€5,000 EPT Kyiv Main Event Day 3 | 2009 PokerStars.net EPT Kyiv

08-21-2009 16:51 UTC+2

Big Action

A player in early position opened with a raise to 10,500, and Luca Falaschi called all in for his last 5,000 in the form of a single, lonely yellow chip. Next door, Oleksander Vaserfirer announced a re-raise to 35,000, and Alex Fitzgerald made the overcall in position. The initial raiser called as well to put a big preflop pot up for grabs in the most action we've seen in quite some time.

With three live players then, the flop came out {5-Clubs}

. After a check from the raiser, Vaserfirer moved all in for 47,000, and Fitzgerald had that look in his eye as well. After a moment of thought, he too moved all in, committing his last 187,000 chips to the pot. That was enough to fold the raiser and end the betting action, so the cards were turned up:

Showdown
Falaschi: {A-Spades}

Vaserfirer: {K-Diamonds}

Fitzgerald: {Q-Diamonds}

Falaschi was drawing slim with his naked ace, and Vaserfirer was poised for a big double up at the expense of Alex Fitzgerald. The turn brought the {9-Diamonds}

, changing nothing. Falaschi would find salvation on the river, though, as a timely {A-Hearts}

ripped off to improve him to the win, increasing his stack more than sixfold. He's "all the way" up to 31,500 now, moving Vaserfirer up to about 185,000 and Fitzgerald down to 140,000.

08-21-2009 16:51 UTC+2

David Aslanyan Eliminated in 38th Place (€7,610)

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We missed the action that would seal his fate, but we did see Russian David Aslanyan meandering over to the payout desk. He's been eliminated in 38th place, picking up €7,610 for his efforts.

Tags: David Aslanyan

08-21-2009 16:30 UTC+2

[Removed:466] Eliminated in 39th Place (€7,610)

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Just a moment after Jorg Peisert was being eliminated in 40th place, [Removed:466] of Russia pushed all in for 85,500 and got a caller in Maxim Lykov.

Rotach turned over {J-Spades}

and needed help against Lykov's {K-Spades}

. The board came {10-Spades}

, and Rotach is out in 39th place. Lykov is now above 800,000 -- our current leader.

08-21-2009 16:27 UTC+2

Jorg Peisert Eliminated in 40th Place (€7,610)

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Jorg Peisert of Germany was the first player eliminated following the bursting of the cash bubble. Peisert takes home €7,610, as will the next seven players eliminated.

Tags: Jorg Peisert

08-21-2009 16:24 UTC+2

Deeb Takes High Rollers

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Shaun Deeb winning the High Roller event

Shaun Deeb has won the High Rollers event, outlasting Andrew Feldman to claim the €60,000 first prize.

Tags: Shaun Deeb

08-21-2009 16:19 UTC+2

Great Escapes

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After the bubble burst, we saw a series of all-in and call situations, though in each case the player with his tourney life on the line survived. A couple of examples...

Luca Falaschi had put all of his chips in the middle with {K-Clubs}

and was up against Alex Fitzgerald's {A-Diamonds}

. Didn't look good for Falaschi after a flop of {9-Spades}

. But the {Q-Spades}

turn and

river allowed the Italian to escape.

Over on Table 1, Michael Naletov was all in for his last 54,000 with {A-Hearts}

against Maxim Lykov's {K-Spades}

. The flop was {3-Spades}

. The turn was the {8-Hearts}

, and Lykov was ahead. But the {9-Hearts}

popped out on the river and Naletov, too, had wriggled off the hook.

We continue to await our first cash.

08-21-2009 16:11 UTC+2

Bubble: Burst!

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Big stack bully Jonas Kronwitter opened the pot with a raise to 15,000 before Serguei Pomerantsev moved all in for his last 84,500. When the action came back around to Kronwitter, he quickly called to put Pomerantsev at risk squarely on the bubble.

The action was held for more than five minutes while the players waited for another all-in hand to be completed at the far table. That hand ended with the short stack dragging down the pot to stay alive, so it was double or nothing for Pomerantsev. As a hoard of media, spectators, and players crowded in around the table, the two finally flipped over their cards.

Showdown
Kronwitter: {J-Spades}

Pomerantsev: {A-Hearts}

Disaster would strike the at-risk player as the dealer ran out a flop of {7-Diamonds}

, prompting Pomerantsev to stand from his chair and begin to gather his belongings. The {5-Clubs}

that hit the turn left him drawing dead, and the {10-Clubs}

that filled out the board will be the last river card of his day.

With that, the remaining 40 players are now in the money! With another table breaking, we're down to five eight-handed tables. We'll play on until we break one more before bagging up to return with 32 players tomorrow.

Tags: Jonas Kronwitter Serguei Pomerantsev

08-21-2009 15:54 UTC+2

Bubble Play

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Hand-for-hand play continues. We've seen a couple of all-in bets, but no calls.

Alex Fitzgerald was showing some aggression at his table just now. On a recent hand the table folded around to him and he open-raised to 100,000 from the small blind, forcing a fold from the BB.

On the next hand, the table again folded to Fitzgerald, on the button now, and he raised to 22,000. Kirill Boydachenko called from the big blind. The flop came {3-Diamonds}