2008 PokerStars.com EPT - Prague
€5,250 Championship Main Event
Day: 4
Saved by the River
Big Reraise From Bonavena
Massimo Di Cicco Eliminated in 2nd Place (€445,000)
As the crowd closed in, all eyes were on the felt, patiently awaiting the hole cards to be revealed. "He was bluffing!" exclaimed the commentary team as Di Cicco showed for ace high and the gutshot draw. Bonavena, meanwhile, tabled for top pair.
The turn was close, but no cigar, and with Di Cicco in search of a five or an ace on the river, the missed by a country mile and sealed the deal for the start-of-day chip leader... Bonavena is the 2008 EPT Prague champion and the first-ever Italian EPT champion.
An emotional moment for all involved, but especially the winner who quickly draped himself in the white, red and green of his home nation.
Salvatore Bonavena Wins the PokerStars.com EPT Prague (€774,000)
1st Salvatore Bonavena -- €774,000
2nd Massimo Di Cicco -- €445,000
3rd Andrew Alan Chen -- €257,000
4th Alexiou Konstantinos -- €199,000
5th Francesco Cirianni -- €166,000
6th Fredrik Nygard -- €130,000
7th [Removed:197] -- €99,500
8th Raul Mestre -- €71,800
And That's a Christmas Wrap
It's no fluke either, as he had won €100,000 at an event in Venice a few weeks ago, though he still declares himself to be just an amateur player.
And well done to Massimo Di Cicco, who put in an amazing laddering performance and took the chip lead briefly while heads up.
From all of us here in Prague, thanks for tuning in for the last EPT of the year. The next place the tour heads is a slight detour from Europe, across the Atlantic to the Atlantis Casino in the Bahamas for the PCA.
Good night and good luck!
€5,250 Championship Main Event
Day 4 Completed