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WSOPE 2018: Laszlo Bujtas Leads 6 Survivors on Final Day of Main Event

Namita Ghosh November 2, 2018
4 Minutes Read

Day 5 of the 2018 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) €10,350 NLHE Main Event being hosted at King’s Casino, Rozvadov was one that saw high-octane action and a determined bid by the 12 finalists to make it into the final day. Only six of them now remain in the race for the title and each of them is already assured €175,965, but it’s the hefty top prize of €1,122,239 and the distinction of taking home a coveted WSOP gold bracelet that keeps the six hopefuls on the edge.

Laszlo Bujtas (cover image) had come into Day 5 with the largest stack, and ended the day at the top of the leaderboard as well. Bujtas had a swingy ride and was pushed to the second position in chips when the official eight-handed final table was drawn. However, he worked his way up again and sent Bulcsu Lukacs (8^th for €98,287) and Koray Aldemir (7^th for €130,350) packing out of the final table over the last four hands of the day to carry a massive stack of 14,040,000 coming into the final day.

Clearly, Bujtas is the hot favorite among the surviving contenders. The Hungarian pro had finished 58^th in the same event last year for €16,710.

Giving Bujtas stiff competition will be Milo Skrbic (12,720,000) who had entered the final table as chip leader, not to forget the former WSOP Main Event champion Ryan Riess (10,615,000) who is also very much in the running.

Riess had a pretty tough day on the felts and was visibly unhappy. He later called the day, “one of the worst days of poker he’s played all year.” Riess went on to add, “I picked such a huge day to play bad. I think I made the wrong decision on almost everything.”

2017 WSOP Main Event final tablist, Jack Sinclair (8,585,000) has also managed to find a bag and looking at how the tides have turned for many in the ongoing event over the past few days, the final day could well spring surprises on the field.

Day 5 Recap

The 12 finalists returned to Day 5 of the Main Event including Bujtas who was leading the way with his stack of 7,105,000. Also in the hunt were German high roller Koray Aldemir with 6,890,000 and Serbia’s Milos Skrbic who held a stack of 6,125,000. 2013 WSOP Main Event winner Ryan Riess brought a stack of 5,980,000 to Day 5.

The first elimination of the day was Ming Xi (12^th for €59,011), who found himself confronting Jack Sinclair`s pocket fours with six-five suited. Afour-eight-three flop followed by a three on the turn and a deuce on the river saw Sinclair hitting a full house that dominated Xi’s straight.

Short-stacked Vladimir Troyanovskiy (11^th for €59,011) was the next to exit after his king-ten was cracked by Obreshkov’s ace-eight that improved to a pair on the turn, with Troyanovskiy failing to connect on the board.

Riess eliminated Dominik Matejka (10^th for €75,461) in a hand where Matejka opened to 200,000 from the cutoff and Riess 3-bet to 650,000 from the small blind. The action returned to Matejka who moved all in for 2,580,000 and Riess asked for a count before making the call.

Riess:

Matejka:

The flop came and Matejka was still trailing despite pairing his nine since Riess had paired his queen. The turn and the river was no help for Matejka who was eliminated in 10^th place.

The play slowed down and it was a good four hours before Stoyan Obreshkov (9^th for €75,461) confronted Riess in a hand where he held pocket kings against the latter’s jack-nine. However, a nine on the turn and jack on the river saw Riess hitting top two pairs to eliminate Obreshkov. His elimination set the final, eight-handed table into motion.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Milos Skrbic – 12,895,000

2. Laszlo Bujtas – 9,565,000

3. Ryan Riess – 9,245,000

4. Koray Aldemir – 6,195,000

5. Jack Sinclair – 5,485,000

6. Ihor Yerofieiev – 4,390,000

7. Bulcsu Lukacs – 2,745,000

8. Krasimir Yankov – 2,605,000

Final Table Recap

Action on the final table was slow and steady as the chips exchanged hands before Bulcsu Lukacs (8^th for €98,287), who was the second shortest stack, found himself at risk. In the hand, action folded to Bulcsu who moved all in from the small blind for 1,745,000. He held against big blind Bujtas’ . Bujtas quickly called. The flop fell , giving Bujtas two pair and Lukacs a straight draw. The turn left him drawing to only a ten and the river improved Bujtas to a full house, spelling the end of Lukacs’ run in eighth place.

In the very next hand, Koray Aldemir (7^th for €130,350) was shown the door by Bujtas after Aldemir opened to 320,000 in the cutoff with and Bujtas 3-bet to 950,000 on the button with . The blinds quickly folded and Aldemir moved all in for 5,075,000. Bujtas snap-called and the cards were on their backs. The flop favored Bujtas who paired his king and made it a set on the turn. The river bricked Aldemir’s chances and he was relegated to the rail in seventh place.