Spindler Snares EPT London; Gruissem Grabs High Roller

Poker News / Short-Stacked Shamus / 06 October 2011 / Leave a Comment

Benny Spindler, 2011 EPT London Main Event Champion (Photo credit: PokerNews / PokerStars)

Among the chip leaders the entire week, Spindler knocked out six of his seven opponents at Thursday's final table to win the title.

Benny Spindler -- among the chip leaders the entire week at the European Poker Tour London Main Event -- grabbed the lead early at the final table on Thursday and never let it go, knocking out six of his seven opponents there to win the title. For topping the field of 691 in the £5,250 buy-in event, the German takes home a handsome £750,000 first prize to go along with the EPT trophy.

Coming up just short against Spindler was the American Steve O'Dwyer who took runner-up. Meanwhile, Philipp Gruissem claimed the EPT London High Roller title on Thursday as well (details below).

The Main Event's final table began with Martins Adeniya the chip leader with more than 4.7 million, better than a million ahead of his nearest challengers Mattias Bergstrom and Spindler. Meanwhile, O'Dwyer was one of the short stacks to start at 1.25 million.

Spindler picked up chips early by knocking out another short stack, Miroslav Benes, in eighth when his Kd-Qh bested the latter's pocket nines after two kings appeared among the five community cards. Soon after the German would grab a nice-sized pot versus Bergstrom to push into the chip lead with 5.7 million.

Meanwhile Adeniya had slid a little to the 3.5 million-chip range when a tourney-changing hand developed between the Brit and Spindler. After Bergstrom had opened with a UTG raise, Spindler called from the button, then Adeniya reraised from the big blind. Bergstrom folded, but Spindler said he was all in and Adeniya made the call.

Adeniya had As-Kc and Spindler 10s-10c, and after the board ran out Jc-8c-3h-2s-Jh the start-of-day leader was suddenly out in seventh. Meanwhile Spindler had a commanding lead with about 9.3 million chips.

Spindler would next take care of Kevin Iacofano in sixth. Iacofano had shoved a short stack with Qc-Tc and Spindler called with 8s-7s, but a 5c-6h-9d flop gave Spindler the nuts, his handing holding after that to send the American packing.

The streak of Spindler eliminations continued with Bergstrom going out in fifth, Spindler's pocket tens holding versus the Swede's Js-Ts. The German would then score his fifth straight knockout of the final table by sending out Juan Manuel Pastor in fourth, picking up pocket aces against Pastor's pair of nines.

Meanwhile, O'Dwyer had chipped up and soon enough had Andre Klebenov all in with Ad-5c against Klebenov's As-Qd. The board ran out 8h-6h-Jh-7h-4c, giving O'Dwyer a straight and sending Klebenov out in third.

Heads-up began with Spindler enjoying about a 2-to-1 chip lead, but it would only take a few hands for the end to come. After Spindler raised to 225,000 from the button, O'Dwyer made it 725,000, then Spindler came back over the top for 1.725 million. O'Dwyer paused, then said he was all in, and Spindler quickly called.

O'Dwyer had Ks-Jc and Spindler Ac-Kd, and when the board ran out Ad-8d-7c-Jh-6s, Spindler had won.

Here are the final table payouts:

1st: Benny Spindler (Germany) -- £750,000
2nd: Steve O'Dwyer (United States) -- £465,000

3rd: Andre Klebanov (Germany) -- £265,000

4th: Juan Manuel Pastor (Spain) -- £200,000

5th: Mattias Bergstrom (Sweden) -- £155,000

6th: Kevin Iacofano (United States) -- £120,000

7th: Martins Adeniya (United Kingdom) -- £86,350

8th: Miroslav Benes (Czech Republic) -- £64,000

Gruissem Takes EPT London High Roller

Meanwhile the £20,000 buy-in High Roller event played out alongside the ME, with a German claiming that final table as well when Philipp Gruissem outlasted the Russian Igor Kurganov for the title. On the final hand, Gruissem's 9c-9h held versus a short-stacked Kurganov's Qd-6s.

The win continues a hot year for Gruissem following his 28th-place finish at this summer's WSOP Main Event (for $242,636) and victory in the EPT Barcelona High Roller event just a few weeks ago (for €234,500).

There was some deal-making during the latter stages of the High Roller event, resulting in adjustments to the payouts for the top finishers. Here's the result of both the card-playing and the negotiations:

1st: Philipp Gruissem (Germany) -- £450,200

2nd: Igor Kurganov (Russia) -- £318,300

3rd: Rob Akery (United Kingdom) -- £205,500 

4th: Olivier Busquet (United States) -- £171,200 

5th: Adrian Bussman (Sweden) -- £102,250

6th: Joel Nordkvist (Sweden) -- £72,950 

7th: Sam Trickett (United Kingdom) -- £68,800 

8th: Michael Tureniec (Sweden) -- £58,400

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