Seat 5: Michael Kolkowicz, 31, from Paris, lives in Lyon/France - 4,600,000
Michael Kolkowicz may be an amateur poker player, but the 31-year-old from Paris has been steadily building his stack through the whole tournament. Kolkowicz was amongst the top five at the end of each day. He first took the overall chip lead at the end of Day 3. Remarkably, he didn't plan to play the Main Event but changed his mind after having a solid first night at the cash game tables. Kolkowicz certainly doesn't regret his decision to register. Playing in the Salle des Étoiles may be his advantage as the real-estate agent calls it his "lucky room". Kolkowicz got married in this room ten years ago. "Winning this tournament would be my second best memory from this room," he said. He now has three children with his wife Cynthia, who's supporting her husband during the Main Event, albeit remotely as the family lives in Lyon. Kolkowicz keeps Cynthia updated about his poker journey through frequent Facebook messages. And she would travel all the way to Monaco to support Kolkowicz here in the rail, should he make it to the final day. Kolkowicz admires Davidi Kitai's game, considering him the best pro he's ever played against, pointing out Kitai's abilities to read his hand "all the time". When playing poker, Kolkowicz can be mostly seen in cash games. He also likes chess, and plans to share his passion for it with his children.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
4,600,000 |