EPT Tallinn 2010 Won By Kevin “KevBoyStar” Stani

Kevin “KevBoyStar” Stani has just won the  European Poker Tour (EPT) Tallinn, after defeating a field of 420 players over five days to take down the title and the €400,000 ($512,800) first place prize.
The 27 year old business management graduate from Norway has been playing poker since he was 20 years of age, and has enjoyed some impressive results in the past both online and live.
Those results include a $134,000 cash at the 2009 WCOOP $10,000 High Roller event and a $108,000 first place finish at the PokerStars Sunday 500 in 2009.
Kevin Stani’s best live result came this year after finishing 127th at the WSOP Main Event for $57,000. However, those figure pale in comparison to the $512,800 he has picked up in Estonia for his latest triumph.
Stani won his buy-in to the €4,250 tournament via a $530 satellite on PokerStars four days earlier. Commenting on his win, Stani said:
“I was playing cash games online and just randomly saw the satellite advertised in the PokerStars lobby. I wanted to come here anyway so I thought I’d play it. It feels awesome to win. I’ve been through some tough times which have made it hard to focus.. made it hard to play.. but I stayed with poker and told myself things are going to get better. I’m glad I did.”
Kevin Stani started the final table in a strong position and just behind the chip leader PokerStars pro Arnaud Mattern. The French pro was hoping to become the first player to win two EPT titles but fell short of his goal when he was eliminated in 3rd (€160,000). Mattern had gone all-in pre-flop holding pocket Q’s and was called by Stani’s pocket 3’s, only for a 3 to hit on the turn.
Going into the heads-up battle Stani held a two-to-one chip lead over his opponent the Russian Konstantin Bilyauer, 22. Nevertheless, it took an hour and forty minutes before Stani managed to dispatch his last opponent to seal his famous win. He held a 5c-6s and made a gut-shot straight on the turn, with Bilyauer betting the action all the way.
Bilyauer picked up the €250,000 runner-up prize for his deep run in the tournament, whilst the EPT crown and the €400,000 belonged to deserved winner Kevin Stani.