The beautiful of Malta played host to the 14th edition of the GPI European Poker Awards, sponsored by PokerStars and Swiss watchmaker Roger Dubuis. Europe’s best poker players were in attendance hoping to put take on one of the GPI trophies home by night’s end.
Reigning World Series of Poker Main Event Champion Martin Jacobson (GPI No. 39) won one of the most prestigeous awards of the night for Best Tournament Performance. Known prior to the WSOP as one of the top poker players in the world never to have won a major, Jacobson left Las Veags in November with the most coveted bracelet in poker. His $10,000,000 win remains one of the biggest prizes awarded in sports.
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German star Ole Schemion (GPI No. 1), who is currently spending his 15th straight week at the top of the GPI World Poker Rankings, won the GPI European Poker Player of the Year title, edging Belgian pro Davidi Kitai (GPI No. 3) for the title. Schemion’s Global Poker Masters German teammate George Danzer (GPI No. 51) was voted by fans as “Poker’s Best Ambassador”.
Liv Boeree (GPI No. 233) accepted two awards. The UK superstar was first honored as European Female Poker Player of the Year. She then returned to the stage with fellow REG (Raising for Effective Giving) co-founder Philipp Gruissem (GPI No. 129) to accept the award for Charitable Initiative of the Year.
In all, over 20 trophies were handed out to players, media members and industry leaders - congratulations to all the winners!
GPI EUROPEAN POKER AWARDS | AWARD WINNERS
GPI Euopean Poker Player of the Year, presented by Roger Dubuis Ole Schemion
GPI European Female Player of the Year Liv Boeree
Media Person of the Year Marc Convey
Industry Person of the Year Leon Tsoukernik, King’s Casino
Breakout Player of the Year Jack Salter
Tournament Performance of the Year Martin Jacobson, WSOP Main Event
Event of the Year (category buy-in over $2,000) EPT Vienna Main Event
Event of the Year (category buy-in up to $2,000) Battle of Malta
Poker Innovation or Initiative of the Year Unibet - launcing its own gaming platform
Charitable Initiative of the Year REG, Raising for Effective Giving
Poker Media Content of the Year Nosebleed documentary, Victor Saumont
Poker’s Best Ambassador George Danzer
Lifetime Acheivemnt in Poker Pierre Neuville
European National Players of the Year Erwann Pecheux, France Dermot Blain, Ireland Mustapha Kanit, Italy Dominik Panka, Poland Anatoly Filatov, Russia Adrian Mateos, Spain Martin Jacobson, Sweden Eugene Katchalov, Ukraine Oliver Price, United Kingdom
Video courtesy of PokerNews
