Israeli poker veteran Matan Krakow pulled off a stunning comeback Sunday night to win the European Poker Tour (EPT) Main Event in Prague, taking home a massive first-place prize of €778,255 in what he called a “dream come true.”
Krakow, 44, beat a field of 1,224 entries in one of the most prestigious tournaments on the global poker circuit. The EPT, held in major cities across Europe, is known for attracting elite talent from across the globe. Its main event is considered the crown jewel of each tour stop.
Krakow coughed up the €5,300 buy-in to take a shot at the title and navigated his way to the final three players, where a deal was struck to divide the remaining prize pool based on chip counts, with €74,000 and the championship trophy reserved for the winner. Krakow at that point was second in chips, but he wasn't playing for second.
Heads-up against Turkey’s Bora Kortolus, Krakow picked his spots and waited for the right moment to pounce. And when the final hand hit the felt, he turned what looked like a busted draw into a title-clinching flush.
Holding six-seven of diamonds, Krakow saw a flop of four of hearts, king of diamonds and five of hearts. Kortolus, sitting on pocket eights — one diamond, one heart — led out with a bet. Krakow fired back with a pressure raise that put the Turk all-in. Kortolus snap-called, well ahead with his overpair. But the turn brought the ace of diamonds, and the river sealed it with the four of diamonds, giving Krakow a backdoor flush and the championship.
Despite current diplomatic tensions between Israel and Turkey, Krakow and Kortolus maintained a warm and friendly rapport. The two players shook hands before and after the final showdown, exchanging mutual praise.
“This is more emotional than I can put into words. It’s a dream come true,” Krakow said moments before lifting the trophy.
Krakow isn’t a new face at the felt. He’s a longtime presence in the Israeli poker scene, works at the Israeli gaming company 888 and co-authored Poker Legend, the autobiography of Israeli poker icon Eli Elezra, alongside Elezra and writer Yoav Ronel.
In a post-victory interview, Krakow revealed the win came at a time when poker had taken a back seat in his life. “Since getting married and starting a family, I’ve had less time — poker became more of a hobby, but one I love,” he said.
With the win, Krakow becomes only the second Israeli to win an EPT Main Event, following Uri Gilboa’s 2019 victory in Sochi. “Our country is going through hard times,” he added. “If this win brought joy to even a few people, then that means the world to me.”
The Israeli run didn’t stop with Krakow. Eyal Maaravi cashed in 13th place for €60,300, and Lymor Nahshon Davidson finished 26th for €25,550. In the High Roller event, Barak Wisbrod finished runner-up and bagged €298,400.