Luuk Gieles Wins 2018 WSOP Circuit International Holland High Roller For €53,078

The Holland Casino Rotterdam played host to the €3,500 High Roller of the 2018 WSOP Ciruit International Holland. Netherlands’ Luuk Gieles (cover image) emerged as the champion after two days of gruelling play to take home the trophy and first place prize money of €53,078.

Ranked 45^th on Netherlands All Time Money List, Gieles posted his first score in 2012 at the €1,000 No Limit Hold’em – Main Event in the Rotterdam Series of Poker where he placed 11^th for €1,830. He has accumulated over 10 cashes since and this latest win has swelled his total live earnings over $600,000.

Talking about his victory, Gieles said “Even during the heads-up match I never felt like if I was going to win the tournament. I started the tournament behind in chips. I have played a lot of heads-up and managed to win the tournament.”

Day 1 Recap

Day 1 attracted a total of 31 entries but only 17 made the cut for Day 2. Clyde Tjauw Foe bagged the chip lead with a stack of 168,000, and Haci Bayram (161,100) and Michal Mrakes (137,500) rounded up the top three stacks.

Several runners were eliminated through the course of the day including eventual champion Luuk Gieles, as well as Zhong Chen, James Romero, Marijn van Puffelen and Tobias Peters.

Final Day Recap

At the start of Day 2, several players entered as late registration was still open until the start of the second and final day of the tournament.

Several players like Tonny van Eck, Luuk Gieles, Jack Salter, Marijn van Puffelen and defending champion Hakim Zoufri made use of the option to (re)enter late in the tournament.

Many notables busted out on Day 2 including Day 1 chip leader Foe, Jack Salter, Farid Chati, WSOP bracelet winners Ronald Keijzer and Mark Radoja, while Bryan van Rijsbergen bubbled the final table.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. James Romero – 470,000

2. Firoz Mangroe – 250,000

3. Haci Bayram – 228,500

4. Kevin Paque – 218,500

5. Luuk Gieles – 213,500

6. Michal Mrakes – 203,000

7. Albert Hoekendijk – 171,000

8. Ad Schaap – 125,000

9. Raoul Refos – 105,000

Final Table Recap

Haci Bayram was the first elimination of the nine-handed final table when his were up against Michal Mrakes’ and Raoul Refos’ . The board ran . While Mrakes and Refos chopped the pot, Bayram was eliminated in ninth place.

Less than half an hour later, Kevin Paque raised from early position and Ad Schaap moved all-in from the big blind. Paque called, putting Schaap at risk.

Kevin Paque

Ad Schaap

The runout was and Paque picked up the top pair, thereby eliminating Schaap in eighth place.

In the very next hand, Albert Hoekendijk excitedly moved his entire stack of 131,000 to the middle and Firoz Mangroe called from the big blind for his last 81,000. Hoekendijk ws in the lead with , while Mangroe held . The flop bettered Hoekendijk’s hand to three-of-a-kind kings. Mangroe was drawing dead as the turn and river were dealt and eventually bounced off in seventh place.

The WSOP bracelet winner Hoekendijk was in the midst of the action yet again when he raised to 30,000 from the button and James Romero moved all in for 190,000 from the big blind. Hoekendijk called and both players tabled their cards.

James Romero

Albert Hoekendijk

The community cards fanned out and Hoekendijk flopped a higher pair of queens, resulting in Romero’s exit in sixth place.

Next to go was Michal Mrakes. Luuk Gieles opened with a raise from the button and Mrakes moved all-in from small blind. Gieles called and the cards were turned over.

Michal Mrakes

Luuk Gieles

The board brought and did not provide any help to Mrakes who was eliminated in fifth place on the money bubble.

Four-Handed Chip Counts

1. Albert Hoekendijk – 546,000

2. Kevin Paque – 545,000

3. Raoul Refos – 461,000

4. Luuk Gieles – 348,000

During level 23, Raoul Refos announced all in for his last 233,000 from the button and Hoekendijk moved all-in from small blind, covering Refos by about 110,000. Kevin Paque folded his big blind and the cards were tabled.

Raoul Refos

Albert Hoekendijk

The board fell , as Hoekendijk flopped a set of eights and eliminated Refos in fourth place. Refos became the first player in the tournament to finish in the money.

Down to three-handed play, Albert Hoekendijk limped from the small blind and Paque checked from big blind to see the flop . Hoekendijk checked and Paque lead out. Hoekendijk raised and Paque 3-bet. Hoekendijk countered by moving all-in, to which Paque snap-called. Paque turned over and Hoekendijk showed . Paque was in the lead with two pairs of nines and fours while Hoekendijk was trailing behind with a pair of aces. While the turn missed both players, the river gave Paque a full house and Hoekendijk was sent packing in third place.

The heads-up play between Kevin Paque (1,500,000) and Luuk Gieles (400,000), started with the former in the lead. Gieles managed to eventually chip up his way to the top and on the final hand, both players saw the flop , following which Paque checked and Gieles fired a bet of 25,000. Paque called to see the turn . Paque check-called a bet of 135,000. The river completed the board, Gieles moved all in and Paque check-called.

Luuk Gieles

Kevin Paque

While Paque had picked up two pairs of fours and threes, Gieles rivered a seven-high straight to take home the trophy and top prize worth €53,078.

Final Table Results (EURO)

1. Luuk Gieles – €53,073

2. Kevin Paque – €35,386

3. Albert Hoekendijk – €17,693

4. Raoul Refos – €11,795

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