Germans Dominate as Manig Loeser Tops EPT Monte Carlo Main Event

May 6th, 2019 | by Greg Shaun

Manig Loeser has closed out another successful European Poker Tour (EPT) in Monte Carlo with a win in the main event.

Germany have won big in the top events at this year’s EPT Monte Carlo with Manig Loeser clinching the main event. (Image: World Poker Tour)

Topping a field of 922 entries, the German pro not only took home his first EPT main event title but denied China its first champion.

Stars Ante Up at PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo

As it’s been in the past, the stars were out in force as the final table got underway on May 4. Alongside 2013 WSOP Main Event winner Ryan Riess and Timothy Adams, Loeser the most experienced player in the mix.

This, coupled with a healthy stack, gave the No Limit Gaming member enough firepower to survive the early exchanges. Indeed, as Adams and Riess dropped away, the EPT regular lead the three-way split negotiations.

With more experience than Viktor Katzenberger and Wei Huang combined, Loeser secured the lion’s shares of the $5 million prizepool. Despite everyone being happy with their cut, an EPT title was still on the line.

None of the trio had a main event trophy in their collection, so the action was hot from the restart. Katzenberger was first to fall when a desperate move with A♦8♣ fell flat against Huang’s A♠K♣.

China Comes Close to First EPT Champion

When there was just two left, China’s Huang had the weight of a nation on his shoulders. In the history of the EPT, no one from Asia’s biggest country has ever clinched a main event title.

When he squared off against Loeser, Huang was a few bets away from becoming the first. Coming from behind to take the lead at one point, he eventually made a costly fold against an aggressive bluff.

Needing a way back into the action, the grinder made a move against Loeser with K♠8♣. Facing a bet, he moved all-in on a J♦9♣5♠10♣ board.

On another occasion, the semi-bluff may have work. However, with Q♥8♥, Loeser was able to call with a straight. An inconsequential A♦ river brought Huang’s and China’s dream of winning an EPT trophy to an end.

EPT Monte Carlo Main Event Result

Manig Loeser – $676,890*
Wei Huang – $618,906*
Viktor Katzenberger – $593,772*
Ryan Riess – $297,745
Nicola Grieco – $231,576
Luis Medina – $171,280
Rustam Hajiyev – $122,755
Timothy Adams – $87,467

*Denotes a deal.

With Loeser taking home his first main event title, another EPT was brought to a close. Joining the German on the winner’s rostrum was Frenchman Benjamin Pollak and German Rainer Kempe.

After beating Germany’s Koray Aldemir heads-up in the $28,000 High Roller, Pollak took home $787,012.

For Kempe, a win over experienced Brazilian Joao Simao earned him another $446,322 to go along with his $19.5 million in career earnings.