WSOP EUROPE

Lithuania on top of Europe

He wasn’t necessarily one of the names people expected to go all the way. With no real information available on Hendon Mob, Marius Kudzmanas kept a low profile. In reality, he was probably one of the most dangerous players at this final table. A two-time online bracelet winner, with ITM finishes on the prestigious Triton circuit and several EPT appearances, far from a one-time amateur performance.

The opposite could almost be said of his runner-up, Akihiro Konishi. A trader in everyday life, he jumps from under $300,000 in career earnings to $1,661,081 after this Main Event, thanks to his €1,200,000 second-place finish. This was his first major result in Europe, having mostly played on the Asian circuit until now.

After a heads-up that lasted nearly two and a half hours, the Lithuanian completed an impressive comeback. Konishi started with a clear advantage, 97,000,000 (80 BB) to 57,000,000 (48 BB), and looked well on his way to the title. But heads-up poker is a different game altogether: it demands boldness, adaptability, and resilience.

Early in the duel, Kudzmanas takes control. Helped by strong board connections, he slowly chips away at his opponent, eventually taking the lead before the first break: 72 blinds to 25. At that point, it’s hard to see how Konishi could turn things around.

Yet the first match point slips away. Kudzmanas shoves 8♦ 7♦ into Konishi’s last 17 blinds. The Japanese player calls with K♣ Q♠ and survives, doubling back to 52,000,000 against 102,000,000. The match tightens again when Konishi wins a big pot, hitting a set on the river after calling two barrels.

Everything is back on the table.

But Konishi lacks a bit of aggression—and when your premium hands get cracked, it becomes even harder. That’s exactly what happens in the final hand.

Konishi looks down at K♠ K♣ with 42,000,000 (26 BB), opens to 2 BB, and gets called. The flop comes 4♥ 5♦ 7♠—a relatively safe board. He continuation-bets, but Kudzmanas raises. Konishi responds with an all-in. Quick call.

At that moment, Konishi is ahead, but Kudzmanas holds 7♦ 6♣ and has plenty of outs. The turn 7♥ gives him the lead, and the J♦ river seals the victory.

Marius Kudzmanas wins the biggest WSOP Europe Main Event in history, taking home a record €2,000,000.

Wrapped in a giant Lithuanian flag, surrounded by friends storming the stage, he’s visibly emotional as he receives the bracelet, presented by Michael Mizrachi. On the verge of tears during his interview with Jeff Platt, he admits:

“I’m not sure I can find the words right now. After playing ten hours a day for five days, you can only dream of winning it all, and this time, it became reality. I couldn’t have hoped for more.”

Photo Credit : WSOP-E

Paul Koessler