When I think hallmark European Poker Tour events, I think the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. Once a marquee World Poker Tour event, the PCA became a stop on the EPT starting in 2008, the fifth year that the PCA was held. The PCA became the first stop in the Western Hemisphere for the fourth season of the EPT. It was sandwiched in between EPT events in the Czech Republic and Germany, meaning a long flight was in store for many EPT regulars. However, the field for the 2008 PCA grew considerably, rising from 937 in 2007 to 1,136 in 2008. At the end of the day, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier won $2 million and the title of champion of the 2008 PCA. For Grospellier, it was his second solid showing in an EPT event; the Frenchman also captured second at the Copenhagen event during Season 3 of the EPT. The final table of the 2007 PCA included Hafiz Khan, Kris Kuykendall, David “The Dragon” Pham, Craig Hopkins, and Joseph Elpayaa.
Eplayaa finished in sixth place when Grospellier’s A-Q held up against Eplayaa’s K-J. He’d take home $300,000. Hopkins’ chip stack gradually dwindled until he made a move with K-8, but was run down by Pham’s pocket tens. Hopkins placed 18th in the EPT’s Warsaw event two months later and walked away with $450,000 for fifth in the 2008 PCA.
Pham was eliminated in fourth place when a seven of diamonds on fifth street gave Grospellier a flush. Pham earned $600,000. At the time of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, Pham was a two-time WSOP bracelet winner, capturing his first piece of hardware in a limit SHOE event during the 2001 World Series. He also won a bracelet during the 2006 World Series and made two final tables during the 2007 event. Pham finished fourth in the WPT’s L.A. Poker Classic in 2001 (an event won by Gus Hansen) and third in the 2004 Doyle Brunson North American Poker Classic, also a WPT event. The latter tournament was won by Carlos Mortensen; Kido Pham finished in second. Pham also was runner up to Dan Harrington in the 2007 WPT Legends of Poker event, taking home $800,000.
Kuykendall was sent packing in third place just a day after his 25th birthday. He took home $800,000. His departure set up a showdown heads up between Grospellier and Khan. In the final hand of the tournament, Grospellier called a bluff by Khan with pocket eights; Khan flipped over 9-3 and settled for second place, winning just over one million dollars.
Christian Harder finished seventh, winning $200,000. Harder took home eighth in the EPT German Open in Season 4 for just over $125,000. William Thorson finished ninth in the 2008 PCA. The Swede finished third in the EPT’s Dublin event during Season 3 and sixth in the San Remo event in Season 4.