European Poker Awards 2008

Jonathan Raab

The European Poker Awards have been in existence for several years and the recent batch of winners was recently announced at a glittering gala dinner and awards ceremony at the Aviation Club de France in Paris. It was staged during the host club’s annual Euro Finals of Poker festival, where Dave “Devilfish” Ulliot won the €5,000 main event. There were several categories of awards, ranging from player of the year to rookie of the year, and a lifetime achievement award. As 2008 was one of the most successful years for European players in poker history, the list of nominees was very strong in several of the categories.

Player of the Year – Bertrand ‘Elky’ Grospellier. The Pokerstars sponsored pro had an extremely successful year, which he started by capturing his sponsor’s Caribbean Adventure event and later in the year added the WPT $15,000. It was a competitive category that also included Irish Open winner Neil Channing and Omaha world champion Marty Smyth, but Elky certainly deserves the gong for his multiple successes in 2008.

Rookie of the Year - Ivan Demidov. This was another hotly contested category and Demidov was an obvious winner, having made final tables in both the WSOP and WSOPE main events. However Jesper Hougaard will feel a little aggrieved not to have had recognition for the two bracelets he won in Vegas and London.

Tournament Performance of the Year – Peter Eastgate. The Danish taxman may have a claim on 65 percent of the $9 million he scooped for taking down the WSOP main event, but they can’t take this award away from Peter, the first Scandinavian World Champion.

Leading Lady – Sandra Naujoks. Also nominated in this category were Kara Scott, Annette Obrestad, and the awards ceremony host, Isabelle Mercier. Having finished 104 in the WSOP main event, Kara, the EPT’s TV front girl would also have been a popular choice, but Sandra, who won the CAPT (Austrian Poker Tour) €4,000 event in Baden, got the nod.

Rob Gardner Innovation Award – Rob Yong. This category was introduced for the first time last year in memory of the Late Night Poker creator, who died in 2007. Rob Yong won the award in recognition of his efforts in opening Dusk Till Dawn, the UK’s first legal poker only casino. Rob was not present but Simon Trumper, the club’s host, accepted the award on his behalf.

Lifetime Achievement – Marcel Luske. Marcel is not only one of the most recognizable and successful European players of all time, he also runs FIDPA, the organization that is striving to bring world-wide consistency to poker rules and the way that games are run. He was a popular choice and a very deserving winner, but like many who win lifetime achievement awards, he will be hoping to continue to be successful at the game for many years to come.

Casino Staff Person of the Year – Jonathan Raab – Yes, that’s me folks. It was an honor to have even been nominated in this category, largely for the role I played in establishing and running the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour over the last two years. I was up against Dusk Till Dawn’s Simon Trumper, the EPT’s Madeleine Harper and Thomas Kremser, the best-dressed tournament director in the world. So it came as an even bigger honor to be named winner, but I can’t and won’t take all the credit for the success that the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour has become. That goes to Russell Tamplin, Zak Miller, Ian Bryan, Mike Butlin and everyone else involved in the running of the tour, who all work tirelessly to ensure that it lives up to its reputation as the best live poker offering in the UK.