GPI European Poker Awards Handed Out In France

This week, the GPI European Poker Awards were handed out in France on the sidelines of the EPT Deauville poker festival, and as well as honouring the brightest and best players in a range of categories, eight accolades were also handed out for the National Player of the Year Awards.
Taking the ‘European Live Poker Player of the Year’ was Germany’s Ole Schemion, who followed up 2012’s result of $2,070,613 in live tournament winnings by clocking up a further $1,652,680 in 2013. Commenting on his GPI European Poker Award, Ole Schemion, said: “I had a pretty good year last as well. I actually don’t feel that this year is better than last year. Last year was pretty good for me, I think, but this year was pretty amazing with so many deep runs in tournaments. It worked out pretty good.”
Taking the award for ‘Best Tournament Performance’ was fellow German player Philipp Gruissem, while Spain also picked up two GPI awards, including ‘Rookie Poker Player of the Year’ going to Adrian Mateos Diaz, and ‘Female Poker Player of the Year’ going to Ana Marquez.
The UK, however, won a hat-trick of award, with the ‘European Internet Poker Player of the Year’ going to Toby Lewis, whose successes last year included winning the FTOPS XXIII event #35 for $256,063 and the WCOOPEvent #4 for $189,379. As Toby Lewis then explained: “I just try to play simply and not try to put myself into too many tough spots. Also, I try not to play as much because I’ve found I play and think better with a (better) life/poker balance.”
Brits Neil Johnson (Poker Industry Person of the Year) and Barny Boatman (Lifetime Achievement Award) were also honoured at the ceremony, with Boatman having crowned his impressive career with his first WSOP bracelet last year. Commenting on his award, Boatman, said: “It makes me feel kinda old, but it’s very nice. I honestly didn’t see it coming..It’s lovely because of what it represents to me. It’s the relationships and the friendships that I’ve made in the game.”
Here are the full list of 2013 GPI European Poker Awards winners
2013 GPI European Poker Award Winners:
European Live Poker Player of the Year: Ole Schemion (Germany)
Rookie Poker Player of the Year: Adrian Mateos Diaz (Spain)
Best Tournament Performance: Philipp Gruissem (Germany)
Female Poker Player of the Year: Ana Marquez (Spain)
European Internet Poker Player of the Year: Toby Lewis (UK)
Poker Industry Person of the Year: Neil Johnson (UK)
European Poker Event of the Year: Full Tilt Poker Galway Festival (Ireland)
Rob Gardner Memorial Award for the Poker Personality of 2013: Roger Hairabedian (France)
Lifetime Achievement Award: Barny Boatman (UK)
The GPI Players of the Year:
Belgian Poker Player of the Year: David Kitai
Finnish Poker Player of the Year: Joni Jouhkimainen
French Poker Player of the Year: Benjamin Pollak
United Kingdom Poker Player of the Year: Stephen Chidwick
Irish Poker Player of the Year: Dermot Blain
Italian Poker Player of the Year: Dario Sammartino
Dutch Poker Player of the Year: Govert Metaal
Spanish Poker Player of the Year: Adrian Mateos Diaz
Ukrainian Poker Player of the Year: Yevgeniy Timoshenko