€5,300 EPT Main Event
Day 4 Completed
€5,300 EPT Main Event
Day 4 Completed
Jon Kyte was pulling all the right strings on Day 4 of the PokerStars European Poker Tour Prague Main Event.
Kyte, who began the day as chip leader, finished back atop the leaderboard with 6,515,000 as 16 players made it through with their dreams of making the final table still intact. But Kyte encountered some turbulent wind on his way to taking back a commanding lead.
Kyte was all in with king-jack on a jack-high board against Alexandru Lupuleac’s ace-jack. One card away from elimination, Kyte spiked a king on the river to double up off a stunned Lupuleac. Kyte was also on the right side of two massive coin flips, besting Cesar Garcia with two queens against ace-king and then eliminating Marius Kudzmanas near the end of the night in what turned out to be the biggest pot of Day 4.
The Norwegian pro already has more than $1.2 million in live earnings, but this is his deepest run yet in an EPT Main Event. He finished 87th at EPT London last October, although he did win side events at both EPT Monte Carlo and EPT Barcelona earlier this year.
Grigorii Rodin (4,025,000) is Kyte’s closest challenger, followed by Cheng Zhao (3,740,000), Serge Chechin (2,980,000), and Vincent Meli (2,920,000).
Day 4 Chip Counts
Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jon Kyte | Norway | 6,515,000 | 130 |
2 | Grigorii Rodin | Russia | 4,025,000 | 81 |
3 | Cheng Zhao | China | 3,740,000 | 75 |
4 | Serge Chechin | France | 2,980,000 | 60 |
5 | Vincent Meli | France | 2,920,000 | 58 |
6 | Padraig O'Neill | Ireland | 2,700,000 | 54 |
7 | Niall Farrell | United Kingdom | 2,695,000 | 54 |
8 | Dejan Jakovljevic | Netherlands | 2,285,000 | 46 |
9 | Marle Spragg | United States | 2,080,000 | 42 |
10 | Adam Wagner | Czech Republic | 1,930,000 | 39 |
11 | Umberto Ruggeri | Italy | 1,470,000 | 29 |
12 | Jiri Kocab | Czech Republic | 1,325,000 | 27 |
13 | Preben Stokkan | Norway | 1,185,000 | 24 |
14 | Max Neugebauer | Austria | 1,090,000 | 22 |
15 | Govert Metaal | Netherlands | 930,000 | 19 |
16 | Mark Helou | Lebanon | 540,000 | 11 |
The two players who will be in the spotlight tomorrow with a chance to make history, however, are further down the leaderboard.
Niall Farrell ended up in seventh place with 2,695,000. The champion of EPT Malta in 2015 will have a chance to join Vicky Coren Mitchell, Mikalai Pobal, and Mike Watson as the only two-time EPT champions.
Marle Spragg also remains in contention. She found aces to triple up and keep her EPT dreams alive heading into Day 5 as she looks to become the fifth woman to win on the EPT, along with Coren Mitchell, Liv Boeree, Maria Lampropulos, and Sandra Naujoks.
Other players who will also be returning include Padraig O’Neill (2,700,000), WSOP Europe champion Max Neugebauer (1,090,000), and Govert Metaal (930,000). Metaal is the grizzled veteran left in the field. The Dutch pro first cashed in an EPT Main Event back in 2010 and has 15 career cashes. He’s one spot away from matching his best finish in Monte Carlo in 2019.
Day 4 Action
Day 4 began with 46 players remaining out of a record-setting starting field of 1,285. Leo Margets was the first player eliminated, running into the aces of Farrell. Omar Eljach also fell victim to Farrell, losing a race with eights against Farrell’s ace-nine when Farrell hit a straight on the river.
Lampropulos, the 2018 PCA champion, was busted in 33rd place by Kudzmanas holding a pair of nines. Steve O’Dwyer, another past EPT champion from Monte Carlo in 2013, began the day second in chips but his hopes of another run at a title took a big hit when he five-bet shoved with ace-queen but Lupuleac called with two queens to double up, dropping O’Dwyer to a short stack.
Lupuleac joined the ranks of the chip leaders with that pot, but nothing went right for him after that. After losing to the calamitous king on the river against Kyte, he lost a race with ace-queen to Chechin’s pocket tens to finish in 26th place.
Anton Bergstrom (24th), Ran Ilani (23rd), Garcia (22nd), and Adria Diaz (21st) followed him to the payout desk once the field redrew for the final three tables.
PokerStars Ambassador and inaugural PSPC champion Ramon Colillas was still in contention up to this point and cruising toward another final table before putting in his last 1,710,000 in a three-way all in against Spragg and Kudzmanas. Colillas showed ace-king, but he was practically drawing dead already as Kudzmanas had kings and Spragg two aces. Spragg took the main pot to triple up, while Kudzmanas busted Colillas in the massive side pot in 20th place.
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O’Dwyer never recovered from losing the pot to Lupuleac and ended up all in for 440,000 with deuces against Umberto Ruggeri’s pocket fives as he busted in 19th place. Then came the pot that catapulted Kyte into the upper atmosphere. Kudzmanas raised to 110,000 before Kyte three-bet to 390,000. Kudzmanas four-bet to 750,000, Kyte five-bet jammed, and Kudzmanas called for his 2,480,000 with ace-king. Kyte had two jacks as the two players raced for the 5,000,000 chip pot and the tournament chip lead. Whatever suspense was left in the hand, however, was completely eroded on the flop as Kyte hit a full house. Kudzmanas’ tournament came to a crashing halt in 18th place.
Teun Mulder was the last player who failed to make it through the day. Seeking a chance at redemption after letting the trophy slip through his grasp last March, Mulder shoved for his last three big blinds but Zhao ended up with a full house to eliminate him in 17th place.
The remaining 16 players have already locked up €42,320 for navigating their way this far. Tomorrow they’ll play down to a final table and try to guarantee themselves €123,600. Then all that’s left to play for is the EPT gold-plated trophy and €1,030,000.
The action resumes tomorrow with 3:37 left in Level 25 with blinds of 20,000-40,000 and a 40,000 big blind ante. The stacks remain deep and the stakes are high. It’s already been a long road to get to this point, but the journey to being crowned an EPT champion still has a long way to go.
PokerNews will follow along tomorrow as the final table of the largest EPT Prague Main Event in history is set.
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PokerStars has unveiled the full schedule for the 2024 European Poker Tour (EPT) season, which shows five destinations, including a return to EPT Paris and EPT Cyprus. Both Paris and Cyprus made their EPT debut in 2023, and they return for 2024, much to the delight of the players.
EPT Paris is the first stop of the 2024 European Poker Tour season. It takes place between February 14-25 at a new venue. The stunning Le Palais des Congres has a 120-table capacity, meaning there will be a more extensive schedule for the festival. Cedric Billot, Associate Director for Live Events and Operations, believes the new-look EPT Paris could be one of the largest EPT festivals on record.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jon Kyte |
6,515,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |
|
||
Grigorii Rodin |
4,025,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
Cheng Zhao | 3,740,000 | |
Serge Chechin |
2,980,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
Vincent Meli |
2,920,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
Padraig O'Neill | 2,700,000 | |
|
||
Niall Farrell |
2,695,000
-205,000
|
-205,000 |
|
||
Dejan Jakovljevic |
2,285,000
-265,000
|
-265,000 |
Marle Spragg |
2,080,000
-20,000
|
-20,000 |
Adam Wagner |
1,930,000
240,000
|
240,000 |
Umberto Ruggeri |
1,470,000
270,000
|
270,000 |
Jiri Kocab |
1,325,000
-245,000
|
-245,000 |
Preben Stokkan |
1,185,000
-315,000
|
-315,000 |
Max Neugebauer |
1,090,000
90,000
|
90,000 |
Govert Metaal |
930,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
Mark Helou |
540,000
-260,000
|
-260,000 |
Day 4 has ended with 16 players remaining. There is 3:37 left in Level 25 when action resumes tomorrow.
Stay tuned for full chip counts and a recap of the day's action.
Teun Mulder was again down to 180,000 as he moved all in from the small blind. Cheng Zhao called in the big blind.
Teun Mulder: K♥3♣
Cheng Zhao: J♥2♣
The 2♥2♠4♥ flop was a disaster for Mulder as Zhao made trips. The J♦ turn improved Zhao to a full house, while the river was an inconsequential 8♦ and Mulder was eliminated.
The remaining 16 players are now bagging up their chips for the night.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Cheng Zhao |
3,740,000
180,000
|
180,000 |
Teun Mulder | Busted |
Marius Kudzmanas raised to 110,000 in early position before Jon Kyte three-bet to 390,000 in the small blind. Kudzmanas then four-bet to 750,000. Kyte used a time bank and decided to move all in as Kudzmanas quickly called for 2,480,000.
Marius Kudzmanas: A♣K♦
Jon Kyte: J♠J♣
It was a massive flip with more than 5,000,000 and the tournament chip lead at stake. Both players awaited the flop, which came J♥10♠10♣ and virtually ended all suspense in the hand as Kyte made a full house.
The 2♣ turn left Kudzmanas drawing dead, while the K♠ completed the board as Kyte took the pot to take an overwhelming lead over the field. Kudzmanas, meanwhile, was forced to head to the payout desk to collect his 18th-place prize.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jon Kyte |
6,520,000
2,560,000
|
2,560,000 |
|
||
Marius Kudzmanas | Busted |
Teun Mulder was down to 100,000, less than three big blinds, and moved all in from under the gun. Jon Kyte called in the big blind to put him at risk.
Teun Mulder: A♥10♥
Jon Kyte: K♣8♠
The flop came 10♦9♣10♠ and Mulder made trips to take a commanding lead in the pot. The 7♣ turn gave Kyte a straight draw, but the 8♦ river was safe and Mulder doubled up.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jon Kyte |
3,960,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
||
Teun Mulder |
260,000
160,000
|
160,000 |
Max Neugebauer jammed for 480,000 from under the gun and was at risk to Padraig O'Neill, who called from the small blind.
Max Neugebauer: K♥J♣
Padraig O'Neill: 10♠10♣
Neugebauer paired up on the K♣9♠7♣ flop and improved to a flush after the 6♣A♣ runout to double.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Padraig O'Neill |
2,700,000
-1,015,000
|
-1,015,000 |
|
||
Max Neugebauer |
1,000,000
600,000
|
600,000 |