European Cash Game – A PokerHeaven Legacy

The PokerHeaven.com European Cash Game brought together Europe’s top talent and rising stars for high-stakes, no-limit Texas Hold’em action. Broadcast on The Poker Channel in the late 2000s, the show offered a raw look into real-money games—complete with aggressive bluffs, hero calls, and the kind of table talk that defined an era of televised poker.
Although the show ended more than a decade ago, its legacy lives on. This page pays tribute to the players, personalities, and unforgettable moments that defined ECG.

🔁 Want more classic content like this? Head back to the Poker Channel Europe homepage to explore more legacy features.

The Format

Filmed in a sleek studio setup, ECG featured real cash games—no tournament chips, no second chances. Blinds were high, the stakes were real, and the lineup rotated to include seasoned professionals and ambitious online pros looking to prove themselves on TV.

Season 2 aired online and on TV across Europe starting in October 2009, with new episodes released weekly. The games were gritty, and the personalities were even louder.

Featured Players

Here are just a few of the legendary players who sat down at the ECG felt:

• Andy Black – WSOP Main Event final tablist and former monk, known for his fiery table presence.
• Leo Margets – Last woman standing at the 2009 WSOP Main Event.
• Bruno Fitoussi – French poker legend and architect, with over $2.3M in live winnings.
• Jens Kyllönen – Finnish phenom who crushed the EPT in 2009 and went on to dominate online.
• Sammy George – Nicknamed “Any Two,” always ready for action.
• Simon Munz – From Starcraft to poker star, endurance was his edge.
• Andreas Høivold – Norwegian Omaha specialist and EPT champion.
• Ricardo Sousa – Known as “lostlucky,” a feared tournament grinder from Portugal.
• Eric Liu – Online beast and CardRunners coach, winner of Season 1.
• Andrew Feldman – London-based young gun with a UK Open title to his name.
• François Balmigere – Deep run in the 2009 WSOP Main Event, finishing 25th.

Many of the ECG players also made waves during the poker boom covered extensively by Hendon Mob, the leading database for live poker tournament results.

Notable Moments & Legacy

While Season 1 crowned Eric Liu as its standout, Season 2 brought even more dramatic hands and clashes. Highlights included multi-way all-ins, Sammy George’s wild bluffs, and heated table banter.

Unfortunately, the European Cash Game series came to an end shortly after Season 2. PokerHeaven.com, the show’s sponsor, shut down in 2015 following industry changes and mergers.

What Happened to PokerHeaven and ECG?

• PokerHeaven.com was a popular European poker room that operated independently before moving to the iPoker network.
• It sponsored multiple poker TV shows and tournaments but closed in 2015.
• The European Cash Game series ended after its second season and hasn’t returned since.
• The Poker Channel itself transitioned to online content before eventually shutting down.

Still, for poker fans who remember the mid-2000s boom, ECG remains a classic snapshot of raw, unscripted cash game poker.

Learn More About Poker’s Golden Era

Looking for more iconic poker history? Check out our FAQ page for deeper context on the Poker Channel’s programming, or explore other legacy shows like the Cash Game Master Class and World Series of Poker archives.