6.02pm: Break!
That’s level 18 out of the way. Players are now on a 15-minute break. 39 remain, and we’ll be playing down to 24 tonight. — SY

6pm: Storakers rakes it in
Michal Polchlopek raised from the cut-off to 19,000 and was three-bet to 54,000 by Johan Storakers. Polchlopek made the call. Storakers led the 9♦ 10♠ 5♠ flop for 85,000 and again the Polish called. Both checked down the Q♣ turn and 7♠ river before Storakers showed A♥ 10♦ to win the pot. The 140,000 he’d gained from Polchlopek has put him up to 935,000. It’s turning into quite some stack. — RD

5.58pm: Neuville no more
Friend of PokerStars Pierre Neuville is out, running A-K into the pocket sixes of Seppo Parkkinen from Finland. The Serial PokerStars qualifier was unable to win the race, and must now wait until EPT Vilamoura to try his luck again. — SY

5.56pm: Abrahams doubles another player
Javed Abrahams has doubled another player at his table. Attilio Donato raised to 20,000 to see Abrahams three-bet to 50,000 from the next seat. His response was to move all-in for 84,000. Call.

Abrahams: 10♥ 10♠
Donato: K♥ K♦

The board ran K♠ 4♠ 9♣ 4♥ Q♣ . It’s been a bad level for the young Brit as he slips to a below average 280,000. –MC

5.55pm Poland 1 Norway 1
Kevin Stani and Michal Polchlopek seem to be having a running battle against each other. Just now Stani evened the score by taking a pot off the Pole. I missed the pre-flop action but with 48,000 in the pot, it suggested that Stani had raised from under the gun+1 and been called by Polchlopek on the button. Both players praticed avoidance on the A♠ 5♠ 7♣ flop, but come the 3♠ turn, the spirited Stani bet out for 32,000 forcing a fold from Polchopek. –NW

5.52pm: Big pass
Igor Ivashkiv opened the button for 18,500 and was three-bet by Eddie Tasbas in the big blind to 58,000. Ivaskiv moved all-in and Tasbas went into the tank. He looked genuinely pained as he tugged at his beard before eventually passing J♥ J♠ face up. — RD

5.50pm: Top pair good enough
Steven van Zadelhoff raised to 16,500 from the button and got a call from Konstantin Bilyaver in the small blind and Carlo Federico Bordogna in the big. On the K♠ 7♣ 4♠ flop it was checked to Van Zadelhoff who made it 31,000. Only Bilyaver called.

The turn was 3♦ and Bilyaver checked again, allowing the Dutchman to bet 82,000. With that, Bilyaver moved all in for around 200,000, forcing a swift fold. He showed K♣ J♥ for a winning top pair. — SY

5.40pm: Another loss for Weekes
It’s another tough spot for Jonathan Weekes. Following his loss of chips in the hand decribed just a few minutes ago(scroll down), the young Brit has lost another 150,000 to Antti Kärkkäinen of Finland.

Luca Pagano had kicked it off with an opening raise to 25,000. Weekes re-raised by another 27,000 – then Kärkkäinen moved all in for around 150,000. Pagano got out of the way and Weekes made the call with 9♠ 9♣ .

He was up against the Finn’s A♥ K♦ , and all looked good on the 3♠ 5♥ 2♥ flop – and on the 2♠ turn. But the A♣ on the river was enough to keep Kärkkäinen alive and send Weekes down to 300,000. — SY

Jonathan Weekes was the chip leader – not so anymore

5.30pm: Bevand busted
Eddie Tasbas was the assassin, he raised under the gun to 20,100 and called Bevand’s shove of 103,000.

Tasbas: A♥ K♠
Bevand: K♥ Q♥

The board ran out 8♦ 6♥ 9♠ 2♠ J♣ , throughout Tasbas was shouting for a queen! The Swede couldn’t have played in this event had it started ten days earlier as, despite possessing a fine beard, he’s amazingly only just turned 21. Tallinn is an over 21 event. We personally checked his I.D to verify this. –NW

5.25pm: Weekes falling back
Overnight chip leader Jonathan Weekes is being pegged back, bit by bit. Just now he lost another chunk of his stack, taking him down to 500,000. He and Oleg Makovenko saw a board of 7♣ 6♥ 7♥ 2♦ and Weekes called Makovenko’s 8,000 bet (there was around 60,000 in the pot already). On the K♠ river, Makevenko checked, then called Weekes’ 70,000 bet – finding 8♥ 8♦ were ahead of Weekes’ A♥ J♦ . — SY

5.20pm: Cohen’s nine lives
Ouri Cohen is hanging around stubbornly and is up to around 100,000 after doubling-up through Javed Abrahams. Abrahams made it 16,000 to go and then called the 48,500 push from Cohen. Showdown:

Cohen: 9♣ 9♠
Abrahams: A♣ 4♣

The board ran J♥ 4♦ K♦ 3♥ Q♦ . Abrahams still okay on 380,000. –MC

5.10pm: Swede on Swede action
The Swedes seem to love getting involved with each other. First Mattias Jorstedt opened to 17,500 and was shoved on by Eddie Tasbas for 81,000 from the big blind. Jorstedt passed and said: “That’s an interesting game,” when he was shown K♣ 9♣ by Tasbas.

The bearded swede shoved again the very next hand when the action was folded to him in the small blind. Frederik Boberg instantly called eliciting a “Oh wow” from Tasbas who knew he was in trouble with his A♦ 3♠ . And he was right, Boberg held A♣ K♦ . Tasbas needed a miracle river when he board ran out 6♥ 10♥ 9♣ A♠ and that’s exactly what he got with the 3♦ dropping. Tasbas is up to 220,000 and Boberg down to 100,000. — RD

Eddie Tasbas is stacking up

5pm: Linov loving it
Matvey Linov just eliminated Kestutis Slankauskas, the latter moved all-n for 76,500 with A♦ 10♦ , Linov called with pocket nines, which held. With that elimination another table has been broken leaving six tables still going. –NW

4.45pm: Hilarious mix up
“Time,” called Matvey Linov after being forced to wait through a large chunk of the break by Heinz Kamutzki on the river of a 2♦ 8♣ 7♦ Q♣ K♣ board. “But I checked a long time ago. I was about to call the clock on you!” said Kamutzki. Linov grinned and bet. Kamutzki passed with five minutes left of the break. — RD

4.32: BREAK TIME
The end of level 17 has come. 15 minute break for the players

4.30pm: Blind battle
Mattias Jorstedt is up to 460,000 after winning a blind battle versus Jussi Jaatinen. The board read 9♠ A♦ 7♠ A♥ at the turn and Jaatinen led for 20,500 only to be raised to 46,000. He called to go to the 4♣ river where they both checked. Jaatinen had missed a flush draw with Q♠ J♠ so the Swede scooped with Q♥ 7♣ . Jaatinen down to 222,000. –MC

4.25pm: Poland 1 Norway 0
A very long winded hand just played out between Poland’s Michal Polchlopek (cut off) and Norway’s Kevin Stani (big blind). With around 37,000 in the pot, Stani led for 16,000 on the 9♥ K♠ 7♥ 7♦ board. Polchlopek was a non believer and made it 55,000 total. Stani now tanked for a couple of minutes before smooth calling. The river fell the J♦ , Stani dwelled for a minute before checking to Polchopek. The Pole fired another barrel, this time 80,000. Stani now tanked again, for a long time, he cut out the 80,000 to call from his stack of around 360,000 and several times looked as if he was on the verge of calling. After a solid five minutes thinking time, he asked Polchopek: “Will you show if I fold,’ Polchopek had been starring at a spot on the felt the entire time and didn’t flinch. Eventually Stani made what seemed like a reluctant fold. –NW

4.10pm: Calling his exit card
Sasa Stancic called for king on the river and it duly came but the only problem was that this card made his opponent a straight to eliminate him.

Michal Polchlopek opened to 14,000 from under-the-gun and was called by Stancic in the BB to see a 10♣ 6♥ 2♦ flop. Stancic checked and Polchlopek put him all-in as he only has 11,500 left. Stanic shrugged and called with A♦ J♥ but he was ahead of Polchlopek’s Q♥ J♥ and it got better with the A♣ on the turn. Then for some reason Stancic called for a king and the dealer dealt the K♠ on the river to eliminate him. –MC

4.05pm: Berda busts but is smiling
Earlier we mentioned how Tomer Berda scraped into the money with two big blinds. He must’ve doubled up since then but he’s now out. He opened to 15,000 under the gun+1, leaving himself one solitary 5,000 chip behind the betting line. From the small blind Chady Merhej isolated to 30,000 total. Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern then made it 100,000 to go from the big blind. Berda put his single chip in the pot, but Merhej did not put anymore in, electing to fold.

Mattern: Q♣ Q♦
Berda: K♦ 9♦

The board a decisive A♣ Q♠ 4♦ J♠ 9♣ , Mattern – who has been getting a rather pleasant massage – now has around 500,000. –NW

Rub down: Arnaud Mattern

4pm: The traditional Luca Pagano cash post
Well, this one does what it says on the tin. Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano has now extended his record-breaking run of EPT cashes to 15. The Italian has a terrific ability to go deep in tournaments, and with the bubble now burst in Tallinn he’ll be adding to his $1.1million in EPT winnings.

Right now he has over 310,000 chips and is looking for another deep run, hoping to reach his seventh final table.

It seems appropriate to use a picture of the great man, wouldn’t you think? — SY

Cash machine: Luca Pagano

3.55pm: Dalimore done and dusted
Brit Mark Dalimore moved all-in for his last 40,000 and was called by Jussi Jaatinen.

Dalimore: K♣ 10♣
Jaatinen: 7♣ 7♠

The board a sweat inducing yet ultimately fruitless 2♦ A♠ Q♥ Q♣ 7♥ . With that pot Jaatinen is up to 270,000. –NW

3.45pm: The bubble has burst
From the small blind Chady Merhej raised to 15,000, next to act Yotam Bar-Yosef moved all-in for 96,500 and was snap called, Bar-Yosef was at risk.

Merhej: Q♦ Q♣
Bar-Yosef: 2♥ 2♠

Flop: A♥ 4♥ 3♦

Bar-Yosef had a draw

Turn: J♥

Bar Yosef picked up some more outs

River: 8♣

Perhaps the most relieved man in the room was Tomer Berda, he was at the same table with a stack of just 12,000 (two big blinds) and the big blind was due to hit him next. Berda among with 55 others is now guaranteed €6,350. –NW

Happy: Yotam Bar-Yosef

Sad: Yotam Bar-Yosef

Happy: Tomer Berda

3.25pm: Bubble time
Matvey Linov has eliminated Robert Peltecci to take us to the bubble. Peltecci open shoved for 36,500 from early position with A♥ Q♦ but ran into Linov’s A♣ A♦ from the SB. The board ran J♥ 4♦ 9♠ 7♣ 6♣ . The multiple short stacks around the room can breathe a little easier now–MC

3.15pm: Hand for hand
Tournament director Thomas Kremser has just announced that play is now hand for hand. There are 58 remaining, 56 make the money. –NW

3.10pm: Bevand takes one down
Manuel Bevand moved all-in from middle position, and in turn no less than three players tanked and considered calling. The last of these was Mark Dalimore who folded K♠ Q♠ from the big blind. Bevand showed pocket fives. One of the other players who folded claimed to have sixes. Bevand let out a big smile at this news. –NW

3.07pm: Here we go again
Players are filing back for what will be a crucial level of tournament poker. We’re just two spots of the money, so expect a small slow-down before the chips start flying again.

Jonathan Weekes is still the likely chip leader with 757,000. The Londoner, who often plays at the Vic Casino, is mates with EPT Berlin winner Kevin MacPhee – so maybe some of his championship luck has rubbed off.

Jonathan Weekes

PokerStars Blog reporting team (in order of time they left the PokerStars party): Simon Young (1am), Marc Convey and Rick Dacey (4am), and Nick Wright (the big girl’s blouse never even went there)

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