2008 PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final - Monte Carlo

PokerStars.com European Poker Tour Grand Final
Day: 3
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
Entries
842
Level Info
Level
30
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
10,000

Sorel Haggles But No Deal

Sorel Mizzi in action on Day 3
Sorel Mizzi in action on Day 3
In a battle of the blinds, James Campbell raised it up to 6,000 from the small blind and Sorel Mizzi defended from the big blind by making the call.

The flop came an interesting {A-Clubs}{5-Clubs}{4-Clubs} and Campbell led out with a bet of 11,000 before Mizzi then popped it up an additional 17,500.

Campbell thought for a few moments before raising once again, making it another 62,500 to go! Mizzi went into the tank with a huge decision and started a barrage of questions on his opponent.

"Will you show me if I fold?" questioned Mizzi
"What if I fold and show, will you show?"
"What if I show and I pay you 50 Euros, will you show?"
"How about 100 Euros?"

Unable to reach a deal, Mizzi laid down his hand and Campbell collected a nice pot. Mizzi is still is great shape however, with in excess of 200,000 chips.

Tags: Sorel Mizzi

100 Players Remaining

We're nearing the end of the first level of play and have already lost 24 players, leaving us with 100. The average chip stack is currently 126,300.

The race to the money is on!

Eli Elezra Eliminated

Eli Elezra
Eli Elezra
Just prior to the break, Eli Elezra pushed the last of his short stack into the middle holding pocket fives and was flat called by France's Vincent Secher. Trond Erik Eidsvig from Norway also contemplated a call and thought for a long time as the media gathered around the table before eventually making a reluctant fold.

Secher flipped pocket kings and was well in front of Elezra. The board ran out {7-Spades}{8-Clubs}{3-Diamonds}{6-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds} and Elezra was left to exit the tournament area within sight of a cash finish.

Tags: Eli Elezra

Level: 14

Blinds: 1,200/2,400

Ante: 300

Recent Eliminations

T6 Poker Pro Mel Judah Eliminated
T6 Poker Pro Mel Judah Eliminated
Christopher Klodnicki was eliminated when he pushed with {A-Spades}{9-Spades} and ran into the {A-Hearts}{Q-Clubs} of Thomas Boekhoff. The board bricked out {6-Hearts}{3-Hearts}{K-Hearts}{4-Spades}{5-Diamonds} and Klodnicki was sent to the rail.

Andrew Teng also found himself all in with a dominated ace. Teng's {A-Clubs}{10-Hearts} was always in trouble against Jonathan Dwek's {A-Spades}{K-Diamonds} and the board of {6-Hearts}{8-Hearts}{6-Spades}{6-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds} didn't provide any miracles as Teng also found himself eliminated.

Finally a short-stacked Mel Judah found an A-7 to push the last of his chips in the middle, but Felipe Ramos made the call with pocket deuces. The board didn't provide any help for Judah who busted out just short of the money.

Tags: Mel Judah

Ilikyan Eliminates Kudrjavcevs

Russian Valeriy Ilikyan has just eliminated Eduards Kudrjavcevs of Latvia from the tournament, by way of nut flush over top pair. Eduards opened with a 20,000 bet on a {3-Clubs}{Q-Hearts}{8-Hearts} flop and Valeriy made the call. The turn brought the {5-Hearts} and Kudrjavcevs open-shoved for approximately 35,000. Valeriy then stood up out of his chair and made the call, slamming the {A-Hearts}{10-Hearts} face up on the table, all the while spouting off in Russian what appeared to be a shameless critique of Eduards' play. The silent Latvian tabled {Q-Spades}{10-Spades} during Ilikyan's tirade.

The river, though meaningless, was the {2-Hearts}, and Valeriy raked in the pot, bringing his chip stack up to ~170,000.

Tags: Valeriy Ilikyan

Stig Top Goes Big Top

Gettin' Stiggy with it
Gettin' Stiggy with it
Stig Top Rasmussen just took down a monster pot, eliminating American Joseph Udine from the tournament in the process. All of the money went in on a {7-Hearts}{K-Spades}{10-Clubs} flop and at the showdown, big Stig tabled {K-Clubs}{7-Spades} for top and bottom pair; Udine showed {8-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds} and was drawing two ways to a straight. The turn and river brought running queens and a relieved Rasmussen stacked Udine's chips, bringing his chip count up to 280,000.

"That's not what I wanted to see," said Stig, referring to Udine's hand. "I was hoping he had king-six!"

Tags: Stig Top Rasmussen