2009 EPT German Open-Dortmund Recap
by Chad Holloway of Predictem.com
On Sunday March 15, 2009 the final table of the 2009 EPT German Open-Dortmund 5,000 Main Event concluded. The final eight players of a 667-player field were:
William Thorson: 829,000
Luca Pagano: 1,115,000
Johan Storakers: 1,615,000
Mike McDonald: 746,000
Holger Kanisch: 661,000
Sandra Naujoks: 586,000
Marc Gork: 540,000
Cengizcan Ulusu: 537,000
The first elimination of the evening came when Ulusu shoved all-in for 256,000 with Jh 9h and was called by Storakers, who held 6s 6h. Gork, who held Jd Jc, then came over the top all-in for 499,000 and Storakers made the call. The Qs Js 3s 4d 2d board allowed Gork’s set to take down the pot and Ulusu was knocked out in eighth place (83,500). Not long after, Thorson, who only had about eleven big blinds left, was on the button and moved in with 9h 8s. Storakers made the call with Kc Jd from the small blind and the flop came 10x 9s 7c, giving Thorson the lead; however, the Ks on the turn turned the table and the 4s on the river sent Thorson home in seventh place (116,500). He later told presenter Kara Scott, “I’m really disappointed … It feels bad to be on the bad side of the luck.”
The next elimination came when Pagano was all-in with 7h 7s and Gork made the call with his As 9c. The board of Kd 10s 4s 9h 5c eliminating Pagano in sixth place (153,000) and gave him his tenth cash in the EPT. Next, McDonald pushed all-in on the button with Kh Jd and was called by Naujoks, who held 10h 10d. The board came Qs 7h 5s 6d 3s and McDonald, who was last year’s champ, was gone in fifth place (197,000). Action continued when Storakers bet 170,000, Naujoks raised enough to put him all-in, and Storakers called. Storakers, who turned over Ah Qd, was far behind Naujoks’ As Kh. The board fell 9s 8h 2s 2d2x and Storakers was eliminated in fourth place (237,000). Storakers’ elimination left three Germans to battle it out in their home country.
The next big hand developed when Kanisch raised 160,000 on the button, Naujoks called from the small blind, and Gork pushed all-in for 242,000. When action got back around to Kanisch he reraised it to 900,000 and Naujoks got out of the way. Kanisch flipped over pocket sevens and Gork was behind with the Kd 10h. The Qd 5c 2c Jd 5h board brought no help and Gork finished in third place (307,000). Heads-up play lasted about an hour when the final hand occurred. Kanisch, who held Ac Q, was all-in and ahead of Naujoks’ As 9c. The flop came Ah 7h 2d, keeping Kanisch ahead; however, the 9s on the turn changed that and the 8d on the river ended it all. Kanisch was eliminated in second place (533,000) while Naujoks became the second woman to win an EPT, along with Vicky Coren. As such, she became the 2009 EPT German Open-Dortmund champion and took home the 917,000 first-place prize.