Matas Cimbolas Wins the partypoker WPT UK Main Event!

Matas Cimbolas is the newest member of the WPT Champions Club after defeating Ben Warrington in heads-up action.

It was a terrific achievement for the 21-year old Lithuanian. At one point during the heads-up contest Cimbolas faced a 6:1 chip deficit, but at no time did he let the situation phase him as he went on to lift the title.

Cimbolas started the final table as the chip leader, after eliminating the dangerous young Italian, Luca Moschitta, in heads-up action as the death knell sounded on Day 4.

The shortest stack belonged to Phillip Mighall, but he wasn’t the first to feel the axe. That dubious honour fell to Patrick Leonard who was eliminated in a cooler of a hand against Ben Warrington.

Leonard turning trip fives, holding Q 5, on a T 6 5 5 board, only to move all-in and be called by Warrington holding a wired pair of sixes for the boat. That elimination handed Warrington the chip lead, and it eliminated one of the most in-form poker players in the world.

Warrington would extend that chip lead with the elimination of Phillip Mighall in fifth place. The Brighton native jamming over a Warrington open, with pocket deuces, only to see Warrington call with A K and then flop an ace. Mighall earning the biggest cash of his career, and he must be happy with his performance this week.

(Phillip Mighall)

Antoine Saout was the next man to feel the wrath of Warrington. He moved all-in from the small blind holding A 7, and Saout called in the big with A 6. A K K 8 flop creating a 65% split possibility, but the turn and river remained low and Warrington was turning into a one man wrecking crew.

(Antoine Saout)

When the action reached three way, it was Tamer Kamel who had the shortest stack at the table. He needed a hand, and when he looked down to see A K he must have thought he found it. Unfortunately, for Kamel, Warrington the wrecker turned up with pocket nines, and five community cards later Warrington was heading to a heads-up showdown with a dominating chip lead against Matas Cimbolas.

The first big pot of the heads-up phase went the way of Warrington, and suddenly he had a 6:1 chip lead over his Lithuanian opponent. All he needed was the perfect moment, and it appeared when he called Cimbolas’s shove, and when the cards were turned over he had him dominated. It was A6 v A5 and Warrington looked like he was going to be our next champion. The flop of Q9 8 meant Warrington was two cards away from all the plaudits, when the 5 hit the turn like a samurai sword through the heart.

Warrington still had the chip lead, but one level later it would change hands when Cimbolas turned two pair on Q 7 2 J, holding J 7. It was the perfect spot for the jam. The money went in, Warrington called with Q T, for top pair, and the tide had turned.

Cimbolas put his foot down after that, and despite a brief fight back from Warrington, he held on to his lead, eventually finishing the British pro off with K J v 9 7 all-in pre.

So, that’s a wrap from Dusk till Dawn.

We hope you enjoyed our coverage, now turn over the channel and check out the action atpartypoker WPT Montreal.

Final Table Standings

1st. Matas Cimbolas – £200,000*
2nd. Ben Warrington – £140,000
3rd. Tamer Kamel – £92,000
4th. Antoine Saout – £67,000
5th. Phillip Mighall – £48,000
6th. Patrick Leonard – £39,500

* Total first prize amount includes a $15,400 seat into the season-ending WPT World Championship.