Welcome to the Global Poker Index European Poker Awards!
Hello, and welcome to the Global Poker Index (GPI) European Poker Awards, which are taking placed at the Salle des Ambassadeurs in the Casino Barrière de Deauville. This is the 13th edition of the awards, and PokerNews is happy to be here providing live coverage from the event.
First, let's take a look at the rough timetable for the evening.
- 8:30-9 p.m.: GPI Player of the Year Awards
- 9-10 p.m.: Dinner
- 10 p.m.: GPI European Poker Awards
Following dinner, it's the latter awards that are the most intriguing to be given out, and they've been voted on by a panel of eight poker figures. We also know that Ole Schemion has won the 2013 GPI Player of the Year and Ana Marquez has won Female Player of the Year.
That aside, here's who's up for what:
| Award | Nominees |
|---|---|
| Rookie of the Year: | Max Altergott (Germany) |
| Matthew Ashton (England) | |
| Martin Finger (Germany) | |
| Adrian Mateos Diaz (Spain) | |
| Best Tournament Performance: | Barny Boatman (England) |
| Philipp Gruissem (Germany) | |
| Roger Hairabedian (France) | |
| Marvin Rettenmaier (Germany) | |
| Ole Schemion (Germany) | |
| Internet Player of the Year: | Viktor Blom (Sweden) |
| Niklas Heinecker (Germany) | |
| Toby Lewis (England) | |
| Chris Moorman (England) | |
| Poker Industry Person of the Year: | Marc Convey, poker journalist and broadcaster (England) |
| Lee Davy, poker journalist and podcast personality (England) | |
| Neil Johnson, PokerStars Live Poker Specialist (England) | |
| Edgar Stuchly, EPT President and Director of Pokerstars Live Events Europe (Austria) | |
| Best Event of the Year: | EPT Barcelona |
| EPT Grand Final Monte Carlo | |
| Full Tilt Poker Galway Festival | |
| Prague Poker Festival | |
| Lifetime Achievement Award: | --TBD-- |
The panel that voted on the awards listed above are as follows:
- Nic Szeremeta, honorary president of the GPI European Poker Awards
- Stephen Chidwick, poker player and winner of the 2013 UK Player of the Year Award
- Alexandre Dreyfus, GPI and The Hendon Mob
- Bruno Fitoussi, GPI European Poker Awards president
- Bertand “Elky” Grospellier, poker player
- Chris Hall, journalist
- Sandra Naujoks, poker player
- Luca Pagano, poker player
Chidwick, who was late to the voting process due to still being in the EPT Deauville Main Event, will himself receive an award this evening as he's picked up the UK Player of the Year. That victory was based on his performance in 2013, and he's not the only one who knows they've locked up an award.
Other Player of the Year winners in their respective countries are:
[LIST][*]Joni Jouhkimainen (Finland)
[*]Benjamin Pollak (UK)
[*]Dermot Blain (Ireland)
[*]Dario Sammartino (Italy)
[*]Govert Metaal (Netherlands)
[*]Adrian Mateos Diaz (Spain)
[*]Davidi Kitai (Belgium)
Stay tuned for the kickoff of the awards ceremony to begin shortly!