Event #4: €1,650 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed

Theodore McQuilkin's friend, a professional poker player who would know these things, advised against McQuilkin playing the €1,650 Six-Max at World Series of Poker Europe. It would be one of the toughest fields of the series, he told McQuilkin.

McQuilkin himself admitted he isn't the biggest fan of the format. Still, he took a shot. And boy, did it pay off.

The 24-year-old recreational player from France made it through a 240-player field to take down the €88,043 first-place prize and a gold bracelet. He bore a wide grin as he posed for his winner's photos.

"It's awesome," he said. "I'm not a poker professional at all but I love playing poker. It's a real passion."

McQuilkin admitted that his friend's reservations proved spot on — it was the toughest field in which he'd competed. Used to playing full ring private games a few times per week, McQuilkin found himself immersed in a series of tough hands against formidable opponents.

"Every table was very hard," he said. "Each decision was very, very hard."

Still, McQuilkin made it to the final table, although he was sitting just fifth of seven when Day 3 began. McQuilkin mostly sat our early but seemed to get his sea legs under him when he got a bluff through after floating against Andrej Desset in a medium-sized pot.

Shortly after the official final table got underway with the elimination of Ognjen Sekularac, McQuilkin eliminated Maksym Shulga when tens held against pocket fours after Shulga jammed over a raise for nearly 20 big blinds.

Jan Bednar looked like he wanted to be table captain, and when he surged into the lead after busting Petr Setka in fifth, the Czech player began ratcheting up the aggression. However, McQuilkin didn't back down, playing back both when he had and when he didn't.

Of course, it also helps to get dealt big pairs when shorter stacks are pushing small pairs. That's what happened again when Jerry Odeen raised with fives and four-bet shoved his remaining chips over McQuilkin's three-bet. The Frenchman called with jacks and took command of about two-thirds of the total chips.

It took less than 30 hands for McQuilkin to roll through his remaining foes, Bednar and Andrej Desset, hitting Bednar with a heads-up cooler when pocket kings held up against ace-queen.

McQuilkin was certainly dealt more than his share of big hands at the final table, and it didn't go unnoticed by the freshly minted champ.

"I have to say, I was running good," he said.

A player with only about $24,000 in live cashes coming into the event, McQuilkin said he's been getting away from home in Strasbourg, where he co-owns a real estate company, to travel the European circuit when he can. It hadn't exactly filled his pockets with dough, but McQuilkin enjoyed the travel and the poker, so he kept at it.

McQuilkin headed to Rozvadov for the weekend, and after he bagged Day 2 and zeroed in on the final table, he begged his poker-playing buddy to come sweat him.

"I told him I have a special feeling, please come," McQuilkin said.

Eventually convinced, the friend came out, and hours after McQuilkin picked him up, the two posed for a winner's shot together.

"My feeling was right," McQuilkin said with a smile.

While McQuilkin admitted he'd like a more robust celebration, he'll be keeping it mild. After all, the streets of Rozvadov aren't exactly lined with rocking clubs, and he's got to get back to Strasbourg tomorrow to be ready for work on Monday.

"We're going to drink a very nice bottle of whiskey," he said.

Official Final Table Results

Hand #108: Bednar opened the button to 155,000 holding    and Desset called for less with   . The board ran out       and Desset was eliminated in third place.

He will take home €35,714 for his finish. Bednar and Theodore McQuilkin are now taking a one-hour dinner break before starting heads up play.

Theodore McQuilkin	5,175,000	975,000
Jan Bednář	2,025,000	475,000
Andrej Desset	0	-1,450,000

Hand #98: Jan Bednar completed from the small blind with    and Theodore McQuilkin raised with    and Bednar folded.

Hand #99: Bednar opened the button to    and McQuilkin called with    before Andrej Desset shoved all in with    both players folded to Desset's shove.

Hand #100: McQuilkin opened to 135,000 with    and Bednar called with   . The flop was     and Bednar checked. McQuilkin bet 105,000 and Bednar called. The turn was the   and Bednar checked again. McQuilkin bet 460,000 and Bednar called. The river was the   and both the players checked. McQuilkin won the hand.

Theodore McQuilkin	4,200,000	605,000
Jan Bednář	1,550,000	-675,000
Andrej Desset	1,450,000	70,000

Hand #87: Theodore McQuilkin raised from the small blind with    and Andrej Desset called from the big blind with   . The flop came     and McQuilkin bet 115,000. Desset called. The turn was the   and McQuilkin bet again, this time making it 250,000 to go. Desset called. McQuilkin checked the river when the   hit the river and Desset checked behind. Desset won the hand with ace high.

Hand #88: Jan Bednar got a walk.

Hand #89: Desset limped with    and Bednar called from the small blind. McQuilkin raised to 210,000 with    and everyone folded.

Hand #90: Bednar raised to 125,000 with    and Desset called from the big blind with    and the flop came    . Desset check-called 75,000. The turn was the  . Desset checked again and Bednar bet 230,000. Desset folded.

Hand #91: McQuilkin opened to 130,000 with    on the button. Desset reraised from the small blind with   , making it 390,000 to go. Bednar folded and McQuilkin shoved all in and Desset folded.

Hand #78: Theodore McQuilkin shoved all in from the small blind with    and Andrej Desset folded in the big blind.

Hand #79: McQuilkin raised to 105,000 with    and Jan Bednar called with    from the big blind. The flop came     and Bednar check-called 90,000. The turn is the   and Bednar check-called another 180,000. Both players checked the   on the river and Bednar won the hand.

Hand #80: Unknown Action

Hand #81: Bednar raised to 135,000 with    on the button and Desset called from the big blind with   . The flop came     and both players checked. The turn was the   and Desset checked again. Bednar made it 65,000 to go and Desset raised to 200,000. Bednar called. The river was the   and Bednar check-folded to Desset's river shove.

Hand #82: Bednar got a walk.

Hand #67: Theodore McQuilkin raised to 105,000 with    and Jerry Odeen defended from the big blind with   . Odeen checked the     flop. McQuilkin bet 105,000 and Odeen folded.

Hand #68: Jan Bednar got a walk.

Hand #69: Bednar limped the small blind with   . McQuilkin checked his option and both players checked the board all the way down. Neither connected with the board and Bednar's king high took down the pot.

Hand #70: McQuilkin raised to 130,000 from the small blind and Andrej Desset shoved all in. McQuilkin folded.

Hand #71: Odeen got a walk.

Hand #72: McQuilkin raised to 105,000 with    and everyone folded.

Hand #73: Odeen limped the button with    and Bednar raised to 245,000 from the small blind with   . Odeen folded.

Hand #74: Desset got a walk.

Hand #75: Bednar raised to 150,000 under the gun with    and Odeen called with   . The flop came     and Odeen checked. Bednar bet 75,000 and Odeen called. The turn was the   and Odeen checked again. Bednar bet 175,000 and Odeen called. The river was the   and both players checked. Odeen won the hand with a full house.

Hand #76: Theodore McQuilkin opened to 105,000 first to act with   . Jan Bednar defended big blind with   . McQuilkin won with a continuation-bet on    .

Theodore McQuilkin	2,540,000	805,000
Jan Bednář	2,455,000	-700,000
Jerry Odeen	1,535,000	45,000
Andrej Desset	670,000	-150,000

Hand #52: Jan Bednar gets a walk.

Hand #53: Andrej Desset shoved all in for 960,000 with    and everyone folded.

Hand #54: Bednar raised to 105,000 with    from the button and Desset defended from the big blind with   . The flop came     and Desset checked. Bednar bet 90,000. Desset folded.

Hand #55: Desset limped the small blind with    and Jerry Odeen checked his option with   . The flop came     and both players checked. The turn was the   and Desset bet 60,000. Odeen called. The river was the   and Desset checked. Odeen checked behind and Odeen won the hand with two pair.

Hand #56: Theodore McQuilkin raised under the gun with   , making it 115,000 to go and everyone folded.

Hand #57: Odeen raised to 100,000 with    on the button and everyone folded.

Hand #58: Bednar raised to 150,000 with    on the button and everyone folded.

Jan Bednář	3,155,000	65,000
Theodore McQuilkin	1,735,000	-55,000
Jerry Odeen	1,490,000	145,000
Andrej Desset	820,000	-150,000