Friday, 29th March 2024 01:35
Home / Uncategorized / EPT Grand Final: €10K Single re-entry high roller final table coverage archive

Read a full recap of today’s action and scan the full list of prizewinners.

10:30pm: Chance Kornuth wins the single re-entry high roller and €351,108
Level 26 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (5,000 ante)

After three days of play, Chance Kornuth has topped the 214 entries in the tournament (164 unique players plus 50 re-entries). Once Fedor Holz busted in fourth place, the three players decided that each of them were so good that they were happy to chop it up and give Kornuth the title and the trophy. Here’s how much each of them will take home:

1st. Chance Kornuth – €351,108
2nd. Philip Gruissem – €292,750
3rd. Sergey Lebedev – €291,162

Kornuth walked over to explain to his girlfriend, “Heads up they’re both so good and the trophies are so nice!”

A full wrap of the day’s play will be posted shortly. — MC

10:25pm: Chance Kornuth takes title after straight deal
Level 26 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (5,000 ante)

The players have come to an agreement which chops all the money and gives Chance Kornuth the title and the trophy. Full details to follow. — MC

10:10pm: Break as players look at numbers
Level 26 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (5,000 ante)

The three players are looking at ICM numbers over a deal. Here’s how they stack up:

Chance Kornuth – 5,625,000
Philip Gruissem – 2,830,000
Sergey Lebedev – 2,605,000
–MC

10pm: Holz hero calls all-in, busts
Level 26 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (5,000 ante)

Fedor Holz’s extraordinary day is now over, with the young German making a pretty audacious call for his tournament life…and losing.

Holz got things started with a limp from the cutoff (also under the gun) and both Sergey Lebedev (small blind) and Chance Kornuth (big blind) came along. That took three of them to a flop of 442, which Lebedev checked.

Kornuth set the tone for the rest of the hand when he bet 120,000. Holz counted out a call, but Lebedev folded.

The 2 came on the turn and Kornuth bet 325,000 at his only opponent. Holz called. That took them to the 7 river and what would likely be a tournament-defining climax whatever happened next.

Holz had only about 1.2 million in his stack at this point. Kornuth had about 2.9 million. And Kornuth moved all in, covering Holz.

Holz took a long, long time about this decision. “I’m just happy you didn’t snap-call,” Kornuth said, taking a swig of water.

Holz then did call, and wanted to muck when Kornuth turned over his Q2. Holz knows the rules about called all-in bets, however, and showed his Q10. He was second best and out in fourth, winning €169,000. — HS

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
26 30,000 60,000 5,000

9:40pm: No deal
Level 25 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Chance Kornuth suggested to his table-mates that they might want to look at the numbers and discuss a deal. But Fedor Holz immediately said he wasn’t interested, so the discussions did not even begin. — HS

9:35pm: Akhundov busts the next hand

Four end bosses remain after Murad Akhundov busted the very next hand.

He moved all-in for his last 295,000 with Q4 and Kornuth called with 108. The board ran 9-6-5-2-7 to make Kornuth a straight on the river.

Here’s how the final four shape up:

Chance Kornuth – 3,045,000
Philip Gruissem – 2,900,000
Fedor Holz – 2,675,000
Sergey Lebedev – 2,030,00
— MC

9:30pm: Zinno next to fall
Level 25 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Anthony Zinno was one of two short stacks at the table. The other belongs to Murad Akhundov, to Zinno’s right. Zinno moved all-in from under the gun, when Akhundov was in the big blind, and managed to get everyone to fold. But when Zinno was in the small blind and he tried the all-in move again, Sergey Lebedev, to his left, called.

Zinno had about 520,000 and A10. But Lebedev had 66 and a much bigger stack. “It’s a fair fight,” Chance Kornuth, ever the jovial commentator, said.

The board missed everything. It came J3K49 and that meant the pocket sixes remained good. Zinno went out in sixth for €101,500.

“Parlez vous?” Kornuth said as he bade Zinno farewell.
“Excuse me?” Zinno said.
“Are you going to parlay it?” Kornuth said, nodding to the super high roller enclosure, across the other side of the stage.

Zinno remained non-committal, but has until tomorrow’s start of Day 2 to decide. –HS

9:15pm: German showdown
Level 25 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Philipp Gruissem continues his upward movement, taking down the only pot of any significance in a period of cagey play. He got involved with his countryman Fedor Holz in a pot that went as follows:

Gruissem opened from under the gun, making it 120,000. Holz called from the big blind and they saw a flop of 10A3. Both players checked. The turn brought the J and a bet of 200,000 from Holz. Gruissem called, taking them to a river of 6.

Holz checked, Gruissem bet 425,000 and Holz folded. — HS

9:05pm: The Philbort show
Level 25 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Whatever Philip Gruissem had for dinner, I want some. He’s moved up to around 2.5million after winning a few small pots and one big one.

The big one saw him defend his big blind after Murad Akhundov opened to 110,000 from under gun. The flop came 568 and Akhundov continued for 160,000 before Gruissem check-raised to 375,000. Akhundov shoved and Gruissem checked his hand and called all-in for 1.035 million.

Akhundov: A3 for the nut flush draw.
Gruissem: 66 for middle set.

The board ran out 9K and Akhundov dropped to 500,000.

The very next hand Anthony Zinno opened to 150,000 but tank folded when Gruissem set him all-in. He begged Gruissem to show his hand and offered him two shows in return. The German couldn’t refuse and opened aces! Zinno said he folded AJ and dropped to 650,000. — MC

8:40pm: Players return
Level 25 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Our remaining six players are back in the room and continue now to play to a winner. — HS

7:30pm: Dinner break!

Level 24 is over, and they’re off on a 75-minute dinner break. Fedor Holz and Chance Kornuth are neck-and-neck at the top, as you can see below. — HS

Name Country Chips
Fedor Holz Germany 3,360,000
Chance Kornuth United States 3,200,000
Sergey Lebedev Russian Federation 1,700,000
Murad Akhundov Azerbaijan 1,040,000
Philipp Gruissem Germany 900,000
Anthony Zinno United States 460,000

7:25pm: Kornuth pushes Lebedev away
Level 24 – Blinds 20,000/40,000 (4,000 ante)

Sergey Lebedev and Chance Kornuth just played a decent-sized pot, even if it got no further than the turn. Lebedev opened from the cutoff to 90,000 and Kornuth, on the button, raised to 230,000. Fedor Holz and Philipp Gruissem folded from the blinds, but Lebedev called.

That took them to the flop of 6Q3, which Lebedev checked. Kornuth bet 165,000 and Lebedev called. They saw the A turn. Lebedev checked again and this time Kornuth’s bet of 250,000 shook Lebedev off. — HS

7:10pm: Holz stays active as stacks deepen
Level 24 – Blinds 20,000/40,000 (4,000 ante)

With the elimination of the short-stacked Felipe Ramos, all six remaining players had a decent enough stack to play some poker. It meant it got a bit cagey and ended the pre-flop all-in flurry we’d grown accustomed to seeing.

Fedor Holz was the most active player at the table, although Sergey Lebedev clipped his wings a bit with a four-bet shove. (It went 85,000 open from Lebedev; three-bet to 220,000 from Holz; then all-in. Holz folded.)

Holz got some of that back from Anthony Zinno not long after when Holz called from the big blind after Zinno opened to 120,000.

They both checked the 1057 flop, as well as the 3 turn. Holz bet 160,000 at the 4 river and Zinno folded. — HS

7pm: Ramos out in seventh
Level 24 – Blinds 20,000/40,000 (4,000 ante)

Felipe Ramos’ tournament is over. He played a 20 big blind stack as efficiently as it can be played for the best part of the day and got himself to seventh and a payday of €74,100.

Two hands did for the Brazilian, both lost to Philipp Gruissem. On the first, Gruissem shoved from the cutoff for 379,000 and Ramos moved in over the top, with a little more than 500,000.

Gruissem: K9
Ramos: AJ

The best hand didn’t hold up when the board peeled 98468 to leave Ramos with about 155,000.

After folding a few hands, Ramos shoved under the gun with pocket eights and it got all the way around the Gruissem again, in the big blind. Gruissem called with A9 and won the race. The board ran 10K910A. — HS

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
24 20,000 40,000 5,000

6:55pm: More splashed chips after Yurasov busts in eighth
Level 23 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Fedor Holz was on the receiving end of a splashed stack across the table after he rivered Dmitry Yurasov to eliminate him. Yurasov’s action was more of a push than a chop and he escaped a penalty due to the fact he was out.

Holz had raised to 70,000 and Yurasov defended his big blind. The 67Q flop was checked by both players and they headed to a Q turn. Holz’s delayed c-bet of 50,000 was check-raised up to 195,000 by Yurasov. Holz called before facing a 230,000 bet on the 5 river. Yurasov had 315,000 behind and Holz set him in for all of them. Call.

Holz opened AJ for the nut flush, beating out the KQ of Yurasov and retook the chips lead with 2.7million. –MC

6:40pm: Official final table set as Christner busts ninth
Level 23 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Christian Christner was the shortest stack of the final nine and was the first to depart.

He was down to 287,000 when he moved all-in from middle position. Chance Kornuth asked for a count in the big blind and then made the call.

Kornuth: K10
Christner: JJ

The board ran 96K77 to make Kornuth two pair.

“Good game,” said Kornuth who rose to just under 2.5 million.

“Good luck guys,” responded Christner. — MC

6:20pm: The last nine
Level 23 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

The last nine players are now on a single table. Here’s how they line up:

1 – Fedor Holz, 1.95 million
2 – Philipp Gruissem, 390,000
3 – Dmitry Yurasov, 750,000
4 – Christian Christner, 300,000
5 – Felipe Ramos, 650,000
6 – Murad Akhundov, 1.45 million
7 – Anthony Zinno, 900,000
8 – Sergey Lebedev, 2 million
9 – Chance Kornuth, 2.2 million

They will play until the end of Level 24 then take a 75-minute dinner break. — HS

6.15pm: Hall departs in tenth
Level 23 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Tom Hall successfully got Murad Akhundov to fold his suited queen, but Chance Kornuth wasn’t going anywhere with his AK after Hall shoved over the top of Kornuth’s open.

Kornuth opened to 70,000. Hall shoved for 720,000 and Kornuth called. Hall’s KJ didn’t catch up, even though the flop of 10KQ gave him potential. The 6 turn and 10 river snuffed it out.

That takes them down to nine and they’ll reconvene around the last table. — HS

6pm: Akhundov tempted with a suited queen
Level 23 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Murad Akhundov opened to 75,000 from a huge stack and Tom Hall, with about 650,000, moved all-in. Action folded back to Akhundov, and he told the table he had a suited queen and didn’t want to fold it.

“Suited queen!?!” Hall said, with suitable disdain.
“I want to bust you,” Akhundov said.
“Whhhhy?” Hall said.

Akhundov folded. –HS

5:45pm: Ramos back in action as Gruissem again pays the price
Level 23 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

More action on table Gruissem as Philbort has now had to pay off Felipe Ramos, moments after doubling Fedor Holz.

Holz was still absent, serving his penalty, when Ramos got his last 298,000 in with 99. Gruissem called with his Queen-Jack and flopped two pair on the board of 6JQ.

This looked bleak for Ramos, but after the innocuous 8 turn, the 9 on the river was a bink for the Brazilian and Gruissem again had to count out the chips to pay off his opponent. –HS

5:25pm: Pocket fives account for Plesuv
Level 23 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

As the dust started to settle after the huge skirmish between Fedor Holz and Philipp Gruissem, things got a bit feisty on the neighbouring table. Sergey Lebedev opened to 65,000 and Pavel Plesuv moved all-in from the next seat, a total of 590,000 chips.

It folded back To Plesuv and he called, rolling over 55 to the general shock of the table. Plesuv had pocket kings but was left reeling after a board of 4567J. He went out in 11th, winning €37,980.

Lebedev had the best part of 2 million. — HS

5:20pm: Holz doubles, gets penalty
Level 23 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

In scenes reminiscent of the Grand Final in Season 9, where Luke Schwartz smashed his chips all over the table after bubbling the final table of the high roller, Fedor Holz has just done exactly the same after a big confrontation with Philipp Gruissem.

A few hands before the incident, Gruissem had raised Holz off a hand on the river and allowed a smile to spread a cross his face – a fact that didn’t seem to be lost on the young star.

Then Holz raised to 70,000 and four-bet to 320,000 after Gruissem three-bet to 165,000. The latter called to the 387 flop where he had to wait several minutes before Holz led for 180,000. All the while Gruissem was studying his opponent. He made the call. The turn was the 3 and Holz moved all-in and received a quick call.

“You have aces?” asked Holz as he opened KK.

Gruissem shook his head and tabled Q9 for a flopped flush.

“Oh, come on!” Holz yelled, before smashing his remaining chips all over the table and making a hasty retreat, heading towards the super high roller tournament area.

Floor staff assembled quickly and asked what had happened. “I think he’s out,” said a sheepish Gruissem.

Holz still had outs, though, and the dealer burned and turned the 3 to deliver one to him. “You got there, Fedor,” someone said. Holz was called back and the 464,000 chips he had remaining were gathered back together, chip by chip. Gruissem sat there quietly and paid his dues, dropping to 700,000. Holz was then warned for his behaviour and given a one-orbit penalty.

That certainly livened up affairs. By the way, Felipe Ramos was Snapchatting the whole thing, so if you have the app, go and view the entire encounter. — MC

5:15pm: All chasing the man from Azerbaijan
Level 23 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (3,000 ante)

There are 11 players left, but they’re all chasing the man from Azerbaijan, Murad Akhundov. Latest chip counts, from the last break, are on the chip-count page.

murad_akhundov_ept12_grand_final_day3.jpg

Murad Akhundov: Leading the way
 

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
23 15,000 30,000 4,000

5pm: Break time

That’s the end of Level 22. We’re going into Level 23 in 15 minutes.

4:38pm: Sondtheim departs
Level 22 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (3,000 ante)

Things looked so rosy for Steffan Sondtheim about half an hour ago. But he is now out after three of the most forgettable hands he’ll ever play. Fedor Holz opened to 60,000 and Sondtheim shoved for his 60,000 total stack.

Christian Christner, one seat to Sondtheim’s left, checked his cards and moved all-in over the top, which was enough to persuade Holz out of it.

Christner had found AK and although Sondtheim was live with 109 there was no arresting his downward trajectory. The board ran 2J633 and that was that for Sondtheim. — HS

4:45pm: Sondtheim’s slump continues
Level 22 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (3,000 ante)

More woe for Steffen Sondtheim as he lost another chunk of his remaining stack, doubling up Dmitry Yurasov in the process. Yurasov shoved for his final 365,000 and Sondtheim made a pretty hasty call. He had 99, which was dominant against Yurasov’s A9.

However, the flop of A73 was a stinker for him, leaving him precisely one out. The 5 wasn’t it. Neither was the 2. He was left with fumes and Yurasov is back in the game. –HS

4:40pm: Gruissem back in contention
Level 22 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (3,000 ante)

Philipp Gruissem won’t be joining the €100K players any time soon. He’s just won a huge pot from Steffen Sondtheim to keep his interest alive in the €10,000 affair.

Action folded to Gruissem in the small blind and he raised to 75,000. Sondtheim called, which took the pair of them to a flop of 5Q7. Gruissem bet another 75,000 at that, which Sondtheim called and they saw the 6 on the turn.

Gruissem continued his aggressive line. He bet 185,000. Sondtheim refused to budge again, and called. The 4 came on the river and Gruissem did not change his approach. He moved another 255,000 forward. Sondtheim called again and Gruissem declared he had an eight.

After he flipped over his cards to prove it (there was an Ace beside it), Sondtheim mucked in disconsolate fashion. He was left with a little more than 400,000. –HS

4:30pm: Zinno doubles
Level 22 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (3,000 ante)

“I reckon I’ve got this,” Anthony Zinno said, even though it was established by now that would need to come from behind. Zinno had shoved for his last 318,000 from the small blind and Murad Akhundov called from the big.

Akhundov: A8
Zinno: Q9

Zinno was good to his word, however. The flop brought the 5K9 and the Q on the turn was the insurance Zinno needed to make sure that even the A on the river couldn’t hurt him.

“Zinno’s the best,” Chance Kornuth said. — HS

4:25pm: The king is dead, long live the king
Level 22 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (3,000 ante)

No second title on the trot for Sam Panzica. He shoved 210,000 with A9 and was Anthony Zinno called with the dominating AQ. A queen on the flop was enough to see off Panzica. — MC

4:20pm: Sontheimer the next to double
Level 22 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (3,000 ante)

Steffen Sontheimer managed to win a race versus fellow countryman Philip Gruissem to see his stack rise to around a million.

He three-bet all-in for 472,000 from the small blind after Gruissem raised to 60,000 from the button. Call.

Sontheimer: 66
Gruissem: A10

The board ran J7J5K. –MC

4:15pm: Another double for Hall
Level 22 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (3,000 ante)

Tom Hall looked out of it a short while ago, but he’s right back in contention after another double up.

tom_hall_ept12_grand_final_10k.jpg

Tom Hall still fighting
 

He raised to 60,000 from the button and then snap called all-in for 489,000 after Pavel Plesuv set him in from the big blind.

Hall: QQ
Plesuv: A5

The board ran 10J735. Plesuv dropped to around 575,000. — MC

4:10pm: No holding Holz back
Level 22 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (3,000 ante)

After a turbulent few levels earlier today, Fedor Holz is now well and truly on the rise. He has around about 1.4 million having taken a big pot from Dmitry Yurasov.

There was already about 300,000 in the pot when I arrived and four cards in the middle: 10369. Holz announced that he was all-in for exactly 325,000.

Yurasov gave it due consideration, sitting with a stack of only around 500,000, before calling and seeing some bad news. Holz had extracted the maximum with his Q10. Yurasov had 77 but didn’t hit another one on the K river.

Yurasov was left with about 160,000. — HS

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
22 12,000 24,000 3,000

4pm: Haxton sent out in to the cold
Level 21 – Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

It’s actually warm outside and Isaac Haxton doesn’t intend on seeing the sun; he’ll be jumping in the super high roller event after busting in a cooler to Philip Gruissem.

He opened to 40,000 from under the gun and called after Gruissem three-bet to 105,000 from the button. Both players checked the Q94 flop before Haxton led for 150,000 on the 8 turn. Call. The board completed with the 2 and Haxton checked to see Gruissem set him in for his final 280,000.

isaac_haxton_ept12_grand_final_day3.jpg

Isaac Haxton: Out
 

“I can’t see how I can fold this,” said Haxton. He called with KJ for the second nuts, but it was no good as Gruissem opened A9 for the nuts. His stack grew to 1.65million. –MC

3:45pm: Thorel departs
Level 21 – Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

Almost immediately after the re-start, Jean-Noel Thorel became the first man to leave with €30,720. He had been getting his chips in all afternoon and finally someone took care of him.

After that, there were two quick double ups: Fedor Holz open-shoved his small blind with A7. He had 212,000 and Dmitry Yurasov, in the big blind, called with 10J.

The flop came 5A8 and Holz all but had a lock on it. The 2 turn and 10 river changed nothing, so the German player now has something to play with again.

Shortly after, Anthony Zinno, who moved tables after Thorel was eliminated, got his tournament back on track when he doubled up against Tom Hall. Hall opened to 50,000, Zinno shoved for 255,000, Hall didn’t seem to like it much, but called for about half of his stack.

Hall: KJ
Zinno: A8

“I wish I was off-suit,” Hall said, not only because his potential flush draw was now no good, but because he said he could have easily folded King-Jack off. Chance Kornuth consoled him that he had made the correct call, but Hall was still anguished at seeing the chips go to Zinno after a board of 35Q410. — HS

3:30pm: Two table redraw
Level 21 – Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

SEAT TABLE 1 TABLE 2
1 Filipe Ramos Sergey Lebedev
2 Anthony Zinno Pavel Plesuv
3 Fedor Holz Empty
4 Dmitry Yurasov Samuel Panzica
5 Philip Gruissem Murad Akhundov
6 Steffen Sontheimer Jean-Noel Thorel
7 Christian Christner Chance Kornuth
8 Isaac Haxton Tom Hall

3:15pm: Deadlock broken with simultaneous departures
Level 21 – Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

Action, which was already slow, became positively sluggish over the past 45 minutes or so. Nobody wanted to go out in 17th. Then when it finally happened, we weren’t actually sure who it was who got that spot as both Adrian Mateos and Imad Derwiche went out at precisely the same time.

Mateos’ elimination first: He opened to 45,000 from under the gun and Pavel Plesuv made it 110,000 from the button. Mateos moved all in for 505,000 and Plesuv snap-called.

Mateos: 66
Plesuv: JJ

A jack on the flop was pretty emphatic and Mateos’ day is done (at least in this tournament. I expect he’ll be in the €100,000 super high roller soon.)

adrian_mateos_ept12_monaco_day3.jpg

Adrian Mateos
 

As for Derwiche, he got his last chips in with AQ against Phillip Gruissem’s 1010. These two had similar sized stacks–slightly more than 300,000–but Gruissem had marginally more.

imad_derwiche_eliminated_ept12_day3.jpg

Imad Derwiche survived this one, but was out soon after
 

This race ended pretty swiftly. The 10 lurked between the 3 and 6 on the flop. And the 2 turn followed by K river were irrelevant. — HS

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
21 10,000 20,000 3,000

2:33pm: Break time

The players are on a 15-minute break. Here’s how they stack up.

2:25pm: Christner tank doubles
Level 20 – Blinds 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

Christian Christner was short and needed a double up, and that’s what he got.

Pavel Plesuv raised to 35,000 from under the gun and Christner defended his big blind before a 9A6 flop was spread. Plesuv continued for 45,000 and Christner made a quick check-call. The German took a lot longer on the K turn though once he checked to face a 115,000 bet. He tanked for four minutes and then asked for count of the bet. Then he raised all in for 221,000. Call.

Christner: A3 for top pair, no kicker.
Plesuv: 87 for a world of outs.

It turned out to be too many out as the 7 sent the pot the way of Christner. — MC

2:15pm: A slowdown
Level 20 – Blinds 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

There are 17 players left and action is slow. There will be a full re-draw when the next player is eliminated, and that will give us the chance to find out all the stack sizes and determine who has profited most from the afternoon’s activities.

A couple of scrappy small hands to report:

Philipp Gruissem opened to 40,000 from early position and Jean-Noel Thorel realised that he had the wrong amount of chips in front of him to pay the small blind. He had a 25,000-denomination chip out there mixed in with his singles, so he said he’d just call Gruissem’s bet rather than going through the palaver of fixing things.

Steffen Sontheimer noticed that this call might not necessarily represent a strong hand and moved all in from the big blind. Gruissem folded instantly, but then Thorel wanted a count. Sontheimer had about 700,000, which covered Thorel by a fair margin, and Thorel eventually folded too.

Over on the farthest table from the door, Adrian Mateos and Pavel Plesuv were at the river, with about 170,000 in the pot. Plesuv bet 83,000 at it and Mateos shoved, for something like 500,000. Plesuv tank-folded.

Imad Derwiche then felt the force of Thorel when he opened to 40,000 from the button and Thorel shoved his small blind.

“Do you want me to pay you?” Derwiche said.
“As you want,” Thorel said.

Derwiche then went through the usual questioning in these spots and it was decided that Thorel would show him one card if he folded. Derwiche flipped over AQ on their way into the muck and then saw the 9 in Thorel’s hand. –HS

1:55pm: Derwiche doubles
Level 20 – Blinds 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

Imad Derwiche was a happy man after he doubled through fellow Frenchman Jean-Noel Thorel.

The action folded around to the former chip leader in the cutoff and he moved all in for 223,000. Thorel was in the next seat and he moved in as well. The blinds folded.

Derwiche: J8
Thorel: AK

The board ran out 22Q86. Derwiche was out of his seat redy to leave after the flop but by the river he was fist pumping. Thorel dropped to 640,000.
A short while before that hand Alexandre Rivero was eliminated in 18th place. They’ll be a full redraw once one more player goes. — MC

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
20 8,000 16,000 2,000

1:39pm: No messing with Yurasov
Level 19 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Dmitry Yurasov, the overnight leader, isn’t messing around this afternoon. He just five-bet shoved, covering both opponents, to get Adrian Mateos and Pavel Plesuv off a hand. Yurasov opened, making it 26,000 to play from the hijack. Mateos three-bet to 67,000 from the cut-off and Plesuv four-bet to 145,000 in the big blind.

Yurasov then bombed it and both Mateos and Plesuv couldn’t fold any more quickly. –HS

1:26pm: Thorel’s old tricks
Level 19 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

There’s nothing Jean-Noel Thorel likes better than tormenting a wizard, and he’s getting involved with Philipp Gruissem this afternoon to scratch that particular itch. In a recent pot, Thorel called on the button after Gruissem opened from under the gun and the pair saw a flop of 258.

Gruissem checked and Thorel bet 100,000 in that devil-may-care fashion of his. (He bets in the manner of a parent shooing a fly away from a baby’s dinner, with an irritated flick of the wrist.) Gruissem chuckled and called, taking them to a J turn.

Gruissem checked again, and Thorel peered down at his stack of about 400,000, then said, “All-in.”

Gruissem chuckled again, revealing, “I have no pair.” He was thinking about calling nonetheless, and said, “You have six-seven? Nine-ten? Or a jack? This sucks.”

He folded in the end and Thorel gleefully flipped over AJ, seemingly happy that Gruissem had initially considered that his third most likely holding. Gruissem made a good fold though. — HS

1:25pm: Ramos doubles through Haxton
Level 19 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Alexandru Papazian was knocked out in 19th, meaning Ike Haxton had to switch tables to balance things. He came into the big blind and was faced with an immediate decision when Felipe Ramos open-shoved from the small blind.

Ramos, who yesterday apologised for “being a nit”, had only 176,000 and Haxton asked immediately for an official count. “It’s really close,” Haxton said, as he went into his mathematical mind palace to determine the correct play.

He opted to call and turned over J7. He was probably happy with the decision when Ramos showed his 66. The flop seemed to spell doom for Ramos, when it came 1079. But the 6 on the turn was his salvation and the 10 made him a full house.

Ramos is up to around 360,000 while Haxton’s day goes from bad to worse. He was third in chips overnight, but has only about 300,000 himself now. — HS

1:15pm: Dimov falls to Mateos
Level 19 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

It was a standard hand and a simple case of bad timing that cost Ognyan Dimov.

He was down to 113,00 when he open shoved from the cutoff. Adrain Mateos was in the small blind and made the call.

Dimov: A5
Mateos: A9

The board ran a Spanish flavoured JA958 and the EPT11 Deuville champion went in 20th place. Mateos moved up to 900,000. –MC

1:10pm: Double for the champ
Level 19 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Sam Panzica’s quest to go “back-to-back” has received a big boost after doubling to 735,000 through Imad Derwiche.

The EPT Dublin single re-entry high roller champion and Derwiche took to a 465 flop. Derwiche led for 115,000 from the small blind and tank called after Panzica moved all-in for 306,000. Derwiche had the nut flush draw with A10 but Panzica had flopped a flush with 27. The board ran out 77 and Derwiche dropped to 470,000. — MC

1pm: Shak busted after Kornuth attack
Level 19 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Dan Shak kept looking over the at the super high roller event that got underway and now he’s able to jump in it after busting to Chance Kornuth.

Fedor Holz opened to 26,000 from second to act before Shak three-bet to 100,000. Kornuth was on the button and put in a four-bet to 195,000. That ousted Holz but not Shak – he jammed and was snapped off.

“Damn, I was hoping you had ace-king!” said Shak after seeing his opponent’s hand.

Shak: 66
Kornuth: QQ

The board ran a blank 91043K and off Shak went. — MC

12:50pm: Ventura’s adventure over
Level 19 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Diego Ventura was the overnight short stack, and now his punishment is over. He open shoved for about 105,000 and Fedor Holz called from the button. Nobody else was interested and Holz’s 66 won the race against Ventura’s A10.

Ventura gets €22,420 for 22nd. — HS

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Diego Ventura: The end of the adventure
 

12:40pm: Sontheimer in tune
Level 19 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Action folded to Isaac Haxton in the small blind and, with the relatively short-stacked Steffen Sontheimer to his left, Haxton shoved enough chips over the line to cover Sontheimer’s 253,000. Sontheimer called instantly, putting himself at risk.

Haxton had K10. Sontheimer had 66. And when the board ran 4725Q, Sontheimer prepared for a double up, taking him past half a million. Haxton has roughly the same. –HS

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Steffen Sondheim: Early double>
 

12:35pm: Zinno’s secret
Level 19 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Ozgur Arda is the first player out today, finding a bad time to open shove all-in from the small blind. Actually, it was a totally standard play with a short stack and K9. He wasn’t to know that Anthony Zinno, the only player with cards still in front of him, had AA. The board did not give Arda any miracles, so he was knocked out in 23rd.

“So that’s how you win, like, 17 WPTs,” Fedor Holz said to Zinno.
“Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?” Chance Kornuth said, a fair point given Holz’s recent record. He then turned his wry attention to Zinno. “Good call though,” Kornuth added. — HS

12:30pm: Hall in the mix early
Level 19 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Tom Hall was involved in the first two hands played at his table. He won the first one and lost the second one.

The action folded around to Filipe Ramos in the cutoff who raised to 25,000, and called after Hall three-bet to 56,000 in the next seat. The flop fell 410K and Ramos check-folded to Hall’s 40,000 c-bet.

The very next hand Hall raised to 26,000 and Adrian Mateos peeled from the big blind. Both players checked the K106 flop and Hall went on to bet 30,000 and 122,000 on the 28 turn and river. Mateos check-called both times with 68 for two pair, beating Hall’s K9 on the river. — MC

12:20pm: Preparing for the start
Level 19 – Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

We’ll begin today at the start of Level 18, with blinds at 6,000-12,000 with a 2,000 ante. It could be a pretty long day today, with the idea being to play to a winner. However, with the €100,000 super high roller also starting today, there’s going to be a reason for players not to hang around. –HS

***

The final day of the €10,000 single re-entry high roller event begins at 12:30pm. Here’s the seat draw for today:

Name Country Chips Table Seat
Imad Derwiche France 760000 1 1
Jean-Noel Thorel France 718000 1 2
Isaac Haxton USA 744000 1 3
Steffen Sontheimer Germany 295000 1 4
Murad Akhundov Azerbaijan 500000 1 5
Philipp Gruissem Germany 668000 1 6
Samuel Panzica USA 411000 1 8
Diego Ventura Peru 109000 2 1
Ozgur Arda Turkey 185000 2 2
Anthony Zinno USA 399000 2 3
Alexandru Papazian Denmark 201000 2 4
Fedor Holz Germany 553000 2 5
Dan Shak USA 405000 2 6
Sergey Lebedev Russia 567000 2 7
Chance Kornuth USA 601000 2 8
Christian Christner Germany 259000 3 1
Pavel Plesuv Moldova 416000 3 2
Felipe Ramos Brazil 284000 3 3
Tom Hall UK 731000 3 4
Ognyan Dimov Bulgaria 192000 3 5
Dmitry Yurasov Russia 903000 3 6
Adrian Mateos Spain 551000 3 7
Alexandre Rivero Brazil 239000 3 8

A reminder of what they are playing for:

1 €439,000
2 €295,600
3 €208,420
4 €169,000
5 €133,680
6 €101,500
7 €74,100
8 €54,180


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Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details.

Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

PokerStars Blog reporting team on the €10,000 single re-entry high roller at the EPT12 Grand Final: Marc Convey and Howard Swains. Photography by René Velli. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

 

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