Poker ‘Villain’ Martin Kabrhel Wins Diamond High Roller for Third WSOP Bracelet

It’s not easy to love Martin Kabrhel for poker fans. Consistently antagonizing opposition players, Kabrhel’s antics have long frustrated poker fans who both recognize his talent but dislike his poker persona. Today, Kabrhel is a three-time WSOP bracelet winner after a stunning performance in the No Limit Hold’em Diamond High Roller event in Rozvadov.

Kristen Foxen and Stephen Chidwick Go Close but Miss the Money

There was a total of 30 entries in the €50,000 NLHE Diamond High Roller event, with stars such as American Daniel Rezaei, Spaniard Sergi Reixach, and the former Global Poker Index world number one Alex Foxen all falling short of the money places. With just five players making a profit in the event, others such as Roman Hrabec (11^th) and Stephen Chidwick (9^th) also missed out on the $1.5m that was up for grabs for the final five.

When eight players remained, Kristen Foxen was the player to bust when she shoved 13 big blinds into the middle with ace-five. She was called quickly by Kabrhel with pocket jacks and after Fahredin Mustafov folded an ace, had only two immediate outs to chase. Neither came in and Foxen hit the rail.

Canadian pro Daniel Dvoress was the next to bust, leaving in seventh place when he lost with pocket threes against Kabrhel’s ace-ten. A ten on the flop was awful news for Dvoress as he too lost his stack to the Czech chip leader and missed the money by just two places.

Niklas Astedt Bubbles

Soon, the bubble burst as Niklas Astedt missed out on profit by just one place. All-in with ace-jack, Astedt was slain by the pocket kings of Mustafov as the Bulgarian easily survived the eight-high board to put the remaining five players into the money places. Astedt was soon joined on the rail by his fellow Swedish player, as Viktor Blom banked $145,800 for his fifth-place finish.

Shoving with jack-deuce, Blom had two live cards against the suited king-queen of Sirzat Hissou. A king on the flop was bad news for the Swede, however, but it was joined by a ten and a seven and after a nine fell on the turn, an eight would give Blom a reprieve with a straight. It never came, the river of an ace ending Blom’s hopes in fifth.

The fourth place finisher was the Italian player Enrico Camosci. Cashing for $175,000, jack-four was his final hand as Hissou’s pocket kings did the fatal damage to his stack. After a jack landed on the flop, Camosci had hope and even turned a wheel draw but missed all of his outs on the river and in doing so missed out on the podium places.

Hissou Just Misses the Boat  

Three-handed play lasted almost no time at all. Mustafov, now short, called off his stack with ace-ten but needed to hit against the pocket nines belonging to Kabrhel. A flop of A-3-2 was perfect for Mustafov and a three on the turn changed nothing but a nine on the river gave Kabrhel a miracle full house and play moved heads-up with the Czech player in a convincing 2:1 chip lead as the Bulgarian Mustafov picked up $243,600.

Heads-up, Kabrhel and Hissou both held the lead on multiple occasions but after a swingy session, the stacks were as they started when Hissou’s ace-eight was all-in against Kabrhel’s pocket fives. An eight in the window looked promising until a five was revealed right behind it and seeing out the board, Kabrhel was champion again in his home country and home casino of King’s.

“I think I’m both [a hero and a villain],” he told PokerNews after claiming his third WSOP bracelet. “Most people really enjoy playing with me, especially in Vegas, but I understand that in higher-stakes situations, some players can feel a bit nervous. I get that some moments with me might not be so pleasant. I’m just trying to have fun at the table for everyone involved, and hopefully, I’m succeeding at that.”

Kabrhel’s win was for his young family and no-one has won more in ranking tournaments from the Czech Republic. Poker and business come naturally to him.

“I do a little bit of eSports and crypto, but I’m passionate about whatever I do, whether [that is] poker or business.” He said.

After taking gold yet again, who would ever believe this is the end for one of poker’s most enduring, if not endearing, talents.