€2,200 Eureka High Roller
Day 3 Completed
2023 PokerStars EPT Prague
€2,200 Eureka High Roller
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2023 PokerStars EPT Prague
Buy-in
€2,200
Prize Pool
€2,837,760
Entries
1,478
Level
37
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
600,000
Entries
4
Players Left
1
Level 37
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
It took an extra session to crown the winner of the €2,200 Eureka High Roller at the 2023 PokerStars European Poker Tour Prague, but Poland's Grzegorz Kozieja sprinted to the finish line on Day 3 to wrap up proceedings.
The professional poker player and coach overcame a 2:1 chip deficit as he defeated Safwane Bahri in heads-up play to capture the €474,510 up top along with the trophy.
However, any plans to commemorate the triumph will have to wait as Kozieja has hopped straight into Day 1b of the €5,300 Main Event in hopes of another bankroll boosting payday.
Also returning for the final stage were veterans Bruno Volkmann and Jason Wheeler, who bowed out in third and fourth place, respectively.
Overall, the tournament saw 1,478 entries and generated a prize pool of €2,837,760. The top 221 players made the money with past EPT champions such as Giuliano Bendinelli (166th €3,750) and Simon Brandstrom (142nd - €4,310) all finishing in the paid places.
€2,200 Eureka High Roller Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grzegorz Kozieja | Poland | €474,510 |
| 2 | Safwane Bahri | France | €292,520 |
| 3 | Bruno Volkmann | Brazil | €208,940 |
| 4 | Jason Wheeler | United States | €160,730 |
| 5 | Dan Larsen | Denmark | €123,640 |
| 6 | Sokratis Linaras | Greece | €95,120 |
| 7 | Vasileios Chatzilazarou | Cyprus | €73,160 |
| 8 | Pablo Brito Silva | Brazil | €56,300 |
Alexander Tkatschew Tops the Record-Breaking €1,100 Eureka Main Event
Action of the Day
Fourth-place finisher Wheeler was the first casualty of the day, jamming jack-five for his last few big blinds into Volkmann's kings. Wheeler, who has been a resident in Prague for the last six years, picked up the tenth six-figure live cash of his career. The score sees him inch closer to the $5 million mark in live earnings, which slightly trails the $8.4 million he's banked on the virtual felt.
Volkmann dropped out next after a roller coaster of a few hands. He was left short by Bahri after the latter got three streets of value with aces. The Brazilian doubled up the hand after but soon ran his ace-jack into Bahri's ace-queen and could not overcome the domination.
There was a brief break before heads-up play got underway, where Kozieja and Bahri discussed the possibilities of a deal. No agreement was reached, and Bahri entered the final showdown as the favorite.
Bahri took the first few pots to widen the gap, but from there on out, it was all Kozieja. Momentum began to swing in his favor, with Kozieja getting value with trips on a four-spade board. A few hands later, he doubled into the top spot with his ace-six holding versus king-ten suited after all the chips went into the middle preflop.
The start-of-day chip leader then made quick work of what Bahri had behind. In a limped pot, Kozieja flopped a six-high straight and played it fast. He moved all in on the river, and after some time in the tank, Bahri opted to put on his cape and hero call with ace-high for his final eight million (13 big blinds).
https://twitter.com/PokerNews/status/1734592108932084062
Kozieja's rail was jubilant while Bahri's camp became somber, but the Frenchman can soothe any wounds with the €292,520 runner-up prize.
The victory marked Kozieja's first major live tournament win and added heaps to the $74,052 in live earnings that he had before the event.
This concludes the PokerNews live coverage of this tournament, but stick around for updates from Day 1b of the €5,300 EPT Prague Main Event as well as the €10,200 Mystery Bounty final table.
Level 37
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Safwane Bahri limped in from the button, and Grzegorz Kozieja checked his big blind.
Kozieja checked the action to Bahri on the 5♣3♦2♠ flop, and the latter bet 600,000. Kozieja raised to 2,000,000 and was called.
Kozieja continued for another 3,000,000 on the 2♥ turn and after some thinking, Bahri called, leaving him with 8,000,000 behind.
Kozieja emptied the clip on the Q♥ river and Bahri went deep into the tank. Around 90-seconds passed and Bahri put in calling chips.
Kozieja lept out of his seat and tabled 6♣4♣ for a flopped straight. Bahri had decided to put on his cape and make an ace-high hero call with A♠7♦.
Kozieja's rail celebrated wildly as the Polish poker pro and coach secured his first major live tournament win.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
45,000,000
14,400,000
|
14,400,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 37
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Grzegorz Kozieja limped in from the button. Safwane Bahri made it 2,800,000 from the big blind. Kozieja jammed for 15,000,000 and Bahri quickly called.
Grzegorz Kozieja: A♥6♠
Safwane Bahri: K♠10♠
Kozieja was ahead and remained so after the 7♣4♣5♠ flop and 6♦ turn. The 5♦ river saw his hand stay best and he doubled up into the chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
30,600,000
15,600,000
|
15,600,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
13,750,000
-15,750,000
|
-15,750,000 |
Level 37
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Safwane Bahri limped in from the button and called when Grzegorz Kozieja made it 2,100,000 from the big blind.
The A♣10♦10♦ flop checked through to the Q♣ turn. KOzieja check-folded to a bet of 3,300,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
29,500,000
4,500,000
|
4,500,000 |
|
|
15,000,000
-4,500,000
|
-4,500,000 |
|
|
||
Level 37
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
In the last hand of the previous level, Safwane Bahri limped in from the button and Grzegorz Kozieja checked the big blind.
Kozieja checked on the 2♠5♠5♥ flop and Bahri bet 500,000. Kozieja made it 1,400,000 and was called.
Kozieja sized up to 2,200,000 on the 9♠ turn and Bahri called once more.
The Q♠ river put a four spades on the board and Kozieja put out a bet of 800,000. Bahri called.
Kozieja got some thin value with his 7♣5♦ as Bahri mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
25,000,000
-6,000,000
|
-6,000,000 |
|
|
19,500,000
6,000,000
|
6,000,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 37
Blinds: 300,000/600,000
Ante: 600,000
Level 36
: Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
In a limped pot to the 8♦7♥4♠ flop, action checked through to the A♠ turn. Safwane Bahri checked in the big blind and called a bet of 1,000,000 from Grzegorz Kozieja.
The 10♣ completed the board and Bahri check-folded when Kozieja fired out 3,500,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
31,000,000
-2,000,000
|
-2,000,000 |
|
|
13,500,000
2,000,000
|
2,000,000 |
|
|
||
Level 36
: Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Safwane Bahri made it 1,000,000 from the button and Grzegorz Kozieja called from the big blind.
Kozieja raised to 1,400,000 over a bet of 500,000 on the 10♦10♣7♦ flop. Bahri called.
Kozieja halted on the 10♠ turn and check-folded to a bet of 3,000,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
33,000,000
2,750,000
|
2,750,000 |
|
|
11,500,000
-2,800,000
|
-2,800,000 |
|
|
||
Level 36
: Blinds 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
Safwane Bahri limped in from the button and Grzegorz Kozieja checked his option. The A♣5♦4♥ flop checked through to the 6♦ turn. Kozieja bet 500,000 and folded out Bahri.
The hand after was another limped pot and was checked through to the river. Bahri bet 500,000 on 10♥10♦6♣A♠2♦ and was called. The Frenchman tabled 6♦3♥ and his opponent mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
30,250,000
725,000
|
725,000 |
|
|
14,300,000
-500,000
|
-500,000 |
|
|
||