It's a late rush for Jason Mercier to make his fifth million-dollar year. He just needs to get heads-up here in Prague. Only 300-odd players to beat. SHould be a shoe-in. Click on through to the PokerStars Blog.
Reigning EPT Prague Champion Martin Finger has slipped to less than half the average stack after a clash with El Khazen Youssef did not go to plan.
The board read 
and Finger had bet 11,000 from the big blind seat and saw his bet raised all-in for 31,700 in total by Youssef, whi was seated three to Finger's left.
Finger went into the tank for over two minutes before reluctantly folding his hand. The young German has a workable stack but he will need to add to it sooner rather than later if he wants another deep run in the Czech Republic.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,400
25,200
|
25,200 |
|
||
It was a small pot for Mike Watson but they all count.
He was in the big blind and defended a mid position raise from Ioakim Papadopoulos. The flop fell 
and Watsom check-called a 3,800 c-bet. The 
turn and river were checked down and Papadopoulos opened 
. Watson tabled 
and dragged in the pot.
Moments later we saw Matt Waxman get up from his table and leave the room. The man himself explains:
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
81,000
39,400
|
39,400 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Moments ago we saw Jason Mercier gather his things and leave the table. We unfortunately missed the hand, but he has been eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
||
On a 
flop, Michael Mcnelis checked in the big blind, Enrico Tau checked from under the gun, so it was left to Olekssi Kovalchuk to open the second round of betting. The Ukrainian did indeed bet, making it 10,200 to play.
Mcnelis thought about his options for over a minute before finally relinquishing his hand back to the dealer. Despite having had in excess of 60-seconds to make his own decision, Tau waiting for a further 90-seconds before he eventually called.
The dealer placed the 
on the turn and Tau tank-checked to Kovalchuk. After 20-30 seconds, Kovalchuk bet 20,700 and once again Tau went deep into the tank for close to two minutes. When he emerged he did so with a fold.
Enrico Tau
Mads Amot opened from the cutoff, Azad Jabrayilov three-bet to 5,300 on the button, and the action folded back to Amot, who four-bet to 11,000. Jabrayilov called.
The flop fell 
, and Amot thought for a bit before tossing out 8,700. Jabrayilov called.
The turn was the , Amot immediately checked, and Jabrayilov fired 13,800. Amot tank-called.
The river was the 
, Amot quickly checked again, and Jabrayilov thought for 30 sceonds or so before checking behind, tabling 
for a pair of jacks.
Amot showed 
for a pair of queens, and took down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
170,000
13,600
|
13,600 |
|
|
75,000 |
Andrew Chen, who finished third in this event back in Season 5, won't be making a return trip to the final table as he was recently flushed away on the river.
In the hand, Sweden's Eddie Tasbas opened for 2,500 from the cutoff and received a call from Kyle Frey on the button. After the small blind got out of the way, Chen put in a three-bet to 8,000 from the big. Both his opponents called and it was three-way action to the 
flop.
Chen took a moment before leading out for 5,500, which pushed Tasbas from the hand. Frey proceeded to put in a call, and then he moved all in for approximately 40,000 when Chen checked the turn. Chen, who only had 31,000 behind, thought for a solid 90 seconds before calling off.
Showdown
Chen: 
Frey: 
Chen got it in good with a pair of aces and just needed to survive the river. Unfortunately for him, the 
spiked on the river to complete Frey's flush and give him the win. "Good game," Chen said while still shaking his head.
David Elyashar was all in and at risk preflop for his last 8,000 or so holding 
. Thomas Mercier had him crushed with 
, and the board ran out 
...
!
Elyashar doubled to around 18,000 chips, while Mercier slipped to 22,000.
From under the gun, Martin Mulsow raised to 2,500 and the next two players to act called. The first was Day 1b chip leader Vadim Belov and to his left was the Team PokerStars Pro Johnny Lodden.
Mulsow and Belov checked to Lodden on the flop, but Lodden was not in the mood for checking back and he bet 3,000. Mulsow folded, but Belov asked for confirmation of the bet amount before raising to 6,500. Lodden called.
The turn brought the into play and Lodden checked behind when Belov tapped the table, but when the fell on the river, Belov lead out with a 6,500 and Lodden instantly called.
Belov:
Lodden:
Lodden won with his trip queens and is up among the chip leaders.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
230,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
|
||
Rodrigo "caprioli" Caprioli was given a lifetime achievement award at EPT Prague today - at the ripe old age of 31. But here is a player who plays more hands in a week than most in a lifetime - the reason he has earned enough VPPs for seven Porsches. And yet he drives a Citroen SUV. PokerStars Blog finds out why.
