History of the WSOP Europe Part II: France, Germany, Czech Republic

October 02, 2018

The World Series of Poker Europe is just around the corner. The illustrious event runs Oct. 9 to Nov. 2 at Europe's biggest poker room: King's Casino, located on the border of Germany in Rozvadov, Czech Republic. The series will attract some of the biggest names in poker from around the world with 10 WSOP gold bracelet events.

Part I of this series focused on the four years in London, while this second part discusses the recent years as the festival moved around Europe to France, Germany, and eventually landed in the Czech Republic.

WSOPE 2011 (Cannes)

After four years in London, the WSOP Europe moved to mainland Europe. To Cannes, France, to be precise, where the world-famous film festival has been held each May since 1946.

The festival was hosted at the Majestic Barrière and Le Croisette Casino Barrière, and the schedule was expanded to seven gold-bracelet events. Also, for the first time, the WSOP Europe events counted towards the WSOP Player of the Year award, which went to Ben Lamb in 2011.

Switzerland's Guillaume Humbert not only notched his only WSOP gold bracelet by winning the WSOP Europe €2,680 Six-Handed No Limit Hold'em but also, according to The Hendon Mob, notched his only lifetime live tournament cash.

In the second event, Australia's Andrew Hinrichsen became the first player from down under to win a WSOP Europe gold bracelet after he shipped the WSOP Europe €1,090 No-Limit Hold'em for €148,030 ($197,748).

A trio of Americans in Steve Billirakis, Tristan Wade, and Michael Mizrachi won bracelet events, as did Canada's Philippe Boucher.

However, it was American Elio Fox who walked away with the biggest prize of them all after he outlasted a field of 593 entrants including beating Chris Moorman heads-up to win the WSOP Europe €10,400 Main Event for €1,400,000 ($1,870,208).

2011 WSOPE Events and Winners

PokerNews reporting for the 2011 WSOPE.

WSOPE 2012 (Cannes)

The WSOP Europe returned to Cannes for a similar schedule in 2012, although most of the events featured a higher rake structure and all of them attracted a lower turnout.

For the first time, players from France won a WSOP Europe gold bracelet on home soil as Roger Hairabedian and Giovanni Rosadoni came out on top in events. Many other big names won side event bracelets including Imen Ben Mahoud, Antonio Esfandiari, Jonathan Aguiar, and Francisco Santos.

However, it was none other thanPhil Hellmuth stealing all of the headlines after he bested a field of 420 entrants to ship the WSOP Europe €10,450 Main Event for €1,022,376 ($1,333,841) and a record 13th WSOP gold bracelet. Since then, Hellmuth extended his record even further to 15 bracelets after shipping WSOP events in 2015 and 2018.

This wasn't the only record defining moment for Hellmuth, as he also became the first and only player to win both a WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas and a WSOP Europe Main Event.

2012 WSOPE Events and Winners

PokerNews reporting for the 2012 WSOPE.

WSOPE 2013 (Enghien-les-Bains)

The WSOP Europe remained in France for a third straight year in 2013 but moved cities to Enghien-les-Bains for eight bracelet events at Casino Barriere. The schedule was revamped with the removal of some events and the addition of others including the WSOP Europe €1,100 No Limit Hold'em - Ladies Event won by Australia's Jackie Glazier for €21,850 ($29,534), and the WSOP Europe €25,600 High Roller No-Limit Hold’em won by Daniel Negreanu for €725,000 ($979,955).

Roger Hairabedian, who in 2012 became the first Frenchman to win a WSOP Europe gold bracelet, became the first two-time WSOP Europe bracelet winner in 2013 after winning the WSOP Europe €2,200 No Limit Hold'em for €148,820 ($201,154). Also winning bracelet side-events were Henrik Johansson, Darko Stojanovic, Jeremy Ausmus, and Noah Schwartz.

A, at the time, relatively unheard of Adrian Mateos became a household name after he shipped the WSOP Europe €10,450 Main Event for €1,000,000 ($1,351,661). Mateos has gone on to win WSOP gold bracelets in Las Vegas in 2016 and 2017, and currently has the most cashes in live tournaments from players in Spain with more than $15.8 million in earnings.

2013 WSOPE Events and Winners

WSOPE 2015 (Berlin)

In November 2013, the World Series of Poker announced that the WSOP Europe would take place in odd years and the WSOP Asia would take place in even years. Thus, 2014 was the first year skipped by the WSOP Europe since its inception in 2007.

The WSOP Europe returned to a new city and country with the festival moving to Spielbank Berlin in Berlin, Germany. The schedule expanded to feature ten gold bracelet events.

It was a Greek invasion early on in the festival with Greek players Makarios Avramidis, Pavlos Xantopoulos, and Georgios Sotiropoulos winning three of the first eight bracelet events.

American Kevin MacPhee was the biggest story after winning his second gold bracelet of the year triumphing in the WSOP Europe €10,450 Main Event for €883,000 ($1,001,576).

Meanwhile, 2010 WSOP Main Event winner Jonathan Duhamel won the WSOP Europe €25,600 High Roller for €554,395 ($628,915), making it back-to-back years this event was won by a Canadian after Negreanu won the event the year before.

2015 WSOPE Events and Winners

WSOPE 2017 (Rozvadov)

Starting in 2017, the WSOP Europe was back to being held every year without skipping the even-numbered years thanks to a multi-year deal inked with King's Casino in Rovadov, Czech Republic.

The schedule expanded to 11 bracelet events, and the festival's attendance increased hugely. Spain's Marti Roca de Torres won the WSOP Europe €10,300 Main Event for €1,115,207 ($1,297,551).

In a separate article, we'll go in-depth on last year's WSOPE Main Event.

2017 World Series of Poker Europe Results

PokerNews reporting for the 2017 WSOPE.

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