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Antonio Matias - 6,095,000
Jeff Sarwer - 2,010,000
Pierre Neuville - 1,520,000
2009 PokerStars.com EPT Vilamoura
Vilamoura Championship Main Event
Day: 5
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2009 PokerStars.com EPT Vilamoura
Buy-in
€5,000
Prize Pool
€1,561,700
Entries
322
Level
28
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
5,000
Antonio Matias - 6,095,000
Jeff Sarwer - 2,010,000
Pierre Neuville - 1,520,000
Big Stack Gets Slightly Bigger
Matias bet out 100,000 on the
flop and after a short pause Sarwer called. They checked down the 
turn and 
river, though, and Matias' 
was presumably good as Sarwer mucked his hand.
Jeff Sarwer Eliminated in 3rd Place (€156,170)
, and Neuville checked. Sarwer led out with 275,000 chips. Another raise came from Matias, and this time it was the big stick. He announced an all in, and Neuville tank-folded to put the decision back on Sarwer."Flush draw?" he asked. There was no response from Matias. Sarwer was clearly struggling with a tough decision, and it would take another several minutes of debate before he acted. "Do you have a really big hand?" he tried again. "If I had a pair of nines, would that be good?"
Matias broke a little bit. "Maybe. Maybe not," he said, looking awfully relaxed. "You'll have to find out."
Sarwer put his hands behind his chips as if ready to shove them in, but he took pause to glance around the rail and consider his decision one more time. "You're running so hot, it's like..." Sarwer was trailing off, but it seems he'd made up his mind. Finally, with a reluctant, "All right," he moved his chips in, all in and at risk.
Showdown
Sarwer:
Matias:
The news was not good for Sarwer as he was well behind and in danger of elimination. "Red nine!" yelled Ricky Fohrenbach from the rail.
The turn wasn't a red nine, but it was a fine sight for Sarwer. The
peeled off to improve him to two pair and put him one card from a double up. "Come on, fade the eight-outer!" yelled another railbird, John Aguiar.But Sarwer could not. The
hit the river, and Matias re-improved to tens up, earning the pot and knocking off Sarwer in 3rd place. After another fine EPT run, Sarwer's been checkmated.After mulling around the rail for a little while, Sarwer thanked the audience and said goodbye. He was shown off to a hearty ovation, heading to the cage to pick up a check for more than €150,000.
Photo courtesy of PokerStars and Neil Stoddart
Heads Up for Rolls
Matias - 8,235,000
Neuville - 1,275,000
First One to Matias
"All in. There is soccer game to see."
That drew a rise from the crowd and Neuville as well. Matias apparently wants to get this over with in just one hand, but Neuville would not oblige him this time, surrendering his cards and waiting for a better spot.
Back and Forth
One pot went Pierre Neuville's way when he bet 150,000 on the river of a
board. Matias folded.Then the chips went back to Matias when he called a 125,000 bet on the turn of a
board, both players checking the 
river. Matias turned over 
for, well, ace-high - and it was good enough to make Neuville muck.
Neuville Gets His Double
Pierre Neuvile open-raised to 175,000, and Antoino Matias made the call from the big blind.
The flop came down
, and Matias led out with a bet of 200,000. Neuville didn't waste any time calling, and the turn revealed the 
. When Matias fired another 250,000, Neuville moved all in for 545,000 total. Matias was hating it, but he knew he had to call. We know that because he said, "I have to call." With Neuville at risk, the cards were flipped.Showdown
Neuville:
Matias:
Neuville had turned his straight with a flush draw to go along with it. Matias would need a non-spade queen to make a higher straight and take the title. But the dealer filled out the board with the
, a blank.Neuville notches a much-needed double up, and he's back in the running now. He's at 1.840 now, while Matias has the rest -- just less than 8 million.
Matias in Charge
Next hand, Neuville raised to 180,000 - but Matias made it 500,000, and Neuville gave it up.
Action, But No All In
board before we saw any action.Neuville bet out 75,000, to which Matias responded by raising to 250,000. Neuville thought about it for a few moments, and then reraised to 750,000. Everyone at the rail stood up, and various media personnel swarmed in around the table.
Matias just flat-called, though, and both players checked the
river. Neuville turned over 
for a flopped two pair, queens and fours, which had turned into a different two pair, queens and sixes, by the river. Nevertheless, it was good enough to beat Matias, who just mucked.Matias - 7.2 million
Neuville - 2.65 million
Not Going Anywhere