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Home / Uncategorized / EPT Tallinn Day 4: Level 21 & 22 updates (10,000-20,000, 2,000 ante)
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3pm: Break
That’s another 15-minute break. We’ll get some fresh chip counts over to you shortly. — RD

2.58pm: Big hand for Bilyauer
Arnaud Mattern opened the pot for 45,000 and Konstantin Bilyauer made a small three-bet to 70,000. Mattern called. Both players checked the 6â™  A♦ 8â™  flop but when the 2♦ was turned Mattern led for 78,000. Bilyauer called. The 7♦ slowed Mattern down who check-called 95,000 on the river. Bilyauer showed Aâ™  K♣ to take the pot and Mattern flipped the A♥ . It’s a 500,000 chip swing between the two players. — RD

2.55pm: Van Zadelhoff makes most of position part two
It’s been a good level for Steven van Zadelhoff, he doubled through Arnaud Mattern, won a nice pot from Konstantin Bilyauer and had now taken some chips from Perica Bukara in a blind on blind battle. Bukara made it 55,000 to play from the small blind and van Zadelhoff called. Both players checked the 6♦ 7♥ 5♦ flop. On the J♦ turn Bukara bet 65,000 and van Zadelhoff called. On the 7♣ river Bukara fired again this time 85,000, again van Zadelhoff smooth called. Bukara showed K♥ 3♣ , Van Zadelhoff showed the winner K♦ J♥ . — NW

2.50pm: Weekes revving up
Jon Weekes started yesterday as chip leader and has been up and down ever since. His current direction is certainly the former though. He raised to 50,000 from the small blind and fellow Brit Javad Abrahams three-bet from the big blind to 125,000. Weekes moved all-in and Abrahams picked up a nice chunk of chips. Next hand the action folded to Weekes who raised the button and scooped the blinds. — RD

2.47pm: Action but still no showdown
The action just picked a little on table two when Bassam Elnajjar raised to 48,000 to face a 321,000 all-in push from Toni Ojala in the small blind. The raise was too much for Elnajjar to contend with and he folded pocket sevens face-up. –MC

2.45pm: Slow down
After the whirlwind start to today it’s all tightened up. It’s been at least 45 minutes since the last bust out (okay, there was a re-draw in that time). Eight still left to go. — SY

2.40pm: Van Zadelhoff makes most of position
Steven van Zadelhoff has three big stacks to his direct left, he just played a pot with one of them, namely Konstantin Bilyauer. Van Zadelhoff opened to 42,000 from the button and Bilyauer called from the big blind. On the 8♦ Qâ™  4♥ flop Bilyauer check-called a bet of 60,000. Both players checked the 4â™  turn. On the 10♥ river, Bilyauer checked once more, van Zadelhoff bet 140,000. Bilyauer went deep into the tank for a good three minutes before eventually calling, van Zadelhoff showed Q♣ 10♣ and dragged the pot. –NW

2.35pm: Big stacks being cautious
On table one the big stacks have been respecting each other, three recent examples:

Hand One: Arnaud Mattern opened from middle position to 45,000 and was flat called by Kevin Stani from the big blind. Both players checked to the river of a 7♦ 2♣ 6♦ 7♥ 3♦ board, once Stani checked the river, Mattern fired 68,000 and Stani folded.

Hand Two: Kevin Stani completed from the small blind and Perica Bukara checked from the big blind. Neither player put anymore money in the pot as the board ran out 10♣ 7â™  J♣ 9♣ Q♣ Bukara’s 7♣ good enough for the pot.

Hand three: Kevin Stani raised from mid-position to 48,000 and was only called by Jonathan Weekes in the BB to go to a 9♥ Q♦ Aâ™  flop. Both players checked as they did with the 5♥ turn and 2♦ river. Stani tabled J♦ J♥ and it was good as Weekes mucked. –NW/MC

2.20pm: Bassam bashes up Ivashkiv
Igor Ivashkiv opened the pot for 46,000 from the hijack and Bassam Elnajjar called in the small blind. Both players checked the Jâ™  2♥ 3♥ flop but upon the turn of the 9♣ Bassam Elnajjar moved all-in. Ivashkiv was not interested and passed. — RD

2.15pm: Storakers back in the club(s)
Johan Storakers got a key double up through Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern. The Swede pushed for 216,000 with A♣ Q♣ and was called from the button by Mattern holding A♥ Q♦ . Storakers needed a little luck and got it when the board ran A♦ 3♣ 4♣ 8♣ K♦ . — SY

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Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern’s monster chip stack

2.10: Mattern runs brave bluff
Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern is back up to 2.15 million chip after bluff his neighbour Konstantin Bilyauer in the blinds. The flop came K♦ J♣ A♣ and Mattern saw his 65,000 c-bet raised to 146,00 by the Russian. His response was to re-raise to 365,000. Bilyauer thought for a while but let it go only to be shown Qâ™  4â™  by the Frenchman. –MC

2.05pm: Table re-draw
With the elimination of Simone Falorni in 17th place we’re down to two tables. Here’s how they stack up:

Table One:

Seat one: Johan Storakers
Seat two: Kevin Stani
Seat three: Perica Bukara
Seat four: Steven van Zadelhoff
Seat five: Arnaud Mattern
Seat six: Konstantin Bilyauer
Seat seven: Jonathan Weekes
Seat eight: Javed Abrahams

Table two:
Seat one: Oscar Teran
Seat two: Mikko Jaatinen
Seat three: Igor Ivashkiv
Seat four: Nicolo Calia
Seat five: Vallo Maidla
Seat six: Bassam Elnajjar
Seat seven: Dmitry Vitkind
Seat eight: Toni Ojala

By our reckoning seven of the eight biggest stacks are on table one, check out our chip count page for the latest chip counts. –NW

2pm: Simone Falorni is out in 17th (€10,000)
Vallo Maidla, the final Estonian left in the field, has just busted Simone Falorni in 17th place. Vallo Maidla had moved in from the hijack with Jâ™  K♣ and Falorni insta-called with 8♥ 8♦ . The flop was safe for the Italian with 5â™  A♣ 6♥ but the turn put Maidla ahead with the J♦ and a blank on the river, the 2♣ , saw the field drop to two tables. — RD

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Simone Falorni getting eliminated

1.55pm: Steven van Zadelhoff doubles through Arnaud Mattern
The Team PokerStars Pro opened to 44,000 and van Zadelhoff moved all-in for 322,000. After requesting a count Mattern called.

Van Zadelhoff: A♥ A♦
Mattern: A♠ Q♥

The flop of J♦ 10♣ 8â™  gave Mattern some outs and he started chuckling. The turn and river of 6♥ 6♣ bought no help. –NW

1.50pm: Jevtejev flushed out by Mattern
Team PokerStars Pro Aranud Mattern is up to a whopping 2.3million after eliminating Anatoli Jevtejev. Mattern raised to 45,000 from under-the-gun and then moved all-in when the Lithuanian three-bet from the BB. Jevtejev snap-called with Aâ™  Jâ™  and was racing Mattern’s 8♣ 8♦ . The board ran K♦ J♦ 3♥ 7♦ 5♦ to see Jevtejev hit his jack but Mattern continued his run good with a running four-flush, –MC

1.45pm: Stani doubles up
Carlo Bordogna was the victim. From the button Kevin Stani made it 48,000 to go and Bordogna moved all-in from the big blind, Stani called.

Stani: 9♥ 9♠
Bordogna: A♥ J♠

The board a suck and re-suck of 7♣ 6♥ A♦ 9♣ 3♥ , the stacks of the two players were really close after Thomas Kremser had counted them down Stani had 463,000 and Bordogna had him covered but only by 80,000. Those chips went in the very next hand with 9â™  6♣ but couldn’t overtake Konstantin Bilyauer’s A♦ K♣ Bordogna exited in 19th place. –NW

1.45pm: Ojala makes a great call
Toni Ojala has navigated this field very quietly but efficiently – in much the same way he did on his way to the final table of EPT Barcelona last year – but he has just had a major dent in his ambitions here. Ojala opened the action on the button and was shoved on by Oscar Teran in the small blind. Ojala tanked and then made the call.

Teran: J♥ Q♥
Ojala: Aâ™  9â™ 

The flop killed Ojala in the hand with 2♥ 10♥ 8♥ leaving the Finn with 190,000. Teran has over 500,000 now. — RD

1.40pm: PLAY RESUMES

1.27pm: Break
That’s the end of today’s first level, a level in which we lost six players. We’ll have a full round of chips up shortly. — SY

1.26pm: Luck runs out for Linov
Matvey Linov has become our 20th place finisher taking home €10,000. He raised to 90,000 (12,000 back) and then called off the extra when Toni Ojala moved all-in from the SB. Linov soon found his A♥ 8â™  was dominated by Ojala’s A♣ Kâ™  and he failed to come from behind on the Q♦ J♣ 10â™  K♥ 10♣ board. –MC

1.25pm: Aggression wins
Bassam Elnajjar from Lebanon raised under the gun to 38,000, only for Anatoli Jevtejev to re-raise to 80,000. Elnajjar was having none of that – firing it up again to 178,000. But that still wasn’t enough – Jevtejev, from Lithuania announced he was all-in for 385 total. Elnajjar looked aghast, and folded. — SY

1.22pm: Scandi vs Scandi: Storakers vs Stani
Scandinavia has more than its fair share of good poker players and two of them just clashed in a pot. Kevin Stani made it 35,000 to play from under the gun, everyone folded apart from big blind Johan Storakers who put in the 19,000 required to see a flop. Both players checked the A♥ 5♦ 2♣ flop. On the 2♥ turn Storakers bet 65,000 and was called. The river was the 7â™  and both players checked. Storakers showed 10♥ 9♥ , Stani 8♦ 8♥ , Storakers is down to 320,000, Stani is on 480,000. –NW

1.20pm: Who open folds A-K?
Matvey Linov has just folded ace-king face up in the big blind with just nine big blinds to a single raise. Who does that? Someone that didn’t realise that a raise had been made. Linov had enjoyed a treble up since his huge loss (see below). It turns out he would have been racing against pocket sixes. If he doubles in another spot it could turn out to have been a very fortunate mistake. — RD

1.15pm: Mattern takes care of another one
Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern is up to 1.9 million chips after busting Antti Karkkainen. Mattern raised to 36,000 from the cut-ff before the Finn moved all-in for just over 200,000. Mattern got a count and made the call with A♣ 6♦ to Karkkainen’s 2♣ 2♦ and the board came 4♦ 6â™  10♦ 5♥ 9♣ to pair Mattern’s six. “Nice call” said another tablemate to Mattern.

“I don’t like to fold” responded the Frenchman making sure all his opponents know he’s to play and not to hang around and ladder up the pay scale. –MC

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Arnaud Mattern is hoovering up chips

1.05pm: Joy for Ivashkiv, dismay for Linov
To say that Matvey Linov could be considered an active player would be more than fair so it’s understandable why Igor Ivashkiv four-bet shoved on the Russian with 9♣ 10♣ for 338,000. Ivashkiv had opened the action with a middle position raise to 34,000 and Linov three-bet to 91,000 which caused Ivashkiv to move all-in. Linov considered his chips – he would be left with a little under 40,000 if he called and lost – before he announced that he would call. Linov tabled A♣ Q♦ .

The wet flop hit both players with A♥ 9â™  J♣ and Linov went further ahead with the Qâ™  turn before the 9♥ rivered. Ivashkiv stood up and pushed the air as he shouted jubilantly in Russian as he moved up to 790,000. — RD

1pm: Demidov busts
This one involved so much aggression pre-flop that we were expecting to see two monster hands. We did not. Team PokerStars Pro Ivan Demidov raised from the button to 35,000 before Konstantin Bilyauer re-raised to 90,000 from the small blind. Back to Demidov, who thought for a moment or two before raising it up again to 200,000. Bilyauer moved all-in, covering his fellow Russian. Demidov looked a little shocked at that, but was committed to the hand, making the call. The cards?

Demidov: 5♥ 5♠
Bilyauer: K♠ Q♦

That was a surprise to many. While Demidov was ahead, the board came 4♣ 7♥ 8â™  Qâ™  4♦ to shoot Bilyauer to victory. Demidov leaves in 22nd for €10,000, while Bilyauer shoots up to 1.7million chips. — SY

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Demidov was knocked out by Bilyauer (foreground)

12.55pm: Home win
Vallo Maidla is the only remaining Estonian in the field and he just doubled through Toni Ojala to stay alive. Ojala opened to 36,000 from early position and Maidla moved all-in from the button for 163,000. Ojala made the call.

Maidla: A♠ A♣
Ojala: A♦ K♣

The board was a safe one for the Estonian running out J♥ 7♥ 6♣ 2â™  10â™  . There’s an Estonian film crew here today, as there has been every day, understandably today they’re mostly hanging around Maidla’s table. –NW

12.50pm: Shove happy Calia
Nicolo Calia is getting very shove happy at the moment but we’ve got no reason to believe that he’s doing it light. His first shove was under the gun for around 260,000. He got no action and flashed J♣ J♥ . A few hands later Team PokerStars Pro Aranuad Mattern opened under the gun for 36,000 and Calia moved all-in over the top for 265,000. Mattern gave it some thought before tapping the table and folding his hand. — RD

12.45pm: Abrahams doubles again
Javed Abrahams has doubled through Johan Storakers for the second time today. The Brit opened with a raised to 35,000 and Storakers moved all-in quickly. Abrahams called even quicker with pocket aces, which were nicely ahead of Storakers’ pair of tens. The board bricked for the Swede, sending him down to 260,000. Abrahams, however, now finds himself up to the relatively dizzy heights of 530,000. — SY

12.40pm: Read all about it!
Team PokerStars Pro Ivan Demidov is a clever chap. He’s making sure he keeps up with the best updates from Tallinn by reading the PokerStars Blog between hands. Here he is… — SY

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Good news: Ivan Demidov

12.35pm: Mattern straightens out Donato
Cooler alert. Attilio Donato raised to 32,000 from under the gun and Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern gave him a spin from the big blind. The flop fell 8♥ 10♠ 2♠ and Mattern check called a c-bet of 42,000. The turn was the 7♣ , once more Mattern checked. Donato fired a second barrel this time 120,000, Mattern moved all-in, he had Donato well covered, Donato snap called.

Mattern: J♥ 9♥
Donato: 7♥ 7♦

Donato needed the board to pair, or the case seven, but the river was the 5♥ . ‘Oh my god,’ said a visibly shaken Donato as he left the table. Mattern now has 1,600,000 and is the chip leader. –NW

12.30pm: All-in is the move from the BB
The last three hands from table 28 have al been button versus BB battles with the BB coming out on top every time. Antti Karkkainen, Konstantin Bilyauer and Javed Abrahams all raised from the button only to face all-in moves from Jonathan Weekes, Javed Abrahams and Kevin Stani in the respective BB. The re-raises were big enough on every occasion to force the fold from the button. –MC

12.20pm: Filskov kickered out
Nathanael Filskov, a Danish PokerStars qualifier is out in 24th place. The hand started off quietly enough, with Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern opening with a raise to 36,000, but then it all kicked off.

Filskov moved all-in for 155,000, and quick as a flash Attilio Donato moved all in as well for 285,000. It was folded to Steven Van Zadelhoff, who looked mightily upset to fold, later saying he had A-Q. Mattern got out of the way and we had a showdown:

Donato: A♦ K♦
Filskov: K♣ J♣

The board ran Kâ™  Qâ™  9♣ 8â™  7♣ , and the man from Denmark was off to collect his €10,000. — SY

12.15pm: First elimination
Vitalijs Zavorotnis is our first casualty of the day. Bassam Elnajjar raised to 38,000 from the hijack and Zavorotnis three-bet to 110,000. Elnajjar wasted no time in announcing all-in and the Lithuanian made the call.

Elnajjar: A♥ A♠
Zavorotnis : J♥ J♣

The flop brought Zavorotnis a lot of hope with Qâ™  9♣ 10â™  but the turn and river blanked out with 3â™  and 2♣ . Zavorotnis was left with just 4,000 and got it all-in the next hand with 4â™  4♣ against Mikko Jaatinen’s J♥ J♣ . — RD

12.10pm: Javed Abrahams doubles up
It folded to Javed Abrahams in the small blind and he moved all-in for his last 143,000. From the big blind Johan Storakers asked the Brit how much he had started the day with, did the maths and announced ‘Ok I’ll gamble with you’ and turned over pocket threes. Abrahams opened A♥ 3♥ and was in trouble. The board ran out Jâ™  7♦ K♦ Aâ™  10♦ , Storakers started the day with 656,000. –NW

12PM: PLAY UNDERWAY

11.55am: Welcome back to EPT Tallinn Day 4
We didn’t quite make it down to the 24 players yesterday as we hoped. 25 stubborn players return for the penultimate day of poker action and we will play as long as it takes to get down to our final table of 8 players.

Perica Bukara is our chips leader at the start of play with 1,326,000 but he is closely followed by Konstantin Bilyauer with 1,240,000 and Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern with 1,155,000. Bukara starts with Bilyauer to his right but this interesting dynamic won’t last too long as their table is breaking once we lose more one player. Table 28 has definitely thrown up the most interesting draw with Team PokerStars Pro Ivan Demidov sat with Johan Storakers, Jonathan Weekes and Javed Abrahams.

Join us back here in five minutes when play is due to start.

PokerStars Blog reporting team: In order of flights taken this year. Simon Young (27), Marc Convey (23), Rick Dacey (17) and Nick Wright (7)

All photos (c) Neil Stoddart

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