EPT Barcelona 2018: Jean-René Fontaine Wins Maiden Tournament Title in €1,100 National For €547,000

Jean-René Fontaine
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  • PG News August 27, 2018
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Overpowering the challenges of a 4,348 strong field,Jean-René Fontaine (cover image) took down the 2018 EPT Barcelona €1,100 National to win the top prize of €547,000 (~$635,872) and a PSPC Platinum Pass valued at $30,000.

The amateur player who hails from the French overseas region of Réunion had entered the final table with the biggest stack. He clashed with World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Julien Martini in heads-up play, relegating him to a runner-up finish, while claiming the trophy.

“It is pretty, it is too beautiful, I am very happy. There is nothing more beautiful!” a visibly ecstatic Fontaine said, after his victory. “This victory will not change my life, it’s beautiful but it will not make me turn my head,” he added.

The event featured four starting flights and from the Indian contingent, three players managed to make it in the money. Abhisek Panda made the deepest run and finished in 99th place for €4,570 (₹3.70 Lakhs), while Young Gun Abhinav Iyer (506th for €1,810 – ₹1.46 Lakhs) and Mayank Saxena (545th for €1,650 – ₹1.33 Lakhs) also finished in the money. All the three players had advanced to Day 2 and Panda looked poised to carry forward to Day 3 as well but his run ended after his king-jack was busted by an opponent’s ace-jack.

The final table was dominated by French players and Alberto Ah-Line was another player from Réunion who managed to reach the final table, eventually finishing in third place.

“The feeling of winning is even stronger with two Réunion on the podium and four French in the final. I felt that something special was happening already on Day 2. In the heads-up, with all the respect that I have for Julien, I knew that I was going to win. I saw what he was trying to do and I acted on it”, Fontaine said, before adding “it’s a pleasure to play against professionals, I learn a lot. After that, obviously, luck comes into play as well,” Fontaine said.

Talking about the heads-up match, Martini, who snagged his maiden WSOP bracelet this year in the $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo event said, “It was very hard for me to understand what he was doing and I think he used that very well. He was very unpredictable. I couldn’t adapt, unfortunately. He used his strengths and that’s good for him. He won; I think he deserved it.”

A total of 650 players received a minimum assured payout of €1,650 and notables who fell well before the final table include Michal Casnocha (13th for €39,150), Johan Verhagen (19th for €25,850), Ludovic Geilich (24th for €17,350), Upeshka Desilva (33rd for €11,950), Ari Engel (55th for €9,500) and Julien Stropoli (61st for €7,050).

Jan Dentler narrowly missed the final table and was eliminated in seventh place. He took home €91,220.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Jean-René Fontaine – 42,500,000

2. Julien Martini -38,775,000

3. Jerome L’Hostis – 19,775,000

4. AlbertoAh-Line – 12,300,000

5. Jan Teunis – 8,950,000

6. Claudio Di Giacomo – 7,700,000

Final Table Recap

The six finalists resumed play on Day 4 and within the first 30 minutes, Jan Teunis was eliminated when Ah-Line raised to 1,200,000 from the cutoff and Fontaine called on the button. Teunis responded by 3-bet shove for 8,450,000 from the big blind prompting Ah-Line to fold. Fontaine made the call and tabled card 2card 3 against Teunis’ card 3card 3. The flop was card 3card 2card 3 giving Teunis an open ended straight draw, however the card 1 turn and the card 2 bricked his chances and he hit the rail in sixth place.

Jerome L’Hostis bowed out next, in fifth place after he clashed with Martini who open-shoved from the small blind and L’Hostis called all in for 10 Million from the big blind. Martini showed card 3card 1 vs. L’Hostis’ card 2card 3. The dealer fanned out a card 3card 2card 2card 3card 2 board and Martini rivered a pair of eights to send L’Hostis out to the rail.

Soon, Claudio Di Giacomo moved all in for 5,000,000 from the cutoff and Martini snap-called from the big blind. Giacomo’s card 1card 2 were trailing Martini’s card 1card 2 and though he hit a pair of jacks on the card 3card 3card 3 flop, Martini’s pocket queens held on the card 3 turn and the card 3 river to eliminate Giacomo in fourth place.

Alberto Ah-Line then 3-bet shoved 13,800,000 from the big blind after Martini’s raise to 2,200,000 from the small blind. Martini made the call and the players turned their cards over. Ah-Line tabled card 2card 3 against Martini’s card 2card 1 and while he had live cards, he failed to catch up on the card 3card 1card 2card 1card 3 runout that sealed Ah-Line’s fate, railing him out in third place.

Heads-up, Julien Martini took the lead and was the obvious favorite but Fontaine soon snapped the lead off him. On the final hand, Martini raised 2,500,000 on the button and Fontaine 3-bet 8,000,000 from the big blind; Martini called. Fontaine checked the card 3card 2card 3 flop and Martini checked behind to see the card 2 turn. Fontaine bet 9,500,000 and Martini called. On the card 3 river, Fontaine instantly checked and Martini moved all in for 24 Million, Fontaine made the call.

Martini: card 2card 2

Fontaine: card 2card 2

Fontaine’s flopped pair of aces won him his maiden tournament title, while Martini had to settle for a runner-up finish.

Jean-René Fontaine
Jean-René Fontaine

Final Table Results (Euro)

1. Jean-René Fontaine – €547,000

2. Julien Martini – €323,000

3. Alberto Ah-Dine – €242,000

4. Claudio Di Giacomo – €197,000

5. Jerome L’Hostis – €155,000

6. Jan Teunis – €123,000

Keep following all the latest updates from EPT Barcelona right here on PokerGuru!

Related Articles:

1. EPT Barcelona 2018: Abhisek Panda Makes Top 100 Finish in National Event, Abhinav Iyer & Mayank Saxena Also Score

2. EPT Barcelona 2018: Michael Soyza Wins €10,300 High Roller For €302,500

3. EPT 13 Barcelona: Nick Petrangelo Wins First Major Title at the Series; India`s Abhishek Rathod, Arsh Grover, Karan Radia & Muskan Sethi in Attendance; Sethi Makes Day 2 in ESPT 7 Main Event

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