2008 PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final - Monte Carlo

PokerStars.com European Poker Tour Grand Final
Day: 4
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

Gwinner Doubles Through Riisem

On a board showing {7-Hearts}{9-Spades}{2-Hearts}, Oyvind Riisem led out with a 23,000 bet and when the action returned to his heads-up opponent Henrik Gwinner, he put in a raise, making it approximately 65,000 to go; Riisem made the call.

The turn brought the {6-Diamonds} and Gwinner sat still in his chair without acting for a solid three minutes before knuckling the table and letting Riisem dictate the action, and dictate he did. Rissem pinched a towering stack of brown 5,000 chips between his thumb and forefinger and slid them across the betting line; the bet put Gwinner to a decision for all of his chips.

Swinging his arms behind his head, Gwinner asked, "Did you make that straight, Oyvind? Did you make that "f**king straight? Aye yah yaye." Eventually, Henrik made his mind up to call and slid his remaining 200,000 across the betting line - a move that made Riisem squirm. At the showdown, Gwinner tabled two red nines for a set and Riisem revealed the {Q-Clubs}{J-Spades} for nothing but, well, thin air. Drawing dead, Oyvind could only watch as the dealer pushed the massive pot across the table to Gwinner, who now has over half a million in chips.

Baron Takes a Monster Pot from Stig Top

Isaac 'westmenloAA' Baron
Isaac 'westmenloAA' Baron
We caught up to this hand with the board showing {6-Hearts}{3-Hearts}{J-Clubs}{9-Hearts} and Isaac 'westmenloAA' Baron had just moved in over the top of a bet made by his heads-up opponent Stig Top Rasmussen. Facing a decision to call Baron's ~160,000 bet, Stig stood up out of his seat and moved a couple of steps away from the table. He then returned and set up shop in a squatting position just behind his chair.

After a few minutes had passed, someone - we're unsure who - called the clock and Stig was given 60 seconds to make a decision. When the countdown reached single digits, Stig slid his cards toward the dealer, forfeiting the pot to Baron, who now has nearly 800,000 in chips.

Stig dropped to 400,000 with the loss.

Tags: Isaac Baron

Level: 20

Blinds: 5,000/10,000

Ante: 1,000

Rami Boukai Eliminated in 25th Place ($66,675)

Rami Boukai
Rami Boukai
Rami Boukai raised all-in from middle position and Stig Top Rasmussen instantly made the call from late position. The rest of the players stepped aside as the cards were revealed.

Stig Top Rasmussen: {J-Hearts}{J-Diamonds}
Rami Boukai: {A-Clubs}{9-Clubs}

"No ace!" came the cry from Rasmussen as the flop landed {K-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds}{6-Spades}. Boukai was motionless as the turn arrived {10-Hearts}. The card actually helped Rasmussen as Boukai went from having three aces to two jacks as outs to survive.

"No jack!" cried Rasmussen, as the river landed the {K-Spades} and Rasmussen high-fived his buddies as Boukai was sent to the rail in 25th place.

Tags: Rami Boukai

Play Resumes

The players have settled into their new seats and play has resumed. Chip leader Antonio Esfandiari and Henrik Gwinner are now sitting side-by-side at the feature table, along with Stig Top Rasmussen, Valeriy Ilikyan and Oyvind Riisem. We'll have the complete re-draw info posted shortly.

Redraw Sees Paganos Reunited

After the recent redraw, the father-son combination of Claudio and Luca Pagano have been seated on the same table! Luca is in Seat 8 and Claudio in Seat 6. During the break Joe Hachem came over to the table to jokingly stir the two about any soft-playing between them! Everyone took the friendly jibes in good spirits as everyone realises that there are never any allies on the felt!

Tags: Luca Pagano