Last-Minute Luck Sides with Naujoks

Sandra Naujoks, 27, became the second woman (Vicky Coren being the first in 2006 at EPT London) to win an EPT title after cruising her way to 667 players at EPT Dortmund and brought home $1,185,000 in US dollars.

During final minutes with Holger Kanisch, Naujoks managed to remain calm after Kanisch decided to raise the bet to one million. Naujoks found herself betting all what she got while Kanisch turned a call. Cards on the plate, Naujoks, with her Ace of Spade and Nine Clover, felt the chills in her nerves upon seeing Kanisch’s Ace of Clover and Queen of Hearts. Then three community cards are flopped (Ace of Hearts, Seven Hearts and Two Diamonds) and Kanisch was apparently moving ahead. The fourth card was flopped over and it was Nine Clovers putting Naujoks in winning position. Finally the last card was revealed (Eight Diamonds) smashing Kanisch’s high hopes and bringing Naujoks to the top.

Reports reveal that Naujoks’ triumph was a repeat performance of Mike McDonald, the champion in 2008 and the fifth placer this year, where last-minute luck played a deciding role. Other players in the tournament were Marc Gork (third), Johan Storakers (fourth), Luca Pagano (sixth), William Thorton and Cengizcan Ulusu in seventh and eighth, respectively.