Marek Uhacek became the PLO champion at King's Festival 2026

Marek Uhacek won the €1,500 PLO Championship at the King's Festival, leading the tournament as the chip leader from the very start. The prize pool amounted to €500,000.

Marek Uharcek wins the €1,500 PLO Championship at King's Festival, leading the tournament from start to finish as chip leader Tournament Overview: €1,500 PLO Championship at King's Resort As part of the prestigious 2026 King's Million European Poker Championship series, King's Resort hosted a Pot-Limit Omaha tournament with a €1,500 buy-in. The event attracted 286 entries, split across two starting days. The total prize pool reached an impressive €500,000, with the top prize of €95,000 going to Marek Uharcek — a player who held the chip lead throughout the entire tournament. The final day of the tournament began with the return of the top 44 players, each guaranteed at least €3,525 for making it past the first stage. Marek Uharcek started the day as chip leader, a position he secured at the end of Day 1b, and managed to maintain his advantage all the way to the final table and victory. Marek Uharcek’s Road to Victory This win marked Marek Uharcek’s first title in his tournament career. Although he does not consider himself a professional tournament player and, by his own admission, only plays about ten tournaments a year, preferring cash games, it was here that he achieved the best result of his career. A year ago, at this very venue, he made the final table and finished eighth, and over the past three years, he has twice reached the final tables of European Poker Tour events. Uharcek noted that being chip leader is not only an advantage but also an added responsibility, as winning requires not only making the right decisions but also relying on luck: “When you’re the chip leader, you have a lot of hope, but in these tournaments, so much depends on how the cards fall. I tried to put pressure on the short stacks, but mostly I just made decisions step by step.” As the final nine approached, Uharcek drew on his experience from previous deep runs to stay calm, especially in tough spots. He emphasized the importance of keeping cool even in moments of bad luck, citing a heads-up hand where his opponent hit one of four outs: “The best thing you can do is not jump to conclusions and stay calm.” The Final Table: Battling Strong Opponents The final table brought together experienced tournament players, including WSOP bracelet winner Jan-Peter Jachtmann. Although Uharcek did not see himself as the favorite, he was the first to eliminate an opponent and further strengthened his lead. Soon after, he knocked out Jachtmann himself, sending him to fourth place when his two pair held up. In heads-up play against Lucas Giebing, the battle for the title became especially intense. In one key hand, Giebing was on the brink of elimination but managed to hit a straight on the turn, shifting the momentum. However, Uharcek quickly regained the advantage, doubled up, and once again put his opponent at risk. In the final hand, Giebing missed his draw, and Marek Uharcek became a major tournament champion for the first time in his career. “It was a relief,” Uharcek said about the final hand. “When he hit his card, I wasn’t exactly upset, more disappointed. In the last hand, he had a lot of outs again, so I felt real relief when it was finally over.” Final Table Results of the €1,500 PLO Championship Below are the official results of the tournament’s final table: 1st place — Marek Uharcek — €95,000 2nd place — Lucas Giebing — (amount not specified in the original) 3rd place — (name and amount not specified) 4th place — Jan-Peter Jachtmann — (amount not specified) 5th-9th places — (names and amounts not specified) Each of the 44 players who made it to the final day received at least €3,525, with prizes increasing as players climbed the leaderboard. Unfortunately, the original source does not provide the full payout table or the names of all finalists except those mentioned above. Format Features: Pot-Limit Omaha and Tournament Structure This tournament was played under Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) rules — a format where each player receives four hole cards and must use exactly two of them along with three community cards to make a hand. Unlike No-Limit Hold’em, in PLO the maximum bet cannot exceed the size of the pot at the time of the player’s action. This structure makes the game more dynamic and increases the importance of post-flop action. The tournament featured two starting days (flights), which allowed for 286 entries and a large prize pool. The final day lasted nearly 12 hours, during which the winner was determined. Such a structure is typical for major European series like the King's Million European Poker Championship, which traditionally attract the best Omaha specialists and players from other poker disciplines. Other Prize Winners and Participants Among the participants in the tournament and on the final day were well-known players such as Bastian Bluem, Danail Zhelev, Davit Mikhanashvili, Volodymyr Kokoulin, as well as the previously mentioned Jan-Peter Jachtmann, Marek Uharcek, and Lucas Giebing. Some of them regularly play in European Poker Tour events and other major European series, confirming the high level of competition at this event. King's Resort, the venue for the tournament, is traditionally considered one of the top European locations for major poker festivals, including EPT stops and its own series with large guarantees. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players Marek Uharcek’s victory in the Pot-Limit Omaha tournament at King's Resort is a great example of how even players who prefer cash games can succeed in live tournaments. For PPPoker club members, it’s a reminder of the importance of versatility: regular practice in different formats, including tournaments and cash games, broadens your poker horizons and increases your chances of success in major events. This result also highlights the value of patience and the ability to stay calm in tough situations. Even when leading in chips, it’s important not to overestimate your advantage and to make thoughtful decisions — as Uharcek demonstrated by not letting bad beats throw him off and steering the tournament to victory. For PPPoker club players participating in online PLO tournaments, Marek’s experience can be a motivation to try live events, as well as a reminder that discipline and adapting to different game formats are key components of success at any level.