PokerNews Cup
Day 2 Completed
2022 Mediterranean Poker Party
PokerNews Cup
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
2022 Mediterranean Poker Party
Buy-in
$500
Prize Pool
$250,000
Entries
332
Level
31
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
49
Players Left
1
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
After an action-packed 11-and-a-half hours of Day 2 play here today at the 2022 Luxon Pay Mediterranean Poker Party at the incredible Merit Royal Diamond Hotel & Casino, there could only be one winner of the $500 PokerNews Cup: Arnaud Enselme.
After a grueling 30-and-a-half levels of play, Enselme bested Dmitry Koleznev in heads-up play that saw one of the wildest ends to a tournament in recent memory. The two players, on virtually equal stacks, had stopped play for 15 minutes to agree to a deal but were forced to complete the hand that had already been dealt before going through with the agreement. However, the two ended up flipping for the win, with Enselme coming out the victor.
For being the last one standing from a total of 332 entries, Enselme was awarded the $50,000 first prize and the illustrious PokerNews Cup trophy. To make life even sweeter, the victory sends the Unibet-sponsored professional to over $1 million in lifetime live poker tournament earnings on HendonMob.
“That’s right, I knew that (he eclipsed $1 million). It’s great, it’s very special. I’ve always played a lot online and now I’m playing much more live poker, especially after signing with Unibet. It’s my first win of the year, I’ve been waiting for it since January so it feels amazing. I’m very proud of that. I’m very proud to pull through, even in the tough moments, with tough opponents, and I’m very happy I came out with the win."
Of course, Enselme had to speak about the dramatic finish that saw him take down the full $50,000 first prize instead of playing it out for several thousands of dollars less.
“We agreed to a deal but then the floor came and explained that we had to play the hand that was in process. The guy (Koleznev) went all in and I had ace-jack. Even though we were talking about a deal, my hand was just too strong to fold and he showed up with a real hand. He really looked like he wanted a deal but that’s just how it went.”
$500 PokerNews Cup Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Arnaud Enselme | France | $50,000 |
| 2 | Dmitry Koleznev | Russia | $30,000 |
| 3 | Gheorghe Butuc | Moldova | $20,250 |
| 4 | James O'Brien | Ireland | $15,000 |
| 5 | Vittorio Maugini | Italy | $11,000 |
| 6 | Ercan Hasan | Turkey | $9,000 |
| 7 | Furkan Beg | Turkey | $7,500 |
| 8 | Konstantinos Nanos | Greece | $6,250 |
| 9 | Vladislav Fedoseev | Russia | $5,000 |
Action of the Day
Play began with 49 players already in the money after having qualified through the three different flights over the course of the previous two days, with Enselme coming in with a healthy 222,000 chips (44 big blinds). However, he was far behind the overall chip leader, Sakis Adrianopoulos, who came into the day with exactly 500,000 chips (100 big blinds). However, Adrianopoulos would not have great luck and finished in 22nd place for $2,000, notably losing heaps in Level 18 when he hit a set of jacks on the river as Veselin Petrov hit his nut flush. He would bust about 40 minutes later after getting in with top pair against Vittorio Maugini, who outkicked him on the flop.
The Day 1a and Day 1b chip leaders, Russians Vladislav Fedoseev and Elena Yasyuchenya, would fare much better as they finished 9th and 10th, respectively.
One of the most entertaining players in the field, Furkan Beg, had players laughing all day with his table talk. He also let his cards do the talking for him, taking his original stack of 86,000 chips (17 big blinds) and turning that into a very respectable seventh-place finish for $7,500.
After Beg's bustout, the final six players played out a long battle that, at one point, saw all six players sharing just 62 big blinds between them. There was even talk of a deal at one point that would've seen the remaining $135,250 shared between the players in some fashion but Enselme was the one to strike the deal down, noting that he was feeling confident in his play. That confidence would pay off as he would eliminate three of his five opponents en route to the win.
Heads-up Play
After Koleznev eliminated Gheorghe Butuc, Enselme came into heads-up play with a 3:1 chip advantage. The two players would get it all in on the fourth hand against one another, with Koleznev defeating Enselme with ace-king suited against ace-nine. After a single shove/fold, Koleznev and Enselme were neck-and-neck, with Enselme covering Koleznev by just 100,000 chips.
The sixth and final hand would be dealt and talks of a deal would halt action for roughly 15 minutes. The two players would agree to a personal deal but that was nixed as the floor ruled that the two had to play for a significant difference between second place and first place to facilitate a deal. After a few minutes, a second and final agreement was set in place but the floor also ruled that the players must first finish the hand before any paperwork could be signed.
However, a deal would never get completed as Enselme opened to 500,000 (2.5 big blinds). Koleznov shoved and Enselme called, and the two would flip for the remaining $20,000 and the trophy.
Dmitry Koleznev: 
Arnaud Enselme: 
The flop came 
to give Enselme two pair and left Koleznev drawing to just two outs. The 
and 
completed the board and Enselme let out a primal roar that could be heard throughout the poker room. Koleznev was notably distraught and disappointed in the outcome as he left with just $30,000, far less than if the hand was never played at all.
As for Enselme, he booked the $50,000 win and took himself over $1,000,000 in career live earnings in what he described as one of his favorite poker rooms in the world.
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
There was going to be an official deal between the players as the chips were fairly even however the tournament director instructed that the current hand must be complete.
Arnaud Enselme raised to 500,000 from the small blind/button before Dmitry Koleznev moved all in for 4,700,000. Enselme snap called covering Koleznev.
Dmitry Koleznev:
Arnaud Enselme:
It was a flip to determine the outcome of the tournament. The flop was favorable to Enselme as it came giving the Frenchman two pair and leaving Koleznev drawing thin. The turn was the and the river was the which eliminated Koleznev in second place for $30,000.
Koleznev had a look of disappointment on his face as the tournament was over before the deal could be completed.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
9,960,000
4,960,000
|
4,960,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Play is stopped as players are now discussing a deal.
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Hand 1: Dmitry Koleznev shoved and Arnaud Enselme folded.
Hand 2: Enselme called and Koleznev checked his option. The flop came 
and Koleznev folded to Enselme's 200,000-chip continuation bet.
Hand 3: Koleznev called and subsequently folded to Enselme's shove.
Hand 4: Enselme shoved and Koleznev called after telling Enselme "Good luck."
Dmitry Koleznev: 
Arnaud Enselme: 
Koleznev was dominating Enselme and the flop came 
to produce some opportunity for a chop.
The turn gave Koleznev the victory as Enselme was drawing dead. The completed the board.
Hand 5: Koleznev shoved, Enselme folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,000,000
-2,385,000
|
-2,385,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
4,900,000
2,350,000
|
2,350,000 |
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
The heads up battle begins where the winner will be the latest PokerNews Cup champion.
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Arnaud Enselme and Dmitry Koleznev are now on a short break as they prepare for heads-up play. Enselme goes into heads-up play with a three-to-one chip advantage.
Levels will now be reduced from 40 minutes to 20 minutes.
Level 31
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Dmitry Koleznev open-shoved and Gheorghe Butuc called from the small blind.
Gheorghe Butuc: 
Dmitry Koleznev:
Arnaud Enselme emitted an "oof!" as Butuc was crushed going up against Koleznev's pocket aces.
The flop came 
, giving Butuc hope with a straight draw.
The 
did had Butuc drawing to just four outs and the 
completed the board, ending his journey.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,385,000
285,000
|
285,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,550,000
550,000
|
550,000 |
|
Busted | |
Level: 31
Blinds: 100,000/200,000
Ante: 200,000
Level 30
: Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Arnaud Enselme moved all in from the cutoff for 5,800,000. He was called by James O'Brien on the button who had approximately 1,000,000.
James O'Brien: 
Arnaud Enselme: 
O'Brien was way ahead with his pocket kings. However the flop came 
which gave Enselme the nuts on the flop. The turn came the and the river the which eliminated O'Brien in fourth place for $15,000. At first the Irishman didn't realise he'd lost but than humbly exited the tournament area saying "It was fun playing with you guys".
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,100,000
1,950,000
|
1,950,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |