When the Mediterranean dust settled it was the German pro Oliver Weis left standing as the last participant of the EPT Cyprus Main Event, having toppled the aggressive and unpredictable Georgios Tsouloftas to claim the title of champion - and the $1,030,000 first prize. It's the second major score of 2024 for Weis, who won the High Roller event at EPT Paris earlier in the year.
1,284 players put up the $5,300 to take a shot at the second EPT Cyprus Main Event, creating a prize pool of over $6.2M. Over five days the field was whittled down to a final six which featured some recognizable names including former GGPoker and PokerStars Team Pro Mikhail Shalamov, longtime EPT stalwart Anton Wigg and CoinPoker’s Community Manager Bobby James. Rounding out the top six were Day 4 leader, Cypriot Georgios Tsouloftas, Day 5 leader Oliver Weis and double WSOP Europe bracelet winner Andriy Lyubovetskiy of Ukraine.
Wigg flipped
Wigg was the first casualty of the day, coming out the wrong side of a flip when his 
fell to Shalamov’s 
. The two got the chips in preflop, and the flop immediately brought an ace to put Wigg behind and at risk. The 
board ran out to send Wigg out in 6th with $208,720 in his pocket.
Bobby James was next to find the exit, holding 
when the chips went in preflop and needing help from the board to overtake the 
of Georgios Tsouloftas. That help never came, with the 
board sending James out the door in 5th, good for $271,400.
Tsouloftas was pulling away with a dominating stack, but the next elimination would come at the hands of Weiss. The German opened the button with a min-raise to 300K holding 
, with Lyubovetskiy calling from the big blind with his 
. The 
brought top pair for Weis and little for Lyubovetskiy, and was checked down.
The on the turn improved Weis to top two pair, and his 550K bet was check-called by Lyubovetskiy. The 
on the river gave Lyubovetskiy the smallest of pairs; he checked, only to be put all in for his last 2 million chips. After some thought he opted for what he felt would be a hero call, but sadly for him he’d read it wrong. Weis dragged the pot and Lyubovetskiy hit the rail in 4th place, $353,100 better off.
Shalamov kicked out in 3rd
Tsouloftas continued to wield the big stack as Weis and Shalmov maneuvered carefully. With a payjump of over $180,000 to consider it was a time for thoughtful play, and over an hour passed before a hand arrived that gave two players enough justification to get it in preflop.
Tsouloftas trapped with a limp from the button with , springing the trap when Shalamov jammed for his last 5 million or so holding a dominated 
. The 
flop stacked the odds in favor of the chip-leader, the on the turn brought Shalamov some outs, but it was not to be as the 
fell on the river, and Shalamov fell in 3rd. The Russian, known online as ‘innerpsy’, picked up $459,000 for his deep run.
Tsouloftas presses his advantage
Heads-up, Tsouloftas maintained his chip advantage while keeping up the aggression. One hand in particular illustrated the extent of his forceful play, as he forced Weis off a turned two-pair with a well-timed bluff. On a board of 
Weis had flopped a pair and turned another with his 
, but couldn’t call the big bet from Tsouloftas when the final scare card fell making a straight and flush possible. Weis folded and Tsouloftas showed the 
bluff, to vocal celebrations from his rail.
Tsouloftas continued to sit on a comfortable chip-lead, before doubling Weis up just before a break. Holding 
, Tsouloftas and his bottom pair put Weis all-in on a flop of 
. Weis, with 
called quickly, the board ran out clean and the German was back up to 15m chips - still behind the Cypriot's 23m but with room to maneuver once more. That room would soon grow as, first hand back, Weis called a river bluff to take the chip lead from Tsouloftas for the first time.
Weis turns the tables
Weis had entered the final table with a major chip lead, but Tsouloftas's aggression and swashbuckling play had largely taken center stage as the final tabled was reduced to two. Over a 3+ hour heads-up duel, the two players' contrasting styles made for fascinating viewing, but Weis' patient and stoic approach soon bore dividends. The chip lead continued to ebb and flow, but ultimately it was Weis who was able to turn the screw once he accrued a notable lead.
Their differing approaches, coupled with the fact the two players had tangled in numerous big pots in the past few days, leant the finale something of the feel of a grudge match. As they played on into the night there was no talk of striking a deal, with both players happy to go for the full million dollars up top.
When the end came the other tournaments in the room were long done and packed away, and Weis had boxed his opponent into a corner holding a stack of just a dozen or so big blinds. Holding Weis called from the button. Tsouloftas shoved from the big blind with 
and Weis flicked in the call. The 
flop had the German's rail cheering, the 
turn and the 
river didn't stop them, and an exhausted Weis ended a long day, and a long week, as the newest European Poker Tour champion.
EPT Cyprus Main Event final table results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oliver Weis | $1,030,000 |
| 2 | Georgios Tsouloftas |
$642,300 |
| 3 | Mikhail Shalamov | $459,000 |
| 4 | Andriy Lyubovetskiy | $353,100 |
| 5 | Bobby James | $271,400 |
| 6 | Anton Wigg | $208,720 |
Images courtesy of Rational Intellectual Holdings, Ltd.
