2015 WSOP Europe 888 Hand of the Day: Makarios Avramidis Spurred On To Victory
The 2015 World Series of Poker Europe continued in Berlin, Germany, Saturday with the final table of the first of 10 scheduled gold bracelet events, Event #1: €2,200 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold'em.
PokerNews was on hand for all the action and will be in Berlin for the duration of the 17-day series. As a part of our coverage, that is brought to you by 888poker, we will be bringing readers a special "888 Hand of the Day" every single day throughout the entire WSOP Europe schedule.
On Saturday, Greek-native turned German restaurant owner Makarios Avramidis took advantage of an aggressive table dynamic by patiently waiting for the right spots to get it in and eventually win his first WSOP bracelet and €105,000.
Throughout most of the final table, 2015 WSOP bracelet winner Paul Michaelis and 10-time WSOP final table participant Stephen Chidwick traded the chip lead. But once Chidwick busted fourth, Avramidis began playing back at the aggressive Michaelis and eventually got it in with the best of it to double up, take the chip lead and earn 888 Hand of the Day honors.
"Michaelis was always trying to steal my big blind, so I started three-betting to teach him a lesson and earn some respect," Avramidis explained. "It worked, because he became more passive and then I called all in with a hand I felt was best."
It was three-handed in Level 24 with blinds at 10,000/20,000 with a 3,000 ante when Avramidis raised on the button to 50,000 with the J♠J♥. After Frederic Schwarzer let go of the small blind, Michaelis moved all in from the big blind, having Avramidis covered.
Avramidis called all in for 393,000.
"I just felt that I was stronger there," he said. "I always lose with the better hand, so I stepped off the stage. I didn't want to see it."
Avramidis was ahead against Michaelis' 10♦10♣ and in his absence the flop rolled out Q♠J♦9♦ giving him a set and quite a sweat. The A♥ turn kept him in the lead, however, and the 4♦ river ensured the double up.
"I felt like my luck had finally turned around and I was relieved," he said. "I had finally won with the better hand was free to play how I wanted to."
In a strange twist of fate, Michaelis would get it in again with tens versus Schwarzer's jacks a few hands later, losing again to bow out third. Avramidis was facing a slight deficit heads-up, but quickly rolled over Schwarzer with some aggressive moves of his own to seal the win, spurred on by a great call and hold in the 888 Hand of the Day.
As the 2015 WSOP Europe rolls on, be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for continued coverage, including regular 888 Hand of the Day articles.
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