Antanas Guoga finished fourth in the €100,000 buy-in €100,000 no-limit Leon's High Roller in the Czech Republic on 30 October, collecting €351,579. The tournament attracted 23 players, plus 10 buy-ins. Finally, at the end of the buy-ins, a prize pool of €3,135.00 was created and shared by the top five. The fourth place finisher was Antanas Guoga from Lithuania, who won €351,579.
After this win, Antanas posted the following message on his Facebook account, setting a good example.
„If Rūta Meilutytė is swimming, Jonas Valančiūnas is making baskets, and tennis player Ričardas Berankis is showing his prowess on the tennis courts, then I'm playing poker pretty well.
Poker is a top-level strategy game, with a lot of mathematics, mental arithmetic, probability theory, tactics, intuition and psychology. You have to hide all your emotions, anxieties and tensions behind a mask of victory.
I've been in the Czech Republic for a few days now, among the wolves - the toughest and most famous poker players in the world.
Poker is my hobby and my sport. It's a game where I know exactly who I'm sitting at the poker table with and what I stand to lose. Most importantly, my losses have absolutely no impact on my quality of life, and my wins are fun. Who doesn't like winning?
I always give as much to the sport as I can afford.
I'm glad that my hobby not only helps me clear my head, but also allows me to earn money. Not just for myself. For the national budget too. I pay personal income tax on every win at the poker table, as required by Lithuanian law. I am a Lithuanian citizen and this is my duty, and I do it. Therefore, every good poker game played, every achievement not only makes me and Lithuania famous, but also has a direct value for the economy of our country.
If I were very "cunning" and financially rational (I know a lot of such people in Lithuania), I would use the "nondom" status in the UK. I lived there for many years and didn't have to pay any taxes, it's just the way things are there.
But I have already made my choice by returning to my homeland. I brought all my capital with me. I live and work here. I also create jobs for others. And it is my clear will to contribute to the national economy. With work, with experience, with advice for start-ups, with investments, with charitable projects. And also by wins at the poker table, which translate into direct financial dividends for Lithuania.
A week among wolves is a big challenge for me. I miss my family, but the experiences and emotional charge are priceless. Just as our players, probably up in the middle of the night, could tell you about their experiences playing against the US dream team.
Play to WIN.”
Tournament winners:
1. Seng Leow - €1,251,455
2. Martin Kabrhel - €773,457
3. Christopher Soyza - €521,471
4. Antanas Guoga - €351,579
5. Dominik Nitsche - €237,038
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