Steve O’Dwyer Becomes EPT’s Grand Champion
Monday, 13 May 2013
Starting out last week with 520 hopefuls, this year’s EPT Grand Final Main Event certainly lived up to expectations after a final table that contained some of the toughest players in the world. At the start of yesterday’s finale Steve O’Dwyer led arguably the toughest final table the festival has ever seen.
Indeed, amongst the stellar cast of pros was: Andrew Pantling (4,180,000), Jake Cody (1,633,000), Daniel Negreanu (1,581,000), Johnny Lodden (1,402,000), Noah Schwartz (1,068,000), Jason Mercier (824,000) and Grant Levy (786,000).
Such a stacked line-up meant the early action was always going to be fierce and the first to buckle under the pressure was Grant Levy. After some pre-flop betting, Levy eventually moved all-in with Ah Ks on a 3c Jh 7c flop against Andrew Pantling.
Pantling was able to make a kick call with Jc Tc and after the Ac and 8s fell on the turn and river it was Levy who was heading for the rail to collect his €103,000 consolation prize.
Following the demise of Levy a succession of high profile eliminations, including Mercier, Schwartz, Cody and Negreanu, conspired to leave just three players in contention for the €1,224,000 top prize.
Despite rolling back the years and enjoying a return to form in the early stages of this year’s Main Event, Johnny Lodden eventually made one too many aggressive missteps.
After three-betting pre-flop with Ah Jd pre-flop, Lodden found a willing caller in Steve O’Dwyer. Not wanting to lose the initiative, Lodden continued to bet on the 7c 4s Td flop before moving all-in when the 3s fell on the turn. O’Dwyer quickly made the call with Ad Th and after the Kd landed on the river it was Lodden picking up the bronze medal and €467,000.
Although the stacks were relatively even going into the heads-up battle, the momentum was with O’Dwyer and after an hour of play he was finally able to get the upper hand over Andrew Pantling. Having snatched a healthy chip lead, the decisive pot happened after an 8d 8s Js 4s prompted an all-in for both player. While Pantling was in the lead with Ks 5s, O’Dwyer held Tc 8h and after the 8c fell on the river his quads were enough for him to scoop the final pot and the largest cash of his career.
“People are saying this was the toughest final table of all time so for me to be able to say that I won is unbelieaveable,” said O'Dwyer. “I am in shock. At the start of the final, I knew I needed to get lucky to win because these guys are so good.
It's very satisfying to finally have that title. I will play the €100k Super High Roller tomorrow, and then on to Season 10, and the race to see who can win two EPT titles.”
1 Steve O'Dwyer €1,224,000
2 Andrew Pantling €842,000
3 Johnny Lodden €467,000
4 Daniel Negreanu €321,000
5 Jake Cody €251,000
6 Noah Schwartz €189,000
7 Jason Mercier €137,000
8 Grant Levy €103,000