Friday, 29th March 2024 12:16
Home / Uncategorized / EPT Tallinn Day 4: Level 23, 24 & 25 updates (20,000-40,000, ante 4,000)
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7.35pm: Done for the day
With the elimination of Jonathan Weekes play is done for the day. The final eight will return at 12pm tomorrow to battle for the first prize of €400,000. Leading the way is Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern who is still in with a shout of becoming the first two-time EPT winner. A full wrap of today’s dramas will be with you shortly. –NW

7.34pm: Final table chips
Here’s what they’ll be sitting down with tomorrow. Arnaud Mattern should sleep well tonight: — SY

Arnaud Mattern, France, Team PokerStars Pro, 3,720,000
Kevin Stani, Norway, PokerStars qualifier, 2,586,000
Konstantin Bilyauer, Russia, 2,498,000
Mikko Jaatinen, Finland, 1,166,000
Steven van Zadelhoff, Netherlands, 805,000
Bassam Elnajjar, Lebanon, 744,000
Nicolo Calia, Italy, 637,000
Dmitry Vitkind, Russia, PokerStars qualifier, 502,000

7.30pm: Johnathan Weekes eliminated in 9th place
There will be no British player at the final table of EPT Tallinn as Jonathan Weekes has been eliminated in ninth place. It folded to Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern in the small blind and he raised to 115,000, Jonathan Weekes moved all-in for 690,000 and before his chips had crossed the line Mattern had announced call.

Weekes: A8
Mattern: AQ

Flop: QJ3

Mattern was now well in the lead

Turn: 9

Weekes could win by hitting a ten.

River: 4

It was not to be and the Brit shook hands with Mattern as he left the table. The Team PokerStars pro is the chip leader with 3,950,000. –NW

7.20pm: 2.5 million chip race
Kevin Stani is up to over 2.5 million chips after winning a race against chip leader (former now) Konstantin Bilyauer. Bilyauer opened to 95,000 and then called the 1.251 million all-in push from the Norwegian. Big showdown hand:

Biliauer: AK
Stani: JJ

The board ran 21094Q to send the monster pot Stani’s way. -MC

7.10pm: Orange chips
They’re worth 25,000 each and were introduced when the players combined to one table. A few hands ago Jonathan Weekes moved all-in from the cut off for approximately 700,000 and received no callers. He did though get a cheer from a couple of friends of his on the rail and he turned to them and said: “Woo, got my first orange chip,” he’ll be hoping to get his hands on a lot more of them no doubt. –NW

7.05pm: Back to no flops
In a succession of hands we saw all the action conclude before the dealer had a chance to impress with her flop-dealing skills.

Hand 1: It’s folded around to Kevin Stani in the small blind, who moves all-in to take the blinds and antes.

Hand 2: Steven van Zadelhoff makes it 95,000 from the cut off, and Stani moves all in for the second hand running, from the button. It’s 1,150,000 total for Van Zadelhoff, and that’s too much.

Hand 3: Konstantin Bilyauer makes it 100,000 and takes the blinds and antes.

Hand 4: This time it’s folded around to Nicolo Calia and the Italian moves all in for his 450,000 – and takes the blinds and antes. — SY

6.55pm: Big stacks playing pots
The two biggest stacks at the table Konstantin Bilyauer and Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern have certainly not been afraid to play pots against each other. In a recent example Mattern made it 95,000 to go pre-flop from middle position and Bilyauer called on the button. The flop fell 4A6 Mattern check folded to Bilyauer’s bet of 180,000. –NW

6.45pm: Abusing the bubble?
There are two bubbles in every tournament; the money bubble and the final table bubble. At both junctures you’ll find big stacks trying to put pressure on the smaller stacks, playing on the fact they have the chips to bust them. It’s a powerful weapon to have as no-one wants to bust in 9th and miss out on the shenanigans tomorrow.

Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern put in a three-bet to 265,000 from the BB after Nicolo Calia raised to 100,000 from the hijack. Calia had around a million back and thought for an age before folding. Mattern over the three million mark now. –MC

6.30pm: Dmitry doubles
The first showdown of the ‘final table’ was of the all-in variety. Bassam Elnajjar opened to 92,000 from middle position and next to act Dmitry Vitkind moved all-in for 288,000. It folded back to Elnajjar who called:

Vitkind: AJ
Elnajjar: A10

The board ran out J32Q8. Elnajjar is down to around 750,000. –NW

6.25pm: Level up
We’re into level 25. There was no break as players just had one when they were breaking to one table.

6.15pm: I see no flops
It’s all raise and take at the moment, so not a lot of detail on this one except to say Kevin Stani, Arnaud Mattern, Nicolai Callio, Konstantin Balyaur and Bassam Elnajjar have all raised pre-flop to take the blinds and antes. — SY

6.10pm: Play resumes
There is eight minutes left of Level 24.

6.05pm: Final Nine Table draw and chip counts
Seat one: Konstantin Bilyauer — 3,869,000
Seat two: Steven van Zadelhoff — 843,000
Seat three: PokerStars qualifier Kevin Stani — 1,048,000
Seat four: Nicolo Calia — 628,000
Seat five: Bassam Elnajjar — 1,029,000
Seat six: Dmitry Vitkind — 368,000
Seat seven: Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern — 2,900,000
Seat eight: PokerStars qualifier Jonathan Weekes — 758,000
Seat nine: — Mikko Jaatinen: — 1,472,000

5.55pm: Bilyauer wins another big pot
At the same time as Vallo Maidla was being eliminated on table two, a big hand played out on table one. Kevin Stani opened to 70,000 on the button and was three-bet by Arnaud Mattern to 255,000 total. Next to act was Konstantin Bilyauer and he cold four bet to 630,000 total. Stani looked pained, he took his sunglasses off, starred at Bilyauer and thought for a long time. He had perhaps 1,000,000 back. No one was quite sure what he was going to do, perhaps even Stani himself? Eventually he folded.

Team PokerStars Pro Mattern no asked of Bilyauer, “Will you show if I fold?” The Russian didn’t answer, Mattern and Bilyauer are the two biggest stacks both with over 3,000,000. Eventually Mattern folded JJ face up, Bilyauer responded in kind showing AK. Stani intimated that he had folded the best hand, claiming he had pocket queens. –NW

5.50pm: Re-draw
The remaining nine players are now being sat at one table following a redraw, the details of which will follow shortly. This is not the ‘real’ final table, of course, as we need to lose one more player to make a proper final table of eight. — SY

5.45pm: Vallo Maidla eliminated in 10th place for €25,000
The Estonian moved all in for his last 293,000 with Q10 and got a call from Finland’s Mikko Jaatinen who tabled 55. Jaatinen, with more than a million chips, had Maidla well covered, and took all his chips when the board ran a harmless 6972K. — SY

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Mikko Jaatinen

5.40pm: Poor old Vitkind
Dmitry Vitkind is the short stack with 300,000 and by his expressions every time he looks at this cards and folds he’s very card dead. To make matters even worse for him he just got a walk in the BB and that would normally be a good thing but when you have ace-king you certainly want action. He open folded and gave out an almost resigned laugh. –MC

5.35pm: Igor Ivashkiv eliminated in 11th place for €18,000
Bassam Elnajjar was the assassin. He opened to 92,000 from early position and Ivashkiv moved all-in for 326,000 from the small blind, Elnajjar quickly called.

Ivashkiv: A6
Elnajjar: AJ

The board ran out 73449. One more elimination and they’ll be a re-draw of the final nine. –NW

5.20pm: Small one for the Norwegian
Steven van Zadelhoff and Kevin Stani have been at it again in the blinds. Once again it was a limped pot, this it brought a 3K2 flop. Stani check-called a 65,000 bet before they checked through the 7 turn. The river came K and the Norwegian led for 130,000 prompting a fold from Van Zadelhoff. Van Zadelhoff on around 800,000 to Stani’s 1.45 million. –MC

5.10pm: Mattern takes a nibble
Arnaud Mattern just reminded Konstantin Bilyauer that this tournament has more than one big stack.

It was folded around to the Frenchman in the small blind who raised to 65,000. On his left, the big stack of Bilyauer, who made the call. Both checked the J7A flop, but on the K turn Mattern made it 75,000 – again Bilyauer called. When the 9 fell on the river, Mattern wasted no time in firing out 140,000 – call. Mattern had A10, Bilyauer A4.

With that, Mattern rose to 2,650,000 and Bilyauerwas pegged back to 3,275,000. — SY

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Konstantin Bilyauer

5.05pm: Konstantin continues to crush
His stack is only going in one direction at the moment, upwards. He just won a meaty pot against Jonathan Weekes. The British player raised under the gun (I missed the exact amount but it was around 75,000) and was called by Bilyauer in the big blind. The flop fell Q8J, Bilyauer checked, Weekes bet 130,000 and Bilyauer called. On the 10 turn Bilyauer led out for 230,000, Weekes had around 600,000 total and elected to fold. –NW

4.55pm: Small one for the Dutchman
Steven van Zadelhoff has taken a small pot off Kevin Stani in a battle of the blinds. A limped pot brought a 563 flop where Van Zadelhoff called a 30,000 bet to see the A turn. Stani check-called a 55,000 bet before they checked through the K river. Van Zadelhoff tabled 105 and it was good as his Norwegian opponent folded. –MC

4.40pm: Bilyauer busts Ojala to extend lead
Well, life is good when your’e running well. So it is for Konstantin Vilyaver, who has just knocked out Toni Ojala to increase his lead further over second-placed Arnaud Mattern.

Bilyauer opened with a raise to 70,000 – and then called when Ojala moved all-in for 335,000. Ojala had a good deal of hope, his AJ not far behind the Russian’s 88, but the 568 flop ended his tournament life there and then. Ojala leaves with €18,000, while Bilyaver soars to 3,350,000 chips. — SY

4.30pm: Jaatinen slow plays Teran out the tourney
Oscar Teran limped in the small blind and Mikko Jaatinen checked behind. The Venezuelan led the 893 flop for 55,000 and was raised to 155,000 by the Finn. Teran called for a large chunk of his stack and put the remainder, some 130,000, in on the 10 turn. Jaatinen slowly called.

Teran: J10
Jaatinen: AA

Teran had plenty of outs, 13 if you want to count them, but none of them arrived and Teran is out in 13th for €14,000. That’s also a fifteen minute break and another jump in the blinds. — RD

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Jaatinen slow played aces but almost got burnt on the turn

4.20pm: Bukara busted by Bilyauer
Massive pot alert, a pot of 3,200,000 to be exact. It all started innocently enough, Perica Bukara opened to 58,000 from the cut off and was called by Konstantin Bilyauer in the big blind. On the flop of 7103, Bilyauer check-called a bet of 80,000. The 7 turn was where it all went off though. Bilyauer checked again, this time Bukara fired a bet of 180,000. Bilyauer then check-raised to 410,000 total. Bukara began to tank, their stacks were pretty close, both had almost 1,500,000 before the turn action. After a few minutes Bukara quietly announced all-in. You could see Bilyauer was not that happy but after less than 10 seconds he called.

Bukara: 96
Bilyauer: 97

The river 10 paired the board and gave Bilyauer a full house. Tournament staff counted down the stacks and Bilyauer with 1,472,000 had Bukara covered by less than 20,000. He now has just over 3,200,000 and is a monster chip leader. –NW

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Perica Bukara busted in 14th place

4.15pm: Storakers knocked out by Stani
Johan Storakers raised from the button to 57,000 and Kevin Stani three-bet from the small blind to 115,000. Storakers thought for a short time before moving in with 66. Stani did not slow roll his AA and Storakers did not catch up. Storakers is out in 15th. Toni Ojala is teh unlucky short stack to move from the chip-lite table to the big dog table. Good luck! — RD

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“So that wasn’t a light three-bet then?”

4pm: A showdown!
They’ve been rare have showdowns in the first 45 minutes of level 23 but one happened recently at table two. From under the gun+2 Mikko Jaatinen raised to 55,000 and got a solitary caller in the shape of big blind Dmitry Vitkind. It checked all the way down on the 4QJ52 board, Jaatinen showing 1010 to win the pot. Vitkind wasted little time in getting his chips back, moving all-in the next two hands and getting no callers. –NW

3.55pm: Runner-runner-runner-runner
Mikko Jaatinen is up to 740,000 after doubling-up through neighbour Igor Ivashkiv. The former opened shoved from the cut-off and was called by Ivashkiv on the button. Jaatinen had one over with his A9 to Ivashkiv’s JJ but it was his undercard that saved him on the 2108QJ board. Four cards to a straight and he virtually swaps stack sizes with Ivashkiv who is down to 485,000. –MC

3.50pm: Javed Abrahams mashed by Mattern
Arnaud Mattern has added another scalp to his tournament by knocking out Javed Abrahams in 16th. Jon Weekes had opened for 60,000 and Abrahams had moved all-in for 355,000. Before the action could get back round to Weekes Arnaud Mattern got involved forcing Weekes out of the pot.

Abrahams: 1010
Mattern: KK

The 5477Q board didn’t bring a ten and that was that for Abrahams. We’re down to 15 players. — RD

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Javed Abrahams: ko’d by Arnaud Mattern

3.45pm: Bukara bests Van Zadelhoff
From under the gun+1 Perica Bukara made his standard raise to 52,000 and was flat called by Steven van Zadelhoff. On the 473 Bukara bet 80,000 and van Zafelhoff called. Both players checked the 34 turn and river, Bukara showing 88 to win the pot. –NW

3.40pm: Russia helps Italy out
Nicolo Calia has doubled up to 750,000 through Russian Dmitry Vitkind. Calia opened the pot with a raise to 52,000 from the cut-off and was called by Bassam Elnajjar in the SB before Vitkind three-bet to 145,000 from the BB. Calia quickly moved all-in for 347,000 and was committed to the pot so called when Elnajjar folded. Showdown:

Calia: KJ
Vitkind: 55

The board came 692K3. “Nice play” said the laughing Russian as he handed over some stacks of chips. He’s down to 360,000 now. –MC

3.35pm: An orbit at table one
One flop, one all-in, one three-bet and no showdowns, that’s an accurate summation of what happened at table one during the first orbit of level 23. Johan Storakers moved all-in for 390,000 over the top of a Javed Abrahams small blind raise of 70,000. Kevin Stani three-bet Jonathan Weekes 60,000 open to 155,000 and Arnaud Mattern bet the flop and turn of a Q277 board in a hand against Konstantin Bilyauer, the Russian folding on the turn. Cagey stuff right now. -NW

3.25pm: Steady as she goes
With two tables remaining, we’ve split our reporting duties so we have each tabled covered at the same time. I just had a shift at the ‘short-stack table’, and can report nothing has happened since the break. Nick Wright has been watching the ‘big-stack table’, and by the looks of it not a great deal is going on there either.

For the record, I had a few raise-and-takes from Oscar Teran, and one from Dmitry Vitkind. Meanwhile another hand was folded around to Nicolo Calia in the big blind, and he showed his AJ with disappointment. — SY

3.15pm: Check out the chip stacks


The players are on their way back from the break so we thought we’d take a quick look at how the chip stacks balance out. Table one is heaving with around 8.24m chips while table two has just 3.827m. It’s a massive difference and could lead to one huge chip leader going into the final table should there be mjaor smash ups on table one.

Table One
Seat one: Johan Storakers– 482,000
Seat two: Kevin Stani– 825,000
Seat three: Perica Bukara– 1,438,000
Seat four: Steven van Zadelhoff– 1,055,000
Seat five: Arnaud Mattern — 1,877,000
Seat six: Konstantin Bilyauer — 1,548, 000
Seat seven: Jonathan Weekes — 1,119,000
Seat eight: Javed Abrahams — 475,000

Table two
Seat one: Oscar Teran — 443,000
Seat two: Mikko Jaatinen — 278,000
Seat three: Igor Ivashkiv –751,000
Seat four: Nicolo Calia — 293,000
Seat five: Vallo Maidla — 463,000
Seat six: Bassam Elnajjar — 499,000
Seat seven: Dmitry Vitkind — 680,000
Seat eight: Toni Ojala — 420,000

Cards are in the air as we play down to the final eight. — RD

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Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern holds the chip lead

PokerStars Blog reporting team: Simon Young, Rick Dacey, Marc Convey and Nick Wright.

All photos (c) Neil Stoddart

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