2017 PokerStars Championship Prague

Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2017 PokerStars Championship Prague

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
1010
Prize
€675,000
Event Info
Buy-in
€5,300
Prize Pool
€4,146,750
Entries
855
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000

Mrakes Shines on Home Turf on Day 1a of PokerStars Championship Prague Main Event

Level 8 : 400/800, 100 ante
Michal Mrakes
Michal Mrakes

It's already been a great year for Michal Mrakes in his home country of Czech Republic, and it could be still better if he can take down PokerStars Championship Prague €5,300 Main Event.

While there's a long way to go before he can make that a reality, Mrakes has taken the first step here on Day 1a, bagging a huge stack of 202,700 to rank first among the 77 players who bagged chips at the close of play. A total of 193 entries were logged in the first of two starting flights.

Mrakes has already his two nice scores in his home country this year. He got first in a €1K event here for €200,000 and then took 14th in the World Series of Poker Europe Main Event for €46,594. Overall, he's just shy of $1 million in cashes, so he'll be a player to keep an eye on going forward.

Mrakes got a huge stack early on, reportedly picking up aces against kings and then getting the blades again in a massive all in pot, this time holding against a player who tried jamming rags at the wrong time.

Another WSOPE headliner — actually, the WSOPE headliner — also made waves. Marti Roca de Torres, who took down the Main Event just a couple of hours to the west last month, sits unofficially in second with 170,900. He flopped top two with jack-nine suited in a three-bet pot against Steve O'Dwyer, and the super high roller, who had been looking like a favorite to finish among the leaders, sent Roca de Torres a full double when he couldn't get away from pocket tens.

O'Dwyer did manage to bag 52,800, though. Others making it through included Martin Staszko, €50K Super High Roller winner Timothy Adams, Sergi Reixach, Adrian Mateos and Dietrich Fast.

Anton Wigg, Sam Greenwood, Vladimir Troyanovskiy, David Peters, Juha Helppiinterviewed here by PokerNews — and PokerStars Team Pro Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier are among those who will have to count on a side event or one of the remaining high rollers if they hope to add a trophy to their collections from here in the Czech capital.

Players who didn't bust out of Day 1a can fire Day 1b, expected to be the larger of the two starting flights, which starts Wednesday at noon. Come back to PokerNews then for more live coverage.

Top 10 Counts

 PlayerCountryChip Count
1Michal MrakesCzech Republic202,700
2Marti Roca De TorresSpain170,900
3Akin TunaGermany155,600
4Mikhail RudoyRussia142,400
5Anton YakubaRussia139,800
6Oleg VasylchenkoUkraine138,900
7Martin StaszkoCzech Republic133,100
8Morten HalvorsenNorway131,800
9Erik WalfridssonSweden127,700
10Fidan ZahitiSweden125,500

Tags: Marti Roca de TorresMichal Mrakes

Run Like Roca

Level 8 : 400/800, 100 ante
Marti Roca de Torres
Marti Roca de Torres

According to the PokerStars Blog team, recent World Series of Poker Europe Main Event winner champion Marti Roca De Torres has scored a big double through Steve O'Dwyer soon after being moved to the table.

Roca De Torres raised to 1,600 from the cutoff and O'Dwyer three-bet to 6,400. Boris Kuzmanovic called, as did the Spaniard, and the flop fell {J-Diamonds}{9-Hearts}{3-Diamonds}. It was O'Dwyer who bet 7,800 after it was checked to him and Kuzmanovic folded, while Rosa De Torres check-raised to 25,900. O'Dwyer called and the {2-Hearts} fell on the turn.

Roca De Torres moved all in for 61,300 and O'Dwyer called with the {10-Diamonds}{10-Clubs}, while the Spaniard was ahead with {J-Spades}{9-Spades} for two pair. The {A-Spades} on the river was a blank and Roca De Torres doubled into a massive stack.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Marti Roca de Torres es
Marti Roca de Torres
195,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Boris Kuzmanovic hr
Boris Kuzmanovic
115,000
23,000
23,000
Profile photo of Steve O'Dwyer ie
Steve O'Dwyer
58,000
-82,500
-82,500
EPT 1X Winner

Tags: Boris KuzmanovicMarti Roca De TorresSteve O'Dwyer

"Hey Tim, didn't you win a Tournament Today?"

Level 8 : 400/800, 100 ante
Timothy Adams
Timothy Adams

Timothy Adam's raise from under the gun was called by two opponents including Alessio Casiraghi in the big blind. Only the Italian check-called a bet of 4,000 on the {Q-Diamonds}{J-Hearts}{10-Diamonds} flop and did so again for 11,500 on the {4-Hearts} turn.

The {3-Spades} fell on the river and Casiraghi checked. Adams moved all in for around 40,000 and the Italian called for slightly less. Adams rolled over the {A-Hearts}{K-Clubs} for the flopped nuts and Casiraghi mucked {9-Diamonds}{8-Spades} for the inferior straight to join the rail.

"Hey Tim, didn't you win a tournament today?" Dietrich Fast in the one seat asked and Adams just smiled back. Fast had bubbled the €50,000 Super High Roller while Adams finished off that tournament today to claim the trophy. Adams is also on track in the Main Event with a decent stack after this hand as well.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Timothy Adams ca
Timothy Adams
125,000
67,000
67,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Alessio Casiraghi it
Alessio Casiraghi
Busted

Tags: Alessio CasiraghiDietrich FastTimothy Adams

Reixach Coolers Wigg

Level 7 : 300/600, 100 ante
Anton Wigg
Anton Wigg

Sergi Reixach opened for 1,400 in middle position and Anton Wigg defended the big blind. Both checked the flop, bringing a board of {9-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}{5-Spades}{q-Hearts}. Wigg check-called 1,800 and then checked the {a-Spades}. Reixach jammed and Wigg snapped for his last 7,000 or so. He had to muck his {a-}{9-} though, when Reixach showed {a-Hearts}{q-Spades} for top two.

"Good luck, guys," Wigg said with a sigh before grabbing his jacket.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Sergi Reixach es
Sergi Reixach
109,000
55,000
55,000
Profile photo of Anton Wigg se
Anton Wigg
Busted
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner

Tags: Anton WiggSergi Reixach

Sam Greenwood Eliminated

Level 6 : 250/500, 75 ante
Sam Greenwood
Sam Greenwood

After an open to 1,100, Benjamin Chalot 3-bet to 3,200 from the hijack. Over on the button, Sam Greenwood cold 4-bet to 8,500 out of a 40,000 stack. The blinds and initial raiser folded, Chalot called.

Chalot checked on {K-Diamonds}{10-Spades}{9-Spades} and Greenwood bet 4,000. Chalot shoved all in and after about half a minute or so, Greenwood called.

Sam Greenwood: {J-Clubs}{J-Spades}
Benjamin Chalot: {9-Clubs}{10-Clubs}

The {3-Diamonds} on the turn wasn't one of the cards that immediately helped Greenwood, and neither was the {4-Diamonds} on the river. Greenwood done and dusted, Chalot up to 85,000.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Benjamin Chalot fr
Benjamin Chalot
85,000
45,000
45,000
Profile photo of Sam Greenwood ca
Sam Greenwood
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner
Run It Once

Tags: Benjamin ChalotSam Greenwood

O'Dwyer Busts Petrangelo

Level 5 : 200/400, 50 ante
Nick Petrangelo
Nick Petrangelo

In a battle of the big names and High Roller regulars, Steve O'Dwyer bested Nick Petrangelo to send the latter to the rail, though both may very likely meet again the next day in the €25,500 Single-Day High Roller.

With approximately 13,000 in the middle and the board reading {8-Spades}{7-Spades}{4-Clubs}{J-Clubs}, O'Dwyer bet 9,000 and Petrangelo called with another 22,000 behind. The {5-Diamonds} fell on the river and O'Dwyer moved all in to see Petrangelo quickly call with {7-Diamonds}{7-Hearts} for a flopped set of sevens. O'Dwyer had the best of it with {J-Spades}{J-Diamonds} for a turned set of jacks and that was it.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Steve O'Dwyer ie
Steve O'Dwyer
95,000
65,000
65,000
EPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Nick Petrangelo us
Nick Petrangelo
Busted
WSOP 2X Winner

Tags: Nick PetrangeloSteve O'Dwyer

Double Knockout for Fatehi

Level 5 : 200/400, 50 ante
Ali Reza Fatehi
Ali Reza Fatehi

The media cards of Jose Nunez Fernandez and Saar Wilf ended up on the main registration desk, which meant that both were eliminated. A quick look at their former table quickly brought to light who had taken both stacks as Ali Reza Fatehi was sitting behind a mountain of chips.

According to Fatehi, it was a three-way all in with pocket aces for him, pocket jacks for Saar Wilf and pocket queens for Nunez Fernandez. Fatehi flopped a set while one of the opponents turned the nut flush draw. However, the river paired the board and the full house of Fatehi scored a double knock out.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ali Reza Fatehi ir
Ali Reza Fatehi
110,000
38,600
38,600
Profile photo of Jose Nunez Fernandez es
Jose Nunez Fernandez
Busted
Profile photo of Saar Wilf il
Saar Wilf
Busted

Tags: Saar WilfJose Nunez FernandezAli Reza Fatehi

Juanda Lucky After Running into Kings

Level 4 : 150/300, 50 ante
John Juanda Gets Lucky
John Juanda Gets Lucky

Luca Stevanato raised to 700 in the hijack and got three-bet to 2,250 by John Juanda on the button. Stevanato put in 6,950 and Juanda responded by jamming for about 20,000 effective. Stevanato quickly called with {k-Clubs}{k-Spades} and was a big favorite over {3-Hearts}{3-Spades}. However, the {3-Clubs}{q-Hearts}{7-Spades}{q-Clubs} board left him asking for a queen on the river. It was an {a-Clubs} instead.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of John Juanda id
John Juanda
47,000
16,500
16,500
WSOP 5X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
EPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Luca Stevanato it
Luca Stevanato
Busted

Tags: John JuandaLuca Stevanato

Rush For Neves

Level 3 : 100/200, 25 ante
Helio Neves
Helio Neves

Jaromir Hanel called a bet of 1,500 of Ghattas Kortas in the small blind on the river of a board {J-Hearts}{10-Spades}{2-Clubs}{A-Spades}{10-Hearts} and was good when Kortas showed {K-Spades}{9-Diamonds}, as the Czech on the button had {Q-Hearts}{Q-Clubs}. Soon after it was Helio Neves who claimed the spotlight on the table in two consecutive hands.

Hand 1

The flop showed {A-Clubs}{10-Clubs}{5-Hearts} and Neves bet 2,400 in the big blind. Kjell Ove Dyb called and Kortas raised to 7,100. Neves moved all in for 25,500 and Dyb shoved over the top, while Kortas reluctantly folded with fewer than one third of the starting stack behind.

Helio Neves: {5-Diamonds}{5-Spades}
Kjell Ove Dyb: {K-Clubs}{J-Clubs}

After the {9-Diamonds} turn and {9-Clubs} river run out, Dyb started to celebrate but quickly fell silent as he noticed the full house of Neves, taking a big hit to his stack.

Hand 2

A raise by Hanel resulted in the three-bet to 1,500 by Neves in the small blind and Hanel called. The flop of {10-Clubs}{7-Spades}{4-Clubs} was checked, and Neves' bet of 3,000 on the {A-Diamonds} turn was called by Hanel. After the {2-Hearts} river, Neves made it 8,700 to go and Hanel called, but tapped the table in defeat when he was being shown {A-Hearts}{10-Hearts} for top two pair by Neves.

Those two hands vaulted Neves from a starting stack into the top spot in the third level of the day.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Helio Neves br
Helio Neves
74,000
50,000
50,000
Profile photo of Jaromir Hanel cz
Jaromir Hanel
23,000
23,000
23,000
Profile photo of Kjell Ove Dyb no
Kjell Ove Dyb
9,000
-20,000
-20,000
Profile photo of Ghattas Kortas se
Ghattas Kortas
7,000
7,000
7,000

Tags: Ghattas KortasHelio NevesJaromir HanelKjell Ove Dyb

Fatehi Flops Well, Doubles

Level 3 : 100/200, 25 ante
Jose Nunez Fernandez
Jose Nunez Fernandez

Jose Nunez Fernandez opened under the gun and got three-bet to 1,350 by his neighbor. Ali Reza Fatehi called in the cutoff, as did big blind Georgios Zisimopoulos. Fernandez fired in 6,600, chasing away his neighbor. Fatehi stuck around. Zisimopoulos thought awhile before leaving it heads up.

The flop came {4-Spades}{5-Hearts}{q-Clubs} and Fernandez bet 4,800. Fatehi put in 11,700 and snap-called an all-in shove for his stack of just under 20,000.

Fernandez: {a-Spades}{a-Diamonds}
Fatehi: {4-Hearts}{4-Clubs}

The {3-Clubs} turn meant Fatehi had to sweat a few extra outs but the {6-Hearts} river assured him of a double. Fernandez whipped out his phone and grabbed a photo of the beat, muttering to himself.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ali Reza Fatehi ir
Ali Reza Fatehi
56,000
30,000
30,000
Profile photo of Georgios Zisimopoulos gr
Georgios Zisimopoulos
40,500
3,500
3,500
Profile photo of Jose Nunez Fernandez es
Jose Nunez Fernandez
14,500

Tags: Giorgos ZisimopoulosJose Nunez Fernandez