The first-ever PokerStars Championship WPT MonteDam Swing is off and running, with the first leg underway in Monte Carlo with the PokerStars Championship presented by Monte-Carlo Casino®, and Andreas Klatt has jumped out to the early lead. Klatt scored first place in the €1,100 PokerStars National Championship in Monaco, topping a field of 1,252 entries to earn the €151,445 first-place prize. Klatt also scored 115 points for the MonteDam Swing leaderboard to become the early frontrunner.
The first official event of the MonteDam Swing – a joint venture by PokerStars and the World Poker Tour giving players the opportunity at more than $50,000 in added cash and prizes – wrapped up on Sunday in Monaco with Klatt entering the final day second in chips to Børge Sandsgaard. Joining Klatt and Sandsgaard on the final day was Ka Kwan Lau, known as “Kaju85” in the online realm with more than $1 million in live tournament earnings.
In the end, Klatt was heads up with Romain Lewis for the title, and Klatt emerged the winner.
€1,100 PokerStars National Championship Results
1st: Andreas Klatt – €151,445*
2nd: Romain Lewis – €127,385*
3rd: Børge Sandsgaard – €83,350
4th: Ka Kwan Lau – €59,700
5th: David Bourseau France €42,800
6th: Basem Hamed Jordan €30,600
7th: Norberto Andres Korn – €21,960
8th: Thierry Brigitte – €15,700
*Prizes reflect a deal between the players.
Klatt, a German player from Tübingen, a small town located about 20 miles south of Stuttgart, entered the event with a career-best live tournament score of $31,901 and career live tournament earnings of $75,125, according to his Hendon Mob profile.
“I’m feeling super!” Klatt told PokerStars after the win. “I’m very happy, this was a very difficult heads-up against a really good player. I was just luckier to win.”
According to PokerStars, Klatt began playing poker several years ago, but took some time away from the game to focus on his studies. After graduating in economics, Klatt returned to the game.
MonteDam Swing Leaderboard Top 10
1st: Andreas Klatt – 115 points
2nd: Romain Lewis – 95 points
3rd: Børge Sandsgaard – 85 points
4th: Ka Kwan Lau – 75 points
5th: David Bourseau – 65 points
6th: Basem Hamed – 55 points
7th: Norberto Korn – 45 points
8th: Thierry Brigitte – 35 points
9th: Patrick Khayat – 25 points
10th: Samy Boujmala – 20 points
Click here to view the MonteDam Swing leaderboard.
Click here for more information regarding MonteDam Swing scoring.
Klatt is now the frontrunner to earn the top MonteDam Swing prize, which is a €7,500 package to the PokerStars Championship Barcelona Main Event.
The top five finishers will earn the following prizes:
1st: PokerStars Championship Barcelona Main Event package (worth €7,500)
2nd: WPT Main Event* package (worth €6,000)
3rd: WPTDeepStacks* package (worth €3,000)
4th: PokerStars National Championship Barcelona Buy-in (€1,100) + Barcelona hotel voucher (€500)
5th: WPTDeepStacks* Buy-in (€1,500)
*WPT and WPTDeepStacks prizes only apply to events in Europe.
All players who participate in at least one PokerStars tournament in Monte Carlo and one WPT tournament in Amsterdam will receive an online ticket to take part in a freeroll at PokerStars, with a prize pool valued at $30,000. Players who compete in both Main Events will receive a $300 voucher towards buy-ins for the 2017 PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker.
Additionally, anyone who cashes in the PokerStars National Championship, PokerStars Championship Main Event, or WPTDeepStacks Amsterdam and then also cashes in the WPT Amsterdam Main Event will win a €1,000 bonus.
For more information on the MonteDam Swing, click here.
*Photo courtesy of PokerStars.