The Big Man!

7 years ago
Ivan ‘the Giant’ Banic at the WSOPC Rozvadov Main Event Final Table
10:05
16 Nov
SeatPlayerCountryChip Count
1 Marco Topic
Germany
3,175,000
2 Ivan Banic
Croatia 6,035,000
3 Yehuda Cohen
Germany
800,000
4 Michal Kadziela
Poland 2,315,000
5 Mihai Croitoru
Romania 6,925,000
6 Stefan Drabert
Germany
1,450,000
7 Henning Wendlandt
Austria 2,750,000
8 Georgios Vrakas
Germany
2,220,000

Height is an advantage in many sports, but in poker? Not so much! Unless you count being able to hand your cards to the dealer when you muck them!

For Ivan Banic - the two meter stretch of Croatian poker sensation who has amassed over $1million online as ‘banicivan’ – reaching the final table of the Rozvadov WSOP Circuit event wasn’t a problem. More difficult, however, was going to be getting his over-sized hands on the coveted Circuit ring, and the €232,241 first prize!

As yesterday’s article showed, poker characters come in all shapes and sizes, Banic actually having to sit down while the others stood for the official final table photo! And coming in to the last eight with a healthy second-place in chips, he was expected to make a big move as the shorter stacks fought for their tournament lives.


(Photo: Elena Chadaeva)


Shorter, shorter, short-out!

And so it proved, the short-statured, short-stacked but big-hearted Stefan Drabert falling at the first hurdle of the day, joking that “ChiKKita has so much luck!” when Drabert’s K♦ J♦ hit the flop hard

K♣ 7♣ 5♥

only to see the charismatic Cohen turn over K♥ 7♥.

“Chakka chakka!” was the cry when the turn and river bricked, and a crippled Drabert hit the rails next hand when ‘big man Banic’ paired his ace on the flop, although the diminutive German took home €25,102, his best-ever live cash.


(Photo: Elena Chadaeva)

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Wielding the Big Blade

Although not noted as a live player, the giant Croat hit the news back in February when he made the final table of the $5K EPT Main Event in Dublin, busting out 8th but raking in €60,750 ($68,359) – a very decent introduction to the tournament scene, although a top 5 finish here in Rozvadov would top that.

And that wasn’t long in becoming a reality, Banic powering his way through the table and taking advantage of everyone except for fellow big-stack, Romanian Mihai Croitoru. Wendlandt fell by the wayside, taking a big hit before being put to the sword by the Croat – a $36,502 payday for one of the event’s most likeable players.

Next to submit was Marco Topic ($49,356) , running his Ad 4d into Banic’s A♠ Q♥, the A♥ Q♣ 7♣ 8♣ 5♠ board sealing his fate. When Poland’s Michal Kadziela ($63,059)and Germany’s Giorgios Vrakas ($80,037) joined him on the rail, it was down to just 3 – and the unthinkable was on the cards!

Could Yehuda ‘chiKKita banAAna’ Cohen really topple Banic the giant Croat and Romanian’s ‘Count’ Croitoru?

♠ ♦ ♣ ♥


Biggest player, biggest pots!

Well, Cohen’s title hopes were certainly helped by Croitoru’s attempts to bluff the big Croat off an A♥ 2♠ 3♥ flop when holding 10♦ 8♠, Banic holding J♥ J♦, his second barrel on the A♠ turn again being called – and when Croituru eventually gave up on the river it was a 10million chip pot which the giant took down.

It may have been a long 3-handed battle, but the friendly banter and amazing folds which ‘chiKKita’ found made it more than just interesting! Twice he folded pocket 10’s on the small blind to Banic’s bullying shoves, and, to the astonishment of almost everyone in the King's Casino in Rozvadov, it finally did the job!

The Romanian Croitoru finally found a hand decent enough to stand up to Banic’s impressively aggressive tactics – tabling A♣ 6♣ versus the Croatian’s J♥ 8♠

The flop fell 3♦ 8♥ 7♠ and suddenly Banic was ahead, and when the turn and river came down

9♣ 9♦

Croitoru’s event was finally finished, with ‘chiKKita’ celebrating at his $41K+ pay jump, while the plucky Romanian scooped $103,441 for his fine efforts.

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There can be only one!

There is a centuries-old Bohemian fairytale called ‘The Long, Broad and Sharpsighted’ and the heads-up struggle had at least two of them in this amazing card-room in west Bohemia -Ivan ‘the Long’ Banic and Yehuda ‘the sharp-sighted’ Cohen!

As they shook hands before the final shuffle up and deal of the WSOP Circuit, ‘chiKKita banAAna’ Cohen joked with his long-legged friend:

"I give you maximum one hour -then it’s seat-open Ivan!!”

The liveliest and friendliest of all the players for the past five days was approximately 59 minutes out, the very first hand seeing the decisive all-in and call.

Banic: 9♦ 7♣

Cohen: A♦ 8♥

Banic shoved as has been his usual tactic and chiKKita finally found something he was willing to call with, and was a 61/39 favorite to double-up. But every great story has an amazing ending, the flop and turn coming…

Q♥ 2♦ 3♠ K♣

…leaving Banic needing a 9 or 7 on the river to finally get rid of the persistent Cohen. And when it fell…

7♠


(Photo: Elena Chadaeva)

…the place erupted, Cohen holding his head in his hands while the Croatian stretched to his full 2m10cm, head and shoulders above everyone else in victory.

The giant Ivan Banic had prevailed and scooped $232,241 and the beautiful WSOP Circuit ring, while Cohen had amazingly held on for a day and a half to walk home with $144,551.

♠ ♦ ♣ ♥

And so a remarkable 19 days in the King's Casino had come to an end, 14 rings and close on €3 million handed out, and 10,000+ players enjoying the hospitality and atmosphere that seem to be the norm in this poker island in the Czech Republic.

With a mega-deal in place to host the WSOP Europe starting next year, and massive expansion plans for Europe’s biggest card-room underway, I for one hope to be back again soon!


(Photo: Elena Chadaeva)


Final results

Seat Player Country Prize
1 Ivan Banic
Croatia €232,241
2 Yehuda Cohen
Germany
€144,551
3 Mihai Croitoru
Romania €103,441
4 Georgios Vrakas
Germany
€80,037
5 Michal Kadziela
Poland €63,059
6 Marco Topic
Germany
€49,356
7 Henning Wendlandt
Austria €36,502
8 Stefan Drabert
Germany
€25,102

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Andrew from Edinburgh, Scotland, is a professional journalist, international-titled chess master, and avid poker player.Read more

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