Could YOU Make This Hero Call at an EPT Main Event Final Table?

Will Shillibier
Managing Editor
3 min read
Fabiano Kovalski

The PokerStars and Barcelona©Casino European Poker Tour Main Event is on its final day, but not before we saw one of the craziest final table rails in EPT history.

Two Brazilians — Neville Costa and Fabiano Kovalski — were roared on by a vociferous crowd late on Saturday night, but it was Kovalski who would take center stage with a stunning hero-call to bring Day 5 to a close.

In the midst of some of the craziest scenes ever seen at an EPT Main Event final table, Kovalski pulled off one of the most impressive hero-calls to send Michael Pinto to the rail. Could you make the same call?

Hand History

Rail

The hand began with Patrik Jaros raising from the cutoff with 44 and Kovalski called on the button with AQ. Michael Pinto also called in the big blind with QJ and the trio saw a flop of K63.

All three players checked and the turn was the K. Pinto bet 350,000 out of the big blind and Kovalski was the only caller. The river was the 8 and Pinto immediately shoved for 2,400,000 into a pot of 2,225,000.


WOW! PokerStars EPT Barcelona Smashes Record for Biggest Main Event Field


Kovalski tanked for around 90 seconds in total before eventually calling, with his ace-high good and sending Pinto the rail and causing Kovalski's rail — and EPT Commentators Joe Stapleton and Nick Walsh — to erupt.

Fabiano Kovalski

Commentator Reaction

"In the most dramatic fashion I have ever seen, we have finally put an end to Day 5!"

"The hero Kovalski," cried Stapleton.

"Unbelievable!" exclaimed Walsh. "He's done it!"

"Kovalski puts this night to bed with the ace-high hero call," continued Stapleton. "Pinto went for it, [and] did not pull it off. In the most dramatic fashion I have ever seen, we have finally put an end to Day 5. Kovalski the hero of the day."

Social Media Reaction

The final table will be streamed with cards-up coverage by PokerStars Live on Twitch and YouTube on a 30-minute delay.
The PokerNews live reporting team will be on hand to bring you all the final table action as it happens until a winner is crowned.
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Will Shillibier
Managing Editor

Based in the United Kingdom, Will started working for PokerNews as a freelance live reporter in 2015 and joined the full-time staff in 2019. He now works as Managing Editor. He graduated from the University of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He also holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports Journalism.

In this Series

1 Francisco Benitez Triumphs in EPT Barcelona €10,200 Mystery Bounty (€114,080)2 Win the ULTIMATE Oracle Red Bull Racing Experience at EPT Barcelona3 Francisco Benitez Secures Second 2022 EPT Barcelona Title; Wins €25,000 No Limit Hold'em I (€341,565)4 Addamo & Davies Double Up in First Level of EPT Barcelona €25K Single-Day High Roller I5 Artur Martirosian Takes Down EPT Barcelona €25,000 Single-Day High Roller I (€540,990)6 Fourth-Time's a Charm For Watson in the EPT Barcelona €50,000 High Roller7 Rick van Bruggen Wins Record-Breaking Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event8 WOW! PokerStars EPT Barcelona Smashes Record for Biggest Main Event Field9 Miroslav Alilovic Wins Estrellas Poker Tour High Roller (€512,650)10 Mikita Badziakouski Wins EPT Barcelona €100K Super High Roller for a Second Time11 Another for Michael Addamo; Conquers EPT Barcelona €50K Single Day High Roller II12 Defending EPT Barcelona Champ Simon Brandstrom Taking it "One Hand at a Time" on Hunt for Second Title13 Yamato Nakai Wins $30,000 PSPC Platinum Pass in EPT Barcelona Mystery Bounty14 Leonard Maue Denies Benitez Third Straight Title to Win the €25,000 Single-Day High Roller15 Patrik Jaros Leads Final Six in PokerStars EPT Barcelona €5,300 Main Event16 Mikolaj Zawadzki Wins EPT Barcelona €1,650 Mystery Bounty (€95,418)17 Could YOU Make This Hero Call at an EPT Main Event Final Table?18 Steve O'Dwyer "No Longer Angry" After EPT Barcelona €25,000 High Roller Victory19 Portugal's Rui Ferreira Takes Down €10,300 EPT High Roller for €767,75020 Giuliano Bendinelli Comes Back From One Big Blind to Win the 2022 EPT Barcelona Main Event (€1,491,133)21 Five Key Hands from EPT Barcelona Main Event Heads-Up Battle

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