Chris Klodnicki Wins Epic Poker League Main Event No. 3Klodnicki Beats 100 Top Pros In Unique "Mix-Max" Event |
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The third Epic Poker League Main Event came a conclusion on Sunday at Palms Casino Resort, with Chris Klodnicki emerging as the last man standing after five days of play. Klodnicki defeated Andrew Lichtenberger heads-up to secure the $801,680 first place prize, 600 Card Player Player of the Year points and increase his career earnings to $4,480,514.
Like the two before it, the third EPL Main Event featured a $20,000 buy-in and no-limit hold’em as the game in play, but this event set itself apart with its unique “mix-max” format.
The event began with its 100 entrants playing at eight-handed tables, then changed to seven-handed play on the second day and redrew to six-handed. On the third day, play began six-handed and redrew to four-handed. Play continued four handed until they were down to the final table of five, and what a final table it was.
Runner-up Andrew Lichtenberger was fresh off a fourth place finish just a week before in the WPT Five Diamond World Poker Classic main event for $218,933. Third place finisher Joe Tehan hit his biggest score of the year for $306,800. Fourth place finisher Michael Mizrachi is no stranger to this mix-max format, as he won a similar event at the World Series of Poker Europe for $448,861, and ends the year in 66th position in the Card Player Player of the Year standings.
Other players to cash in both of these events include sixth place finisher Noah Schwartz and seventh place finisher Jason Mercier. Rounding out the five-handed final table was Scott Clements, whose fifth place finished earned him $89,680. Clements recently won the Venetian’s Deep Stack Extravaganza IV main event for $145,775. Clements has made eight final tables this year, and currently sits in 38th place in the POY standings.
When it was down to the final two, Klodnicki and Lichtenberger were set to play a best of three heads-up match, with the chip counts for the first two matches starting with the stacks that the players brought into heads-up. If a third match was necessary, the players would have started with even stacks. This proved unnecessary, as Klodnicki utilized the strong chip lead that he entered heads-up play with to sweep the first two matches.
In the final hand of the night, Lichtenberger went all-in on a flop of 8
7
3 with AK
. Klodnicki called, holding A4. Klodnicki hit the 4 on the turn, and the meaningless 2 insured his victory with his pair of fours.
“It was a trip getting through this Epic Poker League Main Event which had a really tough field,” said Klodnicki. “I enjoyed the Mix-Max format which caters to top poker players, and while draining, I liked how the tournament progressed. Epic puts players first.”
Klodnicki and runner-up Lichtenberger, both secured their spots in the season-ending $1,000,000 Epic Poker League Championship Freeroll, which is open to the 27 players with the highest earnings in the four regular season Epic Poker League Main Events. With their respective earnings of $801,680 and $514,480 Klodnicki and Lichtenberger are each guaranteed one of those 27 seats. They join the first Main Event Champion Chino Rheem and runner-up Erik Seidel, as well as the second Main Event Champion Mike McDonald and runner-up David Steicke.
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