🇫🇷 Olivier Guenard is the IPS - Italian Poker Sport - Main Event winner!

Stefano Atzei
12 hours ago
3 min read

Entries 3979

The 57th edition of the IPS – Italian Poker Sport Main Event has officially come to an end at King’s Resort Rozvadov after attracting a total of 3,979 entries.

The title goes to France’s Olivier Jean Claude Guenard Desbrueres, who completed an unexpected and memorable run by defeating Romania’s Ionut Chisca heads-up. Following a four-handed deal and a further agreement between the final two players, Guénard walks away with €103,770 in total, including a €3,000 package for the next King’s Million.

It is by far the biggest achievement of Guénard’s poker career. More accustomed to playing tournaments in smaller clubs back home in France, Olivier arrived in Rozvadov without expecting to find himself lifting one of EuroRounders’ most prestigious trophies.

Patience proved to be one of the keys to his victory. Guénard waited for his opportunities and capitalized on his opponents’ mistakes at a Final Table that produced several unusual decisions. Add a few cards falling his way at exactly the right moments, and the Frenchman was able to put the perfect finishing touch on an unforgettable weekend.

Bauer starts ahead, but everything changes at the Final Table

At the beginning of the day, Andy Bauer was the man everyone had to catch. The German had dominated the outer table throughout Day 3 and entered the Final Table with more than 44 million chips, approximately twice the average stack.

The TV table, however, told a completely different story. Bauer was unable to reproduce the aggressive and effective poker that had taken him to the top of the standings. A series of questionable decisions progressively reduced his huge advantage before a final 60/40 clash ended his tournament in fifth place for €42,260.

Four players had already hit the rail before him. Pavlos Tzomakas was the first finalist eliminated, finishing ninth for €16,257. Shortly afterwards, it was time for the last Italian standing, Alessio Liscia, to leave the stage.

The Sardinian had been one of the main protagonists of Day 3 and started the Final Table with more than 21 million chips. His final day lasted only around half an hour, however, as his stack quickly disappeared and he eventually finished eighth for €20,460.

Next to go was Fabito, one of the most unpredictable players at the table, who collected €25,760 for seventh place.

Abdellah Baali, who had spent long stretches of Day 3 as the overall chip leader, followed him in sixth. The Algerian struggled to find the same momentum at the Final Table and eventually left the tournament with €33,520.

A four-handed deal brings the finalists closer together

Bauer’s elimination left Olivier Guénard, Ionut Chisca, Matej Fendrych and Shalom Shay Halal fighting for the title.

With the four stacks relatively close and the action slowing down, the remaining players decided to discuss a deal. An agreement was eventually reached, significantly reducing the financial difference between the final positions, with only around €14,000 separating the highest and lowest shares at that stage.

Shalom Shay Halal was the first player eliminated after the deal, finishing fourth for €82,810.

He was followed by Czech player Matej Fendrych, whose excellent run ended in third place for €88,910.

That left Guénard and Chisca heads-up for the trophy.

A runner-runner straight turns the heads-up upside down

For a moment, it looked as though Ionut Chisca was just one card away from becoming the new IPS champion.

In the hand that could have ended the tournament, Chisca moved all-in preflop with K-10 against Guénard’s A-3.

The K-2-2 flop put the Romanian firmly ahead, and after a 4 landed on the turn, Chisca was just one river away from lifting the EuroRounders trophy. Then came the 5.

The river completed a dramatic runner-runner straight for Guénard, completely reversing the situation and changing the course of the heads-up battle.

The Frenchman immediately took advantage of the momentum. On the very next hand, the two players reached another decisive showdown, this time with Q-3 for Guénard against Q-7 for Chisca.

A 3 on the flop gave Olivier the lead, and this time there was no comeback. Olivier Guénard is the champion of the 57th edition of IPS – Italian Poker Sport, completing the biggest victory of his career and taking home €103,770 in total.

For Ionut Chisca, the title disappeared at the very last hurdle, but the Romanian still leaves King’s Resort with an impressive €101,960 for his runner-up finish.