Friday, 29th March 2024 02:19
Home / Uncategorized / EPT Snowfest: Day 3, level 17 & 18 updates (blinds 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante)
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8.05pm: End of level
It’s dinner time for the remaining 31 players, even Pierre Neuville who gets to take a second dinner break. We’ll be back in 90 minutes. — RD

8.04pm: Monster Maisto
Giacomo Maisto has a huge 1.4 million stack after picking off a massive bluff from Domantas Klimciauskas on the river of a 5♥ 3♥ 5♣ Jâ™  8♥ board. Klimciauskas had shoved somewhere approaching 300,000 and Maisto tank-called with J♥ Q♥ . It’s a massive amount of chips that all but guarantees him a run into the big money. — RD

8pm; Adeniya makes a Wiese bet
Martins Adeniya just took a pot off Andreas Wiese on a great scare turn card to represent. Wiese raised to 20,000 from early position and was called by the button and Adeniya in the big blind. The flop came A♣ 2♣ 10♦ and Wiese’s 38,000 c-bet was only called by the Brit to go to the 10♣ turn. Adeniya took his time before betting 47,000. Wiese took little time in folding and dropped to 590,000 whereas the Brit is up to 780,000. — MC

7.57pm: Staying alive
Thomas Kunter just secured a vital double up, banging the table with glee when his hand held up. His chips went in with 10♦ 10♥ against the 7â™  7♣ of Iulian Ruxandescu. The board ran 9â™  K♥ J♣ 3♥ K♦ to keep him alive as we approach the 90 minute dinner. – SB

7.49pm: Scratch another
The field drops down to 33 players remaining with the elimination of Simon Ravnsbaek.
After Kevin Vandersmissen opened for 22,000 Ravnsbaek announced he was all-in for about 150,000. Almost before Ravnsbaek could finish saying the word “in” Kevin Vandersmissen had called, turning over A♦ Q♦ . Ravnsbaek was in trouble, showing K♦ qc].

The board ran 8♦ K♣ Aâ™  9♥ 9♣ . The miracle Ravnsbaek required failed to materialise. He’s out. – SB

7.42pm: Trappy Iemina rakes it in pre-flop
Manilo Iemina had called a pre-flop raise of 17,000 from Iulian Ruxandescu, perhaps laying a trap for anyone wanting to squeeze in from behind. If that is the case, it worked. Andrey Gulyy squeezed the action up to 43,500, Ruxandescu passed his hand but Iemina came back over the top for 117,000. Gulyy passed. — RD

7.36pm: Vandersmissen doubles up Ravnsbaek
Kevin Vandersmissen just doubled up Simon Ravnsbaek. The Dane got it in with pocket tens to Vandersmissen’s big slick and managed to fade the entire board. Ravnsbaek up to 260,000. — RD

7.25pm: Neuville back with a vengeance
Pierre Neuville is back from his unscheduled dinner break and just moved all-in for 51,000. It came from the button, after there had been a bet of 45,000 in the cut off. It was A♦ 2♦ against Neuville’s A♣ Qâ™  when the cards were turned over.

The board was kind to the Belgian, coming 7â™  8♦ K♥ J♥ 5♣ . Neuville doubles up. Time for dessert, maybe? — SB

7.22pm: An expensive dinner for Neuville
PokerStars qualifier Pierre Neuville had 93,000 going into the last break (scheduled to last 15 minutes). Neuville thought it was a dinner break, rather than a normal 15 minute pause, and had hit the buffet with his wife.

The tournament director spotted he had not returned to his seat nearly 30 minutes after the level had started. He was tracked down in the restaurant and hurried back to his seat. There was damage done, as he only has 48,500 left. At least he didn’t get blinded away completely. — MC

7.15pm: Kravchenko staying the course
Alex Kravchenko is the last remaining Team PokerStars Pro left in the field. His deepest EPT run was 17th at EPT Baden back in 2007. He’s got a good chance to beat that here. — RD

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Alex Kravchenko: the last standing Team Pro

7.12pm: Sick beat for Speranza
When Alessandro Speranza slammed the table in frustration I don’t think anyone blamed him for doing so. Speranza had called an 18,000 raise from Pieter Druif and both players had checked the Q♦ 10♥ Aâ™  flop. Druif elected to shove the 9♥ turn and was snapped off by Speranza who had flopped a set of queens.

Druif was in trouble with A♣ Jâ™  until a king fell on the river to gift him the 360,000 pot. Speranza down to 220,000. — RD

7.05pm: De Visscher de victor
There’s nothing like a re-re-raise to get things going. First Koen De Visscher opened for 16,000 from the cut off before Bastian Fischer raised to 39,000 from the button. Then, sitting in the small blind, Philip Meulyzer bumped things up 106,000 sending everyone into the tank.

Or at least De Visscher. He thought for several minutes before folding. When he did Fischer moved all-in immediately, for about 500,000. Meulyzer had to pass and the pot went to De Visscher. — SB

6.53pm: No love coming from this Casanova
Bastien Casanova just got his chips in good but was still shown the exit door by PokerStars qualifier Pieter Druif. Casanova was down to his last 31,000 when he found A♣ 4♣ so in they went. Druif called with K♥ J♥ and the board came [4][7][8][2][j]. The killer blow came on the river. — MC

6.43pm: Level kicks off
The final batch of players, all now deep into the money, have returned to the tournament floor. — RD

6.28pm: End of the level
That’s the end of the level. There’s now a 15 minute break.

6.26m: Gulyy up
Andrey Gulyy continues his ascent, up to 350,000 now as we reach the break after he took chips from Rudolf Koster.

On a board of 8♥ K♣ 9â™  A♣ Gulyy checked in the small blind to Koster in the big blind, who on first impression looks slightly regal. He bet 24,500 which Gulyy called for a J♥ river card. Both checked, Gulyy showing Kâ™  2♣ to win the hand. Koster showed Gulyy but no one else, but did hold an eight. He’s down to 80,000 now. – SB

6.25pm: Ladouceur likes it, Mitlyansky busts
Marc Ladouceur shoved from late position into the big blind of Andrey Mitlyansky, a fellow short stack. Ladouceur held A♣ 4♣ and Mitlyansky called with A♥ K♠ . It was a terrible 8♣ 9♣ 7♣ flop for the Russian.

He was left short and got his final 14,000 in with [5][7] three-way. Out he went. — RD

6.15pm: Up one minute, down the next
On a flop of 7♠ 6♠ 2♦ Iulian Ruxandescu in the big blind checked to Yorane Kerignard on the button who bet 24,000. While that went on Ivan Freitez on the adjacent table, got up from his chair and left to the room to smoke a cigarette outside, worrying not about his stack of 26,500 left behind.

Ruxandescu called the bet for a 5♥ turn card. At which point Team PokerStars Pro Juan Maceiras walked in, wearing aluminous padded clothing, looking part off-duty superhero, part on-duty road works operative. But no one said anything.

Ruxandescu checked the turn before Kerignard bet another 56,000, leaving himself 190,000 behind. Ruxandescu called (270,000 behind), watching as a Kâ™  hit the river. Then he moved all-in.

This had a distinct effect on Kerignard who up to now had been cool and calm. Now he pulled off his headphones and leant forward. “I call.”

But what he saw would be bad enough to end his tournament. Ruxandescu showed Qâ™  3â™  for the flush, beating his own flush made with 9â™  8â™  . A friend of Ruxandescu came up to slap hands with him. 304 looked like he was ready to kill.

Kerignard was out but couldn’t quite believe it. He tipped his head back and remained in his chair a few seconds as the dealer stripped him of his playing privileges. To his credit he managed a wry smile and handshakes on his way to the pay-out desk. But it will leave a bruise. – SB

6.07pm: Franchi ko’d
Dominique Franchi has just been knocked out by Belgian Kevin Vandersmissen. Franchi had three-bet from the button to 27,000 and Vandersmissen, who had opened from the cut-off to 12,000, moved all-in for Franchi’s 80,000 or so remaining chips. Franchi made the call.

Franchi: A♥ K♣
Vandersmissen: 8♠ 8♦

The board ran out Jâ™  5â™  5♥ 7♦ J♦ and Franchi left the table unhappy, quickly heading to his friend and saying: “Jammy, jammy, jammy.” Well, it sounded like that to my English ears. — RD

6pm: Adeniya collapses Tent
Martins Adeniya is up to 605,000 after eliminating Torsten Tent of Germany. The Brit raised to 13,500 from the button and called quickly when Tent shoved for 61,500 from the big blind.

Tent: A♥ 3♦
Adeniya: K♥ Q♦

The board ran K♦ 10♥ 4♥ 8♥ 6♦ to pair Adeniya’s king.

News has just reached the press room that Adeniya is up to 695,000 now. — MC

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Martins Adeniya has plenty to smile about

5.53pm: Dragomir breathes new fire into his stack
Cristian Dragomir is up to 210,000 after doubling-up through Kevin Vandersmissen. He had to get slightly lucky to do so as his queen-jack was behind the Belgian’s ace-king and he did so by hitting a queen on the turn. — MC

5.45pm: Csango a go-go
Michael Csango is the latest faller. Iulian Ruxandescu opened for 13,000 from under the gun which Andrey Gulyy raised to 13,000. Csango then moved all-in for 180,000.

“All-in?” asked Ruxandescu, which Gulyy took to mean that Ruxandescu was all in as well.

“I’m all-in!” said an impatient Gulyy, turning the hand into a bit of a Spartacus moment.
Ruxandescu corrected him immediately, and Gulyy sheepishly backed down, having tipped off everyone as to his next move. When Ruxandescu passed Gulyy went ahead and pushed his chips in, turning over K♠ K♣ . Csango showed K♦ J♣ and stood up, preparing for defeat.

The board ran 9♣ 4♦ 8♣ 6♦ 4♥ to send him out in 52nd place. – SB

5.40pm: Pagano falls short of All-Time Leaderboard top spot
Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano has just been knocked out after tank-calling for all his chips. Pagano had opened from early position to 15,000 (of a 106,000 stack) and the action passed to the big blind, Domantas Klimciauskas, who moved all-in.

Pagano instantly pursed his lips. Was Klimciauskas merely applying pressure with a sub-standard hand? Pagano eventually erred towards calling.

Pagano: K♥ Q♥
Klimciauskas: A♦ K♦

The 51st place elimination stops him just short of reclaiming the EPT All-Time Leaderboard top spot from fellow Team Pro Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier. — RD

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Yet another cash for Luca Pagano

5.22pm: Pagano chipping back up
A short-stacked Luca Pagano has managed to get some chips back. — RD

5.15pm: Play continues
Play restarts with 55 players remaining as we head into level 17. Chip leader remains Philip Muelyzer who just eliminated Fatima Moreira de Melo prior to the break. We play on until there are 24 players remaining and we’re up in the air about whether there will be a dinner break or not.

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Fatima Moreira de Melo

PokerStars Blog reporting team in Snowfest (in order of preference for order): Stephen Bartley (“Rules are there to be enforced.”), Marc Convey (“Nobody tells me what to do.”) and Rick Dacey (“Get your hands off me!”)

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