The 2018 Unibet Open Bucharest €1,100 Main Event attracted 592 entries across 3 starting flights – Day 1A with 149 players, Day 1B with 273 and Day 1C with 170 entries. Outlasting the massive field was Russia’s Anton Vinokurov who won the tournament in an impressive way, having maintained his chip lead throughout Day 3. With 12 players left, it was Vinokurov who held 30% of the chips in play. Moving into the final table, he was responsible for the crucial final table eliminations of Daniel Chutrov, Amir Shomron, Vitalijs Zavorotnijs, Adrian Ionescu, Florin Elisei and Cosmin Cimpeanu. Vinokurov took home the top prize of €103,060 ($ 120,347) along with the trophy.
Recently, Vinokurov grabbed headlines for his 13th place finish in $400 No Limit Hold’em – Under Pressure Knockout at the Russian Poker Tour in 2016. With already 5 live scores to his name, this win at the Main Event is his career-best score and has taken his total live earnings to $159,499.
Post his grand victory, Vinokurov said, “I was playing good. Some of the other players were playing good, and some were not playing good. I believed when I started play today as the chip leader that I must make it to the final table and finish in the top three. Then when there were five players left, I knew I would win. I felt no other players could beat me.”
After Carmen Zainescu going out in 3rd place for €44,170, the heads-up started between Cosmin Cimpeanu (3,525,000) and Anton Vinokurov (14,240,000) starting off with a 4:1 lead. While Cimpeanu played hard, it was the chip lead Vinokurov who won in the end. On the final hand of the event, Cimpeanu had Qc 3c and Vinokurov held Jd 8c. The board was 8s 8d 4h Kc Qs. While Cimpeanu paired a queen but it was no match for Vinokurov’s trips, which won him the coveted title.
The tournament saw many well-known pros taking to the felts. Some notables who cashed were Georgios Tavoularis (21st for €4,770), Anton Markov (43rd for €3,140), Valentin Anghel (47th for €2,985), Slaven Popov (52nd for €2,830), Cristian Cirtog (60th for €2,550), Marius Gicovanu (67th for €2,300), Kevin Naegelen (72nd for €2,070) and Unibet Poker Ambassador Fredrik Bergmann (80th for €1,860).
Final Table Results (EUR):
- Anton Vinokurov – €103,060
- Cosmin Cimpeanu – €64,050
- Carmen Zainescu – €44,170
- Florin Elisei – €32,720
- Adrian Ionescu – €25,170
- Voytech Susta – €19,360
- Vitalijs Zavorotnijs – €15,490
- Amir Shomron – €12,390
- Daniel Chutrov – €9,910