€5,200 PLO Opener | 2025 PLO Grand Slam

01-27-2025 02:26 UTC+1

Fabian Riebau-Schmithals Eliminated in 5th Place (€70,700)

Frank Visser

Level 25 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

It folded to Fabian Riebau-Schmithals in the small blind, who raised to 750,000. Sean Rafael instantly called in the big blind, after which he snap-called RIebau-Schmithals' shove for 1,250,000 on the 10♥5♦3♥ flop as well.

Fabian Riebau-Schmithals: A♦K♣Q♣7♥ All in
Sean Rafael: J♥9♥8♣7♣

Riebau-Schmithals still had the best hand with ace-high, which remained so on the 4♠ turn. However, the 6♥ river saw Rafael hit one of his many outs. His flush eliminated Riebau-Schmithals in fifth place and play continued four-handed.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sean Rafael	15,000,000 3,600,000	3,600,000
Fabian Riebau-Schmithals	Busted

Tags: Fabian Riebau-Schmithals Sean Rafael

01-27-2025 02:37 UTC+1

Youness Barakat Eliminated in 4th Place (€88,700)

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Frank Visser

Level 25 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Youness Barakat made it 875,000 to go under the gun before Tom Vogelsang raised the pot in the small blind. With the action back on Barakat, he shoved all in for 3,500,000 which Vogelsang quickly called.

Youness Barakat: K♦K♣J♣7♠ All in
Tom Vogelsang: A♠A♥8♣5♥

Barakat flopped some more outs on 7♣Q♠2♥, but no further help arrived on the 8♦ turn or 6♣ river as he departed in fourth place, falling one place short of his podium finish from the previous edition.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom Vogelsang	23,500,000 6,750,000	6,750,000

Youness Barakat	Busted

Tags: Tom Vogelsang Youness Barakat

01-27-2025 02:47 UTC+1

Nino Pansier Eliminated in 3rd Place (€108,000)

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Frank Visser

Level 25 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Tom Vogelsang raised his button to 875,000. Nino Pansier raised the stakes to 2,875,000 in the big blind and Vogelsang put in a quick call.

Pansier had 3,050,000 remaining on the Q♥5♦K♥ flop, and he pushed them in the middle. Vogelsang snapped him off as the cards were tabled.

Nino Pansier: A♠A♦8♠6♣ All in
Tom Vogelsang: K♣Q♠J♣4♠

Vogelsang had flopped two pair to take over the lead against Pansier's aces. The K♠ turn improved him to a full house, and the 4♥ river remained free of an ace.

Pansier said his goodbyes in third place, leaving Vogelsang and Sean Rafael to battle it out heads up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom Vogelsang	30,000,000 6,500,000	6,500,000

Sean Rafael	16,400,000 1,400,000	1,400,000
Nino Pansier	Busted

Tags: Nino Pansier Sean Rafael Tom Vogelsang

Level: 26

Blinds: 150,000/300,000

Ante: 300,000

01-27-2025 03:04 UTC+1

First Heads Up Showdown Goes to Rafael

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Frank Visser

Level 26 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

After some small pots went back and forth, Sean Rafael limped in on the button and Tom Vogelsang checked his option in the big blind.

The pair checked through the 9♣K♣4♣ flop and 4♦ turn before the Q♠ river completed the board.

Vogelsang fired 900,000 and was snap-called. He announced a flush, but mucked his cards when Rafael quickly showed K♦10♣9♠2♣ for a ten-high flush.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom Vogelsang	30,400,000 400,000	400,000

Sean Rafael	16,000,000 400,000	400,000

Tags: Sean Rafael Tom Vogelsang

01-27-2025 03:12 UTC+1

Rafael Closing the Gap

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Frank Visser

Level 26 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Tom Vogelsang limped in on the button and called when Sean Rafael made it 900,000 from the big blind. The pair checked the 7♥4♠3♥ flop and 8♥ turn before Rafael fired 700,000 on the 10♣ river.

Vogelsang tossed in a quick call but mucked his cards when Rafael showed Q♣J♦9♦8♦ for a straight.

The next hand, Rafael raised his button to 900,000 and Vogelsang defended his big blind. The board was checked to the 8♥A♣5♦Q♦K♠ river, where Vogelsang snap-folded to a bet from Rafael.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom Vogelsang	25,000,000 5,400,000	5,400,000

Sean Rafael	21,400,000 5,400,000	5,400,000

Tags: Sean Rafael Tom Vogelsang

01-27-2025 03:22 UTC+1

Rafael Taking the Lead

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Frank Visser

Level 26 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Most of the small pots played have been going to Sean Rafael, who has taken the lead in the heads up resultingly.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sean Rafael	27,000,000 5,600,000	5,600,000
Tom Vogelsang	19,400,000 5,600,000	5,600,000

01-27-2025 03:26 UTC+1

Vogelsang Strikes Back

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Frank Visser

Level 26 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Both players checked the 3♣10♦9♣ flop in a raised pot before the 7♦ arrived on the turn.

Tom Vogelsang checked again from the big blind before Sean Rafael fired a pot-sized bet of 2,100,000.

Vogelsang called and showed 9♠9♦6♠6♥ for a set of nines once the K♦ river was also checked through.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom Vogelsang	24,900,000 5,500,000	5,500,000

Sean Rafael	21,500,000 5,500,000	5,500,000

Tags: Sean Rafael Tom Vogelsang

01-27-2025 03:30 UTC+1

Vogelsang Fires Big

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Frank Visser

Level 26 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Sean Rafael limped his button before calling the raise to 900,000 from Tom Vogelsang in the big blind.

Vogelsang continued for 1,500,000 on the 7♦6♠A♣ flop and Rafael put in a quick call.

However, when Vogelsang sized up to 5,100,000 on the K♣ turn, Rafael took a puzzled look at his cards before adding them to the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom Vogelsang	29,400,000 4,500,000	4,500,000

Sean Rafael	17,000,000 4,500,000	4,500,000

Tags: Sean Rafael Tom Vogelsang

01-27-2025 03:39 UTC+1

Sean Rafael Eliminated in 2nd Place (€158,100)

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Frank Visser

Level 26 : Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante

Tom Vogelsang raised his button to 900,000 and quickly called when Sean Rafael three-bet to 2,700,000 from the big blind.

Rafael bet 5,700,000 on the K♣3♠5♥ flop, after which Vogelsang put him all-in for about 12,000,000 total. Rafael snap-called and the cards were tabled.

Sean Rafael: A♥A♣8♦4♠ All in
Tom Vogelsang: A♦9♠5♦5♣

Vogelsang had flopped a set to take a huge lead in the pot, leaving Rafael with just a few outs. Neither his wheel nor the last ace came in on the J♣9♥ runout, leaving Sean Rafael as the runner-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom Vogelsang	46,400,000 17,000,000	17,000,000

Sean Rafael	Busted

Tags: Sean Rafael Tom Vogelsang