Matthias Eibinger Climbs Out of $550K Hole at Onyx HRS w/ $1.25M Payday
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Matthias Eibinger wasn’t having a particularly enjoyable experience so far this week at the Onyx High Roller Series.
Sure, he was soaking in the sun, the majestic beaches, and the azure blue seas here on the shores of the Mediterranean. But on the felt, the past few days had been a disaster.
Eibinger fired four bullets in the $100,000 High Roller Championship but had nothing to show for it. He lost two bullets on Day 1 of the $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em Grand Slam. He then fired a third right at the end of late registration to begin Day 2.
The third time was the charm, as Eibinger ended up as champion and took home the trophy and $1,250,000 first prize after defeating French superstar Johan “YoH ViraL” Guilbert heads-up. In order to get to the top of the podium out of the 95-player field, Eibinger needed not only to crawl out of the hole he had dug himself in during the series, but also at the final table.
Onyx HRS $50,000 NLH Grand Slam Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matthias Eibinger | Austria | $1,250,000 |
| 2 | Johan Guilbert | France | $870,000 |
| 3 | Joseph Oren | United States | $575,000 |
| 4 | Tom Vogelsang | Netherlands | $430,000 |
| 5 | Sergio Fernandez | Spain | $340,000 |
| 6 | Igor Yaroshevskyy | Ukraine | $265,000 |
| 7 | Quan Zhou | China | $210,000 |
| 8 | Thomas Muehloecker | Austria | $175,000 |
| 9 | Gha Iakobishvili | Russia | $145,000 |
Eibinger Overcomes a Tough Start to Onyx HRS
Eibinger folded more than 60 hands in a row, which he says is a new personal best for tightness. He then picked up aces on his 63rd hand, but was outflopped by Joseph "Handz" Oren’s set of sixes, leaving Eibinger with just two outs to survive. He spiked an ace on the turn, and the comeback was in full motion.
“It’s just fighting experience. Never give up,” Eibinger said after clinching the title. “Had to be very patient. The 63rd hand got me going in the tournament, where, actually, I was lucky. And from there, it just developed. Made a hero call, which was right. I think a little bit of luck and the right intuition is required to win a title.”
Eibinger admitted he needed a deep run in this event just to get back to even for the series. The win was more than enough to turn a big deficit into an overall profit. “Difficult, because the $100K took me four bullets without success,” Eibinger said, describing his experience at the festival. “Here I fired another three bullets, so I needed third to break even, but now I’m super happy that I won it.”
For most players, a seven-figure score would instantly jump to the top of their career highlights. But for Eibinger, this prize barely cracks his top five. The Austrian has established himself as one of the top high rollers on the circuit over the years. In addition to his first Onyx Series title, he has four Triton Series wins, including two here in Cyprus, a WSOP bracelet in the $75,000 Triton PLO event in December, as well as an EPT Super High Roller title. He was already in first place on the Austrian all-time money list by a significant margin, and his win today pushes his live earnings past $27 million.
Eibinger can’t compare this win to any of the other big wins he’s had in his career, but the atmosphere at the Merit Royal Diamond Casino & Spa made this one special in itself. “Comparing is hard because every event is kind of unique in itself, and the Onyx is a special experience here. I mean, the atmosphere out there, the sea, the hotel is beautiful. It’s just nice to win this trophy here,” he said.
