Live updates from day 4, level 23 of EPT Kyiv Sports Poker Championship brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young.
Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest selected chip counts can be found by clicking right here. You can also follow live coverage from the feature table on EPT Live.
Blinds 2,000-12,000-24,000.
12.33pm: Last of the level
The last hand of the level starts well then fizzles out. Alexander Dovzhenko made it 60,000 before Vadim Markushevski made it 155,000. The action came back to Dovzhenko who looked serious for a while then folded. Blinds up. — SB
12.28pm: Lykov firing
Maxim Lykov made it 66,000 pre-flop. Vadim Markushevski called on the button before the blinds folded. The flop came A♦ Q♣ 9♣ prompting Lykov to bet 85,000.Too much for Markushevski. – SB
12.22pm: First hand
Lucasz Plichta starts the first hand by raising to 62,000 from under-the-gun which Maxim Lykov called. The flop came 2♦ 8♥ 8♣ which Plichta bet at, 79,000 total. Lykov thought about it but passed. First hand to Plichta. — SB
12.20pm: Welcome back
The eight finalists are at the final table, and play is about to begin once Thomas Kremser has completed the introductions. Their profiles will be up shortly, but for now settle back and enjoy the ride.
12.10am: Done for the day
That’s it for tonight’s poker action. A full report on the events of the day will be published on the blog shortly. In the meantime catch up on the official chip counts going into the final day. — SB
12.05am: Done for the night. Good morning
Michael Meyburg moved all-in but contrary to the recent trend Vitaly Kolokonnikov called showing A♦ 10â™ to Meyburg’s 7♦ 7♣ . It was effectively over on the Qâ™ 10♣ Jâ™ flop. Meyburg needed a seven but the turn came 5♣ and the river 8♦ . It sent the German PokerStars qualifier, who qualified for nothing, out in ninth place for €23,000, the final departure for the night. The last eight will return at noon tomorrow and play until one of them becomes the first ever EPT Kyiv champion. — SB
12am: Big one
A massive pot just played out between two of the biggest stacks. It was a battle of the blinds that got ugly for Max Lykov. He raised from the small blind and Alexander Dovzhenko raised to 87,000 from the big. The flop came 7♥ 5♣ Jâ™ and after Lykov checked, Dovzhenko bet 100,000. Lykov called. The turn was the 2♣ and Lykov checked again. Dovzhenko bet again, this time 250,000. Lykov called. The river was 10♣ and this time they both slowed down and each checked. Dovzhenko showed his hand first — pocket queens — and Lykov mucked. The Ukrainian moves a couple of spots nearer to the chip lead again.
11.53pm: Poland all-in
Vadim Markushevski bet pre-flop and Poland’s Lucasz Plichta came out with an all-in flourish. Markushevski called with A♦ 2♦ to Plichta’s [qg]Qâ™ . Plichta needed to dodge aces and did just that. A double up for Plichta, up to 739,000. — SB
11.46pm: Tent knocked over
Torsten Tent made it 65,000 pre-flop which Maxim Lykov called. Lykov made it 140,000 on a 5♥ 8â™ 10♣ flop and 232,000 on the Aâ™ river with Tent calling all the way. He made a last bet of 656,000 on the river to make a huge pot. Tent agonised over the decision, eventually calling and showing pocket eights for a set. But Lykov showed queen-jack for a straight. Tent said one of those family unfriendly words and took over the short stack. Lykov up to 3.1million. — SB
11.38pm: All-in
Michael Meyburg moves all in for 310,000 with predictable results. No callers. — SB
11.30pm: Simonyan chips up
It’s very cagey, but Arthur Simonyan has been loving this. His latest pre-flop reraise of one of the chip leaders brings him up past 600,000, more than he could possibly have hoped when he was but a micro-stack. – HS
11.18pm: Here we go
Michael Meyburg moves all-in for 260,000. Could this be the one? Nope. No takers. — SB
11.13pm: Lykov takes another nibble out of Schaap
Max Lykov raises to 58,000 pre-flop from early position. Adrian Schaap calls from late. It’s just the two of them and they see a flop of 2â™ Q♥ 8♦ . Both check. The turn is 10♣ and Lykov bets 111,000. It’s good.
11.10pm: Meyburg moves in
Andrew Meyburg moves all in under-the-gun for his 250,000 stack. Everyone folds.
11pm: Late night
This is our latest night of the week so far, and they’ve been playing nine handed for more than a full level. As they return, the leader is Max Lykov, from Russia. We still need to lose one more player until we have an official final table.
Don’t forget where you can find the chip counts:
