Fresh faces qualify for Everest Poker Japan Cup

The winner of the Japan Cup final table pockets $20,000.

You won't find many grizzled pros among the winners of Everest Poker's latest round of qualifiers for its live Japan Cup event.

The three men who've taken down the most recent series of online and live freeroll poker tournaments exclusively for Japanese players are, for the most part, newcomers to the game.

Though he has just eight months of online poker under his belt, May 10 winner alternative0 has big plans for final's possible prize money: a Main Event buy-in for the World Series of Poker.

May 12 live qualifier AD1 has been competing online for just 10 months and already has the potential winnings from the Everest Poker Japan Cup final earmarked for world travel should he go the distance.

Namazu7 topped the May 17 qualifier, which the golf and casino-game enthusiast also hopes will be a springboard to win a little extra travel cash at the final event.

"We've been really impressed with the response from our Japanese players, many of whom are playing live poker for the first time ever," said Everest Poker property manager Jonathan May. "These free tournaments give everyone the chance to show off the skills they've developed."

The qualifiers started in April, and will end with 30 players who each receive a $1,400 prize package that includes travel and an entry fee to the final live event held on Tinian Island. The winner of this event walks away with a prize package worth $20,000.

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