Seat 7: Traian Stanciu, 30, Bucharest, Romania (5,325,000)
From Rozvadov to Cyprus, via Paris, Sanremo and Campione, Traian Stanciu has been travelling across Europe as a poker player for several years.
“I’ve been playing for nine years, but in recent years, we could say poker has become my job,” he says.
For all that, this final table at EPT Prague marks not only his first deep run in an EPT Main Event, but also his best live career performance and his biggest cash to date. He says: “Obviously, I’m very happy, especially since I’ve been mentally preparing for this moment for a month!”
The 30-year-old from Bucharest starts the final day with a healthy stack and will be supported by a whole group of Romanian players, including PSO Campione winner Adrian State. But his real lucky charm is waiting further away, in Romania: his six-month-old daughter.
Final table bios courtesy of Jan Kores/PokerStars
Career statistics
Career earnings: $379,660
EPT cashes: None
Best result: None
Tournament progression
Day 1: 77,000 (133/255, 1B)
Day 2: 167,000 (81/163)
Day 3: 710,000 (25/45)
Day 4: 3,110,000 (4/16)
Day 5: 5,325,000 (3/7)
Event highlights
Stanciu was all in for 340,000 right at the end of Day 3 with two queens against Merijn van Rooij’s ace-seven. Van Rooij spiked an ace on the flop to take the lead, and Stanciu was one card from elimination until he hit a two-outer on the river and made a set to double up.
Stanciu doubled up again on Day 4 when his two aces held on against Ding Fan’s straight and flush draws.
On Day 5, Stanciu woke up with two kings and called when Filippo Ragone shoved for 1,280,000 on the final table bubble, beating Ragone’s king-ten to send him out in 10th place.