Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2017 PokerStars Festival Hamburg
Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2017 PokerStars Festival Hamburg
Buy-in
€1,100
Prize Pool
€549,990
Entries
567
Level
30
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
20,000
Level 30
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
The 2017 PokerStars Festival Hamburg €1,100 Main Event has crowned a champion and it was local Hamburg resident Ulrich Pauls who emerged victorious to lift the trophy at Casino Schenefeld after a brief and intense heads-up encouter with Michal Lubas.
For Lubas, it was once again another impressive performance and runner-up finish, as he ended up second to Petr Svoboda out of a 1,126 entry field at the King's Casino in Rozvadov back in March 2017. Back then he collected €91,000 for his efforts and now Lubas added another €66,220 to his bankroll.
Pauls certainly put his stamp on the on Day 2 and Day 3. “I like to play following my feeling. If I feel something I pay and today this strategy worked really well,” Pauls said in the interview after bagging up the most chips at the end of Day 2 and he stayed true to his words for the final as well. Pauls showed plenty of emotions and was willing to risk the chips at any time, putting sheer pressure on anyone that got involved in a pot with him and flashing bluffs left and right.
The 36-year-old business owner also mentioned that he was running rather bad in the Side Events at the start of the festival, and likely wasn't willing to take another shot. “I busted at the Hamburg Cup, at PokerStars Open, at Main Event Day 1B and I lost at the cash game tables. I didn’t want to play anymore these days, I had a bad feeling. Then a friend of mine began to call me frequently trying to convince me to play Day 1D. At the end he did, and he was right!”
Pauls added “Yesterday, someone asked me if I would go to the HSV (Hamburg football team) match but I aswered I had to win the tournament and HSV would win 3-0. Both thing happened!” The Hamburg resident entered the day as the chip leader and was always in first or second place, taking home the elusive golden PokerStars Festival Main Event trophy and a payday of €105,850.
Final Result €1,100 Main Event
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ulrich Pauls | Germany | €105,850 |
| 2 | Michal Lubas | Poland | €66,220 |
| 3 | Jan Sigel | Germany | €47,410 |
| 4 | Behzad Zarnegar | Germany | €36,960 |
| 5 | Bo Rundström | Sweden | €28,980 |
| 6 | Andrei Nodea | Romania | €22,770 |
| 7 | Karolis Domarkas | Lithuania | €16,990 |
| 8 | Marcin Horecki | Poland | €11,770 |
The event drew a total of 567 entries throughout four starting days and generated a prize pool of €549,990, comfortably surpassing the initial guarantee. Only the top 79 spots were guaranteed at least €1,870 for their efforts and the money bubble burst mid-way through Day 2.
PokerStars Team Online's Felix Schneiders was among those to miss out on the money, while other notables that cashed include Eric Theissen (68th for €2,030), Jesper Hansen (67th for €2,030), Jules Ayoub (61st for €2,030), Day 1B chipleader Matthias Rauscher (58th for €2,030), Walid Abdi Ali (47th for €2,250), Erik Scheidt (20th for €4,450), Peter Jaksland (13th for €6,490), Daniel Stacey (12th for €6,490), €2,200 High Roller runner-up De-Han Kim (11th for €7,640) and Day 1a chip leader Rudolf Köster (9th for €9,290)
Action of the Final Day
The last Main Event of the PokerStars regional tour in 2017 resumed on Day 3 with the last 15 players returned to the tables at 1 p.m. local time. The first level almost ran down without any elimination before Igor Rybak was sent to the rail. Rbyak had doubled his short stack twice, but his king-ten suited eventually ended up second-best to the ace-queen suited of PokerStars Team Pro Marcin Horecki.
Half an hour later, there were just 10 still in the mix. [Removed:431] built his stack early on before doubling Andrei Nodea. When flopping a flush draw in a three-bet pot with king-queen suited, Steinfeuer got it in against the pocket aces of Michal Lubas and both the turn and river bricked.
At almost the same time over on the other table, Peter Jaksland and Daniel Stacey (pictured below) bowed out in the same hand. Stacey built his stack nicely in the very first hand of the day before losing several all in showdowns against shorter stacks. The UKIPT5 Isle Of Man Main Event champion shoved king-jack suited and Jaksland called for less on the button with ace-king, while Ulrich Pauls looked them both up out of the small blind with pocket eights. The board ran out nine-high and Pauls increased his commanding lead.
De-Han Kim, who finished runner-up to Andre Haneberg in the €2,200 High Roller here at Casino Schenefeld a few days ago, had to settle for 11th place. Down to fewer than five big blinds, Kim moved in from the small blind with ten-four and Alaettin Keles called in the big blind with king-eight. Kim spiked a four on the turn, but an eight on the river restored the preflop order.
The remaining 10 players were in action for more than two hours on two five-handed tables until the unofficial final table was set. Several hopefuls were left short while Michal Lubas won a big pot with a set of tens against the pocket aces of Jan Sigel. Ultimately, Alaettin Keles was gone in 10th place when his king-jack failed to get there against the ace-jack of Karolis Domarkas. Down to just one table, it was Day 1a chip leader Rudolf Köster that missed out on the official final table group shot. He pushed for just over three big blinds with ace-queen suited and Lubas called with pocket tens to leave Köster drawing dead on the turn.
PokerStars Team Pro Marcin Horecki made it to the final table but never failed to run up his short stack anymore. His push for 10 big blinds with ace-eight suited came at the worst possible time as Ulrich Pauls looked him up out of the small blind. The board ran out king-high and Horecki had to settle for 7th place and €11,770.
The next player to bust was Karolis Domarkas, who entered the final day as second-biggest stack. After an early setback the Lithuanian eventually moved all in for 11 big blinds with king-queen suited. Ulrich Pauls called with ace-ten suited and a six-high board failed to improve Domarkas.
Andrei Nodea was eliminated in 6th place. The Romanian faced three limps and committed almost all of his chips with a raise out of the small blind before calling the shove of Behzad Zarnegar with ace-jack. Zarnegar turned over pocket aces and Nodea couldn't hit a miracle.
The last Scandinavian in the field, Bo Rundström, fell in 5th place. After scoring several double ups with a short stack throughout the day, his last shove for four big blinds was called by Ulrich Pauls and Behzad Zarnegar. The two remaining players checked down the board and Zarnegar showed king-jack. Rundström flipped over pocket nines and Pauls had the winning ace-ten suited for top pair with the final community card.
Behzad Zarnegar, who has recorded most of his cashes at Casino Schenefeld thus far, eventually finished in 4th place. Zarnegar defended his big blind against a raise by Michal Lubas and a call by Ulrich Pauls. On an ace-high flop with two hearts, Zarnegar check-raised all in with eight-six suited only to see Pauls call with king-three suited for the superior flush draw. Both turn and river bricked and the field was down to the last three.
Only minutes later the other short stack, Jan Sigel, was sent to the rail. He three-bet all in with ace-ten suited and Michal Lubas moved all in over the top with ace-ten. A queen on the flop left Sigel on thin ice and the runner runner miracle never happened.
Ulrich Pauls started the heads-up with a comfortable lead over Michal Lubas and quickly established a commanding chip advantage after flopping a set of sixes and winning another big pot without showdown. In the final hand, a seven-high flop escalated and Lubas was at risk with pocket sevens for bottom set. Pauls turned over four-three for bottom pair and a gutshot. Instead of the six for the straight, a deuce and ace brought the running wheel instead and the rail of Pauls went wild.
This marks the end of the PokerNews live reporting team here in Hamburg, and the next PokerStars live event is around the corner with the highly-anticipated PokerStars Championship in Prague in December 2017.
Level 30
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Michal Lubas raised to 270,000 and Ulrich Pauls called in the big blind. The flop came 
and Pauls checked, Lubas bet 200,000 and Pauls check-raised to 475,000. Lubas moved all in and Pauls asked for a count.
Once it was determined to be 3.18 million in total, Pauls stood up from his chair and tossed in a chip for the call.
Michal Lubas: 
Ulrich Pauls: 
Ulrich immediately sighed while his rail edged closer to the table and he said "only the six." However, he picked up some more outs with the 
turn. Pauls' rail exploded when the 
river completed the wheel and Lubas was once again the bridesmaid after finishing runner up in Rozvadov already. The Pole takes home €66,220 for his efforts, while the title, trophy and first-place payout of €105,850 remains in Hamburg.
A recap of today's action is to follow.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
16,880,000
2,700,000
|
2,700,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 30
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
- Ulrich Pauls completed from the button and Michal Lubas opted to check. They both checked on the 
on the flop. The turn brought them the 
, Lubas check-called the 150,000 bet of Pauls. The 
completed the board on the river and they both checked. Lubas turned around 
and that was enough for Pauls to muck his cards.
- Pauls completed again from the button and Lubas checked. The flop came 
, Lubas check-called the 150,000 bet of Pauls. They both checked through the 
on the turn to the 
on the river. Lubas checked again, now Pauls bet 500,000 and Lubas folded.
- Lubas raised to 270,000 from the button and Pauls called. The flop came 
, Pauls check-called the 200,000 bet of Lubas. They both checked on the 
on the turn and the on the river. Pauls showed 
but Lubas had for the kicker and the win.
Level 30
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Ulrich Pauls has taken a commanding lead after forcing an expensive fold from Michal Lubas.
It started rather innocent with a raise to 270,000 by Lubas and a call. The flop fell 
and Pauls check-called a bet of 200,000. On the 
turn, Pauls checked once more and called a bet of 600,000 by Lubas before the on the river completed the board.
Pauls checked, Lubas gave him a stare down and eventually bet 1.2 million. Within a few seconds, Pauls moved all in and Lubas was sent into the think tank. Pauls turned to the other side and used his scarf to hide most of his face. After three minutes he called the clock and some more time passed before it was enforced.
Lubas let go and Pauls said "damn it," but didn't dare to show his cards.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
14,180,000
2,700,000
|
2,700,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,700,000
-2,700,000
|
-2,700,000 |
Level 30
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
With some hands going back and forth there were two hands that sent more chips Ulrich Pauls' way than the other way around:
- Pauls raised to 275,000 from the button and Michal Lubas called. The flop came 
, PLubas check-called the 250,000 bet of Pauls. They both checked through the 
on the turn and the on the river. Lubas showed 
but was bested by Pauls when he tabled the 
for a flush.
- Pauls raised to 320,000 from the button and Lubas called. They both checked on the 
flop. The turn brought them the 
, Lubas check-called the 200,000 bet of Pauls. The river completed the board with the , Lubas check-called again but now on a 550,000 bet of Pauls. Pauls tabled 
for a set of sixes and Lubas nodded while mucking his cards.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
11,480,000
2,070,000
|
2,070,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,400,000
-2,070,000
|
-2,070,000 |
Level 30
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Ulrich Pauls and Michal Lubas traded the first two pots in heads up before Lubas scooped a few hands in a row to somewhat close the gap.
Lubas raised to 270,000 three hands in a row and Pauls called each time. In the first hand, the flop fell 
and both players checked. Pauls bet 350,000 on the turn and Lubas folded.
After a walk for Lubas, the Pole raised to 270,000 once more and Pauls called to see a flop of 
that was checked through. On the 
turn both checked as well and Pauls check-folded the 
river to a bet of 205,000.
The next walk was followed by the same procedure - raise to 270,000 and call. Pauls checked the flop, Lubas bet 200,000 and Pauls called. After the turn, Pauls led for 345,000 and Lubas raised to 1.25 million in order to force a fold.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,410,000
-1,000,000
|
-1,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
7,470,000
1,000,000
|
1,000,000 |
Level 30
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
The deal discussions have fallen through and they have started playing again.
Level: 30
Blinds: 60,000/120,000
Ante: 20,000
Level 29
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Ulrich Pauls and Michal Lubas have asked to look into possible deal numbers with fewer than two minutes left on the clock. Lubas already finished runner up in the PokerStars Festival Rozvadov Main Event earlier this year and may be keen to bring home the trophy this time around.