Obrestad honoured at European Poker Awards

12/08/2007

Betfair sponsored player Annette Obrestad has become the youngest player ever to win the “Tournament Performance of the Year” award at the prestigious European Poker Awards in Paris this week.

Her achievement at the World Series of Poker Europe presented by Betfair.com was recognised as “phenomenal” by Poker Europa Chief Nic Szeremeta who presented the award. She defeated opponents comprising of “one of the toughest fields in poker” to win more than $2 million (see previous InfoPowa report).

Annette beat fellow nominees and potential favourites for the award Carlos Mortensen and Bruno Fitoussi. Mortensen won $3.97million at the WPT in Las Vegas while Fitoussi took $1.2 million in 2nd place in one of the most prestigious tournaments in the poker calendar, the WSOP HORSE event, also in Las Vegas.

Annette was nominated in two other categories including “Leading Lady” and “Rookie of the Year”. She narrowly missed out to Katja Thater, who also won a WSOP bracelet this year, in the “Leading Lady” category.

Aged only 19, Obrestad is a poker prodigy. Having made a name for herself playing online poker she shot to fame after winning the Main Event at the World Series of Poker Europe presented by Betfair.com in London’s Leicester Square. As well as the coveted WSOP bracelet and the $2 million prize Annette scooped up a five year sponsorship deal with Betfair.

Less than two months later this youthful ace narrowly missed out on her first European Poker Tour win – having to settle for second place and a $429 181 payday in Dublin.

Annette’s comments suggest there is more to come from the wunderkind: “I am so happy to win this award. I prefer this one than rookie of the year because I was up against such great players. I am still learning so much. There are still a lot of areas of my live game that can improve. My instincts, my ability to know what certain tells mean. But I am getting better all the time.”

Betfair’s newly appointed Director of Poker Bruce Stubbs said: “Congratulations to Annette. She is a pleasure to work with and a special player. She is also possibly one of the most competitive people I have met. In fact I suspect she wanted to win all the awards.”

Her experiences at the awards ceremony have been filmed for her blog and will soon be available on Betting.Betfair.com/annette15.

Betfair has dedicated special tournaments to Annette, who has her own special $212 freezeouts on Betfair Poker at 19h30 UK time Tuesdays and Fridays.