From 2,031 players who started this record-breaking Eureka Prague Main Event just 62 made it through to today’s penultimate day, and that group speedily played down to an eclectic ensemble of eight players who’ll be returning for tomorrow’s final table. 

From seven different countries come these eight finalists, with an Italian — Alessandro Giordano — the one who’ll be returning to the biggest stack of the group tomorrow. He was obviously glad to have ended the night in front, as was his girlfriend, Giada Fang of Team PokerStars Pro Online.

Giordano and Giada

Giordano only just barely earned himself the honor of posing for an end-of-day-leader photo, having ended the night with 8,705,000 — not even two big blinds clear of the Lithuanian Vladas Tamasauskas’s 8.5 million.

Another who’ll be there at the final table will be Poland’s Piotr Romanczukiewicz who started today in first position with more than twice what anyone else had to start the day. He came back to the pack relatively early, with Giordano the one taking over the lead during the late afternoon and keeping it for the most part throughout the night.

Along the way the field steadily whittled down with Syzmon Wysocki (49th), Eoghan O’Dea (34th), Tom Hall (32nd), Kristen Bicknell (31st), Albert Daher (27th), Marco Caza (21st), and Ivan Deyra (14th) among the fallen.

Persisting throughout with a short stack, then building up to enjoy a spot near the top for a short while was the last Team PokerStars Pro in the field, Marcin Horecki. The Polish pro made a deep run in this event once before when he finished in seventh place three years ago. He nearly made it that far again before falling in 12th tonight.

Marcin makes another deep run

A short while after Horecki’s knockout, there was a bang-bang-bang series of busts suddenly trimming the group from 11 to just eight, with Vygerdas Jonikas of Lithuania (11th), Jan Susicky of the Czech Republic (10th), and Ben Farrell of the UK (ninth) the last to go. Click here for a full list of payouts going back to the first casher in 391st.

The final eight come back at 12 noon tomorrow, all still eying that €254,750 first prize and last ever Eureka Main Event trophy awaiting the champ. Here’s how the counts stack up at the moment:

Come back tomorrow and find out with us who from this group the winner will be. Until then, goodnight from Prague! –MH

Day 3 coverage

11:15pm: Ben Farrell eliminated in 9th place (€22,500)
Level 31 – Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

Well, we didn’t see this one coming. Quite literally, we didn’t see it.

While the commotion of Jan Susicky’s bust out was taking place, Ben Farrell ever-so-quietly was eliminated over on the other table. He jammed with ace-deuce, and was called by Vojtech Horut’s ace-five. Farrell took the lead on a seven/four/deuce flop, and the turn came an eight. But a three on the river gave Horut a wheel, and brought us down to our final table of eight.

That mean’s we’re done for the night. The players have redrawn for a final table, so we’ll be back with a full wrap of the day shortly, in which you can see the end-of-day chip counts and final table seat draw. –JS

Ben Farrell – 9th place

11:10pm: Jan Susicky eliminated in 10th place (€16,030)
Level 31 – Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

Jan Susicky was under the gun and announced he was all-in for 2.2 million. It folded to Rosen Angelov in the big blind and he quickly, turning over the A♣ Q♦ . Susicky had the 10♦ 10♠ , so we were racing.

The Q♥ K♦ 8♣ flop gave Angelov the lead, yet the J♠ turn gave Susicky straight outs. However, it wasn’t meant to be. The 8♠ completed the board and we were down to nine. Angelov has 6 million now. –JS

Jan Susicky – 10th place

11pm: Vygerdas Jonikas eliminated in 11th place (€16,030)
Level 31 – Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

Vygerdas Jonikas tried to do what he could during the first half of level to spin his short stack up, but nothing was working. 

He was dealt K♥ K♣ once on the button and open-pushed his stack of just a few big blinds, but couldn’t get any takers. He then got his chips in with A♥ 5♥ versus an opponent’s Q♠ 5♣ , but a 10♥ 6♣ 4♠ 7♠ 8♣ runout meant a chopped pot after that straight-completing river.

Finally he open-raised all in for just over 1.2 million from the cutoff holding K♣ 5♦ , and when it folded to chip leader Alessandro Giordano in the big blind he looked down at 6♣ 6♥ and called.

The board came J♣ 3♠ 2♦ 10♣ 8♣ , Giordano’s small pair held, and Jonikas was eliminated in 11th. Giordano is now up to 8.675 million. –MH

Vygerdas Jonikas – 11th place

10:55pm: Jonikas bluff-shoves, Juvancic doubles
Level 31 – Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

James Juvancic saw no action in front of him, and on the button and he raised it up to 325,000. It folded to Vygerdas Jonikas in the big blind, and he decided to make a huge raise by going all in for several million. Juvancic had 2.845 million and snap-called.

Juvancic – 9♦ 9♥
Jonikas – K♥ 8♠

The board ran out 6♥ J♠ A♦ A♣ 5♠ and the nines held for Juvancic, giving the player from the USA a double up. He has 5.8 million now, while Jonikas is down to just 840,000 after he posted the small blind next hand. –JS

10:35pm: Updated chip counts; 11 remain
Level 31 – Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

Players are back in their seats and Level 31 is underway. With 11 left — from 10 different countries — Alessandro Giordano has retaken the lead. Check them fresh counts below. –MH

Alessandro Giordano

10:15pm: Break time

With 11 left — just three from the final table — players are off again on another 20-minute break. –MH

10:10pm: Marcin Horecki eliminated in 12th place (€12,340)
Level 30 – Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

The red spade had a great run here in the last ever Eureka Main Event, but it’s the end of the line for Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki. He was very short – down to just 455,000 – and he moved it all in under the gun.

But let’s rewind a few hands. Horecki lost most of his stack in a hand against Jan Susicky, a local player who has a big rail watching on. On a 7♥ 6♣ 8♥ J♠ board Hubert Matuszewski checked to Horecki and he made it 350,000. Susicky called, Matuszewski folded.

The river was the 2♥ and now Horecki checked. Susicky made a 735,000 bet and Horecki called quickly, only to see his opponent turn over the A♥ 3♥ for a rivered nut flush. Horecki mucked, and his stack was crippled.

Then Vygerdas Jonikas went through a stage of moving all-in under the gun for a few hands in a row with the much bigger stack. At one point Susicky had to ask him: “You know there is a payjump and he is short stacked?” – he meaning Horecki. “You know that right?”

Anyway, nobody called Jonikas’ shoves, and on the next hand Horecki got his stack 455,000 in. It folded to Vygerdas Jonikas in the big blind, and with not much more to call he did just that.

Horecki – A♣ 5♣
Jonikas – 3♥ 6♥

The K♥ J♦ Q♥ flop gacve Jonikas every heart left in the deck as an out, and it didn’t take long for one to arrive. The J♥ turn left him drawing dead, and the board was completed by the 8♥ .

Horecki takes home €12,340, and everyone else is now sure to get at least €16,030. Jonikas increased to 2.88 million. –JS

Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki – 12th place

9:45pm: Daniel Erlandsson eliminated in 13th place (€12,340)
Level 30 – Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

The table folded aoround to Vladas Tamasauskas in the small blind who made it 220,000 to go, then Daniel Erlandsson reraised all in for about 2.7 million from the big blind and Tamasauskas called right away.

Tamasauskas: A♠ Q♦
Erlandsson: A♦ 8♥

Erlandsson needed help to survive, but the 2♣ 9♠ 4♦ J♣ 3♥ board didn’t provide any and the Swede is out in 13th. Meanwhile Tamasauskas looks to be the new chip leader with about 7.55 million. –MH

Daniel Erlandsson – 13th place

9:35pm: Ivan Deyra eliminated in 14th place (€12,340)
Level 30 – Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

Following an all-in push from Daniel Erlandsson from middle position, the action folded to Ivan Deyra who called with all of his 835,000 of his chips from the button. 

The blinds folded, and Deyra showed 10♠ 10♦ while Erlandsson had A♠ J♣ . The 2♠ Q♣ 9♠ flop and 8♣ turn meant Derya was still in front, and in fact the jack outs were gone for Erlandsson, too, as they’d make Deyra a straight. But the river was the A♥ to give Erlandsson the better pair, and Deyra shook hands with each player at the table before departing in 15th.

Erlandsson is still short himself, but has 2.4 million now. –MH

Ivan Deyra – 14th place

9:25pm: Marcel Dietel eliminated in 15th place (€12,340)
Level 30 – Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

Marcel Dietel opened to 245,000 from under the gun, and faced a three-bet from Hubert Matuszewski on the button to 725,000. It folded back to the German and he made the call to see the 6♥ K♦ 9♠ flop.

Dietel checked it to the last aggressor and Matuszewski continued with a 500,000 c-bet. Dietel then jammed for 1.2 million and the Polish player snap called.

Dietel – J♣ J♥
Matuszewski – A♠ A♦

The Q♠ and Q♦ on the turn and river were no help to Dietel and he exited in 15th place, while Matuszewski moved up to 6 million. Still, the €9,790 he’s won is a great return for Dietel. My colleague Robin Scherr from the PokerStars Blog Deutschland tells me he qualified for this event for just €8 online.

That means that all 14 players left are now guaranteed €12,340. –JS

Marcel Dietel – 15th place

9:05pm: Susicky swipes from Giordano
Level 29 – Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

It folded to Jan Susicky in the small blind who paused a beat and then completed with a call, then Alessandro Giordano didn’t wait that long before announcing he was all in. Susicky called the shove in a flash, putting his stack of 1.55 million at risk behind A♠ 10♣ , and stood as he saw Giordano table A♦ 8♦ .

The flop came K♦ 10♥ 10♠ , and Susicky nodded in agreement with the flop that had given him trip tens. The J♠ turn presented chopportunities for Giodarno, but the river was the 5♣ and Susicky is now up to 3.25 million while Alessandro slips to 5.75 million. –MH

9pm: Vitezslav Pesta eliminated in 16th place (€9,790)
Level 29 – Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

It always sucks to get unlucky on a river to bust a big tournament. But you know what else really sucks? When you crack your phone screen. It’s the worst, man.

Now combine the two, and you might understand how Vitezslav Pesta feels right now. He moved all in for 650,000 and got one caller – James Juvancic. Pesta had the 4♠ 4♥ and was up against the A♠ J♦ , and he was holding right up until the turn of the 2♣ 5♠ Q♣ 9♦ board.

Then the river came the J♠ .

Pesta got out his seat, shouted something in Czech, then dropped his iPhone on the floor and kicked it right off of the two-metre high stage the last two tables are situated on. It skidded down the hallway, and Pesta headed off the stage in its direction. Partly to go get it, but also partly because he just wanted to be alone for a minute.

He eventually came back to collect his ticket so he can get his 16th-place money. Meanwhile, Juvancic stacked up 3 million. –JS

Viteszlav Pesta – 16th place

8:55pm: Hold on a minute…
Level 29 – Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

For a second there we thought 16 new players had entered this event, as there are now four tables up on the stage where this tournament is being played.

Turns out it’s just a couple of tables from the close-to-finish PokerStars Cup. –JS

8:50pm: Susicky doing the shoving
Level 29 – Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

Now it’s Jan Susicky who seems hellbent on shoving every hand. It’s working – he’s done it three hands in a row and has moved up to around 2 million. –JS

8:45pm: Slow and steady
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

There’s a pay jump coming up after the next knockout, which may be influencing some of the decisions at the moment. 

Then again, the short-stacked Vitezslav Pesta just open-shoved his 700,000 or so from under the gun, then made a bit “whew!” sounds complete with a mock-wipe of the brow when everyone folded and he showed his hand — 2♠ 2♣ — earning some grins.

In another recent hand, James Juvancic raised to 200,000 from the hijack seat, Vygerdas Jonikas called from the button, and Pesta chose to call as well from the big blind, again only leaving himself about eight big blinds behind.

The flop came 5♦ Q♣ 6♦ and it checked around to Jonikas who bet 325,000. Pesta let his hand go, but after a bit of a tank Juvancic reraised all in and forced a fold from Jonikas. –MH

8:40pm: Double for Deyra
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Ivan Deyra just earned a more-than-double-up to 1.36 million in a multi-way hand that ended up with just him and Rosen Angelov involved after the flop. 

Neither had a pair, and Angelov was ahead with A♠ K♣ versus Deyra’s Q♥ J♠ , but a jack on the river spared Deyra. Meanwhile Angelov slipped to about 1 million even. –MH

8:35pm: Big collision
Level 29 – Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

We just had a big blind on blind hand between two of the larger stacks left. It folded to Rosen Angelov in the small blind and he made it 225,000 to see a flop, which Voitech Horut paid from the big blind. The flop fell 7♦ 6♦ Q♣ and Angelov continued for 300,000.

Here’s where it started to get interesting. Horut took his time (as he always does) before eventually sliding in a raise to 775,000. Back on Angelov, he looked like he didn’t want to give up. In fact, he wasn’t thinking of calling but reraising, and he made it 1.825 million to go.

After a couple of minutes of thinking, Horut announced he was all-in, for roughly 2.6 million more. Angelov gave it some consideration but in the end let his hand go, tapping the table.

Angelov is left with 3.3 million, while Horut is up to around 5 million now. –JS

8:20pm: Juvancic be jammin’
Level 29 – Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

James Juvancic returned from the break with the second shortest stack, and hasn’t been shy about moving his chips over the line. He just shoved from under the gun plus one and got it through, and then again from under the gun. No callers. –JS

8:10pm: Play resumes
Level 29 – Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

Technically there were 50 seconds left in Level 28, which means the final two tables played one hand of 40,000/80,000/10,000 before moving on into Level 29. 

The plan remains to play down to a final table of eight tonight. –MH

6:55pm: Dinner break

The end of the level nearly coinciding with the redraw, the last 16 are now off on a 75-minute dinner break. –MH

6:55pm: Seating assignments for final two tables (with updated chip counts)
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

With that knockout of Mounim Kaddouri, there’s been another redraw. See below. –JS

Table 1
Seat 1: Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki — 1,400,000
Seat 2: Rosen Angelov — 5,500,000
Seat 3: Voitech Horut — 3,810,000 
Seat 4: Ben Farrell — 2,750,000
Seat 5: Ivan Deyra —  525,000
Seat 6: Piotr Romanczukiewicz — 2,730,000
Seat 7: Vladas Tamasauskas — 5,375,000
Seat 8: Daniel Erlandsson — 2,420,000

Table 2
Seat 1: Jawad Bengourane — 3,465,000
Seat 2: Vitezslav Pesta — 570,000
Seat 3: Marcel Dietel — 1,800,000
Seat 4: Jan Susicky — 1,325,000
Seat 5: Alessandro Giordano — 9,400,000
Seat 6: James Juvancic — 1,200,000
Seat 7: Hubert Matuszewski — 4,275,000
Seat 8: Vygerdas Jonikas — 4,245,000

6:50pm: Kaddouri knocked out in 17th
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

We picked up this one with a board of 6♠ 4♠ 5♣ with Mounim Kaddouri already all in for his last chips and standing as he waited for the other two players in the hand to decide what they wanted to do.

Eventually Vladas Tamasauskas fired a bet that was enough to get Marcel Dietel to fold, then he tabled 2♦ 2♥ which was ahead of Kaddouri’s A♠ J♣ . The turn was the 8♠ and river the 2♣ , and Kaddouri was knocked out in 17th.

Mounim Kaddouri – 17th place

It was a nice pot won by Tamasauskas, bumping him up over the 5.5 million mark as the dinner break arrives. –MH

6:50pm: Jonikas takes out Torquato in 18th
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Vygerdas Jonikas opened for 180,000 from under the gun, then Luigi Torquato reraised all in for 420,000 from the button. It folded back to Jonikas who called, tabling A♣ 3♣ while Torquato had the edge with A♠ 10♦ .

The board brought more clubs than Torquato wanted to see, coming 6♣ 9♥ 3♥ Q♣ 10♣ , that river card improving the at-risk player to a pair but giving Jonikas a flush to win the pot.

Torquato is out in 18th, while Jonikas now has 3.575 million. –MH

Luigi Torquato – 18th place

6:45pm: Horut puts Kaddouri to the test
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Picking up the action on the turn of a 3♣ 2♥ 9♥ J♠ board, there was a decent chunk of change in the middle of the felt. Mounim Kaddouri was heads up with Voitech Horut and checked to him, before Horut made na bet of 400,000. After some thinking time, Kaddouri made the call.

The river came the 10♠ and Kaddouri checked once more. He’d need a heck of a lot more thinking time for the forthcoming decision, as Horut put him all in (1.4 million stack to 650,000 stack).

He thought for around three minutes before letting his hand go with a sigh. Kaddouri’s down below ten big blinds now, while Horut is up to 4 million. –JS

6:30pm: Motte stopped in 19th
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Fabien Motte is out in 19th following a two-hand sequence.

The first saw Jawad Bengourane raise to 180,000 from the button and both blinds call, including Motte in the small blind. After the 8♦ 6♣ 9♣ it checked around to Bengourane who bet 330,000, and only Motte stayed in the hand. Motte then check-called another bet of 450,000 from Bengourane following the 6♦ turn.

The river was the 6♣ — a third six on board — and both checked. Bengourane had a sick look on his face as he tabled 7♣ 5♣ , having flopped a straight only to see the board fill out with all of those sixes. But his hand was still good versus Motte’s K♦ 10♦ , and Bengourane is up to 3.6 million.

Meanwhile Motte was down to 630,000, and all that went in on the next hand behind A♠ 8♠ versus Rosen Angelov’s 8♣ 8♠ . The J♣ A♣ 3♣ flop did put Motte in front momentarily, but the 10♣ turn made a flush for Angelov and Motte is out in 19th. Angelov is now up to 5.88 million. –MH

Fabien Motte – 19th place

6:25pm: Chop it up
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Voitech Horut was on the button and with no action in front of him he min-opened to 160,000. It folded to Vitezslav Pesta in the big blind and he jammed with the A♥ 8♦ , which Horut would call quickly with the A♣ J♣ .

The 8♠ J♠ K♠ flop paired both, and neither had a spade. Pesta would need to get lucky to survive, and get lucky he did; the turn was the 10♠ and the river the Q♠ to put five spades on board. Chop it up, boys. –JS

6:10pm: Giordano grabs some more
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Here’s an interesting one involving a couple of the big stacks. 

Alessandro Giordano opened for 160,000 from the cutoff and was called by Hubert Matuszewski in the big blind. Matuszewski then check-called a bet of 140,000 after the K♥ K♦ 7♣ flop, and a bet of 375,000 after the 9♥ turn. 

The river was the J♦ , and when Matuszewski checked Giordano went all in, forcing a hasty fold by Matuszewski. 

Giordano is up around 8.6 million and still the leader, while Matuszewski now has 3.3 million. –MH

6:05pm: Triple for Pesta
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Vitezslav Pesta just earned a handy triple-up, picking up A♠ A♣ and having the rockets hold through a checked-down board involving Vojtech Horut and Marcel Dietel. Pesta has 675,000 now. –MH 

6pm: Almost dinner time
Level 28 – Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

We’ve now moved into Level 28, which will be the last one before the players take a 75-minute dinner break. –JS

5:50pm: Double-ups in the blinds
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

Two more double-ups to report, both coming in blind-vs.-blind battles.

In the first it was Vitezslav Pesta limping from the SB, James Juvancic shoving for 380,000 from the BB, and Pesta calling. Pesta had Q♠ 6♥ , Juvancic Q♣ 7♠ , and after a board of A♥ 4♥ 5♥ 2♠ Q♦ Juvancic dodged the flush and doubled to 840,000. Pesta slipped to just 205,000.

Then it was Marcin Horecki open-pushing from the SB with 6♥ 6♣ and Jawad Bengourane calling all in from the BB for 1.08 million with A♥ Q♣ . The 4♣ 5♣ A♠ 10♦ 2♥ runout favored Bengourane who now has 2.1 million, just a bit more than the 2 million Horecki is playing. –MH

5:45pm: Big double up for Horut
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

Ivan Deyra made it 135,000 to play and got three callers: Marcel Dietel, Vojtech Horut (small blind), and Vladas Tamasauskas (big blind).

They all saw the 8♦ Q♥ 4♣ flop hit the felt and it checked around to the 10♠ turn. Horut was first to act and he came in for a bet of 190,000, which shook off two players but was called by Dietel. Finally the river was the 5♦ and Horut jammed for 1.085 million.

Dietel went into the tank for a few minutes, and whatever he found in there eventually told him to call. He’d try to muck when Horut showed his 4♦ 4♠ for a set, but his hand had to be shown (it was the 10♦ 9♦ for a pair of tens).

Dietel drops down to 850,000, while Horut doubles to 3.1 million. –JS

5:40pm: Ciao to Lagana
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

Lorenzo Lagana from Italy has just seen his deep run in the Eureka6 Prague Main Event come to an end. He faced an open from Rosen Angelov to 130,000 and he decided to three-bet it to 375,000. When it folded back to Angelov he shoved with the bigger stack, and Lagana made the call.

Lagana – 8♣ 8♦
Angelov – A♦ K♣

The 10♣ 2♣ 5♦ flop was safe for the man at risk, but the K♥ turn changed everything and the 6♦ river sealed his fate. Lagana leaves in 20th, while Angelov has 3.2 million. –JS

Lorenzo Lagana – 20th place

5:35pm: Slooooooooooowwww
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

The action has slowed considerably over the last 15 minutes, perhaps most so at Table 1 where Vojtech Horut continues to be involved in several small-pot hands.

He just lost one in a blind-vs.-blind confrontation against Mounim Kaddouri on his left. Kaddouri is up to 1.925 million now and Horut right at 1 million. –MH

5:20pm: Dietel doubles through Horut
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

After that hand won by Marcin Horecki I rushed over to another one of the three remaining tables just in time to see Marcel Dietel double up. On a 7♠ 8♠ 4♦ flop he bet 395,000 and then called the shove of Vojtech Horut for 855,000 total.

Dietel – 7♥ 8♥
Horut – K♥ K♦

Dietel had got a bit lucky to flop two pair against the overpair of Horut, and the 2♠ [ and 6♦ didn’t change anything when they completed the board. Dietel is up to 1.75 million, while Horut drops to 1.3 million. –JS

5:10pm: Big pot goes Horecki’s way
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki is feeling a little more comfortable in this event after just taking down a big pot.

Picking up the action on a 4♠ 6♠ 4♣ 8♠ board, Lorenzo Lagana led out for 275,000 and got both his opponents – Jan Susicky and Horecki – to call. The river was the 9♣ and Lagana checked quickly, letting Susicky come in for a bet of 640,000. Horecki insta-called and Lagana gave his hand up.

Susicky showed the 5♥ 7♥ for a turned straight, but that turn card had given Horecki a flush with his K♠ Q♠ . He’s up to around 3 million now, while Susicky drops to 1.5 million. –JS

Most are behind Horecki at the moment

5:05pm: Caza out; Giordano leads (again) with 20 left
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

Picking up the action following a 9♥ J♦ 8♠ flop, Alessandro Giordano pushed his big stack all in and Marco Caza who was down to a short one called without much hesitation.

Giordano had A♦ J♠ for top pair, and said “ooh” with a wince as he saw Caza’s A♣ 10♣ for an open-ended straight draw. But the 3♠ turn and 6♦ river kept Giordano in front, and Caza falls in 21st place.

Marco Caza – 21st place

Giordano surges back into the chip lead with that one, as he now has about 7.3 million. –MH

5pm: We’re down to 21
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

This level has gone very well for Daniel Erlandsson so far. Not so good for Aleksandr Trajkovski – he’s out already.

His demise began with an open shove for 750,000 which was called by Erlandsson in the small blind. It was the A♥ 10♥ against A♣ K♥ and when the board ran out 6♣ J♣ 6♥ A♠ 3♣ , Erlandsson’s kicker played and gave him the double up.

In the very next hand, Trajkovski jammed again for his remaining 195,000 and only Erlandsson called. He had the K♣ Q♠ this time while Trajkovski had the 5♣ 6♦ and could find no help on the 4♠ 10♦ J♥ 3♥ J♠ runout. After that elimination, Erlandsson has 1.56 million. –JS

Aleksandar Trajkovski – 22nd place

4:50pm: Updated chip counts; 22 remain
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

Hubert Matuszewski is the current frontrunner with 6.2 million. Here are all 22 players’ counts as the new level begins. –MH

4:50pm: Back to business
Level 27 – Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

The final 22 are back in their seats and cards are in the air again. Back in just a few with some fresh chip counts for all of them. –MH

4:35pm: Break time

With 22 players left, they’re now off on a 20-minute break. –MH

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4:30pm: Aleksandr Komarov KO’d by Jan Susicky
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

In the last hand of the level on Table 2, Jan Susicky raised to 120,000 from under the gun, got one caller, then it folded around to Aleksandr Komarov in the big blind who reraised all in. Susicky called the shove and the middle man skedaddled, then Susicky showed K♥ K♣ versus Komarov’s A♣ J♦ .

The board brought no Broadway cards — 7♦ 5♠ 5♣ 5♥ 9♥ — and Komarov is out in 23rd.

Komarov (left) shakes hands with Susicky (right)

Susicky has 2.55 million. –MH

Alexandr Komarov – 23rd place

4:25pm: Trajkovski doubles through Erlandsson
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Aleksandr Trajkovski was just all in for 365,000 with A♣ J♦ versus Daniel Erlandsson who had K♣ K♦ . A runout of A♠ A♥ Q♠ 3♥ 5♥ gave Trajkovski trip aces and survival, and he now has 810,000 while Erlandsson slips to 450,000. –MH

4:30pm: Geleziunas gone in 24th
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Hubert Matuszewski is raising a lot of pots (as a big stack usually does) and this time he made it 110,000 to go from the cutoff. Tomas Geleziunas was in the big blind and defended to see a Q♣ 2♣ 8♣ flop which both checked, resulting in a 7♥ turn card. Now Geleziunas led for 140,000 and was called.

The 9♠ completed the board and Geleziunas slowed down, checking. Matuszewski announced all-in and Geleziunas called, only for Matuszewski to show the A♣ 3♣ . “Top flush?” asked Geleziunas, struggling to see. “Yep,” replied the Pole. “It’s good,” Geleziunas said.

He had the Q♠ 3♥ for top pair but that was clearly no good, and he hit the rail in 24th. Matuszewski is up to around 5.8 million. –JS

Tomas Geleziunas – 24th place

4:15pm: Seating assignments for the final three tables
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

“Players stay at your seats,” said the tournament director. “When everyone has a new seat, we’ll all move together.”

“Ahhh,” answered Tomas Geleziunas. “Like a happy family.”

The three-table redraw is done, and here is where the final 24 players are each seated:

Table 1
Seat 1: Mounim Kaddouri
Seat 2: Vojtech Horut
Seat 3: Vladas Tamasauskas
Seat 4: Vitezslav Pesta
Seat 5: James Juvancic
Seat 6: Ivan Deyra
Seat 7: Marcel Dietel
Seat 8: Piotr Romanczukiewicz

Table 2
Seat 1: Ben Farrell
Seat 2: Lorenzo Lagana
Seat 3: Alexandr Komarov
Seat 4: Jan Susicky
Seat 5: Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki
Seat 6: Jawad Bengourane
Seat 7: Fabien Motte
Seat 8: Rosen Angelov

Table 3
Seat 1: Aleksandr Trajkovski
Seat 2: Tomas Geleziunas
Seat 3: Alessandro Giordano
Seat 4: Marco Caza
Seat 5: Vygerdas Jonikas
Seat 6: Daniel Erlandsson
Seat 7: Hubert Matuszewski
Seat 8: Luigi Torquato

There are 23 minutes left in the level. –MH

4:10pm: Vesely eliminated
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Petr Vesely got all of his 635,000 chips in preflop with A♥ J♣ and was having to outrun Vojtech Horut’s J♠ J♦ . But the flop came J♥ 6♦ 5♦ , that case jack giving Horut a set, and by the 3♥ turn it was over for Vesely who goes out in 25th. Horut is at 2.62 million now. 

There will be a short pause now as the remaining 24 players redraw to sit around the last three tables. –MH

Vesely vacates

4:05pm: Gatti gone
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Francesco Delli Gatti is out in 26th. His last hand saw him all in and at risk with Q♦ 10♦ versus Vygerdas Jonikas’s A♠ Q♥ . The community cards came 6♠ K♦ 4♠ , then A♣ , then K♣ , and Gatti’s Eureka Prague Main Event run is over.

Jonikas now has 2.65 million. –MH

3:55pm: Merkelis and Daher out
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Two eliminations in quick succession have brought us down to 26 players.

First to go was Jujionas Merkelis. The action folded to Alessandro Giordano in the small blind he put his big stack to work by putting Merkelis all-in holding the J♦ 10♦ . Merkelis called with the A♥ 7♣ but got unlucky on the river of the 4♥ 6♥ 3♦ 4♣ 10♥ board to bust. That gave Giordano 5.825 million.

Then Albert Daher was gone too. He moved all-in for 820,000 from under the gun and it folded right around to Vladas Tamasauskas in the big blind. He peeked down at Q♠ Q♦ and called, to be ahead of Daher’s 6♦ 6♦ . At the end the board readf A♠ 2♥ 10♦ J♠ 10♦ and the queens held up. Tamasauskas now has 4.45 million. –JS

3:50pm: Split, my friend!
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Poor old Lorenzo Lagana. He found himself in a great spot to eliminate Mounim Kaddouri with his A♥ K♣ against A♦ 9♥ , and when the board ran out 3♦ 4♣ J♥ 2♥ 5♠ he thought he had won.

Lagana said “Yes!” and went to shake Kaddouri’s hand. “No, split my friend! Split!” said Kaddouri. He was right; both had made the wheel and Lagana looked deflated. A few people shared a chuckle, Lagana got his 1.25 million back, and Kaddouri still has 950,000. –JS

3:45pm: Narkevich out; 28 remain
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Shortly after Tal Efrati’s knockout, Andrei Narkevich lost the last of his stack to fall in 29th place. –MH

3:40pm: Tal Efrati eliminated by Marco Caza
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

All in for his last 720,000 or so with A♥ Q♦ , Tal Efrati saw his last bet of the tournament called by Marco Caza who held Q♥ Q♣ .

The board came eight-high — 6♥ 7♥ 7♣ 5♥ 8♣ — which was no help to Efrati and he is out in 30th place. Caza is now playing about 2.65 million. –MH

3:35pm: Bicknell busts to Tamasauskas
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

A red triangle was placed in front of Kristen Bicknell and a bit of investigation was needed. There was 550,000 in the middle, a board showing the 5♥ K♥ Q♣ 6♣ , and a bet of 275,000 in front of Vladas Tamasauskas. Bicknell had then shoved over the top for 1 million and the Lithuanian was in the tank.

It took him quite a while to make his decision (the Tom Hall elimination hand happened during this one and finished first) but he did eventually make the call to put most of his stack at risk.

Tamasauskas – A♥ 10♥
Bicknell – K♦ 4♦

It was the top pair of Bicknell against the gutshot and flush draw of Tamasauskas. The river came the 3♥ completing the flush, and the Canadian was sent out in 31st. Tamasauskas has 2.5 million after that win. –JS

Bicknell sees the bad news

3:25pm: The rich get richer; Tom Hall out in 32nd
Level 26 – Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

The big stack of Hubert Matuszewski opened to 115,000 and it folded to Tom Hall who jammed for 1.13 million. When it got back to the Pole he made the call with A♦ K♣ against Hall’s 8♣ 8♥ .

Hall went straight to his phone and was texting almost the entire time the board was being dealt, only glancing up on the flop to see he was ahead. The flop fell 6♠ 10♥ 5♠ so the eights were good, and they were still good on the 5♣ turn. But the A♥ landed on the river and Hall eventually took a peek and saw the bad news, letting out a big sigh. “Good game everyone,” he said with class as he made his exit.

Matuszewski is up to 4.65 million now. –JS

3:20pm: O’Dea, Casnocha out; Horecki over 2 million
Level 25 – Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

Eoghan O’Dea just hit the rail in 34th place. Moments later it was Michal Casnocha open-raising all in for 595,000, Marcin Horecki reraising all in over the top, and everyone else getting out of the way.

Casnocha had A♠ 10♦ but needed help against Horecki’s K♠ K♥ . The flop came 7♠ 10♥ 2♠ , giving Casnocha one pair, but neither the 3♠ turn nor 6♣ river helped him further and he’s out in 33rd. 

Horecki now has more than 2 million as they rebalance around four 8-handed tables. –MH

Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki

3:10pm: Nicholas Galtos gone
Level 25 – Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

Nicholas Galtos is out in 35th, having lost the last of his stack with Q♦ 9♥ versus the Vygerdas Jonikas’s A♠ Q♠ . A board of 2♣ J♦ 10♠ 3♣ 4♣ was no help to Galtos, and as he visits the cashier’s desk Jonikas now has about 1.62 million. –MH

3:05pm: Eliyahu Saado sunk
Level 25 – Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

That wasn’t a very fun last 10 minutes or so of the tournament for Eliyahu Saado, starting with getting his aces cracked by kings and losing the majority of his stack.

Shortly thereafter he was in the big blind where one of his hole cards was the 3♦ . Everyone knew this, because he accidentally flipped it over when checking it. While he didn’t receive a penalty, he did have to play the hand with the card face up, and folded after someone opened.

On the next hand Ben Farrell opeend for 85,000 from the cutoff, Saado shoved his last 265,000 or so from the small blind, and Farrell called. Saado had an ace with A♦ 8♥ , but Farrell had a better one with A♥ K♦ . The board came 2♠ A♣ Q♣ K♣ 10♠ , and Saado is out in 36th.

“I need to go to sleep now,” Saado exhaled before wishing everyone luck and departing.

Farrell has 1.6 million. –MH

3:10pm: Saado’s very sad indeed
Level 25 – Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

We’ve just seen the first pot of the day to rival the size of last night’s final hand. It started with an 85,000 open from Eliyahu Saado and it folded to Hubert Matuszewski on the button. He bumped it up with a three-bet to 210,000 but the pot was only going to get bigger. Back on Saado, he four-bet to 385,000, only for Matuszewski to raise again, five-betting to 650,000. Saado just called, but you could kind of sense what hands the two were holding. The question was, if it was the two best starting hands in the game going at each other, then who had aces and who had kings?

The flop fell K♥ 9♥ 2♥ , obviously good for the latter. Saado checked to the last aggressor and Matuszewski, with 1.065 million in front of him and an enormous pot in the middle, announced he was all-in. Saado snap-called and the cards were flipped.

Saado – A♥ A♦
Matuszewski K♦ K♠

The Polish player had got very lucky to hit a two-outer set on the flop, but it wasn’t over yet for the man from Israel. He had the nut flush draw, as well as two aces to hit. But the 6♠ turn and J♦ river didn’t help him.

Saado was visibly upset, talking to himself, and he’s down to just 240,000. Matuszewski, meanwhile, is up to around 3.5 million and near the chip lead.

Meanwhile, Aleksandr Gofman was eliminated in 37th at a neighboring table. –JS

2:50pm: Casnocha tanking, Jonikas doubling
Level 25 – Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

Picking up the action on a 4♠ 9♦ J♣ flop, Michal Casnocha had made a bet of 145,000 after it checked to him and Luigi Torquato called from the small blind position. Mounim Kaddouri folded from the big blind spot and it went heads up to the 3♠ turn. Torquato checked again, and Casnocha didn’t slow down, making it 225,000. Only this time Torquato jammed over the top for 1.1 million.

Casnocha went deep into the tank and stayed there for around five minutes. He had 775,000 behind and clearly had a tough decision.

Meanwhile, on the table next to theirs, Vygerdas Jonikas was getting a little revenge on the man he just doubled up, Fabian Motte. He doubled up through Motte with the 9♣ 9♥ against Motte’s A♣ K♠ on a 5♦ 4♥ 7♠ 6♠ 5♣ board and now has 1.4 million to Motte’s 1 million.

But back to the other hand. Casnocha was eyeing up Torquato but never really seemed like he was going to make the call. Eventually the clock was called and it ticked right down to zero before Casnocha even moved. He proved he was in a tough spot by showing the A♠ J♦ for top pair, but Torquato didn’t show a thing.

After all that Torquato is up to 1.7 million, Casnocha has 775,000, Jonikas has 1.4 million, and Motte has 1 million. –JS

2:40pm: Vesely survives
Level 25 – Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

Just below we reported on a player open-pushing 380,000 from the small blind with six-four and getting busted. Soon after that hand Petr Vesely similarly jammed 385,000 from the SB holding 7♣ 6♣ , and he was called by Rosen Angelov who had Q♥ J♣ .

Things went better for Vesely, as a runout of 7♣ J♣ K♣ 3♠ 6♥ meant he rivered two pair to survive with about 790,000. Angelov now has 1.05 million. –MH

2:35pm: Two more gone, down to 37
Level 25 – Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

Two quick busts on neighboring tables to report.

Just after Jose Jaraiz Lopez went out in 39th, Kirill Tcyngalev open-pushed his last 380,000 from the small blind holding 6♣ 4♥ , but unluckily for him Hubert Matuszweski was waiting in the big blind with 8♥ 8♣ . The board didn’t help Tcyngalev and he went out in 38th. –MH

2:30pm: A lot for Motte as he gets lucky double-up
Level 25 – Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

Fabien Motte from France was under the gun and opened the pot, which then folded around to Vygerdas Jonikas on the button. He moved all-in, essentially putting Motte all-in with the effective stack, and when the blinds got out the way Motte called.

He was behind though. Jonikas’ A♠ K♦ was besting his A♥ Q♥ , but the 8♣ 2♣ Q♠ flop brought a lot of help. The 6♠ and J♥ completed the board to double up Motte to 1.7 million, while Jonikas falls down to 730,000. –JS

2:25pm: Updated chip counts; 39 remain
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

We’ve got a fresh update on the chip counts, with Alessandro Giordano sitting atop them right now with 3.7 million. Here are the current top 10:

Also still in the hunt are Kristen Bicknell (1,200,000), Marco Caza (1,150,000), and Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki (800,000). –MH

2pm: Break time

We’ll be back in 20 minutes as we continue the quest to the final table. –JS

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1:55pm: Double up for Matuszewski
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Action folded to Hubert Matuszewski in the small blind and he shoved for 522,000. Vitsazlav Pesta thought for a while before making an aggressive call, slamming his chips down in the middle with bigger stack authority.

He had the A♦ 3♠ , and it turned out that was ahead of Matuszewski’s Q♦ J♥ . But the K♣ 10♥ 10♦ A♠ 7♣ runout was kind to the shorter stack, and he doubled up with broadway to over a million. Pesta has 1.85 million after that. –JS

1:53pm: The bets gettin’ bigger
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

A four bet has become a pretty substantial amount now that the blinds are so big. After Viteszlav Pesta opened to 65,000, Albert Daher three-bet it up to 1750,000 only for Jan Susicky to come in for a cold four bet from the big blind for 480,000, leaving himself 629,000 behind. Pesta folded quickly but Daher had a harder time of it, eventually letting his hand go with anguish. He still has 1.9 million though. –JS

1:50pm: Geleziunas gets double-knockout
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Bence Paris open-pushed all in with his last 570,000, and Jeremy Streuli called the raise. Then Tomas Geleziunas reraised all in for 861,000, and Streuli decided to call once more, committing his entire stack of about 820,000.

Paris: 6♠ 6♣
Streuli: A♣ Q♠
Geleziunas: A♠ K♥

The flop came K♦ 9♠ 10♠ , immediately giving the largest-stacked Geleziunas the lead, and after the 5♥ turn and 8♦ river, both Paris and Streuli had been knocked out.

That bumps Geleziunas up around 2.2 million with 39 players left. –MH

1:45pm: Big stack report — Giordano leads
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Alessandro Giordano is the new chip leader as the second level of Day 3 continues, having climbed to about 3.5 million so far.

Others with big stacks at the moment include   Vladas Tamasauskas with 2.45 million, Viteszlav Pesta with 2.44 million, Albert Daher with 2.28 million, Vojtech Horut with 2.25 million, and start-of-day leader Piotr Romanczukiewicz with 2.2 million. –MH

1:40pm: Bicknell getting busy
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Kristen Bicknell has been fairly active over the last orbit, opening three hands in a row. The first one she folded to a bet after not c-betting a flop, and the second one she lost too, although this time it went to showdown.

Finally, on the third attempt, she took one down. She was under the gun and opened to 65,000, and it folded around to Albert Daher in the big blind who defended. they saw a Q♥ 7♠ 9♠ flop which both checked, taking them to the 2♥ turn. Daher checked, Bicknell made a delayed c-bet of 95,000, and got her opponent to fold. She has around 950,000 now. –JS

1:25pm: Giordano busts two, jumps over 3 million
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Alessandro Giordano is on a bit of a rush at the moment, having just knocked out two players in quick succession.

Picking up the first one on the river, the board showed 5♣ 7♦ Q♥ 6♣ J♣ and there was around 400,000 in the middle when Giordano made an all-in push to put Petr Hlavacek to the test. 

Hlavecek had about 500,000 back, and he sat and thought a long while as he studied the situation. Finally he stood to get a different view of the situation, announced he was calling, and Giordano quickly tabled Q♣ 10♣ for a rivered flush. Hlavecek shook his head with disappointment, showing his 7♠ 7♣ .

Hlavacek sees his sevens proved unlucky

Shortly after that one, Makram Saber shoved for 277,000 from the button with A♠ Q♥ and Giordano called from the small blind with K♦ J♦ . The flop was favorable to the Italian, coming K♠ 9♦ J♥ to give him two pair, and after the 3♦ turn and 9♥ river Saber was out.

Giordano is now up around 3.1 million and challenging for the Piotr Romanczukiewicz’s chip lead. –MH

1:25pm: Kovacevic falls next
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

It’s non-stop on the bust-out front right now, and one-time chip leader Nikola Kovacevic is the latest victim. He was all in with the 10♠ J♥ for around 300,000 against Albert Daher’s A♣ 10♥ . We’re not sure when the money went in but by the end of the K♣ 2♠ Q♠ Q♣ 10♣ board Daher had tens, queens, and an ace kicker, which beat Kovacevic’s tens, queens, and king kicker.

Daher has around 2.2 million now. –JS

1:20pm: Eisele’s out
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Well, we suggested that Gerald Eisele might be a little ticked off about something, and from his most recent (and ultimately final) play it seems we might have been right.

Albert Daher opened under the gun and it folded to Eisele in the small blind. He shoved, Daher called, but the hands might surprise you. Daher had the A♠ Q♣ – no real shock about that one – but it turned out Eisele had only a six and an eight. By the end of the 10♦ J♠ 10♣ 3♥ K♠ board Daher had made broadway and increased to 1.7 million, while Eisele is outta here. –JS

1:15pm: Wysocki busts
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Szymon Wysocki’s day is done, his final hand seeing him all in and at risk with Q♠ Q♣ versus Vygerdas Jonikas’s A♦ Q♥ , and being bested by a A♣ J♥ 3♠ A♣ 2♥ board.

Jonikas now has 2.17 million with 48 players left. –MH

1:10pm: Streuli survives
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Following a cutoff raise to 65,000 by Viteszlav Pesta, Alexandr Komarov three-bet to 175,000 on the button, then Jeremy Streuli reraised all in for 507,000 from the big blind. Pesta folded, but Komarov stuck around with a call.

Streuli was behind with A♥ J♠ versus Komarov’s A♦ Q♠ , but the J♣ A♠ 2♠ 4♣ 3♠ gave Streuli a winning two pair and he more-than-doubled to 1.1 million. Komarov now has 705,000. –MH

1:05pm: Tamasauskas bets like he’s angry; Eisele…just angry
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Before the blinds went up, Nikola Kovacevic came in for a 55,000 raise in the cutoff but was three-bet by Gerald Eisele on the button to 140,000. It was on UKIPT6 Dublin champ Vladas Tamasauskas in the small blind and he wanted to play higher, four-betting to 301,000. Kovacevic gave it up, and Eisele went into the tank.

The Swiss player was getting massaged and sipping on a glass of prosecco during this hand, and yet he looked a little perturbed. He had a stern look on his face, and kept glancing at his next door neighbour Kovacevic, even though he was no longer in the hand. Eventually he made the call.

The flop fell 7♣ J♥ K♥ and Tamasauskas continued for 237,000. This time there’d be no tanking; Eisele gave it up quickly and dropped to 700,000, while Tamasauskas increased to 2.2 million. –JS

1:05pm: New level; 49 remain
Level 24 – Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Play continues onward into Level 24. Just 49 remain, meaning 13 players were eliminated during the first hour today. –MH

12:55pm: Farrell fares well after all-in push
Level 23 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (4,000 ante)

Szymon Wysocki raised from middle position, Marcel Dietel called, then Ben Farrell reraised all in for his last 186,000 from the button. The blinds got out, Wysocki pushed all in over the top, and Dietel stepped aside.

Wysocki had K♣ J♣ while Farrell showed A♣ K♦ , and a nine-high board — 6♠ 3♠ 9♦ 4♣ 2♣ — meant Farrell had survived. He has around 400,000 now, Wysocki 655,000, and Dietel 675,000.  –MH

12:45pm: Horecki sucks out on O’Dea to double
Level 23 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (2,000 ante)

Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki has just doubled up, taking some of Irishman Eoghan O’Dea’s good fortune and turning it into the luck of the Polish.

It folded to Horecki on the button and he jammed for 371,000. O’Dea made the call in the small blind with the K♥ Q♥ and was ahead of Horecki’s Q♣ 10♥ , but when the board was completed it showed the 8♠ 3♦ J♦ 10♣ 10♦ and Horecki had made trips. He’s up to around 770,000 now, while O’Dea is still a little in front with 870,000. –JS

12:40pm: Rasmussen’s day is done
Level 23 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (2,000 ante)

When you’re short stacked, timing is everything. Unfortunately for Anders Rasmussen just now, his timing was way off as he moved all-in for his last 200,000 with the A♠ 9♠ and was called by Lorenzo Lagana with the A♥ K♣ . The board ran out 10♥ 2♠ Q♦ 6♣ 3♥ and that was all she wrote. Lagana is up to 770,000 now. –JS

12:30pm: Jaworski eliminated by Tamasauskas
Level 23 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (4,000 ante)

After Maksim Isaev was knocked out in 56th by Aleksandr Gofman, Marcin Jaworski had all of his chips in the middle behind 9♠ 9♦ and unfortunately for him ran into the Q♦ Q♠ of Vladas Tamasauskas.

The flop came 7♣ 10♦ K♥ , then the Q♥ turn gave Tamasauskas a set and left Jaworski hoping for a ten to fill a gutshot. But the river was the K♣ and Jaworski is out in 55th. 

Tamasauskas is up to 1.9 million. –MH

Day 3 action

12:25pm: Jeppesen knocked out by Pesta
Level 23 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (4,000 ante)

Pia Jeppesen has been eliminated following a hard-luck hand versus Viteszlav Pesta.

Following a Pesta open to 55,000, Jeppesen called as did one other player. All checked the 6♦ 8♥ 9♣ flop, then after the 9♥ turn Pesta bet 92,000 and only Jeppesen called. 

The river brought the 2♦ , and this time Pesta bet 281,000. Jeppesen responded with an all-in push for about 630,000 and Pesta called. Jeppesen had rivered a full house as she had pocket deuces, but Jeppesen had a better full house with pocket sixes and Jeppesen is out. Pesta is mow up around 2.52 million.

Jeppesen’s elimination means just one woman remains in the field, Kristen Bicknell who currently has about 650,000. –MH

12:20pm: Khamidullin falls to Hall
Level 23 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (4,000 ante)

We’ve lost two now in the opening few hands, and in this one Tom Hall played executioner. He min-opened to 48,000 from the hijack only to see Timur Khamidullin shove on the button for 295,000. It folded back to Hall and he had to crunch some numbers in his head. His headphones came out for this decision, and after a few moments he tossed a few chips in to indicate a call.

Hall – 2♣ 2♦
Khamidullin – A♠ Q♠

Halls deuces were in front but Khamidullin had plenty of ways he could win. None arrived on the 4♦ K♣ 8♦ flop though, nor the 5♥ turn or K♠ river, and Khamidullin was done in 61st place. Hall, meanwhile, has moved up to 2 million. –JS

12:15pm: Kicking off with quads
Level 23 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (4,000 ante)

Picking up the action on a 10♦ 6♦ 5♥ flop, Timur Khamidullin checked and Daniel Erlandsson made it 80,000 to go. Marco Caza made the call, as did Khamidullin, and they saw the 6♥ land on the turn, pairing the board. This time it checked to Caza and he took the betting lead for 135,000. Both Khamidullin and Caza quickly folded, which was terrible news for Caza. He turned over not one, but two sixes as he raked in the chips. Sadly, he didn’t get any action with his quads, but he has moved up to 1.4 million. –JS

12:10pm: Michaelis eliminated
Level 23 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (4,000 ante)

Just a few hands in, and we have our first elimination of the day as the German Paul Michaelis has been eliminated in 62nd.

After Alessandro Giordano of Italy opened from the cutoff, it folded to Michaelis who jammed all in for his last 140,000 or so from the big blind, and Giordano called. 

Michaelis showed 7♦ 7♠ and Alessandro A♠ Q♦ , and all was okay for Michaelis through teh 3♦ J♠ 3♥ flop and K♠ turn. But the Q♥ fell on the river, eliciting a “yes!” from Alessandro as it gave him the better pair.

Michaelis wished the table good luck before departing. Meanwhile Alessandro is up around 1.2 million now. –MH

12:05pm: Day 3 begins
Level 23 – Blinds 12,000/24,000 (4,000 ante)

And they’re off! The final 62 players are in their seats and Day 3 of the Eureka Prague Main Event is underway. –MH

11:15am: Romanczukiewicz leads final 62 into Day 3

As a wild, fast-paced Day 2 neared its close, we’d begun taking notice of the big stacks emerging. Actually 26-year-old Piotr Romanczukiewicz we had noticed much earlier, having been one of the first to cross 1 million chips before joining the group threatening to end the night with more than 2 million.

Then came that last hand — a huge one in which Romanczukiewicz stacked Robert Soogea who finished in 63rd. The pot was in the 2 million-chip range all on its own, which catapulted Romanczukiewicz up to 3,434,000 to end the night, more than twice his nearest challenger.

Piotr Romanczukiewicz

So much as we ended Sunday watching Romanczukiewicz, we’ll be starting Monday doing the same, as will everyone else still left in this one and hoping to reach tomorrow’s final table and get a shot at the €254,750 first prize waiting up top.

There’s quite a long way to go, of course, and several worthy contenders including the U.K.’s Tom Hall who currently heads the chase pack with 1,660,000. Daniel Erlandsson, Luigi Torquato, and Petr Hlavacek round out the top five, with Szymon Wysocki, Marco Caza, and Brian Roberts all returning to above average stacks.

Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki is still in this one as well with a below average stack. He’s hoping to better his final table showing in this same event three years ago when he finished seventh. Albert Daher, Lars Wik, and Eoghan O’Dea are also among the returners. Here’s a look at the counts for all 62 players left from the record-breaking starting field of 2,031.

Play resumes at 12 noon local time, so come back then and stick close as we find out together how well Romanczukiewicz holds off the others and who among those left will be getting to that last Eureka Main Event final table. –MH

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Wish you were playing in this event? You can qualify online in a number of satellites. So if you haven’t got one already, click here to open a PokerStars account.

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Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for EPT13 Prague.

Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

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PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at Eureka6 Prague: Martin Harris and Jack Stanton. Photos by Tomas Stacha. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

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