We're Almost There
The players have had their photograph's taken and Tournament Director Thomas Kremser is just introducing the members of the final table. Cards should be up in the air shortly
The players have had their photograph's taken and Tournament Director Thomas Kremser is just introducing the members of the final table. Cards should be up in the air shortly
Level: 26
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 5,000
Cards are in the air, and before the day is out we will have a brand new EPT champion.
Jan Bendik wasted no time at all getting his short stack all in preflop, shoving on the button when the very first hand passed round to him. Big blind Manuel Bevand was also not in a time-wasting frame of mind, calling almost immediately.
Bendik:
Bevand:
A little something for them both on the flop, a on the turn, and a on the river proceeded to give Bendik a new lease of life but introduce the Frenchman to the felt - 130k now.
Manuel Bevand, reduced to under three big blinds, open-shoved from the button and got called by both Marcin Horecki and Marco Leonzio in the blinds. They checked down the board and Bevand revealed his full house with a flourish to triple up to 445,000.
Bevand:
Horecki:
Leonzio:
Roberto Nulli shoved under the gun and in the cutoff Marcin Horecki made the call.
Nulli:
Horecki:
Board: a very decisive
NUlli thus became our first final table casualty, and the Team PokerStars Pro is up to around 4 million.
A high proportion of the last ten minutes has been spent by Manuel Bevand staring at his cards on their backs, waiting to see if his tournament would continue. Unfortunately for him, after doubling Bendik and himself winning one of these confrontations, he's been finished off by Roberto Romanello.
He shoved preflop for just over 300,000, and Romanello moved in over the top. This cleared the way for the board to decide Bevand's fate.
Bevand:
Romanello:
"King, right there on the flop!" said Bevand, but it was more of a question than a statement of fact as the board came down and sent him off the stage in 7th. Roberto now has 1.5 million.
After the two early eliminations it is unsurprising that the play has now slowed back down to a leisurely pace. With everyone now guaranteed €100,000 and the next jump in pay being another €30,00 on top, the final table could be a rather cagey affair.
Team PokerStars pro Marcin Horecki is the latest player to attempt to steal the ample blinds and antes, which total 105,000, when he raised to 115,000 from the button and only Marco Leonzio, in the small blind, made the call.
Flop: - Leonzio checked and then insta-mucked when his Polish opponent made a 135,000 continuation bet.
The pace at the final table here at EPT Prague continues to resemble that of the 100m sprint as we lose yet another player, bringing the short-handed stage on earlier than usual.
Jan Bendik opened for 150,000. When the action came to Peter Skripka, he moved forward one large chip tower, enough to ask The Question.
The answer was 'yes' - Bendik called all in and showed racing Skripka's .
The flop: Bendik had the paint flop he was looking for.
Turn: About turn! Skripka now well ahead.
River:
This led to another round of handshakes among the finalists, and Bendik went off to collect the first six-figure prize of the tournament.
Level: 27
Blinds: 30,000/60,000
Ante: 5,000