Friday, 29th March 2024 12:07
Home / Uncategorized / EPT Prague: Mestre the master

A glimpse of Raul Mestre’s composure before the break. As the clock struck zero in level 20 and players began to leave for cigarettes, bathrooms and both, Mestre and Greek player Alexiou Konstantinos tangled, Konstantinos betting 15,000 on the flop and turn and 50,000 on the river with the board showing Ac-As-8c-3h-6h. It was on the river that Mestre’s response changed.

He had been sitting motionless throughout the hand, hidden under headphones and black sunglasses whilst Konstantinos’s pose was more an arms crossed leaning back thing. After the Greek made the river bet Mestre announced “all-in”, 181,000 more.

To look at him Mestre could have been asleep, leaning his head on his hand. Konstantinos had asked for the count and was now going through the motions, eventually folding. Mestre immediately removed his glasses and headphone in one big gesture of relief.

“He just took a breath” said one onlooker. It looked that way.

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