The eliminations have come thick and fast today as we edge closer to discovering the eight who will comprise tomorrow’s final table. The official counts of the last 13 are on our chip counts page, and we’ll be reverting to our time-stamped reporting style from here until the final is decided.
8.40pm – And there we have it
Ciprian Hrisca had been joking around a lot in these finishing stages, blowing his cards back to the dealer for instance and warning people he had position when the button came around, much to the merriment of the other players and railbirds. In contrast to him was Ivo Denev, a quiet player who has been wearing a mirrored visor since he started on day one.
As the short stack everyone paid attention when he raised to 48,000 pre-flop from under the gun plus one, especially Hrisca who re-raised, 150,000 in total. He didn’t seem to be joking anymore.
Denev called, leaving himself 200,000 behind for emergencies. The flop came Ts-6s-7c. There was no more finesse following that, just all-in and call.
Ivo Denev showed Ah-Kc but Hrisca turned over bullets to put himself ahead. The turn brought a king but the river a jack, ending this day and vaulting the last eight into tomorrow’s final.
As we await the final chip counts and the day end wrap, share a few moments with the PokerStars player William Fry, who will be on the final table tomorrow in his first major tournament:
Watch EPT Budapest 08: Interview Part II with William Fry Day 3 on PokerStars.tv
8.25pm – Play resumes
Blinds increase now to 10,000/20,000 with a 2,000 running ante.
8.05pm – Will he won’t he
On a flop of 8s-3d-7h Jacobsen bet 100,000 and Zoltan Toth re-raised to 230,000. A tense few minutes passed by as Jacobsen considered the call but eventually mucked. Toth showed a ten and is now up to more than 1million. Players pause for a break.
7.45pm – Four way action
Four players see the flop of Qs-Tc-3d and four players check it. The turn is the Ac which is checked by Johnny Lodden in the small blind. Zoltan Toth in the big blind makes it 70,000 and Ciprian Hrisca asks how much before mucking. Gino Alacqua calls though before Lodden mucks. They see the river card 2c and both players check. Toth shows K-J to which Gino can only smile and tap the table in salute.
7.30pm – Not done yet
This time Ivo Denev moves all-in, a total of 145,000 which gives Ciprian Hrisca a seemingly painful decision to make. Visibly tired the Romanian scratches his head before deciding to call, showing pocket nines to Denev’s A-Q. the flop brings the queen. Denev doubles up.
7.20pm – It’s that man again
Next to be pushed off a hand by Sarenelli is Johnny Lodden. He raised to 40K before the Ialian re-raised to 120,000. Serenelli is now up to 370,000.
7.12pm – One more time
Serenelli is at it again, this time forcing a fold from Hrisca after moving all-in.
7.10pm – The fightback begins
Just when you thought it was all coming to a close the short stacks begin to double up. First double up goes to Marino Serenelli, the Italian enjoying every moment of his EPT. He moved all in with A-Q against Hrisca’s pocket sixes. A queen on the fop started his good run.
7pm – Down to one table
Sebastian Saffari is out in tenth after first losing a big hand against Gino Alacqua and then after an all-in called by Zoltan Toth. It was K-6 v K-Q, the bigger hand held by Toth who would go on to make a flush and leave just nine players remaining. Two tables become one until we have a final eight.
6.50pm – Jacobsen asks the question
Martin Jacobsen moved all-in on a flop of As-7s-8c. Zoltan Toth was the only player still involved, having first raised. Four players had seen the flop but now Toth held Jacobsen’s fate. He passed.
6.45pm – Down to ten
“Well, it’s that time” announced Robin Keston, moving all in. Albert Iversen did the honours, calling Keston and showing pocket queens. Keston could only manage pocket tens. That wasn’t enough. We’re down to ten players.
6.30pm – Down to 11
Menno Antonius Bussinik of Holland is the next player out, leaving in 12th place after moving in with Ac-8s only to be called by Ciprian Hrisca with Ah-Jh. The jack on the flop all but extinguished hope for Bussinik, who collects €23,408.
6.15pm — Down to 12.
With 13 players left every hand is a big hand. Simeon Tsonev raised pre-flop to 35,000 from under the gun and watched as PokerStars sponsored player Johnny Lodden re-raised, 90,000 total. An all-in and call followed with Lodden showing A-Q. With understandable irritation Tsonev turned over A-J and watched helplessly as a queen hit the flop, eliminating him in 13th place. Lodden meanwhile is up to 650,000.
The players are now into level 21, with blinds of 6,000-12,000 (ante: 1,000).
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