Poker in the Czech Republic may not have the huge history that some of its neighbouring countries have, but recently players like Vojtech Ruzicka have come to the fore and with it the game has boomed.
In 2011, when fellow countryman Martin Staszko finished 2nd in the WSOP Main Event for almost $5.5million, Ruzicka had just win his first tournament title and almost €60k ($85,000) at the soon-to-be huge casino in Rozvadov, not far from his hometown of Liberec. It was his 5th and biggest cash at the time, but Staszko’s Main Event heroics made an impression on the young Ruzicka.
He didn’t know then that only 5 years later he would also be in the WSOP limelight, a November Nine final table appearance which would launch him into the poker big time and 2nd spot behind Staszko in the all-time Czech money list.
Before that, however, Leon Tsoukernik’s Kings Casino in Rozvadov once again proved a happy hunting-ground, Ruzicka winning the German Championship of Poker Grand Final Main Event Grand Final for a €122,500 ($161,146) payday.
One year later, in February of 2013, Ruzicka ventured further afield and took down the €19K High Roller at EPT Deauville, snaring an whopping €313,000 ($426,907) but it would be his final big tournament score before heading to Vegas for the 2016 World Series of Poker Main Event.
At the end of the summer battle, the Czech pro had made it to the final table, and a late October date for the ‘November Nine’ showdown, brought forward a week because of the US elections. He employed Max Altergott as his coach throughout the 3 month pause and it looked like paying off, the Czech pro playing brilliantly on day 1 at the Penn and Teller Theater in Vegas’ Rio casino, hauling himself up from 6th place to a temporary chip lead.
He finally ended the day in 3rd spot out of 5 returning to battle it out for the $8million and the winner’s golden bracelet, but the following day proved a step too far for Ruzicka, a massive bluff which backfired finally ending his bracelet hopes, although his 5th place finish for close to $2million and his excellent play overall which won him many fans were fine consolation.
“I tried to play the hand right and it didn’t work,” Ruzicka said of his bluff, adding that “Gordon (Vayo) did a great job to trick me, and that’s it. It was an amazing experience.”
Ruzicka explained of his remarkable Main Event journey from the King’s Casino in Rozvadov to the Rio in Vegas:
“It’s a lot of money, I met many new people which I would never have met without getting there, so… I’m very grateful to be here but right now it hurts, but yeah… I will be even stronger next year!”
Since his Main Event run, Ruzicka has struggled to find form, or money, but recently (April 2017) he got back to winning ways by winning the partypoker Millions £10k buy-in High Roller, adding £284,210 ($355,859) to an already impressive resume and tournament earnings list.
