WSOPE Event #2: Pot Limit Omaha 8-max

Omar Eljach has overcome a 719-entry field and defeated Diana Volcovschi heads-up in Event #2: €550 Pot Limit Omaha 8-Max at the 2023 World Series of Poker Europe. Eljach earns his second WSOP bracelet, along with the €65,900 first-place prize here at King's Resort in Rozvadov.

The victory comes fresh off of a breakout year in 2022, in which Eljach won the WSOPE Main Event — padding an already impressive poker resume that includes over €2,000,000 in live-tournament earnings.

Eljach entered the final table with more than twice that of his next closest opponent and put on a clinic in big-stack play by continually applying pressure to his opponents in the face of significant pay jumps. En route to his victory, Eljach claimed six final-table eliminations and at no point gave up the chip lead.

Winner's Reaction

"I'm very happy to get my second [bracelet]. I was actually more excited for the bracelet than the laddering of the money, which has not been the case before," Eljach said.

Eljach remained confident throughout the final table and explained how he was able to apply a lot of pressure to the medium stacks using his big stack.

"I knew I could apply a lot of pressure because there were a lot of short stacks. The stacks that were half my size couldn't really move as long as the short stacks were there. It was a good spot for me to be able to steamroll the table."

Eljach said he will be gunning for another bracelet during this year's series, particularly in the upcoming PLO events.

"It's my favorite game. I definitely consider myself more of a PLO player."

Event #2: €550 Pot Limit Omaha 8-Max Final Table Results

Final Table Action

Day 3 began with an unofficial final table of nine looking to claim WSOPE glory. The action started relatively slow, with the first elimination of the day occurring after Michal Mrakes found himself short and losing the rest of his chips to Eljach's straight after getting all-in preflop.

Anson Tsang came into the final day second in chips but was unable to build any momentum and lost the majority of his stack after getting his aces cracked by Eljach, who claimed the rest of Tsang's chips a few hands later.

After an extended period of action that saw Roland Israelashvili survive facing elimination six times, Patrik Jaros, Martino Cito, and Ihar Pliashko all fell in seventh, sixth, and fifth place respectively in rapid succession with Eljach claiming two more eliminations.

Michael Rodrigues remained relatively quiet throughout the table, but escalating blinds forced him to take a stand in a blind versus blind confrontation against Eljach that unsurprisingly went Eljach's way.

Israelashvili, who was down to just 15,000 chips at one point, finally saw his good fortune come to an end after running into the nut flush of Volcovschi.

Volcovschi entered the final table as the short stack but managed to navigate all the way to heads-up play, which ended nearly as soon as it began. On just the second hand of heads-up, Volcovschi found herself committing the rest of her chips against Eljach in a cooler wherein both players flopped a flush. With that, Eljach secured his victory in a convincing manner.

That's a wrap for PokerNews coverage of Event #2: €550 Pot Limit Omaha 8-Max. Be sure to check out our live reporting hub for continuing coverage of the 2023 World Series of Poker Europe right here at the King's Resort in Rozvadov.

Diana Volcovschi limped on the button with      and Omar Eljach checked his option with     .

Both players checked on the     flop and then Eljach bet 175,000 on the   turn. Volcovschi called.

The   completed the board — keeping Volcovschi's pair of eights best. However, Eljach bluffed at the pot with a 450,000 bet, which got a fold from Volcovschi to extend his chip lead.

Omar Eljach	14,000,000	0
Diana Volcovschi	4,000,000	-300,000

Roland Israelashvili opened to 360,000 from under the gun and Diana Volcovschi defended from the big blind.

The flop came    . Volcovschi checked, Israelashvili moved all in for his last 360,000 and Volcovschi snap-called.

Roland Israelashvili:     
Diana Volcovschi:     

Israelashvili was drawing very thin with a pair of kings versus Volcovschi who had flopped the nut-flush. The rest of the board ran out    and Israelashvili was finally eliminated after escaping from the jaws of defeat on six previous occasions at the final table.

Diana Volcovschi	4,300,000	600,000
Roland Israelashvili	0	-1,000,000

Roland Israelashvili opened to 415,000 from under the gun, leaving just 5,000 behind, and Diana Volcovschi defended from the big blind.

The flop came     and Israelashvili got his 5,000 chips in the middle against Volcovschi who covered.

Roland Israelashvili:     
Diana Volcovschi:     

The rest of the board ran out   . Israelashvili's full house was good at showdown and he survived elimination for the sixth time at this final table.

Diana Volcovschi	3,700,000	500,000
Roland Israelashvili	1,000,000	520,000

The final four players are on a 15-minute break.

Martino Cito raised to 350,000 from the hijack and was three-bet to 1,000,000 by by Ihar Pliashko on the button. Diana Volcovschi then shoved for 1,200,000 total from the big blind. Cito called all in for his last 525,000 and Pliashko called as well to put both players at risk.

Martino Cito:     
Diana Volcovschi:     
Ihar Pliashko:     

The       runout kept Volcovschi's aces on top — eliminating Cito in sixth place.

Diana Volcovschi	3,200,000	2,410,000
Ihar Pliashko	100,000	-1,500,000
Martino Cito	0	-1,500,000

Martino Cito raised to 210,000 first-to-act and was called by Omar Eljach from directly behind and Patrik Jaros in the hijack.

Cito checked to Eljach on the     flop and he bet 200,000. Jaros shoved for his last 575,000, which got a fold from Cito, but a call from Eljach to put him at risk.

Patrik Jaros:     
Omar Eljach:     

Jaros was behind Eljach's set of fours, and the   turn and   river kept Eljach's set best — eliminating Jaros in seventh place.

Omar Eljach	12,000,000	1,300,000
Martino Cito	1,900,000	-200,000
Patrik Jaros	0	-835,000

Ihar Pliashko opened to 350,000 from under the gun and found one caller in Patrik Jaros in the big blind.

Jaros led out for 100,000 on the     flop and Pliashko shoved for his last 370,000. Jaros called to put Pliashko at risk and a showdown was held.

Ihar Pliashko:     
Patrik Jaros:     

The   turn improved Pliashko to a full house and the   river confirmed his double up.

Ihar Pliashko	1,600,000	880,000
Patrik Jaros	835,000	-420,000

Omar Eljach raised to 200,000 on the button and Ihar Pliashko shoved for his last 320,000 from the big blind. Eljach called to put Pliashko at risk.

Ihar Pliashko:     
Omar Eljach:     

The board ran out       — leaving Pliashko's tens best for the double up.

Omar Eljach	11,000,000	-1,000,000
Ihar Pliashko	760,000	320,000