Europe Gets Its Own November Nine on Partouche Poker Tour

Vanessa Selbst is a November Niner – in France, if not the U.S.

When the WSOP first announced that it was going to suspend play in the Main Event for three and a half months once the final table was reached, the public reaction was mixed at best. Now that the concept has proven to be a popular one after two years, it’s taking hold overseas in France’s Partouche Poker Tour.

The PPT recently held its third season Grand Final, an €8,500 buy-in tournament that attracted a solid field of 764 players and built a €5,684,160 (US $7,226,273) prize pool. The tournament played down to its final table on Tuesday, and then proceedings were put on hold until November. It’s a blatant copy of the successful WSOP November Nine model, with the PPT even waiting until the same month before getting back to the table.

But unlike the WSOP’s November Nine, there are several recognizable pros among the French group. Vanessa Selbst, winner of the NAPT Mohegan Sun main event earlier this year, leads the pack. Right behind her is Fabrice Soulier, France’s ninth all-time leading money winner. Also at the final table when things resume in November will be Ali Tekintamgac, winner of this year’s WPT Spanish Championship; former EPT Grand Final final tablist and Danish Poker Championship winner Soren Kongsgaard; and EPT Grand Final High Roller winner Tobias Reinkemeier.

The Partouche Poker Tour Grand Final will resume on November 6, with the final heads-up showdown taking place on November 7. First place is worth €1,300,000 (US $1,652,690).