2012 PokerStars.net EPT Prague

Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2012 PokerStars.net EPT Prague

Final Results
Winner
Ramzi Jelassi
Winning Hand
aj
Prize
€835,000
Event Info
Buy-in
€5,000
Prize Pool
€4,190,400
Entries
864
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
30,000

Duda Can't Repeat EPT9 Barcelona Success

Back in August, Antonin Duda went on quite the run in the EPT Barcelona Main Event, finishing several days as the chip leader and ultimately taking seventh place for €125,950. It seems like any luck Duda had was used in that event and did not carry over here today.

We didn't catch the action, but it appeared Duda had gotten all in preflop holding {K-Hearts}{K-Spades} and was up against the {A-Hearts}{K-Clubs} of Jose Manuel Nadal Sordo. The board read {2-Clubs}{10-Hearts}{6-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}{A-Clubs}, and the PokerStars qualifier from Mexico had spiked an ace on the river to send Duda to the rail.

With that, Sordo chipped up to 70,000.

Player Chips Progress
Antonin Duda cz
Antonin Duda
Busted

Tags: Jose Manuel Nadal SordoAntonin Duda

Song's First

Towards the end of the first level, Michael Song told his table that this was the first EPT he's ever played. He proceeded to tangle in a pot with Enrico Tau, in which the flop was {8-Hearts}{8-Spades}{9-Spades}. Tau checked, Song tossed out 600, and Tau called.

The turn was the {8-Diamonds}, Tau checked again, and Song fired 1,600. Tau called.

The {3-Clubs} completed the board, and Tau checked a third and final time. Song emptied the chamber, firing a third bullet worth 5,200. Tau again called.

"Is king-high good?" Song asked, showing {k-Clubs}{q-Spades}. "Call with jack-ten one time?"

Tau turned over {q-Clubs}{q-Hearts} for eights full of queens, and won the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Enrico Tau
Enrico Tau
35,000
Michael Song us
Michael Song
21,000

Tags: Enrico TauMichael Song

Roy Takes On Martiradonna

Level 2 : 75/150, 0 ante

Jonathan Roy is seated in Table 20 Seat 1 and has already started to accumulate chips. The man who recently won the inaugural WPT Montreal Main Event for a cool $777,903, checked from under the gun to Mariano Martiradonna on a {7-Hearts}{3-Spades}{4-Diamonds} flop and then called when Matiradonna bet 1,200.

The turn brought the {10-Diamonds} into play and Roy checked again. Matiradonna slowed down and checked behind his Canadian opponent. The {j-Diamonds} on the river completed a possible flush draw and Roy possibly used this to his advantage and tested the waters with a 2,400 bet. It certainly worked because Matiradonna wasted little time in letting his hand go.

Tags: Jonathan RoyMariano Martiradonna

Check-Raise Pressure from Andrei

Level 2 : 75/150, 0 ante

Four players created a pot of 2,000 and saw a flop of {8-Clubs}{10-Hearts}{9-Hearts}. Romania's Acatincai Andrei, who was in the small blind, checked, and Artem Metalidi took the opportunity to bet 1,150 from the big blind. Alex Bilokur called from middle position, the cutoff did the same, and then Andrei woke up with a check-raise to 3,600.

Metalidi thought long and hard before making the call, Bilokur folded, and the cutoff called the additional 2,450. When the dealer burned and turned the {K-Clubs}, Andrei quickly bet a hefty 6,500, which was enough to get the job done as both his opponents tossed their cards to the muck.

Tags: Acatincai AndreiArtem MetalidiAlex Bilokur

Stefanopolous' Over-bet Shove Gets Through

Level 2 : 75/150, 0 ante

Georgios Stefanopolous has helped himself to some of Antonio Venneri's chips after he forced his Italian opponent to fold to his huge over-bet.

We joined the action on a board reading {5-Hearts}{6-Clubs}{q-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}{q-Clubs} and saw Venneri bet 3,100 into a 5,300 pot. Without much pause for thought, Stefanopolous announced loudly, "I am all-in," and moved his 34,750 stack into the middle.

After his huge bet Stefanopolous sat with his hands behind his head, before switching to a different position that looked very similar to Phil Hellmuth's trademark pose.

Two minutes were long enough for Venerri to decide he was beat and he folded his hand; Venneri turned over the {q-Spades} as he did so.

Tags: Georgios StefanopolousAntonio Venneri

Number One

Dan Smith
Dan Smith

Thus far, 2012 has been an incredible year for "King" Dan Smith. He started it off by winning the $100,000 Aussie Millions Challenge, then he took down three €5,000 side events at the PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final, won the €50,000 Super High Roller at EPT Barcelona, and shipped the PokerStars Sunday Million.

Just now, he offered tablemate Michael McNelis a free roll.

"I'm going to write down a number between one and thirty," Smith said, holding up his iPhone. "If you get it right, I'll give you €100."

Just as he was about to plug the number into his phone, he received his two cards.

"I'll put the number in as soon as I win this hand," he said, raising to 600.

Nikolay Tsanev three-bet to 1,600 on Smith's direct left, and Andrey Andreev cold-called in late position. The action folded back to Smith, who examined his opponents' stacks, then four-bet to 4,600. Only Andreev called.

The dealer fanned {6-Hearts}{6-Diamonds}{5-Diamonds}, and both players checked. The turn was the {3-Diamonds}, Smith led for 3,000, and Andreev called.

The {9-Hearts} completed the board, and Smith flipped forward two blue T5,000 chips, essentially putting Andreev all in. He folded, and Smith raked in the pot.

"I have my number," he said.

"Twenty-three," McNelis guessed.

"Twenty-three is actually my favorite number," Smith said, revealing his phone. "But the number is one. That's the best guess you could've made, though."

Smith happily stacked his newfound chips, and is looking to add to his already incredible 2012 résumé.

Player Chips Progress
Dan Smith us
Dan Smith
40,000 10,000
Andrey Andreev ru
Andrey Andreev
10,200

Tags: Andrey AndreevDan SmithMichael McNelis

A Busy Day in Congress Hall

Level 2 : 75/150, 0 ante
The Tournament Room
The Tournament Room

The Congress Hall at the Hilton Prague Hotel is packed today as Day 1a of the €5,300 EPT Prague Main Event, the final of the €1,100 Eureka Prague Main Event, Day 2 of the Eureka PLO Championship, and the Women’s Event are all currently taking place. What's more, a €2,000 PLO Turbo tourney is slated to start at 4pm followed by two super satellites to the EPT Prague Main Event and the €10,000 Invitation EPT Season 8 Country of the Year freeroll for Lebanese players.

Needless to say it's a busy day here in Prague. Here's some more information courtesy of the EPT:

GUILLAUME RIVET LEADS EUREKA HIGH ROLLER

Canadian pro Guillaume Rivet, sixth in the WSOP Omaha Hi/Lo Championship last summer, is leading the Eureka High Roller event with 25 players left. By 3am last night, the event was still on the bubble – 24 get paid. Also still in are EPT Berlin finalist Prayush Buddiga, French veterans Michel Abecassis and Philippe Ktorza, Dmitry Vitkind, EPT Vilamoura champion Toby Lewis, Craig McCorkell, Jan Bendik and two-time EPT runner-up Martin Jacobson. A record-breaking 195 players took part in the two-day €2,000 Eureka tourney creating a total prize pool of nearly €350,000 - with €89,200 going to the winner. The biggest Eureka HR prior to this was Latvia in October with 40 entries.

GERMAN BUSINESSMAN BERND VOGELHUBER LEADS EUREKA MAIN EVENT FINAL

Bernd Vogelhuber was chip leader at the start of today's €1,100 Eureka Prague Main Event final. The finalists, from eight different countries, include two PokerStars qualifiers and two PokerStars players. A record-breaking 652 players competed in Eureka Season 2 finale, creating a total prize pool of €632,440 and €140,000 first prize.

Liviu Turns the Screws on Hulme

Ignat Liviu, better known as online high-stakes legend "0Human0", opened for 350 under the gun only to have the UK's Andrew Hulme three-bet to 900. The rest of the field got out of the way, Liviu called, and the flop came down {8-Spades}{4-Clubs}{K-Diamonds}. Liviu wasted little time in checking, and Hulme continued with a bet of 700. Liviu then sprung to life with a check-raise to 2,500, Hulme called, and the {J-Hearts} peeled off on the turn.

"Twenty-five," Liviu said while tossing out a blue T5,000 ship for a bet of 2,500. Hulme mulled his options before making the call, which brought about the {7-Hearts} river. Liviu took a long time before betting 16,000, and the pressure was on Hulme. A solid two minutes passed as Hulme considered what to do, but he ultimately came to the decision to lay down his hand. With that, Liviu chipped up to 40,000.

Meanwhile, last year's sixth-place finisher, Ari Engel, is also up to 40,000.

Player Chips Progress
Ari Engel ca
Ari Engel
40,000 10,000
Ignat Liviu ro
Ignat Liviu
40,000 4,000

Tags: Ignat LiviuAri EngelAndrew Hulme