124 players are still in the hunt for the first prize of over $3 Million - the largest in European Poker history. Some big names are at the top of the board, including Johnny Lodden, and Joe Hachem - who is looking to be the first player ever with three tournament cashes over $2 million dollars each.
Chip counts are current, and in the chip counts tab at right.
We'll be back on track with all the action at 1pm local time. See you here!
Eli Elezra made an opening raise to 6,000 from UTG+1 and Joseph Udine re-raised to 23,000 from the button. Elezra set him all in and Udine, now pot committed, called off his remaining stack, saying "nice hand" as he turned up to Elezra's . The flop, though was , making Udine's set. The turn was the , the river was the and Udine doubled up to 97,000 while Elezra was left on the short stack with only 25,000.
Facing an opening raise from Raul Paez Corral, Valeriy Ilikyan moved in for 37,800 from the big blind. As Corral pondered his call, Ilikyan started chattering away.
"I know you have Ace-King. I'm positive."
Corral made the call and instead turned up . Ilikyan tabled .
"Deal it slow" Ilikyan begged the dealer, perhaps wanting to relish the moment.
The flop was . The turn was the , and the river the . As that final card fell Ilikyan leaped up from his seat, knocking over a table full of water glasses that shattered on the ground and exclaimed several sentences in a foreign tongue. Many of the spectators and media surrounding the table seemed confused, as he looked more like a man who just took a bad beat.
"Does he know he won?" whispered another journalist in my ear.
A very short-stacked Mel Judah has just given himself a bit of extra breathing room after doubling through Felipe Ramos of Brazil. Judah shoved pre-flop holding a pair of red jacks and Ramos gave him action with . EPT Warsaw runner-up Ricardo Sousa told the table he almost made the call with A-5, but ultimately let Judah and Ramos settle things themselves.
By the turn, the board had filled out leaving Ramos hoping to hit one of seven outs to send Judah to the rail, but the on the river ensured the pot for Judah, who now sits with just over 16,000 in chips.
Elsewhere in the Salle de Etoiles, a group of eight PokerStars pros and one Supernova Elite qualifier have gotten together to play a $10,000 buy-in, filmed-for-TV sit'n'go which is currently in progress. Each of the pros paid out of pocket to play, while the Supernova Elite earned his buy-in last night in a freeroll tournament on PokerStars. The kind folks at Stars also added an extra $10,000 to the kitty to make it an even $100,000.
Here's a look at the line-up:
Daniel Negreanu (word on the street is, Kid Poker's already out)
Vicky Coren
Joseph 'bigjoe2003' Michael (Supernova Elite qualifier)
Katja Thater
Dario Minieri
John Duthie (Founder of the EPT)
Noah Boeken
Barry Greenstein
Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier
We'll let you know who takes this puppy down - an accomplishment rumored to be worth $50,000.
The ever-popular Marcel Luske has just played his last hand at this year's EPT Grand Final and his elimination comes just 25 (or so) out of the money.
According to Luske's conquerer, Canadian Glen Chrony, Luske open-shoved for around 55,000 holding on a board of . Chorny made the call holding and the turn and river blanked out , to send Luske to the rail.