Home / Poker News July 2011 / 2011 WSOP – Max Lykov Wins $1k NL Holdem Event
2011 WSOP – Max Lykov Wins $1k NL Holdem Event
Posted by: Randy Williams - Fri, 2011-07-08 10:29
Event #54 of the 2011 WSOP, the $1k NL Holdem one, reconvened on day 37 of the 2011 WSOP with its final table. Team
PokerStars Russia member Maxim Lykov led the field into the final stretch, with a stack of 3.87 million chips. Dror Michaelo was second with 1.98 million chips.
If there’s one person who knows how to wield a large stack at a
WSOP final table, Max Lykov has to be it. The Russian dominated from start to finish, obliterating opponents left and right as his stack grew ever bigger. It was inevitable that by the end of the hostilities all the chips in play be piled up in front of him.
Lykov only suffered one setback and even that proved to be a brief one: with three players remaining, Michaelo caught a double up at Lykov’s expense. The hand that gave him the massive pot saw him shove all-in on a A,7 against Lykov’s K,J. The flop fell A,A,2 rainbow and the rest is history.
Lykov barely flinched though. He got to work and bounced Warren Wooldridge in third place to build a 9 million-big stack going into heads-up play. Michaelo only had 4.6 million, so the Russian had indeed a rather obvious advantage over him.
Before the final hand of the day, Michaelo’s stack would suffer further indignity: it was cut into half before every single chip was pushed into the middle for the last time. The shove happened on a K,5o, against Lykov’s A,K. The flop fell A,Q,Q and the tournament was pretty much over. The 7 on the turn sealed the deal for good. Lykov became the third Russian to pocket a bracelet this year. He picked up $648k for his efforts.
Events #56 and #57 rolled on through their respective Day 2s. The $1,500 NL Holdem event saw its field of 463 whittle down to 42 before the end of the day. The $5k PLO hi/lo split event played down to its final 25. Phil Laak and David Sands survived, together with Nick Binger.
