A fairytale for Fontaine (€28,130)
Starting as chip leader at the start of Final Day, which began with 22 players, Maxime Fontaine won the €250 buy-in Pure Poker Main Event, which attracted 1,541 entrants.
It was with a hero call that this player – part of the team representing the Circus Casino Resort in Namur at this festival – ended the tournament. There was still plenty of depth left in the field, and it was in a pot where he had limped from the button that Max Fontaine triumphed. The final showdown was a tight affair, and Max eventually bet 3 million with Ace-King-7 before calling a check-raise to 9 million. No action on the 8 on the turn, and Fontaine went all-in for 26 million againstAlexis Kaiser’s 21 million.Kaiser, a valiant runner-up, saw Fontaine bring the Pure Poker Fest to a close by calling with King-6, whilst the pair had started the hand virtually level with thirty big blinds.
The final trio struck an ICM deal, leaving €5,000 for the winner, which allowed the victor to claim the biggest prize; Kaiser had struck the deal as chip leader, whilst Gil Da Silva had slipped into the arrangement before putting up a fierce fight. The final four players battled it out for a long time, and it was ultimately Arne Noel who bagged the three CPS tickets worth €2,200. The Belgian will console himself with €12,210 won thanks to a competition organised by Seb Hetzel and Poker One!
Four Belgians made it to the final of this massive tournament, whilst Antoine Delporte achieved a back-to-back finish in a second consecutive large field in Namur. After securing a €52,000 payout by striking a three-way deal three weeks ago at the WPS, the Frenchman this time finished 8th following a dramatic showdown between King-King and Ace-Ace!
To go for a hat-trick, he’ll need to return in just under three weeks’ time for the Belgian Poker Challenge, which boasts an incredible line-up! But before that, Discount Week kicks off on 1 September at the Circus Casino Resort in Namur
A replay of the final hand
The final of the €250 Pure Poker Main Event (1,451 entrants – €290,780 prize pool)
Winner – Max Fontaine €28,130 €2,200 CPS Main Event ticket
Runner-up – Alexis Kaiser (France) €24,527 €2,200 CPS Main Event ticket
3rd – Gil Da Silva (Portugal) €20,383 €2,200 CPS Main Event ticket
4th – Arne Noel (Bel) €12,210
5th – Gianfranco Cecere (Bel) €9,710
6th – Kevin Goreningen €7,810
7th – Niklas Hanser €6,310
8th – Antoine Delporte €5,100
9th – Pierre Olivier (Bel) €4,000
*ICM deal leaving €5,000 for the winner
Media gallery
