For the past two days, the Hilton Prague Hotel has played host to the European Poker Tour Season 11 Prague €50,000 Super High Roller, an event that drew 42 unique players that accounted for nine re-entries to create a prize pool of €2,448,765. Seven of those players remain in contention for the €771,360 first-place prize, with each guaranteeing themselves at least a minimum payday of €128,565.
The man best positioned to make a run at the title is Leonid Markin, who leads the final table with 3,350,000. On the flip side, Brian Roberts will start as the short stack with 275,000. Other still in contention are Vladimir Troyanovskiy, Juha Helppi, Ivan Soshnikov, Paul Newey, and Stephen Chidwick.
Play will resume in Level 17 (20,000/40,000/5,000), so expect the action to begin right from the start of proceedings.
EPT 11 Prague Super High Roller Final Table
Seat
Player
Chip Count
Big Blinds
1
Stephen Chidwick
660,000
16.5
2
Paul Newey
1,510,000
37.8
3
Juha Helppi
2,030,000
50.8
4
Ivan Soshnikov
1,925,000
48.1
6
Brian Roberts
275,000
6.9
7
Leonid Markin
3,350,000
83.8
8
Vladimir Troyanovskiy
3,000,000
75
Action will kick off at 12:00pm local time so be sure to join us then as we bring you all the action and eliminations from the €50,000 Super High Roller here in Prague! In the meantime, check out the profiles of the seven finalists.
Juha Helppi opened the hijack to 80,000 and his next door neighbor Ivan Soshnikov three bet to 205,000 from the cutoff. Brian Roberts folded his button but Leonid Markin in the small blind had far bigger plans. Markin four bet to 475,000 and Troyanovskiy quickly folded his big blind.
Action was on Helppi who didn't need much time to make up his mind; all in for 2,025,000. Soshnikov folded and Markin asked for a count. After a minute or three of thinking he folded, throwing open into the muck.
Paul Newey raised it up to 120,000 from the cut and watched as the action folded around to Brian Roberts on the big blind. He made the call and both watched as the flop came down .
Roberts thought about his decision for over a minute before sliding out a bet worth 110,000 in chips. Newey then tanked over his decision before placing in a large enough raise to have Roberts covered.
After a quick glance down at his cards, Roberts committed his remaining 580,000 into the pot and both players tabled their cards.
Roberts:
Newey:
Roberts had flopped top pair but it was no match against Newey’s over pair. Roberts would find no help as the board ran out the and to see him being the first player eliminated from the final table.
The remaining six players are all guaranteed at least €159,170 for their efforts.
Stephen Chidwick opened the button for just slightly more than a min raise with five 25,000 chips. Paul Newey instantly folded his small blind, Juha Helppi three bet to 360,000 from the big blind. Chidwick made the call. Helppi had won many button versus big blind situations versus Chidwick before, but wasn't going to this time around.
Helppi bet out 375,000 on and Chidwick made the call. Both players checked the on the turn now and the completed the board.
Helppi checked to Chidwick. The British pro bet out 775,000 with just 850,000 behind. Helppi had a though decision and it took several minutes before he would make one. At one point he cracked a smile, seemingly puzzled about what to do. He then grabbed the 775,000 chips he needed to call and it looked like he was going to shove them forward. He changed his mind though, cracked another smile, and held on to them for a bit. He eventually did shove them forward to call.
Helppi's face would soon display disappointment as he was shown for the nuts by Chidwick. Helppi mucked.
Still busy stacking the chips he just won, the next hand Leonid Markin was right back at it. Markin opened the button for 120,000 and his neighbor Vladimir Troyanovskiy shoved all in from the small blind for about half a million. Stephen Chidwick folded his big blind, Markin instantly called.
Troyanovskiy let out some frustrating sounding words in Russian as he found out he was up against with his . The flop was though and the words sounded a little bit friendlier all of the sudden. The didn't change that but the on the river did.
Troyanovskiy shook hands with his five opponents and made his way to the exit, earning €159,170 for his sixth place finish. The remaining five players are now guaranteed €208,150.
The action started with Stephen Chidwick raising to 160,000 from the cut off. Paul Newey was on the button and thought about his decision for a moment before bumping it up to 425,000. Ivan Soshnikov was on the small blind and looked down at his cards before moving all in for his remaining 730,000 in chips. Chidwick quickly folded and Newey called.
Newey:
Soshnikov:
Soshnikov had run into an over pair and was unable to improve as the board ran out to see his day finish in 5th place.
The remaining four players are all guaranteed at least €269,360 for their efforts today.
The action started with Leonid Markin raising to 160,000 from under the gun. Juha Helppi made the call from the big blind and both players watched the flop come down .
Helppi checked before Markin threw out a continuation bet worth 160,000. Helppi thought for a moment before raising it up to 400,000. Markin then instantly moved all in for 4.5 million which took Helppi by surprise.
The scheduled break had just started as Helppi went into the tank. A few minutes passed before Helppi began trying to get some answers.
“Do you have a good hand?” asked Helppi. “Will you show me if I call?” he added. Markin just shook his head.
“Tell me after the hand,” joked Helppi. Again Markin just shook his head.
Five minutes had passed before Markin turned to the clock before speaking out.
“Can you pause the clock. I just need to go upstairs and have a shower after this hand,” said Markin.
“You have clubs?” asked Helppi.
“I cant remember,” replied Markin.
“Can you check?” added Helppi.
“I have a rule to never look back at my cards after I go all in,” added Markin.
After an eight minute tank Helppi finally called with his 950,000 behind and the cards were tabled.
Markin:
Helppi:
Helppi had run into Markin’s over pair and was not rewarded with his call when the board ran out the and . Helppi was so eliminated in fourth place, the remaining three players are now guaranteed €355,070.
Rich and Donnie break down the latest news, including an update on RAWA, and Remko Rinkema speaks with Mukul Pahuja, Jason Mercier, and TonyBet OFC World Champion Jennifer Shahade at EPT Prague.
Leonid Markin opened the button for 320,000 and received calls from Stephen Chidwick (small blind) and Paul Newey (big blind).
The flop came and both blinds checked to initial raiser Markin who fired 460,000. Chidwick made the call, Newey folded.
The on the turn made Chidwick check again, and call the 550,000 bet that followed.
The completed the board and Chidwick checked for a third time. Markin shoved all in and Chidwick asked if it was more than 2.9 million, the stack he had in front of him. Markin counted his stack completely calm, and said it was 3,210,000.
Chidwick folded after some thinking. Markin smiled, showed , and raked in the big pot.
Stephen Chidwick open shoved from the button and Paul Newey thought about it for some time before folding. Leonid Markin in the big blind didn't need much time though as he held . Chidwick showed .
The flop wasn't much help to Chidwick and just worsened the situation he was in: .
Chidwick needed help on the turn; either a king, nine or spade would keep the hope alive, but it wasn't meant to be. The popped up and Chidwick got up from his chair and shook hands with Markin and Newey as he had no more outs to stay alive.
The on the river was just there to make things official and Chidwick was already on his way to the payout. The British pro, who finished third in both the EUREKA Main Event and the EPT Main Event last year here in Prague, receives a cheque worth €255.070.
The two remaining players are guaranteed €557,090 now and battle for the €771,360 first prize. There seem to be no interest for deal negotiations on both sides, so play continues straight away.
open into the muck.
.
and 
to see him being the first player eliminated from the final table.
and Chidwick made the call. Both players checked the 
on the turn now and the 
completed the board.
. The flop was 
though and the words sounded a little bit friendlier all of the sudden. The 
on the river did.
to see his day finish in 5th place.
.
completed the board and Chidwick checked for a third time. Markin shoved all in and Chidwick asked if it was more than 2.9 million, the stack he had in front of him. Markin counted his stack completely calm, and said it was 3,210,000.
.
