Coren wins EPT Heads-Up

There’s no one quite like Victoria Coren. Not only is she a respected broadcaster, sought after columnist and engaged to one of Britain’s funniest men (David Mitchell in case you were wondering), but this week Coren became one of a small selection of two-time EPT winners thanks to shipping the €5k Heads-Up in Monte Carlo.

As players geared up for the EPT Grand Final in the south of France, Coren topped a field of 27 runners to bank the €58,900 first prize, defeating Juha Helppi, Annette Obrestad and American Melanie Wisner heads up for the title.

In the first ever all female final table in EPT history, Coren and Wisner cracked out the wine to celebrate before Coren took the best-of-five match in a tense deciding leg.

‘I’m really happy and excited to have won this event. Just like when I won the big EPT tournament in London a few years ago, I’m not even thinking about the money yet – I’m just really pleased to come first in a tournament full of such brilliant professional players,’ said Coren.

‘My competitive streak is very satisfied! But don’t get me wrong, that kind of money will buy a LOT of delicious cups of tea…’

The Vic regular is no stranger to high-stakes tournaments, and the EPT win is the latest honour in what has been a year to remember for the broadcaster, who as well as getting engaged to comedian Mitchell earlier this year, also final tabled the first ever IFP event last November for $100,000.

The UK poker scene was out in force to cheer her on to victory this week, with many of Britain’s biggest stars lending their support through twitter. But while this week’s EPT win is surely welcome, it might be a while before Coren trumps her breakthrough win at EPT London in 2006, when she became the first woman to win a European Poker Tour title with a huge victory worth £500,000.

Congratulations Vicky! We were lucky enough to interview Coren a few months back as part of our What I’ve Learned series. Click here to see what she had to say.