最近在美国拉斯维加斯棕榈树赌场度假村举行的史诗扑
克联赛（EPL）中，薛大卫先生代表《环球博彩》出征。他以
亚军成绩结束史诗之行，与冠军奖杯以及迄今他获得的最负盛
名的头衔仅一步之遥。这位荣耀的香港人将逾50万美元揽入囊
中，多少缓解了些错失冠军的遗憾。
新近设立的EPL为世界知名玩家提供了一个凭柬入场的
扑克联赛。它的模式与大型职业高尔夫邀请赛有些雷同，只
有一流选手才会获邀参加。目前EPL约有250名有联赛资格的
选手。
Hendon Mob网站记录扑克选手的收益已经很多年，对于
EPL建立邀请名单起了至关重要的作用。该名单是基于过去三
年中选手的战绩，尽管很多人认为这个筛选过程还存在诸多不
足。EPL似乎已尽力去制定一个公平的排名策略，但它们并不是
第一个作出此尝试的比赛机构。
EPL第二场主赛事于今年9月上旬在拉斯维加斯棕榈树赌
场度假村举行。世界上最好的97名选手齐集这里，与2011年
8月的首次赛事中137名选手相比人数有所下滑。EPL的邀请模
式是为了吸引高水准的参赛群，这通常意味着决战桌上将会名
将云集。此赛事也不例外，Erik Seidel、Fabrice Soulier、
薛大卫、Mike McDonald、Nam Le、Isaac Baron、Sean
Getzwiller和“Dutch” Boyd形成了一个非同寻常的决战八
人组合。
数小时激战后，经验丰富的加拿大小将Mike McDonald最
终折桂，并赢得782,410美元奖金。然而，真正引起我们注意
的是屈居亚军的薛大卫先生。他在澳大利亚出生，现居住香
港，是《环球博彩》的巨大支持者。这位怪才商人及扑克狂
在棕榈树赌场度假村证明自己实力之前，在扑克界造成威胁
已有些时日。
David Steicke flew the flag for
World Gaming
magazine at the recent Epic
Poker League tournament at the Palms in LasVegas. His runner-upfinish sawhim
go tantalizinglyclose to lifting the trophyandclaiminghismostprestigious title to
date. TheproudHongKonger pocketedover half amillionUSdollars tohelp ease
thepainof secondplace.
TherecentlycreatedEpicPokerLeague (EPL)affordstheworld’s leadingplayers
the chance to compete in an invitational style poker league. The format is similar
to that of the exclusivemajor golf tours, where only the best players are granted
invitations. Currently theEPLhasapproximately250 league-qualifiedplayers.
TheHendonMobwebsitehas recordedpoker players’earnings for years and
hasbeen instrumental inhelping the leagueestablish their playing list. Invitations
areearnedviaplayers’ resultsover thepast threeyears, thoughmanywouldargue
the invitationalprocess is far fromperfect. ItappearsEpichasgone togreat lengths
todevisea fair ranking strategy, but theyarenot thefirst to try this.
The secondmain event of the EPLwas held at the Palms Casino in LasVegas
in early September this year. 97 of the world’s best lined up, down on the 137
that battled it out in the inaugural event back in August 2011. Epic’s invitational
format is designed to attract quality fields, which usuallymeans big name final
tables. This eventwasnoexception,withErikSeidel, FabriceSoulier, DavidSteicke,
MikeMcDonald, Nam Le, Isaac Baron, SeanGetzwiller and“Dutch”Boyd forming a
distinguishedfinal eight.
Afterhoursof intensepoker itwasexperiencedyoungprofessionalMike“Timex”
McDonaldwho lifted the trophy. TheCanadianpocketedUS$782,410 inwinnings
for goodmeasure. However, it was the impressive second placed finish of David
Steicke that really caught our eye. David is anAustralian-bornHongKong resident
and a huge supporter ofWGM. The eccentric businessman and poker aficionado
hadbeen threatening to set thepokerworldonfire for some timebeforeproving
himself at thePalms.
performance
Epic
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