Igor Kurganov was a superstar at work at the PSC Barcelona High Roller final table Monday (PokerStars photo/Neil Stoddart)

At a star-studded final table in the PokerStars Championship Barcelona High Roller on Monday, nobody shone brighter than Igor Kurganov. The Team PokerStars Pro eliminated six of the final eight players in his way to pick up seven-figure score and his first live high roller win since last October.

Daniel Negreanu started the final table with a middle of the pack stack but couldn’t win the races he needed to stay alive. Negreanu lost an all-in preflop battle with Dietrich Fast when his AhKs couldn’t beat Fast’s 7c7s and was left with just 45,000. He was eliminated on the next hand by Kurganov.

Down to just eight players, Kurganov went back to work. Kurganov raised to 175,000, Koray Aldemir called but Stanley Choi moved all in from the big blind for 1,305,000. Kurganov called and Aldemir folded. Choi showed JcJh while Kurganov tabled AcKc. The board ran out AhTd7s5d5c to give Kurganov a pair of aces and eliminate Choi in eighth.

Just five minutes later action folded to Bryn Kenney in the small blind and he moved all in for 860,000. Christopher Kruk called from the small blind and showed As2h while Kenney was behind with Ks7d. The 9d5h4c flop kept Kruk ahead and neither the 8s turn, or 5c river offered Kenney any help and he was eliminated in seventh place.

Kruk’s run lasted only one hour longer. Kruk moved all in from the button for 1,600,000 and Kurganov called from the big blind. Kruk showed KhQc but found himself trailing Kurganov’s Ah5h. The board ran out 9c7d6s4sAc to eliminate Kruk in sixth place.

The next elimination came just a few hands later. Ivan Luca moved all in for 1,300,000 and Aldemir called. Luca got bad news after he tabled As9c and found himself dominated by Aldemir’s AhTh. The flop was Qc8d2h, leaving Aldemir ahead, as did the 6c turn and Ad river to send Luca out in fifth.

It took almost 90 minutes before the next elimination happened, and once again it was Kurganov conducting things. Kurganov raised to 260,000 before Fast moved all in from the small blind for 1,500,000. Kurganov called instantly and showed JdJh which put him well ahead of Fast’s 2c2h. The board ran out with no relief for Fast and he was eliminated in fourth.

An hour after that, Kurganov did it again. Bartlomiej Machon folded his button, Kurganov raised to 360,000 from the small blind before Aldemir moved all in for 4,500,000 from the big blind. Kurganov snap-called and showed AcQd while Aldemir was behind with KdQc. The 9d6h4d flop kept Kurganov. So did the 9c turn. The As turn was simply icing on the cake for Kurganov, while Aldemir was out in third.

Heads-up play began with talk of a deal between Kurganov and Machon. It didn’t take long for the two to come to an agreement. After that, it took just 30 minutes for Kurganov to pick up his sixth and final elimination of the final table. The final hand of the night saw Machon move all in with QhJh only to have Kurganov find QcQd for an easy call. Machon was unable to improve and was eliminated in second, giving Kurganov the title and over €1,000,000.

Final Table Payouts

  1. Igor Kurganov – €1,078,106*
  2. Bartlomiej Machon – €864,694*
  3. Koray Aldemir – €528,500
  4. Dietrich Fast – €406,790
  5. Ivan Luca – €322,100
  6. Christopher Kruk – €251,900
  7. Bryn Kenney – €198,200
  8. Stanley Choi – €154,900
  9. Daniel Negreanu – €117,700