Sokratis Linaras Triumphs in WSOP Europe Mini Main Event (€ 310,350)

November 04, 2023

After seven days (including four Day 1 starting flights), Event #3: €1,350 Mini Main Event has reached its conclusion here at the 2023 World Series of Poker Europe at King’s Resort in Rozvadov. When the dust had settled, it was Sokratis Linaras who was the last player standing, overcoming a field of 1,729 entrants and defeating Day 3 chip leader Daniel Lehmann in heads up play to win €310,350 and his first World Series of Poker gold bracelet.

Linares started the day third in chips before overtaking Lehmann for the chip lead during the second level of play today. From that point on, Linares kept the lead for most of the day, claiming three final table eliminations on the way to victory.

Winner’s Reaction

“I feel very happy. After four days of not sleeping well and playing too many hours every day, I feel very well. In the end, everything was okay. This win is the best one I’ve ever had. I started playing poker as a professional two years ago. It’s my second win, and I hope to have more.” Linaras said when asked how he felt after winning his first WSOP gold bracelet.

This win continues a stellar year for the Greece native, adding to a victory in a €5,200 Pot Limit Omaha event at EPT Monte Carlo for his previous career-best score of €97,500. Linaras also recorded three other event cashes here in Rozvadov in 2023. “He (Lehmann) is very aggressive. I had to wait for the right time, and that was it,” Linaras said after finishing off heads-up action.

As for his plans for the rest of the series, Linaras mentioned having a busy schedule but that he will play again later in the series. “Now I must go because I have a restaurant and am very busy. But I will come on November 10 for the Main Event", where a ticket to Day 1a is already waiting.

€1,350 Mini Main Event Final Table Results

*Payouts including €10,350 WSOPE Main Event Day 1a ticket

Final Table Action

Day 4 began with eight players seeking WSOP glory. The action got off to a quick start, with two eliminations occurring within the first hour of play. Francis Klar, who began the day short-stacked, was the first to fall after getting his chips in on the flop with a pair of fives versus Lehmann, who had flopped a flush draw. Lehmann drilled the flush on the turn to send Klar, who from that point was drawing dead, to the rail in eighth place.

Aleksej Grenz was next to fall shortly after Klar. Grenz failed to pick up any momentum on Day 4 and ultimately ran pocket-eights into Georges Chehade's pocket aces in a preflop confrontation before bowing out in seventh.

Chehade himself would be the next player to hit the rail after running ace-eight into Omar Eljach's ace-jack in a blind versus blind confrontation and failing to improve.

Eljach had found himself as a very short stack early in the day today, but he managed to double up three times in quick succession. In one instance, Eljach had shoved preflop with pocket sevens and was in dire straits against [Removed:446], who had called with pocket jacks to put the reigning WSOPE main event champion at risk. Eljach spiked a seven to keep his hopes for a third WSOP bracelet (and the second of this series) alive, and Saran could not recover from that point. After nursing a short stack for more than one hour, Saran would get his final chips in preflop with ace-seven against Linaras, who remained ahead with ace-king to score the knockout.

Following Saran's elimination, the action would slow down with four players remaining. Lehmann and Linaras slowly extracted chips from Eljach and Jamel Ghizaoui before Eljach would lose a flip preflop with ace-five against Lehmann's pocket threes, ending his deep run after he had evaded elimination at the final table several times before.

Ghizaoui would bow out shortly after Eljach. He found himself in a preflop, blind versus blind confrontation against Linaras and was ahead with ace-eight against his opponent's queen-jack. Linaras spiked two pair on the flop and remained ahead to put an end to Ghizaoui's run, paving the way for a heads-up battle between Lehmann and Linaras.

Heads up play was a fast and furious affair despite both players starting out nearly even in chips. Lehmann would take the lead early on, only for Linaras to take it right back after barreling the flop and turn with jack-high to force a fold from his opponent.

The final hand of the tournament saw Lehmann attempt a massive bluff with ten-high. Unfortunately for the Norwegian player, the bluff came at the wrong time, as Linaras had turned the nut flush and found an easy call when Lehmann shoved on the river to score the final knockout of the day and secure his first-ever WSOP gold bracelet.

Live Reporter

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