€560 Main Event
Day 3 Completed
€560 Main Event
Day 3 Completed
When the final day of the 888poker LIVE Bucharest festival began, Razvan Morar was among the short stacks coming back for Day 3 of the €560 Main Event. The Romanian returned to action with just 12 big blinds, and that number fell below five at one point during play at the final two tables.
As he watched others head to the payout desk, Morar found a pair of key doubles that propelled him to the final table. With his father watching on the rail at 888poker Room Bucharest, Morar continued to chip up until reaching heads-up play against Florin Elisei. Despite starting at an almost three-to-one disadvantage, Morar overcame the odds and locked up an emotional win in his home country.
The Main Event produced a strong field of 406 entries, with the top 51 players earning a cash of at least €1,000. The final 17 players that returned for the final day had all locked up a minimum of €2,275, with Morar earning the €37,000 first-place prize and the shiny 888poker LIVE trophy.
Place | Player | Country | Prize (EUR) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Razvan Morar | Romania | €37,000 |
2 | Florin Elisei | Romania | €24,000 |
3 | Andrei Miron | Romania | €18,400 |
4 | Alexandru Lupuleac | Romania | €15,000 |
5 | Alexandru Varninschi | Romania | €12,000 |
6 | Konstantinos Vatseris | Greece | €9,000 |
7 | Dan Galinschi | Romania | €6,500 |
8 | Corneliu Popescu | Romania | €4,900 |
9 | Alexandru Brumaru | Romania | €4,200 |
The day began with Morar joined by plenty of other short stacks, as eight of the remaining 17 players entered play with less than 20 big blinds. Adrian Ionescu was among the early exits on Day 3 after running into the pocket aces of Alexandru Brumaru.
It was about this time that Morar began making his move up the leaderboard, doubling up twice while more players hit the rail. As the final two tables began short-handed play, Dumitru Barta was knocked out by Morar after missing his draw.
One of the more entertaining hands of the day came when Corneliu Popescu was down to a river card, needing to find a seven to stay alive. With seven fingers held up in the air, Popescu celebrated as the dealer flipped over the 7♥ to earn the double.
After doubling up Morar earlier in the day, Alexandru Mitracu was eliminated on the final table bubble. That bubble lasted almost two hours, as the remaining players battled for a spot under the lights of the feature table.
Brumaru and Popescu were the first to fall after taking photos for the official 888poker LIVE Bucharest final table. Day 1c chip leader Dan Galinschi then fell in seventh place after his pocket kings were cracked by Elisei.
The chip leader entering the final day was Konstantinos Vatseris, who was looking to improve on a seventh-place finish at this event last August. It was not to be this time, as Vatseris also fell to Elisei to exit in sixth position.
Alexandru Varninschi was next to fall when he ran into pocket jacks,
before Alexandru Lupuleac became Morar’s first victim of the day to finish fourth.
Andrei Miron was the short stack entering three-handed play, and could not improve that position as he was knocked out by Elisei.
That left Elisei and Morar to battle for the trophy, with Morar facing a familiar storyline as heads-up play began. Elisei carried a sizeable chip advantage, but a combination of timely plays and timely cards allowed Morar to chip away at the deficit.
After about an hour, Morar clawed his way into the lead and never looked back. The final hand saw Elisei shove a flush draw on the flop, which Morar called with top pair.
As the river card hit the felt, Morar raised his fist and looked at his dad on the rail, who was already celebrating and clapping for his son’s victory. Despite facing long odds all day long, Morar found a way to get the job done and now gets to enjoy the spoils of the top prize and the 888poker LIVE trophy.
That’s a wrap from 888poker LIVE Bucharest, but be sure to check out the PokerNews live reporting hub for coverage of events around the globe!
Razvan Morar opened to 800,000 on the button and Florin Elisei called in the big blind.
After seeing the 6♦A♦9♣ flop, Elisei moved all in for his last 2,630,000 and was quickly called by Morar.
Florin Elisei: Q♦4♦
Razvan Morar: A♣K♦
Elisei's flush draw missed on the K♥ turn and 7♠ river to cement his runner-up finish for €24,000.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Razvan Morar | 20,300,000 | |
Florin Elisei | Busted |
Florin Elisei opened to 800,000 with A♥5♦ on the button and Razvan Morar made the call holding K♣3♣ in the big blind.
Morar connected on another flop, this time hitting a flush on A♣9♣J♣. Morar checked to Elisei, who fired a bet of 1,000,000 with his pair of aces.
Morar called to the J♠ turn and checked again. Elisei kept on the offensive, sliding out a bet of 1,300,000. Morar responded by moving all in, putting his opponent to the test.
Elisei shook his head and took a moment before making the lay down, as Morar claimed another big pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Razvan Morar |
15,435,000
3,100,000
|
3,100,000 |
Florin Elisei |
4,730,000
-3,100,000
|
-3,100,000 |
Razvan Morar limped on the button with 9♣8♥ and Florin Elisei checked with J♣5♠ in the big blind.
The flop of 8♠9♥2♣ saw both players check, with the action repeating on the 5♦ turn.
Elisei led out for 600,000 on the 2♥ river, but was quickly met with a raise to 1,500,000 from Morar. After taking some time, Elisei opted to make the call.
Morar showed his flopped two pair, raking in a nice pot as Elisei tabled his inferior two pair.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Razvan Morar |
12,335,000
2,250,000
|
2,250,000 |
Florin Elisei |
7,830,000
-2,250,000
|
-2,250,000 |
In the 822nd episode of the PokerNews Podcast, which is sponsored by WPT Global, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz & Kyna England come to you from Level 9 Studios in Las Vegas to discuss the latest poker news, stories, and gossip.
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Razvan Morar called on the button with A♥K♠ before Florin Elisei raised to 800,000 holding K♥8♦ on the button.
Morar took a moment before sliding out a three-bet to 1,800,000, taking down the pot as Elisei gave up his hand. With that pot, Morar took a slight chip lead for the first time in the heads-up match.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Razvan Morar |
10,085,000
1,650,000
|
1,650,000 |
Florin Elisei |
10,080,000
-1,650,000
|
-1,650,000 |
Level: 33
Blinds: 150,000/300,000
Ante: 300,000
Florin Elisei called on the button with 10♣7♥ and Razvan Morar checked his big blind option holding 6♣2♠.
The dealer turned over the K♥6♦2♦ flop and Morar checked his two pair. Elisei checked back and the K♦ hit the turn. Another check from Morar produced a bet of 300,000 from Eliei, which was called.
The 4♣ river saw the action repeat, with Morar check-calling a bet of 700,000 from Elisei. Morar showed his two pair to take the pot after Elisei turned over his bluff.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Florin Elisei |
11,730,000
-1,200,000
|
-1,200,000 |
Razvan Morar |
8,435,000
1,200,000
|
1,200,000 |
Razvan Morar limped in with Q♦5♣ on the button and Florin Elisei checked with J♠8♣ in the big blind.
The flop of Q♣2♠7♥ saw both players check to the 3♦ turn, where Elisei led out for 300,000. Morar responded by raising to 800,000, earning the pot as Elisei mucked.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Florin Elisei |
12,930,000
-1,100,000
|
-1,100,000 |
Razvan Morar |
7,235,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |