The 2012 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final

Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

The 2012 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
qq
Prize
€1,350,000
Event Info
Buy-in
€10,000
Entries
665
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
30,000

Even Rockets Can't Help the Flying Dutchman Stay in the Air

While Team PokerStars Pro Max Martinez is cruising with the chip leader and sending players to the rail early on Day 3, fellow Team Pro Marcel Luske has seen better days. He was just eliminated after getting his aces cracked by Santiago Nadal's pocket tens.

Luske was all in preflop for around 45,000 holding the {A-Hearts}{A-Spades}. Nadal held the {10-Clubs}{10-Diamonds} and spiked the winner after the board ran out {J-Spades}{J-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}{10-Spades}{Q-Clubs}.

Player Chips Progress
Santiago Nadal us
Santiago Nadal
292,000 24,600
Marcel Luske nl
Marcel Luske
Busted

Tags: Marcel LuskeSantiago NadalMax Martinez

No Back to Back for Danilyuk

Andrey Danilyuk was not a happy bunny after he busted to Tudor Grangure, ending his dream a repeat of last year's 4th place finish for €400,000.

Grangure opened to 6,500 and was called by Clayton Mozdzen before Danilyuk shoved for 54,000. Grangure called and was enough to scare off Mozdzen.

Grangure: {k-Clubs}{q-Diamonds}
Danilyuk: {10-Hearts}{10-Diamonds}

The board ran {9-Hearts}{a-Hearts}{a-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}{8-Hearts}.

Danilyuk was very unhappy with Grangure's call, but after he left the table Mozdzen and Bryan Piccioli agreed the call was just fine. Grangure's got a big stack now.

Player Chips Progress
Tudor Grangure
Tudor Grangure
530,000 236,100
Andrey Danilyuk ru
Andrey Danilyuk
Busted

Tags: Andrey DanilyukTudor Grangure

Double-Double Up For Danchev

Earlier we brought you news of the exit of our World Champion, Team PokerStars Pro Pius Heinz. His vanquisher was Dimitar Danchev and he is now up to 240,000 after eliminating another opponent.

As usual in the flurry of early exits, the action happened pre flop.

Danchev{9-Diamonds} {9-Clubs}
Opponent{A-Hearts} {8-Diamonds}

Danchev's opponent took the lead on a flop of {A-Spades} {8-Hearts} {2-Clubs}, but Danchev snatched it right back when the {9-Hearts} appeared on the turn. The river {2-Diamonds} had no effect on the result of the hand and Danchev notched another elimination on his list.

Player Chips Progress
Dimitar Danchev bg
Dimitar Danchev
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner
240,000 147,300

Tags: Dimitar Danchev

Lodden's Luck is Out Again

Johhny Lodden has a horrible habit of busting just before the money or just before the final table at an EPT. The former has happened to him here, and yet again he was very unlucky.

He watched as Joel Bez and Jason Wheeler moved all-in from the hijack and cut-off. Lodden looked down at aces and joined the party.

Bez: {k-Hearts}{j-Diamonds}
Wheeler: {6-Clubs}{6-Hearts}
Lodden: {a-Clubs}{a-Diamonds}

Wheeler was only one talking before the board was dealt, saying such things as, "I'm a lock as I'm getting a massage. You never lose while getting a massage, right? Six in the window!"

He got what he asked for as the board ran {6-Spades}{5-Clubs}{3-Clubs}{j-Clubs}{4-Hearts} for make Wheeler a set.

Player Chips Progress
Johnny Lodden no
Johnny Lodden
Busted
Joel Bez
Joel Bez
Busted

Tags: Johhny LoddenJoel BezJason Wheeler

Chris Brammer v Roberto Menache

Chris Brammer and Roberto Menache are having fun and games. Here are a few interesting hands involving the pair.

Hand 1

The action folds around the Brammer in the small blind who makes a standard open and Menache three-bets to 13,000 in the big blind. Brammer makes the call and the pair head to the flop of {K-Hearts} {8-Spades} {2-Diamonds}. Brammer check-called a 12,000 Menache bet before they both checked the {2-Hearts} on the turn. The last card the pair saw was the {4-Diamonds} and Brammer snap-check-called a 20,000 Menache bet.

For a long while nobody moved until Menache finally turned over {J-Hearts} {10-Clubs} for jack high and Brammer quietly scooped in the pot with ace high {A-Spades} {Q-Clubs}.

Hand 2

Brammer raised to 6,500 on the button and Menache called in the small blind. Once again the pair shared a flop and it was {A-Spades} {2-Spades} {2-Hearts}. Menache check-called a 10,500 Brammer c-bet before we saw the {5-Diamonds} on the turn. This time Menache made things very interesting with a 60,000 check-raise, after Brammer had sent him a 27,700 double barrel.

Brammer just stared at Menache, with a quizzical look, and after a period of time in the tank decided to fold his hand. Menache showed {8-} {8-}.

"Were you bluffing?" Asked a confused Brammer.

"Dunno…maybe," replied Menache.

"Would you have called if I would have moved all-in?" Asked Brammer.

"Dunno…probably," replied Menache.

"Then how could you be bluffing then?" Asked Brammer.

We didn't stick around for the third, "dunno."

Player Chips Progress
Roberto Menache
Roberto Menache
250,000 33,200
Christopher Brammer gb
Christopher Brammer
245,000 -22,400

Tags: Chris BrammerRoberto Menache

Tough Beat For Smith

Elliot Smith just suffered a cruel, cruel beat against Ilan Boujenah and it may have put an end to any hopes of making the money for the Canadian.

The pair got the money in pre flop and Smith had the advantage.

Boujenah{2-Diamonds} {2-Spades}
Smith{Q-Hearts} {Q-Clubs}

The dealer was floating down card after card, and at the turn Boujenah started to pack away his ipad when a {2-Clubs} hit the river to hand him a last minute reprieve.

Board: {7-Hearts} {3-Clubs} {3-Spades} {9-Hearts} {2-Clubs}

"Wow," said Boujenah.

Smith was not out, but down to his last 15,000 chips.

Player Chips Progress
Ilan Boujenah il
Ilan Boujenah
185,000 102,000
Elliot Smith ca
Elliot Smith
15,000 -110,000

Tags: Ilan BoujenahElliot Smith