PHILLIPPE BOUCHER ENJOYS THE TIME OF HIS LIFE ON FRENCH RIVIERA
Cannes, France (15 October 2011) – Phillipe Boucher may sounds like a French name, but he’s a Quebec-born Canadian now living in Las Vegas.  Boucher won the latest World Series of Poker Europe gold bracelet, played in Cannes, France.

Boucher won a first-time event at WSOP-Europe, which was the Six-Handed Pot-Limit Omaha Championship.  The buy-in was 1,500 Euros.  A new addition to this year’s schedule, Six-Handed play tends to be faster and generates more action than regular nine-handed tournaments.  That was no exception in this tournament, particularly during the finale which raced by in a lightning fast three hours.

The new champion Boucher is a 29-year-old poker pro.  He collected 124,584 (Euros) for the victory, plus the most coveted prize in the game.  Indeed, prior to the start of the final table Boucher noted that he wanted a gold bracelet badly, since a fair number of his close poker-playing friends have won WSOP events in the past, leaving Boucher bracelet-less, at least until this day.

The runner up was Michel Dattani, from Porto, Portugal.  Had he won instead of finishing second, Dattani would have become the first-ever WSOP gold bracelet winner in history from Portugal.  As it turned out, he still represented his home nation well and becomes the highest-finishing Portuguese player ever.

Things have not gone nearly so well for French players so far in Cannes.  Although French players won four gold bracelets at this year’s WSOP, none has come close victory at WSOP Europe.  French poker players still have two more events to win a gold bracelet and make poker history.  But they will continue to face an uphill climb, playing against many of the world’s best players from other nations.
 
Attendance at 2011 WSOP Europe continues to exceed everyone's expectations and smash previous records.  Through the conclusion of the first six events, overall attendance has crossed the 2,000 mark.  No doubt, wherever it’s held -- the WSOP continues to surpass all expectations and overcome every challenge, no matter how daunting.

This was the first time that a Six-Handed Pot Limit Omaha tournament has been included as part of the WSOP Europe schedule.  The event was played over three consecutive days and nights, ending on a gorgeous Saturday evening along the French Riviera.  With ocean waves surging up the nearby beaches, the new poker champion began the early celebration by posing with his first gold bracelet out in front of the Hotel Majestic Barriere, which hosted this year’s version of WSOP Europe.

The world’s most exciting and prestigious poker series still has a lot more excitement to come.  The internationally-televised WSOP Europe Main Event Championship, started on this day and runs through 20 October.  

For more information about the WSOP and WSOP Europe, please visit the portal page at wsop.com.  A full official report of this tournament, with more notes and winner quotes, will be available shortly.