2012 PokerStars.net EPT Prague

Main Event
Day: 4
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

PokerStars.net European Poker Tour Season 9 Prague Main Event Day 4: Ben Declares Warrington on the Field

Level 23 : 10,000/20,000, 3,000 ante
Ben Warrington - Chip Leader
Ben Warrington - Chip Leader

Day 4 of the PokerStars.net European Poker Tour Season 9 Prague Main Event began with 55 players. Less than three levels later, the field had dwindled down to 21, and leading the remaining players is Ben Warrington. He bagged 2.618 million chips, and only one other player, David Boyaciyan, bagged more than two million chips.

The day began with a flurry of bust outs, and there was a massive hand between Jorma Nuutinen, Luca Giovannone, and Jason Helder. Giovannone open-shoved his last 65,000 from under the gun with the blinds at 5,000/10,000/1,000, Helder called in the hijack seat, and Nuutinen three-bet to 122,000 from the cutoff. Helder moved all in for effectively 564,000, and Nuutinen called to put himself at risk.

Giovannone: {q-Clubs}{j-Hearts}
Helder: {a-Spades}{k-Diamonds}
Nuutinen: {a-Diamonds}{a-Clubs}

Nuutinen held as the board ran out {2-Hearts}{q-Spades}{7-Spades}{8-Hearts}{2-Clubs}, eliminating Giovannone and crippling Herm.

Herm bowed out a few hands later when he called a three-bet shove from Radu Catoiu. Herm’s {a-Hearts}{10-Diamonds} was slightly ahead of Catoui’s {q-Hearts}{j-Clubs}, but the board ran out {5-Diamonds}{4-Clubs}{10-Clubs}{j-Diamonds}{4-Spades}.

Towards the end of the first level of Day 4, Johnny Lodden was the recipient of a rather large gift. Lodden opened to 20,000 from the cutoff seat, Robert Kokoska three-bet to 48,000 on the button, and Lodden made the call. The flop was {6-Clubs}{j-Hearts}{6-Diamonds}, Lodden checked, and Kokoska continued for 40,000. Lodden min-raised to 80,000, Kokoska moved all in for around 400,000, and Lodden tank-called.

Kokoska: {k-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}
Lodden: {k-Spades}{j-Diamonds}

Lodden held as the turn and river came {3-Clubs}, {6-Spades} respectively, rocketing his stack to 1.275 million chips.

Level 21 was certainly kind to Mariusz Klosinski. The Polish gentleman won three key hands, and saw his stack increase from 300,000 to 1.3 million. After crippling Marian Kulifaj with two kings, he had him at risk holding {a-Diamonds}{q-Hearts}. Kulifaj was behind with {j-Clubs}{10-Clubs}, and didn’t catch up as the board ran out {7-Hearts}{q-Clubs}{6-Clubs}{a-Spades}{j-Spades}. A few hands later, with the blinds at 6,000/12,000/2,000, Rami Hajiyev open-shoved 175,000 from the cutoff seat. Dominik Paus re-shoved for 441,000 on the button, and Klosinski immediately re-shoved from the small blind. The big blind released, and the hands were opened:

Klosinski: {a-Spades}{a-Clubs}
Paus: {q-Clubs}{q-Spades}
Hajiyev: {6-Clubs}{6-Hearts}

The board ran out {5-Clubs}{a-Diamonds}{k-Spades}{5-Diamonds}{2-Clubs}, and both Hajiyev and Paus were eliminated.

Chris Brammer, who entered Day 4 third in chips, also busted during the second level of play. In the Brit’s final hand he three-bet shoved on the button with {3-Hearts}{3-Diamonds}, and Sergio Aido Espina, the original raiser, snapped him off with {k-Spades}{k-Hearts}. The kings held as the board came {8-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}{10-Clubs}, and Brammer hit the rail.

A few minutes later at an adjacent table, Fabrice Soulier got frisky and five-bet all in with {j-Spades}{9-Spades}. Mark Herm quickly called with {a-Hearts}{k-Hearts}, and Soulier snatched the lead when the flop came {5-Diamonds}{6-Hearts}{9-Clubs}. The turn ({q-Hearts}) and the river ({8-Hearts}) were both hearts however, and Herm made the nuts. Soulier was out, while Herm’s stack shot up to over 1.4 million chips.

In the following level, we saw the biggest pot of the tournament thus far. With the blinds at 8,000/16,000/2,000, Ben Warrington opened to 35,000 on the button. Lodden three-bet to 68,000 from the small blind, and Warrington made the call. The dealer fanned {4-Hearts}{6-Clubs}{10-Diamonds}, and Lodden led out for 65,000. Warrington raised to 130,000, Lodden re-raised to 215,000, and Warrington clicked it back, re-raising to 360,000. Lodden tank-shoved for 1.18 million effective, and Warrington snapped it off.

Lodden: {a-Spades}{a-Clubs}
Warrington: {10-Hearts}{10-Spades}

The turn and river came {q-Diamonds}, {9-Spades} respectively, and Warrington vaulted into the chip lead where he never looked back.

After the eliminations of Catoiu and Denis Pisarev, the field was reduced to 24 players. It was decided by the tournament directors during the day to play until 21 players remained rather than 24, so play resumed with Level 23 in order to eliminate three more players.

The 24th-place finisher was Italian Enrico Tau. Tau entered the day with just over six big blinds, and on his final hand he was all in and at risk with {q-Hearts}{j-Hearts}. Dutchman David Boyaciyan had him at risk with {a-Spades}{k-Hearts}, and held as the board ran out {8-Hearts}{9-Clubs}{9-Spades}{5-Spades}{6-Spades}.

Manuel Bevand, who made an impressive hero call on Day 3 and flopped the nuts to double on the last hand of Level 22, was the penultimate elimination on Day 4. Bevand six-bet shoved for 700,000 over a five-bet from Boyaciyan, and Boyaciyan snapped it off with {a-Clubs}{a-Hearts}. Bevand was trailing with {q-Clubs}{q-Spades}, and was eliminated as the board ran out {k-Diamonds}{8-Spades}{10-Diamonds}{9-Hearts}{6-Diamonds}.

The final player eliminated on Day 4 was Australian Nicholas Galtos. Galtos open-shoved his last 198,000 from under the gun with the blinds at 10,000/20,000/3,000, and Sergey Kuzminskiy called in the cutoff.

Galtos: {j-Spades}{8-Spades}
Kuzminskiy: {a-Clubs}{j-Hearts}

The board came {3-Clubs}{6-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}{7-Spades}{7-Clubs}, and Galtos was out.

The final 21 players will return for Day 5 at 12:00 CEST on Friday. Roberto Romanello, who finished the day with 341,000 chips, is looking to become a two-time champion in Prague. Boyaciyan final tabled this event last year, and will be looking to make a return trip.

Join us then for up-to-the-minute updates. Unitl then, good night from the Czech Republic!

Tags: Ben Warrington

Sarwer's Call and Bevand's Double

Manuel Bevand
Manuel Bevand

Prior to the break, Diego Gomez Gonzalez opened to 34,000 in early position, Manuel Bevand called in the cutoff, and Jeff Sarwer defended his big blind. The flop fell {10-Hearts}{3-Spades}{9-Clubs}, and all three players checked.

The turn was the {7-Hearts}, Sarwer led out for 38,000, Gonzalez folded, and Bevand raised to 90,000. Sarwer tank-called.

The river was the {5-Clubs}, and Sarwer slowed down, checking to Bevand, The Frenchman thought for a bit, then fired 165,000.

"Sick," Sarwer said the second the chips hit the felt.

He ripped off his sunglasses to study both Bevand and the board, and he tanked for a brief time before calling. Bevand turned over {k-Hearts}{q-Hearts} for busted flush and straight draws, and Sarwer tabled {a-Spades}{10-Diamonds} for a pair of tens.

A few hands later, the trio found themselves involved in another raised pot, this time with the board reading {8-Hearts}{j-Clubs}{9-Clubs}. Sarwer checked, Gonzalez fired 36,000, and Bevand moved all in for 338,000. Sarwer looked pained, and eventually folded, but Gonzalez made the call.

Gonzalez: {a-Diamonds}{j-Diamonds}
Bevand: {q-Hearts}{10-Hearts}

Once called, Bevand slammed his hand onto the felt with great force. His enthusiasm wained a bit as the {j-Hearts} turned, giving Gonzalez outs to eliminate him, but the {2-Hearts} fell on the river.

Bevand more than doubled with a queen-high flush, while Gonzalez slipped to about 678,000 chips.

Player Chips Progress
Jeff Sarwer fi
Jeff Sarwer
1,150,000 100,000
Manuel Bevand fr
Manuel Bevand
830,000 250,000
Diego Gomez Gonzalez
Diego Gomez Gonzalez
678,000 -477,000

Tags: Jeff SarwerDiego Gomez GonzalezManuel Bevand

Radu Ran Out

Radu Catoiu - Thumbs up for €21,000
Radu Catoiu - Thumbs up for €21,000

Mark Herm opened to 32,000 from the cutoff seat, Radu Catoiu three-bet jammed from the small blind, and Herm politely asked for a count.

"Three-hundred and thirty-two," the dealer answered.

Herm called.

Herm: {k-Spades}{q-Hearts}
Catoiu: {a-Hearts}{j-Hearts}

Herm made a pair when the flop fell {3-Diamonds}{k-Diamonds}{4-Hearts}, but Catoiu could still catch up. The {10-Hearts} on the turn made it a bit of a sweat, but the {3-Clubs} bricked on the river.

Herm had Catoiu covered by exactly two big blinds, and the Romanian was eliminated.

Player Chips Progress
Mark Herm us
Mark Herm
715,000 365,000
Radu Catoiu ro
Radu Catoiu
Busted

Tags: Mark HermRadu Catoiu

Easy Come, Easy Go

Warrington has lots of these
Warrington has lots of these

Ben Warrington and Johnny Lodden have swapped places in the standings after a huge cooler pot.

The action folded to Warrington on the button and he opened to 35,000. Lodden was in the next seat and three-bet to 68,000. The Brit called to the {4-Hearts}{6-Clubs}{10-Diamonds} flop where he faced a 65,000 c-bet from The Team PokerStars Pro.

Warrington raised this up to 130,000 before Lodden three-bet to 215,000. The action wasn't over though as Warrington made it 360,000 to play and then he snapped off for 1,180,000 when Lodden tank-shoved.

Lodden: {a-Spades}{a-Clubs} for an over pair.
Warrington: {10-Hearts}{10-Spades} for top set.

The board ran out {q-Diamonds}{9-Spades}.

Lodden had to start over again now.

Player Chips Progress
Ben Warrington gb
Ben Warrington
2,510,000 1,260,000
Johnny Lodden no
Johnny Lodden
920,000 -1,580,000

Tags: Ben WarringtonJohnny Lodden

Here Comes Johnny!

Johnny Lodden
Johnny Lodden

Team PokerStars Pro Johnny Lodden is not famous for outbursts of emotion but even he gave a little fist-pump when he scooped in the biggest pot of the tournament so far.

Radu Cantoiu opened the pot with a mid position raise that was called by Lodden on the button and Mark Herm in the big blind.

The flop fanned {6-Clubs}{10-Hearts}{9-Hearts} and Cantoiu continued for 100,000. Lodden bumped this up to 200,000 before Herm three-bet to 700,000. Cantoiu tanked for an age and folded (kings he later showed) but Lodden snap moved all in. Call!

LoddenL {7-Clubs}{8-Clubs} for a straight.
Herm: {10-Spades}{9-Spades} for top two pair.

The board ran out {3-Spades}{j-Hearts}.

Player Chips Progress
Johnny Lodden no
Johnny Lodden
2,500,000 1,120,000
Mark Herm us
Mark Herm
350,000 -1,200,000
Radu Catoiu ro
Radu Catoiu
325,000 -99,000

Tags: Johnny LoddenMark HermRadu Cantoiu

Dominguez Dusted

Cesar Garcia Dominguez (Day 2) - Eliminated
Cesar Garcia Dominguez (Day 2) - Eliminated

Just before break, Dany Parlafes opened to 26,000 in early position, Sergey Kuzminskiy flatted on his direct left, and the action folded to Cesar Garcia Dominguez, who moved all in for just under 400,000 from the small blind.

Parlafes quickly folded, and Kuzminskiy tank-called.

Kuzminskiy: {a-Spades}{q-Hearts}
Dominguez: {10-Spades}{10-Hearts}

The flop fell {7-Spades}{j-Hearts}{5-Hearts}, giving Kuzminskiy backdoor flush and straight draws, and the {7-Hearts} kept his flush draw alive. The black river card did not complete the Russian's flush draw, but the {q-Clubs} did give him a better pair and a knockout.

Dominguez hit the rail, while Kuzminskiy chipped up to around 800,000 chips.

Player Chips Progress
Sergey Kuzminskiy
Sergey Kuzminskiy
800,000 150,000
Cesar Garcia Dominguez es
Cesar Garcia Dominguez
Busted

Tags: Cesar Garcia DominguezSergey Kuzminskiy

Fabrice Gets Frisky; Herm Not Having It

Fabrice Soulier (Day 3) - Eliminated
Fabrice Soulier (Day 3) - Eliminated

Mark "dipthrong" Herm opened to 25,000 from the cutoff, Fabrice Soulier three-bet to 65,000 on the button, and both blinds released. Herm tanked for a bit, riffling chips with one hand, then he grabbed a tower of blue T5,000 chips. He four-bet to what looked like 118,000, and Soulier quickly moved all in.

There was a beat, then Herm called.

Soulier: {j-Spades}{9-Spades}
Herm: {a-Hearts}{k-Hearts}

The flop fell {5-Diamonds}{6-Hearts}{9-Clubs}, giving Soulier a leading pair of nines, and neither player flinched. The turn was the {q-Hearts}, giving Herm extra outs to catch up, and the {8-Hearts} fell on the river to give him a winning flush.

Again, neither player flinched.

The stacks were counted down, and when it was confirmed that Soulier had less chips than Herm, he began to gather his things. He shook Herm's hand, then headed for the rail.

Herm now sits with 1.475 million chips.

Player Chips Progress
Mark Herm us
Mark Herm
1,475,000 575,000
Fabrice Soulier fr
Fabrice Soulier
Busted

Tags: Fabrice SoulierMark Herm

Cymbaluk Loses Race; Busts

Glen Cymbaluk - Eliminated
Glen Cymbaluk - Eliminated

Martin Hanowski opened to 25,000 in early position, Enrico Tau three-bet to what looked like 68,000 on his direct left, and the action folded to Glen Cymbaluk, who moved all in for 211,000 from the small blind.

"Let's see if they changed to aces," Hanowski joked, looking at his hand one last time before folding.

Tau examined Cymbaluk's stack, then called.

Tau: {k-Clubs}{q-Hearts}
Cymbaluk: {j-Hearts}{j-Spades}

There was a queen in the window of the {2-Spades}{a-Hearts}{q-Diamonds} flop, and a second queen - the {q-Clubs} - fell on the turn. Only one of the two remaining jacks in the deck would save Cymbaluk on the river, and it wasn't to be as the {5-Spades} completed the board.

The Canadian Cowboy is eliminated, while Tau, who started the day with just over six big blinds, now has 680,000 chips.

Player Chips Progress
Enrico Tau
Enrico Tau
680,000 230,000
Glen Cymbaluk ca
Glen Cymbaluk
Busted

Tags: Enrico TauGlen Cymbaluk

"It's A Game Of Skill, Huh?"

Martin Hanowski
Martin Hanowski

We just witness a big flip that saw one person eliminated and the other vault over 1.1 million in chips.

It happened when Martin Hanowski opened for 25,000 under the gun and Eros Nastasi three-bet all in from the cutoff for 314,000 total. The button and both blinds folded, and action was back on Hanowski. He seemed a bit perplexed as to the size of the three-bet shove and thought for a long while.

"It's a game of skill, huh?" Hanowski laughed before finally making the call.

Showdown
Hanowski: {10-Diamonds}{10-Spades}
Nastasi: {A-Clubs}{K-Spades}

According to the PokerNews Odds Calculator, Nastasi had a 42.93% chance of winning the pot compared to Hanowski's 56.69%.

The {Q-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}{5-Diamonds} was terrible for Nastasi as it kept his opponent, who held a diamond, in the lead; in fact, that flop improved Hanowski to an 85.76% favorite and dropped Nastasi to 14.24%. Much to the latter's dismay, the {6-Diamonds} peeled off on the turn to lock up the hand for Hanowski.

The meaningless {7-Clubs} was put out on the river and a disappointed Nastasi exited the tournament floor.

Player Chips Progress
Martin Hanowski de
Martin Hanowski
1,100,000 400,000
Eros Nastasi it
Eros Nastasi
Busted

Tags: Eros NastasiMartin Hanowski