Romania's Adrian Constantin won the 888poker LIVE London Festival Main Event for £100,000 and a trip to the 2020 World Series of Poker Main Event.

The 888poker LIVE London Festival from Aspers Casino at Westfield Stratford City wrapped up this week with Romania’s Adrian Constantin, an 888poker online qualifier, taking down the £1,100 Main Event for £100,000 and a trip to play in the 2020 World Series of Poker Main Event.

The final table was a dramatic 14-hour grind, full of twists and turns and a volatile heads-up match that saw Constantin battle his way back from the ashes to defeat eventual runner-up Leon Louis and lift claim the final 888poker LIVE trophy of the year.

Climbing up the chip counts was nothing new to Constantin as he started the final table as the second shortest stack.

The first of the final table to fall was the UK’s Bhavin Khatri. After an open raise by Leon Louis and a flat from the small blind by Aleksandrs Golubev, Khatri shipped his 20 big blind stack in the middle with AhQd. Louis let his hand go, but Golubev made the call from the small blind with 8d8c. The race was on. Despite the flop came Qc8s3s giving Khatri top pair but way behind Louis’ set of eights. The turn was the 3c and the river the As sending Khatri home in ninth place for £10,000.

Spain’s Jose Echevarne Gomez was the next to hit the rail when he shipped his short stack in the middle with 4h4c and found a called in Manuel Bueno holding AcJd. The AsTh3s gave Bueno top pair which held through the 5s turn and the 6s river. Gomez, an 888poker qualifier, exited in eighth for £13,280.

Brazil’s Valdir Cordeiro dos Santos picked up TsTh and moved his twelve big blind stack in the middle only to run into Louis’ KcKd. There was very little drama for the pocket kings as the board ran out As9c2sJh5c, giving Louis his second elimination of the final table. The £16,660 payday marks a career-high cash for Cordeiro dos Santos as he hit the rail in seventh place.

With six players left Constantin was consistently chipping up and pulling himself off the floor of the leaderboard. The same couldn’t be said for Russia’s Nikolay Ponomarev who found himself short-stacked and in the big blind and facing a raise from Bueno. Bueno had raised with As2c and Ponomarev made the call from the big blind with QcTd, leaving himself four big blinds behind.The flop came QhJh6s. Bueno shoved his ace-high, Ponomarev made the call for his tournament with top pair. Then the Ad peeled off on the turn, giving Bueno top pair. The 9c on the river was no help to the Russian who busted in sixth place for 20,100.

An hour and a half of five-handed play took place before the next elimination. With only seven big blinds, the UK’s Golubevs shipped his Qc8c into the big blind of Egidijus Alsaukas who made the call holding KhJh. Golubev was at risk and in trouble on the KdJd2d flop. The 2s[ turn and the 9c river didn’t change anything and Golubevs, who was the Day 2 chip leader, finished in fifth place taking home £24,920.

With four players left, Constantin surged into the chip lead to take a commanding lead over all of his opponents. As Constantin rose, Alsaukas’ chip count declined until eventually, he clashed with Louis in a big hand. Louis raised from the button with TsTh and Alsauskas shipped his nearly 20 big blind stack from the big blind with the Kd6c. Louis made the call and promptly flopped a full house on a board of Tc4c4d. The turn was the 6d leaving the Lithuanian drawing dead to the meaningless Td river, which improved Louis to quads. Alsaukas was eliminated in fourth place for £33,230.

At three-handed, there was a brief discussion of a possible deal that fell through and the three decided to play on. Fifteen minutes later, Bueno and Constantin found themselves in a big hand which sent Bueno to the rail. Constantin limped with the 8d7s and Bueno, in the big blind, checked his option holding the Qh6s. The 6h6c5s flop provided trips for Bueno and an open-ended straight draw for Constantin. The 9s turn completed Constantin’s straight. He bet, Bueno raised, Constantin shoved and was quickly called by Bueno who saw he needed help on the river to survive. The 2h was not that help and he quickly headed to the cage to collect his £44,920 payday.

Constantin held a 4:1 chip lead over Louis when heads-up play began but it didn’t stay that way for long. Louis won a big hand and promptly doubled into the chip lead. The lead changed hands again and eventually, Louis doubled through to nearly 14:1 lead. But Constantin did not give up and over the course of heads-up play, doubled his way back into contention and finally back into the lead for good.

On the final hand of the tournament, Constantin raised with AcJh and Louis made the call holding Qc4s. The flop came AhKhQd and Louis once again just called the c-bet from Constantin. The turn was the 4c, giving Louis two pair. Louis check-shoved his remaining chips and was snap-called by Constantin. The river came the Td giving Constantin the straight and the 888poker LIVE London title. Leon Louis finished as the runner-up, taking home a career-high cash of £69,770.

After clawing his way back from the short stack multiple times, Adrian Constantin is the winner of the 888poker LIVE London Festival Main Event earning the £100,000 first-place prize and a $12,500 package to play in the 2020 World Series of Poker Main Event.

888poker LIVE London Festival ME Final Table Results

1. Adrian Constantin – £100,000
2. Leon Louis – £69,770
3. Manuel Bueno – £44,920
4. Egidijus Alsauskas – £33,230
5. Aleksandrs Golubevs – £24,920
6. Nikolay Ponomarev – £20,100
7. Valdir Cordeiro dos Santos – £16,660
8. Jose Echevarne Gomez – £13,280
9. Bhavin Khatri – £10,000