WSOPC Event #11: $1,700 MAIN EVENT

The best all-rounder that Europe has to offer has been found. Thomer Pidun of Germany has won Event #10 8-Game Mix to win €49,245 and of course the coveted WSOP Europe Gold Bracelet at the luxurious King's Resort and Casino.

Pidun beat Ukraine’s Oleksii Kovalchuk in an epic two hours heads up battle where the chip lead changed more times than UK Prime Ministers. Pidun screamed “yes!” when he secured the winning moment in limit holdem when he hit a flush on the river to defeat Kovalchuk’s pocket nines.

Speaking to WSOP.com moments after his victory Pidun revealed that not only was he battling his opponents, but he was also suffering internal trauma as well. “I had big problems at three handed. I had stomach issues and I thought I was going to puke on the table! I was thinking why now? But thankfully it calmed down and I managed to ride it out."

Pidun is no stranger to the WSOP mixed game stage. In 2019 he finished 5th in the same event at Rozvadov. WSOP.com asked if that experience helped him win his first bracelet. “Yes, of course, the more experience you gain the more calmer you are. But I did come in today with low expectations and delighted with the victory.”

Pidun celebrated with friends raising a toast and was asked how he was going to celebrate. “First I will go to the spa to relax to aid my stomach, then maybe a little drink later!
 

 Final Table Results - Event #10: €2,000 8-Game Mix

1st place: Thomer Pudin - €49,245
2nd place: Oleksii Kovalchuk - €30,430
3rd place: Philipp Krieger - €21,311
4th place: Julien Sitbon - €15,299
5th place: Dario Alioto - €11,266
6th place: Nacho Barbero - €8,516
7th place: Allen Kessler - €6,612

Final Day Action

The day started with the early elimination of Blaz Zerjav who only bagged 2,000 chips over night, with the average stack being 240,000, despite winning the first hand of the day. Defending champion Julien Martini fell short of the money after two battles with fellow Frenchman Julien Sitbon.

The bubble burst within the hour with Israel Bulut’s elimination after a three way all in against Nacho Barbero and Giorgio Montebelli. Bulut’s pocket jacks were cracked by Montebelli’s set of eights.

Day 1 chip leader Shaun Deeb could only secure a min-cash after a series of bad beats. Deeb’s day came to an end when Philipp Krieger hit 65 perfect in razz to send Deeb to the rail in 15^th place.

Final Table Action

Allen Kessler’s wait for his first bracelet will continue a little longer after being the first player to depart from the final table in 7^th place. Chainsaw suffered a number of coolers in the tournament and running pocket queens into Sitbon’s pocket kings ended Kessler’s run.

Barbero was the next to depart in 6^th place despite bringing in the chip lead into the final table. Dario Alioto exited not long after in 5^th after losing the vast majority of their stack to Kovalchuk who hit a full house in seven card stud.

Sitbon was the next to go after seeing his stack obliterated down to 56,000. He moved all in preflop against Pidun who snagged trip fours to defeat Sitbon. Kovalchuk and Krieger slugged it out like heavyweight boxers with highly aggressive betting. Kovalchuk won out and Krieger finished in 3^rd place for the biggest live cash of his career.

But Pidun was not to be denied their first WSOP Gold Bracelet, despite at one point being in a four to one chip disparity, the German from Paderborn closed out for victory and will be hoping it will be the first of many.

This concludes the live coverage of the 8-Game Mix but keep tuned to WSOP.com for exclusive coverage of the World Series of Poker Europe Main Event which starts on Friday November 11^th at noon local time.