This Week’s Big Winner: Mikalai Pobal Becomes Second Ever Two-Time EPT Main Event Winner

Mikalai Pobal has won the 2019 EPT Prague €5,300 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event, becoming only the second player to ever secure two EPT main event titles. 

Victoria Coren Mitchell was the first to achieve the feat, having taken down both the 2006 EPT London and 2014 EPT San Remo events. Pobal outlasted a field of 1,154 total entries this event to earn €1,005,600 ($1,116,216 USD). It was the second biggest score of his career, behind the $1,237,928 he picked up when he won the first of his titles, in the 2012 EPT Barcelona main event.

This was just the fourth cash for Pobal in the last year, and before that, he went three years without a poker score on his résumé. The Belarus poker player is fourth on the nation’s all-time money list with nearly $2.5 million in total live tournament earnings, which is led by high roller Mikita Badziakouski.

To claim the title, Pobal had to first outlast one of the more accomplished players at the final table, WSOP bracelet winner Norbert Szecsi. The Hungarian poker pro made it to heads-up play with Pobal very deep stacked, with the two sitting on more than 100 big blinds each. A deal was briefly discussed, but ultimately the two players couldn’t find an agreement and decided to play it out, with Pobal making quick work of his opponent.

Here are the five key hands that propelled Pobal to the title.

Tournament: EPT Prague Main Event
Buy-In: €5,300
No. of Entries: 1,154
Prize Pool: €5,596,900
1st Place Prize: €1,005,600 ($1,116,216)

The Action

Pobal raised to 160,000 from the hijack and Fast defended his big blind. The flop fell K Q 10 and both players checked. The turn was the 8 and Fast checked. Pobal bet 80,000, and Fast check-raised to 800,000. Pobal moved in for the last 200,000 behind, and Fast made the call holding K 9 for top pair with a gutshot straight draw. Unfortunately for him, Pobal held A J for a flopped Broadway straight, and Fast was drawing dead. He banked €96,100 for his final-table run.

The Action

After seeing his stack dwindle to less than 20 big blinds, Pobal won a crucial flip against Livshitz when his A K connected against pocket queens. A few hands later, the two were back at it again. This time, Livshitz raised to 350,000 from under-the-gun and Pobal shoved from the button for his last 2,760,000. Livshitz called with pocket tens, but it was Pobal who had the pocket queens this time, and they held up to see him double back into contention.

The Action

Livshitz limped from the small blind and Pobal raised to 325,000 from the big blind. Livshitz re-raised to 1,400,000, and Pobal took his time before making the call. The flop fell Q J 3 and Livshitz continued for 725,000. Pobal raised to 1,700,000, and Livshitz moved in for his final 5,210,000. Pobal made the quick call with pocket aces, and Livshitz was in bad shape with A Q for top pair, top kicker. The turn and river came 5 7, and Livshitz was eliminated in fourth place, earning €316,780.

The Action

Szecsi raised to 400,000 on the button and Pobal defended from the big blind. The flop fell 10 7 5 and Pobal checked. Szecsi bet 600,000, and Pobal called. The turn was the 2, and this time Pobal check-called a bet of 1,800,000. The river was the 9, and Pobal checked for a final time. Szecsi bet 5,000,000, and Pobal quickly called with 10 7 for flopped two pair. Szecsi only had 8 4, turning his missed gutshot straight draw into a bluff and sending a huge portion of his chips across the table.

The Action

Sitting on a more than 4:1 chip deficit, Szecsi raised to 450,000 on the button and Pobal three-bet to 1,500,000. Szecsi then shoved for his last 6,340,000, and Pobal quickly called. Szecsi held two black eights, but Pobal had him crushed with two black kings. The dealer gave Szecsi some hope by putting a straight draw on board for a chop, but ultimately couldn’t hit the river and was eliminated in second place, earning €598,880 for his deep run. This was his second EPT main event runner-up finish, having also taken second at the 2018 EPT Barcelona. Pobal picked up his second EPT title, the trophy, and the €1,005,600 first-place prize.

Final Table Results

1. Mikalai Pobal — €1,005,600 ($1,116,216)
2. Norbert Szecsi — €598,880 ($664,757)
3. Ricardo Da Rocha — €421,450 ($467,810)
4. Gaby Livshitz — €316,780 ($351,626)
5. Tomas Paiva — €241,230 ($267,765)
6. Luke Marsh — €177,420 ($196,936)
7. Laurent Michot — €134,610 ($149,417)
8. Dietrich Fast — €96,100 ($106,532)