2008 PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final - Monte Carlo

PokerStars.com European Poker Tour Grand Final
Day: 1a
1a1b2345
Event Info
2008 PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final - Monte Carlo
Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a5
Prize
$3,198,500
Event Info
Buy-in
$15,764
Prize Pool
$13,393,124
Total Entries
842
Level Info
Level
30
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
10,000
Players Left 1 / 842
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Raymer Doubles Before the Break

Greg Raymer
Greg Raymer
Team PokerStars Pro Greg "Fossilman" Raymer has just doubled his starting stack, making him a force to be reckoned with in the early stages of the tournament.

Raymer fired a 5,000 bet on a board showing {K-Spades}{6-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}{6-Spades} and his opponent tanked for quite some time before eventually making the call.

As the dealer raked in Raymer's opponent's chips, Fossilman moved the rest of his own across the betting line in the dark, with one card to come. The {7-Hearts} was the last card off the deck and again, Raymer's opponent took his good ol' time before making a decision. Greg eventually called the clock, and his opponent announced "Call" just after the dealer gave him a 10-second warning.

At the showdown, Raymer tabled {6-Hearts}{3-Hearts} for a full house and his opponent tossed his cards towards the muck in disgust. Because it was an all in and call situation, the dealer turned over the losing hand to reveal {A-Spades}{A-Diamonds}.

Both stacks were counted down and when all was said and done, Raymer's opponent was left with a single $25 chip, while Greg has doubled through to approximately 31,000.

Tags: Greg Raymer

Tino talks the talk and walks the walk!

Tino Lechich
Tino Lechich
Tino Lechich is progressing well early after taking down a nice pot in an interesting hand out on a boisterous table 26 which also features fellow T6 Poker professional Mel Judah. The player on the button limped into the pot and Lechich raised to 175 from the small blind, before the big blind re-popped it, making it 500 to go. Both opponents called and they saw a flop of {9-Diamonds}{A-Hearts}{4-Spades}.

Lechich checked in the dark as the player in big blind fired 1,000 into the middle. Once again both players called as a healthy pot developed.

The turn brought the {10-Diamonds} and Lechich checked saying, "You can't bluff two players!" The player in the big blind slowly stacked his chips into one large tower quipping, "Anyone want to risk their whole stacks?" before also checking. The player on the button then bet 2,500 into the middle. Lechich quickly called, and the big blind pondered, "What have I started here?" before he gave up his hand.

The river was the {3-Hearts} and both players sheepishly checked and revealed their hands. The buttons flipped {A-Clubs}{2-Clubs} and Lechich somehow found his {A-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds} as the winning hand!

The table was surprised at the action with one opponent overheard to comment: "Such a big pot with A-6, what are you guys doing?" This table is starting to enjoy themselves with plenty of table talk and fast play!

Tags: Tino Lechich

Reuben Returns

Coloradan Reuben Peters, who captured the EPT Dublin crown a few months back, has returned to the EPT circuit to try and put together another big money run. Peters constructed an impressive come-from-behind victory in Dublin against young Norwegian superstar Annette "Annette_15" Obrestad to earn his first major live title.

Today, Reuben shares a starting table with PokerStars pro Raymond Rahme of WSOP Main Event fame.

Tables of Death

WSOPE Champion Annette "Annette_15" Obrestad is seated next to the Hendon Mob's Barny Boatman, while Greg Raymer and Sorel Mizzi drew seats next to one another. Dutchmen Rob Hollink and Marcel Luske ended up at the same table, as did Americans Erick Lindgren and Brandon Schaefer. The worst draw in the room, though might be the Phil Ivey/ Masa Kagawa/ Bill Edler table, hidden behind a partition in the room's far corner.

Who's Here?

The Salle de Etoiles is prehaps the most cavernous poker venue we've laid eyes on this season (outside of the WSOP) and today it's packed with some of the biggest names in the game. On our first pass through we spotted Phil Ivey, Erick Lindgren, Brandon Schaefer, Tuan Lam, Luca Pagano, Anna Wroblewski, Niki [Removed:552], Thomas Wahlroos, Billy "The Croc" Argyros, Tony G, Patrik Antonius, Raymond Rahme, Dag Martin MIkkelsen, Noah Boeken, Humberto Brenes, Rolf Slotboom, Peter "Nordberg" Feldman, Freddy Deeb, Isabelle Mercier, Barry Greenstein, Tino Lechich, Bill Edler, Katja Thater, Barny Boatman, Trond Erik Eidsvig, Greg Raymer, Sorel Mizzi, Soren Kongsgaard, George Danzer, David Levi, Rob Hollink, and Marcel Luske.

745 and Counting...

The official number of entries for the 2008 PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final at this point is 745 with this number still growing. With players still waiting to register today and more last-minute entries expected tomorrow, this number may indeed get very close to the capacity of 1000 entrants.

Shuffle Up and Deal!

As the players took their seats, they were greeted by a spectacular lights and music display on the feature table that takes prominence on a main stage at the front of the poker room here at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort. The table featured PokerStars.com professionals including Greg Raymer, Humberto Brenes, Raymond Rahme and Barry Greenstein as the 2008 PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final trophy was raised with the immortal words "Shuffle Up and Deal!"