Makiievskyi came into the final table eighth-place in chips and went broke in exactly the same position. He was unable to get anything going and only participated in four hands before busting in a blind-on-blind confrontation with German Pius Heinz.
“I was pretty card dead and I raised once with queens so I think K-Q was the second best hand I picked up all day,” Makiievskyi told the media after he was eliminated.
“I was happy to see K-Q in the small blind after everyone folded so I think I did everything pretty standard,” he added.
Shoving K-Q and losing a flip against Heinz’s pocket nines was his downfall. In spite of, or perhaps because of the fact that Heinz busted him, Makiievskyi pointed to the young German as his pick for winning this thing.
“I said it before the November Nine was set and I’ll say it again now: Ben Lamb is good but I think Pius is better,” Makiievskyi said emphatically.
That prediction held true after Makiievskyi’s elimination as Heinz sky-rocketed up the leaderboard.
Makiievskyi is just 21 years old and plans to continue playing poker, a plan that is certainly within his reach thanks to this seven-figure windfall.
Now sitting in sixth on Ukraine's all-time money list, the poker world is looking to Makiievskyi for more big scores as this young pro continues to develop his game.
Anton Makiievskyi’s Final Table Story
Anton Makiievskyi started the day with nearly 14 million in chips and got his first taste of action on the seventh hand of the day, open-raising and taking down the blinds and antes.
On Hand 18 Makiievskyi open-raised again and managed to once again add the blinds and antes to his stack.
On Hand 24 Phil Collins limped in the cut-off and Makiievskyi moved all-in for 12.6 million from the small blind. It was the first all-in move of the final table and it earned Makiievskyi the pot.
On Hand 58 action folded to Makiievskyi in the small blind and he shoved with K♣ Q♥. Pius Heinz was in the big blind and called with two red nines.
The board ran K♦ J♥ J♠ 9♣ 7♥, making Heinz’s set of nines the best hand and eliminating Anton Makiievskyi.
Visit www.pokerlistings.com