Helppi Birthday Juha! Finn Sharp Shooter Takes Out Poker Brat to Win First PartyPoker.com Premier League Poker

Helppi Birthday Juha! Finn Sharp Shooter Takes Out Poker Brat to Win First PartyPoker.com Premier League Poker

March 08, 2007

    MAIDSTONE, England, March 8 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Juha
Helppi celebrated his 30th birthday in style and avenged his
inner demons by winning the inaugural www.PartyPoker.com
Premier League Poker title.  Helppi, from Helsinki, Finland
showed skill and patience in abundance to overcome a world
class field in a unique televised tournament, filmed at
Maidstone Studios, Kent, UK.

    As well as celebrating his landmark birthday, the
flying Finn, who has also been a national paintball
champion, shot down poker legend Phil Hellmuth, who won his
landmark 10th WSOP bracelet at his expense last year.

    "This was not about the money," said Helppi. 
"If I hadn't beaten Phil it would have hurt really bad.
 This is a big title with a top quality field and it
happened as I hit a big landmark in my life.  I will
remember this forever. It is a perfect birthday
present."

    Hellmuth had taken the field by storm earlier in the
week and went into the final as chip leader.  Juha had
finished 3rd in the league table but had impressed all his
fellow players with his unbreakable focus.  Juha continued:
"Phil really wanted to win this one and didn't take it
too well, I think I managed to tilt him on one occasion. 
This does help with losing out on the bracelet and is
satisfying because the league structure means that skill
was so important."  The final table lasted over 7
hours with 1.6 million chips in play and blinds starting at
1000/2000.  The first player to be eliminated, England's
serial televised tournament winner Ian Frazer went after
five hours.

    Phil was disappointed and instantly announced that he
wanted to play the Finn heads-up for US$100,000 but the
winner was too busy calling his girlfriend back home and
checking on his two-month year old son.  The Poker Brat
certainly didn't disappoint those who love or loathe him
with his banter and behaviour all week.  His table talk, in
particular, with Tony G, the Devilfish and the under the
table camera was as lively as ever.  However, the Madison
Kid was gracious in defeat, "I have to give Juha
credit, he played very well all week," said Hellmuth.

    Hellmuth eventually finished third after his kings were
cracked by Helppi's two pair -- when Juha called a pot sized
raise with 8-7 off suit before the flop-and this when
Hellmuth melted down and turned into the Poker Brat. 
Hellmuth shouted, "You are such a donkey, how could
you call a US$50,000 reraise with eight seven off suit. 
You tried to give me the chip lead!" German WSOP
bracelet holder Eddy Scharf finished runner-up after going
all in with 5-6 suited against Juha's Ace-2 off suit.  At
the time the Finn had a 4-1 chip lead. Liz Lieu finished
fourth, Vicky Coren finished 5th and Ian Frazer finished
6th.

    A PartyPoker.com spokesman said: "Halfway through
the tournament we thought we would just have to give the
trophy to Phil Hellmuth and halfway through the tournament
we thought we'd have to bring in a mediator so that
Devilfish, Tony G and Hellmuth could resolve the deep
seated issues they have with each other."

    "Juha was a worthy champion and was respected by
all his fellow players. Everybody was thrilled by the
format of tournament and nobody involved doubts that it has
a big future."

    The series, developed by Matchroom Sport, features 12
of the world's best players playing in a unique league
format for a US$500,000 pot.  Each player bought in for
US$20,000, with PartyPoker.com adding US$260,000.  The
field included Phil Hellmuth, Dave 'The Devilfish' Ulliott,
Tony G, Andy Black, Kiril Gerasimov, Liz Lieu, Ian Frazer,
Roland De Wolfe, Vicky Coren, Juha Helppi, Kenna James and
Eddy Scharf.  PartyPoker.com Premier League Poker is due to
be broadcast in the UK on Channel 4 and internationally
later this year.

    "Premier League Poker featured a fantastic format
filled with skill, twists and turns, great players and made
for electric television."  Phil Hellmuth

    "This is a totally different concept and will make
great television, it's like a poker Big Brother. It sets a
new bar for televised poker." Dave "The
Devilfish" Ulliott.

    "The Premier League is the best poker event I have
ever played in. A real breakthrough for poker." Tony G

    "This is one of the most exciting events I have
played in. The tournament really highlighted skill."
Liz Lieu

    "It's the best made for television tournament I've
participated in." Roland De Wolfe

    "It's the most fun I've had in a room with a group
full of men since the summer of 1976...but that is a
different story." Vicky Coren

    "The PartyPoker.com Premier League event was
something that everyone involved in will never forget. When
we set out on this project we always envisaged that the
event would be something special but what evolved was the
most entertaining poker spectacle that the public will ever
witness. Twelve grueling heats, four heads up battles and
one stunning final table that features tears, joy, verbal
warfare and a camaraderie amongst players that has never
been seen before." Eddie Hearn, Director, Matchroom
Sport
    
    PartyPoker.com is a popular member of PartyGaming Plc's
growing suite of online games that includes
www.PartyCasino.com , PartyBingo.com, www.PartyBets.com,
PartyGammon.com, Gamebookers.com and EmpirePoker.com.


    For more information, please contact:
    
     Warren Lush
     PartyPoker.com
     Email: [e-mail]