The final table began shortly past 3 p.m. Though the ending may have been bittersweet, he still proved the axiom that anyone can win in this game on any given day. He earned his way to Bucharest through a freeroll on 888poker and turned that into €19,500. The Albania native had no live tournament cashes before this event. Qinami was denied the victory in a cruel fashion, but he wrote quite a story for himself over the last five days nonetheless. The top prize from this event will push his career earnings past $250,000.
He won an event here in the Poker Room Bucharest for €19,238 last month and also finished third in a high roller at the 2019 888poker LIVE Bucharest festival. Gavrila has a live tournament resume that dates back to 2015 and more than $200,000 in earnings but had never won a major tournament like this one. Gavrila prevailed over a field of 191 total entries to win the coveted trophy and collect €30,000, the largest tournament cash of his poker career, after beating Qinami with poker’s ultimate cooler, aces over kings. That magical scenario made Gavrila a champion and kept the 888poker LIVE trophy at home in his native Romania. Viorel Gavrila was heads-up for a title at the final table of the €888 888poker LIVE Bucharest Main Event and looked down at two black aces as his opponent, Admir Qinami, moved all in. It was a moment that usually only happens in dreams.
