European Poker Tour Awards set for tight finish

(PRESS RELEASE) -- With only three events left to go in Season 6 of the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour, a tight finish is promised for this year's EPT Awards.

The EPT Player of the Year is currently a three-way tie with Maxim Lykov, Martin Kabrhel and Kevin MacPhee all currently sitting on 160 points after sensational performances during Season 6.

Kevin MacPhee is up there after beating 944 other players at EPT Berlin earlier this month as well as finishing second in a side event and cashing in three Main Events while Lykov's points come mainly thanks to his winning the first event of the season in Kyiv as well as a $1,000 PCA side event. Czech star Martin Kabrhel has earned most of his points in side events – winning three so far including the EPT Deauville High Roller.

The trio can't rest on their laurels however. Any player currently in the top 21, which includes Team PokerStars Pros Peter Eastgate, William Thorson and Luca Pagano, could scoop the Player of the Year title if they win one of the last remaining Main Events.

One only Award winner is home and dry – and that's Team PokerStars Pro William Thorson who is Best Omaha Player. Thorson dominated Omaha in Season 6 and won two out of the 11 events. There are no Omaha events now left on the schedule which means the talented Swede can start his celebrations right now.

The EPT Mixed Games Player award is the closest-run award at present, with seven players all tied on 50 points. The contenders include Team PokerStars Pros Benjamin Kang , Joe Hachem and Katja Thater and the winner will be decided next month at the final Mixed Games side event during EPT Sanremo.

The race to be Best EPT Country is still dominated by the Czech Republic, thanks largely to the performances of side event king Martin Kabrhel, EPT Prague winner Jan Skampa and Jiri Kulhanek, who won the PCA $1,000 PLO Six-Max event. However the Czech Republic's lead is threatened from both sides of the Mediterranean with both Portugal and Israel close behind.

The title of Best Online Qualifier is also extremely close and has an unlikely contender in the shape of 68-year-old Pierre Neuville from Belgium. Former Hasbro Games director Neuville retired two years ago and decided this was the time to follow his dreams and take up poker full time. His success in Season 6 has come thanks to enormous determination against players who are vastly younger than him. He is currently ranked second for the award, behind online pro Carter Phillips, winner of EPT Barcelona.

Two further awards will be decided by EPT players themselves. Shortlists for the EPT Achievement of the Year Award and the EPT People's Choice Award will be announced at the end of EPT San Remo on April 21 when online voting will open.

The EPT Awards will be presented on the final night of the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo on April 30. For more details, please visit www.ept.com/awards/. For all enquiries, please email ept@pokerstars.com