Bertrand Grospellier

Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier is one of the most accomplished and well known poker pros in the world, but fame is nothing new for the French superstar. Before poker, ElkY regularly played computer games, a passion that turned competitive when he discovered the game StarCraft and began playing online against opponents around the world. He eventually moved to South Korea where he became a gaming sensation who routinely competed in the Korean Pro Gaming league and finished 2nd in the 2001 World Cyber Games. By 2004, ElkY had become a household name in the world of video games, and decided to retire in search of his next challenge.

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When ElkY was first introduced to PokerStars, he was intrigued and immediately driven to become one of the best in the game. The skills he had acquired in his pro gaming days translated well to poker, and positive results came quite quickly. He is known for his extreme dedication to studying and putting in long hours at the table, which paid off when he became the first player in history to top the PokerStars VIP Club by achieving the Supernova Elite status. His tireless efforts online have earned him a spot as one PokerStars most profitable players of all time.

After achieving great things online, ElkY moved on to the world of tournaments, where he has dominated many large events. In 2007, he was runner-up at the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) stop in Copenhagen, which was good for $399,953. That same year, he travelled to the World Series of Poker* in Las Vegas and pocketed $29,124 when he finished 9th in a $2,500 No Limit Hold’em event. While these were impressive results, nothing could compare to what came next; a victory at the 2008 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA), where ElkY bested over a thousand players to take home $2,000,000. He continued his fantastic run in 2008 when he cashed several times for more than $400,000 in the PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP). Amazingly, ElkY finished off the year with yet another huge win, this time at the WPT Festa al Lago event where he was awarded over $1,400,000 for first place.

When he returned to the PCA in 2009, he promptly won the High Roller event and took home $433,500, then went on to compete against poker’s best players in the NBC National Heads-up Poker Championship where he took 3rd place for $125,000. Another impressive final table appearance at the WPT Five Star World Poker Classic earned the Frenchman $776,245 in prize money for finishing 3rd. Next, ElkY had the online poker community on the edge of their seats as he won an astonishing two World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) events for over $500,000 collectively. After another long string of impressive tournament scores, ElkY amassed even more huge results in 2011 when he placed 3rd in the High Roller Event at the LA Poker Classic for over $146,000, and then went on to win both High Roller tournaments at the EPT Grand Final in Madrid which sent him home with over a million more dollars to add to his swelling bankroll. He then went to the World Series and finally won the bracelet that had eluded him for so long, taking victory in the $10,000 Stud event for $331,639.

It’s no secret that ElkY’s competitive drive and fierce determination are strong contributors to his amazing poker career. Because he is so dedicated to the game, he has very little free time, but continues to keep up with the computer gaming industry and is still ranked as a top StarCraft player. Bertrand Grospellier is a Team PokerStars Pro member and plays online using his well-known nickname ‘ElkY.’

Career Highlights

Event	Date	Position	Prize
EPT Copenhagen Dkr 37,500 Main Event	Jan-07	2nd	$399,953
2007 WSOP* $2,500 No Limit Hold’em	Jun-07	9th	$29,124
APPT Macau $2,500 Main Event	Nov-07	5th	$48,576
EPT PokerStars Caribbean Adventure	Jan-08	1st	$2,000,000
PokerStars WCOOP $25,500 NLHE Heads-Up	Sep-08	2nd	$320,000
WPT Festa al Lago $15,000	Oct-08	1st	$1,411,015
EPT PokerStars Caribbean Adventure $25k High Roller	Jan-09	1st	$433,500
EPT Deauville High Roller Event	Jan-09	3rd	$101,839
NBC National Heads-Up Poker Championship	Mar-09	3rd	$125,000
WPT World Championship	Apr-09	3rd	$776,245
2009 WCOOP $530 NLHE 1R1A	Sep-09	1st	$232,730
2009 WCOOP $215 NLHE	Sep-09	1st	$263,323
Trophees Haussmann €3,000 Main Event	Dec-10	1st	$147,000
LA Poker Classic $25,000 High Roller	Feb-11	3rd	$146,055
EPT Madrid €25,000 High Roller	May-11	1st	$779,221
2011 WSOP* $10,000 Seven Card Stud	June-11	1st	$331,639
EPT Madrid €10,000 High Roller	May-11	1st	$227,087

*World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Caesars License Company, LLC ("Caesars"). Caesars does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with PokerStars or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.