WPT: Oleg Vasylchenko Wins partypoker WPT Prague
The poker world may have its eye currently set on Las Vegas and the World Poker Tour Five Diamond Classic, but over in the Czech Republic, the partypoker WPT Prague event drew a field of 167 to the Hotel Grandior. It took four days of play for the final table to be reached and 122 hands for Oleg Vasylchenko to put the seal on his first career WPT title.
Vasylchenko started the final table as the chip leader and kept his edge throughout to take down the title and the €132,200 first place prize. The final table was an accomplished one that included WSOP circuit ring winner and EPT Champion, Martin Khabrel.
It took 21 hands to find the first elimination and it was Preben Stokkan who earned that distinction. Stokkan started the final table as the second shortest stack and met his end with Romain Lewis finishing him off. Tonio Roder raised to 55,000 and Stokkan came over the top all in, as did Lewis. Stokkan was on the short end of the hand with as Roder showed with Lewis having them both dominated. The board was good for Lewis to ship the pot. Stokkan took home €23,520 for his finish.
Next out was Khabrel, who was felted by Lewis. Khabrel shoved for 265,000 and was called by Lewis in the big blind with pocket queens. Khabrel held a single overcard but the runout provided barely a sweat and he hit the rail.
Four-handed play ensued for 20 hands and it was Lewis who was the next man out. Roder raised to 80,000 and big blind 30,000, and Lewis defended his big blind with about 300,000 behind. Lewis checked the flop over to Roder and found himself check-raising all in. Roder called with and would need to hold against the of Lewis. The turn failed to increase Lewis’s outs and the on the river gave Roder the pot and the knockout.
Three-handed play was a lengthy affair that lasted for over 50 hands. Roder was neck-and-neck with Anton Petrovbut saw his stock drop with Vasylchenko picking up most of the slack. It would be Vasylchenko who eliminated Roder, marking his first victim of the final table.
With the blinds at 25,000/50,000, Vasylchenko limped in from the small blind and called a raise from Roder. The two saw a flop of and Vasylchenko check-called an all in from Roder. Roder held but would have to dodge Vasylchenko’s web of outs. The turn was the leaving Roder needing the fourth diamond on the river to hit a higher flush. Only the could be mustered and Roder left the final table €52,500 to show for his days of play.
Vasylchenko started heads up play against Petrov with about 60 percent of the chips in play and wasted little time finishing his last opponent off.
Petrov raised to 115,000 and Vasylchenko called from the big blind to see a flop. The hit the turn and Vasylchenko bet 315,000. Petrov raised all-in and Vasylchenko called with for a flopped two pair. Petrov and his would need help going to the river but the would wrap up the win for Vasylchenko.
Vasylchenko’s career earnings now eclipsed the $200,000 and more importantly, he has clinched a spot in the WPT Tournament of Champions.
Final Table Payouts
- Oleg Vasylchenko – €132,200
- Anton Petrov – €82,000
- Tonio Roder – €52,500
- Romain Lewis – €39,120
- Martin Kabrhel – €29,410
- Preben Stokkan €23,520