Poorya Naziri wins Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure, the GUKPT is back and more

Poorya Naziri wins Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure
A 22 year old biochemistry graduate is poker's newest millionaire after winning a $33 rebuy satellite to the PCA. Poorya Naziri from Canada invested only $700 for his seat in the Pokerstars.net Caribbean Adventure and now he goes home $3 million richer after winning what will be remembered as one of the biggest tournaments of 2009.

More than 1,300 players entered including all the Team Pokerstars.net Pros such as Daniel Negreanu, Peter Eastgate, Joe Hachem, Barry Greenstein and last year's winner (And this year's High Rollers winner) Bertrand 'ElKY' Grospellier. Phil Ivey, Johnny Lodden, Chris Ferguson, Antonio Esfandiari and Eli Elez were all also amongst the notable players in the Bahamas.

Poorya, who graduated last month, admitted he was stunned by the win. He said: "It was only today that I started thinking about winning. At one point yesterday I was down to virtually nothing but I got off to a good start today and at that point I thought I might have a shot." Poorya, who has never been to Europe, has also a won a seat in the EPT Grand Final which takes place in Monte Carlo, April 28 - May 3.

John Duthie, the Executive Producer of the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour, said: "The PCA is the first major poker event on the hectic 2009 poker calendar and the recent worldwide financial crisis did nothing to deter more than 1,300 people entering the $10,000 buy-in main event that smashed all records for a poker tournament outside of the States."

The next stop on the EPT Calendar is just 12 days away, the €5000+€250 EPT Deauville in France. The only way to win via satellite is at Pokerstars.net.

1. Poorya Nazari - $3,000,000
2. Tony Gregg - $1,700,000
3. Benny Spindler - $1,100,000
4. Alexandre Gomes - $750,000
5. Pieter Tielen -$550,000
6. Dustin Dirksen - $400,000
7. Daniel Heimiller - $300,000
8. Kevin Saul - $234,000

Liverpool Winter Festival
There aren't enough poker festivals in the European Capital of Culture, but next month the balance is redressed a bit. The Liverpool Winter Festival takes place between the 4th and 8th of February at the Circus Casino. Included in the schedule is a unique Team Event which has attracted Norwegian poker pro Henning Granstad and Liverpool football legend Jan Molby to the event. The full schedule for which looks like this:

Wed 4th Feb -- £30+3 NLH R/B S-SAT
Thu 5th Feb -- £100+10 NLH F/O
Fri 6th Feb -- MAIN EVENT: £500+50 NLH F/O - DAY 1
Sat 7th Feb -- MAIN EVENT - DAY 2
Sat 7th Feb -- £200+20 NLH F/O
Sun 8th Feb -- MAIN EVENT - FINAL DAY
Sun 8th Feb -- £50+5 NLH 1xR/B


The Tour is Back in Brighton
2009 is only 12 days old and already the runaway success of UK poker for the last 2 years, the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour, is back for season 3. The first stop is the ever popular Brighton leg which last year saw Julian Thew become the first ever GUKPT double main event champion. Once again it's a weeklong festival at the Grosvenor Casino with a £200+£20 no limit hold'em event starting the proceedings and the £1000+£60 main event starts on Thursday. There is also for the first time a Bounty event at the end of the week.

Mon 12 - Tue 13 Jan at 8.00 pm £ 200 + 20 No Limit Hold'em
Tue 13 - Wed 14 Jan at 8.00 pm £ 300 + 30 No Limit Hold'em
Wed 14 Jan at 8.00 pm £ 100 + 11 Pot Limit Omaha .
Thu 15 - Sun 18 Jan at 2.00 pm £ 1,000 + 60 No Limit Hold'em - Main Event
Thu 15 Jan at 8.00 pm £ 100 + 11 No Limit Hold'em

Fri 16 Jan at 8.00 pm £ 100 + 11 No Limit Hold'em
Sat 17 - Sun 18 Jan at 8.00 pm £ 250 + 25 No Limit Hold'em
Sun 18 Jan at 8.00 pm £ 100 + 11 No Limit Hold'em Bounty Event



Roy the Boy brings out a Book
Ladbrokes Poker Pro Roy 'The Boy' Brindley has led one of the more colourful lives in poker. Addicted to gambling in his teens and early twenties, he found himself living in a cardboard box and running from the police. He eventually turned his life around, discovered poker through the film Rounders and is today one of the top players in Europe. Much more interesting than your average poker player, you can read about his remarkable life in his new book Life's a Gamble, available from the 28th of February.

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