Videos of EPT Back Rubber Frida Johansson Make for a Good Post

The below video of Italian poker pro Cristiano Blanco interviewing Peter Jepsen's girlfriend Frida Johansson, who you may know better as the European Poker Tour's back-rubbin' hottie, is Exhibit # 3,237,829 of why you shouldn't trust your girl around an Italian dude.

And after the jump, CardPlayer Italia's perv-errific video of the smoking hot Swedish masseuse (did they purposely zoom in on her back so it says 'SAGE RAPIST' about 40 seconds in?) is Exhibit #1 of the most noteworthy thing the so-called "Poker Authority" has ever done. Only Italians can get away with shooting something like this on the floor of a poker tournament. Or at least do so and not feel creepy about it.

Watch on YouTube here.

Click "Continue . . ." below for second video.

US American Jason Mercier Wins EPT San Remo In-a Italy

Our final EPT San Remo report is brought to you by the favolosa-ly gorgeous 29-year-old Italian model and actress Elisabetta Canalis, who like most hot Italian chicks has a penchant for banging professional soccer players. We hear Chelsea's Didier Drogba is the latest to have the pleasure.

A U.S. American has done it again.

For the third time this season, a relative unknown from the US of A has upset the Europeans on their home turf to take the top prize in a European Poker Tour event. First it was Reuben Peters of Colorado who slayed poker phenom Annette Obrestad, a woman, heads-up to win the EPT Dublin last November. Then it was Tim Vance at the EPT Scandinavian Open who conquered the Danes in Copenhagen. And now it's 21-year-old Jason Mercier, playing in just his second live tournament, who will bring an EPT title back across the Atlantic after he bested a field of 700 mostly Euro-runners to win the EPT San Remo and its €869,000 first place prize.

On his way to victory, Mercier played a near perfect tournament at the Casino Sanremo. The young Floridian, who plays online poker for a living, ended day 2 as the chipleader, and he found himself at the final table today in good position with the second most chips, just behind Italy's boy wonder Dario Minieri. While the mini Minieri was poised to command the final table with his aggressive style and the vocal support of his countrymen, it was Mercier who ended up dominating the table, singlehandedly sending the final five to the rail, including Swede William Thorson (6th), Italy's Gregory Genovese (5th), France's Eric Koskas (4th), Minieri (3rd) and France's Anthony Lellouche (2nd).

With his win, Mercier earns an automatic seat to the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo on April 12. The premier poker tournament on European soil, the EPT Grand Final has been won the past two years by a US American, with Jeff Williams capturing the title in 2006 and Gavin Griffin taking it down 2007.

Watch a video of the final hand being played out at the EPT San Remo and Kara Scott's post-victory chat with Mercier here and read Matthew Showell's interview with Mercier after his win here.

EPT San Remo: Italy's Dario Minieri and US America's Jason Mercier Lead Final Table

This EPT San Remo report presented by 28-year-old Italian TV showgirl Elisabetta Gregoraci. The ambitious Italian hottie is most famous for "allegedly" banging a high-ranking public official to land a spot on a television show and is now banging some rich Italian dude 31 years her senior. See more of her on the Internet.

The final table at the EPT San Remo in Italy is set with the home country's Dario Minieri the chip leader with 1,832,000 in chips, and US American Jason Mercier in second with 1,591,000.

Minieri, who we first noticed at the 2006 WSOP, more for his scarf-wearing, femmi-bambino-ish looks than his hyper-aggro playing style, is no doubt the home turf favorite and will be looking for his first major tournament win. Minieri is a regular fixture at the virtual tables on PokerStars as well as the European Poker Tour and WSOP. His biggest cash so far was at the EPT Baden in 2006 where he finished third.

Mercier, who hails from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, is playing in only his second live tournament and is seeking to be the third US American to take home an EPT title in Season 4. Check out an interview PL's Arthur Cowson did with Jason ahead of the final table here. Another US American, Marcus Bower, has also made the final eight although he's severely shortstacked with just 278,000.

The player with the most wicked poker chops at the final table is Scandi William Thorson, who has his work cut out for him with only 418,000 in chips.

Player most likely to have you whacked if you suck out on the river against him: Italy's Gregory Genovese, who's stacked with 694,000.

Also at the final table are two Frenchies, Anthony Lellouche and Eric Koskas, who have somehow not yet surrendered their chips (1,192,000 and 449,000, respectively) to other players.

The full final table at the EPT San Remo below and clicktastic photos of Elisabetta Gregoraci below that:

Dario Minieri (Italy) - 1,832,000
Jason Mercier (USA) - 1,591,000
Anthony Lellouche (France) - 1,192,000
Gregory Genovese (Italy) - 694,000
Dag Palovic (Slovakia) - 585,000
Eric Koskas (France) - 449,000
William Thorson (Sweden) - 418,000
Marcus Bower (USA) - 278,000

EPT San Remo: Diminutive Scarf Wearing Dario Minieri Doing Well

Today's EPT San Remo report brought to you by 22-year-old Italian hottie Debora Salvalaggio, who likes to play this game with us called "Find the Photo of Debora where she isn't Topless." And she almost always wins, except for maybe this time. See Debora playing the game like a champ here (NSFW) and with this NSFW video here.

Day 3 is well underway at the EPT San Remo in Italy because they're 9 hours ahead of Las Vegas time and it's 9:20am here which makes it that plus 9 hours o' clock in Italy right now. You do the math.

Starting the day as the chip leader with 31 players remaining was US American Jason Mercier, who bagged 648,000 in chips at the end of the night. In second was that French guy who sounds like he should be either Eastern European or from Minneapolis but definitely not a Frenchie. Koskas sat down today with 596,000 and is currently the chip leader with more than a million in chips, according to the PokerListings gang in Sanremo.

In third at the start of today was that itty bitty Italian guy who wears the Harry Potterish scarves but we bet he still gets laid, Dario Minieri. He started the day with 596,000 and last we looked, he's on a tear on Day 3 with more than 800,000 in chips.

Also doing well is William Thorson, who had 320,000 at today's start and was the chipleader about an hour ago with around 900,000. The Swede has amassed more than $1.6 in tournament winnings over the past few years, with $900k of that from his 13th place finish at the 2006 WSOP Main Event.

On the notable players from US America front, they're all gone.

Best middle name that is a middle name and not a nickname at the EPT San Remo: Mads Wissing Andersen

Best Italian name of the day: Ezio Guagliata.

Live reports here.

EPT San Remo: French Guy With a Non Sounding French Name on Top After Day 1b

Today's EPT San Remo report brought to you by Giorgia Palmas, the stunningly perfect 26-year-old Italian television personality who just may be the hottest hot girl from the land of pizzas, cannolis, and guys who put gobs of grease in their hair. Do yourself a favor and get to know Giorgia here (NSFW), here (NSFW video) and the clickably candid beach photos below.

France's Eric Koskas, whose name doesn't sound very French to us in that it doesn't sound like the name of some man-loving fashion designer who wears a beret, says "oui oui" a lot and puffs on Gauloises all day, finished Day 1b at the EPT San Remo as the chip leader. Koskas takes 106,200 in chips onto Day 2, putting him just behind Day 1a leader Ville Nyman of Finland.

Here's what the top 5 look like heading into today at the Casino Sanremo:

Ville Nyman -- Finland -- 107,100
Eric Koskas -- France -- 106,200
Henrik Brockmann -- Germany -- 100,100
Antony Lellouche -- France -- 97,200
Yung Hwang -- US -- 96,000

208 poker players have made it through to Day 2 of the sold-out event, which started April 1 with 700 entries and almost a third of the field from the home country Italy. The next largest contingency was neighboring France who had 64 players ready to surrender their chips at the first sign of aggression. The US Americans also showed up in force with 61 players, no doubt thanks to PokerStars online qualifiers.

The total purse at the EPT San Remo is an impressive €3,195,860 with first place set to earn €869,000 and a total of 72 players walking away with some cash in their pockets.

Big names making it to Day 2 but already eliminated include Daniel Negreanu, Thor Hansen, Pascal Perrault, Steve Zolotow. Noted players from Day 1b still among the field on Day 2, last we checked, include Theo Jorgensen, Antonio Esfandiari, Marc Goodwin, Todd Brunson, Juha Helppi, Max Pescatori, and Soren Jensen.

Best Italian name of the day: Flavio Ferrari Zumbini

Best use of the useless umlaut: Eero Kekäläinen

Get live updates here and here.

Get happy with photos of Giorgia Palmas below . . .

Hot Furry Action at the EPT San Remo

We know many of our readers have been saying, "You know I really dig EPT presenter Kara Scott, but when is she gonna do the furry thing on video. Boy would I love to see her dressed as a squirrel or a chipmunk. Or better yet, a bunny rabbit. Now that would be hot!"

Well, like Christmas come early, if you're some strange dude who gets off on people dressing as anthropomorphic animal characters, the Canadian-born hostess donned a rabbit suit at the EPT San Remo yesterday after apparently losing a prop bet with Chris Tessaro from Hardcore Sports Radio. Video in all its plushy glory below.

Watch the video on YouTube here.

Thanks to CJ for the tip.

EPT San Remo Sees Finland's Ville Nyman Lead on Day 1a

The next stop of the European Poker Tour is underway in Italy, home to some of the world's most sensationally hot women, like Melissa Satta at right.

The first of two Day Ones at the EPT San Remo was held yesterday with 337 mostly Euro-rounders ponying up the €5,000 buy-in at the Casino Sanremo. At the end of Day 1a, a total of 95 players remained, and it was Finland's Ville Nyman who held the chip lead with 107,100, and Germany's Henrik Brockmann was not far behind with 100,100. Just think of the crazy, disturbing porn these two fellas combined have probably witnessed during their lifetimes. Really, Fins and Germans love the weird stuff. It's creepy. But curious.

US Americans have gotten off to a decent start with Yung Hwang amassing the third most in chips (96,600) and Anthony Spinella (71,600) and Isaac Baron (62,700) also among the top ten.

Notables who lasted through the Day 1a action include Luca Pagano (53,900), Mark Teltscher (50,400), Brandon Schaefer (48,400), Raymond Rahme (43,700), Roland de Wolfe (39,800), Ryan Daut (35,900), Steve Zolotow (33,800), Dario Minieri (28,200), Liz Lieu, a woman (28,700), Pascal Perrault (23,500), and Thor Hansen (11,600).

Some of the big names making an early exit in San Remo include Patrik Antonius, Sorel Mizzi, Mel Judah, Katja Thater, a woman, and Peter Jepsen.

Day 1b action is already underway today, and the tournament has reached its capacity of 700 players, making it the largest EPT event this year on European soil, we think. Among those in the field today are Daniel Negreanu, Noah Boeken, Vanessa Rousso, a woman, Isabelle Mercier, a woman, Fabrice Soulier, Todd Brunson, William Thorson and Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellie.

Get live updates here and here.

See photos of Melissa Satta from her Spanish Maxim spread and more, below and after the jump.