TWO Record Fields at EPT Prague; Eureka Main Event and High Roller Champions Crowned

December 13, 2022

The 2022 PokerStars European Poker Tour stop at the Hilton Prague is in full swing, and has already crowned a handful of champions including Ben Heath's sensational High Roller double.

The ever-popular Eureka Main Event and High Roller have also concluded, with both tournaments comfortably breaking the record for their respective fields. As always, PokerNews was on hand to provide updates of all the action.

PokerStars EPT Prague Eureka Main Event: Royal Flush Runout Leaves Table Stunned

Pieter Theelen Goes from Short Stack to Champ in €1,100 Eureka Main Event

Dutchman Pieter Theelen was the short stack at various points at the final table in the €1,100 Eureka Main Event but that didn't stop him from winning the record-breaking event for a career-best €496,760 after defeating Sweden's Anton Suarez in a brief heads-up battle.

“I’m feeling awesome, but I just have to start realizing (what happened)," Theelen said. "I don’t know what happened, actually. I was short a lot of the time and then (I was) chip leader, and after that it went pretty well. But after that it was close heads-up, kind of. So I’m happy that I managed to take it down.”

€1,100 Eureka Main Event Final Table Results

The four-day event drew a massive 4,017 entrants across four starting flights to break the previous entry record set in March and to generate a €3,856,320 in prize money. Defending champion, PokerStars ambassador and freestyle rapper Alejandro Lococo was looking to go back-to-back but fell on Day 3 in 21st place for €14,080.

Others who joined Theelen and Suarez at the final table included Norway's Silius Moll (€76,700), Finland's Elias Suhonen (€129,650) and Britain's Jack Sinclair (€168,560), who has been on an EPT tear as of late that saw him finishing second in both the EPT Barcelona Estrellas Main Event and the EPT London Main Event.

Back-to-Back Victories for Ben Heath in 2022 PokerStars EPT Prague €25,000 Single-Day High Rollers

What Can Happen in a Year

Theelen only had $12,250 in Hendon Mob-reported earnings headed into the event, but he's no newcomer to the felt. The 30-year-old has been playing poker since he was 18 years old and professionally for the last five years. But he said this is the first year he's traveled to poker festivals and got his first live cash at EPT Prague in March.

“In one year, this is already what I managed to achieve, so that’s great," Theelen said in reflection.

As is so often the case in poker, it wasn't always smooth flying for the Dutchman.

“I think it’s been up and down all the time. I think on Day 2 I had probably the chip lead, and then I lost a lot of it again. And then I built it up again, I lost a lot of it, it’s just been a swingy tournament all around.”

The swings continued at the final table, which Theelen entered toward the middle of the pack but dipped early after losing a big pot to Sinclair.

“This final table, I just had to wait a lot, because most of the time I was short-stacked, so I just had to wait around and wait until the good moments to run good," he said. "And that’s what happened … I’m still thinking (about) what happened.”

Click for for full updates from the Eureka Main Event

Sander Ostlyngen Wins €463,850 in Record Breaking €2,200 Eureka High Roller

Meanwhile, Norwegian Sander Ostlyngen topped a record-breaking 1,534 entrant field to claim the €2,200 Eureka High Roller trophy and a massive €463,850 after 16 hours of play.

With two tables left, Ostlyngen turned quads to double up against Mehdi Chaoui and came into the final table as a middling stack. He slowly secured ladders, before defeating the start of final table chip leader Stanislav Koleno heads up.

€2,200 Eureka High Roller Final Table Results

Koleno was the opposite of Ostlygen with Koleno constantly being involved in big pots and being one of the chip leaders especially after winning aces against ace-king to eliminate Marcin Puczylowski.

Ostlygen is fairly new to the live tournament circuit having only nine previous cashes on his Hendon Mob but had already cashed two events here in Prague. However, this is his biggest win by far with his live tournament earnings only being $28,185 prior to this huge score.

Click for for full updates from the Eureka High Roller

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  Jack SinclairAlejandro LococoAnton SuarezPieter Theelen