2009 PokerStars.com EPT Prague

EPT Prague Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2009 PokerStars.com EPT Prague

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
jj
Prize
€682,000
Event Info
Buy-in
€5,000
Prize Pool
€2,842,100
Entries
586
Level Info
Level
32
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
25,000

Welcome to the PokerStars.com EPT Prague

The PokerStars.com EPT is back in Prague for the third year, and this time PokerNews has come along for the fun.

This glorious, historic (and chilly) city was once the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, but it is playing host to major tournament poker this week. The Hilton Hotel Prague will be trying to contain all of the action on the felt, and the anticipation is building as players and staff have been mulling around the hallways and bars for most the day.

The preliminary events are already underway, and the numbers are strong so far. Closing out the 2009 half of the EPT schedule, our €5,000 Main Event is a fine prelude to the monstrous PCA, and it has attracted a strong field of Euros for two years running. Still, it's a surprise that we're already hearing rumblings that the soft cap of 600 players may be reached early.

Salvatore Bonavena is the defending champion here in Prague, his victory last year earning him more than three-quarter million euros and the first-ever EPT title for the Italians. Two years ago, Arnaud Mattern preceded him as the inaugural winner, and we expect to see the Team PokerStars Pro back here trying for another this week. He'll be joined by a slew of other Team Pros, though many of them have selfishly chosen the brilliant sunshine of the APPT Grand Final in Sydney instead.

We're slated for a noon start on Tuesday, (CET), and we'll play two separate Day 1 flights. Tune in to see who's come out to play, and to catch all of the action as it unfolds!

Almost Time

We are as excited as a bunch of kids on Christmas morning, because we are mere minutes away from ripping open the wrapping paper on the Pokerstars.com EPT Prague. Players are milling around, press pens are poised over notebooks, and we will be getting this party started oh so soon...

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

Who's Here on Time?

A veritable plethora of familiar faces are already at the felt, including these folks:

Katja Thater
Shaun Deeb
Marcel Luske
Arnaud Mattern
Stuart Rutter
EPT Vilamoura finalist Jan Skampa
Daniel Drescher
EPT Grand Final winner Pieter de Korver
Voitto Rintala and his feline contact lenses
Popular Bulgarian Atanas Gueorguiev
EPT Vilamoura runner up Pierre Neuville
Michael Keiner

Arnaud's Had His Weetabix

Some Gallic hilarity already, as the gent in the cutoff raised only for Arnaud Mattern in the small blind to make it 2,250 to go. Undeterred, Mr. Cutoff made it 6,100 - but Mattern made it 11,500 and Mr. Cutoff gave it up.

Mattern showed him a {4-Diamonds}, naturally.

Tags: Arnaud Mattern

Early Chip Leader Identified

Oleh Okhotskyi
Oleh Okhotskyi
Many thanks to Mr. Oleh Okhotskyi for showing us his passport, as we'd never have been able to spell his name without printed assistance.

Either way, he is our current chip leader on around 60,000. We didn't see the hand, but Okhotskyi was holding aces, and his hapless opponent became the first elimination of the day. First of many...

Tags: Oleh Okhotskyi

Gueorguiev Going Strong

Atanas Gueorguiev
Atanas Gueorguiev
Atanas Gueorguiev is active to start the day, splashing around in a number of early pots.

In his latest foray, Gueorguiev opened to 300 in early position, and he continued out with a bet of 625 on a {J-Hearts} {9-Hearts} {2-Hearts} flop. The player on the button stuck in a raise to 2,100, and Gueorguiev eventually made the call. The {8-Hearts} brought two checks on the turn, and the {6-Spades} filled out the board. Gueorguiev stacked together a small bet of 2,150, and it was enough to win him the pot.

The Bulgarian pro is up to about 35,000 to start his day.

Tags: Atanas Gueorguiev