Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Traply Wins First WSOP Bracelet For Hungary

Earlier in the World Series of poker, Ville Wahlbeck became the first Finnish native to win a WSOP bracelet. Now Peter Traply has replicated that feat for Hungary.

Traply, a 22-year-old professional poker player from Budapest, defeated Andrew Lichtenberger in heads-up play to win the $5,000 No Limit Hold'em Shootout.

"I feel amazing," said Traply. "This is one of my poker dreams and it came true."

The victory came after a steady stream of disappointments for the former Communications major.

"I played every single No Limit Hold'em event except the $40k and I didn't manage one single cash," he said.


To win the tournament, Traply had to defeat a final table that included the likes of Danny Wong and EPT regular Nasr El Nasr.

El Nasr looked dominant early at the five-handed final table but would flame out in fifth place, with Wong going broke in fourth.


Maxim Lykov would bust in third, leaving Traply and Lichtenberger heads-up with the bracelet on the line.

Traply jumped out to a monster lead early in the heads-up match when his pocket sixes turned a set against Lichtenberger's A-Q after the latter had flopped an ace.

The hand gave Traply a monster chip lead, but Lichtenberger would double up three times to pull back within striking distance.

Traply banks $348,728 in prize money to complement the bracelet. Lichtenberger earned $215,403 for his second-place finish.

And with the win, Traply assumes the role of poster boy for the burgeoning Hungarian poker revolution.

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