The climax is at its maximum before the gala ceremony of the European Poker Awards, which will take place in Paris on 25th January night, the night before the Gold Championship of the EFOP at the Aviation Club de France. The nomination panel has now voted to determine the nominees, the who’s who of the European poker scene. The final jury will pick its winners but a few hours before the ceremony itself…
The awards stand as a symbol that both money and even poker skill cannot buy: the respect and recognition of ones peers and a place in Poker History. For their 11th Edition, the European Poker Awards will once again honour the best Europeans pros and newcomers, as well as the people involved in running the poker industry. The award ceremony is a highlight in the poker year that no one wants to miss, especially because of its prestigious ceremony and its incredible field of players and poker VIPs who attend it every year.
Last year, the ceremony hosted by the lovely Michelle Orpe awarded great champions like Jake Cody, Tony G, James Bord and Liv Boeree. We truly believe this new venture will capture the attention of the poker world and we hope it will be the same for you. The evening will be broadcasted and covered by magazines and poker-dedicated websites.
The “Rob Gardner Memorial Award for the Poker Personality of the Year” was introduced in memory of the contribution of Rob Gardner to the poker scene. Rob Gardner was best known for being the producer of the first three series of Late Night Poker, the first televised poker show of the modern era. He was the first ever person to successfully pioneer the idea of showing players hole cards by using under-the-table cameras…it was this concept which kick-started televised poker. Rob died at the age of 36 in 2007.
The people getting the most nominations in each category are be invited in Paris for the final judging and presentation ceremony, which will take place during the annual Euro Finals of Poker at the Aviation Club de France on 25th January 2012.
The judges discuss the relative merits of each nominee and then a secret ballot is held so that even the judges themselves do not know who the winners are. This is only revealed when the envelopes containing the winners’ names are opened. The lifetime achievement award is based solely on votes of the nomination panel. The winners receive unique trophies in the form of golden spade, specially created for the European Poker Awards by Samy and Antonella Haffaf.
Player of the year
Jake Cody (England)
Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier (France)
Pius Heinz (Germany)
Eugene Katchalov (Ukraine)
Andrey Pateychuk (Russia)
Sam Trickett (England)
Best Tournament performance
Jake Cody (England)
Pius Heinz (Germany)
Fabrice Soulier (France)
Benny Spindler (Germany)
Sam Trickett (England)
Rookie of the year
Adrien Allain (France)
Pius Heinz (Germany)
Sam Holden (England)
Oleksii Kovalchuk (Ukraine)
Andrey Pateychuk (Russia)
Europe’s Leading Lady
Liv Boeree (England)
Victoria Coren (England)
Nesrine Kourdourli (France)
Barbara Martinez (France)
Natalia Nikitina (Russia)
Cecilia Pescaglini (Italy)
Poker Staff Person of the year
Nicolas Fraioli (France)
Warren Lush (International Public Relation Department Bwin Party, England)
Edgar Stuchly (Tournament Director EPT)
Kirsty Thompson (England)
Simon Trumper (Dusk Till Dawn Live Poker Director England)
Internet Player of the year
Jude Ainsworth (Ireland)
Viktor Blom (Sweden)
Rui Cao (France)
Chris Moorman (England)
Ilari Sahamies (Finland)
Rob Gardner Memorial Award for the poker personality of the year
Barny Boatman (England)
Neil Channing (England)
Bertrand “Elky”Grospellier (France)
Tony Guoga (Lithuania)
Jesse May (Denmark)
Best European Event of the year
EPT London
International Poker Open Dublin
Finale du Partouche Poker Tour
WPT Grand Prix de Paris
WSOPE Cannes
Lifetime Achievement Award
The winner will be announced on 25th January.
