888poker LIVE Bucharest 2024: Razvan Morar Turns Short Stack Into €37K Win!

888poker hosted its second live stop of 2024 at the 888poker Poker Room in the beautiful city of Bucharest! 888poker LIVE Bucharest proved to be a massive success, with the Main Event attracting a total of 406 entries by the end of Day 2.

The series kicked off on 16 March, culminating with the Main Event from 20 through 24 March. The tournament’s 406 entries created a massive prize pool, with €37,000 going to the winner, Razvan Morar, after about an hour of heads-up action.

At the start of the final day of action, Razvan was sitting on a tiny 10-blind chip stack. But he managed to stay afloat and claimed the lion’s share of the prize money.

And after qualifying via an 888poker online satellite, his ascent was inspirational and a testament to his drive and resolve.

Days 1 through 3 were partially live-streamed on our 888pokerTV Twitch channel – capturing the true flavour of this enormously successful event!

888poker LIVE Bucharest Main Event - Day 1A

The first of four opening flights in the €560-buy-in 888poker LIVE Bucharest Main Event attracted 110 entries - a strong start on the way to reaching the guaranteed €200,000 prize pool.

Ran Shahar led the field of 34 survivors with a stack of 427,500 chips at the end of play – a whopping 214 big blinds. Although aces were cracked with seeming regularity during the series, Shahar’s aces beat the pocket kings of Ion Naicu, adding to his growing his collection of chips.

888poker LIVE Bucharest Main Event - Day 1B

Day 1B attracted a further 69 new entries, bringing the tournament total to 179 after the first two flights. Of those 69 entries, 27 survivors tagged and bagged for Day 2.

Three 888poker Ambassadors took their first shot on Day 1B. Vivian Saliba led the way with 144,500 chips going into Day 2

Lucia Navarro also found a bag taking 105,500 into Day 2. Teammate and fellow ambassador Ian Simpson was not as fortunate. He busted after the final break of the night.

But with two more flights on the schedule, this wasn’t the last we’d see of him.

888poker LIVE Bucharest Main Event - Days 1C &1D

Another 202 entrants took part on Days 1C and 1D, including 888poker StreamTeam member Nick “Eastyy22” Eastwood and 888poker Ambassador Ian Simpson – on bullet number two.

Romanian Dan Galinschi made a late surge up the leaderboard, bagging the largest stack with 310,000 chips.

At the end of action on Days 1C and 1D, 79 players survived, bringing the total Day 2 field to 138.

Ian Simpson’s second bullet proved fruitful, and he ended the day on 124,000 chips, joining fellow Ambassadors Vivian Saliba and Lucia Navarro for Day 2.

The turbo Day 1D flight gave 888poker StreamTeam member Nick Eastwood a second opportunity after getting short-stacked and running his AQ into KK. He achieved his goal and entered Day 2 on a healthy 205,000 stack, good for 103BB.

Unfortunately, fellow streamer Andrei Cosmin fell shot on all Day 1 attempts.

However, late registration would remain open until the start of Day 2. So, another opportunity awaited!

888poker LIVE Bucharest Main Event - Day 2

After four opening flights, 138 survivors battled for the money, title, and trophy. An additional 25 entrants joined them, bringing the field to 406.

888poker StreamTeam member Andrei Cosmin was among those who registered late on Day 2. However, he was unable to spin it up.

He was eventually joined on the rail by 888poker Ambassadors Ian Simpson, Vivian Saliba and Lucia Navarro, who all fell short of the money.

888poker LIVE Main Event Payout Schedule

Nick Easter was the last team member to exit. Despite starting the day with just over four starting stacks, he couldn’t generate any momentum and also fell short of cashing.

Once the money bubble burst four hours in, the remaining 51 players had locked up a €1,000 min-cash. It took another two hours for close of play on Day 2, with the remaining 17 players each guaranteed a €2,275 payday.

Main Event Day 3 and Final Table Action!

Electricity was in the air at the start of Day 3, but it would be another five hours before we were down to the final table of nine.

Razvan had been down to as low as five big blinds on his way to 888poker tournament glory, but a pair of key doubles on Day 3 kept him in the running.

888poker LIVE Bucharest Main Event Final Nine

In no time, we were down to the final table of nine.

Alexandru Brumaru was first out the door, eliminated in 9th place (€4,200). He moved all-in and short-stacked with pocket threes. But his flopped set was no match for Florin Elisei's rivered straight.

Corneliu Popescu went out in 8th place (€4,900) after moving it all-in pre-flop with Kd3d. Unfortunately, he was up against the AdQs of Alexandru Lupuleac. And, although both flopped a pair, Lupuleac’s aces were bigger and held.

Next, Dan Galinschi received his walking papers when he ran into Florin Elisei’s Ah8h. The ace on the turn sealed Galinshi’s fate, and he was out in 7th place for €6,500.

Konstantinos Vatseris shoved his Q8-off on the button and flopped a gut-shot. But Florin Elisei and A8-off an turned his ace. The river brought no relief for Konstantinos, and he was eliminated in sixth place for €9,000.

Alexandru Varninschi was next on the list, eliminated in 5th place (€12,000). His Qc9c was no match for Alexandru Lupuleac pocket Jacks, who ended up with quads!

🤯 QUADS for the KO!

🤝 Gg to Alexandru Varninschi, who has busted out in 5th place for €12,000! #poker #quads #bucharest pic.twitter.com/5Qr4d8syk5

— 888poker (@888poker) March 24, 2024

But it was then Alexandru Lupuleac’s turn to find the exit when he ran his Ac9c into Razvan Morar’s AdKd. Rzvan’s AK held, and Lupuleac was eliminated in 4th place for €15,000.

Three-handed action continued for about an hour before Andrei Miron was eliminated for €18,400. His KdJc was no match for Flori Elisei’s AhQs.

Main Event Heads-Up Action!

We entered heads-up play with Florin Elisei holding a 3 to 1 chip lead over Razvan Morar. But it would take Morar just over an hour to make an incredible comeback and secure victory.

In the final hand of action, Razvan drew AcKc with a 3 to 1 chip lead over Florin. After raising to 800K on the button with Qd4d, Florin committed his remaining 2.63K to the pot.

It was tense as Florin flopped the flush draw. But Razvan’s turned king and rivered seven sealed his fate.

We crowned a new 888poker LIVE champion!

Morar walked away with the trophy, the title and €37,000 richer. Elisei took home a very respectable €24,000 for his efforts.

Well played all, and we’ll see you at the next 888poker LIVE stop – BARCELONA!

888poker LIVE Bucharest Main Event Final Table Results