On the heels of hosting the WPT Montreal the biggest poker tournament in Canadian history in which two local rising stars beat out a field featuring some of the biggest names in the game to go heads up for first prize Playground Poker Club is keeping the action going fast and furious with the announcement of three new additions to the prestigious Playground Players Club.

The first-ever World Poker Tour stop in Montreal wrapped up earlier this week at Playground Poker Club with a result that defied even the most optimistic predictions. The tournament featured a field of 1173 players and a prize pool of roughly $3.3 million with a winner’s share of over $750000. Jonathan Roy and Pascal LeFrancois two Quebec natives were the last two players standing and Roy beat out his friend to take down the title.

Roy also won a $25000 entry to the prestigious WPT Champions event a WPT bracelet and a WPT Montreal/Playground Poker Club championship belt. Lefrancois didn’t walk away too unhappy as he wound up with a prize of over $475000.

‘Having two local players beat out so many big names from the poker world to go heads-up in the biggest tournament this country has ever seen was a big thrill for everyone here at Playground who put so much hard work into the event ‘ said Playground COO David Montour.

The final table had a real local flair with four Canadians among the six vying for glory including 2-time WPT winner Gavin Smith one of the latest additions to the Playground Players Club along with two other big names.

Jeff Gross may be only 25 years old but he’s got a lot of accomplishments under his belt. A former standout soccer player at the NCAA level for the University of South Carolina Gross became a pro poker player after graduation and never looked back. He already has two WSOP Final Tables under his belt and a sixth-place finish at the 2012 WSOP $10000 Heads Up event. Gross had his best friend Michael Phelps the most decorated Olympian of all time cheering him on to a third place finish at Playground during the WPT Montreal.

Gavin Smith is a veteran of the tournament and cash game circuit who originally hails from Guelph Ontario and now calls Las Vegas his home. The 44-year old brought immediate success as a member of the Players Club by finishing fourth in the WPT Montreal event and taking home a prize of over $211000. His career tournament winnings alone are in excess of $6 million and Smith is known as one of the great characters of the poker world.

Brian Rast rounds out the new Players Club additions and brings an impressive resume to the tables. The 31-year old native of Denver Colorado is a 2-time bracelet winner on the WSOP including at the $50000 Players Championship event. His tournament winnings alone exceed $4.4 million dollars and the consensus in most poker circles on Rast is that the best is yet to come. Rast is close friends with Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari two founding members of the Playground Players Club.

‘The three new additions to the Players Club roster bring big success and huge potential to a group that was already strong.’ concluded Montour.

By adding Gross Smith and Rast to a group already includes the likes of Bruce Buffer Guy Carbonneau Esfandiari Laak Michael Mizrachi Marc Karam Jennifer Leigh and more while hosting the biggest tournament the country has ever seen Playground Poker Club is winding down their most successful year to date but at the rate things are going the best is yet come.