Finnish Poker Legend Juha Helppi Wins PLO Grand Slam Prague Championship

The previous week has been a busy one for Juha Helppi right here on the All Inn On line casino in Prague. Two days in the past, Helppi made the ultimate desk of the PLO Grand Slam €5,200 Million, the place he completed third for €98,700. Right this moment Helppi as soon as once more discovered himself at a last desk with three gamers remaining, this time within the €10,400 Championship, the flagship occasion of the collection.

The ultimate three gamers agreed to an ICM deal to separate the lion’s share of the €1,005,800 prize pool, and when it got here time to flip for the Diamond Poker Collection trophy it was Helppi who was the final participant standing, taking dwelling €168,400 and the trophy, whereas Aki Vihikainen obtained the very best payout of €198,700.

Remaining Desk Payouts

*Denotes three-way ICM deal

Winner’s Response

The newly topped champion informed PokerNews that he felt “superb” after the profitable week of four-card motion, earlier than describing how he was pleased to cut after so many lengthy days in a row on the tables.

“It was good to make a deal. I had performed for six days straight, nearly the entire time, as a result of I used to be high three additionally within the €5k. So mainly I spent all my time right here, from Monday to now. Enjoying poker and sleeping, enjoying poker and sleeping, that’s it.”

Helppi described the distinction in enjoying kinds from the 2 last tables he had made in simply as many days.

“I believe the play on this €10k was a bit extra cautious. Folks actually needed to ladder up. Within the €5k, folks gambled a bit extra. In any other case I believe the extent of play was superb in each tournaments.”

Helppi, a veteran of the sport for over 25 years who not too long ago shared his poker insights on the PokerNews Life Outdoors Poker podcast, described how completely different the video games at the moment are in comparison with earlier than.

“Once I first began enjoying, after all I used to be very dangerous, however most individuals have been even worse than me, so I used to be in a position to make fairly simple cash. In fact, the extent of play now, you’ll be able to’t even evaluate it. Good gamers 20 years in the past can be fish these days.”

Helppi attributed his adaptability to the success he is had on the poker tables over the past three a long time.

“I believe what I can do is change my recreation in line with my opponents. Many of those youthful technology gamers, they don’t change their recreation as a lot. I believe I can name down some gamers, bluff some gamers, change my type in line with who I’m enjoying towards. I believe that’s the important thing.”

Remaining Desk Motion

Helppi started the day with a middling stack and was all-in inside the first hour of play, holding the nut-straight towards Alexander Petersen‘s flush draw. Helppi remained forward the entire strategy to double, whereas Petersen was left as an excessive quick stack with 5 huge blinds. The motion floor to a halt, with the opposite last desk gamers trying to outlast Petersen to ladder. Petersen did not make it simple for them, rapidly doubling up, whereas Ole Schemion grew to become the primary last desk casualty after operating into Helppi’s aces.

Petersen doubled once more quickly after to convey himself again to life, leaving Veselin Karakitukov very quick. Karakitukov was eradicated quickly after, earlier than start-of-day chip chief Vihikainen prolonged his chip lead considerably with the eliminations of Jeremy Trojand in seventh and Kevin Gorsic in sixth.

Helppi was in danger once more with 5 gamers remaining, holding with high set towards the Broadway wrap of Luuk van den Belt for one more double up. In the meantime, Petersen accomplished his comeback from 5 huge blinds after doubling up by way of Cesar Garcia to go away the latter participant quick, with Petersen getting the remainder of Garcia’s chips quickly after.

Following Van den Belt’s elimination in fourth by the hands of Petersen, the ultimate three gamers agreed to an ICM chop to separate the remaining prize pool. All that was left was to find out who would stroll away with the trophy. Helppi was the shortest of the three stacks on the time, however after three blind flips he was the final participant standing.