Here's a quick look at some of the players still in and who they're sharing tables with as we approach that money bubble.
The 2012 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final
Griffin Benger raised on the button and Frank Koopmann defended his big blind. The flop was
and Koopmann check-called a 14,000 Benger bet as if he was going to call three-streets for fun. The turn was the
and Koopmann check-called a quick 21,000 Benger double barrel. The river card was the
and both players quickly checked.
"I have ace-queen," said Benger.
Koopmann flipped over
for a rivered set and scooped the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
510,000
233,600
|
233,600 |
|
|
175,000
109,100
|
109,100 |
Juan Gonzalez Venzano found a spot he had to push with and it worked out well for him.
He was in the small blind and looked down at 
. Bryan Piccioli was his opponent in the hand and had opened to 9,000 before Venzano shipped for 76,000.
Piccioli made the call with 
and the board ran 



to make Venzano a set.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
158,000
42,800
|
42,800 |
|
|
94,000
134,500
|
134,500 |
Another pre flop all-in, this time with the best hand holding up.
| Emin Aghayev | ![]() |
| Andres Artinano | ![]() |
The board stayed clean for Aghayev and he doubled up
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
255,000
130,700
|
130,700 |
|
|
135,000
110,000
|
110,000 |
Ben Vinson raised to 8,500 in the cutoff and Geert-Jan Potijk three-bet to 19,000 on the button. Vinson decided to peel, out of the position, and the pair shared a flop of
. Vinson check-called a 16,000 Potijk bet and the dealer handed them the
on the turn, which both players checked. The river card was the
, Vinson checked for a third time and Potijk bet 25,000; a bet that Vinson didn't like. He pulled every possible face you could think of before making the call and Potjik turned over
for the low end of the straight. Vinson mucked his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
540,000
53,000
|
53,000 |
|
|
100,000
26,000
|
26,000 |
Erich Kollmann and Basil Yaiche just decided to have a little pre flop battle.
| Yaiche | ![]() |
| Kollmann | ![]() |
Kollmann looked certain for the double-up when the dealer laid four cards down on the felt -
then a cruel
handed Kollmann a set, but gave Yaiche a straight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
145,000
52,000
|
52,000 |
|
|
30,000
68,000
|
68,000 |
Alessio Isaia is out after three-betting his remaining 35,000 with 
. Nicolas Chouity had opened from the button and made a quick call when the Italian shoved from the small blind.
Isaia: 

Chouity: 

The board ran 



to smack Chouity in the face, in a good way of course!
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
225,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
Team PokerStars Pro Max Martinez could have possibly bubbled this event with what just happened.
Martinez raised from early position to 8,000 and Geert-Jan Potijk three-bet from middle position to 20,500. Action folded back to Martinez and he made the call.
The flop came down 

and Martinez check-called a bet of 26,000 from Potijk before the
paired the board on the turn. Martinez checked again and Potijk fired 56,000. Martinez made the call.
The river card was the
and Martinez checked with approximately 355,000 behind. Potijk bet all in and had Martinez covered, creating a massive pot. Martinez tanked and tanked. Eventually, he mucked his hand, but looked very pained to do so. Potijk scooped the pot and moved to 670,000 in chips without showing his hand.
On the next hand, Martinez raised from under the gun to 8,000 and was called by the player in the big blind. The flop came down 

and the big blind checked. Martinez bet 9,500 and folded to his opponent's check-raise to 25,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
670,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
|
|
340,000
86,000
|
86,000 |
|
|
||
We joined the action on a flop of
and the three players in the hand were Tristan Clemencon (early position), Rodrigo Dos Santos Caprioli (middle position) and David Sands (button). Clemencon checked, Caprioli bet 13,500, Sands called and then Clemencon spiced things up with a check-raise to 49,000. Caprioli moved all-in, Sands folded quickly, as did Clemencon - but not without some thinking time.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
320,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
|
315,000
114,000
|
114,000 |
|
|
117,000
49,000
|
49,000 |
Anette Obrestad has fallen just short of the money after busting from the feature table.
We caught up with her just off stage and she said she shoved with pocket tens only to run into the pocket kings of an opponent.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Busted |

