It’s usually a good sign when the number of entrants to a poker tournament increases by 50%. Take the World Series of Poker, for example. The year after Chris Moneymaker’s big win, attendance at the WSOP Main Event ballooned from 839 in 2003 to nearly 2,600 in 2004. That’s quite a leap and usually bodes well for the poker tournament’s popularity and, more importantly, the payday for the winner. Poker players come from across the globe in search of cash and that’s exactly what the 2006 European Poker Tour Monte Carlo Grand Final provided: a 900,000 Euro ($1.08 million) first place prize and the title of the second Grand Final champion of the EPT. At the end of the day, American Jeff Williams took home Europe’s most prestigious prize.
Known as “yellowsub” in the online poker world, Williams defeated Arshad Hussain, a UK native, for the title. For each player, it was their first cash in an EPT event. Hussain took home 492,000 Euros, or $592,607. Williams was a major force in the online world, having captured respect and a large bankroll in the process. He showed in the EPT Monte Carlo event that his success wasn’t just limited to online poker; he was also a master of live play.
Canadian Marc Karam finished fourth in Monaco. He translated his success in 2006 to a second place finish in Monte Carlo’s event in season three (the 2007 event). Karam took home 195,000 Euros, or $234,875 for his fourth place finish.
Martin Wendt cashed in his second straight EPT Grand Final event in 2006, finishing 21st for 16,800 Euros. He had finished 14th in 2005. Two Denmark natives cashed in the 2006 EPT event.
Of the 27 spots paid out in the second EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final, 11 went to UK citizens. In order of finish, they were Arshad Hussain (2nd), Ross Boatman (6th), Fraser Dunphy (8th), Ben Grundy (9th), Mark Teltscher (11th), Jim Kerrigan (16th), Terrence Halliday (18th), Nick Gibson (19th), John Kabbaj (23rd), Peter Gould (24th), and Paul Jackson (26th). Grundy finished seventh in the 2005 Grand Final and Teltscher won the EPT London event in season two (also in the 2005-2006 EPT season).
Just like the 2004-2005 EPT season, the second season of the poker series consisted of seven events. The locations consisted of Barcelona, London, Baden, Dublin, Copenhagen, Deauville, and Monaco. Buy-ins increased for the second season and ranged between 4,000 and 10,000 Euros. Four of the seven events drew more than 275 entrants after only one tournament in the inaugural season had crossed that threshold. The 2006-2007 EPT season would see a sharp increase in entrants, a great sign of things to come. Check out the results by clicking here.