Five of the Most Interesting Hands from the 2020 EPT Online
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The first ever European Poker Tour (EPT) Online series ended with "WhatIfGod" being crowned champion of the highly anticipated EPT Online Main Event for over $1 million.
The series awarded a total of $26,760,806 in prize money between the EPT Online ($21,226,100) and the Mini EPT ($5,534,706). The EPT Online attracted 13,222 entries across the 20-event schedule, while the Mini EPT attracted a massive 278,874 entries over its lower buy-in events. All 20 winners of EPT Online won an iconic EPT trophy, while Mini EPT winners collected an EPT spade trophy.
PokerNews offered live updates from all 20 events, and during that time we reported on some big hands. Below are five of the most interesting and game-changing hands we were able to capture.
Triple Elimination Headed into Final Table
In the EPT Online Event #3: $5,200 NLH [8-Max, High Roller], ten players remained in contention and had their eyes firmly set on making the final table. With the blinds at 25,000/50,000, a big hand developed when Pascal "Päffchen" Hartmann raised to 100,000 from the cutoff, keeping 2,904 behind.
Christoph "26071985" Vogelsang three-bet shoved from the button for 1,692,461 and Parker "tonkaaaa" Talbot called off in the small blind for the 890,412 he had behind. David "MonkeyBausss" Laka called too from the big blind with the biggest stack and Hartmann pushed his remaining chips over the line for the four-way all-in.
Pascal "Päffchen" Hartmann: 9♥9♦
Parker "tonkaaaa" Talbot: J♥J♦
Christoph "26071985" Vogelsang: A♥J♣
David "MonkeyBausss" Laka: Q♠Q♥
The board ran out 3♣4♣4♥3♠3♥ for Laka to hold with the highest pocket pair for a winning full house to eliminate three opponents and establish a seven-handed final table.
As the shortest stack, Hartmann finished in 10th place for $15,108, Talbot exited in ninth for $19,066, and Vogelsang took eighth for $24,063. Meanwhile, Laka went on to win the tournament for $143,567.
Another Rare Four-Way All-In Pot
There was another rare four-way all-in hand in Level 12 (6,000/12,000/1,500) of Event #6: $10,300 NLH [8-Max, High Roller] when Chris "ImDaNuts" Oliver raised to 24,000 and Thomas "WushuTM" Muehloecker three-bet jammed the button for 161,942.
Sam "SamSquid" Grafton four-bet all-in for 423,597 in the small blind and Ole "wizowizo" Schemion called for fewer than that from the big blind, Oliver also came along to make it a four-way showdown.
Thomas "WushuTM" Muehloecker: A♠Q♠
Ole "wizowizo" Schemion: Q♥Q♦
Sam "SamSquid" Grafton: J♠J♣
Chris "ImDaNuts" Oliver: A♣K♣
All four players held big hands, and after the board ran out 6♣4♥4♦7♦2♣, the queens held up for Schemion and that sent Muehloecker out while Grafton was left short.
Smiljkovic Cannot Bluff Eibinger
At the final table of Event #6: $10,300 NLH [8-Max, High Roller], it was Level 22 (35,000/70,000/8,750) when Daniel "SmilleThHero" Smiljkovic opened the action with a raise to 140,000 in the cutoff and chip leader Matthias "iambest2" Eibinger three-bet to 717,500 in the big blind. That prompted a call from Smiljkovic and the 10♥6♠4♦ flop brought a bet of 574,000 by Eibinger, which Smiljkovic called.
There was no betting action on the 3♦ turn and heading to the 8♥ river with 2,670,500 in the middle, Eibinger checked and Smiljkovic bet half the pot to send his opponent deep into the think tank.
Eibinger nearly depleted his available time bank and then called with the A♠K♥, which was good as Smiljkovic had bluffed the K♦Q♦. Smiljkovic wound up busting in fifth place for $87,274 while Eibinger finished runner-up to Mikita Badziakouski, though not before striking a deal that secured him $221,564 in prize money.
Cimbolas Rivers Quads to Bust Darie
In Event #16: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, Main Event], it was early in the tournament in Level 3 (700/1,400/175) when Vlad "dariepoker" Darie made it 3,010 to go from under the gun and was called by Matas "bebaimis777" Cimbolas in the hijack.
The flop brought 9♦6♦2♠ and Darie check-raised from 3,973 to 11,508 only for Cimbolas to make it 33,600 to go. Darie called and they headed to the K♣ turn on which Darie check-jammed for 200,750. Cimbolas had invested 46,900 and made the call with the superior stack.
Vlad "dariepoker" Darie: 9♥9♣
Matas "bebaimis777" Cimbolas: 6♥6♠
Cimbolas had one out and nailed that one on the 6♣ river to make quads and eliminate Darie in spectacular fashion.
Pocket Aces Giveth and Pocket Aces Taketh
In Level 20 (12,500/25,000/3,250) of Event #16: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, Main Event], Poland's "Spotzilla666" defended the big blind and check-raised the Q♥5♦2♥ flop to then call a reraise by Dante "dantegoyaF" Goya to see the K♠ on the turn. "Spotzilla666" check-called the shove of Goya for 182,860 and tabled the A♥A♦ for the overpair. Goya needed help with K♥10♥ and was granted the double thanks to the 9♥ river.
One hand later, Goya opened to 55,000 and was called by "ukrainianfla" in the cutoff. "Spotzilla666" three-bet to 220,000 in the small blind and Goya was the only caller. They checked the Q♣9♦3♠ flop and "Spotzilla666" bet the 5♥ turn for 110,000, Goya made the call.
The J♣ fell on the river and "Spotzilla666" moved in for 551,034 with the K♣Q♦ for top pair only to get snapped off by Goya with the A♣A♥.
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