After two starting flights and 14 hours of intense action on Day 2, Piotr Sztenkiel emerged as the new champion of the PokerStars European Poker Tour Prague €2,200 Eureka High Roller, held at the Hilton Prague. Sztenkiel claimed the coveted Shard Trophy and a career-changing €491,040, defeating a massive field of 1,652 entrants to take the lion’s share of the €3,171,840 prize pool.
This win represents the pinnacle of Sztenkiel’s poker career, surpassing his previous highest cash of €6,720 in the €2,200 FPS High Roller at EPT Monte Carlo in 2023. Despite describing himself as a recreational player who participates “for fun,” Sztenkiel’s dominant performance over the past two days showcased his skill and determination.
With an overwhelming chip lead, Sztenkiel swiftly sealed the deal, dispatching Ukraine’s Konstantyn Holskyi in a brief five-hand heads-up battle. Holskyi earned €306,600 for his runner-up finish, marking his second six-figure score this year.
Germany’s Friedrich Raez finished in third place, earning a personal-best €219,000. Impressively, seven out of the nine players at the final table achieved their largest-ever live cashes, reflecting the high level of competition throughout the event.
In a quick statement to PokerNews, Sztenkiel mentioned he would share more details “after I go to the cashier’s desk to sort out the money.” With the trophy in hand, he was last seen walking briskly through the lobby, disappearing as swiftly as he rose to claim his victory.
€2,200 Eureka High Roller Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Payout (EUR) |
| 1 | Piotr Sztenkiel | Poland | €491,040 |
| 2 | Konstantyn Holskyi | Ukraine | €306,600 |
| 3 | Friedrich Raez | Germany | €219,000 |
| 4 | Vladimir Lipnitskii | Russia | €168,460 |
| 5 | Antal Hamza | Hungary | €129,580 |
| 6 | Christopher Wood | United Kingdom | €99,670 |
| 7 | Mariusz Golinski | Poland | €76,670 |
| 8 | Matteo Calzoni | Italy | €58,970 |
| 9 | Ivan Burmistrov | Armenia | €45,360 |
Day 2 Play
PokerStars Ambassador Parker Talbot entered Day 2 with a stack of 405,000 but was eliminated after running into pocket aces. EPT champion Robin Ylitalo also started with a solid stack of 199,000 but found himself short early on and couldn’t recover, busting out shortly after.
From the outset, Hungary’s Antal Hamza was on fire. He won a three-way all-in with aces and made a memorable appearance when he flopped a full house against Jason Wheeler in a pre-flop all-in. Hamza leapt out of his seat and disappeared for four or five hands, causing his tablemates to wonder if he thought he had lost the hand. Wheeler humorously speculated that Hamza had “gone home to tell his mum about this.”
Hamza’s good fortune continued when he cracked the aces of Vito Vella, who finished 22nd, and later eliminated Claudio Di Giacomo in 11th place, who had entered Day 2 second in chips.
Poland’s Mariusz Golinski was another key player, racking up multiple knockouts on his way to the final table. He sent Thomas Graupner (23rd), Stefan Dimitrov (17th), and Yehor Shumeiko (15th) to the rail, with Shumeiko entering Day 2 as the chip leader.
Holskyi’s run to the final table was also eventful. He eliminated Giuseppe Dedoni (14th) and Vogel (13th), with Vogel’s exit coming in dramatic fashion as Holskyi hit a runner-runner Broadway against Vogel’s turned two pair.
Unfortunately for Christopher Brammer, he fell short of the final table, losing to Raez after jamming a short stack from the button with jack-nine suited.
Final Table Action
Hamza entered the final table as the chip leader, with Sztenkiel sitting in third place and Holskyi in second. The players enjoyed each other’s company, frequently complimenting each other’s plays. A lively group of Brits also showed up to support their friend Christopher Wood, affectionately known as “Woody.”
The final table saw a flurry of action as Ivan Burmistrov and Matteo Calzoni were eliminated early. Golinski followed soon after, as his ace-ten was dominated by Wood’s ace-king suited. Wood was next to go, all-in in consecutive hands but unable to find the right cards against Sztenkiel’s pocket sixes.
Hamza’s incredible run came to an end when he was eliminated by Sztenkiel, who then dispatched Vladimir Lipnitskii, taking control of the chip lead.
Sztenkiel continued his charge, busting Raez after calling a shove from the small blind. With the majority of the chips in play, Sztenkiel entered heads-up play with a commanding advantage. On the fifth hand of heads-up, Holskyi pushed all-in, holding the lead preflop. However, Sztenkiel hit the best flop and took home the trophy, cementing his victory.
After the handshake and a brief exchange of social media details, the two players went their separate ways, with Sztenkiel basking in the glory of his remarkable achievement.
