Rise of 'Gambledore’: Craziest Hands from Poker's Newest High-Stakes Wizard
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Vladimir Korzinin has captured the attention of seemingly the entire poker world due to a series of deep runs at Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Monte Carlo, punctuated by a victory in $150,000 No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed for $4.3 million.
Poker fans quickly dubbed the white-bearded high-stakes newcomer as "Gambledore" as he put top pros like Patrik Antonius and Fedor Holz to the test on their own turf.
Here's a look at some of the craziest hands Korzinin played on the Triton stream and at a recent European Poker Tour (EPT) stop.
Read About Korzinin's $4.3M Victory at Triton Monte Carlo
Flushing Out Boivin
With nine players left in $150,000 No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed, Korzinin opened with Q♠10♠ and was called by Thomas Boivin in the big blind with J♣5♥.
The flop of 5♣9♦A♠ checked through and Boivin bet 300,000 after hitting trips on the 5♠ turn. Korzinin raised all in after turning the flush draw and Boivin called off for around two million. The 7♠ river sealed the deal as Korzinin made his flush to send Boivin out in ninth place for $435,000.
Making Dan Smith Laugh
They say it takes luck to win any poker tournament. That was displayed with six left in the same event when Korzinin found himself battling against Dan Smith on a flop of J♦10♣Q♠.
Korzinin held top pair with Q♥6♥ but was in bad shape against the two pair of Smith with J♠10♥. All the chips got in the middle before the 6♣ turn gave Korzinin a better two pair. Smith laughed as the 9♥ bricked off on the river to mark his sixth-place elimination worth $1 million.
Jamming Heads-Up with Seven-Deuce
Korzinin may need to consult his push-fold charts after this one. As he got heads-up against fellow poker newcomer Ossi Ketola in the 8-handed event, Korzinin moved all in for around 15 big blinds with 7♠2♠ and was called by Ketola's K♥9♣.
Korzinin managed to flop both a flush draw and straight draw and hit the straight on the river to double through the Finn before going on to secure the title and $4.3 million.
Four-Outing Badziakouski
With six left in the $200,000 Triton Invitational, Korzinin opened in the cutoff with K♠9♣ as Mikita Badziakouski defined his big blind with J♣2♣.
Korzinin bet with a gutshot on the flop of J♠2♠Q♥ and Badziakouski check-raised with his two pair. Korzinin three-bet jammed and Badziakouski called off to be at risk.
Badziakouski was a big favorite to double up, but that changed as the 10♥ turn gave Korzinin one of his two outs before the river bricked off to mark Badziakouski's elimination in sixth place for $1.1 million.
Four-Bet Pot in EPT Cyprus High Roller
Before the Triton stream that made him a star, Korzinin played several events at EPT Cyprus. Despite not cashing in the €50,000 Super High Roller Second Chance, Korzinin finished second in chips on Day 1 after battling with the likes of Jesse Lonis, Nick Petrangelo and Leonard Maue, who he played in an interesting pot with during Level 5 with blinds of 1,000/,2,500/2,500.
Here's how PokerNews live reporter Dan O'Hair documented the hand:
Leonard Maue raised to 5,000 from under the gun and Vladimir Korzinin three-bet to 15,000 on the button. Action folded back to Maue, who four-bet to 45,000. Korzinin called.
Korzinin called a 45,000 bet from Maue on the 5♣6♥4♠ flop and then checked after the A♣ appeared on the turn.
Korzinin announced he was all in, sending Maue deep into the tank.
Maue used up a couple time extensions, but eventually decided to let his hand go and Korzinin collected the pot without showing.
We will keep an eye out for poker's latest star at upcoming tournament stops.
