Leon Tsoukernik Focused on Making His Name at the SHR Bowl

The penultimate day of the 2017 Super High Roller Bowl returned eight players and perhaps none of them value the title more than Leon Tsoukernik. The casino owner from Prague played fast and loose over the first three days over the event, spending much of the time near the top of leader board. 

He returns to the final table in a four-way chase pack to chip leader Jake Schindler. One thing is for certain is that Tsoukernik won’t be watching the payouts looking to ladder up.

“Well, I’m not money-scared – I think it’s a great event,” he said. “I’ll play my game and we’ll see where it goes. Everybody is going to be silenced down at the start. Making an extra 100,000 in chips at this point is not the main concern.”

Tsoukernik operates King’s Casino outside Prague – the host of future WSOP Europe events. “I run the biggest room in Europe, we have 168 tables and I’m one of the guys that’s spent a lot of time and investing money in poker over there,” he said. “I’m really a very poker-oriented person.”

Time is the limiting factor when it comes to how many events he can play a year. “I like to play big tournaments when I can, but they take a lot of time,” said Tsoukernik. “Time that you could be on holiday on the sea or be at work. I’m only 43-years-old and I’m very active at my job.”

Leon Tsoukernik could be at the center of a European poker storm. (Photo: Poker Central)
“I took three weeks off to come over and play poker,” said Tsoukernik. He also plans to play the High Roller for One Drop at the WSOP. “Obviously, my business will hear it. If I win it brings a lot more attention to my casino. Not just the $6 million, but all of this. It’s a name, it’s advertisement – the brand.”

“I have so many European fans who know the other players, but they see a guy like me at a final table like this for the first time. I won a high roller in Prague, but it’s much different here,” he added. “It’s much deeper, it’s slower and more money for the players.”

“But I’m not money-scared, I look at it from a different perspective – I need a name, I need to be Super High Roller Bowl Champion,” Tsoukernik said. “That’s the value for me; the $6 million is secondary. That is easily replaceable for a businessman like me.”