Pau Veciana Wins 888poker Live Barcelona Main Event

Pau Veciana first picked up poker contained in the On line casino Barcelona. As we speak on the remaining desk of the 888poker Live Barcelona Main Event, the native hero had his biggest second within the place he’s all the time known as dwelling.

Veciana defeated David McConachie after a prolonged heads-up duel to win the trophy and €70,000 prime prize for prevailing over the 459-player discipline, by far the most important rating within the profession of somebody who admits he solely performs poker as a interest.

“It means rather a lot to me. I’m from right here. All my life, I’ve lived right here, and it’s the on line casino the place I began to play. It’s a dream come true,” Veciana stated following his victory.

Remaining Desk Outcomes

Veciana had lower than $10,000 in profession earnings earlier than this occasion. His final rating of larger than $1,000 got here greater than a decade in the past. He works as an architect and admits that even with the massive rating, his life and poker profession aren’t going to alter a lot.

“I believe it’s not going to alter rather a lot. I believe I’m going to play the identical tournaments I normally play. It’s some huge cash, but it surely’s not going to alter my life,” he stated.

For many of the remaining desk, Veciana was a mere spectator because the flamboyant, erratic Mauro Panto took centre stage. Panto started as a giant chip chief and, together with his unpredictable play, outlandish raises, and go-for-broke type, rapidly amassed an enormous benefit over the remainder of the sector. At one level, he held practically 80 p.c of the chips in play. However it all got here undone simply as rapidly because the Italian finally busted in third place. It was a wild, memorable trip whereas it lasted as Veciana and the remainder of the desk needed to adapt to a mode seldom seen within the later levels of huge tournaments.

“Unbelievable participant. I attempted to play the minimal vary doable. After I hit some boards, I attempt to go all in in opposition to him. However it’s troublesome to play in opposition to a participant like him,” Veciana stated.

McConachie was additionally making an attempt to jot down his personal history-making story. The UK professional had the chance to change into the first-ever two-time champion on the 888poker Stay tour and at one level was racing for the title heads-up in opposition to Veciana, however he finally needed to accept second place.

Remaining Desk Motion

The ultimate desk started at 4 p.m. native time as 9 gamers returned to On line casino Barcelona to battle for the trophy. Panto had greater than double his closest challenger with 9,730,000, whereas Veciana was in fourth place with 2,325,000.

Fabio Peluso was at risk of turning into the primary casualty because the Italian WSOP bracelet winner received in his final 855,000 with two jacks however bumped into Johnny Lindroos’ kings. Peluso, although, spiked a jack on the flop to double up. Panto then gave an early glimpse of the risky type he was able to.

Panto and Martin Guerrero went to a flop the place Panto guess 750,000 at nighttime earlier than the vendor even revealed the playing cards. Guerrero known as and Panto moved all in on the flip. Guerrero once more known as for 1,105,000 with two pair, however Panto had flopped journey jacks. The river improved Panto to quads and despatched Guerrero, who started the ultimate desk in third place and was second in chips in the beginning of the hand, to the rail in ninth place.

It was a message to the opposite gamers that Panto was going to proceed his can’t-lose type that he carried over from yesterday. He managed greater than 60 p.c of the chips in play eight-handed. Everybody else appeared like they needed to accept enjoying for second.

Lindroos recovered from that beat in opposition to Peluso by choosing up aces to triple up. Panto and Veciana then put Alexander Sokolovsky all in when Veciana turned a straight and shoved out Panto’s two pair on the river. Sokolovsky was left holding simply ace-king and was eradicated in eighth place.

Lindroos doubled up once more with kings to get again in rivalry, whereas Cipriano Bonet doubled up off Panto with two nines. Bonet then moved all in once more in opposition to Panto with ace-jack, however Panto this time had the products with two aces to attain one other knockout.

McConachie had simply 690,000, good for under six massive blinds, when he doubled up with two jacks in opposition to Hector Garcia. Garcia then moved all in for 640,000, and Panto known as. Peluso reshoved for 1,445,000 within the massive blind, and Panto once more known as with two jacks, whereas each Garcia and Peluso confirmed ace-king. Panto gained the coin flip and earned the double knockout, Garcia taking sixth and Peluso fifth as the larger stack.

Veciana received his second knockout of the ultimate desk when Lindroos moved all in for 1,355,000 on the button with ace-four, and Veciana awoke with ace-queen within the massive blind. On the first break, Panto had 18,790,000 whereas Veciana was far behind in second with 4,080,000.

McConachie began to chop into Panto’s stack by doubling up thrice briefly succession. He first gained with a queen-kicker after each he and Panto flopped two pair, then gained with ace-queen as Panto known as with queen-six. McConachie’s ace-ten then beat Panto’s queen-ten, however the largest blow got here in what proved to be their fourth all-in encounter. McConachie had turned a straight and moved all in for 3,615,000 on the river. Panto known as with journey jacks and handed over the large pot, dropping the chip lead for the primary time on the remaining desk.

Panto had briefly retaken the lead earlier than shifting all in with backside pair of threes as Veciana confirmed down two aces to double up and take his flip atop the leaderboard. Panto lastly received his final 4,250,000 in with jack-seven and left the room for a cigarette as Veciana’s king-queen stayed within the lead, ending Panto’s fairy-tale-like run in third place.

Veciana led 18,185,000 to McConachie’s 5,540,000 in the beginning of a heads-up duel that lasted practically three hours. McConachie doubled up with ace-queen in opposition to Veciana’s ace-five, then gained a coin flip with two sixes to double once more and pull nearly even proper earlier than the 2 gamers headed off on dinner break.

After briefly discussing a deal, they got here again from break when Veciana guess 300,000 on an eight-high flop and McConachie raised to 1,100,000. Veciana known as, and McConachie guess one other 3,500,000 on the flip. Veciana once more known as to the river, the place McConachie moved all in for 4,925,000. Veciana put him in danger, and McConachie, considering his pair of eights, ten-kicker was beat, nodded his head in acknowledgement and received up from his seat. Veciana, although, may solely present eights with a seven-kicker as McConachie took an enormous chip lead, knocking Veciana down to simply 10 massive blinds.

Veciana doubled up in a coin flip when his king-queen flopped two pair in opposition to McConachie’s sixes. He then hit the nut flush and had his all-in shove for six,500,000 on the river known as by McConachie with a straight. McConachie was left quick and moved all in for 4,350,000 within the massive blind with king-six, however Veciana known as with king-nine. The board gave each gamers two pair, and Veciana’s nine-kicker performed to earn him the title.

It was a turbulent, swingy trip on the remaining desk, however the architect had the very best design to earn the title.