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

Heitmann Cracks Aces

Jan Heitmann has just cracked the pocket aces of Kenny Hallaert in a huge pot under the rail on table one.

Heitmann's pocket fours spiked a set on a flop of {10-Spades}{J-Clubs}{4-Spades} against the pocket aces of Hallaert. The money was all-in but the turn and river ran out {10-Hearts}{J-Spades} to give Heitmann a huge double up to around 160,000 while Hallaert is left lamenting missed opportunities with around 45,000.

Tags: Jan Heitmann

Hachem Snaps

"Are you talking to me?!"
"Are you talking to me?!"
Amongst some incredible commotion on the tournament floor, Joe Hachem has just lost a monster pot and almost became involved in a physical confrontation with T6 Poker player Woody Deck!

We caught the action in the hand on the river with the board reading {A-Diamonds}{6-Hearts}{J-Diamonds}{A-Spades}{3-Hearts} and Hachem with an 80,000-chip bet into opponent Peter Traply. Traply thought for a few moments before making the call, showing {A-Hearts}{10-Clubs} which was good to collect the pot worth over 200,000 chips. Hachem calmly tapped the table, saying "Nice call" as he proceeded to muck his hand.

That's when the real action started. Woody Deck, who was not involved in the hand, then asked to see Hachem's cards. Hachem replied that he didn't have to show since the winning hand had already been shown, and the dealer proceeded to muck his cards.

Deck then said to Hachem something along the lines of, "Are you trying to angle shoot or something? Don't be an asshole!"

Hachem, who at this stage was standing up to walk away from the table, then turned and in an incredible outburst, leaned across the table over Deck with a barrage of intimidating replies!

Hachem appeared set to physically take Deck apart before Antonio Esfandiari lept up from a nearby table and held Hachem back. By this stage security had stepped between Hachem and the table until things calmed down. Hachem then took a walk outside to cool off as the crowd frenzy settled down and play returned to some normality.

Tags: Joe Hachem

Alexia Portal Eliminated

Alexia Portal
Alexia Portal
Chipleader Oyvind Riisem made a button raise, Alexia Portal moved all in from the small blind and Riisem made the call. Portal turned up {K-Hearts}{K-Diamonds} and was in good shape against Riisem's {A-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds}. Unfortunately for the French actress, an ace appeared on the flop and she was eliminated, just four places shy of the money.

Tags: Alexia PortalOyvind Riisem

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

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

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

Level: 14

Blinds: 1,200/2,400

Ante: 300