Arsenii Karmatckii Wins the EPT Sochi Main Event
Russia's Arsenii Karmatckii kept the first-ever European Poker Tour (EPT) Sochi Main Event trophy on home soil after he finished on top of a field of 861 entrants to win the top prize of RUB 27,300,000 ($478,451). In addition, Karmatckii also became the latest winner of a PokerStars Platinum Pass valued at $30,000, which includes entry into the $25,000 PokerStars Players Championship in the Bahamas next year.
This marked the second big six-digit cash in less than a year for Karmatckii with the Russian also taking down the partypoker German Poker Championship in August 2017 for €185,000 ($217,238).
2018 EPT Sochi Main Event Final Table Results
| Position | Player | Country | Prize (RUB) | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenii Karmatckii | Russia | RUB 27,300,000 | $478,451 |
| 2 | Viktor Shegay | Russia | RUB 16,560,000 | $290,225 |
| 3 | Ernest Shakarian | Russia | RUB 11,688,000 | $204,840 |
| 4 | Vahe Martirosyan | Armenia | RUB 8,766,000 | $153,630 |
| 5 | Mikhail Kovalyuk | Russia | RUB 6,923,280 | $121,335 |
| 6 | Sergei Kerzhakov | Russia | RUB 5,190,000 | $90,958 |
| 7 | Andrey Kaygorodsev | Russia | RUB 3,648,180 | $63,937 |
According to the PokerStars Blog, the final table began as an almost all Russian affair with only Armenia's Vahe Martirosyan being the only player not from the festival's home country. Karmatckii entered the final table with almost more than double the chips than the combined stacks of Viktor Shegay in second place and Martirosyan in third place.
Mihail Kovalyuk was able to snag the chip lead before Karmatckii took it back with a pair of eliminations.
Andrey Kaygorodsev, who entered the final table as the short stack with just eight big blinds, was the first player eliminated on the final day in seventh place for RUB 3,648,180 ($63,937). His stack dwindled to four big blinds and hit the showers after his pocket fives proved to be no match to the pocket jacks held by Karmatckii.
Karmatckii then quickly took out another foe, this time Sergei Kerzhakov in sixth place for RUB 5,190,000 ($90,958). Kerzhakov three-bet jammed with ace-king and couldn't get there after Karmatckii called with pocket kings.
Kovalyuk managed to regain the chip lead before Shegay took over the honors for almost two hours.
Karmatckii was then able to recapture the chip lead while also eliminating Kovalyuk in fifth place for RUB 6,923,280 ($121,335) with a bad beat when his pocket kings got there when a king hit the flop against his opponent's pocket aces.
Shegay found himself in the chip lead once again before he found himself with merely two big blinds after doubling up Karmatckii when his ace-king couldn't outrace pocket jacks. Shegay then rallied to give him some breathing room.
Karmatackii dialed up the aggression and was shoving just about every hand before he almost got caught. He jammed six-three suited and was called by Martirosyan with pocket sevens. As fate would have it, a flush hit the board and Martirosyan was eliminated in fourth place for RUB 8,766,000 ($153,630).
Lady Luck was once again on Karmatackii's after his ace-six outgunned the ace-seven Ernest Shakarian after a six spiked the flop. Shakarian was eliminated in third place for RUB 11,688,000 ($204,840) still had many reasons to celebrate as this huge score more than tripled his total live poker tournament career cashes.
Karmatackii entered heads-up play against Shegay with a 4:1 chip advantage. Shegay began to mount a comeback before Karmatackii regained momentum to extend his lead to a 9:1 advantage.
Shegay was then eliminated in second place for RUB 16,560,000 ($290,225) after he called a jam from his opponent with jack-eight suited and couldn't get there against queen-ten.
Karmatackii then notched the biggest win of his poker career. However, he may be celebrating something else even bigger in the future as he is also about to get married in the next couple of days.
*Image and hand data courtesy of the PokerStars Blog.
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