EPT Copenhagen

Tim Vance, a 46 year old construction company worker from St Louis, Missouri has become the latest online qualifier to enter the poker hall of fame by winning the EPT Copenhagen at the weekend. As he didn’t pay anything to enter the tournament, it was not surprising he was a little overwhelmed by the large cardboard cheque for DKK 6,220,488 (€834,964)

An extrovert with a tendency to stroll around the casino, singing Beatles’ numbers during the action, he had played the tournament with aggression, skill and a photo of his only daughter Nanzi pasted on the inside of his baseball cap. He defeated Dane Soren Jensen in an endurance-sapping, four hour heads up marathon, a record for the EPT and trial for the press room.

The play had followed a metronomic pattern of raise-call-flop-check until a key hand developed. Soren raised pre-flop to 200k. As expected, Tim called and looked at a bland 8-2-T flop, with two clubs. Tim tried a 200k lead out and Soren did a minimum raise, to 400k. Vance called. The turn card was the queen of spades and both checked, inviting the river card of Jc to the party. When The Beatles’ fan went all in, it was a hard day’s night for Soren, who needed some help when he called and saw his opponents’ rivered flush.

Jensen couldn’t get back and the end finally came when he pushed his stack in against the nut flush. He walks away with DKK 3,521,429 (€472,675) but the spotlights are on Vance, who can now afford to buy several karaoke machines.

Final Table of the EPT Copenhagen

1. Tim Vance - USA – 6,220 488DKK
2. Soren Jensen – Denmark – 3,521,429DKK
3. Magnus Hansen – Denmark – 2,045,381DKK
4. Rasmus Hede Nielsen – Denmark – 1,560,394DKK
5. Daniel Ryan – USA – 1,286,270DKK
6. Nicolas Dervaux – France – 1,012,147DKK
7. Simon Dorsland – Denmark – 801,283DKK
8. Patrik Andersson – Sweden – 569,333DKK