Roman Korenev Makes History as First Russian WSOP 2019 Champion

Roman Korenev made history at the World Series of Poker (WSOP) 2019 by becoming the first Russian to win a WSOP championship. He achieved this feat by winning the Marathon tournament, which had a unique structure with 100-minute levels lasting 6 days.

Korenev started the final table with the 4th stack, 28 big blinds. He finished the 3rd day with the 41st stack out of 52 players. His journey to the top was marked by strategic plays and a bit of luck. In one of the first hands, he eliminated Joseph Liberty with Ax Tx against Jx Tx. Later, he sent Francis Anderson to the rail in 4th place with 6x 6x against 9x 9x, and Chinese player Dong Pen in 3rd with Kx Kx against Kx 8x.

In the heads-up battle, Korenev faced Jared Koppel. The two players exchanged leads multiple times, with Korenev ultimately securing the victory. His prize for winning the Marathon tournament was $477,401. Korenev's journey to the WSOP 2019 was also notable. He spent 7 months in Central and South America, visiting Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. During this time, he played online poker and explored the Iguazu Falls, describing the experience as "unforgettable."