This Week's Big Winner: Kalidou Sow Wins PokerStars Championship Prague Main Event

France’s Kalidou Sow has won the 2017 PokerStars Championship Prague €5,300 no-limit hold’em main event, defeating a field of 885 entries to win €675,000 ($795,305). The 37-year-old Sow will also go down in the history books as the final champion on the short-lived PSC tour. The major tours run by PokerStars combined under the PokerStars Championship name at the start of 2017, but after just a year the decision has been made to restore the European Poker Tour, along with the Asia Pacific Poker Tour and the Latin American Poker Tour, and as a result the PokerStars Championship name will be set aside.

Although the branding of PokerStars events is undergoing changes, that doesn’t overshadow the fact that this was a huge tournament. The 885-entry turnout built a prize pool equivalent to nearly $4.9 million dollars.

Here are the five biggest hands from the final table that propelled Sow to the win.

Tournament – PokerStars Championship Prague
Buy-In – €5,000 ($6,261)
No. of Entries – 855
Prize Pool – €4,146,750 ($4,898,223)
1st Place Prize – €675,000 ($795,305)

The Action

With eight players remaining, Shabelynk raised to 130,000 in early position and Sow called on the button. The flop came down 8 5 4 and Shabelnyk checked. Sow bet 135,000, and Shabelnyk check-raised all-in for his last 1,100,000. Sow immediately called with 7 6 for a flopped straight, and Shabelnyk’s pocket queens were left drawing nearly dead. The 3 on the turn improved Sow to a flush and ended Shabelnyk’s tournament run. He pocketed €72,850 for his finish.

The Action

Sow raised on the button and was met with a three-bet shove from Cimbolas from the small blind. The big blind folded and Sow snap-called with pocket kings. Cimbolas had a shot at coming from behind with A J, and improved slightly on a flop of J 5 4. The turn and river fell 8 5, however, and Sow dragged another big pot. Cimbolas earned €104,000 for his seventh-place showing.

The Action

A short-stacked Robinson moved all-in for 940,000 and was called by Sow with pocket eights. Robinson had one over with A 7, but failed to connect as the board ran out Q 4 2 8 A. Robinson banked €147,000 for his sixth-place finish, while Sow increased his stack to more than 8.5 million, giving him about one-third of the chips in play with five players remaining.

The Action

With three players remaining, Wheeler raised to 335,000 from the small blind and Sow defended his big blind. The flop came down 10 9 8 and Wheeler bet 350,000. Sow called, and the turn was the K. Wheeler bet 700,000, and Sow raised to 1,550,000. Wheeler moved all-in, and Sow quickly called. Wheeler turned over 7 6 for a flopped straight, but Sow had him coolered with Q J and a flopped straight of his own. The river was the 9, and Sow doubled into the chip lead with nearly 15 million. Wheeler was left with just under 7 million to fall to second place.

The Action

Wheeler raised to 425,000 on the button and Sow three-bet to 1,375,000. Wheeler took some time before eventually moving all-in for 6,035,000. Sow thought it over for a bit, asking for a count, and then made the call with pocket tens. Wheeler showed A 9, and needed help to stay alive. The board ran out J 7 4 5 K and Wheeler was eliminated, earning €570,000 for his runner-up performance. Sow took home the trophy, the title, and the €675,000 first-place prize.

Final Table Results

1 Kalidou Sow — €675,000* ($795,305)
2 Jason Wheeler — €570,000* ($671,591)
3 Michal Mrakes — €332,000 ($391,172)
4 Gabriele Lepore — €249,000 ($293,379)
5 Harry Lodge — €196,000 ($230,933)
6 Colin Robinson — €147,000 ($173,200)
7 Matas Cimbolas — €104,000 ($122,720)
8 Valentyn Shabelnyk — €72,850 ($85,963)
9 Alexander Mordvinov — €57,500 ($67,850)

*Based on a deal made heads-up.