Miha Travnik Wins WPT Slovenia! (€102,700)

Level 24: 150,000-30,000, 3,000 ante

The WPT Slovenia Main Event attracted 141 of Europe's finest poker players but one man, Miha Travnik, has outlasted them all to become a World Poker Tour Champion.

The fourth and final day started with an unofficial final table of nine players but they were reduced to eight early on when Manuel Blaschke pushed his pocket jacks into the queens of Travnik. Thirty minutes later and the two short stacks, Patrik Hirvonen (8th place) and Hugh Cohen (7th) were eliminated.

This left the official final table of six and any one of them could have walked away with the prestigious title of WPT Champion. Italian Marcello Marigliano was the first to bust out, his AT failing to improve against Johannes Korsar's JJ. Half hour later and five became four as Gaetano Fortugno's AJ ran into Travnik's AK.

Ferdi Ciordbai finished third, the Romanian failing to get anything going all day long and when he did finally find a big hand, pocket tens, and he moved all in with them for his last eight big blinds and found a caller in the shape of the very vocal Vincenzo Natale holding just queen-eight offsuit . Just as a much need double up was on the cards for the Romanian the flop came down queen-eight-queen, ouch!

Three handed play became the Johannes Korsar and Natale show, with the pair clashing in several pots before the latter won a huge pot that crippled the popular Swede. On a board reading 442Q3 Natale moved all in and was snap-called by Korsar, the Italian showing 43 for a full house, much better than the straight made with 65 of Korsar. He never really recovered from that and was eliminated  an hour later, his pocket fours being out-flopped by the suited king-jack of his nemesis, Natale.

This sent the tournament to the heads-up stage, Natale leading local hero Travnik by 3,105,000 to 1,204,000 chips and over the next two hours this chip lead swung violently one way and then the other several times. The turning point came right near the end when Travnik had been getting under his opponents skin by winning lots of smaller pots and he managed to get the Italian to four0bet all in with just 98. The Slovenian called with JJ and when the board ran out 22638 Travik held a massive 3,950,000 to 350,000.

With the Natale quite visibly on tilt, it was only a matter of time before his constant all in bets were called. And called one was, as Natale moved his stack forward once again, this time with K8 and was called by AJ. The board ran out 7J5210 and with that Natale was eliminated in second place and Travnik announced as the champion!

The next stop on the World Poker Tour is the Legends of Poker at the Bicycle Casino in California, with the next European edition being the WPT Grand Prix de Paris on September 5-10. Join us here for the very best in live tournament updates, until then “nasvidenje” from everyone here in Slovenia!

Vincenzo Natale Eliminated in 2nd Place (€70,700)

Level 23: 12,000-24,000, 3,000 ante

The last standing Italian player in this tournament has just been eliminated, the record books will show that Vincenzo Natale was the WPT Slovenia, presented by Goldbet, runner-up.

Once again he moved all in prelfop, this time with K8 and Miha Travnik called with AJ. The board ran out 7J5210 and with that we have out WPT Slovenia Champion!

Congratulations to Mr Miha Travnik!

Break Time

Level 23: 12,000-24,000, 3,000 ante

The heads-up duo have decided to take the scheduled 15-minute break.

As Arnie says, I'll be back.

Natale Regains Some Ground

Level 23: 12,000-24,000, 3,000 ante

Vincenzo Natale has been moving all in with a high frequency for th elast 15-25 minutes due to being down to 12 big blinds. He moved in again and this time he did not pick up the blinds, he picked up a call!

Natale: JT
Travnik: A5

Flop: 5KJ

Turn: 4

River: 2

Natale survives but is still on the ropes.

Travnik Takes The Lead Once Again!

Level 23: 12,000-24,000, 3,000 ante

What a heads-up battle this has been, with the lead switching sides several times already. Now Miha Travnik has a massive chip lead after he called an all in four bet with JJ to find them up against 98

The board ran out 22638 and the Slovenian now has a 3,950,000 to 350,000 chip lead!

Oops, Spoke Too Soon

Level 23: 12,000-24,000, 3,000 ante

We hope we have not jinxed young Miha Travnik by mentioning his recent good run because he has just lost a massive pot that sees Vincenzo Natale reclaim the chip lead.

Travnik opened to 62,000 from the button and his Italian made the call. A flop of T7K so both players check but there was no passive play when the K hit the turn. Instead Natale bet 110,000 on the turn and was called by the Slovenian.

The river brought the 2 and Natale over-bet shoved the river for a total of 1,020,000 chips. Travnik obviously did not believe he was strong, and he made the call.

Natale: K7
Travnik: Muck

The Italian leaps back into the lead.

What A Turn Around This Has Been

Level 23: 12,000-24,000, 3,000 ante

He has spent most of this heads up battle on the ropes but now Miha Travnik has managed to turn the tables on his opponent and actually had a 1,300,000 lead over him!

He has just won three big hands in a row, the first where he bet all three streets on a board reading 497A2 whilst holding K7 and then showing a bluff with A6 on a 8987 board.

That last hand was enought to claim the chip lead but the latest hand put some distance between them. Travnik raised to 62,000 and was called by Natale. The flop came 79A and Natale bet 125,000 and was called. The turn was the 6 and this time Natale check-called Travnik's 200,000 bet. Then on the arrival of the 7 on the river both players checked.

Travnik: A6
Natale: Mucked

The Slovenian seems to have hit a mini heater at just the right time.

Deuces Good For Both Players

Level 23: 12,000-24,000, 3,000 ante

Although a pair of two's is rarely the best hand in No Limit Hold'em once a hand gets to the river, they have been good in two consecutive hands.

The first saw Miha Travnik raise to 60,000 on the button and Vincenzo Natale call. The flop came down J27 and Natale check-called a bet of 75,000. The turn saw the A make an appearance and Natale check-called a bigger bet of 160,000. The river was the 8 and both players checked and Natale took the pot when he showed 62.

The next hand Natale raised to 76,000 and Travnik called.The flop of 647 was checked by both players. The turn saw the T come into play and this time Travnik checked and then called Natale's bet of 125,000. Both players checked the J on the river and the Slovenian won with 22

Travnik Doubles Up

Level 23: 12,000-24,000, 3,000 ante

Miha Travnik is still being very much bossed around by Vincenzo Natale but he has managed to double up his very short stack after he called Natale's all in with A5 and was up against a dominating A8.

The board ran out 34J72 and the Slovenian makes a wheel on the river to boost himself to 992,000 chips but there is still a long way to go.

Natale Crushing This Heads Up Encounter

Level 22: 10,000-20,000, 2,000 ante

Vincenzo Natale is totally dominating this final stage of the tournament. Almost every time Miha Travnik raises preflop, Natale comes over the top of him and gets the Slovenian to fold and is generally pushing him around.

In the latest hand Travnik raised to 55,000 and the Italian called. The flop came down J9A and Natale check-called Travnik's 65,000 continuation bet. The 3 on the turn saw Natale check again, Travnik bet 150,000 and then snap-fold as Natale made it 400,000 to play.

Travnik needs to find a way to stop the rot otherwise this is going to be a very short and one-sided battle.