Popetschnig makes top 30 in Vienna poker event
Franz Markus Popetschnig was best Austrian as 26th in Viennas European Poker Tour (EPT) competition which ended yesterday (Sun).Organisers of the six-day event said 587 players, including Canadian poker star Daniel Negreanu and German tennis legend Boris Becker, participated in the tournament.Winner Michael Eiler, from Munich in Germany, bagged 700,000 Euros. Second-placed Czech Martin Hruby won 470,000 Euros, while Greek Konstantinos Nanos came third (265,000 Euros).The event, which took place at the Kursalon Hübner palace in the city centre of Vienna, was the biggest poker tournament in Austria of all time as EPT bosses paid out an overall 2.935 million Euros to the 80 winners. Becker, who discovered his passion for poker some years ago, reached 97th place.Viennese police decided to set up security levels similar to those for a state visit ahead and during the tournament after similar events in Germany and Switzerland were robbed earlier this year. Reports have it some police officials had been in favour of cancelling the tournament which was broadcast live on the internet amid safety concerns.