Alex Bilokur Wins World Series of Poker $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em Championship EventRussian Tops Stacked Field of 160 To Win First Bracelet and $398,567 |
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Card Player’s 2014 WSOP coverage is sponsored by CarbonPoker.
Alex Bilokur has a taste for high stakes poker action, and has done quite well for himself despite not calling himself a professional player. In recent year’s he had accumulated nearly $3 million in live tournament earnings, but he finally achieved his true aspiration when he topped the 160-player field in the 2014 World Series of Poker $10,000 pot-limit hold’em championship event to win his first gold bracelet and $398,567.
“This is the format I like most… High buy-in with the same line up, very strong competition. I’ve shown good results in these kinds of events. I’ve never considered myself a professional poker player,” he told WSOP.com after his win. “I just really love this game and I like tough competition.”
Bilokur faced just that in this event. Among those he outlasted were Scott Seiver (12th – $30,516), Erik Seidel (11th – $30,516), Dan Shak (10th – $30,516), Barny Boatman (9th – $37,389), Richard Lyndaker (8th – $46,533), Pratyush Buddiga (7th – $58,851), Todd Brunson (6th – $75,681), Chino Rheem (4th – $131,705) and Alex Venovski (3rd – $178,434).
Bilokur entered heads-up play with Florida cash game specialist Matt O’Donnell, who was fresh off a 5th-place finish in the a $1,000 event earlier in the series. O’Donnell held a sizable chip lead of over 8-to-1 over Bilokur, but after 106-hand battle Bilokur was able to fight his way back into the match, take the lead and ultimately seal the deal.
On the final hand O’Donnell raised to 180,000 from the button and Bilokur called. The brought the 982 and Bilokur checked. O’Donnell moved all-in and Bilokur made the call with the QJ for a flush draw with and a gutshot, while O’Donnell held the AQ. The 9 was a brick, but the 7 completed Bilokur’s flush, sending O’Donnell to the rail as the runner-up with $246,310 in prize money as consolation.
Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at this final table:
Place | Player | Earnings (USD) | POY Points |
1 | Alex Bilokur | $398,567 | 780 |
2 | Matt O’Donnell | $246,310 | 650 |
3 | Alex Venovski | $178,434 | 520 |
4 | Chino Rheem | $131,705 | 390 |
5 | Ismael Bojang | $98,978 | 325 |
6 | Todd Brunson | $75,681 | 260 |
7 | Pratyush Buddiga | $58,851 | 195 |
8 | Richard Lyndaker | $46,533 | 130 |
9 | Barny Boatman | $37,389 | 65 |
*Winner photo courtesy of the WSOP
For more coverage from the 2014 summer series, visit our WSOP landing page.
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