US poker expert wins EPT Hight Roller event

10/03/2009

Matt Glantz from the United States, a regular big game player at the Bellagio and poker blogger, has emerged victorious from an original star-studded field of 75 players competing in the GBP20 000 buy-in High Roller event at the Pokerstars EPT London tournament.

The Lafayette, Pennsylvanian resident scored a handsome return on his investment with the GBP 542 000 main prize following a spirited heads up against French Canadian pro Erik Cajelais, who had started the final table action as chip leader (see previous InfoPowa reports).

Glantz earns the respect for besting an entry field that included Eugene Katchalov, Dennis Phillips, Ilari Sahamies, Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan, Dave Ulliott, Chris Moneymaker, Greg Raymer, Barry Greenstein, and Bertrand Grospellier.

Acknowledging the quality of the opposition, a delighted Glantz said: "Probably, out of the top 100 tournament players in the world, 50 to 60 were in this tournament."

Cajelais was the favourite to win the event when he started final table play with a strong chip lead, coming off an earlier World Series of Poker Europe bracelet win in the $2 500 buy-in Pot-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha event.

The final table make-up looked like this:

Seat 1: Eugene Katchalov, USA, 530,000
Seat 2: Shane Reihill, Ireland, 236,000
Seat 3: Matt Glantz, USA, 647,500
Seat 4: Dennis Phillips, USA, 218,500
Seat 5: Ilari Sahamies, Finland, 311,000
Seat 6: Leo Fernandez, Argentina, 460,000
Seat 7: Adolfo Vaeza, Uruguay, 468,000
Seat 8: Erik Cajelais, Canada, 893,500

Glantz's previous best win was a fourth place finish for $568 320 at the 2008 WSOP $50 000 buy-in H.O.R.S.E. event. According to Poker Pages, the 37-year-old poker pro has achieved 35 career cashes, accumulating a little over $2 million in the process. He started playing poker in 2004, and his preferred game is Omaha Hi-Lo.

Before returning to the United States Glantz plans to compete in the main event of EPT London.