This Week's Big Winner: Martin Kozlov Wins WSOP $10,000 Six-Max No-Limit Hold’em Event

The $10,000 six-max no-limit hold’em event at the 2016 World Series of Poker produced one of the toughest fields of the summer, with 294 of the world’s best players generating a total prize pool of $2,763,600.

After three days of action, the title, the bracelet and the $665,709 first-place prize went to Australian poker pro Martin Kozlov. Kozlov’s previous best live tournament score came in 2010, when he finished first in the ANZPT Melbourne main event for $189,908. He now has more than $1.5 million in live tournament earnings. In order to secure the victory, Kozlov had to overcome a tough final table that featured four WSOP bracelet winners.

Here are the five biggest hands that propelled Kozlov to the win.

Tournament: WSOP Six-Max NLH
Buy-In: $10,000
No. of Entries: 294
Prize Pool: $2,763,600
1st Place Prize: $665,709

The Action

Martin Kozlov raised to 70,000 from under the gun and Moritz Dietrich moved all in for 580,000 behind him. Kozlov got the count and called with pocket eights. Dietrich turned over A 10 to reveal a race situation. The board fell J 6 3 K 5 and Dietrich was eliminated in eighth place, setting up the unofficial final table of seven.

The Action

Martin Kozlov raised to 100,000 from under the gun and Nick Petrangelo three-bet to 285,000 from the cutoff. Kozlov moved all in for his last 1,275,000 and Petrangelo immediately called with pocket aces. Kolzov could only reveal pocket queens, giving him an 80 percent chance of busting from the tournament in fifth place. Instead, the board ran out Q 4 4 6 5 and Kozlov doubled up. Petrangelo was left with just three big blinds.

The Action

Nick Petrangelo moved all in from under the gun for his last 270,000 and was called by Jack Salter in the cutoff. Davidi Kitai called on the button and Martin Kozlov moved all in from the small blind for his last 2,490,000. Salter called all in for less and Kitai folded. Petrangelo showed 10 9, Kozlov showed A J and Salter was ahead with Q Q. Salter had a 52 percent chance of winning the pot outright, but the flop of A 10 3 left him in trouble. The turn and river were even worse for Salter, coming 10 and 4 and giving Petrangelo the main pot with trip tens and Kozlov the massive side pot with a pair of aces. As a result, Petrangelo tripled up, Kozlov nearly doubled up, and Salter was eliminated in fifth place.

The Action

Chris Ferguson was short stacked and moved all in for his last 460,000 from the button. Martin Kozlov looked down at his cards from the big blind and quickly called, turning over 3 3. Ferguson was in a coinflip situation with Q 9, but the flop of J 3 2 left him drawing to spades or a runner-runner straight. The turn was the 5 and the river was the 7, sending Ferguson to the rail in fourth place. While the rail shouted obscenities at one of the pariahs of the poker world, Kozlov increased his stack to just over half of the chips in play.

The Action

With both of his opponents well covered, Martin Kozlov raised to 250,000 on the button. Justin Bonomo then moved all in for his last 2,920,000 from the small blind. Davidi Kitai then moved all in to isolate for his last 3,850,000 from the big blind. Unfortunately for the two all-in players, Kozlov had raised with a real hand and quickly called both players with his Q Q. Bonomo had the second-best hand with 9 9 and Kitai needed help with 6 6. According to the Card Player Poker Odds Calculator, Kozlov was 65 percent to win the hand and scoop the title, but the flop of Q Q 7 locked in the win immediately. The inconsequential turn and river card were the K and 8. Even though Bonomo had the second-best hand, he started with less chips and was given credit for third place. Kitai took second place and Kozlov celebrated with his first bracelet and the $665,709 first-place prize.

Final Table Results

1. Martin Kozlov — $665,709
2. Davidi Kitai — $411,441
3. Justin Bonomo — $271,856
4. Chris Ferguson — $183,989
5. Nick Petrangelo — $127,622
6. Jack Salter — $90,783