GPI European Poker Awards Nominees Announced
The inaugural GPI American Poker Awards were held at the beginning of this month, so it only seems fitting that the 14th European Poker Awards will be handed out at the end of the month (I don’t know why it seems fitting, maybe symmetry or something). Late last week, the Global Poker Index (GPI) announced the nominees for the awards, determined by a panel of more than 50 poker players, media members, and industry insiders. A list of four finalists has been determined for each category, from which one winner will be named after a vote is conducted by special jury.
Just like the GPI American Poker Awards followed the GPI American Poker Conference, so will the European Poker Awards follow the GPI European Poker Conference. The festivities will be held at the Portomaso Marina Hilton Hotel in Malta on March 25th, 2015.
“We thank everyone who attended the American Poker Awards and appreciate all the positive comments that we have received,” said GPI Chief Executive Officer Alexandre Dreyfus in a press release. “But there is no time to rest on our laurels as the European Poker Awards are right around the corner. I’m happy to see so many key members of the European poker scene take part in our nomination panel and am delighted to see all the great nominees for the 14th edition of the European Awards.”
Two of the more interesting categories are Tournament Performance of the Year and Breakout Player of the Year. If I were a betting man (considering I am in the poker industry, you would think I was a betting man, but you would be wrong), I would put money on the winners having to do with a non-European event, the World Series of Poker. For Tournament Performance, it is very hard to evaluate how one person’s run to a title is better than another’s aside from sheer dominance (say, Jamie Gold in the 2006 WSOP Main Event) or size of a tourney (like, I don’t know…the WSOP Main Event). In this case, I think I would have to go with Martin Jacobson’s victory in the 2014 WSOP Main Event. It is tough to say whether or not the bulk of his performance was any better than anyone else’s, but his performance at the final table was fantastic. Luck is certainly required to win any large tournament, but it was apparent during the final table that Jacobson deserved his title.
If the American Poker Awards voting is any indication, Jacobson should have a great chance to win. Mark Newhouse won the same category earlier this month, and he only came in ninth in the WSOP Main Event. Granted, it was obviously more of a reward for Newhouse based on his previous year’s performance as he finished ninth twice in a row, but the World Series of Poker carries a lot of weight.
George Danzer
Image credit: WSOP.com
Breakout Player of the Year should be fairly simple: George Danzer. Danzer won three World Series of Poker bracelets last year: $10,000 Razz and $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo in Las Vegas and $5,000 8-Game Mixed at WSOP Asia Pacific. He had two other final table appearances in WSOP events and ten cashes in total. He also had a win in a preliminary event at the European Poker Tour Grand Final, to boot.
One award that will not require a vote is 2014 European Poker Player of Year, as Ole Schemion has already clinched the title by earning the most points of any European player on the Global Poker Index in 2014.
GPI European Poker Awards Nominees
Tournament Performance of the Year
Victoria Coren-Mitchell (UK), EPT Sanremo victory
Martin Jacobson (SWE), WSOP Main Event victory
Davidi Kitai (BEL), WSOP Event #15 victory
Dominik Panka (POL), 2014 PCA Main Event victory
Breakout Player of the Year
George Danzer (GER)
Dominik Panka (POL)
Oliver Price (UK)
Jack Salter (UK)
Event of the Year (Category Buy-In Over $2,000)
EPT Barcelona Main Event
EPT Prague Main Event
EPT Vienna Main Event
Master Classics of Poker Main Event
Event of the Year (Category Buy-In up to $2,000)
Battle of Malta
Estrellas Poker Tour Barcelona
Eureka Poker Tour Prague
WPT500 at Dusk Till Dawn
Industry Person of the Year
Hermance Blum (FRA), WPT Europe General Manager
Edgar Stuchly (AUT), EPT President
Rob Yong (UK), Dusk Till Dawn
Leon Tsoukernik (CZE), King’s Casino
Poker Media Content of the Year
EPT Live Commentary
Nosebleed, Victor Saumont
Neil Stoddart’s pictures
Remko Rimkema’s videos
Charitable Initiative of the Year
Helping Hands Charity Tournament
REG Charity
Right to Play, Quintessentially Foundation in partnership with PokerStars
WPT UK Charity Raffle
Poker Innovation or Initiative of the Year
Expresso, Winamax Poker
Shark Cage, PokerStars
Unibet launching its own gaming platform
WPT500 and expansion to new markets
Media Person of the Year presented by PokerUpdate
Giovanni Angioni (ITA)
Marc Convey (UK)
Lee Davy (UK)
Remko Rinkema (NED)
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