Yorane Kerignard wins WPT Malta

The Frenchman, Yorane Kerignard, has finally laid his final table ghost to rest by defeating the Italian, Jackson Genovesi, in heads-up competition, en route to winning the World Poker Tour (WPT) event in Malta.

The final hand epitomised the passion and emotion that was evident throughout this wonderful event, after both players were in floods of tears when the last card was laid onto the green felt.

It was the second consecutive year that the WPT had returned to the tiny Mediterranean island after the November Niner; Matt Gianetti defeated Cecilia Pescaglini to take the title to America in Season X.

It turned out to be one of the lowest attendances in WPT history, with only 169-players participating in the re-entry event, but the field was still a very strong one. Phil Hellmuth, Tony G, Kara Scott, Jason Mercier, Marvin Rettenmaier, and Vanessa Selbst, were just a sample of the talent that was on offer.

The final table of six was reached after five-days of poker and the roll-call was Jackson Genovesi from Italy, Yorane Kerignard from France, Alessio Isaia from Italy, Hui Chen Kuo from Taiwan, Zeljko Krizan from Montenegro, and Sampo Ryynanen from Finland.

The most experienced player was the former WPT champion, Alessio Isaia, who had two-previous WPT final tables under his belt, including a Season IX victory in Venice.

Isaia would later finish in third place. Jackson Genovesi had led the competition from the very beginning and he so very nearly went all the way.

During the heads-up encounter with Kerignard, Genovesi managed to get all of the chips in, only to see Kerignard snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, on the river, to end the hopes of Genovesi in cruel fashion and cement Kerignard’s place in the WPT Champions Club.