WSOP Event 41, Peter Traply First Hungarian Bracelet Winner

22-year-old Peter Traply became the first Hungarian ever to win a WSOP bracelet last night as he was victorious in the $5,000 buy-in NLHE shoot out, 2009 WSOP Event #41. To win this event he had to win three tables including a five handed table last night. Traply picked up $348,755 for his first place finish.

Traply first broke onto the poker scene in April 2008 when he cashed in twenty-sixth place ($55,177) in the EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final, this year his results in the same event improved, finishing eight for $241,238. He also finished 188th in last years WSOP Main Event for $38,600. Despite his success over the past year plus, the $348,755 he cashed for in this event was important to him because he hadn’t cashed at the WSOP until this event. For many, that might not be a big deal, but Trapy has played every no-limit hold ‘em event offered so far, except for the $40,000 event. In the hole $27,500 prior to this event, he needed a big score and by outlasting some tough competition, he earned it.
“I played every single no-limit hold ‘em event (except the $40,000),” Trapy said to the WSOP. “I didn’t manage one single cash. I ran really bad. But, I guess I can’t complain now.”

Trapy might also be considered a national hero for his victory. As poker continues to grow in Europe, Hungary has become a poker hot spot.

“In Hungary, the poker is growing very fast,” said Trapy. “There is a poker boom right now. And, I think it will be bigger after I won my bracelet. … I think I will be a national hero, or something.”

Here’s how the 2009 WSOP Event 41 final table played out:

300 players started the $5K shoot out event, two days earlier. These players were placed on thirty ten handed tables where only one player from each table would survive. For day two there were 30 players remaining, and the format adjusted to five tables played six handed. The five remaining survivors returned to the Rio today at 2PM to battle it out for a 2009 WSOP bracelet.

The final table players and there seat assignments were:

Maxim Lykov – 1,500,000
Danny Wong – 1,500,000
Andrew Lichtenberger – 1,500,000
Peter Traply – 1,500,000
Nasr El Nasr – 1,500,000

Nasr El Nasr got off to a fast start at this table, raising and reraising frequently. He looked to be in a great position to dominate this final table, but got unlucky when all in preflop his AA was cracked by Lichtenberger’s 10d9h. Left crippled, a few hands later he shoved with pocket threes and was called by pocket eights. El Nasr fifth place finish earned him ($82,697).

Danny Wong was next out picking up $105,609 for fourth place. On his final hand Wong raised preflop with Ad10c, and Lichtenberger made the call. The flop of 10d2s2c looked good to Wong, and he led out. Lichtenberger called once again to see the 7c come on the turn. He then checked to Wong, who moved all in. Lichtenberger called with AcAs for a better two pair. The river was the 2h and Wong was to the rail.

Three-handed play was the longest stage of this match. Finally after a long period of no eliminations Maxim Lykov moved all in preflop with AhTs and was in trouble when Lichtenberger called with JdJc. The board ran out 3c6c6d2h9h, and Lykov was done in third place ($145,063).

This match was just about over a few hands into head-up play when all the chips went in preflop, with Lichtenberger’s AdQd in a race against Traply’s 6h6c. A flop of Ah9c8h nearly sealed the deal, but a miracle six on the turn gave Traply the pot and had his opponent Lichtenberger down to just 250,000 chips. Amazingly Lichtenberger struggled back into contention and he made a nearly two-hour heads-up match out of it. But finally he couldn’t stand up to the chip stack of Peter Traply any longer, and all the chips went in one last time. A preflop raising war led to Lichtenberger shoving the last of his chips with AdJh. Traply called with a dominating AsKd, and when the board came down 5h3cAcQsQh, Traply’s king kicker played. After a valiant comeback, Lichtenberger finally made his exit in second place ($215,403).

Andrew Lichtenberger put on a great heads-up match, but in the end Peter Traply would not be denied and he took home $348,728 and his first ever WSOP gold bracelet.