Russia's Viacheslav Zhukov is surrounded by friends and family after his $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo victory.

This time last year, Viacheslav Zhukov was a 21 year old student at Moscow Mining University unable to attend the World Series of Poker due to his graduation. On Thursday, the Russian poker pro took down the $10,000 Omaha Hi-Lo World Championship to capture his first World Series of Poker bracelet.

Zhukov defeated George Lind heads-up and is the 11th player to earn their first WSOP bracelet at this summer through the first 11 events.

“This is my first time at the World Series, but I have good experience playing online and I have good experience in Omaha Hi-Lo, so I think I can compete with the world’s greatest and well, I’m first now,” laughed Zhukov.

The 22-year-old beat a field of 202 players to win $456,216 while Lind, 33, earned $287,554 for his runner-up finish. The win is made even more remarkable considering Zhukov was down to just 2,000 in chips early on Day 1.

“I lost about 14 pots and I was already to go out and nothing was going my way but I was patient and I finished the day with 30,000 and then I never came back (down),” said Zhukov.

Play began Thursday with only three players in contention for the bracelet after Wednesday’s action saw 19 players eliminated before the hard stop rule came into effect just before 4 am PT. Final table play began Wednesday evening with Zhukov holding the chip lead and Lind in sitting in the middle of the pack.

Despite starting the final table second in chips, Josh Arieh was the first to be shown the door. The two-time WSOP bracelet winner lost two big pots early before getting the remainder of his chips in on a multi-way pot holding K K 8 4. Zhukov took the high with A A Q T and Mack Lee took the low with A 3 3 7. Arieh pocketed $42,514.

Mikael Thuritz went out an hour later in eighth place as Steve Billirakis took 3/4 of the pot and Richard Ashby took the other 1/4. Thuritz earned $54,837. Ashby claimed another victim five minutes later when he busted Jason Steinberg in 7th place. The New York native walked away with $71,148.

Guillaume Rivet became Ashby’s next victim. Rivet, Ashby and Lee all saw the T 7 2 flop. Rivet got all of his chips in with Ashby and Lee also involved in a side pot. Lee check-called the 9 on the turn before folding to a bet from Ashby after the K hit the river. Ashby tabled A K 7 3 for two pair, which was good enough to take the pot and send Rivet out in the sixth spot. The lone Canadian at the final table earned $92,908.

Rivet’s exit was the third consecutive elimination Ashby took part in, but it would ultimately be the last of his knockouts as Billirakis went to work. The 25 year-old’s first order of business was to send Lee home in fifth place when he couldn’t beat Billirakis’ two-pair. Lee became the first player to earn six figures, picking up $122,054.

Billirakis’ next victim was Ashby. With the board showing 8 7 4 2, Ashby got the last of his chips into the middle holding A Q 5 2 for an ace-five low and a pair with a gutshot, while Billirakis held 6 5 4 2 for an eight-high straight. The A on the river gave Billirakis a superior low and the scoop and sent Ashby out in fourth place for $161,379.

The three remaining players ran into the WSOP hard stop rule with Lind holding the chip lead. The three players made their way back to the Amazon Room only 11 hours later to play down to a winner. A good night’s sleep might have been all it took to slow Billirakis’ momentum. Just 30 minutes after cards were in the air Thursday afternoon, Billirakis was eliminated by Zhukov in third place for $214,697.

When heads-up play began Lind held a slight chip lead and the two players went back and forth for just over three hours before Lind closed the deal. On the final hand, with only twelve big bets in play, Zhukov made a wheel on a K Q 5 4 2 board to eliminate Lind and win the tournament.

Final Table Payouts:

1. Viacheslav Zhukov – $456,216
2. George Lind – $287,554
3. Steve Billirakis – $214,697
4. Richard Ashby – $161,379
5. Mack Lee – $122,054
6. Guillaume Rivet – $92,908
7. Jason Steinberg – $71,148
8. Mikael Thuritz – $54,837
9. Josh Arieh – $42,514

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