Alexander Tkatschew Wins Eureka Prague Main Event On The European Poker Tour

Alexander Tkatschew – Photo Credit: Eloy Cabacas/Rational Intellectual Holding Ltd

Alexander Tkatschew won at the PokerStars European Poker Tour tournament that was the scene for a record-setting Eureka Prague main event that concluded on Dec. 11 in the Czech Republic. The win was his second at a tournament on the EPT this year, having previously won a $25,000 high roller tournament at the Cyprus back in October. Tkatschew’s career tournament earnings now sit above $2 million.

“It feels very good, they are very long days and a lot of fun. I like the structure and the field. It’s a very good tournament,” said Tkatschew to reporters after the win. He continued by mentioning adjustments made throughout a tough final table, “You have to know to play tighter against one player, but looser against the other.”

The €1,100 buy-in no-limit hold’em tournament hosted a field of 4,403 entries at King’s Casino Prague, which was the largest turnout ever for a Eureka main event. The final 659 players took home at least €1,690 in prize money. After six starting flights, every player that made it into the money returned for Day 2, and from that group 125 advanced to the penultimate day of play that saw the final table of nine set.

Tkatschew was in the lead group with the third-largest stack when the final day began. His stack ebbed and flowed during the early going as he alternated winning large pots with paying out big double-ups. Tkatschew didn’t take out his first opponent until he eliminated in Miroslav Forman to take the chip lead before three-handed play began.

Catalin Moraru had received several doubles from Tkatschew during the early going at the final table, so there was some retribution for the Austrian poker player when he took out Moraru in third place. That gave Tkatschew nearly a 2:1 chip advantage over Remigiusz Wyrzykiewicz to start the final battle.

The chip lead changed hands a few times before Tkatschew scored a double-up in the largest hand of the tournament. Tkatschew was all in with the board reading 8632 holding 87. Wyrzykiewicz had him covered with A4 in the hole for a big draw. The river changed nothing with the 6, and that was the beginning of the end of the tournament.

The final hand saw Wyrzykiewicz get all in preflop a short time later with pocket sixes, and Tkatschew quickly called to cover him holding pocket nines. The last board brought bricks to give Tkatschew the victory. Wyrzykiewicz took home $331,333 as the consolation prize, and that puts the career earnings for the player from Poland above $425,000.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

The European Poker Tour will be hosting events through Dec. 17, including the €5,300 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event that runs from Dec. 11-17. You can check out the full schedule for the tournament series right here.

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