Daniel Negreanu makes a welcome return to our Big Winners round-up this week after bouncing back from a rough WSOP. The Canadian pro scooped more than $3 million and another PokerGo Tour title after winning the Super High Roller Bowl. Joining Negreanu in our latest round-up of Big Winners are some European stars making moves on the WSOP Circuit, as well as a landmark victory for Monica Eilertsen Vaka. To find out who won what, and how, scroll down for CardsChat’s Big Winners of the Week ending October 9.
Daniel Negreanu
Super High Roller Bowl VII
PokerGo Studio, Las Vegas
$3,312,000
Negreanu is proof that you can never keep a good player down. The GGPoker ambassador had a rough WSOP this year, but he was back at it last week in the $300K Super High Roller Bowl. Despite losing over $1 million at the WSOP, Negreanu didn’t let past results influence his decisions. That confidence combined with a healthy dose of luck on Day 1. Negreanu went runner-runner to make quad threes and beat Bryn Kenney’s set of aces. That set him on the road to victory and, by the time 23 players had fallen, Negreanu banked his second-largest score last Friday.
Renat Bohdanov
WSOP International Monsterstack
King’s Resort Rozvadov
€132,500 + WSOPE Main Event Ticket
($128,579)
Bohdanov banked his second-biggest live score last Monday after taking down the aptly named Monsterstack event. The €550 ($535) tournament attracted 1,248 entrants and 439 re-entries, which pushed the prize pool way beyond its €500,000 ($487,000) guarantee. With a WSOPC ring, a free seat in the WSOPE Main Event, and the lion’s share of more than $800K for grabs, Bohdanov put in one of his best-ever performances. And, when the final chips fell, Bohdanov claimed his second WSOP title.
Michael Ugucctoni
WSOP International Circuit 8-Max Event
King’s Resort Rozvadov
€73,150
($72,564)
Ugucctoni only has two live results recorded on the Hendon Mob’s database and both are in WSOP Circuit events at King’s Resort. The Italian’s latest entry was his best yet — a win in the €3,000 ($2,922) 8-max event. A total of 74 players anted up in search of a WSOP International Circuit ring. Twenty-six of those exercised their right to re-enter, which meant Ugucctoni scooped the lion’s share of a prize pool worth more than $260K after beating Jakub Kolečkář heads-up last Thursday.
Gabriel Habbaba
Big Poker Oktober $200,000 Guaranteed Event
Bicycle Casino
$38,820
The first big Quantum event of Big Poker Oktober at the Bike saw a final table full of Los Angeles regulars, including two who got heads up. Phuoc Nguyen is a former winner of the Bike’s marquee event, the Mega Millions, and he finished second in a heads-up chop for $38,000 even. Another Bike regular, Gabriel Habbaba, took home the title, and $38,820 in cash. He bested a field of over 650 players, with the final prize pool nearly reaching $250K. This is the second big win for Habbaba at the Bike in 10 months. He won a WSOPC ring and over $86K in December.
James Rodriguez
The Wynn Fall Classic Opener
Las Vegas
$35,675
Rodriguez secured his second live win last Wednesday by taking down the Fall Classic’s $400 opening event. The American grinder had won over $300K prior to his recent win at the Wynn. In fact, his biggest live score to date was a second-place finish in the Wynn’s $1,100 Summer Classic worth $174,216. He added to that last week by topping a field of 689 players at the Vegas casino.
Monica Eilertsen Vaka
Heads-Up Championship
Norwegian Poker Championship
Thon Hotel Oslo
€13,000
($12,663)
Vaka, aka WakaWaka_89 online, became the first woman to win a Norwegian Poker Championship title last Saturday. The Unibet Poker ambassador and streamer grinded her way through seven matches, winning them all. Her last opponent was veteran Norwegian pro, Andreas Høivold. Vaka agreed a deal before going on to outplay Høivold and follow up her recent iPoker Festival Winter Series win with a live title.
Daniel Smyth compiled this report. Know a big winner we missed? tips@cardschat.com
