Daniel Pidun Wins EPT Berlin Title, Plus a UK Player Donates Millions

Benger Wins Berlin High Roller

EPT Berlin has traditionally been one of the most popular stops of the season and this year’s festival was no exception.

Indeed, with two winners brining the event to a conclusion over the weekend with €1.3 million pay days between them, the organisers will certainly look back and proclaim their latest incarnation a success.

Before the lights slowly faded on the Main Event, Griffin Benger was busy taking down the largest live score of his career in the €10,000 High Roller.

After coming through a tough field of more than 110 players, the young Canadian booked his first major title after defeating Aaron Lim heads-up.

At the start of the finale it was the UK’s James Mitchell who hit the rail first when his A-J was unable to catch a slice of luck against the A-Q of Philippe Ktorza.

After the Brit headed to the cashiers’ desk to collect his consolation prize of €54,900, the floodgates opened and, once the field was poised at three players, it was Benger in control. Indeed, holding 70% of chips in play, he first dispatched with Ktorza before dominating Lim heads-up.

In the final hand Benger was able to make an ace-high straight against Lim’s pair of kings to close out the match and celebrate his 28^th birthday in style.

…Elsewhere at EPT Berlin

As Benger was celebrating his win, German amateur, Daniel Pidun, was capping his third successful year in the EPT Berlin Main Event.

Having previously finished 9^th and 17^th in the tournament over the past two years, Pidun went a few places better this time around after besting Robert Haigh heads-up.

At the start of the €5,300 Main Event, 912 players stood just a few sessions away from an €880,000 payout, but when the final cards had been deal it was Pidun picking up his first major title.

The final hand of the tournament saw Pidun move all-in with [9s] [8s] and catch a pair on the flop to overcome Haigh’s [Ac] [Kd] and bring the tournament to a close.

Shakerchi Donates Millions

A British hedge fund manager who has become a regular on the international poker circuit has just been named as the UK’s fourth biggest philanthropist.

According to the Sunday Times Giving List, Talal Shakerchi donated more than £22 million to various charities last year.

In addition to taking down the EPT High Roller titles in Monte Carlo and London, Shakerchi’s company, Meditor Capital Management, donated all its profits to worthy causes.

Such generosity earned Shakerchi a place on the Giving List, just behind other wealthy business people, including a Jersey property developer (£100 million in donations) and Christopher Cooper-Hohn (£90 million in donations).

In addition to making his mark in the world of charity, Shakerchi has used his chess background to earn himself a reputation amongst high stakes players.

Indeed, with more than $1.1 million in earnings since 2012, there could be a lot more money heading to those in need in the future.

Reilly Talks About Rousso

In case you missed it, the GPI recently caught up with Tim Reilly as he successfully he made his way through the second day of the WPT bestbet Open.

Discussing a number of things with our man on the ground, Eric Danis, Reilly gives us an insight into his famous hand against Vanessa Rousso at last season’s EPT Deauville, as well as his thoughts on the Boston bombings.

To read the full interview, click here.