At only 25 years of age US internet and live tourney poker pro Steve “Zugwat” Silverman from Bethesda in Maryland has already racked up an impressive list of wins, with career earnings approaching a million dollars.
Over the weekend he almost doubled that by taking down the Euro 25,000 High Roller event at the European Poker Tour Grand Final in Monaco…the biggest pay-day so far in his burgeoning poker career.
He did it playing against stars like Vanessa Selbst, Igor Kurganov and other highly experienced players, entering the final day of the event in the top three chip counts among twelve survivors of the original field of 121.
By the time that was whittled down to a highly competitive final table, Silverman faced Tony Gregg, Fadar Kamar, Vanessa Selbst, Toby Lewis, Chris Moore, Igor Kurganov and Victor Sbrissa.
When Selbst was eliminated in fourth place, it was Silverman, Tony Gregg and Fada Kamar in a threesome race and the trio eventually decided on a three-way chop that earned each Euro 760,000 with Euro 15,000 left on the table as the winner’s bonus.
Kamar was out in third for Euro 760,000, leaving Gregg and Silverman to wrestle for the winner’s additional Euro 15,000, along with some tournament jewellery.
Silverman had the chip lead as the heads up began, and it took him just a few hands to score a major pot that extended his lead and enabled him to despatch his opponent and claim a main prize totalling Euro 775,400 and the Shamballa Jewels winner’s bracelet.
Not bad going for an original investment of Euro 3,000 that the young pro laid out in a qualifying satellite to get into the event.
Gregg left with a Euro 760,000 pay check.
There were 121 players in the event which, combined with 37 re-entries, totalled 158 entries, generating a Euro 3,871,000 prize pool.