The second stop of 888poker LIVE 2024 is now complete with Bucharest finishing its action on March 25. In the end, the €200k guaranteed Main Event fell just short of its promised prizes: Just over was €190k collected from buy-ins, meaning a bit of extra value for all participants.
The latest 888poker LIVE stop for 2024 lasted 10 days, with action tarting on March 16. The were a few smaller events in the first few days, leading up to the marquee Main Event which kicked off Day 1 action on March 20.
In total, there were 9 events with numerous satellite contests for players to get cheap seats into games like the Main Event and the High Roller. With 381 entries for the Main over four opening flights, it was a well-attended stop that saw the big game collect €190,500 from the entries, leaving the operator with less than €10k in makeup for the promise.
That shortfall was more than covered by the €22,860 in fees collected from the event, however, so the game ended in a net profit for the operator.
The Bucharest edition of 888poker LIVE was the second stop on the main tour for this year, but the operator has been busy since the opening salvo in Madrid to start the season. Between the main tour stops, the regional Spanish CNL was in action in Sevilla, while the upstart UK Poker League ran its two stops.
First Score for Winner
It was a local Romanian player who took down the Main Event at the end of the festival. Razvan Morar had to come from behind to take down the €37k top prize, which looks to be his very first score on the live felt, according to a Hendon Mob search on his name that came up blank.
Morar not only came to the final table as one of the shorter stacks, but when he got heads up against fellow Romanian Florin Elisei, he was at a three-to-one disadvantage. After about an hour of heads-up play, however, he was able to flip the script to collect all the chips and the top prize.
2024 Bucharest Main Event Summary
| Buy-In | €500 |
| Fee | €60 |
| Guarantee | €200,000 |
| Entries | 381 |
| Collected | €190,500 |
| Fees | €22,860 |
When the final table began, Morar was playing 1.4 million compared to the 6.2 million stack of FT leader and eventual runner-up Elisei. That put the eventual winner tied for 7th place going into the final day of play, but he was down as low as five big blinds earlier in the game.
The two shortest players were the first two off the final table while Morar was able to stay alive as the rest of the table busted out around him. Elisei was the one doing most of the work sending players to the rail, but Morar was able to collect the stack of Alexandru Lupuleac when his big slick dominated the ace-nine for Lupuleac.
In the final hand, Morar had reversed the tables with his own 3:1 lead at that point. Elisei got his money in with a suited queen but Morar again woke up with big slick. Two diamonds on the flop brought a flush draw for Elisei, but Morar turned a king and held to take down the big prize. Elisei pocketed €24k for his second-best efforts.
Next Up is Barcelona
The main 888poker LIVE tour is heading back to Spain once again for the next edition. This time, the tour is heading to the Catalonian capital of Barcelona where there are more than a dozen games on offer starting on May 8.
There are four flights to the Barcelona Main Event, with Day 1 action for the Main kicking off on May 16 and Day 2 scheduled for May 19. Full schedule details can be found at the 888poker magazine, but other games to watch out for include a €220 Opening Event with five starting flights and a ladies event, a high roller, and a four-card PLO game.
The operator will still be busy between now and the opening hands in Barcelona, however. The regional CNL tour sets up shop in Barcelona about a month before the next LIVE stop, while the UKPL will stop in Manchester starting April 16. Get all the schedule details for the 2024 888poker LIVE season with pokerfuse’s handy season breakdown.
