The final day began with Már sitting fourth in chips, but both his stack and his confidence kept growing as play progressed. Without making any deal, he battled his way to the heads-up against Sweden’s Oliver Kubalek. The tournament’s defining hand saw Már holding A-3 against pocket queens. In a dramatic fashion, an ace on the river sealed the victory and secured him a first prize of 91.001€, worth nearly 2.2 million CZK.
This win stands as the largest of Már’s career and pushed his total live earnings above $425,945. Ondřej has further cemented his status within the Czech-Slovak poker scene. After this exceptional triumph, we had a chance to talk to Ondřej and get a look behind the scenes of his remarkable victory.
How does it feel to be the champion?
Of course, I’m thrilled I pulled it off. It’s a lot of money—but also a matter of prestige. Winning a tournament of this size really means a lot.
How did your days leading up to the final play out?
I arrived on Friday and played two starting flights that day, then two more on Saturday. It was only my fourth and final entry that worked out. That’s the one that got me to the final table and, in the end, to the win.
Have you decided what you’ll do with your winnings?
I’m not entirely sure yet. I’ll definitely use a portion for poker, maybe to buy into higher stakes tournaments. Part of it, I’d like to invest, but I’ll see how things develop.
Will this victory change your approach to poker?
Not fundamentally. I might take some shots at bigger events every so often, but otherwise I want to keep up the same pace and style of play I’ve had so far.
How often do you play poker?
I typically play live two or three times a month, and on weekends, I focus on online poker. Usually, I log in during the evenings - Friday, Saturday and Sunday and I’ll put in about seven hours per session.
How do you study poker? What materials have helped you the most?
I’m a member of several training sites. Right now, I’m mainly using PokerCode, the educational platform founded by Fedor Holz and Matthias Eibinger. I’m also in the GTO Lab. In the past, I worked with Run It Once, and I’ve also bought Czech-language training videos. Altogether, I’ve tried out quite a lot of study resources.
What did you get out of those resources—what helped you most?
PokerCode helped me the most. It really clarified standard ranges, core exploitative plays, and gave me a stronger grasp of solid fundamentals. For the most part, it gave me confidence in my overall approach to the game.
Before this, what was the most important or breakthrough tournament in your career?
Honestly, it’s hard to pick just one. There have been several key moments, but nothing compares to this.
Do you plan to return to your previous work or focus solely on poker from now on?
I’m keeping my options open. I’ll see what opportunities come my way.
What do you enjoy most about poker?
I genuinely enjoy the game itself. I love improving, bridging the online and live worlds, and of course, I enjoy winning. When things are going well, it’s a great feeling.