The 2024 EPT Cyprus Super High Roller concluded recently, with Belarusian businessman Mikalai Vaskaboinikau emerging the champion. Vaskaboinikau, who plays poker as a hobby, triumphed over a star-studded field of 47 entries to win the prestigious title, earning $601,397 and a coveted trophy.
Vaskaboinikau, who has been playing EPT events for over a decade without a major win, finally secured his breakthrough victory. He dedicated this memorable victory to his family, especially his two children. However, the road to victory wasn’t easy, as he had to overcome a tough final table that included four-time WSOP bracelet winner Adrian Mateos and bracelet winner Roman Hrabec. Among the many big clashes, his battle with Mateos stood out as one of the most talked-about moment in this event.
Mateos began the final day with the chip lead and was in good shape to win a second EPT title. However, Vaskaboinikau dashed his dream, eliminating him in third place. During Level 22, with blinds at 60,000/120,000 and a 120,000 ante, Vaskaboinikau raised from the button. Mateos shoved all-in for 1,950,000 from the small blind. Holding As 3h, Mateos was at a significant disadvantage against the dominating Ac Kh of Vaskaboinikau, who snap-called. The board came 10c 5h Jh 5d 5s where Vaskaboinikau’s A K won it, ending Mateos’ run in third place. Mateos earned $555,758 as part of the three-way deal. This was his 19th final table of 2024 , pushing his live tournament earnings to over $50.8 million.
Hand Analysis
Let us analyze this pivotal hand between Vaskaboinikau and Mateos from the 2024 EPT Cyprus Super High Roller.
Vaskaboinikau’s Raise:
Vaskaboinikau’s decision to raise from the button with Ac Kh was a good move, especially in a scenario like this. A K is a premium hand to build the pot and possibly get value from weaker hands.
Mateos’ Jam:
Mateos’ shove with As 3h for 1,950,000 was also a justifiable move, given the situation. He was probably applying pressure to capitalize on fold equity and pick up the pot without a flop. However, his shallow stack meant that he had limited room for error, which finally ended his run for the title.
Vaskaboinikau’s Snap-Call:
Vaskaboinikau’s snap-call with Ac Kh was the right decision, as A K is a highly strong hand in this situation. Given that Mateos could be shoving with a wide range of hands in this spot, Vaskaboinikau’s A K had a higher equity and he made a snap call to eliminate a tough opponent.
By calling Mateos’ shove, Vaskaboinikau wanted to leverage his dominating A K over Mateos’ A 3. It was more about maximizing his lead and potentially eliminating a highly skilled pro like Mateos.
Mateos’ shove represents a calculated risk to double up or steal the pot pre-flop, especially with a moderately short stack. However, running into A K is a tough spot as it greatly reduces his chances of staying alive unless he gets lucky on the board. With the board providing no help to Mateos, he gets eliminated in third place. Vaskaboinikau’s willingness to take the spot with A K indicates a good understanding of hand ranges and the importance of capitalizing on the significant equity edge.
This hand from the EPT Cyprus Super High Roller served as a turning point in the tournament, shifting the momentum in favor of Vaskaboinikau and paving the way for him to win the coveted title.
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