European Poker Tour -- Ben Wilinofsky Wins Berlin Main Event

The PokerStars European Poker Tour Berlin no-limit hold’em main event has come to a close and Canadian internet professional Ben “NeverScaredB” Wilinofsky is the champion. He topped a field of 773 players to take home the top prize in the tournament of €825,000 on Sunday in Berlin, Germany. He increased his combined live and online lifetime earnings to more than $2 million with the victory. Read on below to see how the 22-year-old beat a final table that included professionals like Team PokerStars pro Joep van den Bijgaart and Martin Jacobson.

Here is a look at the chip counts when the final table began:

Ben Wilinofsky, Canada (PokerStars qualifier) — 5,225,000
Maximilian Heinzelmann, Germany — 4,970,000
Vadzim Kursevich, Belarus — 4,345,000
Darren Kramer, South Africa — 2,235,000
Armin Mette, Germany — 2,125,000
Martin Jacobson, Sweden (PokerStars qualifier) — 2,085,000
Joep van den Bijgaart, Netherlands (Team PokerStars Pro) — 1,060,000
Jonas Gutteck, Germany — 1,025,000

Wilinofsky increased his chip lead to 9 million in the first major hand to take place at the final table against Max Heinzelmann. Wilinofsky feasted on Heinzelmann once again a short time later to increase his chip stack above 10 million and hold more than half of the chips in play. Jonas Gutteck was the first player to fall in eighth place (€66,000). His J-9 ran into the pocket kings of Heinzelmann and those kings made quads by the end of the hand.

It took quite some time after that before the last Team PokerStars pro in the tournament Joep van den Bijgaart hit the rail in seventh place (€100,000). Bijgaart held A-5 but it was cracked by the K-J of Wilinofsky on a Q-J-3-K-2 board. Darren Kramer fell just minutes later when his A-9 lost a race against the pocket sevens of Vadzim Kursevich. He took home €140,000 in sixth place.

Wilinofsky became the second player to get dealt quads at the final table to eliminate Armin Mette in fifth place (€180,000). Wilinofsky’s quad aces were more than enough to trample the pocket twos of Mette. Swedish professional Martin Jacobson was the next to fall in fourth place (€230,000). His A-K lost a race to the pocket sixes of Heinzelmann.

Wilinofsky maintained his chip lead from the start of the final table when Kursevich moved all in with A K on a K Q J flop and Wilinofsky made the call with 10 9. The 6 on the turn and the A on the river ensured that the flopped straight was enough to send Kursevich home in third place (€300,000).

When heads-up play began Wilinofsky held 16,235,000 to the 6,895,000 of his opponent. Heinzelmann was a little stubborn on the way out but the wire-to-wire victory by Wilinofsky never seemed to be in doubt. On the final hand Wilinofsky limped preflop and Heinzelmann checked to see a 8 5 3 flop.

Heinzelmann bet 225,000 and Wilinofsky raised to 500,000. Heinzelmann reraised all in for 4,025,000. Wilinofsky made the call and they flipped over their cards:

Heinzelmann: 9 8
Wilinofsky: 7 6

Turn and River: 9 and J

Heinzelmann was eliminated in second place and he took home €500,000 for a strong runner-up performance. Wilinofsky took home the top prize of €825,000 as the champion and his first major live tournament title.

Final-Table Results:

1st – Ben Wilinofsky, Canada, PokerStars qualifier – €825,000
2nd – Maximilian Heinzelmann, Germany, €500,000
3rd – Vadzim Kursevich, Belarus, €300,000
4th – Martin Jacobson, Sweden, PokerStars qualifier, €230,000
5th – Armin Mette, Germany, €180,000
6th – Darren Kramer, South Africa, €140,000
7th – Joep van den Bijgaart, Holland, Team PokerStars Pro, €100,000
8th – Jonas Gutteck, Germany, €66,000

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