WSOPE 2011 Update - Stacked Final Table in Event #4

CANNES, FRANCE - The 2011 World Series of Poker Europe kicked off on Friday 7th October at Hôtel Majestic Barrière, Cannes. Three bracelets have already been awarded and the final table in Event #4 is already underway, meaning the seven event series is half-way to completion.

Event #1 €2,680 Six Handed No Limit Hold'em saw a field of 360 players line up for the three day event. Phil Hellmuth lead the tournament for the best part of two days but bubbled the final table, finishing seventh and taking home just over €24,000. Swiss poker pro Guilluame Humbert ended up winning the event and along with the bracelet he received a healthy top prize of €215,999.

A record 771 players took their place in Event #2 €1,090 No Limit Hold'em, with Australian Andrew Hinrichsen eventually besting a tough final table to claim the bracelet and €148,030. Brits John Eames and Roberto Romanello made the final table but could only finish seventh and fifth respectively.

Pot Limit Omaha was the variant in Event #3 and 180 players stumped up the €5,300 buy-in. With only 18 players paid, this was one of the toughest tournaments of the series and saw many big names make the money. British sensation Sam Trickett was chip leader going into the final table but couldn't hang on to win the bracelet, he finished fourth for €77,642. Steve Billrakis, a respected American pro, eventually claimed the title and €238,140. November Niner Eoghan O'Dea from Ireland finished ninth.

Britain is once again strongly represented at a final table as English duo Max Silver and James Dempsey are in the final ten of Event #4 €3,200 No Limit Hold'em Shootout. The shootout format sees all players at the table with much the same chipstack to begin with, so it really is anyones to win. Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier is probably the biggest name at the final table but every single player at the table is of some repute. Steve O'Dwyer,coming in off a second place at EPT London, and Team PokerStars Pro Richard Toth are just two more big names that are sat at the table.

Event #5 €10,400 No Limit Hold'em Split Format is a new event in the WSOPE calendar and saw 125 players take to the felt at the start of day one. The split format means day one is played at full nine man tables, day two is six-max and days three and four will be played heads-up. Many big name players remain in the field, including Hellmuth, Tom Dwan, Michael Mizrachi, Brian Hastings and Tony G.

Yet to begin are Event #6 €1,620 Pot Limit Omaha and the Main Event, which starts on Saturday 15th October and is a five day event.

The 2011 WSOPE also hosts a non-bracelet €550 Ladies Event and the Caesars Cup, a poker version of Golf's Ryder Cup where a team of players from North America, captained by Phil Hellmuth take on Bertrand Grospellier's European team.