Ruben Sanchez Cebollada has captured the title at Unibet Open Barcelona along with the top prize of €145,000 from a total prize pool of over half a million Euros! The epic near three-hour heads up battle with opponent (and runner up) Davor Pavic saw a truly hard-fought tournament come to a conclusion in spectacular – and crowd-pleasing – fashion, as the young Spanish player hoisted the trophy in the wee hours of the morning.
In total, 387 players took to the felt over two start days at the Gran Casino, Barcelona, with Day 1b just outstripping 1a in numbers (198 to 189). Although there were a few more players in the second flight, the field was more aggressive and by the end of the day there were even fewer survivors than from Thursday. Altogether 117 players reconvened to play down to the money and beyond on Day 2, led by Spaniard Sergi Lloveras, a good 60,000 in chips ahead of his nearest rivals Daniel Reijmer, Sean van Sluijs and Samuel Hulander.
With 45 places paid, there was general expectation that play would slow down once the first payouts were in sight, but this field stayed true to form and powered through to the final table in eleven levels, taking just a short while hand-for-hand to eliminate the unfortunate Antonio Miranda in 46th place and secure everyone else left a prize of at least €2,050.
Making the money but not the deep run his Day 2 starting stack might have indicated, Lloveras had to content himself with 17th place and €4,500, as did some of the serious challengers for the lead during the day, Pim van Wieringen, Laurens de Smet and Oanh Bui.
The final table was set late on Saturday night – the players who were to return on Day 3 missing out on another hugely popular Unibet Open Player Party at Shoko. They did, however, get the exciting prospect of returning to fight for the top prizes on offer as well as the trophy and Barcelona 2011 title.
Just missing out on final table spots were Unibet Open Ambassador Alex Rousso and Lukasz Janota, the former having dwindled on the feature table and whose run of cards was not as consistent as his work making videos and conducting interviews for the Live Blog. Rousso was just one of many players who also took turns bringing their expertise to the commentary booth over all four days, led by Roy ‘The Boy’ Brindley and Dan Glimne, who remained impartial despite the lone Swede’s rise to dominance.
The three shortest stacks at the start of the final (Dominguez, Ngo and Vlassenko) were not the first to leave it. Tomas Kesiunas, from Lithuania, was the 9th place finisher (winning €10,000), running into Davor Pavic’s Aces with his pocket nines, all in preflop. Pavic, with this elimination, vaulted way ahead of his opponents in the chip counts. As Daniel Reijmer, start of day leader, seemed to be stuck in reverse right from the off, it looked like there would be no one able to catch the sole Swede.
Reijmer had a disastrous day 3; tipped by many as the favourite at the start of play, he was on the rail by the dinner break, finishing 7th for €17,300. He only just outlasted Tuan Duy Ngo, who held on by his fingernails to a very short stack, picking up blinds with preflop shoves to stay alive until finding AQ at the same time as Pim van Riet picked up AK. Having been so wary of committing his final chips, Ngo looked disappointed to have run a genuine hand into a bigger one, but his €12,400 8th place prize money must be some consolation.
Andrei Vlassenko was 6th, out-kicked preflop A-J to A-Q by Davor Pavic. With this elimination, and subsequent aggressive play, Pavic rose to his most extreme chip lead – more than three times the next biggest stack (that of Ruben Sanchez Cebollada). At this point it looked like the tournament was his to win, but a key pot going to Cebollada (his eights holding up vs. Pavic’s A-9) changed the whole dynamic of the final table. He’d previously busted Emilio Dominguez Munoz (5th for €33,000), calling one of the aggressive player’s many preflop shoves with a timely A-J (Munoz held 9-3) and his late surge of confidence continued after his double through as he found pocket Kings and promptly eliminated Jose Fuentes for good measure.
As Fuentes went to collect his €44,100 for his 4th place finish, of the three left in only Pim van Riet was a true short stack. It was Pavic and Cebollada, however, who clashed repeatedly, and continued to do so after van Riet’s pocket fives were picked off preflop by Pavic with sevens. Van Riet had staged a great comeback from short stack with two tables left to contender for the title, but had to settle for 3rd and €60,000.
There followed one of the longest heads-up battles in the Unibet Open’s history, with a patient war of attrition grinding down first one player and then the other. The chip lead swapped hands repeatedly, but in the end it was Cebollada who emerged victorious. The final hand saw his Ad-9h square up to the all-in Pavic’s Ac-7c, hold, and deliver the talented young Spaniard the trophy. Both players were roundly applauded for their efforts, and gracious in both victory and defeat. The winner’s cheque for €145,000 was presented to Cebollada while Pavic, a stalwart on the Unibet Open tour, claimed €90,000 for finishing second – his best result in a live tournament to date.
With thanks to the Gran Casino Barcelona, the entire event proceeded with the convivial atmosphere but competitive spirit the Unibet Open is known for. Join the live blog, feed and commentators for the next event, to be held in Dublin, 25th-28th August.
