The European Poker Tour (EPT) has a new champion!
On Sunday at Casino Sochi, Ruslan Bogdanov of Saratov, Russia, prevailed over a field of 637 entries to become the latest champion on Europe’s most prestigious tour. His victory earned him RUB 15,984,500, which is nearly €176,000, and he becomes the fifth Russian to win an EPT Main Event title.
“I am very happy,” Bogdanov said, following Maxim Lykov, Vladimir Geshkenbein, Andrey Pateychuk, and Arseniy Karmatskiy in winning for Russia. “There were many key moments that worked out successfully.”
Ruslan Bogdanov: EPT Sochi champion!
No moment was more crucial than the final hand, which came at the end of a titanic heads-up duel against fellow Russian Viktor Tkachenko. The pair agreed a near even split of the prize money, but then played on for several hours, before Bogdanov managed to get pocket sixes to hold up against Tkachenko’s jack-nine. Tkachenko earned RUB 14,490,000 (€159,312) for his runner-up finish.
With international travel much restricted, there was little surprise to see a Russia-dominated field in Sochi, and each of the eight seats at the final table occupied by a player on home turf. The best known was Aleksandr Denisov, whose more than $2.3 million documented tournament earnings includes a second-place finish in a PokerStars Festival Main Event in the same venue. Denisov, however, was first out from the final table this time, banking RUB 1,956,500 €21,511 (approx).
Final table standings are below, and click for full payouts from Sochi.
EPT Sochi Main Event
Dates: October 6-11, 2020
Buy-in: RUB 175,000 (€1,920 approx)
Entries: 637 (inc. 209 re-entries)
Prize pool: RUB 98,722,260 (€1,084,167 approx)
1st: Ruslan Bogdanov, Russia – RUB 15,984,500 (€175,743)*
2nd: Viktor Tkachenko, Russia – RUB 14,490,000 (€159,312)*
3rd: Gleb Ershov, Russia – RUB 8,312,500 (€91,393)
4th: Sergey Aristov, Russia – RUB 6,367,900 (€70,013)
5th: Egor Turubanov, Russia – RUB 5,044,900 (€55,467)
6th: Vladislav Naumov, Russia – RUB 3,929,100 (€43,199)
7th: Nikita Kuznetsov, Russia – RUB 2,863,000 (€31,478)
8th: Aleksandr Denisov, Russia – RUB 1,956,500 (€21,511)
Fokin brilliant! High Roller champ takes 7 million
There was also a heads up deal at the end of the EPT Sochi High Roller final table, with Yakov Fokin ultimately defeating Pavel Kireev to claim the title and RUB 7,450,100 (€81,952). Kireev took RUB 6,300,000 (€69,301) for second. There were 90 entries, including 14 re-entries, into the event costing RUB 371,000 (€4,075) to play, and another all-Russian last eight. Former EPT Sochi Main Event champion Arseniy Karmatskiy placed third, for RUB 3,727,500 (€41,003).
Yakov Fokin: High Roller winner
EPT Sochi High Roller
Dates: October 9-11, 2020
Buy-in: RUB 371,000 (€4,075)
Entries: 90 (inc. 14 re-entries)
Prize pool: RUB 30,555,000 (€335,555 approx)
1st: Yakov Fokin, Russia – RUB 7,450,100 (€81,952) *
2nd: Pavel Kireev, Russia – RUB 6,300,000 (€69,301) *
3rd: Arseniy Karmatskiy, Russia – RUB 3,727,500 (€41,003)
4th: Vyacheslav Balaev, Russia – RUB 2,919,000 (€32,109)
5th: Dmitry Belousov, Russia – RUB 2,352,700 (€25,880)
6th: Andrey Chernokoz, Russia – RUB 1,833,300 (€20,166)
7th: Viktor Kudinov, Russia – RUB 1,451,100 (€15,962)
8th: Georgiy Filippovich, Russia – RUB 1,130,500 (€12,436)
9th: Artem Vezhenkov, Russia – RUB 855,400 (€9,374)
10: Andrey Nikonorov, Russia – 656,600 (€7,210)
11: Anton Smirnov, Russia – 656,600 (€7,210)
12: Evgeniy Nekrasov, Russia – 611,100 (€6,711)
13: Vyacheslav Goryachev, Russia – 611,100 (€6,711)
