Players have re-started at the 5000/10000/100 level. If you’re following the action throughout the day you can press refresh for the latest news which will appear at the top of each post. You can also keep tabs on the latest chip counts here. Winner information is available here.
6.14pm — The stringed bars of Vivaldi ring out, signifying the end of another level, but cards have been dealt and just time for Joe Hachem to take a pot from David Meira, showing 6-3 of spades from the big blind with a six on the turn to beat whatever David had. “I told you, I was steaming!” he tells David with a grin as play stops for a 15 minute break.
6:13pm—Hand of tournament so far…
In the pot of the day Antonio Esfandiari took a significant hit and Stig Top Rasmussen doubled up his already big stack. Amazingly the money went in preflop as follows. Antonio limped UTG to see the button and small blind limp as well. Stig, in the big blind, thought about the situation for a bit and then pushed his 700k chips across the line. Almost without hesitation, Antonio called. The others ran for cover before Antonio turned over QQ and Stig somewhat sheepishly showed his AT. If you’ve been following the blog, you know that AT has been holding up well recently. When the smoke cleared the board read 7 3 4 A J and Stig was stacking about 1.5 million in chips. Antonio started with about that many so he is far from crippled.
5:51pm–The long-told story of the German Intellipoker freeroll qualifier has reached its end. Stefan Geim, here on a complere freeroll, has just been eliminated in 21st place after getting all-in with As8s against David Miara’s ATo. A ten on the flop pretty much locked Geim out of the pot. He fund no miracle. He’s due to have a baby in two weeks, so €46,000 should come in handy.
5.45pm — A board of 3-5-J and it’s PokerStars qualifier Amit Makhija moving all-in, eventually called by Henrik Gwinner. Aces for Makhija who is then shown A-9 by Gwinner. The aces hold, so do Amit’s tournament hopes. Still 21 players remain.
5:32pm–Two hands after his hero call Oyvind Riisem was involved in another big pot. Eric Liu opened the action for 34k and Oyvind, to Liu’s immediate left, called as did Stig Top Rasmussen in the big blind. They saw a flop of Kc Th 2d. Liu bet 50k, Oyvind called and Stig folded. The 3c fell on the turn leading to check, check. Liu checked the 8d river card and Oyvind bet out 90k. Liu went in the tank, pulling 90k from his stack to see how it would look if things went badly. Finally he moved those chips across the line. Oyvind showed… you guessed it…AT. Liu could not beat the pair of tens and Oyvind added to his already substantial stack.
5:26pm–It’s all smiles for Papa Pagano, Luca’s father Claudio. He’s out in 22nd place, finishing his last hand at the table with his son. Pagano check-raised all in on the turn of a 6sQcKdAc board. Bad timing, it was. Denes Kalo held AQ and Papa Pagano was drawing dead. Luca looked ever so slightly emotional at his dad’s departure. He’s back to the action, though with 21 players remaining.
5:21pm–Norwegian Oyvind Riisem made a hero call on the post-redraw TV table. He opened he action with a raise to 34k and was called by the big blind to see a flop of 7 2 8. The big blind bet 52k and was quickly called by Oyvind. The turn brought another 8 and the action was check, check. When a 6 fell on the river the big blind bet 90k. Oyvind gave it a lot of thought before making the call. He turned over AT for ace high… which won the pot.
5:09pm–Noah Siegel has been eliminated in 23rd position. Isaac Baron made it 27K to play and Robin Keston upped it to 82K. Noah pushed all in for around another 150K. Isaac folds but Robin calls and shows QQ. AK for Noah. The board is all low cards and we are down to 22.
5.01pm — Back from the impromptu break for the redraw play resumes with a pot steadily building between Team PokerStars Pro Joe Hachem and young internet legend Isaac Baron. It gets to the turn with the board reading 6d9dAs9h. From the button Isaac makes it 75K which Joe calls. The Js hits the river.
Joe checks, almost without moving, like in an auction the slightest move is enough to express his intentions. Isaac makes his intentions a little more obvious, pushing 155K into the pot, starting an intense few minutes of Hachem reflection, staring intently at the board before turning his iron stare toward Isaac. He releases him though, and his cards. Isaac takes a big pot.
5:00pm–After an extended break to deal with TV issues, we’re back and it’s bad news for Mostafa Belkhayate. Johnny Lodden came in for a standard raise and Belkhayate pushed all in from the small blind for a little less than 100,000 more. Lodden thought for a short bit before calling with pocket threes. Belkhayate had AcKc. A three on the flop sealed the deal. Belkhayate has been eliminated. Twenty-three players remain.
4:30pm–With 24 players remaining, the runners are re-drawing for seats. For the first time in the entire tournament, Luca Pagano and his father Claudio are at the same table.
4:29pm–A confrontation shortly before a break in the action to redraw seats left Mostafa Belkhayate of Morocco seriously short stacked. American Michael Martin raised to 25k (blinds now 5k-10k, ante 1k) from the cut off and mostafa, in the big blind, raised it to 50k. After some thought Michael called. The dealer peeled off Q 3 6 all red. Mostafa quickly bet 70k (about half his stack) and just as quickly Michael pushed all in. The line among viewers was that Mostafa was pot committed and would call. However, after much contemplation Mostafa gave up his cards.
4:28pm–Walid Habib has just doubled through Noah Siegel. Noah had raised to 28K and Walid made it 78K to play. Noah called. Qh-Qd-10h and Walid moved in. Noah asked for a count – 140K to call. He duly did and tabled KJ for straight draw. Walid had AA and the turn and river were both blanks to secure the double up.
4.25pm — Down to 24 and players are redrawing for the last three tables. Whilst players find and take their new seats you can check the latest chip counts HERE. And don’t forget you can watch all the action as it happens on EPT Live.
4.20pm — Another all-in, this time it’s Rami Boukia shoving and called by Stig Top Rasmussen. For Rami A-9 of clubs, whilst Stig turns over a pair of red jacks. Stig calls for a “Jack!” before a flop of K-Q-6. A jack on the turn suddenly has Stig shouting “No jack!” He’s safe though, with a king on the river. Boukai gone in 25th.
4:15pm–Players are returning from break.
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