Prague has a unique place on the PokerStars calendar. For one it’s the only event during which there’s a good chance of snow. Then there’s its popularity, which gives the year a good send off. This year there was an added element, the news of the PokerStars Players No-Limit Hold’em Championship, but also the return of the EPT. That meant one year after we bid farewell to that tour, we we’re now doing the same the Championship. Here’s a day by day look at the Prague Championship.
Day
1
ON THE CLOCK
1
ON THE CLOCK
Things kicked off on time, and with the clock running on the Super High Roller event opening day.
Day
2
SUPER HIGH ROLLERS ROLL UP
2
SUPER HIGH ROLLERS ROLL UP
Super High Roller regular Christophe Vogelsang fights off the winter cold, as the field pressed on towards the money on Day 2.
Day
3
ADAMS WINS SUPER HIGH ROLLER AS MAIN EVENT BEGINS
3
ADAMS WINS SUPER HIGH ROLLER AS MAIN EVENT BEGINS
While Timothy Adams collected €555,000 for the Super High Roller title, Michal Mrakes’s week was just getting started. The Czech player would bag the lead and be among the leaders throughout the main event, pulling off some outstanding plays (including an amazing ace-high call) and eventually finish in third place.
Day
4
MAIN EVENT CONTINUES (QUIETLY)
4
MAIN EVENT CONTINUES (QUIETLY)
Alexandru Papazan “rests” during a, erm, quiet spell in the Main Event action.
Day
5
SCRAPPING FOR THE LEAD
5
SCRAPPING FOR THE LEAD
The leader on Day 1B had been Paul Michaelis, who stole the led at the bell. He’d continue to perform well, eventually cashing in 28th place
Day
6
FIRST OF THE PLATINUM PASSES
6
FIRST OF THE PLATINUM PASSES
As the bubble burst in the Main Event PokerStars announced plans for a new tournament in January 2019, the PokerStars Players No-limit Hold’em Championship. Over the course of the next 12 months PokerStars will be handing out 300 Platinum Passes, each worth $30,000. The first went to Main Event bubble finisher Mihai Manole, presented here by Team Pro Daniel Negreanu.
Day
7
STEALING THE SHOW
7
STEALING THE SHOW
Star of the show on the feature table was Team Pro Fatima Moreira de Melo, who entertained and enlightened the Day 4 audiences on her way to an 18th place finish.
Day
8
INTRODUCING KALIDOU SOW
8
INTRODUCING KALIDOU SOW
By now the name Kalidou Sow was more than familiar. The Frenchman was on his way to the chip lead, just, ahead of Jason Wheeler. The pair would meet heads up a day later.
Meanwhile the High Roller event had reached the bubble, where things went badly for Rocco Palumbo.
Day
9
SOW TAKES THE TITLE
9
SOW TAKES THE TITLE
After what proved a cantankerous finale Kalidou Sow and Jason Wheeler played out a superb finale, Sow overcoming the American to win €675,000.
The High Roller would finish several hours after the Main event, with Danny Tang winning the title to bring the (last ever) Prague Championship to a close.
Our thanks to official photographers Neil Stoddart and Rene Velli for the images used above.
Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog. Follow him on Twitter: @StephenBartley. What did you think about this post? Let us know on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.
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