A Parisian driving instructor beats a stellar European Poker Tour Monte Carlo final table giving him a story to tell his clients on Monday mornings, while Albert Daher, Justin Bonomo and Bryn Kenney enjoy backend success.
Driving instructor, Nicolas Dumont spends his days sharing snippets of his dreary life while catching glimpses of cheeky thighs. Come Monday, Dumont will have a slightly more impressive story to tell (although not as remarkable as those cheeky thighs).
When Dumont isn’t teaching people how to drive, he spends two days a week grinding $100 multi-table tournaments (MTTs) on PokerStars’ new European Poker Network. The salubrious surroundings of Monte Carlo isn’t usually a place someone of Dumont’s ilk hangs around, but his best buddy, Julien Perouse, booked a ride, couldn’t make it, and asked his pal if he would jump into the driving seat.
Vroom.
Dumont can move.
The €5,300 European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo Main Event pulled in 574 entrants, and 201 re-entries, creating a $4.5m prize pool. The final table of eight contained a former EPT winner, several previous final table incumbents, and a few men in startling form.
Patrik Antonius was the man who had the EPT t-shirt. The Fin has been anonymous on the live tournament scene for a decade (pitching for the more lucrative live cash games), but he has now won $4.5m in 2018, more than his entire haul over the past 11-years, including a runner-up spot in the Super High Roller Bowl in China recently.
David Peters was appearing in an EPT final for the second time after finishing third in Prague (2016). At the turn of the year, Peters also made a deep run in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) placing 11th.
Ole Schemion finished sixth in this event back in 2015. The German star also finished third in Prague (2013) and won the World Poker Tour (WPT) European Championships earlier this year.
But after six hours of shit-hot action, it was the Kiwi, Honglin Jiang, who took a 13.4m v 9.8m chip lead into the heads-up phase against Dumont. The pair began discussions on a deal, but after a chinwag with his sister (whom Jiang said is the better poker player), the deal was off the table.
And who can blame the man, after recently finishing ninth in the partypoker MILLIONS Grand Final for $185,048, his previous best score? There was close to $300,000 between first and second, not to mention the $30,000 Platinum Pass, so the heads-up phase was terse and tense.
Eventually, after 22-hands, Jiang got it in holding pocket sixes, Dumont called with pocket queens, and the ladies did the job they are supposed to do when taking on a smaller pocket pair.
“I just want a beer,” said Dumont after his win.
I suggest you wait until you leave Monte Carlo, buddy.
Final Table Result
1. Nicolas Dumont – €712,000
2. Honglin Jiang – €434,000
3. Tomas Jozonis – €308,000
4. David Peters – €232,000
5. Kristzrian Gyorgyi – €184,000
6. Patrik Antonius – €139,050
7. Javier Fernandez – €99,900
8. Ole Schemion – €68,300
Three other stars who were busy clipping their toenails deep in this one were the Triple Crown winner, Davidi Kitai (11th), former Global Poker Index (GPI) #1 Adrian Mateos (13th), and PokerStars Team Pro Andre Akkari (15th).
The Best of the Monte Carlo Rest
During my Calling The Clock round-up I reminded you of wins for Juan Dominguez, Guillaume Diaz, Sam Greenwood, Albert Daher, Steve O’Dwyer and a stunning series of finishes from Justin Bonomo.
I can confirm that Daher’s and Bonomo’s week just got better and better.
Both players won €25k events.
Daher defeated 91 entrants to bank €595,386 a few days shy of beating 107 players for €26,700 in a €1,100 Turbo. And Bonomo ended his Monte Carlo stay with four final tables, including two €25k wins, his latest, pocketing €259,700 after beating 29 entrants. Bryn Kenney won the final €10,300 of the event, beating 85 entrants to win the €153,000 first prize.
Next up for the EPT is a trip to Barcelona August 21 – Sep 2.
