Entries 1.349
Here we are to recount another brilliant chapter of the Italian Poker Open, which in this September 2024 edition found its home at the Perla Resort & Entertainment in Nova Gorica, Slovenia.
As always, the tournament exceeded expectations, reaching a prize pool of €646,110 thanks to the 1,349 entries collected over the six available qualifying flights this weekend.
For the finalists, it was a true poker marathon, starting at noon after sealing their bags at 4:30 AM on Day 2. They resumed play with 41 left, facing 60-minute levels until reaching the final table, where levels extended to 75 minutes.
In the end, Antonio De Lucci claimed the title of champion. However, once he reached the heads-up against Danilo Colomba, common sense (and the fact that only three big blinds were separating their stacks) prevailed, and they decided to split the prize money equally, leaving only the trophy and glory up for grabs.
After such an emotion-packed tournament, the final showdown was spectacular. De Lucci found pocket Kings, while Colomba, holding A-K suited, went all-in to face his opponent’s 4-bet.
This wasn’t the day for an Ace to turn the preflop odds around, and Antonio De Lucci claimed the spotlight, snatching the victory from Colomba’s grasp. The celebration in the upper hall, where the prizes were collected, eased the tension, and the winner’s immediate words reflected his joy:
“I’m so happy, thrilled. Did I get emotional? I swear, I got rock solid! – he burst out laughing, infecting everyone around him – I’ve had a blast all week, I had great vibes, and you guys on the staff helped me out too, kept me motivated. Even finishing as chip leader on Day 1 and being the centre of attention, for whatever that’s worth, was nice.
Anyway, I’d like to say I beat Colomba on merit; I’m way better than him – he joked, looking at Danilo, who didn’t seem to agree – Any plans to play other tournaments elsewhere? No, I only play here, and the next one will probably be the ReMida in December, especially since I’ve got three tickets!”
The words of runner-up Danilo Colomba had a different tone, though still lighthearted given the celebratory atmosphere, expressing his satisfaction for achieving such a prestigious result, the biggest of his nearly decade-long career:
“I started playing Hold’em in 2010 but didn’t come from five-card poker. Over the years, while I’ve always managed to collect some satisfying results, I was still missing something this big.
Among the various circuits I play, the IPO is probably where I have the most flags on Hendonmob: I finished 6th in the last one when it was held at Campione, 23rd, plus several other cashes. This has been a good year for me. Aside from two final tables at the IPO, I also won the Sanremo Poker Cup, another tournament with 850 players…
Final table vibes? I felt very calm. After some of the tougher players were eliminated around the 20-left mark, I felt very comfortable at the table without sounding arrogant.”
“I’m a player who sticks to tournaments in the €500 to €2,000 range; that’s my sweet spot. I’ve played 3 EPTs, but I only paid for one. There are many players out there playing beyond their means. You can play this game for life if you know how to manage your bankroll.
Unfortunately, in places like Barcelona and Rozvadov, I've seen young players who might win fifty, a hundred thousand euros and think they’ve made it. But that money lasts five, six months. I’ve been playing since 2010; before that, I didn’t play five-card poker.
The real story is that I played this IPO with just 20 euros. I qualified on Day 1A, but it wasn’t going well, so the next day, I entered a satellite and asked if I could cash in the ticket in case of victory. So I played, and I won.
The story's moral: I spent €450 on the first day at the special price plus €120 for the satellite, totalling €570. They gave me back €550, so I spent only 20 euros for this IPO. It’s not a fairy tale; it’s reality!”
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