During its short history the European Poker Tour has grown exponentially to become one of the richest and biggest poker tours in the world. Interest in the event over the past five years has increased to such an extent that organisers have been forced to almost double the buy-in, to prevent over-subscription to EPT Tour seats.
Out of the tens of thousands of Europe's finest poker players competing in the various European Poker Tour events, a handful of world-class poker pros have emerged, capable of taking on the best in the world. Here are some of the emerging stars of the European Poker Tour:
Bertrand Grospellier
Biggest win: $2 000 000 - 2008 EPT Caribbean Poker Adventure
France's Bertrand Grospellier is one of the most promising emerging talents in world poker. The Frenchman first made his impact as a professional strategy gamer, and was one of the highest ranked Starcraft players in the world before turning his hand to poker.
Since switching to live tournament poker, Grospellier has achieved impressive results, winning events in both the European Poker Tour and the World Poker Tour. Grospellier is presently the highest ranked player in the European Poker Tour.
Jason Mercier
Biggest Win: $1 024 219 - 2008 EPT Million Dollar Showdown
One of the biggest names to emerge from the European Poker Tour is not a European, but an American raider, Jason Mercier. Mercier has made a powerful impact on the European poker scene, winning two EPT tournaments, and finishing in the final table of another.
Mercier is currently listed 4th in the European Poker Tour rankings, and has raked in almost $2 million in prize money since bursting onto the European poker scene in 2008. The American also boasts four cashes at World Series of Poker events, and has been tipped to win a bracelet in the near future.
Gavin Griffin
Biggest Win: $2 434 061 - 2007 EPT Grand Final, Monaco
America's Gavin Griffin has made his mark at the highest levels in both European and American poker. After starting his career in poker as an internet-player, Griffin stole the headlines at the 2004 World Series of Poker by breaking Allen Cunningham's record as the youngest player to win a bracelet.
Whilst Griffin made a name for himself at the WSOP, it was in the European Poker Tour that he achieved his greatest success. In 2007 Griffin won the European Poker Tour's Grand Final in Monaco, after winning an entry into the event in a $240 internet satellite tournament.
Griffin followed this victory up with a win at the World Poker Tour's 2008 Borgata Winter Open, becoming the only poker player in history to have won bracelets at the World Poker Tour, the European Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker.
Glen Chorny
Biggest Win: $2 647 452 - 2008 EPT Grand Final, Monaco
Glen Chorny emerged as one of the stars of the European Poker Tour in early 2008. The Canadian finished 13th at the EPT's Caribbean Adventure tournament, and followed this up by taking down his first tournament at the World Poker Open.
Chorny's biggest moment came two months later, as he followed in Gavin Griffin's footsteps by winning the EPT Grand Final in Monaco, and became an instant millionaire in the process. The win pushed Chorny to third place in the EPT’s money winners’ list, and resulted in him entering the top ten ranking in the EPT for the first time.
Sebastian Ruthenberg
Biggest Win: $1 191 321 - 2008 EPT Barcelona Open
Sebastian Ruthenberg is one of the strongest European players in the European Poker Tour. Apart from having taken down one of the biggest tournaments of the tour, Ruthenberg has also proven himself to be amongst the most consistent performers, by cashing in the top 15 five times in three seasons.
Ruthenberg is also more than capable of holding his own against the finest players America has to offer. In 2008 the German defeated Chris 'Jesus' Ferguson in heads-up play, to win a World Series of Poker bracelet in Seven Card Stud Hi-Low.
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