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Carter Phillips Wins the EPT Barcelona Event

Twenty year-old American poker pro Carter Phillips took Spain stormed on September 9th, 2009 by winning the PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona title and the 850,000 euros. The poker pro from North Carolina said that he is feeling unreal about the whole thing. He said that he felt that the whole poker event felt like any other poker event even during the heads-up showdown.

Phillips said that he is very overwhelmed about the whole thing. Phillips came in the final table with the chip lead, although the Spanish audience made local poker pro Santiago Terrazas the favorite. Greek poker player Georgios Kapalas was the first one out, falling short against Marc Goodwin's ace. Canadian player Matt Lapossie is the next one to go, even after coming into the final table 3rd in total chips. Finnish player Toni Ojala finished in 6th place after a run-in with Phillips' aces.

Englishman poker player Asa Smith got short doubling up Santiago Terrazas and although he managed to double once, he eventually handed the rest of his chip stack to Phillips when shoved from the small blind with an ace. Mihai Manole from Romania held on to his short stack for most of the final table while steadily going up the pay ladder. In the end his chip stack when across the line in strategic position over Marc Goodwin before Europe's top pro in 2009 suck out of a flush to bust him in 4th place.

The 3 handed game play was disappointing for the Spanish audience when Terrazas shoved with a flush, Goodwin called with his top pair and it held firmly against Terrazas' flush draw. The heads-up showdown started with Phillips holding a substantial chip lead over Goodwin. He managed to increase it up to 2:1 before a one hour dinner break and returned to totally defeat the British poker pro soon after.

Quickly becoming a seasoned veteran on the poker tour, Phillips has lost cash pots for the chip lead before coming back in both the San Remo and Monte Carlo during the 5th season of the European Poker Tour. He said that winning in EPT Barcelona was a good combination of both running and playing poker better.

Phillips grabbed the top spot among the chip leaders after Day Two but his rise to fame in EPT Barcelona actual started with a good call for his tournament life holding a king high on double-paired board on the first day of the tournament. Phillips said that it gave him a huge boost in confidence. He added that he looks forward seeing what comes after his big win.

09/21/2009, Monday
Matthew Dorst

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