Annette Obrestads Team Europe Defeats Team Americas in the 1st Ever Caesars Cup

In what can only be considered a sound defeat, Team Europe defeated Team Americas in the 1st Caesars Cup 4-1 in London on September 25th, 2009. Obrestad said that they she is very happy that they had defeated their opponents.

The made-for-TV poker tournament held at the Casino at the Empire in London startedwith a unique brand of team poker where partners on either side of the poker table exchange control on each street.

The first poker match saw Finnish poker players Patrik Antonius and Ilari "ziigmund" Sahamies defeated American players phil ivey and Huck Seed quickly. Team Americas Captain daniel negreanu teamed up with 11-time world series of poker bracelet holder phil hellmuth to take on Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier and Betfair poker qualifier John Harvey in the succeeding match.

Team Europe grabbed a two-o lead when they got it in with an ace-3 against pocket aces and managed to get a straight. Team Americas refused to give up and fought back in the 3rd match when Doyle Brunson and jennifer harman defeated Dario Minieri and Annette Obrestad.

But the European side to a three-one lead when Danish poker pros gus hansen and Peter Eastgate defeated John Juanda and barry greenstein, the latter pair running a king-jack into ace-10 and failing to improve on it. The format then move to heads-up format with Obrestad facing Seed.

The young Norwegian poker pro took control of the game after getting it all-on with the help of a middle-pair-top-kicker against the pair and a flush draw of Seed and managed to hold. The match was over after Huck Seed found himself all in with a dominated ace. Obrestad said that she is ecstatic that her decision to choose youth over experience when picking her teammates for the tournament proved the right decision.

Obrestad said that Europe do not have a lot of professional poker players compared in the US and most players who are experienced are young so it made the decision easier for her. Negreanu said that they got unlucky in some hands and players like Phil Ivey cannot show his strengths because of the game format. Negreanu said that he hopes that they will do well next year.

October 04, 2009
Jeremy Evans