EPT Season #5: EPT Prague €5,250 No-Limit Hold'em

In 38 previous EPT events, not once did an Italian claim victory. That all changed last weekend when two Italians faced each other heads-up for the EPT Prague title. Forty-four year old Salvatore Bonavena beat out fellow countryman Massimo Di-Cicco to capture the €774,000 payday. Both players are relatively unknown to the poker world; in the case of Di-Cicco, the €445,000 second place prize was his first cash in a live tournament.

Unknown faces was a theme at this final table that included players from six different countries. German Sebastian Ruthenberg narrowly missed appearing at his second EPT final table of the season after busting out in 9th. Ruthenberg won the Barcelona event in September for €1,361,000.

The next EPT event takes place away from the continent of its namesake. The PokerStars Caribbean Adventure will be held in the Bahamas in early January. Looking to defend his title in that event is Frenchman Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier.

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