Event #60: $888 Crazy Eights No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed

Romania has its first World Series of Poker bracelet, and it's none other than top poker talent Alexandru Papazian with the gold jewelry on his wrist. On the extra fourth day of play in the hugely successful $888 Crazy Eights tournament, Papazian defeated Germany's Kilian Kramer to take home the first-place prize of $888,888.

With his win, Papazian is now the all-time money leader of Romania, overtaking longtime leader Mihai Manole. That, though, wasn't all that important to him: "I don't care that much about the rankings in my country, but I do care about winning the first bracelet."

On the third day of play — what should've been the last day of the tournament — the last table was reached after several hours of play. The final nine boasted many top European players, but the only two-time bracelet winner among them was Nevada's own Ben Yu. Unfortunately for Yu, he couldn't find any luck as he lost a vast majority of his chips when he got it in good, only to get three-outed by James Cappucci. Yu lost his remaining bits a few moments later, running into Harry Lodge's aces.

Kramer maneuvered his big stack with an aggressive approach, but he doubled up Lodge twice and Cappucci once. Papazian took over the chip lead just before the dinner break, and his one-man show started thereafter.

After two levels without any bust outs, Papazian finally knocked out Guillaume Diaz in eighth place. His ace-king held strong against Diaz' ace-queen, eliminating the French player for a $86,888 payday.

Papazian's next casualty was Michael Tureniec who departed after pushing in his remaining seven blinds over Papazian's raise, but his ace-deuce found no luck against pocket eights. Tureniec collected $112,888 for his efforts.

Papazian was steamrolling over the final table, and his heater had no mercy for his fellow countryman Vlad Darie. Both dressed in Romanian national soccer team shirts and cheered by a loud rail, Papazian and Darie tangled preflop. Papazian's ace-king bested Darie's pair of jacks, sending Darie to the payouts for the $146,888 sixth-place prize.

Two hands later, Papazian added yet another casualty to his list as James Cappucci, who laddered several pay jumps with his short stack, finally met his fate. Papazian had only two live cards in their all-in confrontation, but he turned a flush to bust Cappucci in fifth place for a $193,888.

Papazian's streak continued with the elimination of Ioannis Angelou Konstas, who shoved ace-deuce of spades only to find Papazian calling with eights. Konstas picked up $257,888 after busting in fourth.

Harry Lodge and Kilian Kramer were sitting in their chairs quietly, watching Papazian destroying the table. With the tournament down to the last three players, Papazian had already accumulated 80 percent of all chips in play.

Papazian didn't add the sixth name among his scalps as Lodge and Kramer clashed with each other. Lodge had ace-eight of clubs and outflopped Kramer's kings, but Kramer caught a king on the river to send the English player out. Lodge received $344,888 for third place.

Papazian and Kramer quickly agreed to wrap up the night before starting their heads-up match. When they returned to the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino, the Amazon Room was the stage for the final battle.

After some back and forth, Kramer eventually lost a big hand to leave his stack crippled. In that hand, Papazian three-barreled and Kramer check-called all the way. Papazian turned out to have had nothing on the flop and just a straight draw on the turn, but rivered top pair which he value bet. Kramer couldn't beat that and had to continue with fewer than 13 big blinds. He shoved those all in the next hand, getting called by Papazian.

Kramer showed six-nine suited and was in a lot of trouble against the king-nine of Papazian. The latter flopped top two and it was all over after the turn bricked.

Compared to his other achievements in poker, Papazian ranked the victory in Las Vegas as followed: "I play for a long time and I am not as excited as most people; that's just the way I am. I am not emotional, but I am still super happy about it. And I hope there will be another one for a Romanian, I hope there is more to come and you gonna see us around."

Papazian was cheered on by a very enthusiastic Romanian rail Tuesday night and again during the heads-up duel, including Mihai Manole, Alain Medesan and Valentin Vornicu, to name a few. "I think they railed better than I played, my victory goes to them as well."

When asked about his dominating final table performance, Papazian had the following to say: "You can't win tournaments without running hot. I waited for my moment and then attacked. It went my way, that is just how it is in tournaments. I ran good, I think I played good."

There is no immediate party planned right now, as Papazian said he will be jumping into Event #66: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em soon. "We have a soccer championship on Friday, we can't afford to party. We have to beat the Germans again."

Whether or not his heads-up opponent, German Kilian Kramer, will participate in that competition is currently unknown.

Hand #151: Kilian Kramer received a walk.

Hand #152: Kramer gave Alexandru Papazian a walk.

Hand #153: Papazian Papazian raised to 1,250,000 and Kramer called. On the     flop, Kramer checked and Papazian continued for 1,300,000, which Kramer called.

On the   turn, Kramer checked again and called a bet of 3,500,000 by Papazian.

The   river completed the board and Kramer checked for the third time. Papazian bet 6,500,000 and Kramer gave it plenty of consideration before calling. Papazian rolled over    for top pair on the river, having bluffed the flop and picked up a straight draw on the turn. Kramer mucked and fell down to less than 13 big blinds.

Alexandru Papazian	58,625,000	12,875,000
Kilian Kramer	6,325,000	-12,875,000

Hand #138: Kilian Kramer raised to 1,100,000 and won the big blind and antes.

Hand #139: Alexandru Papazian raised to 1,250,000 and that won the big blind and antes.

Hand #140: Papazian received a walk.

Hand #141: Papazian made it 1,250,000 to go and Kramer called. On the     flop, Kramer checked and Papazian continued for 1,300,000, which Kramer called. Kramer also checked the   turn, resulting in a second barrel worth 3,500,000 by Papazian. Kramer called and checked the   river.

Papazian bet 6,500,000 and that won the pot without showdown, as Kramer folded.

Hand #142: Kramer raised to 1,100,000 and Papazian called. The flop of     saw both players check and Papazian bet the   turn for 1,200,000. Kramer raised it up to 4,000,000 and Papazian folded.

Alexandru Papazian	46,550,000	2,600,000
Kilian Kramer	18,400,000	-2,600,000

Hand #125: Alexandru Papazian opened the button for 1 million and Kilian Kramer called. Both checked on     and the   on the turn was seen for free. Kramer checked again and folded to Papazian's 1.2 million-bet.

Hand #126: Kramer folded his button, giving Papazian a walk. The Romanian pro showed to have received a walk with   .

Hand #127: Papazian opened his button for 1 million and Kramer three-bet to 3.2 million. Papazian folded.

Hand #128: Kramer opened his button for 900,000 and Papazian called. Both checked the flop of     and the   turn before the   completed the board.

Papazian checked again and called the bet of 1,150,000 that followed. Kramer showed    for two pair with a king kicker. Papazian tabled    for the same two pair but the inferior kicker.

Alexandru Papazian	48,875,000	-1,850,000
Kilian Kramer	16,075,000	1,850,000

As of 1 p.m. local time, the 2017 World Series of Poker Event #60: $888 Crazy Eights No-Limit Hold'em 8-Handed will come to a conclusion and just two players remain out of a 8,120-entry strong field. Alexandru Papazian (50,725,000) will hold a commanding lead over Kilian Kramer (14,225,000) when play resumes with 16 minutes and 20 seconds left to play in Level 36 with the blinds of 200,000/400,000 and an ante of 50,000.

Both Papazian and Kramer called it a night after the former sent five players to the rail in a row and Kramer claimed the stack of Harry Lodge to come back fresh and battle for the elusive gold bracelet. Both players are already guaranteed at least $463,888 for their efforts, but all eyes are set on joining the WSOP champions club and first-place payout of $888,888 that comes along with it.

While Papazian only has five cashes at the WSOP for a combined score of $14,607 so far and four of the results are from 2017, the Romanian is well-known online wizard. Papazian's biggest live score came from a victory in the EPT12 € 25,000 + 750 High Roller for a payday of € 1,197,000 and he ranks third in the all-time money list of his country.

Kramer finished 18th in the 2015 WSOP Main Event and followed that up with a 5th place in the WSOP Europe Main Event the same year. The German, now based in Vienna, also reached the final table of Event #56: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em in 2016 for a payday of $42,711 and has racked up a total of 17 WSOP cashes and $685,733 in earnings to date.

Papazian aims to become the first Romanian to win a WSOP bracelet, and his vocal rail will be there to cheer on their countryman. The PokerNews live reporting team will provide hand-for-hand coverage of the heads-up duel until a new champion is crowned.

Final table results so far: