Fedor Holz claims main prize of almost $5 million in One Drop NLHE contest
22-year-old German online and live poker pro Fedor Holz, who says that this is his final World Series of Poker, is going out in style with a win in Event 67, the $111,111 buy-in High Roller for One Drop No-Limit Hold'em competition, that has boosted his bank balance by $4,981,775 and, incredibly for such a consummate player, delivered only his first bracelet.
Holz had to beat a seriously intimidating field of 183 players, most of them highly successful international experts, to claim the bracelet and that huge pay day in his third seven-figure cash this year.
He has been on a run that has seen him take on thirteen final tables at major competitions, bringing his career earnings to well in excess of $18 million by some counts.
Even the usually calm and unflappable Holz admits that he has been on an unprecedented heater this year, which he has thoroughly enjoyed, but knows cannot last indefinitely.
"I played a lot of online poker, so I think I understand the variance pretty well," he explained to media after his One Drop victory. "I think I'm on a heater that will only happen once to me, and I am just trying to appreciate it and enjoy my time while it lasts."
Starting the final day of the One Drop Holz was around the middle of the 13 survivors, but he methodically built on his chip stack until he was threatening overall chip leader Dan Smith. Then, at the six-handed stage, Holz fired up, eliminating three rivals – one of them last year's main event champ Joe McKeehen – and grabbing a substantial lead.
Following the dinner break Smith, who was still chasing Holz, sent Koray Aldemir to the rail for a third placing worth $2,154,265, to enter the heads up, with Holz still holding a 3 to 2 advantage.
Smith used his experience and skill to close the gap, and even took the lead at one stage, but there was no stopping the German ace and one huge pot put him further ahead, giving him enough leverage to oust Smith in second for a well-deserved $3,078,974.
The tournament raised $700,000 for the One Drop charity, which works to provide clean water for poverty-stricken communities around the world.
Other final table pay-outs included:
Jack Salter $1,536,666
Brian Green $1,117,923
Joseph Mckeehen $829,792
Nick Petrangelo $628,679
Niall Farrell $486,383
Online Casino News Courtesy of Infopowa
