Holger Bansner Wins the 2017 PokerNews Cup Rozvadov (€24,098)
The 2017 PokerNews Cup Rozvadov €250 Main Event has crowned it's champion, and it was Holger Bansner that emerged victorious out of a 617-entry strong field at the King's Casino in Rozvadov. Bansner defeated defending champion Timur Caglan in heads-up to fend off Caglan's bid to become the first two-time champion of the PokerNews Cup Main Events in the 12th edition.
The biggest cash of 38-year-old self-employed Holger Basner thus far was for $3,339 in a $240 Event of the Aria 2017 Poker Classic in Las Vegas this summer, and he makes the trips to Europe's biggest poker arena in Rozvadov for two day events when work allows. Down to the last four players, an ICM deal was cut and €8,000, as well as the trophy, were left aside. Bansner and Caglan agreed to another deal before heads-up got underway, leaving €2,000 up for grabs.
"I didn't care much about those €2,000, but I really wanted another trophy," 2016 champion Timur Caplan said in defeat. One year ago, the 33-year old German won the very same tournament outright for a payday of €44,695 and also added a World Series of Poker Circuit ring to his collection at the King's Casino after defeating Waldemar Kopyl in heads-up for €62,539 in March 2017.
Benjamin Benoit, who hails from New Caledonia and now lives in the Czech Republic near Marienbad, finished third and raked up almost €100,000 in cashes in the span of two weeks at the King's Casino after taking home €80,000 in the partypoker German Poker Championships €5,300 High Roller a few days ago. Daniel Novak, the fourth player that was part of the deal, took home €16,754 for his efforts.
Final Table Results
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Holger Bansner | Germany | €24,098* |
| 2 | Timur Caglan | Germany | €28,300* |
| 3 | Benjamin Benoit | France | €18,626* |
| 4 | Daniel Novak | Slovakia | €16,754* |
| 5 | JOBBI | Germany | €9,880 |
| 6 | Jens Steuber | Germany | €7,733 |
| 7 | Jörg Kunz | Germany | €5,719 |
| 8 | Willem de Jong | Netherlands | €3,933 |
*denotes deal of the last four and two players
Among those to cash in the event were the King's Casino regulars chiKKita banAAna (82nd for €589), Roman Cieslik (77th for €589) and Philipp Zukernik (72nd for €589), as well as David Taborsky (66th for €665), Martin Kabrhel (64th for €665), Day 1d chip leader Waldemar Kopyl (48th for €741), Marek Blasko (47th for €741), 2017 WSOP bracelet winner Sebastian Langrock (33rd for €855), Cenk Oguz (27th for €1,121), Vytautas Milbutas (19th for €1,482), Karol Radomski (15th for €1,862) and Tezer Cetindag (14th for €1,862).
Action of the Final Day
Holger Bansner started as the chip leader and took a big hit right away after his jack-ten for top pair and open-ended straight draw improved to two pair on the turn. Benjamin Benoit held pocket queens for the straight and doubled into the lead. Soon after it was Willem de Jong who became the first casualty of the final table. The Dutchman three-bet shoved with ace-king and Timur Caglan moved all in behind him with pocket kings, the board ran out jack-high to provide no help for de Jong.
Jörg Kunz started well into the final table but soon found himself at the bottom of the counts with just a few big blinds. Those vanished when his king-jack failed to improve against the ace-jack of Timur Caglan and Kunz had to settle for 7th place and €5,719. Only a few minutes later, Jens Steuber moved all in from the small blind with ace-queen and Daniel Novak called with pocket threes to flop quads and instantly leave Steuber drawing dead.
The roller coaster ride of JOBBI ended in 5th place when he shoved for less than 10 big blinds with jack-five off suit. Benjamin Benoit quickly called with king-three from one seat over in the big blind and held up. The last four players agreed to an ICM deal and the play after became far more relaxed with plenty of all in showdowns.
Daniel Novak eventually bowed out in 4th place when his pocket kings were cracked by the ace-three of Benjamin Benoit, who improved thanks to a runner-runner straight. The run-good of Benoit ended right there, however, and the Frenchman was the next casualty. First Holger Bansner doubled through him with ace-king versus ace-five suited and Benoit's remaining chips went to Timur Caglan, as he stood no chance with king-eight versus pocket kings.
Timur Caglan and Holger Bansner were almost even in chips and split up the additional €8,000 further, leaving the trophy and €2,000 to the winner. Caglan quickly pulled into a two-to-one lead but that all changed when he turned an eight-high straight. Bansner got there with ten-nine suited via runner-runner flush and Caglan never recovered from that. After doubling with a short stack once, he check-shoved a king-high flop with five-six suited for a flush draw and Bansner's king-queen suited for top pair held up to crown a champion.
That marks the end of the PokerNews live reporting from Europe's biggest poker arena, while the PokerStars Championship Barcelona is already underway.