Venice, Italy (December 19, 2011) – Edoardo Alescio has pulled off one of the most unlikely comebacks of Season X to take down WPT Venice, presented by PartyPoker.it. The 23-year-old Economics student triumphed at Casino Di Venezia Ca’ Noghera to get his name onto the WPT Champions Cup and win €194,000, including a seat at the $25,000 2012 WPT World Championship at Bellagio in Las Vegas, the Tiffany and Co.® WPT Champions Award, the WPT Champions Trophy, and entry into the WPT Champions Club.
A big underdog for much of the tournament, Alescio proved that as long as you have a chip and a chair, there is always the chance of a comeback. The plucky Italian amateur from Oderzo, 20 kilometres from the casino, had just seven big blinds at the bubble and only 12 big blinds with 10 players left. His opponent during heads-up play, the experienced US pro Steve O’Dwyer, held a 2:1 chip lead but the young Italian refused to give up.
Alescio qualified for WPT Venice through a €230 live satellite, and following his victory was mobbed by his large rail of ecstatic family and friends. “I am very emotional right now,” said Edoardo Alescio to the cheering crowd. “All I really know is that I hope to come back to Venice in February and win the televised WPT then too! The drinks are on me tonight!”
WPT Live Streaming of the final table was hosted by Jesse May and Giovanni Rizzo, and was available for the first time ever on iPhones and iPads. First to depart during the online broadcast was Ukraine’s Alex Dovzhenko. Out next in 5th place was Andrea Benelli, who had dominated much of Day 4. Andrea Dato went into the final table as the short stack and bowed out in 4th. Intense action characterized three-handed play, before Michele Caroli busted in 3rd. Alescio then moved into high gear and was able to overcome O’Dwyer’s chip lead during the heads-up stage.
It was a case of so close yet so far for 29-year-old runner-up Steve O’Dwyer. O’Dwyer has now cashed four times on the World Poker Tour, including two final tables. The only thing missing from O’Dwyer’s resume is a major title, and like Alescio, he nearly pulled this off the hard way. On the bubble, O’Dwyer sat in last place but managed to make an incredible rally. O’Dwyer was optimistic in defeat, expressing that “things didn’t go right for me today, but there is always next time.”
Two members of the WPT Champions Club, Taylor Von Kriegenbergh (20th) and Roberto Romanello (15th), ran deep in the tournament. French star Arnaud Mattern secured another WPT cash and busted in 11th, his third top 15 finish of WPT Season X and fresh off the back of taking 4th at WPT Marrakech. Popular circuit player Marvin Rettenmeier, who is estimated to have attended more live tournaments than any other player in 2011, was dealt a cruel beat and was unlucky to finish 8th. In total, 213 players entered the €3,300 re-entry WPT Main Event, generating a total prizepool of €600,830.
European attention now turns to the internationally televised WPT Venice Grand Prix, taking place February 6 – 11, 2012. Hosted by the historic Casino Di Venezia, the oldest casino in the world, the €4,950 buy-in WPT Season X event runs during the famous carnival season. WPT Venice Grand Prix will feature Mike Sexton, Vince Van Patten, and the Royal Flush Girls and will also mark the debut of Marianela Pereyra, presiding as WPT Anchor while Kimberly Lansing takes maternity leave.
However, before the WPT Venice Grand Prix, World Poker Tour visits Ireland for the very first time. The €2,500 PKR.com WPT Ireland runs from January 5 – 8, 2012 at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin and is expected to attract a big international field. Details have also just been confirmed for a WPT Season X tour stop in Slovakia, immediately following WPT Vienna. The €2,720 WPT Bratislava has been moved to the Crowne Plaza Bratislava and will take place between March 31 – April 4, 2012.
Final Table Standings
1. Edoardo Alescio (IT) – €194,000
2. Steve O’Dwyer (US) – €95,930
3. Michele Caroli (IT) – €66,090
4. Andrea Dato (IT) – €43,170
5. Andrea Benelli (IT) – €34,245
6. Alex Dovzhenko (UKR) – €27,035
