The 2018 Pokerstars European Poker Tour Sochi main event is in the record books following the end of the competition in Russia over the long weekend, with local poker pro Arsenii Karmatckii claiming the first prize of $478,451 after besting a field of 861 hopefuls.
Karmatckii also became the latest winner of a PokerStars Platinum Pass valued at $30,000, which includes entry into the $25,000 PokerStars Players Championship in the Bahamas next year.
The Russian pro is on something of a roll after taking down the PartyPoker German Poker Championship last August, earning Euro 185,000, but this is his biggest pay day to date in live tourneys.
By the time the final table had formed Karmatackii was in a dominant position with double the chip stack of his two nearest rivals, and he managed to retain control through to the departure at third place for $204,840 of Ernest Shakarian.
That set the scene for the heads up, which saw Karmatackii starting with a 4 to 1 chip lead over his last opponent, fellow Russian pro Viktor Shegay.
The latter gave a good account of himself, mounting a determined comeback and threatening Karmatckii’s lead before the chip leader turned up the aggression and extended his lead to 9 to 1.
That was too high a hill for Shegay to climb, and he was eliminated at second for $290,225.
For Karmatckii the big win comes at a good time….he is getting married this week.
Other final table cashes included:
Vahe Martirosyan $153,630
Mikhail Kovalyuk $121,335
Sergei Kerzhakov $90,958
Andrey Kaygorodsev $63,937