CASINO CHAMPION PROFILE: MARC CARPENTIER
Gatineau, QC (December 15, 2013) — The 2013/2014 Circuit series at Casino Lac-Leamy marked the first time for a World Series of Poker event to take place in the Canadian Province of Quebec. The event was headlined by some of Canada's top pros including gold bracelet winner Erik Cajelais who final tabled the opening tournament and Mike Leah who finished fifth in the Main Event -- just a few spots shy of the eventual champion, gold bracelet winner Charles Sylvestre.

In addition to donning the gold ring and a six-figure first prize, Sylvestre was one of two players at the Lac-Leamy series to earn an automatic berth in the WSOP National Championship set to take place in Atlantic City this spring. The other, Marc Carpentier, joins Sylvestre at National Championship as the Lac-Leamy Casino Champion.

Carpentier recorded four cashes including a gold ring win, two sixths and a 38th-place finish in the Main Event en route to earning 100 points and besting Nimer Ltaif by a mere 2.5 points in the 12-tournament race to Atlantic City.

The Lac-Leamy schedule included 10 gold ring events at the property and two events on EspaceJeux.com, a Quebec-based government owned and operated online gaming site. With 97.5 points coming in the form of five cashes and three final table appearances, Ltaif lead the Casino Championship through Lac-Leamy's first 10 events. It took Carpentier until the 12th and final event to best the pace set by the leader.

The final ring event, a $530 No-Limit Hold'em tournament that took place December 8 on EspaceJeux.com, drew 131 entries and Carpentier left his mark, making his third final table of the series and ultimately finishing sixth for a $3,406 score and 22.5 points.

In the end, just one player could take Casino Champion honors, but Ltaif's 97.5 points are a great start toward an at-large berth as the Circuit heads to back half of the season after the first of the year.

Other notables to contend for the title at Lac-Leamy include Adam Podstawka (80 points, Leah (55 points), John Nelson (50 points) and Casey Jarzabek (30 points).

The National Championship is set to take place at Caesars Atlantic City this spring. There, 100 of the Circuit's best players will compete for an up-to $2 million prize pool and a gold bracelet under the close watch of the ESPN cameras.

More information on the National Championship is available on WSOP.com.

Top 10 point earners at Casino Lac-Leamy:

1. Marc Carpentier - 100 points
2. Nimer Ltaif - 97.5 points
3. Adam Podstawka - 80 points
4. Mike Leah - 55 points
5. Nicola Basile - 55 points
6. John Nelson - 50 points
7. Andre-Paul Baillargeon-Smith - 50 points
8. Andrej Markovinovic - 50 points
9. Aila Elouta - 50 points
10. Six others tied at 50 points

Full standings available on WSOP.com.