25-year-old Bulgarian Ognyan Dimov emerged victorious at the EPT11 Deauville, €5,000 NL Hold ’em Main Event, a seemingly impossible task as his heads-up opponent Dany Parlafes led the way going into the final table with 44 percent of the chips in play, six-handed.
“I hoped and hoped it would happen,” Dimov said. “I can’t explain. I’m super happy. I can’t believe it’s really happened. I’m really excited.”
Dimov bested Parlafes heads-up winning Euro 543 700 in what was described as a classic tortoise against the hare race. The win marks the first EPT title won on European soil for a Bulgarian.
A field of 592 generated Euro 2 841 600. Final payouts finished up:
1 Ognyan Dimov, Bulgaria, Euro 543,700
2 Dany Parlafes, Romania, Euro 338,700
3 Benjamin Buhr, France, Euro 242,390
4 Benjamin Pollak, France, Euro 187,500
5 Andrius Bielskis, Lithuania, Euro 147,760
6 Joseph Carlino, France, Euro 115,650
7 Massou Cohen, France, Euro 85,530
8 Matas Cimbolas, Lithuania, Euro 58,820
In other EPT Deauville news, Josip Simunic took the European Poker Tour Deauville €10,300 High Roller winning Euro 309,170 after besting Jean-Noel Thorel heads-up.
Top eight finishers:
1. Josip Simunic (Austria) €309,170
2. Jean-Noel Thorel (France) €208,900
3. Fady Kamar (Lebanon) €135,780
4. Robin Ylitalo (Sweden) €112,440
5. Ivan Luca (Argentina) €90,690
6. Eric Sfez (France) €71,520
7. Joao Ribeiro (Portugal) €54,680
8. Thomas Butzhammer (Germany) €41,160