Norwegian wins European Masters of Poker Gran Canaria

DUBLIN, Ireland -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Stefan Hansen from Norway has lifted the first European Masters of Poker season III title after besting a 213-trong field in Gran Canaria at the weekend.

He took down €34,160 for his victory in the €1,100 buy-in event at the Casino Las Palmas in the Canary Islands after a four-handed deal saw him receive the smallest portion of the prize pool.

Hansen beat Yohas Avidani from Israel heads up after pushing all in with 6-6 and getting called by 3-3. The board fell K-9-2-A-K and Hansen scooped the additional €10,000 and the title joining last year's winner Maciej Lipny of Poland as Gran Canaria champion.

The final table payouts were:

1. Stefan Hansen (Norway) - €34,160
2. Yohas Avidani (Israel) - €34,580
3. Andrei Demchenko (Russia) – €24,940
4. Pim van Wieringen (Holland) - €28,130
5. Johan Berg (Sweden) - €10,220
6. Stephen Sammon (Ireland) - €8,300
7. Öystein Sannes (Norway) - €7,240
8. Matti Konttinen (Finland) - €6,170
9. Ran Sahanes (Israel) - €5,110

The tour now gears up for its second stop in Casino Estoril, Lisbon, Portugal from March 23 to 26, 2011.

Qualification for the €1,000+€100 buy-in main event in Lisbon is now underway on all poker sites on the Entraction network including 24hPoker, Club4Aces, NoIQ, Pokerihuone and Pokerdassi for as little as €2 or 200 VIP points. There are 32 daily satellites feeding into the main weekly qualifiers which take place each:

Tuesday 20:40 (CET) - €100 buy in with four €2,000 packages guaranteed
Thursday 20:40 (CET) - €100 buy in with four €2,000 packages guaranteed
Sunday 20:40 (CET) - €200 buy in with six €2,000 packages guaranteed