€10,000 EPT Grand Final Main Event Day 3 | 2009 PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final

05-01-2009 21:22 UTC+2

Well There's a First

We have now played 45 minutes of Level 21, and not a single player has busted out. It's not like the players are super-deep at this point; the ultra-deep starting stack of 300 big blinds caught up to the structure around the start of the day. Currently, the average stack is roughly 40 big blinds.

And yet... they're all hanging on. Better grab some coffee.

05-01-2009 21:20 UTC+2

Woodward Downward

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Matthew Woodward raised to 40,000, and it folded to Vadim Shlez on the button who made it 150,000. Call.

Woodward checked the {5-Hearts}

flop, and Shlez bet 250,000, his face entirely obscured by hoodie and shades. After a few moments, Woodward gave it up with a quiet, "Okay."

"Ok," replied Shlez, but didn't show. "I'm happy with my set, I'll take it. Did you have tens? I'm happy you didn't have jacks."

05-01-2009 21:06 UTC+2

Barer's the King of the Castellucio

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Sergio Castellucio is down to 172,000, having just lost half his stack to Amicha Barer in a blind on blind confrontation.

There was perhaps 150,000 in the pot by the river of the {8-Clubs}

board when Barer bet 91,000. Castellucio dwelled up in obvious turmoil long enough for a real crowd of random railers to sneak in and peer around the table, and eventually called. Castellucio mucked when Barer turned over {A-Diamonds}

for two pair.

Tags: Ami Barer

05-01-2009 21:02 UTC+2

Sung Crippled

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Lots of chips going into the middle to start the level but no eliminations. Most of the pots that have been played so far have been either raise-it-and-take-it affairs or have been won with a single bet on the flop. We did see Vadim Shlez take a decent pot off of Sandra Naujoks with a called river bet. Shlez showed down {Q-?}

on a jack-high board for the winner.

Perhaps the most interesting pot was played between Peter Traply and Steve Sung. We came up to the table on the turn. With the board showing {8-Diamonds}

, Sung checked to Traply. Traply bet 101,000 and Sung, after a minute, called.

The river fell {A-Hearts}

. Sung checked it over to Traply, who tanked for probably two minutes before betting 245,000. It was then Sung's turn to tank for at least another two minutes before calling the bet. Traply turned over {A-Clubs}

for two pair, aces and sixes. Sung mucked, then ever-so-slightly shook his head. He's down to about 165,000, while Traply is back up to more than 1 million.

Tags: Peter Traply Steve Sung

05-01-2009 20:42 UTC+2

Hairabedian Doubles Through Ebanks

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First hand back, Roger Hairabedian open-shoved for his last 160,000 or so, and to his left Joe Ebanks dwelled up for long enough to have the clock called on him. As Thomas Kremser presided, he eventually re-shoved -- but it was the wrong decision, and Hairabedian doubled up to 340,000 or thereabouts.

05-01-2009 20:36 UTC+2

Liu-Ser

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By the way, just before the break we lost JJ Liu and her fantastic hat in 44th place.

Level: 21

Blinds: 8,000/16,000

Ante: 2,000

05-01-2009 19:09 UTC+2

Watch PokerStars.tv!

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PokerStars.tv will be live from the last two days of the EPT Grand Final later this week, May 2-3. Check it out!

05-01-2009 19:06 UTC+2

Call Me Names, Just Don't Call Me Late for Dinner

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Players are on a 90-minute dinner break. We estimate at least two more post-dinner levels in order to get down to our stopping point of twenty-four players.

05-01-2009 19:02 UTC+2

Morozov Not So Morose

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An early position raise to 30,000 was reraised all in by Alexander Morozov for 334,000. Peter Traply, next to act, responded by moving himself. That cleared everyone else out of the hand and left Traply and Morozov heads up.

Morozov: {10-Hearts}

Traply:

Morozov was on his feet for a flop of {A-Hearts}

. It was no help, nor was the {3-Spades}

any good for Morozov.

"I need a ten," Morozov pointed out helpfully.

The dealer burned and turned the {10-Spades}

.

"TEEEENNNN!!" shouted Morozov. "WOOHOO!" He pumped his fists in the air. Traply looked like he wanted to be ill as the dealer cut 334,000 off of his stack and passed it to Morozov.

Tags: Alexander Morozov Peter Traply