WSOPE Event #15: No-Limit Hold'em Turbo Freezeout

Andrey Lyubovetskiy Claims Second Bracelet

The last bracelet event on the venue at the 2022 World Series of Poker Europe has now concluded here at King's Resort and Casino in Rozvadov. It took just 12 hours for the 211 player field in Event #15: Turbo Freezeout to crown a champion, earning €45,606 for their victory, along with a coveted bracelet.

Claiming the title and leaving an imprint on the series was Andrey Lyubovetskiy who overcame a large deficit at the final table to earn his second bracelet just one year after raising his first up for a winner's photo. Lyubovetskiy has now eclipsed the seven-figure mark in WSOP cashes with this feat.

Oleksii Kovalchuk Denied Third Bracelet

The destination is now here but the journey saw him overcome some of the best to arrive and one hurdle in particular sticks out. Lyubovetskiy had to tear down the lead of fellow countryman Oleksii Kovalchuk who was in the hunt for his third bracelet. Kovalchuk almost polished off the eventual champion at the start of heads-up but his ace failed to secure the victory and Lyubovetskiy never looked back, denying Kovalchuk of the title in the end.

Final Table Results

1. Andrey Lyubovetskiy - €45,606
2. Oleksii Kovalchuk - €28,178
3. Mehdi Chaoui Roqai - €19,304
4. Edolo Ghirelli - €13,565
5. Benjamin Stiefel - €9,783
6. Johan Guilbert - €7,246
7. Martin Kabrhel - €5,517
8. Thore Kunze - €4,320
9. Fabio Peluso - €3,482

 
Action of the Day

The only freezeout event on the schedule saw 211 entries when late registration had come to an end and just 32 were set to make the money. It was not long until hand-for-hand was afoot and it was Event #1: 'the opener' winner Fabio Peluso serving as the executioner. Danielle Noja shoved with his pair of cowboys in the hole and Peluso jammed over the top with queens. Four spades hit the board, leaving just one card that could pop that bubble and the queen of clubs was just that. Peluso stacked the chips with his one outer, dubbing Noja as the bubble boy. 

As with every turbo, an onslaught of eliminations followed the bubble and soon enough a final table had been reached. Mehdi Chaoui Roqai was leading the way and was quick out of the gate, colliding with Fabio Peluso who squeezed from the big blind with a pair of sixes. Chaoui Roqai splashed his stack into the pot, tabling a pair of queens that led to the demise of the Event #1: 'the opener' winner Peluso.

Thore Kunze held-on with his short stack long enough and called the last of his chips in with ace-queen. He was up against Johan Guilbert whos turned pair of tens took down the pot, eliminating Kunze. On the next hand, Czech Republics all-time best tournament earner Martin Kabrhel, shoved from the cutoff with a less than optimal hand. The shove might usually get through but this was not one of those times as Lyubovetskiy looked down at aces in the big blind. "You made a great call Andriy!" joked Kabrhel on the way out.

Czech Republic's All-Time Money Leader Martin Kabrhel 

Guilbert had been running well throughout the day when it came to getting in ahead but the tides turned and he found himself at risk with pocket treys versus Chaoui's lucky jacks. The clean runout brought a perfect 3/3 in terms of showdown wins with johnnies for Chaoui, adding a fourth elimination with the trusty hooks as well. The blinds had become shallow enough that an ace in any spot was looking lucrative and Benjamin Stiefel found a bullet during a blind-on-blind confrontation that resulted in his exit when Lyubovetskiy turned over a pair of nines.

Edolo Ghirelli never found complete traction during the final table which resulted in a constant grind but what he lacked in chips, he made up for in having a loud rail. It almost seemed as more onlookers would gather for his all-in's than that of the neighboring Main Event, that was happening just 10 meters away. None the less, he held on to place fourth on the payouts sheet despite not finding a true run of cards. 

 
Edolo Ghirelli Falls in Fourth

Chaoui Raqai came in with the lead which is where he remained for the most part until he shoved a completed board with air and Oleksii Kovalchuk instantly called with a made flush to take the chip lead. It looked like the downfall would continue soon after when Lyubovetskiy shoved having an ace with a little duck on its side, and Chaoui Roqai called with cowboys. An ace on the flop looked like the end but runner-runner spades sent a double to Chaoui Roqai, and his rail blew up. But the loud roars didn't last long when Kovalchuk pulled a four-card flush of his own to drop Chaoui Roqai from the field in third place.

The heads-up portion began with both players stopping to take some selfies with the bracelet before strapping-up to duke it out. Once the photoshoot was finishes, Kovalchuk came out swinging and Lyubovetskiy swung right back. It was an all-in on just the third hand, Kovalchuk was ahead with his ace. The turn peeled off a pair of kings for Lyubovetskiyto double into the lead and he never gave it back.

 

Andrey Llyubovetskiy & Friends Celebrate Second Bracelet

On the last hand, Kovalchuk found a premium heads-up opportunity with ace-ten but Lyubovetskiy held a queen with his rocket, and flopped top two which ended the night. Lyubovetskiy was crowned champion and Kovalchuk claimed the title of runner-up, earning a respectable €28,178.

That is a wrap for the coverage in Event #15: Turbo Freezeout but tune in at WSOP.com tomorrow at 2 p.m. local time as eight return to crown a winner in the Main Event.

Event #15: Turbo Freezeout Results

Oleksii Kovalchuk raised to 275,000 from the button and Andriy Lyubovetskiy shoved all in for a total of 2,040,000. Kovalchuk called and Lyubovetskiy was at risk.

Andriy Lyubovetskiy:   
Oleksii Kovalchuk:   

The flop came     and Kovalchuk was leading with his ace. A   then peeled off to give Lyubovetskiy the lead and a   river sealed it for him to double.

Andriy Lyubovetskiy - 4,200,000
Oleksii Kovalchuk - 2,100,000

Two of the best players Ukraine has to offer are going toe to toe for the WSOP Gold Bracelet.

Oleskii Kovalchuk in his second heads-up match in a week is playing for his third bracelet. 

Andriy Lyubovetskiy is gunning for their second bracelet and will only be the second Ukrainian in WSOP history to be a multiple bracelet. 

Oleksii Kovalchuk shoved all-in from the button and Mehdi Chaoui called in big blind.

Oleksii Kovalchuk :   
Medhi Chaoui :   

The board ran       and Medhi Chaoui went to the rail.

Olekssi Kovalchuk - 3,700,000
Medhi Chaoui - Eliminated in 3th place

Andriy Lyubovetskiy shoved all-in from the small blind and Mehdi Chaoui called in big blind.

Andriy Lyubovetskiy :   
Medhi Chaoui :   

The board ran       and Medhi Chaoui doubled.

Medhi Chaoui - 2,460,000
Andriy Lyubovetskiy - 1,315,000

Oleksii Kovalchuk shoved all-in from the button and Edolo Ghirelli shoved too in small blind.

Oleksii Kovalchuk :   
Edolo Ghirelli  :   

The board ran      

Oleksii Kovalchuk - 1,940,000
Edolo Ghirelli - 70.000

Oleksii Kovalchuk shoved all-in under the gun to 350,000 and Edolo Ghirelli shoved all-in too in small blind, Chaoui folded.

Oleksii Kovalchuk :   
Edolo Ghirelli :   

The board ran      , double-up for Kovalchuk.

Oleksii Kovalchuk - 900,000
Edolo Ghirelli - 500,000

Edolo Ghirelli moved all in from under the gun for 375,000 and was called by Oleksii Kovalchuk on the button. 

Edolo Ghirelli:   
Oleksii Kovalchuk:   

A flip which was won by Ghirelli after hitting a pair on the flop with the board of      . Kovalchuk now only has five big blinds. 

Edolo Ghirelli - 900,000
Oleksii Kovalchuk - 300,000