Dramatic 888poker Live London Finale Sees Online Qualifier Triumph

The 888poker Live London main event is over and standing atop of the winner’s rostrum ahead of the pros was online qualifier Adrian-Eugen Constantin.

Adrian-Eugen Constantin has won the 888poker Live London main event in dramatic fashion. (Image: 888poker/Twitter)

Earning his place in the £1,100/$1,400 main event for just $36, Constantin had nothing to lose as the final table got underway on December 2.

Languishing towards the bottom of the chip counts, the Romanian needed to push the pace early and that’s exactly what he did.

Bold Move Gives Constantin Momentum

With a crowd gathered inside London’s Aspers Casino, Constantin stole the third pot of the night with a bluff.

That move was enough to keep the champion-in-waiting afloat as the eliminations started to flow. With Bhavin Khatri breaking the deadlock, others soon followed and that gave Constantin room to maneuver.

Picking up chips as the field thinned, he found himself out in front with just three players left in the mix.

At this point, Germany’s Manuel Bueno must have sensed something as he called for a deal. An ICM-based discussion soon broke out but an agreement couldn’t be reached.

With that, play resumed and Bueno hit the rail. Running trip sixes into Constantin’s straight, the German took home $58,070 for his efforts and moved the main event closer to a conclusion.

Thrilling End to 888poker Live London

With only British pro Leon Lewis in his way and a commanding chip lead, it looked as though Constantin would close things out in quick fashion. However, Lewis and the poker gods had other ideas.

A rush of cards saw the Brit jumped to an almost insurmountable lead within a few hands. Holding almost 90 percent of the chips in play, it looked as though the 888poker Live trophy would stay in London.

Constantin wasn’t done though. Having already performed a minor miracle by qualifying for the $1,400 event online, the Romanian rallied for one final time.

Stringing together a series of pots, he eventually got the job done with AJ. Betting his way to the river, Constantin made an easy call with the board showing AKQ4T.

Lewis tabled Q4 for two pair but that wasn’t enough to beat his opponent’s straight. With that, the local pro made his exit and Constantin stood victorious.

While the career-high win and $12,500 WSOP prize package will make the Romanian smile, his victory has a wider significance. By proving that online qualifiers can still come through a tough field and win, Constantin will serve as an inspiration to thousands.

The victory may resonant in the same way Chris Moneymaker’s 2003 WSOP win did. However, it will show small stakes players that online satellites are still a great way to turn a few dollars into a major win.

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