€888 Main Event
Day 3 Started
2023 888poker LIVE Bucharest
€888 Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2023 888poker LIVE Bucharest
Buy-in
€888
Prize Pool
€138,898
Entries
191
Level
25
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
100,000
Entries
9
Players Left
1
The Trophy Awaits a New Champion at the Final Table of the 888poker LIVE Bucharest Main Event
A new champion will be crowned today in the Romanian capital when the final table of the 888poker LIVE Bucharest Main Event begins at 3 p.m. local time.
The man in the best position to lift the trophy at the end of the day is Admir Qinami. The Albania native has no recorded live cashes but took control of the tournament late yesterday and built up a commanding chip lead with 4,650,000 entering the final table.
The gregarious Viorel Gavrila follows behind him in second place with 2,700,000. Another native son, Marius Gicovanu, is in third place with 2,600,000. Gicovanu has more than $800,000 in career tournament earnings and will look to capture a title on his home soil today at the final table.
Final Table Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Admir Qinami | Albania | 4,650,000 | 93 |
| 2 | Viorel Gavrila | Romania | 2,700,000 | 54 |
| 3 | Marius Gicovanu | Romania | 2,600,000 | 52 |
| 4 | Konstantinos Vatseris | Greece | 2,250,000 | 45 |
| 5 | Andrii Zaika | Ukraine | 1,565,000 | 31 |
| 6 | Razvan Belea | Romania | 1,510,000 | 30 |
| 7 | Gheorghe Velcea | Romania | 735,000 | 15 |
| 8 | Maksims Gorbacs | Latvia | 715,000 | 14 |
| 9 | Alexandru Marcu | Romania | 300,000 | 6 |
A victory today would be a defining career achievement for most of the players at the final table, with one exception. Back in February, Razvan Belea became a poker hero here when he won EPT Paris, the first ever EPT title won by a Romanian player. He comes into the final table in sixth place with 1,510,000 as he tries to capture a second major title to add to his already history-making year.
Konstantinos Vatseris (2,250,000) and Andrii Zaika (1,565,000) are in the middle of the pack heading into the final table, while the bottom of the leaderboard features Gheorghe Velcea (735,000), Maksims Gorbacs (715,000), and Alexandru Marcu (300,000), each of whom has less than 15 big blinds and will need to make their move early to jump into contention.
The remaining nine players are guaranteed €3,500 for navigating their way this far through a starting field of 191. The champion will earn €30,000 by the end of the night and the chance to lift the 888poker LIVE trophy.
The action picks up on level 22, with blinds of 25,000-50,000 and a 50,000 big blind ante. Levels will now be 60 minutes long. The final table will be streamed by 888poker TV on their Twitch channel.
It took four long days of action to make it this far. The wait is finally over. By today's end, only one player will be left standing here in Bucharest. Stay tuned as PokerNews provides all the coverage from the final table until a new champion hoists the trophy.
Final Table Seat Draw
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Viorel Gavrila | Romania | 2,700,000 | 54 |
| 2 | Maksims Gorbacs | Latvia | 715,000 | 14 |
| 3 | Konstantinos Vatseris | Greece | 2,250,000 | 45 |
| 4 | Razvan Belea | Romania | 1,510,000 | 30 |
| 5 | Admir Qinami | Albania | 4,650,000 | 93 |
| 6 | Marius Gicovanu | Romania | 2,600,000 | 52 |
| 7 | Andrii Zaika | Ukraine | 1,565,000 | 31 |
| 8 | Gheorghe Velcea | Romania | 735,000 | 15 |
| 9 | Alexandru Marcu | Romania | 300,000 | 6 |
Final Table Updates on a Delay
Updates from the final table will be provided on a 30-minute delay to avoid spoilers with the 888poker TV stream.
Stay tuned for all the action.
Catch the Final Table on 888poker TV
The final table is being streamed by 888poker TV on their Twitch channel beginning at 3:30 p.m. local time.
Level: 22
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 50,000
Velcea Dodges Everything on the First Hand
Level 22
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
On the first hand of the final table, Gheorghe Velcea moved all in for 735,000 from the hijack and Konstantinos Vatseris called in the big blind.
Gheorghe Velcea: 10♥10♣
Konstantinos Vatseris: K♥Q♥
The 8♥7♥5♣ flop gave Vatseris a flush draw to go with his two overcards. The 7♠ turn was no help, and neither was the 2♦ river as Velcea doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,545,000
810,000
|
810,000 |
|
1,465,000
-785,000
|
-785,000 |
Marcu's Turn to Double
Level 22
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Table short stack Alexandru Marcu moved all in for 300,000 from the hijack and Viorel Gavrila called in the cutoff.
Alexandru Marcu: 10♥9♥
Viorel Gavrila: A♦10♣
Marcu was dominated heading to the 2♥K♥3♣ flop, which gave him a flush draw. He completed the flush on the Q♥ turn and Gavrila was already drawing dead heading to the 8♠ river as Marcu doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,420,000
-280,000
|
-280,000 |
|
||
|
725,000
425,000
|
425,000 |
|
||
Velcea Gets Tricky
Level 22
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Gheorghe Velcea picked up A♠K♦ in the cutoff and limped in as Viorel Gavrila and Maksims Gorbacs came along in the blinds.
The flop came A♣2♦8♠ and action checked to Velcea who bet 75,000 with top pair. Gavrila folded K♣J♠, but Gorbacs, holding J♥7♦, went for a bluff and raised to 200,000.
Velcea came back with an all-in shove and Gorbacs snap-folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,270,000
-150,000
|
-150,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,995,000
450,000
|
450,000 |
|
290,000
-425,000
|
-425,000 |
Qinami Plays Back at Gicovanu
Level 22
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Marius Gicovanu raised to 100,000 from under the gun with A♠6♠ and Admir Qinami defended 4♠4♣ out of the big blind.
The flop came 3♠10♥9♦ and Gicovanu bet another 75,000. Qinami came back with a raise to 275,000 and Gicovanu gave up his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
5,185,000
535,000
|
535,000 |
|
||
|
2,200,000
-400,000
|
-400,000 |