€5,250 Championship Main Event | 2008 PokerStars.com EPT - Prague

12-14-2008 00:35 UTC+1

One for Salvatore

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A limped pot. A checked flop of {K-Clubs}

. Bonavena bets 140,000 on the {2-Spades}

turn to take it down. No fanfare. That's it really.

Tags: Salvatore Bonavena

12-14-2008 00:32 UTC+1

Slow Start for Di Cicco

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The two Italians saw a cheap {7-Spades}

flop where Massimo Di Cicco bet 120,000 and Salvatore Bonavena flat-called. With both players checking the {Q-Clubs}

turn, Di Cicco led for 120,000 on the {7-Hearts}

river and again, Bonavena called.

Bonavena took the early pot with {9-Hearts}

versus

.

12-14-2008 00:19 UTC+1

Both Italians walk on to the table with their fans seemingly humming the tune, "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes.

No I don't get it either, but it doesn't matter, they're delighted as Italy will have their first-ever EPT Champion.

12-14-2008 00:19 UTC+1

Carnival Atmosphere

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It's like a football stadium in there at the moment, with every Italian in Prague singing and cheering from the sidelines as our two remaining players jig to the chants, shake hands, and embrace like long lost brothers. Yes, these are warriors about to do battle for mountains of money and the celebrated title, yet they're the best of buddies. It's a funny ol' game.

12-14-2008 00:09 UTC+1

Heads Up Chip Counts

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We're now guaranteed an Italian EPT champion...

Salvatore Bonavena -- 4,123,000
Massimo Di Cicco -- 1,574,000

12-14-2008 00:07 UTC+1

Andrew Alan Chen Eliminated in 3rd Place (€257,000)

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Andrew Alan Chen pushes all in preflop and, after a brief pause from the Italian, Salvatore Bonavena makes the call.

Bonavena = {A-Clubs}

Chen =

Flop =

Chen showcases his sad face and looks like a beaten man already.

Turn = {4-Hearts}

The perfect card, only a six can save the Canadian.

River = {8-Diamonds}

And the 20-year-old exits in third, but I'm sure we'll see him making a final table again in the very near future.

Tags: Andrew Alan Chen Salvatore Bonavena

12-14-2008 00:00 UTC+1

Fatigue Setting In

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Dare I say it, but play has ground to a halt with most hands being either checked down or snapped up preflop. It looks as though fatigue has finally set in for our three remaining players who look absolutely shattered. Your reporters, meanwhile, are still full of beans. Talking of beans, I've just noticed that that final table looks very much like a haricot bean when filmed from a bird's eye view.

12-13-2008 23:51 UTC+1