Friday, 29th March 2024 09:21
Home / Uncategorized / EPT Berlin: Day 3, level 20, 21 & 22 updates (blinds 10,000-20,000, 2,000 ante)
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12.46am: Pidun leads the field into the final 24
Daniel Pidun (2,420,000) leads the field ahead of Maximilian Heinzelmann (2,140,000) and Ben Wilinofsky (2,046,000). Full wrap of the day’s events and chips counts to come. — RD

12.36am: Thotatinsson departs in 25th
Icelandic player Anton Thotatinsson has been eliminated and that ends play for today. Tobias Wagner raised to 43,000 before Thotatinsson moved all-in for 468,000. Wagner had the bigger stack (around 650,000) and seemed to have a difficult decision. Thotatinsson tried to goad him into calling by saying, “Call. (Cue a whistling sound). Time.”

It did the trick as Wagner responded with, “Okay, I call.”

Thotatinsson: A♥ K♦
Wagner: 8♥ 8♦

The board ran 8â™  Jâ™  K♦ J♣ 3♦ to make Wagner a full house. I bet Thotatinsson wished he had kept his mouth shut now. — MC

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Thotatinsson has €17,500 to spend on more tattoos

12.34am: End of play
We have our final bust out of the day. Details to come of the faller. — RD

12.20am: Lots of action
This stage of the day is tricky on the reporting stakes. While there’s plenty of end of day action you don’t want to miss the final elimination. So, a quick surmise:

1) Jacobson four-bet shoves on Ben Wilinofsky. The Canadian passes.

2) Kristijonas Andrulis bluffs two streets and catches a pair on the river to chip up to 1.4 million.

3) Maximilian Heinzelmann has an epic fail barrelling three streets into a Jâ™  Kâ™  J♥ 10♣ 6â™  board for 57,000, 137,000 and 250,000 and insta-mucks when called by Daniel Pidun. — RD

11.53pm: Danzer falls, one more to go
Team PokerStars Pro George Danzer has just been ko’d in 26th place (€17,500) leaving just one more player to bust before play closes for the day. Mikhail Lakhitov had five-bet shoved him off a hand earlier and he was also the man to land the killer blow.

Lakhitov had opened under-the-gun and Danzer had moved his last 360,000 across the line from the big blind. It didn’t have the desired result.

Lakhitov: A♥ Q♥
Danzer: Q♣ J♣

The flop was pretty far from what Danzer was looking for: 2♣ K♥ 5♥ . The 4♣ turn brought some much needed backdoor outs; any club or any jack. None of those arrived and Danzer offered his hand to Lakhitov before leaving the table. — RD

11.45pm: Wilinofsky leaps into the lead, Morgenstern out
PokerStars qualifier Ben Wilinofsky has jumped into the chip lead with about 2,100,000 after eliminating his neighbour Anton Morgenstern.

Morgenstern raised from the cut-off before four-betting all-in for 585,000 chips. Wilinofsky was at on the button and three-bet called the bet to create this monster pot.

Wilinofsky: 10♥ 10♦
Morgenstern: A♣ J♠

The board ran 4â™  5â™  6♥ 7â™  Q♥ to send the German player home in 27th spot for €17,500. — MC

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Anton Morgenstern, scalped

11.36pm: Schäfer shuffles out
Thorsten Schäfer has been eliminated from the TV table. That leaves 27 players here at the main event in Berlin. We don’t have access to the TV table but will try to harvest some details.

And here are those details; a short-stacked Schäfer got it in with [a][3] against pocket fours and failed to catch an ace. He takes €17,500 for his craft and graft over the last few days. — RD

11.31pm: No respect for Wilinofsky
The last two hands Ben Wilinofsky has opened he’s been three-bet and passed. The first time by Cuello Jorge Mariano, who squeezed to 173,000 from the big blind after Martin Jacobson called on the button, and the second time with a straight three-bet from the Jacobson himself. Wilinofsky still got plenty of chips but all this aggression is all leading to more action. — RD

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Would you respect this man?

11.25pm: Danzer four-bet fail
Team PokerStars Pro George Danzer has lost a large chunk of his stack after four-bet folding to Mikhail Lakhitov in a battle of the blinds. Danzer opened to 42,000 and was three-bet Lakhitov to 100,000. Danzer didn’t believe the Russian and came back over the top for 280,000 and Lakhitov moved all-in.

Danzer insta-mucked to leave himself with around 370,000. Oh dear. — RD

11.17pm: Nearly there
We’re into level 20 now and there are 28 players left. That means just four more have to depart before play ends for today. — MC

11pm: Simon says he’s out
PokerStars qualifier Antonio Del Valle Simon is our 29th place finisher. He three-bet all-in for 110,000 from the small blind after a raise to 33,000 from chip leader Maximilian Heinzelmann. Heinzelmann made the call and the cameras and press gathered around for the showdown.

Del Valle Simon: A♥ J♥
Heinzelmann: A♥ J♥

The board ran 10♣ K♦ 10♥ 9â™  5♥ to send the Spaniard home. Heinzelmann is up to around 1,900,000 now but we’ll know for sure as it’s break time and the official counts of all the players will take place in the 15 minutes we are away. — MC

10.55pm: Jacobson getting hammered
It’s not been the easiest of levels for Martin Jacobson. First he gets his aces cracked by Konstantin Puchkov and now he’s been pushed off his three-bet by Joep van den Bijgaart.

Jacobson came back over the top of a hijack raise from Van Den Bijgaart with a three-bet to 83,000 but the Dutch Team PokerStars Pro wouldn’t let it go. Curly mop bouncing in the warm casino air, Van Den Bijgaart four-bet to 188,000. Jacobson passed.

Interesting fact: Joep van den Bijgaart does not know who Charlie Sheen is. — RD

10.44pm: Great hand, just not for Jacobson
There are some hands that are genuinely fun to watch, this was one of them. Konstantin Puchkov moved all-in for 125,000 under-the-gun and was called by Martin Jacobson in the next seat along. The action folded back around and as Jacobson was preparing to turn his cards on their back the dealer pointed out that Puchkov had 1,000 behind – as a card protector.

The flop was dealt out Q♥ 10â™  8â™  and Ben Wilinofsky warned Jacobson: “Watch out, Martin, he’s got bluffing chips.”

Jacobson threw caution to the wind and tossed in a single red chip to put Puchkov properly all-in. Puchkov insta-called.

Puchkov: 9♥ 9♦
Jacobson: A♠ A♥

Puchkov was drawing thin, to a nine or jack. The J♥ dropped on the turn before a meaningless 5♦ was put out on the river. Puchkov up to 280,000. — RD

10.35pm: Nasty turn sends Weigel home
Jens Weigel has been eliminated by Robin Ylitalo despite being a seventy percent favourite. He three-bet all-in for 251,000 from the big blind after the Swede had raised from late position.

Weigel: A♣ Q♥
Ylitalo: K♦ Q♦

The board ran Qâ™  8♦ 9♣ Kâ™  2♦ to make Ylitalo two-pair. The German player took his defeat very well and will take home €17,500 for his efforts in finishing 30th this week. — MC

10.22pm: Wilf wilts, Gorodetskiy forced to go
Saar Wilf and Ilya Gorodetskiy have been simultaneously knocked out at adjacent tables. I caught Wilf’s exit, shoving Aâ™  10â™  into the queens of Cuello Jorge Mariano, but missed Gorodetskiy’s. However his fall from grace, he still takes home €17,500, the same as Wilf. — RD

10.15pm: Bye bye Bolivar
Bolivar Palacios is out, eliminated by Maximilian Heinzelmann. With betting on each street and a board reading 3♠ Q♣ K♦ 2♥ J♦ , Heinzelmann gave Palacios the ultimate choice, pushing all-in. It meant Palacios was calling for his life, which he did. Heinzelmann flipped up A♠ 10♣ and the Panamanian knew his tournament was over (he mucked his hands but the dealer turned up his Q♠ 9♦ as per showdown rules).

The cameras rushed over but there was no need, and their initial confusion as to why play hadn’t been stopped was replaced by the need to at least getting a shot of the miserable looking Palacios. The fact that this hadn’t been a traditional pre-flop shove seemed to make it all the more sudden. — SB

10.13pm: Another short stack doubled
Thomas Traboulsi is a happy man and so is his wife (on the rail) after he doubled-up through Ilya Gorodetskiy. Gorodetskiy raised from the button to 35,000 and called when his German opponent moved all-in for 65,000 from the big blind.

Gorodetskiy: Q♥ 9♠
Traboulsi: K♠ 10♣

The flop came K♦ 8♦ 8♣ and the German (and his wife) cheered.

“Don’t do that”, said his neighbour Henrique Pinho. “I mean you can do it, but it will give you bad luck”, he added.

Traboulsi responded by saying, “No it won’t. I win this hand now. Side bet?”

Pinho declined and the board ran out 3♣ A♥ . Gorodetskiy is feeling the pinch with 260,000 chips left. — MC

10.04pm: Pidun up, Schäfer down
Daniel Pidun has been quietly and consistently building his stack in the corner of the room. He’s now up to 1.55 million after beating up on the shrinking stack of Thorsten Schäfer.

Pidun opened for 37,000 from the cut-off and was three-bet to 92,000 from the small blind by Schäfer. Call. Schäfer led 101,000 into the 9♥ 2♥ Aâ™  flop and Pidun jammed all-in. The German passed to leave himself with 500,000. — RD

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Schafer’s star is falling

9.57pm: Stogel busts
We’re down to 33 players with the elimination of David Stogel. Stogel was so short that just getting two cards dealt to him had become enough for him to move all in. When he did George Danzer was ready to call, turning over K♥ K♦ . Stogel showed A♦ Qâ™  and braced himself for the board which, watched by three different cameras, came J♥ 3♣ 8♥ 5♥ 5♣ . – SB

9.45pm: Play resumes
Cards are back in the air.

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 8,000-16,000, ANTE 2,000

9.30pm: Break time
That’s the end of the level. Players are taking a 15 minute break.

9.25pm: Guiglini gone
Another faller, this time Aurelien Guiglini found his tournament coming to an end. When Jonas Gutteck shoved from the small blind for 210,000 there was only one stack at the table shorter than his own. That belonged to Guiglini in the big blind, who called with his 140,000.

The board ran Q♦ A♦ Qâ™  8♦ 9♣ . Things were fine until the river, which then washed him away. Gutteck up to around 360,000. – SB

9.20pm: Double for Puchkov, Wilinofsky still strong
Konstantin Puchkov is the kind of player who just doesn’t lay down and die. It’s a lesson that if he didn’t know already Ben Wilinofsky is now well aware of. Puchkov three-bet shoved for close to 200,000 over Wilinofsky’s cut-off raise and the Canadian made the call.

Wilinofsky: K♣ Q♦
Puchkov: J♠ A♦

Puchkov sealed the deal on the turn of the 8♦ 4♣ 2♦ A♥ J♦ board and rivered two-pair, just to make sure. It’s a small dent in the Canadian’s 1.6 million stack, but Puchkov could still be a problem given he’s now up to 400,000. — RD

9.10pm: He’s your private Danzer
George Danzer fights on, doubling up through Mario Adinolfi. The Italian opened for 38,000 and Danzer, who’d moved in a hand to two prior with no takers, shoved again for about 290,000. With the action folded back around to Adinolfi he announced call, turning over A♥ K♣ . Danzer though showed K♥ K♦ .

Danzer waited, looking happy to take his chances. With the cameras in place the board was dealt Q♦ Q♥ J♦ 8♣ 3â™  . Danzer up to around 600,000 now. – SB

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George Danzer is still dancing

9.05pm: Playing for the lot on the river
The scene was set with all five community cards out and reading A♥ J♥ K♥ 9♦ 6♦ . We estimated the large pile of chips in the middle amounted to more than 500,000. Anton Morgenstern was sitting in the big blind and he was duelling with PokerStars qualifier Ben Wilinofsky.

Morgenstern checked to his Canadian opponent who asked how much he had left, but before a count could be carried out Wilinofsky counted it to be about 830,000. Wilinofsky had 1,200,000 left in front him and he verbally committed the lot. Morgenstern sat for about two minutes before making the fold. — MC

8.57pm: Hand of the Jaikel
Maksim Kolosov opened the button for 27,000 and was flatted by a short stacked Marco Morales in the small blind. Costa Rican Luis Jaikel then came over the top for 127,000 – around half his stack – forcing both players to pass. He showed Q♥ Q♣ . — RD

8.52pm: Berda falls to Kursevich
Tomer Berda is the next to leave, sent to the rail by a game-faced Vadzim Kursevich*. The chips went in with Berda showing J♣ Kâ™  to Kursevich’s A♦ Q♣ . The board ran 4♣ 9♣ 10♣ A♣ 8♥ to send Berda to the rail. Just 39 players remain. – SB

* It might just be his normal face.

8.48pm: Who shot JP?
Jean-Philippe Raymond is out after flipping badly against Maximilian Heinzelmann. Raymond raised from the hijack and then moved all-in when Heinzelmann three-bet from the big blind. Call.

Raymond: A♠ Q♦
Heinzelmann: 10♠ 10♦

The board ran 9♥ 8♦ 8â™  K♦ 3♦ and the Canadian slapped his hands on the table in a declaration of defeat. — MC

8.39pm: Stani out, double flame extinguished yet again
Season 7 EPT Berlin will not be chiselled into the record books as the event where the European Poker Tour crowned its first double champion. Kevin Stani, the last champ, has fallen.

Stani three-bet all-in for his last remaining 143,000 over the top of a 25,000 open by Maximilian Heinzelmann. Stani was called and tabled A♦ Q♣ but failed to connect with the board to beat Heinemann’s 6♥ 6♦ .

We’ll have to wait to San Remo to see if lighting can strike twice. Where’s there a key and kite when you need them? — RD

8.32pm: Raymond back
Jean-Philippe Raymond just moved in for his last 100,000 in early position, looking around him as if for the last time before plonking his yellow chips into the middle. Waiting at the opposite end of the table was big, bearded, Mario Adinolfi with A♣ 5♣ , which trailed Raymond’s Aâ™  9♥ . The board ran 6â™  Q♥ 8♥ 6♣ 7♦ . A double up for Raymond. – SB

8.25pm: Blind battle bad for Raymond
Jean-Philippe Raymond is down to just 100,000 now, less than ten big blinds, after an unlucky battle of blinds. Raymond had a solid hand in the shape of K♦ Q♥ but small blind Anton Thotatinsson held A♣ K♣ and he managed to get his 188,000 stack in to double up to 380,000. — RD

8.20pm: All about Stani now as Lundmark departs
Kent Lundmark has just been eliminated meaning Kevin Stani is the only remaining EPT champion left in the field.

Lundmark was unlucky to exit as he got his chips in against Alexander Smolin in a dominating situation. Smolin raised to 33,000 and called when the Swedish EPT Barcelona champion pushed.

Lundmark: A♣ Q♠
Smolin: A♦ 4♥

The board ran 6♦ 3â™  4♦ 4â™  3♦ to make a full house for the Russian. — MC

8.15pm: “G-L-O-R-I-A”
Gloria Balding asks the question of the day…

8.10pm: Play continued
That’s dinner done with, now onto Level 20 with blinds of 6,000-12,000 with a 1,000 ante.

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Fabrice Soulier

PokerStars Blog reporting team in Berlin (in order of estimated finish time tonight): Stephen (11.10pm), Marc Convey (10.42pm) and Rick Dacey (we’ll ask him as soon as he gets back from the dinner break).

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