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

Mattern Getting Short; Kurganov Gone

Arnaud Mattern
Arnaud Mattern

Arnaud Mattern won the first-ever EPT Prague back in Season 4, but his hopes of doing it again are slowly fading.

In a recent hand, there was 10,000 in the pot and a board reading {A-Spades}{9-Hearts}{9-Clubs}{9-Spades} when Mattern checked from the small blind and Maurizio Braco did the same from early position. Mattern proceeded to check the {4-Diamonds} river, and that's when Braco fired out a bet of 6,500. Mattern only had 10,500 back, and he opted to save it by folding after having thought about it for a solid minute.

Meanwhile, Igor Kurganov has been eliminated from the tournament.

Player Chips Progress
Arnaud Mattern fr
Arnaud Mattern
EPT 1X Winner
10,500 -8,600
Igor Kurganov ru
Igor Kurganov
Busted

Tags: Igor KurganovArnaud MatternMaurizio Braco

Graydon Refuses To Show

Level 8 : 300/600, 75 ante
Mick Graydon
Mick Graydon

Once again Ari Engel opened the betting on his table by raising to 1,325 in the hijack seat. Jose Manuel Nadal Sordo was on the button and he three-bet to 2,825 and that was enough to force Fabrice Soulier out of the pot. However, Mick Graydon was in the big blind and he put in a raise of his own, one to 6,600.

Graydon's raise was too much for Engel to pay and he quickly folded, but Nadal Sordo looked poised to at least call. However, that was not the case because his cards found their way back to the dealer.

"Show one card," request Engel, "It's very good for the game!"

Graydon refused to acknowledge Engel's request and got busy re-stacking his chips.

Tags: Ari EngelFabrice SoulierJose Manuel Nadal SordoMick Graydon

Bikbulatov Brings His Own Glass To Prague!

Level 8 : 300/600, 75 ante

We often see the lucky charms and trinkets that poker players adorn their playing space with, but never before have I seen a player bring their own drinking vessel!

Ruaf Bikbulatov ordered a black tea with one sugar from one of the many waitresses, but before she could go process his order Bikbulatov delved into his rucksack and after much rustling of paper and the removal of some bubble wrap, produced a large drinking glass that he requested his drink to be made in, much to the amusement of the waitress.

Tags: Ruaf Bikbulatov

Former Champion Is Done and Dusted

Jan Skampa
Jan Skampa

Jan Skampa won this event back in Season 6, but his hopes of capturing the title for a second time came to an end courtesy of Souheil Mansour.

In the hand, William Davis limped from early position only to have Skampa three-bet to 2,700 right behind. Mansour then called from the button, Davis folded, and it was heads-up action to the {A-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}{10-Hearts} flop. Skampa was first to act and led out for 4,500, which inspired Mansour to raise to 17,000.

Skampa thought long and hard before gently placing in a call, and then he checked the {4-Hearts} turn. Mansour wasted little time in spiking out a bet of 22,400, and a few moments later Skampa moved all in for right around 35,000. Mansour, who barely had him covered, snap-called.

Showdown
Mansour: {10-Spades}{10-Diamonds}
Skampa: {A-Hearts}{K-Diamonds}

Skampa discovered the bad news—that he was drawing dead—and made a hasty exit from the tournament floor after the meaningless {5-Spades} was put out on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Souheil Mansour
Souheil Mansour
115,000
Jan Skampa cz
Jan Skampa
EPT 1X Winner
Busted

Tags: Souheil MansourJan SkampaWilliam Davis

Polito Comes Off Best From Clash With Gromov

Level 8 : 300/600, 75 ante

The action was opened with a raise from the hijack to 1,200 from Laurent Polito and after the cutoff got out of the way, former WPT Vienna champion Dmitry Gromov three-bet to 2,700 on the button. Both blinds folded and Polito called.

It was therefore heads up to the {10-Clubs}{10-Spades}{j-Clubs} flop, a flop that Polito initially checked, but then called when Gromov continued with a bet of 5,000. The {K-Spades} turn made the board even scarier and it was no surprise that both players checked. The {J-Spades} river received the same treatment; both players checked.

Polito turned a pair of red queens onto their backs, whilst Gromov could only muster the lowly {9-Clubs}{8-Clubs}.

Tags: Laurent PolitoDmitry Gromov

Soulier Soaring

Fabrice Soulier
Fabrice Soulier

After calling a three-bet from Anthony Lezzi, and another bet on the {j-Hearts}{4-Hearts}{5-Spades} flop, Fabrice Soulier was faced with another 4,500-chip bet on the {3-Clubs} turn. Soulier called.

The river was the {2-Spades}, and Lezzi slowed down, checking to Soulier who fired 12,500. Lezzi tanked for quite some time, then finally committed enough chips to make the call.

Soulier rolled over {6-Hearts}{6-Clubs} for a rivered straight, and Lezzi groaned before mucking his hand. Soulier increased his stack to 65,000 chips.

Player Chips Progress
Fabrice Soulier fr
Fabrice Soulier
65,000 31,000

Tags: Antony LezziFabrice Soulier