2008 PokerStars.com EPT - Prague

€5,250 Championship Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2008 PokerStars.com EPT - Prague

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
87
Prize
€774,000
Event Info
Buy-in
€5,000
Entries
570
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
8,000

Dutch Delight!

Unlike his countryman Slotboom, it's been an excellent start for Steven Van Zadelhoff who reraised all in on a {K-Clubs} {9-Clubs} {4-Diamonds} flop and saw Kabrhel Martin move all-in behind, pushing out qualifier Daniel Biro of the pot.

Van Zadelhoff flipped {Q-Clubs} {J-Clubs} for a gutshot straight flush draw as Martin said, "That was the one hand I didn't want to see," as he turned over {K-Hearts} {K-Spades} for top set but vunerable to the draw. The {7-Diamonds} helped neither but the {A-Clubs} gave Van Zadelhoff the nuts, putting him up to about 25,000 early on.

Level: 3

Blinds: 75/150

Ante: 0

Apologies

Our apologies for the delay in reporting today. We have been experiencing severe technical difficulties, but are back in business now.

The King Is Dead!

We'll be crowning a new champion this year as Arnaud Mattern is out. Mattern raised to 350 from the small blind after the UTG player limped and both the big blind and the limper called. The flop came {9-Diamonds} {5-Spades} {3-Diamonds} and Mattern led out for 850 and was called in both spots.

The turn was the {10-Spades} and Mattern checked with the big blind betting 2,000 and the limper calling. Mattern then moved in for an additional 5,250 and the big blind folded. But the limper called after a momentary dwell and tabled {Q-Diamonds} {10-Diamonds} to Mattern's {A-Spades} {J-Spades} which needed to hit an Ace, Jack or Spade but failed on all three counts on the river which was a total brick.

Tags: Arnaud Mattern

Boat Ships It for Sjavik

On the turn of an {A-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{7-Hearts} board, Jan Sjavik's bet of 7,000 was check-raised to 1,500 by his neighbour, to which the Norwegian flat-called. On the {9-Hearts} river, Sjavik bet around the same figure before showing a triumphant {A-Spades}{5-Hearts} for the flopped full house. His opponent slammed down {A-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts} in frustration and began grumbling to himself. Sjavik now on 12,000.

Naalden Misses the Marc

I joined the action on the river of a {9-Spades}{5-Spades}{10-Hearts}{K-Spades}{5-Clubs} board, with Dutchman and 2006 EPT Copenhagen finalist Marc Naalden facing a bet of 1,500. After staring a hole through his opponent, Naalden made the call, but was dismayed to be shown {9-Clubs}{9-Hearts}. As a result, Naalden drops down to 11,000.

On a nearby table, meanwhile, Marcin Horecki faced a curious bet of 725 into a pot of 3,325 and a board of {9-Hearts}{5-Clubs}{5-Spades}{2-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}, but after much dwellage, let it go.

Lodden Goes For It...

In the fashion stakes, that is. He's wearing a rather fetching pair of pink earphones today, though this hasn't seemed to help or hinder his poker progress as he's still basically on his starting stack.

Not doing so well is the multiple EPT finalist from last year Trond Eidsvig, he's on just 3,500.

Tags: Johnny LoddenTronde Eidsvig

The Last Chip...

On a {6-Diamonds} {8-Spades} {3-Clubs} Fernando Festas raises Souhail Joseph Nassar's 400 bet to a total of 3,400 leaving himself just 100 behind. Nassar made the call and then stuck his opponent all in on the {8-Diamonds} turn. Festas pretended to fold but put in his remaining chip, though maybe he'll be wishing he had folded as his {A-Clubs} {K-Spades} was drawing dead against Nassar's {9-Diamonds} {8-Clubs} which housed up on the {9-Hearts} river.

Some Early Counts

Soren Kongsgaard -- 14,525
Marc Naalden -- 11,025
Mark Flowers -- 11,200
Steven Zadelhoff -- 6,025
Mika Paasonen -- 15,600
Daniel Mangas -- 16,700
Johnny Lodden -- 4,850
Mikael Norinder -- 12,275
Voitto Rintala -- 12,800
Steve Jelinek -- 12,000
Christoffer Sonesson -- 7,500
Theo Jorgensen -- 13,300

Rollercoaster Board

Nicolas Pounaud just got in the dream scenario of getting all-in preflop with {A-Spades} {A-Clubs} against the {K-Hearts} {K-Clubs} of the player sitting next to him. But luck wasn't with him today, as the dealer put out a board of {K-Spades} {J-Clubs} {Q-Spades} {10-Spades} {J-Hearts} to eliminate him from the event. Ahead then behind, then ahead then behind and unfortunately for the Frenchman that was when the dealer finished putting out the cards.