Submitted on Thu, 2010-01-28 06:34

Jake Cody has been crowned champion of the EPT Deauville event in France, fending of competition from 768 players including two former World Champions. The final took place on Monday January 25, where Cody was up against a tough final table that he did well to get through.

 

He faced a tough challenge from Mike ‘Timex' McDonald during the final day, but in the end he went into heads-up play with Teodor Caraba, the Romanian who held the chip lead going into the final table. Two hours of scintillating heads-up action followed, after which the Englishman triumphed.

 

At 21 years old, the former psychology student from Rochdale, UK, was on line for his biggest ever win whatever position he came in. But the €847,000 prize, plus a seat at the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo in April, was surely beyond anything that he had hoped for in his wildest dreams.

 

Speaking after the event, he said, "This is so overwhelming. It's the sort of stuff I dreamed about with my mates just a few weeks back. I feel like I should be asleep as I can't believe this is happening." Caraba won €516,000 for his second-place finish, with Mike McDonald from Canada winning €295,000 for coming third. Surprisingly, the first player to go out was Peter Eastgate from Denmark, a hot favorite at the final table, collecting just €70,000.