With a star-studded field, and a final table that included some serious heavies in the poker world including former EPT winner Kevin MacPhee, Jan Bendik, Barny Boatman and the chip-leader heading into the final table Daniel Neilson, it was a virtual unknown that would take down the 2011 EPT San Remo Main Event title, Russian Andrey Patechuk.

MacPhee entered the day as the short-stack, and had the chance to become the first two-time EPT winner in the tour’s eight-year history, but would go out in 8th place. Bendik and Boatman would finish in 5th and 4th place respectively, with the Aussie Neilson’s run ending in 3rd place. The elimination of Neilson left two virtual unknowns on the poker scene left to battle for the title: Andre Pateychuk and Dimitar Denchav.

Patechuk wouldn’t have an easy road to the title, and in fact would need to hit one of the most improbable runner-runner draws to survive. During heads-up play, one of the most jaw-dropping hands of the tournament would unfold. On a 9-4-2 flop Pateychuk led for 1.2 million, was re-raised by Dimitar Denchev, and promptly moved all-in with nothing but complete air, a 6/7! Denchav made the call with 9/10 and Pateychuk turned an 8 and rivered a 5 for runner straight. The hand gave Pateychuk a stranglehold on the heads-up match, and will go down as one of the worst bad beats in poker history.

The bad beat wasn’t too costly to Danchev, as the two finalists made a deal during heads-up play, that led to Pateychuk receiving €680k and Danchev pocketing €600k. The payouts for 1st and 2nd place were supposed to be €800k and €480k respectively.

Pateychuk became the second Russian to win an EPT tournament, and according to PokerNews.com, was grinding $1 Sit and Go tournaments just a few years ago –days that are most likely behind him after pocketing nearly $1 million USD!

Here is a look at the final table payouts from the EPT San Remo Main Event:

1. Andrey Pateychuk — €680,000

2. Dimitar Danchev — €600,000

3. Daniel Neilson — €285,000

4. Barny Boatman — €225,000

5. Jan Bendik — €170,000

6. Yorane Kerignard — €130,000

7. Rocco Palumbo — €95,000

8. Kevin MacPhee — €63,694

The EPT will now move on to Greece, where the tour will host its first ever stop in the nation at Loutraki from November 15-20, 2011. The Loutraki stop will be followed by a stop in Prague, and then it’s on to the PCA in early 2012.

Tags: 1 Million, Andrey, Aussie, Barny Boatman, Beats, Bendik, Dimitar, EPT, Macphee, Main Event 1, Match, Neilson, Play One, Poker World, San Remo, Stack, Star Studded, Stranglehold, Virtual Unknowns

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