WSOPE: Shaun Deeb proclaimed Player of the Year; Main Event underway; Martin Kabrhel wins the Super High Roller

The World Series of Poker Europe at King’s Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic is on its final stretch with Event #10: €10,350 No Limit Hold’em Main Event underway. Prior to that, bracelet #9 went to the host country’s own Martin Kabrhel, and the undisputed champion of WSOP Player of Year race was none other than Shaun Deeb. We’ve got those stories for you below.

Shaun Deeb wins WSOP Player of the Year

Shaun Deeb was crowned the 2018 WSOP Player of the Year champion. Deeb came to WSOPE already leading the POY race after producing superb results in Las Vegas. He cashed in a stunning 15 events with two of those victories to earn bracelets #3 & #4. In Rozvadov, Deeb pumped in another four deep runs, just missing a sixth gold by one spot at the €1,650 Pot Limit Omaha / No Limit Hold’em Mixed event. With 5,073.92 points accrued, and no one able to catch up, Deeb was awarded the distinguished title.

Since his career began, Deeb’s total earnings at the WSOP have climbed to US$4,290,081. That includes WSOPE and Circuit events. His largest win and his only seven-digit payout came this summer after winning the US$25,000 Pot Limit Omaha High Roller event for US$1,402,683.

To honor his achievement, Deeb joins other WSOP POY winners up on the walls of the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino with his face on a banner. He will also receive a free entry to the $10,000 buy-in WSOP Main Event in 2019.

Came home to find this waiting for me ⁦@crashleyonfire⁩ says they were happy I was home just not happy to take photo pic.twitter.com/qhmsf50kmF

— on hiatus (@shaundeeb) October 30, 2018

Main Event draws 534 entries with Dario Sammartino in the lead

The €10,350 No Limit Hold’em Main Event is underway with 165 players entering Day 3 out of the 534 total entries. Though the overall attendance is a smidge higher than last year, it certainly didn’t come without a scare. The two starting days only produced a combined 341 entries – 140 for Day 1A and 201 for Day 1B – suggesting the possibility of a huge overlay with 500 entries needed to meet the €5 Million guarantee. Day 2 late registration solved all that, dragging in 193 more to surpass the guarantee and settle at €5,073,000.

Among the many notable players still in contention was Dario Sammartino who bagged the most at the end of Day 2. Day 1A chip leader Marco Slacanac remained consistent claiming second rank, and in third position was Jack Salter. All three were the only players with stacks over 1M which is minimum 200x the big blind. Day 1B chip leader Adrian Mateos is also through to the next round.

14 bracelet winners are in the lineup, among them are Chris Ferguson, Kristen Bicknell, David Peters, and Ryan Reiss – the 2013 WSOP Main Event champion.

As for the Asian contingent, many have fallen. Among those back for another day are bracelet winners Hong Kong’s Anson Tsang and Israel’s Timur Margolin. China has six players holding up the flag, Jia Tang, Ming Xi, Xixiang Luo, Yunsheng Sun, Quan Zhou, and Yang Zhang. And for Malaysia, Jun Wah Yap and Wai Leong Chan are still in the running.

Day 3 will see the money distributed. 81 places get paid. The eventual winner is slated to earn the only six-figure payout of €1,122,239. We will have the update for you as it completes.

Martin Kabrhel wins the €100K Super High Roller

Two years ago, Martin Kabrhel was just one of many European pros battling it out in the worldwide poker arena. That all changed after his performance last year where he piled in a long list of impressive achievements both in Las Vegas and in his home country of Czech Republic, even winning his first WSOP bracelet on home turf.

Now on everyone’s radar, Kabrhel continued to bring in the marks in 2018. Several days ago, he shipped the biggest win of his live tournament career by outlasting the 95 runners of the €100K Super High Roller event. He defeated David Peters at heads up to earn a second career gold bracelet and the massive €2,624,340 (~US$2,990,000) first prize. This latest victory gave the host country, Czech Republic, their first bracelet of the ongoing series.

2018 has become even more fruitful than last year for the young Czech. Prior to the WSOPE, Kabrhel also won two ring events at the WSOP International Circuit in Rozvadov. He jumped from 3rd to 1st in The Hendon Mob’s Czech All Time Money List.

Final table payouts

1 – Martin Kabrhel: €2,624,340
2 – David Peters: €1,621,960
3 – Julian Thomas: €1,116,308
4 – Mikita Badziakouski: €789,612
5 – Dominik Nitsche: €574,406
6 – Jan-Eric Schwippert: €430,218
7 – Adrian Mateos: €331,943
8 – Michael Addamo: €264,110

Article by Tricia David