€10,000 EPT Grand Final Main Event Day 4 | 2009 PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final

05-02-2009 12:14 UTC+3

It's a Beautiful Day 4

[user75032]

Woodward, like the rest of the remaining players, doesn't want to feel sunlight on his face.

When a player gets to the point of four tables left in a big buy-in, large-field tournament, he starts to let himself think, "What if...? What if I won this thing? Why not me?" It's an intoxicating thought with an allure that few poker players can resist. It represents the culmination of all those long hours of hard work crafting a player's game -- the idea of hoisting the trophy and tilting your head back to laugh in triumph, like Mark Messier holding Lord Stanley's Cup in 1994. Oh, and let's not forget the 2.3 million euro cash prize.

For 31 players, those thoughts are starting to form from wisps of nothingness in the backs of their heads. There's just one more day of poker to get through before the thoughts take tangible form: Day 4 of the 2009 PokerStars.com European Poker Tour Monte Carlo Grand Final. The sun is shining here on the Cote d'Azur; we'll see how brightly it shines on the remaining 31 runners.

When we left off last night, Matthew Woodward bagged the most chips. His 2.72 million chips represents three times the average of 904,000. That gives him the currency (literally) to play lots of pots and put his opponents to the ultimate test for all of their chips. One mistake is all that separates most of these players from the rail. And if they're on the rail, those wispy thoughts of fortune and glory will vanish back into the ether.

Based on the number of chips in play, we estimate that it will take roughly six levels to reduce the field to our elite eight who will come back tomorrow to play for the title of champion. With 75-minute levels and play kicking off at noon, we hope to be out of here no later than 10:30pm local time. But however long it takes, PokerNews will report all of the action live from the tournament floor.

See you in an hour!

05-02-2009 13:02 UTC+3

Please Stand By

[user46392]

Players are at the tables and signing bits of paper for the benefit of Sunset & Vine. We'll be kicking off any minute now.

05-02-2009 13:10 UTC+3

Where Are They Sitting?

[user46392]

Table 1

Eric Qu 321000
Grayson Physioc 1340000
Sergio Castelluccio 466000
Steven Silverman 1509000
George Danzer 881000
Peter Traply 1449000
Jason Somerville 845000
Patrick Wymann 225000

Table 2

Gilbert Diaz 495000
Mikhail Tulchinskiy 256000
Johannes Strassmann 1612000
Pieter De Korver 565000
Olivier Douce 788000
Jaime Vilela 253000
Leonardo Patacconi 578000

Table 3 (feature table)

Alain Roy 507000
Ludovic Lacay 2235000
Gregory Zima 1313000
Alexander Morozov 1202000
Annette Obrestad 668000
Marc Naalden 1770000
Amicha Barer 578000
Daniel Zink 723000

Table 4

Bart Spijkers 1377000
Matthew Woodward 2726000
Alem Shah 846000
Dag Martin Mikkelsen 553000
Vadim Shlez 518000
Christopher Rossiter 645000
John Cernuto 166000
Roger Hairabedian 676000

05-02-2009 13:12 UTC+3

Watch Pokerstars.tv!

[user46392]

Don't forget you can watch all of today's feature table action live!

Level: 23

Blinds: 12,000/24,000

Ante: 2,000

05-02-2009 13:25 UTC+3

"Miami" John Cernuto Eliminated in 31st Place (€45,000)

[user75032]

It was a short Day 4 for "Miami" John Cernuto. He open-shoved for 160,000 chips with {A-Spades}

from middle position. Action passed to Dag Mikkelsen in the blinds, who called with {K-Clubs}

. Mikkelsen paired his king on the flop, {K-Diamonds}

, leaving Cernuto looking for an ace or running spades (as TD and MC Thomas Kremser helpfully announced). The {K-Spades}

on the turn gave Mikkelsen trip kings and Cernuto a flush draw, but he missed everything when the river fell {7-Clubs}

. He's the first victim of the day, earning €45,000 for his trouble.

Tags: Dag Mikkelsen John Cernuo

05-02-2009 13:28 UTC+3

Tulchinskiy's Heart Stops... then Resumes

[user75032]

Mikhail Tulchinskiy has quote a following of Russian players on the rail, including Team PokerStars Pro Alexander Kravchenko. They were all cheering for Tulchinskiy when he open-shoved for 210,000 with {K-Spades}

and was called by Jaime Vilela's {J-Spades}

. Vilela was dismayed to see flop of {10-Spades}

, which gave Tulchinskiy a flush draw. The draw filled with the turn {9-Spades}

, a card that left Vilela looking for outs to a straight flush only. A black seven hit the turn, but it was the {7-Clubs}

, drawing some nervous chuckles from the Russian gallery.

Tulchinskiy is still in, now with double the chips.

Tags: Jaime Vilela Mikhail Tulchinskiy

05-02-2009 13:36 UTC+3

Woodward Extends His Lead

[user46392]

A big pot for chip leader Matthew Woodward has left our only Moroccan on just 350,000.

Roger Hairabedian raised to 75,000 preflop and Woodward called, and they proceeded to the flop, as is traditional.

Flop: {10-Clubs}

Hairabedian checked to Woodward, who bet 105,000, his hands over his mouth. Call.

Turn: {6-Clubs}

Again Hairabedian checked, and this time Woodward bet 155,000. Again, a call.

River: {8-Diamonds}

Once more, a check from Hairabedian -- and this time Woodward announced all in to cover Hairabedian. Some tanking ensued, and eventually Hairabedian passed {J-Hearts}

face up.

05-02-2009 13:38 UTC+3

Qu the Fat

[user46392]

Meanwhile over on table one, Eric Qu pushed for 300,000 from the small blind to a raise from bescarved German George "Tiny" Danzer. Eventually he passed, giggling to Jason Somerville, "You would have called."

Danzer on 820,000.

05-02-2009 13:43 UTC+3

Jaime Vilela Eliminated in 30th Place (€45,000)

[user75032]

After taking that unfortunate beat earlier at the hands of Mikhail Tulchinskiy, poor Jaime Vilela became the new short stack. He moved his chips in preflop and was called in two spots -- by Gilbert Diaz and Johannes Strassmann. Those two men played into a side pot on a flp of {4-Hearts}

. Diaz moved all in himself, for 336,000, drawing a pass from Strassmann and leaving Diaz heads up with Vilela for the main.

Vilela: {8-Hearts}

Diaz:

Despite Diaz's large flop bet, Vilela wasn't in the worst shape. He needed any eight, any nine or running hearts. The board, however,dd not cooperate, coming {2-Spades}

and

. That made Vilela the 30th place finisher with winnings of €45,000.

Tags: Gilbert Diaz Jaime Vilela Johannes Strassmann