Daily Rewind: Caesars Cup Teams Announced, EPT Bracelets Go Bling
In today’s Daily Rewind it’s youth versus experience in the Caesars Cup, and the EPT add some serious sparkle to their tour. Plus we take a look at how high stakes tourney pro Joel Gordon almost cost himself the WCOOP leaderboard title.
Caesars Cup Teams Announced
The age old poker debate over, well, age, is set to come to fore at this year’s WSOPE as the Caesars Cup sees a youthful Team Europe take on a more experienced Team USA. With an average age of 57 and the top three bracelet winners of all-time in the line-up, Team USA certainly have the pedigree.
However, the Europeans aren’t short of silverware, nor are they afraid to ramp up the aggression if they smell weakness in their veteran opponents. The unique heads-up event will take place on October 19th and comprise of a variety of events designed to test every inch of the team’s poker prowess.
Commenting on their chance of success, a jovial Phil Hellmuth said: “We plan to show them that decades of experience are much more valuable than clicking a mouse while sitting in your pyjamas.” Unfazed by his opponents, an assured Grospellier simply replied: “I am very confident in my team. We will show the Americas that 2009 was not an upset!”
Will the old timers finally be put out to pasture and the make way for the new legends of poker? Or will the uber-aggro upstarts from Europe be put firmly in their place and taught the true meaning of the phrase: respect your elders. Either way the event promises to be another entertaining afternoon of poker no matter which side of the divide you fall on.
The Teams:
Team USA – (Captain) Phil Hellmuth, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Daniel Negreanu and Huck Seed.
Team Europe – (Captain) Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier, Jake Cody (UK), Gus Hansen (Denmark), Dario Minieri (Italy) and Maxim Lykov (Russia).
EPT Goes Bling
Being partial to a bit of bling is almost a prerequisite if you want to roll with the poker balla’s of this world, which is why the EPT has made sure their champions receive only the most stylish wrist apparel. Global Poker Tours Limited, the company that produces the European Poker Tour, has just announced that they will be working in partnership with Danish based jewellery company Shamballa Jewels to provide the cream of the European circuit with a stylish winner’s bracelet.
The new deal for EPT Season 8 follows on from the successful union between the two companies at the tail end of last season’s tour. Each bracelet will be encrusted with three 18k rhodanized white gold balls and one 10mm diamond pavé and is valued at €10,200. In addition to the main even bracelets awarded at each leg of the tour a unique bracelet valued at €25,000 will be produced for the EPT Grand final.
Commenting on the deal, EPT President Edgar Stuchly said: “The EPT is delighted to welcome on board Shamballa Jewels as the Official Bracelet Sponsor of the tour for a second time. The tour continues to go from strength to strength, attracting highly-renowned companies as sponsorship partners, highlighting the broad appeal of the European Poker Tour.”
High Stakes Corner
He may be too fly to tilt but Joel Adam Gordon was almost too clumsy to make a monumental run at the recent PokerStars WCOOP series. The young Brit, who now resides in Spain, locked himself out of his apartment just hours before the start of the Triple Stud Event 8.
Being one of his preferred events, Joel was obviously frustrated but resisted kicking down the door in the hopes his brother would swing by and let him in. Luckily Joel’s brother did arrive, but not before he’d spent three hours huddled on the stairs praying he wasn’t going to miss the start of the event.
In 2009 Joel took down a WCOOP title before switching to cash games in search of Supernova Elite status. This year he decided to make another run WCOOP and despite having little preparation time he managed to take down the event for $20,185 and score some vital leaderboard points.
Following his second WCOOP title Joel went on to secure enough points to top the points table along with Canadian Big_Nemo. Fortunately Joel’s cash haul of $96,097 settled the tiebreak and earned him the Champion’s Trophy, EPT Season 8 Grand Final prize package, 2012 SCOOP Main Event ticket, 2012 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure Package and special edition chip set.
Pokerstrategy.com caught up with Joel on a flying visit to London to see his grandparents, and he told us: “It’s not really sunk in yet. I’ve only been away from my computer for more than a few hours to sleep over the last couple of months. I think I need a break to fully appreciate what I’ve achieved but I’m certainly really happy with the result.”
Hot Shot of the Day
She’s the jewel in the PokerStars crown and we’ve no doubt that she’ll be flaunting her seductive poker skills at this week’s EPT London event. Find out how Liv, and hundreds of other hopefuls, get on this week at the PokerStars Blog.
