Robin Wozniczek is a Computer Science student in Germany.

He likes to play a bit of online poker, too – in the evening or on the weekend, if time allows.

A couple of months ago he had a particularly good evening playing on PokerStars so he put $700 down for a direct satellite to a PS live main event. A few hours later he had a full tournament package in his account.

“At the time I couldn’t go to the event because I was sick but PokerStars were friendly enough to offer me to go to any later tournament I wanted to. I chose Panama because I’m on vacation at the moment and also because it’s such an exotic place to go.”

“Poker is Nothing But a Hobby for Me”

Wozniczek, who just celebrated his 22nd birthday last Thursday, has been playing in Panama all week including today on Day 5.

Prior to this event Wozniczek didn’t have a single Hendon Mob entry under his belt. Now he has one to come – for the final table at the PokerStars Championship Panama, where he’ll come back tomorrow second in chips.

“I thought, if I bust early, I can have a week of vacation.”

We caught up with him late in the day, just before he made it, to find out more about his journey.

Robin Wozniczek: “This is the first proper live event I’ve ever played, except a €40 event at the casino a long time ago.

“I thought, if I bust early, I can have a week of vacation with my girlfriend and relax at the pool. And for a while it actually looked like exactly that was going to happen.

“After one hour on Day 1 I’d lost over 80% of my chips and was down to 5,000. And now I’m sitting here at the last table with 1.5 million.”

PokerListings: Unfortunately you’ll now have maximum one day of vacation, and even that will only happen if you bust today.

RW: “Yes, that’s true. Can’t say I’m very bitter about it, though.”

PL: Isn’t it a little intimidating to play in a field like this?

RW: “I was pretty nervous in the first days but now I’ve become quite used to it.

“I had a couple of fifty-fifty situations that all went good for me and that brought me right into the tournament.”

PL: Do you know who you’re playing with, here?

A hobbyist gone deep.

RW: “I know a couple of names. I’ve been watching a lot of videos and I know that there are a couple of players who can outplay me.

“But truthfully, I’m not a poker nerd. I don’t know who all the stars are. And it doesn’t bother me too much either.

“If I can make the final table here I’ll certainly consider trying to qualify again. But poker is nothing but a hobby for me and I’ve come a lot further already than I’d ever expected.”

Robin Wozniczek’s vacation will have to wait for another trip. He made the final table second in chips and you can watch him play for the prestigious PokerStars Championship Panama crown on the live stream right here tomorrow starting at 1 pm ET.