Live Tournament Updates
Congratulations to Marcin Wydrowski: WPT Prague Champion (€325,000)
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
The WPT Champions Club trophy is going to have a new country engraved on it, because Marcin Wydrowksi is the PartyPoker World Poker Tour (WPT) Prague Champion, the first-ever champion from Poland.
Wydrowski topped a field containing 567-players to take the first prize of €325,000, a prize that also contains a $25,000 seat in the WPT Championships in the Bellagio, and membership to the WPT Champions Club fraternity.
Here is the recap of the final day of a great contest.
The day started with just 15-minutes remaining of Level 25. Short and sweet, but it still gave us more than enough time to lose our first player. Romania's Alin Grasu opened to 75,000 on the button and Tony Chang defended his big blind. The pair were soon staring at a flop of Q
7
7
and Chang check-called a 130,000 Grasu bet. Fourth Street brought the 4
out of the deck and Grasu moved all-in once checked to. Chang called instantly, and why not? He was holding J 7 for trips and Grasu held [Ad Q for top two pair. The 2 on the river finished of proceedings and Grasu was out in sixth place.
Level 26 saw the exit of Michael Gagliano in fifth place. It was a cruel way to go for Gagliano, who hadn't put a foot wrong, all tournament. Tony Chang opened to 90,000 in first position, Michael Gagliano three-bet to 225,000 in the cutoff and the chip leader Bodo Sbrzesny four-bet to 475,000 on the button. Chang folded, Gagliano moved all-in and Sbrzesny called. It was pocket aces for Gagliano, pocket queens for Sbrzesny and the American was odds on favourite for a double up. The pair waited patiently for the flop and the Q appeared to send Gagliano to the rail. Sbrzesny became the monster chip leader.
Tony Chang was the next person out of the door. The Macau regular was bleeding chips by the time he bumped into Alexander Lakhov. It was a single raised flop of 6 5 3 when Chang open shoved for around a million chips, holding nothing but a gut shot and a prayer (k 2). Lakhov made the call with two pair - 5 3 - and Chang was out.
With three players remaining, all of the smart money was on Bodo Sbrzesny to be the next WPT Champion, but then it all went horribly wrong for the PartyPoker Team Pro. Sbrzesny six-bet jammed with K Q only to be called by Marcin Wydrowski and pocket kings. The kings held strong and Sbrzesny became the short stack, while Wydrowski became the new chip leader.
Sbrzesny never really recovered from that hand and was eliminated in third place. Marcin Wydrowski opened from the small blind and then called a shove from Sbrzesny in the big. It was a flip with Wydrowski holding A J and Sbrzesny holding pocket sixes, an ace on the river sending the German out in third place to set up a heads up encounter between Wydrowski and Lakhov.
It was 12.8 million for Wydrowski and 4.2 million for Lakhov. The match-up didn't last long before the pair got it in. It was pocket sevens for Wydrowski and 7 6 for Lakhov. The sevens held and Wydrowski's hand was held aloft in triumph.
08:44 PM, 12/09/12
Alexandr Lakhov Eliminated in 2nd Place (€213,775)
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Lakhov opens the button, Wydrowski three-bets to 500,000 and Lakhov is under pressure. He fiddles with his chips for a little while before folding his arms and murmuring what seems like all-in. The dealer asks him to confirm what he has just said and he does say, "All-In."
Wydrowski picks his cards up high into the air and we can see he has pocket sevens. He flicks them with his finger and makes the call.
Showdown
Wydrowski: 7 7
Lakhov: 7 6
Lakhov is in serious trouble. The flop is J 8 5 and as usual we have a sweat as Lakhov flops an open ender. The turn is the K and finally the river K brings cheers of BRAVO hailing down from the rail. Wydrowski shakes the hand of his opponent and then hugs his girlfriend on the rail.
Commiserations to Alexander Lakhov who finishes in second place.
07:14 PM, 12/09/12
Wydrowski With a Three Bet Pot
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Lakhov opens the button, Wydrowski three-bets to 475,000 and Lakhov makes a quick call.
Flop: K J 5
Wydrowski checks, Lakhov checks and we move to the turn.
Turn: 6
Wydrowski bets 375,000 and Lakhov mucks his hand.
07:06 PM, 12/09/12
A Nice Call on the Turn by Wydrowski
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Wydrowski opens the button and Lakhov calls.
Flop: 5 5 2
Lakhov checks, Wydrowski bets 175,000, Lakhov check-raises to 500,000, Wydrowski checks his cards - and calls.
Turn: 8
Lakhov bets 600,000, and it's a very quick motion. Wydrowski calls and Lakhov checks in the dark.
River: T
Wydrowski also checks and we have a showdown. Lakhov shows K 2 and Wydrowski is one step ahead with pocket treys.
Lakhov ~ 3.7 million
Wydrowski ~ 13.3 million
07:02 PM, 12/09/12
Wydrowski Breaks The Cycle
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Wydrowski opens the button and Lakhov calls.
Flop: A Q 4
Lakhov checks and Wydrowski checks.
Turn: 2
A Wydrowski bet takes the pot.
06:56 PM, 12/09/12
Another Pot For Lakhov
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Lakhov opens the button and Wydrowski calls.
Flop: A A T
Both players check.
Turn: T
Both players check.
River: K
Wydrowski checks, Lakhov bets 200,000 and takes down the pot.
06:54 PM, 12/09/12
Two Pair for Lakhov
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Wydrowski opens the button and Lakhov calls.
Flop: J 8 8
Lakhov checks, Wydrowski bets 175,000 and Lakhov calls.
Turn: 6
Lakhov now leads. He bets 225,000 and Wydrowski calls.
River: 2
Lakhov bets 300,000, Wydrowski calls and folds when he sees the J 9 of Lakhov.
06:52 PM, 12/09/12
The First Three Hands
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Wydrowski opens the button and Lakhov calls. The flop is K 9 [3, Lakhov checks and Wydrowski bets 175,000 to win the pot.
Lakhov opens the button and Wydrowski folds.
Wydrowski opens the button and Lakhov calls.
Flop: 8 5 4
Both players check.
Turn: 2
Lakhov bets 250,000 and Wydrowski folds.
06:47 PM, 12/09/12
Heads Up: Marcin Wydrowski v Alexandr Lakhov
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Marcin Wydrowski ~ 12,805,000
Alexandr Lakhov ~ 4,200,000
06:37 PM, 12/09/12
Bodo Sbrzesny Eliminated in 3rd Place (€137,470)
Level 30: 50,000-100,000, 10,000 ante
Marcin Wydrowski opens from the small blind, Bodo Sbrzesny moves all-in from the big blind and Wydrowski calls.
Showdown
Wydrowski: A J
Sbrzesny: 6 6
The flop is safe for Sbrzesny - 9 3 3, the 7 on the turn spices things up a bit before the A acts as the final nail in the Sbrzesny WPT Prague coffin. It's been a great run for the German but he is out in third place.
Wydrowski ~ 12,000,000
06:35 PM, 12/09/12
