American takes down WPT Grand Prix de Paris
14 Sep 2011
The Floridian went into heads up play with a more than 5:1 chip lead and needed just three hands to defeat France’s Hugo Lemaire, winning $729,866/€518,750 for first place and the coveted WPT title. It was Waxman’s 11th WPT event, but his first final table.
In addition to having his name engraved alongside the legends of the game on the towering WPT Champions Cup trophy, Waxman will get a replica of the WPT Champions Cup, a Tiffany & Co. WPT Champions Award and entrance into the WPT Champions Club, which offers all WPT champions exclusive benefits, a WPT personal concierge and VIP treatment at WPT events. Waxman’s win includes a seat to the Season X WPT World Championship at Bellagio in Las Vegas, NV in 2012.
The 26-year-old Waxman outlasted a tough international field of 312 players that included numerous former WPT champions, as well as WPT’s Mike Sexton and Tony Dunst. Youth prevailed again on World Poker Tour, as five of the six players at the final table were 26 years old or younger.
For his second place finish, Lemaire earns $442,645/€311,100 and a seat to WPT Amneville. France’s Fred Magen finished third, winning $299,834/€211,100 and entry into the WPT National Paris Open of Poker.
There are two more World Poker Tour events in September, both featuring the popular re-entry structure. WPT Borgata Poker Open in Atlantic City, NJ runs Sept. 18 to 23; WPT Malta at The Casino at Portomaso will be played Sept. 20 – 24.
WPT Grand Prix de Paris Final Standings
1st: Matthew Waxman $729,866/€518,750
2nd: Hugo Lemaire $442,645/€311,100
3rd: Fred Magen $299,834/€211,100
4th: Byron Kaverman $218,860/€155,550
5th: Mikko Sundell $187,597/€133,330
6th: Martin Jacobson $125,083/€88,900