Mikita Badziakouski Triumphs at EPT Barcelona Super High Roller for $1.9M

Mikita Badziakouski has continued his incredible run this year by taking down the PokerStars EPT Barcelona €100k Super High Roller for a staggering €1,650,300 ($1,912,903) first place prize. Commenting following a victory that saw him overcome a field of 54 entries, including Iran’s Ahadpur Khangah heads-up, Badziakouski said:

“It feels great. I’m running pretty hot lately. Just being lucky – that’s it! It was the usual High Roller field, and the same structure. Only this time we had a really long bubble; we were nine-handed for three or something hours. Then it finished really fast.”

A Golden Year

Between 2010-2015, Mikita Badziakouski had just $113,221 in live tournament earnings to his name. In 2016, the Belarusian pro’s poker career subsequently took off after amassing $1,349,458 in winnings, followed by $4,599,502 in 2017. This year, Badziakouski has continued his meteoric rise with the pro having already won a massive $12,411,967, making him the year’s second biggest earner to Justin Bonomo on $24,945,435.

Badziakouski has now won a total of $18,590,804 throughout his career, placing him head and shoulders above Ihar Soika ($3,354,172), his nearest contender on the ‘Belarus All Time Money List’. Counted amongst his numerous successes this year is victory at the Montenegro Triton Super High Roller Main Event for $2.5 million, and at the Jeju Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Main Event for $5.3 million.

As a result, Badziakouski has gone from being 119th on the ‘All-Time Money List’ to 22nd in the space of just six months.

EPT €100k Super High Roller

The EPT Barcelona €100k Super High Roller featured a prize pool worth €5,239,080 ($6,072,747), with just seven places offering payouts. After Byron Kaverman became the unfortunate bubble boy in 8th, all the remaining players were then guaranteed at least €275,050 ($321,809) for their deep runs.

First to exit was Jean Ferreira in 7th after running his A-J into the pocket kings of Ahadpur Khangah, followed soon after by Rui Neves Ferreira in 6th when his pocket queens shove on a K-8-9 flop was picked off Ahadpur Khangah holding K-Q.

Next, Benjamin Pollak (A-J) four-bet shoved over Matthias Eibinger (6-8) only to be eliminated in 5th when the board ran out 5-8-K-4-6, after which Eibinger (K-Q) doled out the same treatment against Tim Adams (8-8) who hit the rail in 4th. Eibinger was eventually reduced to a shortstack, though, but looked good to double up after getting his remaining chips all-in on a 10-9-3 flop holding 10-3 to Khangah’s J-9. A jack on the turn changed all that, though, with the 5 on the river seeing him off in 3rd, albeit having secured an impressive $888,826 payday.

Mikita Badziakouski vs Ahadpur Khangah

Badziakouski and Khangah started heads-up play fairly equal in chips, but a while later the Iranian’s quads trumped Badziakouski’s full house to take the lead. His advantage didn’t last long, though, with Badziakouski surging to a 3-to-1 lead after his pair of kings and ace kicker bested Khangah’s kings with a jack kicker hand.

In the competition’s final hand, Khangah (K-5) limped preflop and received a call from Badziakouski (K-2) on the big blind. The K-Q-9 flop then saw Badziakouski check-call his opponent’s bet, and after a 2 fell on the turn Badziakouski check once more, only to re-raise Khangah’s bet all-in. Khangah made the call, and after a 7 was dealt on the river, Badziakouski was crowned the champion. Heaping praise upon his heads-up opponent, the Belarusian said that Khangah was “really impressive” and that he played extremely aggressively.

“It’s a pleasure to play with him, and I definitely didn’t expect it,” commented Badziakouski.

Meanwhile, Khangah collected €1,191,900 ($1,381,561) for his runner-up finish, placing him at number 2 on Iran’s ‘All Time Money List’ with $2,356,958 in winnings, behind Amir Vahedi ($3,276,428), a WSOP bracelet holder who passed away in 2010.

Final Table Results (US$)

1: Mikita Badziakouski $1,930,851
2: Ahadpur Khangah $1,394,523
3: Matthias Eibinger $888,826
4: Tim Adams $674,271
5: Benjamin Pollak $521,001
6: Rui Neves Ferreira $398,444
7: Jean Ferreira $321,809