WSOP 2018: Filippos Stavrakis Wins 1st Bracelet in Event #26 – $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha For $169,842

With 986 runners entering Event #26: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha at the 2018 World Series of Poker (WSOP), it took three days and a hard-played battle for Filippos Stavrakis (cover image) to win his career-first WSOP title. Stavrakis took home a first place payday of $169,842 along with the coveted gold bracelet for his efforts!

The Athens-born American, whose best WSOP cash prior to this win was at the 2017 WSOPC-Foxwoods NLHE Main Event, where he finished sixth for $30,035, has just added a sizeable amount to his overall live tournament earnings!

“A couple years ago we lost my brother prematurely and I always said that if I was fortunate enough to win a bracelet I would dedicate it to him. It felt like he was with me all day,” a smiling Stavrakis, who, after winning the event, put up a piece of paper that read, “For Jimmy. Love & miss you bro”.

A total of 100 players had competed on Day 2 and only 14 managed to make it onto the final day. Stavrakis was already at the top with his stack of 903,000 when play resumed on Level 21, at 6,000/12,000 blinds.

Joshua Larson (14^th for $7,446) was the first player to get ousted followed by Ruslan Dykshteyn (13^th for $7,446), Floyd Bangerter (12^th for $9,435) and David Caruthers (11^th for $9,435).

The unofficial, final table was redrawn and it wasn’t long before Arthur Morris (10^th for $9,435) got busted to set up the official nine-handed final table.

Final Table Recap

The first elimination on the final table took place with Robert Cowen bowing out the ninth place, followed by Greek player, Georgios Karavokyris who lost a hand against Siegel to bust out in eighth place.

With only seven players left, it started looking like Stavrakis’ show, since he went about winning almost every hand, applying pressure on the short stacks, and increasing his own stack in the process. He did face a few challenging moments when the event was down to four players, but Stavrakis patiently played his way up to the title.

The next player to head back to the rail from the final table was Thayer Rasmussen. Rasmussen was down to 12,000 and needed help to survive. However, he was all in in the big blind before any of the cards were out, Siegel opened to 55,000 from early position and was called by Stavrakis from the cutoff. Klein also called, from the button, and the flop showed . The action checked to Klein who announced a bet of 189,000. Everyone else folded, Klein took the side pot and went heads-up against Rasmussen for the main pot. Klein tabled for a flopped set of threes, and Rasmussen showed for a pair of queens. Rasmussen was lagging and the rundown sent him out in seventh place.

Twenty minutes and several hands later, Stavrakis busted France’s Pascal Damois. Stavrakis opened to 65,000 from cutoff and Damois shoved all of his remaining 175,000 chips in the middle. Stavrakis called and both revealed their hands. Stavrakis turned over and Damois tabled . The flop showed . It was evident that Stavrakis was in the lead with two pairs. The turn, followed by the river sealed Damois’s fate and he was eliminated in sixth place.

Next up, Siegel opened to 80,000, Peter Klein three-bet shoved for 270,000 and Siegel called. The flop showed and Klein announced all-in for 150,000. Siegel snap-called and both players tabled their hands. Klein showed and Siegel revealed for a flopped set. The popped up on the turn and Klein desperately needed a king but the river fell . Siegel took down the pot while Klein hit the rail in fifth place.

Clinton Monfort was the next to go. Ramos opened to 280,000 from the button and Monfort moved all in for 440,000. Ramos made the call putting Monfort to risk. Ramos showed and Monfort tabled . The flop opened bringing a set and a flush draw for Ramos. Monfort needed help but neither the on turn nor the on river obliged. Ramos scooped the pot eliminating Monfort in fourth place.

Despite taking down the previous hand, Brazilian player Felipe Ramos couldn’t hold up against Stavrakis. When Stavrakis raised to 200,000 from button, Ramos made the call. The flop showed and both players checked to see the open on the turn. Ramos checked and Stavrakis announced a bet of 300,000. Ramos decided to call, the river opened on which Ramos checked. Stavrakis bet 400,000, putting Ramos all-in and the latter made the call. Stavrakis tabled and Ramos showed , busting out in third place.

With that, the heads-up match between Stavrakis and Jordon Siegel commenced and in the final hand, Stavrakis raised to 160,000 from the button and Jordan called. The came up on the flop on which Siegel bet 320,000 and Stavrakis then bet pot to put Siegel all-in. Siegel called to see Stavrakis’ and the former tabled . Stavrakis had the superior hand, with a set and nut flush draw, and Siegel was drawing dead with just one of the non-diamond fives. So, when the turn and the river completed the board, Stavrakis won the pot, relegating Siegel as the runner-up. Siegel banked $104,924, and Stavrakis took home the gold bracelet!

Final Table Results (USD)

1. Filippos Stavrakis – $169,842

2. Jordon Siegel – $104,924

3. Felipe Ramos – $73,989

4. Clinton Monfort – $52,879

5. Peter Klein – $38,309

6. Pascal Damois – $28,137

7. Thayer Rasmussen – $20,957

8. Georgios Karavokyris – $15,832

9.Robert Cowen– $12,133

Content & image courtesy WSOP.com.

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