Congratulations to Vladimir Bozinovic Winner of WPT Baden

Level 29: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

During the WPT Baden final table build up, the poker world was getting excited over the possibility of a WPT Triple Crown for Marvin Rettenmaier. All the talk was of the mercurial German. But Day Four saw the emergence of a new star. A Serbian superstar. For large periods of Day Four Vladimir Bozinovic tore the field apart. So he would have been grateful that Rettenmaier was carrying all of the pressure into the final table. It showed as well. There was not one single bead of perspiration on the body of the ice cool Serbian. He played as aggressively as he had done the previous day, and this time he got the luck as well. Congratulations to Vladimir Bozinovic the new WPT Champions Club member.

Let’s take a look at the key points of today’s action

The first player to be eliminated was the short-stacked Polish player Grzegorz Wyraz.  The online qualifier making his move with pocket fives only to run into the pocket sixes of Oswin Ziegelbecker.

Then we had the exit that the poker world didn’t want to see. Two time WPT Champion Marvin Rettenmaier didn’t get firing today, and his final stand came in a hand against Kimmo Kurko. It was K Q for Rettenmaier, A Q for Kurko and five community cards later Rettenmaier was out in fifth spot. No third title for the disappointed German.

The third player eliminated was our Day 1A chip leader Kimmo Kurko. The Flying Fin having his wings clipped by Bozinovic in a hand that Kurko was favourite to win. It was A J for Kurko, and K 9 for Bozinovic. The K on the flop pushing Kurko out of the door.

The local boy was next to go. Oswin Ziegelbecker will be a player we will see on future WPT stops. Once again lady luck played her part in the demise of one of the WPT title contenders. It was Ziegelbecker with A K up against Bozinovic and A T. A T on the turn sending the Serbian fans into rapture and the Austrian over to the rail.

That left the heads-up encounter between Paul Berende and Vladimir Bozinovic. It wasn’t a heads-up battle that lasted too long and you can read all about the main two hands just below this recap.

So congratulations to Vladimir Bozinovic and huge commiserations to Paul Berende who was so close to being the number one.

Paul Berende Eliminated in 2nd Place ($172,695)

Level 29: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

 

We arguably got the two best players heads-up, but you have to feel so sorry for Paul Berende. He was one card away from being crowned a WPT Champion and the 8 broke his heart. It took just a few orbits for Berende to finally succumb to the giant stack and this is how it happened.

Vladimir Bozinovic opens from the button, Paul Berende moves all-in and Bozinovic calls.

Showdown

Bozinovic: A 9

Berende: A 8

Board: Q T 2 5 A

Vladimir Bozinovic is our new WPT Champion. Huge commiserations to Paul Berende who came so close but we are sure we will see him again soon.

A Small Pot for Berende

Level 29: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

Vladimir Bozinovic opens the button and Paul Berende calls. The action checks through to the turn on a board of K 8 7 T and Berende wins the pot with an uncontested bet.

Berende HAD One Hand on the Trophy

Level 29: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

Paul Berende has some body armour underneath that black sweatshirt, because he is taking some terrible body blows today. Earlier we saw him lose AK<AQ in a hand against Oswin Ziegelbecker, and we have just seen him lose in much worse circumstances, because he had one hand on the trophy at the time.

Vladimir Bozinovic opens the button, Paul Berende raises to 460,000, Bozinovic moves all-in and Berende calls.

Showdown

Bozinovic: Q J
Berende: A Q

Flop: T 9 2

“Nice sweat,” says Berende who has Bozinovic covered.

Turn: 5

Nothing changes

River: 8

The crowd go wild, and to his credit, Berende just smiles and shakes his opponent’s hand, but that must have hurt. Bozinovic rivers his straight just like Ziegelbecker earlier today.

Berende ~ 1.3 million
Bozinovic ~ 6.3 million

Aggression by Bozinovic

Level 29: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

Paul Berende opens the button and then folds to a 470,000 Bozinovic three-bet.

An Ace For Berende

Level 29: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

Vladimir Bozinov opens the button and Paul Berende calls.

Flop: A 9 5

Berende check-calls a 175,000 Bozinovic bet.

Turn: J

Both players check.

River: Q

Berende leads for 350,000 and Bozinovic insta-calls.

“I have an ace,” says Berende before showing A 7 and Bozinovic folds.

Berende Caught Bluffing

Level 29: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

Paul Berende has just given a substantial portion of chips back to Vladimir Bozinovic. We only caught the river play where Berende raised Bozinovic on the river only to get called. The board was K 9 8 4 Q and Berende lost nearly 500,000 on the river bet.

He Drew First Blood; Paul Berende Drew First Blood

Level 29: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

Paul Berende opens the button and Vladimir Bozinovic calls.

Flop: J 7 5

Bozinovic check-raises to 520,000 after Berende is allowed to bet 210,000; Berende calls.

Turn: A

Bozinovic bets 700,000 and Berende calls.

River: 3

Both players check. Berende shows J T and it’s good enough. First blood to the Dutchman.

Berende ~ 4,000,000
Bozinovic ~ 3,400,000

Oswin Ziegelbecker Eliminated in 3rd Place ($111,587)

Level 29: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

Luck comes around and it goes around.

Vladimir Bozinovic raises on the button and Oswin Ziegelbecker moves all-in from the big blind. Bozinovic asks for a count and decides he wants to play.

Showdown

Bozinovic: A T
Ziegelbecker: A K

The flop of A Q 7 is met with stony silence. But the turn couldn’t have been any different. The dealer burns and turns the T and the crowd go absolutely berserk. The river card is the 2 and the celebrations continue. There is a big Serbian rail here. Ziegelbecker is out and we are now heads up and ready to crown a new WPT Champion.

Berende's Turn to Shove

Level 29: 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

Oswin Ziegelbecker raises on the button, Vladimir Bozinovic three-bets to 375,000 in the small blind and Paul Berende moves all-in from the big blind. Both opponents fold their hands and we move on to the next hand.