Martin Kabrhel Wins His Fifth WSOP Circuit Gold Ring

Martin Kabrhel is the most decorated tournament poker player from the Czech Republic, and he added another prestigious piece of hardware to his collection this week on his home turf. The two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner captured his fifth WSOP Circuit gold ring by taking down the 2019 WSOP International Circuit Rozvadov €1,700 no-limit hold’em main event at the King’s Casino. Kabrhel made quick work of the final table to secure the title and the top prize of €190,000 ($212,800 USD).

As a result of this latest win, Kabrhel increased his career live tournament earnings to $7.6 million. He currently sits atop the Czech all-time money list, ahead of 2011 WSOP main event runner-up Martin Staszko ($6.2 million), 2016 WSOP main event fifth-place finisher Vojtech Ruzicka ($3.7 million) and Leon Tsoukernik ($3.1 million).

Kabrhel came into the final day in fifth chip position with 23 players remaining. By the time the field was narrowed to just nine, he sat in second place with just three fewer big blinds than Jakub Oliva.

Kabrehl scored the first of his six eliminations at the final table by picking up pocket tens and calling the all-in of Raz Alon, who held pocket nines. Kabrhel hit a set on the turn and held from there to send Alon home in eighth place ($23,387 USD).

Daniel Smiljkovic was the next to go. He got all-in preflop with pocket kings against the ADiamond Suit2Heart Suit of Kabrhel and was unable to hold up. Kabrehl made two pair by the river to eliminate Smiljkovic in seventh place ($33,545 USD).

Andreas Heider won a preflop coin flip to bust Martin Mulsow in sixth place ($44,550 USD). This was the last knockout made by anyone outside of Kabrhel in the event.

Kabrhel had built a massive lead with five players remaining and was using his chip advantage to apply maximum pressure. In the next big confrontation he moved all-in from the cutoff with JClub Suit10Spade Suit and Robert Skopalik called with the QSpade Suit3Club Suit from the big blind for his last three big blinds. Kabrhel rivered a pair of tens to win the pot, ushering Skopalik to the rail in fifth place ($56,874 USD).

Kabrhel moved all-in preflop again with ASpade Suit8Diamond Suit and was called by Andreas Heider with KDiamond Suit9Club Suit. Kabrhel made aces and eights by the end to knock Heider out in fourth place ($72,240 USD). With that Kabrhel increased his stack to the point that he had roughly eight times as many chips as his next closest opponent.

Kabrhel made a flush on the river of the next key hand with 8Diamond Suit6Diamond Suit and put Jakub Oliva all-in with the board showing 9Diamond Suit5Club Suit2Diamond Suit5Spade Suit4Diamond Suit. Oliva called with 7Spade Suit4Spade Suit and was eliminated. He earned $89,600 for his strong showing in this event.

Kabrhel had an overwhelming chip lead on Harry Ross heads-up. It didn;t take long for the final hand of the event to arrive. kabrhel limped in from the button with 10Heart Suit7Diamond Suit and Ross checked with the 6Diamond Suit5Diamond Suit. The flop brought the 9Diamond Suit8Heart Suit4Spade Suit and Ross moved all-in for around a big blind. Kabrhel called with his open-ended straight draw and found himself ahead. The turn brought the 3Club Suit, which gave Ross some additional outs for a straight. The river was the JHeart Suit, though, giving Kabrhel the jack-high straight to secure the pot and the title. Ross took home $123,200 USD as the runner-up finisher.