Liv Boeree wins European Ladies Open

The presenter, journalist and Poker professional Liv Boeree saw off the challenge of fifty of Europe's top women players over the May Bank holiday weekend to take down the $30,000 first prize, win a seat to the WSOP main event and claim the title "European champion".

Originally from Kent, Boeree graduated from the University of Manchester with a First Class degree in Physics with Astrophysics, before moving to London. Boeree first got into poker when she went on a reality TV show which got complete beginners to learn the basics of the game. Since then she hasn't looked back.

This year she won a freeroll satellite into the ELC in Copenhagen in February. Then she also gave a great performance in front of the cameras in the Women's World Open (won by Beverly Pace) seen on channel five in the UK. However victory in the European Ladies Open is the first major title that she has won.

The field consisted of some of the best female poker players in the world including WSOPE winner Annette Obrestad, last year's European Ladies Open winner Jackie Meecham and also featured the poker world's newest recruit, Abi Titmuss!

The tough final table that Boeree came through included Lenna Martyak (2nd $20,000), Shelley Rubenstein (3rd $16,000), Lise Frandsen (4th $12,000), Jacqui Terry (5th $10,000), Karen Muir (6th $6,000), Bev Pace (7th $4,000), Karen Holland (8th $2,000), Cheryl Alden (9th $2,000) and Michelle Orpe (10th $2,000)

When asked how she felt after the event Boeree said "I'm completely over the moon with the result. This is my first major title and also my biggest single cash prize to date - I need a new car so some of it will be going on that! The tourney itself was fantastic, I was short-stacked on one occasion but all in all my game has never been better and combined with good cards it led to the win!"

The tournament was filmed over the May bank holiday weekend. The play has been edited into six one-hour shows, and will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the summer.