delay and PokerNews' no-spoiler policy means live updates will follow that.
Final Table Seat Assignments
Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
1 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | 2,920,000 | 58 |
2 | Ole Schemion | Germany | 1,685,000 | 34 |
3 | Paul Newey | United Kingdom | 250,000 | 5 |
4 | Igor Kurganov | Russia | 1,230,000 | 25 |
5 | Ali Reza Fatehi | Iran | 5,180,000 | 104 |
6 | Sam Greenwood | Canada | 855,000 | 17 |
7 | Mustapha Kanit | Italy | 2,200,000 | 44 |
8 | Ivan Luca | Argentina | 935,000 | 19 |
It should be en exciting day of action, so stay tuned right here to see who comes out on top in the 2016 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final €100,000 Super High Roller.
Tags:
Ali Reza FatehiIgor KurganovIvan LucaMax GreenwoodMike McDonaldMustapha KanitOle SchemionPaul NeweyStephen Chidwick