Anyone who thought that the European Poker Tour fever would die down after the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure would have nothing to worry about.

The EPT Deauville event in France drew 645 players, more than many World Poker Tour events, allowing for a prize pool worth over four million dollars.

EPT 2009 in Retrospect: Deauville

The large turnout was helped by the popularity of poker in France, and many French players turned out to take their shot at the EPT riches. As a result, the final table was composed of 50 percent Frenchmen, with a Dutchman, German and an Italian rounding it out.

The French Battle in France

The Dutchman, Jorg Walthaus, was the first to go, as his moved with A2 was quickly cut down by Frenchman Tristan Clemencon's AK. Frenchman Johnathan Azoulay fell shortly after, when he was forced to make a move with J8 against Italian Andrea Bonelli's A2. The flop brought both a jack and an ace, and Benelli collected the chips.

Benelli's joy was short lived, however. With Q8 on a Q J 2 flop he ran into Arnaud Esquevin's set of jacks. Shortly afterward he was knocked off with T9 against Clemencon's K6 when both a ten and king flopped. This left the Frenchmen with a two-to-one chance to keep the title at home, with Clemencon holding the lion's share of the chips, Esquevin next in line, and Moritz Kranich of Germany clinging to the short stack.

History Repeats Itself

Sadly, as has happened so many times throughout history, the German managed to turn the tables on the French. Holding a king on a king high flop, Esquevin moved in and ran into Kranich's pocket aces. On a board of T T 8 2 Kranich shoved and got called by Clemencon, who was devastated and crippled when Kranich flipped over JT. Clemencon was eliminated by Kranich shortly after leaving Kranich and Esquevin heads up. When Esquevin moved in with A3 and Kranich woke up with A7 and made the call, Esquevin was finished, and the German Moritz Kranich was the champion of Deauville.