This Week's Big Winner: Dzmitry Urbanovich Wins EPT Dublin Main Event

Polish poker pro Dzmitry Urbanovich has only been on the tournament circuit since the latter half of 2014, but the 20-year-old phenom has already managed to rack up $4.9 million in career live tournament earnings.

While he normally dominates the high roller circuit, Urbanovich recently captured his first European Poker Tour main event victory by taking down EPT Dublin for €561,900 ($632,279), the third largest score of his career. Urbanovich now has 49 cashes and 10 tournament titles on his poker resume and currently sits in seventh place in the 2016 Card Player Player of the Year race.

It took a long comeback for Urbanovich to secure the title. Here’s a look at the five biggest hands from 61 hands of heads-up play that propelled Urbanovich to victory.

Tournament: EPT Dublin Main Event

Buy-In: €5,300 • No. of Entries: 605 • Prize Pool: €3,025,000 • 1st Place Prize: €561,900

The Action

After seven small pots to start heads-up play, Gilles Bernies raised to 250,000 on the button and Dzmitry Urbanovich called. The flop came down J 8 7 and Urbanovich checked. Bernies bet 200,000 and Urbanovich check raised to 650,000. Bernies called and the turn was the 7. Urbanovich bet 915,000 and Bernies called once again. The river was the 5 and Urbanovich moved all in for his last 1,785,000. Bernies made the call with K 8 for second pair, but Urbanovich revealed 10 9 for a flopped straight to double up back into contention.

The Action

On the 14th hand of heads-up play, Dzmitry Urbanovich raised to 225,000 on the button and Gilles Bernies three-bet to 575,000. Urbanovich called and the flop came down K J 8. Bernies bet 625,000 and Urbanovich tanked. He finally decided to raise to 1,475,000 and Bernies moved all in. Urbanovich quickly called with 8 5, content to gamble with bottom pair and a flush draw. Little did he know that he already had Bernies drawing nearly dead with 4 2, giving him just a 2 percent chance of coming from behind. The turn and river were the 7 and 6, giving Urbanovich the double up and the chip lead.

The Action

On the very next hand, Gilles Bernies raised to 250,000 and Dzmitry Urbanovich three-bet from the big blind. Bernies then moved all in for 3,075,000 and Urbanovich called. Bernies showed A 8, a strong hand for heads-up play, but Urbanovich had been dealt a dominating A J and was now just five cards away from the tournament title. According to the Card Player Poker Odds Calculator, Bernies was just 22 percent to double up. But the 9 8 5 flop gave him 51 percent equity, having to fade spades, jacks and running straight cards. The turn and river came 8 Q and Bernies doubled up.

The Action

After Gilles Bernies grinded his way to the chip lead, he decided to limp in on the button. Dzmitry Urbanovich checked his option and the two players saw a flop of A A 2. Urbanovich bet 150,000 and Bernies made the call. The turn was the 10 and Urbanovich bet 415,000. Bernies then raised to 1,400,000. Urbanovich took his time in the tank before opting to raise to 2,400,000. Bernies moved all in and Urbanovich quickly called with A 3 for flopped trips. Bernies, however, had some outs with 6 4, needing a diamond on the river to take the pot. Bernies had a 16 percent chance of hitting the river and when the 10 was placed on the felt, his rail exploded in celebration. Unfortunately for Bernies, the 10 also gave Urbanovich a superior full house and a more than 2-1 chip lead.

The Action

Down to his last 12 big blinds, Gilles Bernies moved all in from the button. Dzmitry Urbanovich looked down at pocket kings in the big blind and immediately called. Bernies could only show down Q 7, which was in terrible shape. The flop of 7 5 4, however, gave Bernies some hope. The turn was the 9, leaving Bernies with just five outs. The river was the 9, and Bernies was eliminated in second place, earning €349,800. Urbanovich took the pot, the trophy and the €561,900 first-place prize.

Final Table Results

1. Dzmitry Urbanovich — €561,900 ($632,279)
2. Gilles Bernies — €349,800 ($393,613)
3. Kully Sidhu - €250,300 ($281,651)
4. Patrick Clarke - €193,650 ($217,905)
5. Iliodoros Kamatakis — €152,600 ($171,713)
6. Rhys Jones — €119,450 ($134,411)
7. Alexandre Meylan — €88,300 ($99,360)
8. Ivan Banic — €60,750 ($68,359)
9. Mikhail Petrov — €47,830 ($53,821)