Poker Pro Dario Sammartino Leads at EPT 10 Deauville Main Event

Italian pro Dario Sammartino is leading the remaining 137 players as we go in to Day 3 of the EPT Deauville Main Event. The 26-year-old, who was third in the FPS High Roller a few days ago for €63,800 and fourth in the UKIPT London Main Event in October, has 427,200, closely followed by EPT Loutraki champion Zimnan Ziyard with 392,500. His biggest live cash to date was runner-up at IPT Sanremo in October for €95,000.

671 players from 48 countries entered the event, generating a €3,220,800 prize pool. The winner will get a life-changing €614,000 with 95 players making the money. As always, French players dominated - 269 entrants accounting for more than 40% of the field.

The Day 2 survivors include Team PokerStars Pros Eugene Katchalov (currently fifth), Jan Heitmann and Alex Kravchenko, as well as Friend of PokerStars Pierre Neuville. Also still in: French singer Patrick Bruel, JP Kelly, UKIPT Marcella champion Ludovic Geilich, Stephen Chidwick.

The EPT joined forces with the national France Poker Series to create this season's mega ten-day, 45-event EPT Deauville Poker Festival, running January 22 - February 1, 2014 at Casino Barriere.

In addition to the title and cash prize, the EPT Deauville Main Event champion will receive a stunning watch worth more than €5,000 from luxury Swiss brand SLYDE, the Official Watch Sponsor for EPT Season 10 Main Events. The winner will also a voucher worth €2,000 for clothes from leading French poker brand JAQK. 

There were 178 players in the EPT Main Event who won their seats online, including some 30 players who won seats for both the EPT & FPS Main Event including London champion David Vamplew and EPT Barcelona champion Kent Lundmark.