2.52am: Jason Mercier is the EPT Champion of Champions
Jason Mercier is the inaugural EPT Champion of Champions! Mercier had moved in with A♥ 2♦ and Galen Hall had made the call with K♠3♦ for his last 500,000. Mercier smashed the board with A♠Q♥ 7♠A♣ 7♦ to send Hall to the rail with €25,000 in Season 8 buy-ins.
Mercier takes €50,000, the trophy and the glory. It’s been fun, stay on hand for the end of day wrap and we’ll see you next season. — RD
2.45am: Cooler goes to Mercier
Jason Mercier has just had a whiff of run good to counter a cooler from Galen Hall. Mercier had three-bet from the big blind to 460,000, Hall had shoved and Mercier had snapped him off.
Hall: A♦ K♣
Mercier: A♠J♥
The window card was the Jâ™ , the rest of the board ran out 7♣ 9â™ 5♦ 5â™ . Mercier 4,470,000, Hall 553,000. — RD
2.35am: Play back and forth
These two fine poker players have been batting teh chip lead to and fro, neither wants to give ground or over exposure themselves (in terms of shipping it in light). — RD
2.20am: Blinds up, play resumes
We’re on the verge of making history here. One of these two remaining players will be crowned EPT Champion of Champions. One is fresh from a PCA victory, the other has an impeccable tournament history. Both would be worthy victors and are fairly evenly stacked. — RD
2.11am: Mercier comeback
Jason Mercier isn’t going to go down without a fight. Mercier had c-bet 105,000 into the 8♣ K♥ 6♣ flop and Galen Hall check-raised to 325,000. Mercier moved all-in and Hall quickly passed his hand. That puts the Team PokerStars Pro on 2,100,000 and Mercier on a little under 2,800.000. — RD
2am: Misclick?
It turns out that Galen Hall hadn’t realise quite how many chips Vicky Coren had so a bit of a misclick of a call. Coren looked absolutely shellshocked in the post bust out interview. — RD
1.55am: Max Lykov eliminated in 3rd place, earning €15,000
Another all-in and again it’s Max Lykov all-in, showing Jâ™ 3â™ against Galan Hall’s Q♥ 9♦ . The board ran 3♣ 10â™ A♦ Q♦ 8♣ to end Lykov’s hopes in third place, earning €15,000 in EPT8 buy-ins. We’re now heads-up in the Champion of Champions event. – SB
1.50am: Coren out in 4th place, €10,000
Vicky Coren moved all in. Galen Hall, perhaps not realising how big Coren’s stack was, called with Kâ™ 2â™ . Coren turned over 8♣ 8♥ and awaited her fate. The board came J♣ J♥ K♣ 3♦ Q♦ . Coren was sudden;y out in fourth place, earning €10,000 worth of EPT Season 8 buy-ins. Three remain. — SB
1.49am: Naujoks bubbles in fifth
Sandra Naujoks has just bust in fifth after shoving Qâ™ J♣ and getting by the K♦ 2♣ of the Jason Mercier. The board ran out 6♥ Aâ™ 3â™ 9♣ 4♥ and all players are now guaranteed €10,000 in buy-ins a piece. — RD
1.45am: And Lykov goes on
Max Lykov doubles up through Sandra Naujoks after moving in from the button for 180,000 with 10â™ 6â™ . Sandra Naujoks called with Kâ™ 5â™ for a board of Q♦ 10♣ 5♣ 9♣ 9♦ . Lykov still alive. – SB
1.40am: Coren doubles, Lykov in trouble
Vicky Coren shoved Kâ™ 5â™ and Max Lykov moved all-in over the top making the pot 950,000, leaving Lykov with 185,000 behind.
Lykov: A♥ 6♥
Coren: Kâ™ 5â™
Coren flopped a king which held. — RD
1.30am: Play restarts, Tureniec out in 6th
Play resumes and Michael Tureniec moves all-in from middle position. Jason Mercier calls showing A♣ Jâ™ with Tureniec showing Q♥ 10♥ . The board ran 8â™ J♦ 9♣ 6♣ 2♣ . Tureniec out. — SB
1.15am: Naujoks three-bet fold
Sandra Naujoks just three-bet folded to 200,000 from the big blind over the top of a Jaason Mercier 80,000 open raise. Mercier moved all-in and Naujoks mucked. ICM nightmare.
And it’s another break. — RD
1.05am: Monster pot
Jason Mercier opened to 80,000 and was called by Galen Hall in the big blind. Hall check-called 97,0000 on the J♦ 8♥ 10♥ flop and another 168,000 on the 7♣ turn. The pot was getting huge and was going to be for the chip lead.
The A♣ river was checked by Hall over to Mercier who value bet 275,000. Hall sat for some time before moving all-in for 910,000 and Mercier’s face instantly turned to the angst ridden setting.
“I’m sorry, guys,” said Mercier after a large chunk of the blind level had passed. He eventually called and the pot was split with Hall’s A♥ 9â™ to Mercier’s flopped straight with 9♣ 7♦ . — RD
12.42am: Schaefer out in 7th
Brandon Schaefer shoved 354,000 with 7♥ 7♦ from under-the-gun and Galen Hall moved all-in over the top for 843,000. The board ran out K♦ 4♣ J♣ Jâ™ Q♥ and Schaefer waves goodbye. Hall up to 1,200,000. — RD
12.39am: ElkY out in 8th
ElkY has busted out in 8th after shoving 175,000 from late position and Jason Mercier made the call.
Mercier: A♥ 9♥
ElkY: K♠9♦
Neither player connected and ElkY left in 8th. — RD
12.36am: State of play
19 hands and no post flop play as the blinds go up to 15,000-30,000 with a 3,000 ante.
12.35am: ElkY plugging away
ElkY triples up from next to nothing when Jason Mercier called ElkY’s shove with A♥ 6♣ with Q♥ Q♣ . The board was good to the Frenchman, coming 2♣ Aâ™ K♣ 3♦ 7♦ . ElkY still alive. – SB
12.25am: No callers, part two
Sandra Naujoks opened for 52,000 under-the-gun and took the blinds. — RD
12.20am: No callers
Three all-ins with no takers for any of them. First ElkY for 372,000. The Michael Tureniec for 283,000 in middle position, then Brandon Schaefer for 258,000. — SB
12.10am: Mercier joins Hall in the million club
Jason Mercier has just broken into the million club after three-bet shoving for 533,000 from the big blind with 2♠2♥ and Tureniec made the call from the button with A♦ 9♥ . The Swede had opened the button for 40,000.
Tureniec never caught up and dropped to 295,000. Mercier up to 1,082,000. — RD
12.02am: Photos then Coren
After a short break for photos Coren opens the first pot and takes the blinds. — RD
12.01am: Final table seat draw
Seat 1 – Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier (2008 PCA) – 426,000
Seat 2 – Galen Hall (2011 PCA) – 628,000
Seat 3 – Maxim Lykov (EPT6 Kyiv) – 461,000
Seat 4 – Michael Tureniec ( EPT7 Copenhagen) – 878,000
Seat 5 – Jason Mercier (EPT4 San Remo) – 503,000
Seat 6 – Sandra Naujoks (EPT5 Dortmund) – 772,000
Seat 7 – Vicky Coren (EPT3 London) – 614,000
Sea 8 – Brandon Schaefer (EPT1 Deauville) – 360,000
Tureniec holds a slight lead. — RD
11.55pm: And Gimbel leaves eight
Harrison Gimbel departs in ninth place, leaving the eight to play the final table. HE moved in with 4♥ 4♣ and Galen Hall snap called, unsurprisingly when he turned over A♥ A♦ . The board ran 3♣ 10♥ 7♦ 2♦ K♥ . – SB
11.50pm: No more for Martin
Michael Martin departs in tenth place, his Kâ™ 9♦ no match against Sandra Naujoks’s A♥ 9♥ on a board of 8â™ 6â™ 8♥ 4♦ 10♦ . It leaves just nine players who will now unite around the feature table. – SB
11.45pm: Play continues
After a longer than expected break play resumes. — SB
11.25pm: Take a few minutes
There’s a pause in play as the final nine converge on the feature table. — SB
11.20pm: To the final nine
Michael Martin departs in tenth place, his Kâ™ 9♦ no match against Sandra Naujoks’s A♥ 9♥ on a board of 8â™ 6â™ 8♥ 4♦ 10♦ . It leaves just nine players who will now unite around the feature table. – SB
11.15pm: ElkY doubles
Sandra Naujoks just went ElkY hunting but came up short. The Frenchman moved in with 7â™ 6♣ which Naujoks called with A♣ A♥ . The board landed 6♦ 9â™ 10♣ 4♣ 2♥ to keep the Frenchman alive. We play on. – SB
11.13pm: Play restarts
Cards are in the air again…
10.58pm: Break time
Players are taking a 15 minute break.
10.56pm: Lykov triples
Team PokerStars Pro Max Lykov has just more than doubled through with Aâ™ Kâ™ through ElkY though who had shoved from the big blind with pocket nines. Vicky Coren had juiced the pot with a small three-bet from the small blind but wisely passed to the re-shoves. — RD
10.52pm: MacPhee out
Kevin MacPhee’s season comes to an end in 11th place, sent out by Harrison Gimble when he moved in with pocket eights. Gimble called with ace-queen and watched the board run Q♣ 4♥ 6♥ 9♥ [x]. MacPhee out. Ten players remain. – SB
10.40pm: MacPhee doubles
Kevin McPhee doubles up through Michael Tureniec, his king-queen good against Tureniec’s ace-deuce on a board of [k][q][5][5][3]. – SB
10.36pm: End of the road for Hollink
Rob Hollink, the first ever EPT Grand FInal winner, makes his way to the rail, out in 12th place, eliminated by Harrison Gimbel. — SB
10.30pm: Peters peters out
Rueben Peters is out, moving in for 67,000 with A♦ Jâ™ against ElkY’s 3♥ 3â™ . The board ran 10â™ 8♦ 6♦ 2♦ 6â™ to send the former EPT Dublin champion home. – SB
10.25pm: Hall alive but MacPhee on the ropes
Galen Hall got his chips in, got called by Kevin MacPhee, but is now back in the game, doubling up with A♥ Q♦ against MacPhee’s K♦ Q♥ . The board ran [t][a][5][3][7] to send the chips to Hall, leaving MacPhee in trouble. – SB
10.20pm: Barcelona, it was the first place that we met
Bjorn-Erik Glenne becomes the latest faller, departing in 14th place from the outer table. — SB
10.18pm: No takers
ElkY moves all in a couple of times, but doesn’t get any trade. Then Max Lykov tried the same, with similar results. — SB
10.05pm: Fry out, Vance follows
Having led coming back from the break Will Fry is out. He was forced in with his last 129,000 with 3♦ 6â™ and was called with ElkY calling with Aâ™ Qâ™ . The board came 9♣ 8♦ 2♥ J♦ 2♣ to send Fry to the rail. He ran into Tim Vance on the rail, who had just been eliminated on the outer table. – SB
10pm: Naujoks smashes Fry
Will Fry has lost a huge pot to Sandra Naujoks after turning the nut straight on a 3♠8♦ 5♣ 4♠board with 6♣ 7♣ . Naujoks checked the 8♥ river and allowed Fry to bet at the river. Naujoks cautiously called to chip up to 570,000. Fry in trouble.
Brandon Schaefer then doubled up to 370,000 with sevens to the queens of Reuben Peters after flopping a set and rivering a boat. — RD
9.55pm: Romanello falls, ElkY crawls back
Romanello shoved his last 37,000 with 10♥ 8♦ and ElkY made the call with Q♥ 7♥ instantly smashing the Q♦ 7â™ 2♥ flop. The Aâ™ finished Romanello’s chances of a comeback. ElkY given a boost after that hand against Coren. — RD
9.50pm: Coren takes on ElkY
ElkY opened for 17,000 from under-the-gun. The action was folded to Vicky Coren who three-bet to 50,000 in the big blind. ElkY called for a flop of 10♦ 3♠2♣ .
Coren c-bet 75,000 which ElkY called again. The turn, 3♣ . Coren bet another 100,000 and again ElkY called, leaving 460,000 in the middle. On the river card J♦ Coren put the brakes on, checking. ElkY did the same, mucking when Coren showed ace-jack. Coren moves up to 720,000. – SB
9.40pm: Romanello down to 15,000
ElkY’s resurrection has continued. Down to 4,500 earlier the Frenchman is now up to 370,000 after getting Aâ™ Q♦ in against Roberto Romanello’s A♣ 9♦ and holding up. The Welshman was down to fumes before getting queens in against Brandon Schaefer’s ace-rag. Still short. — RD
9.35pm: San Remo champion on the rail
Rupert Elder is out. At least it was quick. When he moved in with any two – in this case 9♣ 3♥ , Vicky Coren called with K♣ Q♣ . Elder felt nothing, the flop of Aâ™ J♣ 10â™ giving Coren the stone cold nuts. The turn card A♣ eliminated any split pot possibilities, sending the EPT San Remo champion home. – SB
9.30pm: Mercier hangs on
Jason Mercier doubles, his pocket nines beating the ace-eight of Noah Boeken on a board of [8][5][j][7][k]. – SB
9.25pm: Elder crippled, then doubles through
Rupert Elder just lost a 330,000 pot to Reuben Peters with jacks to queens before doubling back through to 62,000 after rivering Broadway with J♥ Q♥ against Brandon Schaefer’s pocket queens. — RD
9.20pm: Chip counts
In no particular order…
Will Fry – 597,000
Michael Tureniec – 485,000
Vicky Coren – 411,000
Maxim Lykov – 389,000
Michael Martin – 324,500
Harrison Gimbel – 262,000
Constant Rijkenberg – 254,000
Kevin MacPhee – 247,000
Rupert Elder – 218,000
Galen Hall – 207,000
Roberto Romanello – 198,500
Brandon Schaefer – 192,500
Bjorn-Erik Glenne – 188,000
Reuben Peters – 172,000
Sandra Naujoks – 166,000
Noah Boeken – 148,000
Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier – 143,000
Tim Vance – 129,000
Jason Mercier – 92,000
Rob Hollink – 82,500
Alexander Stevic – 72,500
9.12pm: Play resumes
With all the remaining players wrangled, play restarts in the Champion of CHampions event with blinds at 3,000-6,000 with a 500 ante. – SB
Vicky Coren
