ElkY
{{short description|French poker player and electronic sports player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox poker player
|name=Bertrand Grospellier
|nickname=ElkY
|birth_date={{birth date and age|df=yes|1981|2|8}}
|birth_place=Melun, France
|image = Bertrand Grospellier 2020.jpg
|caption=ElkY at King's Casino Rozvadov in 2020
|residence=Prague, Czech Republic
|wsop bracelet count=2
|wsop final tables=6
|wsop money finishes=47{{Cite web |title=Bertrand Grospellier |url=https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=32116 |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=WSOP.com}}
|wsop main event best finish rank=122nd
|wsop main event best finish year=2009
|multi-year wsop winner=
|wpt titles=1
|wpt final tables=2
|wpt money finishes=5
|ept titles=1
|ept final tables=2
|ept money finishes=18
|updated=2016-02-19
|module1 = {{Infobox Pro Gaming player|embed=yes
| team = Team Liquid
| game = Hearthstone
| career_games = {{ubl|StarCraft: Brood War|Warcraft III|Hearthstone}}
| years1 =
| team1 =
| highlights =
- Euro Cyber Games champion (2003)
}}
}}
Bertrand Grospellier ({{IPA|fr|bɛʁtʁɑ̃ ɡʁopɛlje}}; born 8 February 1981 in Melun{{cite web|url=http://www.worldcybergames.com/6th/history/match_detail.asp?i_dbcodeno=0&i_evtno=53&i_itemno=240&i_seq=1&i_matchgrpno=360&i_matchno=9412|title=WCG Official Website|access-date=27 April 2008|work=worldcybergames.com}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}), also known as ElkY {{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|l|k|i}}, is a French poker player and former StarCraft: Brood War and Warcraft III esports player. As of February 2025, his total live poker earnings exceeds $15.4 million.{{Cite web |title=Bertrand Grospellier |url=https://www.pokernews.com/poker-players/bertrand-grospellier/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=www.pokernews.com |language=en}} He has won two World Series of Poker bracelets.
He has won a World Poker Tour (WPT), a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet and a European Poker Tour (EPT) title, giving him the Triple Crown. He is a PartyPoker Pro, and he currently resides in Prague, Czech Republic, as of 2024.{{Cite web |title=Bertrand Grospellier's profile on The Hendon Mob |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=39879 |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://poker.partypoker.com/en/p/team-partypoker/bertrand-elky-grospellier|title=Partypoker}} ElkY maintained the number-one rank on the Global Poker Index for 18 weeks between July 2011 and October 2012.{{Cite web |date=2011-07-28 |title=Global Poker Index: Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier Continues Reign on Top |url=https://www.pokernews.com/news/2011/07/global-poker-index-bertrand-elky-grospellier-continues-reign-10761.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=www.pokernews.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=GPI Player of the Decade {{!}} #6 ElkY {{!}} The Official Global Poker Index - GPI Rankings |url=https://www.globalpokerindex.com/gpi-player-of-the-decade-6-elky/ |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=www.globalpokerindex.com}} In November 2015, ElkY returned to the esports scene by joining Team Liquid as a Hearthstone player.{{Update needed|date=February 2025}}
''StarCraft'' and ''WarCraft III''
ElkY was one of the top-ranked StarCraft players in the world, having placed second in the World Cyber Games in 2001 and continuing his career in South Korea for a few years subsequent, including a fourth-place finish in an Ongamenet Starleague. By 2002, he picked up the newly released WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos and garnered success by finishing second in the televised Ongamenet WarCraft Retail League before retiring.{{cite web |url=http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2007/11/final-table-decided-in-chase-for-appt.html |title=Final table decided in chase for APPT Macau: Asian Poker Open title - Seat 4: Bertrand Grospellier |access-date=2 November 2008 |last=Willis |first=Brad "Otis" |date=25 November 2007 |work=pokerstarsblog.com |archive-date=5 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705180929/http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2007/11/final-table-decided-in-chase-for-appt.html |url-status=dead }}
=Accomplishments=
- 3rd – StarCraft: Brood War, KBK Jeju, 2001 (Seoul, South Korea){{cite web|url=http://www.sk-gaming.com/content/2197|title=SK.wc3 founded|date=6 August 2002|work=Johannes 'jaba' Greiser|publisher=SK Gaming|access-date=27 June 2012|archive-date=17 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717080853/http://www.sk-gaming.com/content/2197|url-status=dead}}
- 2nd – StarCraft: Brood War, World Cyber Games 2001 (Seoul, South Korea){{cite web|url=http://www.wcg.com/6th/tournament/2001/sc_2001_double.asp?sort=G041108102|title=WCG 2001 result|publisher=World Cyber Games official site|access-date=27 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512234312/http://www.wcg.com/6th/tournament/2001/sc_2001_double.asp?sort=G041108102|archive-date=12 May 2012}}
- 4th – StarCraft: Brood War, World Cyber Games 2002 (Daejeon, South Korea){{cite web|url=http://www.wcg.com/6th/tournament/2002/sc_2002_double.asp?sort=G041108109|title=WCG 2002 result|publisher=World Cyber Games official site|access-date=27 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513000029/http://www.wcg.com/6th/tournament/2002/sc_2002_double.asp?sort=G041108109|archive-date=13 May 2012}}
- 4th – StarCraft: Brood War, SKY 2 Ongamenet Starleague, 2002 (Seoul, South Korea){{cite web|url=http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=50469|title=OGN Starleague History|date=3 March 2007|publisher=Team Liquid|access-date=27 June 2012}}
- 2nd – WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos, Ongamenet WarCraft Retail League, 2002 (Seoul, South Korea){{cite web|url=http://esport.sports.cn/war3/article/2005-06-22/597319.html|title=历届以来的War3冠军|date=22 June 2005|publisher=Sina.com, Sports.cn|language=en, zh|access-date=27 June 2012|archive-date=21 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721074010/http://esport.sports.cn/war3/article/2005-06-22/597319.html|url-status=dead}}
- 1st – StarCraft: Brood War, Euro Cyber Games 2003 (Paris, France){{cite web|url=http://www.sk-gaming.com/content/6607|title=ECG: results|date=28 September 2003|publisher=SK Gaming|access-date=27 June 2012|archive-date=17 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717080858/http://www.sk-gaming.com/content/6607|url-status=dead}}
- Round 8 – StarCraft: Brood War, World Cyber Games 2003 (Seoul, South Korea){{cite web|url=http://www.wcg.com/6th/tournament/2003/tm_match_single_sc.html|title=WCG 2003 result|publisher=World Cyber Games official site|access-date=27 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529112418/http://www.wcg.com/6th/tournament/2003/tm_match_single_sc.html|archive-date=29 May 2012}}
- Round 16 – StarCraft: Brood War, World Cyber Games 2004 (San Francisco, California, United States){{cite web|url=http://www.wcg.com/6th/tournament/2004/tm_match_single_sc.html|title=WCG 2004 result|publisher=World Cyber Games official site|access-date=27 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421234620/http://www.wcg.com/6th/tournament/2004/tm_match_single_sc.html|archive-date=21 April 2012}}
Poker career
ElkY turned his attention to professional poker from 2004 to 2005, where he became a full-time poker pro. ElkY was a member of Team PokerStars. He was the first person to reach "Supernova" and "Supernova Elite" statuses on PokerStars, having earned 100,000 and 1,000,000 player points in 2 weeks, and {{frac|4|1|2}} months, respectively.
=Accomplishments=
He set the Guinness World Record for most Single Table Sit & Goes played in one hour for a total of 62 at a $6.50 buy-in with a profit of $23.60. In addition to playing playing a high number of simultaneous tournaments, he has transferred well to live tournaments and cash games.
=European Poker Tour=
On Saturday, 20 January 2007, he finished second in the Copenhagen event on the European Poker Tour for €309,000.{{Cite web |title=European Poker Tour - EPT Copenhagen, No Limit Hold'em - EPT Main Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=23158 |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}
In January 2008, ElkY finished in 1st place, winning $2,000,000 at the European Poker Tour's (EPT) PokerStars Caribbean Poker Adventure.{{Cite web |title=PokerStars Caribbean Adventure - PCA 2008, PokerStars Caribbean Adventure |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=27802 |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Willis |first=Brad "Otis" |last2=Swains |first2=Howard |date=10 January 2008 |title=Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier wins 2008 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure |url=http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/2008/01/bertrand-elky-grospellier-wins-2008.html |access-date=11 January 2008}}
A year later, while being knocked out of the main event of the PokerStars Caribbean Poker Adventure on day 1, ElkY went on to take home the EPT5 $25,000 buy-in "High Roller" side event for $433,500.{{Cite web |title=PokerStars Caribbean Adventure - PCA 2009, No Limit Hold'em - High Roller Event |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=34800 |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}}
=World Poker Tour=
In October 2008, ElkY added to his tournament haul by winning the World Poker Tour's Festa al Lago tournament, claiming a $1.4 million first prize.{{Cite web |title=6th Annual Festa Al Lago Classic, WPT Championship |url=https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/event.php?a=r&n=32512 |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=The Hendon Mob Poker Database |language=en}} The win marked ElkY's first-ever cash on the WPT. He also became just the third person, along with Roland De Wolfe and Gavin Griffin, to win a title on both the WPT and EPT. As a result of his success on the seventh season of the World Poker Tour, ElkY was awarded the distinction of "WPT Player of the Year.{{Cite web |date=25 April 2009 |title=Bertrand Elky Grospellier Season 7 Player of the Year WPT World Championship Level 28: 100,000-200,000 |url=https://www.worldpokertour.com/live_update/bertrand-elky-grospellier-season-7-player-of-the-year-wpt-world-championship-level-28-100000-200000/ |access-date=30 March 2024 |website=World Poker Tour |language=en-US}}
| class="wikitable" |
| + World Poker Tour Titles |
| Year
!Tournament !Prize (US$) |
|---|
| 2008
|$15,000 Festa al Lago |$1,411,015 |
=World Championship of Online Poker=
ElkY was disqualified from event 29 in the 2008 World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) for agreeing to go all-in blind with another player. This violated the tournament rule which states "Poker is an individual (not a team) game. Any action or chat intended to help another player is unethical and is prohibited." His winnings were forfeited and other places were moved up in the standings to replace his finish.{{cite web|url=http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/61/mtt-community/elky-d-qed-500r-but-will-play-wcoop-me-303845/|title=elky d/q'ed from 500r, but will play WCOOP ME - MTT Community - Multi Table Tournament Poker Community|website=forumserver.twoplustwo.com}} Two other players (Annette_15 and charder30) had also violated the same rule earlier.{{cite web |url=http://forums.ukgamblingforums.co.uk/annette-15-banned-t2410.html |title=Annette_15 Banned from stars - Poker-Forum| Betting Forum: UKGF |access-date=6 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410115525/http://forums.ukgamblingforums.co.uk/annette-15-banned-t2410.html |archive-date=10 April 2010 }}
On 18 September 2009, ElkY won his first WCOOP bracelet in event 38.{{cite web |url=http://news.bluffmagazine.com/2009-wcoop-event-38-elky-excels-at-tough-final-table-7156/ |title=2009 WCOOP Event #38: ElKY Excels at Tough Final Table | BLUFF Poker News |access-date=21 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708074618/http://news.bluffmagazine.com/2009-wcoop-event-38-elky-excels-at-tough-final-table-7156/ |archive-date=8 July 2011 }} He added a second bracelet only three days later in Event 43 by besting a field of 9,220 entrants. His winnings for both events totalled nearly $500,000.
| class="wikitable" border="1" |
| + World Championship of Online Poker Titles |
| Year
!Event !Tournament !Prize (US$) |
|---|
| 2009
|Event 38 |$530 No Limit Hold’em 1R1A |$232,730 |
| 2009
|Event 43 |$215 No Limit Hold’em |$263,323 |
Spring Championship of Online Poker Titles
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Event !Tournament !Prize(US$) |
| 2011
|Event 35 |$25,000 Heads-Up NLHE |$112,500 |
=World Series of Poker=
ElkY won his first WSOP bracelet in the 2011 Seven Card Stud Championship, overcoming a field of 126 to collect $331,639 in prize money. This win made ElkY only the fourth player to win a WPT, EPT and WSOP title.
ElkY won his second bracelet in the 2019 WSOPE, winning the $550 Colossus No-limit Hold'em event.
| class="wikitable" |
| + World Series of Poker |
| Year
!Tournament !Prize |
|---|
| 2011
|$10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship |$331,639 |
| 2019E
|€550 Colossus No-Limit Hold’em |€191,172 |
An "E" following a year denotes bracelet(s) won at the World Series of Poker Europe
=Career earnings=
Charity
Today, ElkY is a member of the "Champions for Peace" club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport, created by Peace and Sport, a Monaco-based international organization.{{cite web|url=http://www.peace-sport.org/|title=Peace and Sport|website=www.peace-sport.org}}
''Hearthstone''
In November 2015, Elky returned to the esports scene by joining Team Liquid as a Hearthstone player.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailydot.com/esports/poker-elky-liquid-hearthstone/|title=Poker star and StarCraft legend ElkY signs with Team Liquid for Hearthstone|first=Callum|last=Leslie|website=The Daily Dot|date=13 November 2015|access-date=14 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117014127/http://www.dailydot.com/esports/poker-elky-liquid-hearthstone/|archive-date=17 November 2015|url-status=dead}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.pokerstars.com/team-pokerstars/bertrand-grospellier/ Team PokerStars profile] {{Webarchive|url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20080315024611/http://www.pokerstars.com/team-pokerstars/bertrand-grospellier/ |date=15 March 2008 }}
- [http://www.blondepoker.com/index.php?q=node/5766 Blonde Poker interview]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927182532/http://www.ggl.com/index.php?controller=News&method=article&id=2028 Global Gaming League interview]
- [http://www.poker-king.com/bertrand-elky-grospellier-profile.php Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier Profile]
- [https://cardplayerlifestyle.com/poker-esport-interview-bertrand-elky-grospellier/ Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier Interview]
- [https://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/player.php?a=r&n=39879 Hendon Mob profile]
- [https://www.worldpokertour.com/player/elky-grospellier/ WPT profile]
- [https://www.wsop.com/players/profile/?playerid=32116 WSOP profile]
{{European Poker Awards Player of the Year}}
{{World Poker Tour Player of the Year Award Winners}}
{{2010s WSOP Bracelet Winners}}
{{Team Liquid}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elky}}
Category:Sportspeople from Melun
Category:French esports players
Category:European Poker Tour winners