Mantas Bagocius Shakes Off the Self-Doubt to Become King of Vilnius

Vilnius has a brand new hometown champion. Mantas Bagocius capped a resurgent 2025 by successful Olybet Poker’s Kings of Vilnius €1,100 Important Occasion at Olympic On line casino Lietuva, outlasting a 327-entry area and sealing a €58,130 rating after a heads-up cope with fellow Lithuanian Paulius Kisielius.

The €310,650 prize pool comfortably cleared the €250,000 assure, however for Bagocius, this one wasn’t in regards to the cash. It was about validation.

The Lithuanian professional has been on a tear this 12 months, successful a WSOP On-line Circuit ring for $411,850 and including outcomes that rebuilt a confidence he brazenly admits had wavered. So lifting the largest title on house soil hit in a different way.

“In the event you’re from right here, that is the one you need to win,” Bagocius informed poker.professional.

“I’ve had a little bit of a renaissance this 12 months, successful the ring and now this, after a troublesome couple of years the place I used to be actually beginning to query the place I used to be going; it was possibly beginning to have an effect on my confidence in my sport. However I continued working exhausting and learning, and this 12 months issues have clicked into place. I’ve a winner’s mentality, I solely take into consideration successful after I play.”

Kings of Vilnius Last Desk Outcomes

*signifies heads-up deal

Last Desk Motion

The ultimate day started at lightning tempo, trimming 16 gamers to 9 within the opening hour. Early chip chief Jae Han Kim appeared poised for a deep run, however he finally value his place on the desk with a number of mistimed strikes. Vasilij Barna briefly dominated the ultimate, knocking out a number of opponents earlier than a pricey cooler towards Kisielius flipped the script.

As soon as three-handed, Bagocius, Kisielius, and Deividas Butnoras battled by way of an extended, cagey stretch till Kisielius rivered a set of nines, beating Butnoras’ aces and queens to succeed in heads-up with a commanding lead.

Down almost 3:1 when the duel started, Bagocius refused to fade. He gained the primary two large pots which included an enormous river bluff, earlier than the gamers agreed to a chop (€47,630 every), leaving €10,500 and the trophy to play for.

What adopted was a duel neither participant needed to lose. Bagocius moved forward with two pair, however Kisielius instantly doubled with aces to maintain issues fascinating. Ultimately, Bagocius’ higher kicker in a top-pair-versus-top-pair conflict sealed it, finishing probably the most significant victories of his profession.

Imagery courtesy of Olybet/poker.professional

Calum has been part of the PokerNews crew since September 2021 after working within the UK vitality sector. He performed his first hand of poker in 2017 and instantly fell in love with the sport.

Calum has written for numerous poker shops however discovered his house at PokerNews, the place he has contributed to varied articles and stay updates, offering insights and reporting on main poker occasions, together with the World Collection of Poker (WSOP).