Having finished eighth in the World Series of Poker main event last year in Las Vegas, UK poker pro Jack Sinclair travelled to Rosvadov, Czech Republic this year determined to improve in the European version of WSOP at King’s Casino…and the trip proved to be well worth his time and trouble.
Sinclair bested a field of 534 that included some of the best players in the world in the WSOP Europe main event this week, claiming the top prize of Euro 1,122,239 and his first WSOP winner’s bracelet.
Former 2013 World Series of Poker main event champion Ryan Riess looked like the man to beat as the event progressed; he was confident and aggressive and looked likely to equal Phil Hellmuth’s feat of winning both the US and European WSOP main event competitions, but then he hit a bad run and had to be content with a fourth place finish worth Euro 337,778.
Sinclair them eliminated third-placed Krasimir Yankov for Euro 480,028, clearing the deck for a heads up against Hungarian pro Laszlo Bujtas, who had started the last day as final table chip leader.
Sinclair had the upper hand for much of the heads up, but his Hungarian opponent kept him on his toes with at least two major double ups. It was not enough to stop Sinclair, however, and in the end it was Bujtas who took home the runner up prize of Euro 693,573.
The tenth edition of the World Series of Poker Europe saw Shaun Deeb crowned as Player of the Year, finishing off 2018 with 20 cashes, two bracelets, four final tables, and over $2,530,000 in WSOP earnings.
This year’s WSOP Europe was also notably successful for Israeli players, who won three of the first five events: Tom Segal took down the Colossusfor a bracelet and Euro 203,820; Asi Moshe claimed his second bracelet and Euro 82,280 in the NLHE 6-handed Deepstack; and Timur Margolin took home Euro 134,407 and his second bracelet after winning the Monster Stack.
The biggest buy-in event of the series this year was the Euro 100,000 King’s Super High Roller, in which the main prize of Euro 2,624,340 – and a bracelet – went to Martin Kabrhel (see previous report).