Mikita Badziakouski is mustard.
The three-time Triton Poker Super High Roller Series champion stepped on the top podium for the 13th time in his career after taking down Event #4: $50,000 No-Limit Hold’em (NLHE) at the partypoker MILLIONS Super High Roller Series at the Casino Sochi in Russia.
The partypoker ambassador has had a quiet start to 2020 on the tournament front with only one score on the board (a runner-up finish to Luc Greenwood in an AUD 50,000 NLHE event at the Australian Poker Open), but you can’t keep a man like Badz down for long.
Let’s see how the $27m man did it.
The Nutshell Action
Final Table Seat Draw
Seat 1: Aaron Van Blarcum – 1,245,000
Seat 2: Cary Katz – 1,170,000
Seat 3: Mikita Badziakouski – 1,565,000
Seat 4: Artur Martirosyan – 1,105,000
Seat 5: Wiktor Malinowski – 400,000
Seat 6: Luc Greenwood – 920,000
Seat 7: Sam Greenwood – 350,000
It took only two hands for the final table experience to feel like a sauna full of kippers for Wiktor Malinowski. The Pole, who made deep runs in £/€100k events in Europe circa 2019, jammed over an Artur Martirosyan open for eight bigs holding KdQh, and the Russian called with the superior AsKh. The deck favoured the best hand, and Malinowski exited in the seventh position.
Sam Greenwood began the final table as the shorty with one move. The Canadian moved all-in without any takers until Mikita Badziakouski looked him up with pocket sevens. It was a race against Greenwood’s QhJh, and running queens on the two latter streets saw him double up.
It was a move worth an additional $45,000, as Cary Katz and not Greenwood hit the rail next.
Greenwood moved all-in for 840,000, and KsJd and Katz called for his tournament life holding pocket sixes. The second race in quick succession for Greenwood and this one went the same way as the last one. Katz’s run ended in sixth place, his second final table appearance of the series.
Greenwood was heading for the attic, and then he ended up in the basement.
Firstly, Greenwood got it in with AsQd versus the pocket kings of Badziakouski. No, luck there. Then the Canadian got it in with pocket nines and lost out to Martirosyan’s Ah7d after the Russian hit a further two aces on the river. Just like that, Greenwood went from the shorty to the chip leader to the fifth-place finisher.
Aaron Van Blarcum’s third final table of the series ended with a fourth-place finish. Badziakouski opened from position holding AcKs, and then called when Van Blarcum jammed with As9h from the big blind. Domination station. The nines did an ostrich, and Van Blarcum went looking for some peach brandy.
We reached heads-up one hand later when Martirosyan chopped down another Greenwood after A9o beat QJo.
The heads-up between Martirosyan and Badziakouski began even in chips. The Belarusian had the experience edge. Badziakouski opened up a lead before the Russian doubled back into contention. Still, the double-up didn’t change anything as Badziakouski put his foot down and accelerated away once more, this time never looking back.
In the final hand, Martirosyan limp-called the button holding Qs6s, and him and Badziakouski (holding Kh9d) saw a flop of 7h6h6c. Badziakouski led for 220,000 with his airball, and Martirosyan, holding trips, raised to 540,000; Badziakouski called. The Th on the turn handed Badziakouski a flush draw. Martirosyan moved all-in with the best hand, and after some deep thinking, Badziakouski called.
“I’m a fish.” Said Badziakouski.
Only a heart would stop Martirosyan from doubling into the chip lead, and that’s what hit the deck as the 5h handed Badziakouski the title with his flush beating trips.
ITM Results
- Mikita Badziakouski – $765,000
- Artur Martirosyan – $495,000
- Luc Greenwood – $337,500
- Aaron Van Blarcum – $225,000
- Sam Greenwood – $180,000
- Cary Katz – $135,000
- Wiktor Malinowski – $112,500