Belarus player wins €1,007,550 at first EPT event of seasons 9
The first event of this year’s EPT season 9 kicked-off in style with 28-year-old Mikalai Pobal from Belarus scooping the €1,007,550 in Barcelona. The tournament, was the biggest ever in Spain’s history – attracting a field of 1,082 players.
Standing in the way of Pobal and his first title was online legend, Ilari “Ziigmund” Sahamies who was his heads-up partner. But the battle between the two only lasted fifteen minutes. After Pobal won a big pot early on, he quickly followed this up by hitting a set of Kings for another big pay-off and finally it was all over when Pobal was dealt aces only to be shoved on by Sahamies who held 9s 5s.
Pobal who is relatively new to the live poker scene, with only one other major live cash, mainly plays online on PokerStars under the name ‘leanod’. Speaking about his win he said: “I’m really excited about it. I am very tired but very happy. It is my dream which came true. The title means a lot more to me than the money.”
Sahamies, who is currently on a major hot streak in Barcelona won fourth place at the EPT Barcelona €50,000 Super High Roller where the Finn claimed €291,900, and with the €629,700 that he added for his second place finish in the main event, Sahamies comes away from Barcelona with just under €1 million in prize money.
Fellow Finn Joni Jouhkimainen took third for €404,050. Other big names at the final table included John Juanda but he was the first to be eliminated taking away €76,100, which brings his total live tournament winnings to nearly $12.5 million now.
How the final table finished up:
1. Mikalai Pobal – €1,007,550
2. Ilari Sahamies – €629,700
3. Joni Jouhkimainen – €404,050
4. Anaras Alekberovas – €301,750
5. Samuel Rodriguez – €230,900
6. Sinel Anton – €178,400
7. Antonin Duda – €125,950
8. John Juanda – €76,100
Related Posts
About PokerPlayer
