The Festival Rozvadov wrote its closing chapter, and a story unfolded at King's Resort that perfectly captures the spirit of the entire series. It wasn't just a random deep run or a single lucky night, but a full week of unmatched poker action. Paul Vlad Craciunas entered the Main Event's final day already a two-time champion of this stop and left as the man who conquered the entire festival.
The €550 Main Event with a €500,000 guarantee drew 710 entries, and 16 players advanced to the final day. From the outset, there was an unusual twist. A Polish player going by Rafa failed to show at the table, and his stack gradually dwindled away into the blinds throughout the day.
The bubble-man for the final table was Raul George Sav. Earlier in the day, he found a crucial triple-up, but the lead-up to the final nine didn't go his way. Rama Prema's pocket sevens survived a preflop all-in against his K-Q suited when the flop gave the Czech player a set, opening the way to the official final table.
The final day of the Main Event received proper coverage thanks to a live stream from the feature table. The action from King's Resort was available on YouTube and Twitch, allowing viewers to watch pivotal hands, big all-ins, and the psychology at the final table. You can find the live stream here:
Craciunas Takes the Lead at the Final Table
When the final nine were set, Paul Craciunas was already seated as the chipleader. With 6,290,000 in chips, his objective was clear: complete a hat-trick of titles at a single stop. The first to be eliminated from the final table was Ariel Kayat. Enrico Falco finished eighth after a painful cooler against Grzegorz Flak, and shortly after, Zdravko Lamot, a former Big Brother Croatia participant, exited in seventh with €12,300.
A key moment of the final day was the showdown between Paul Craciunas and Rama Prema. Prema pushed with pocket nines for 16 big blinds, and Craciunas called with eights, well behind preflop. Yet, the flop brought 8-8-K, delivering instant quads to Craciunas. Prema was drawing dead by the turn and finished sixth, earning €16,000.
Not long after, Florin Adrian Bilan was sent packing. Entering the final day as one of the big stacks, the Romanian's run was halted by his fellow countryman. Grzegorz Ryszard Flak, who led going into the final day, was a strong contender for the title but bowed out in fourth place for €27,100, falling to Babubarsch.
3-Way Deal and a Fairy Tale Finish
An inspiring story of the final day was written by local player David Veselý. The Czech, who has a strong connection to The Festival as co-owner of poker.time.cz, started in the back of the pack. However, he navigated crucial spots, leading him to a 3-way deal at the end.
Although Veselý was the short stack, the deal guaranteed him a lifetime best result of €43,310. Babubarsch entered heads-up with a slight lead, but it didn't last long. Craciunas turned up the aggression, pressuring his opponent and winning pot after pot. He built a commanding lead, and after about an hour and a half, the decisive hand unfolded.
Craciunas limped from the small blind, Babubarsch raised to 1,400,000, and the Romanian responded with an all-in. Babubarsch called with K-9, only to find he was dominated by A-9. The board came J-10-2-A-4, sealing Craciunas's victory and concluding the Main Event.
Babubarsch took home €51,250 for second place, admitting afterward that it was his career-best performance. He also praised the festival's atmosphere in Rozvadov, vowing to return to The Festival.
However, the standout story was Paul Craciunas, who didn't just win the Main Event in Rozvadov. Earlier, he had triumphed in the €350 Open Face Chinese and the €175 NLH event with a €25,000 guarantee, winning both titles in a single evening. Thus, he entered the Main Event's final day with a chance to achieve an unprecedented hat-trick.
And that's exactly what happened. Throughout the final day, Craciunas eliminated opponents, won major pots, survived moments relying on the board, and ultimately appeared unstoppable. His triumph for €71,740 is not only the Main Event's top prize but also a symbolic conclusion to one of the strongest individual performances in The Festival Series history.
Final Table Results €550 Main Event The Festival Rozvadov:
| Position | Player Name | Country | Prize |
| 1. | Paul Vlad Craciunas | Romania | €71,740 |
| 2. | Babubarsch | Germany | €51,250 |
| 3. | David Veselý | Czech Republic | €43,310 |
| 4. | Grzegorz Ryszard Flak | Poland | €27,100 |
| 5. | Florin Adrian Bilan | Romania | €20,800 |
| 6. | Rama Prema | Czech Republic | €16,000 |
| 7. | Zdravko Lamot | Croatia | €12,300 |
| 8. | Enrico Falco | Italy | €9,400 |
| 9. | Ariel Yakov Kayat | Israel | €7,220 |
What's Next for The Festival?
The Rozvadov chapter may have closed, but The Festival Series continues. The next stop is The Festival Weekend in Tallinn, set to take place from July 1-5 in the Estonian capital. For many festival team members, Tallinn is home turf, promising another strong community atmosphere.
In September, The Festival heads to Malta, offering players the chance to qualify online through partner networks. Packages traditionally include the Main Event buy-in, accommodation support, and access to exclusive hospitality events. Rozvadov was not an end but another significant milestone in the season. After the stellar performance of Paul Craciunas, there is much for the next stop to aspire to.
