Yorky Pud

He may not be a household name in any sense of the word but Rinat Bogdanov has earned a place amongst poker's elite. How and why? By winning a World Poker Tour Main Event, the WPT Venice Grand Prix to be exact.

Until the €4,950 WPT Venice Grand Prix Main Event Bogdanov only had three cashes worth a combined $14,773 to his name, but now he has an extra €229,800 to his name after his epic win.

The financial trader started the final table third from six in chips and stuck to his game plan perfectly, to play tightly and try to move up in the payout places. it may not have been the most ideal of strategies but it certainly worked for him.

The €32,195 he was guaranteed at the start of the day was soon increased as Andrea Carini was eliminated in sixth place. Carini decided to three-bet all in for 367,000 (blinds 12,000/24,000/4,000a) after Andrea Dato had opened to 50,000. Dato made the call with pocket eights, which held against the Ad3s of Carini, and the tournament had lost its first player.

Five became four 90 minutes later when Gianluca Trebbi was sent for an early bath. Finding himself short-stacked Trebbi had become increasingly aggressive and had already moved all in preflop at least half a dozen times so it was only a matter of time before he was called. And sure enough he was when he moved in one final time with Th7h. Alessandro Longobardi called him with pocket jacks and a drama-less board saw play become four handed.

Another 90-minutes passed before another player busted out, the aggressive Simon Ravnsbaek. The Dane had been very entertaining throughout the tournament with his loose-aggressive style but it just wasn't to be. Down to 15 big blinds he opted to open-shove with a pair of red deuces but was in a whole lot of trouble when Bogdanov snap-called him with a pair of tens. No miracle two-outer for Ravnsbaek and four had become three.

Three-handed play took a staggering four hours with the only player willing to mix things up ironically being the third place finisher. Dato lost a couple of key confrontations before finally committing his remaining chips with Ks4d only to run into the dominating AcKd. Dato was drawing dead by the turn after Bogdanov flopped an ace, and he headed for the cashier's cage in third place just one place higher than his finish in the WPT Venice Main Event in December.

Heads-up only last two hands, which surprised everyone after the four-hour slog of three-handed play. The first hand saw Bogdanov open to 200,000 with Ah8c and Longobardi call with Js10c. Both players caught a piece of the Jc-8d-4s flop and both checked but when the Ac landed on the turn Bogdanov bet 200,000 when Longobardi checked to him. The Italian called and the dealer put out the 7d onto the river. Longobardi checked again but when Bogdanov fired a bet of 360,000 he tank-folded.

Then came the last hand of a memorable tournament. The blinds were 40,000/80,000/10,000a and Longobardi opened to 200,000 with KhQd and Bogdanov made the call with 6c4c. The flop came down Qh7d4d and Bogdanov checked, Longobardi bet 60,000 and Bogdanov called. The 6s turn saw Bogdanov check-call again, this time a bet of 240,000. The 4s on the river gifted Bogdanov a full house and he expertly checked again, Longobardi made it 300,000 to play and then called when Bogdanov moved all in on him. When he called he looked to the heavens but it was too late for them to intervene because he had now run out of chips and become the runner-up.

The WPT is currently in Florida for the Seminole Hard Rock Lucky Hearts Poker Open but it returns to Europe in April for WPT Vienna. Will Bogdanov be there to defend his title or will Dato be able to make it three final tables on the spin? I guess we will have to wait to find out!

WPT Venice Grand Prix Final Table Results

1st: Rinat Bogdanov: €229,800
2nd: Alessandro Longobardi €111,700
3rd: Andrea Dato: €72,275
4th: Simon Ravnsbaek: €52,565
5th: Gianluca Trebbi: €42,705
6th: Andrea Carini: €32,195