Another one of those posts, this time starting with the subject of how Prague might actually be the best poker tournament in the world to get knocked out of, and then turning into something about Christmas jumpers and how Jake Cody is spreading some Christmas cheer, as reported by the PokerStars Blog.
We're not sure how it happened, but we do know that EPT Season 7 champ Roberto Romanello has been eliminated here in the early stages of Day 1a. As you can see, he has some company on the rail.
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Steven van Zadelhoff, longtime grinder and nicknamed "The Caveman" these days because of his big beard, is up to 52,000. He started out dropping down to 20,000 but then he won all his losses back and then some.
First he saw a player raise it up to 1,000 and he was able to squeeze to 4,000 after someone else called. Just the initial-raiser made the call and both players checked the 
flop. The turn brought a 
into play and Van Zadelhoff called a 5,000 bet. The river was a 
and now Van Zadelhoff called an 8,000 bet. The player showed 
offsuit while Van Zadelhoff tabled 
for the best hand.
Not long after both players were tangled up in a big pot again. Van Zadelhoff had top-two and the nut flush draw on the turn with 
and won the big pot without further improving.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
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52,000
29,000
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29,000 |
We missed "810ofclubs" last night at the WCOOP awards. Sarah grills him on where he was and how the taste of victory shifts from online to live.
Sal Al Fakih from the Lebanon is certainly making an impression on the table he just joined. Having won the previous hand PokerNews joined the table hearing an all-in and call on a final board reading 
. His at-risk opponent was Swedish PokerStars player Niklas Astedt who tabled 
but was behind to the 
of Al Fakih who commiserated with his felted opponent. Al Fakih was in the big blind the next hand and it was folded to Jake Cody in the small blind. Cody gave his opponent a walk and Al Fakih flashed . He raised the next hand too and showed the when he found no resistance.
Al Fakih was chuckling to himself. Across the table Sven Krieger piped up, “OK the winner of the tournament is here. Everyone else plays for second place.”
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
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63,000
63,000
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63,000 |
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Busted |
Level: 4
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 25
Robbie Bull, a PokerStars player from England opened from the hi-jack for 500 and got a caller in the cut-off, Ukrainian Albert Mykhaylyuta. The blinds folded and the flop dealt was 
. Check from Mykhaylyuta and a bet from Bull of 875 which was called. The Turn was the 
, Bull continued for 1,450 and was called once again. The river fell the .Both players checked and Bull reluctantly turned over his 
. He was behind to the 
of the Ukrainian.
She’s done it again! For the second time in a row, Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Selbst has arrived early at an EPT and won a major tourney before the Main Event even starts. At EPT London in October, Selbst won the UKIPT High Roller for €67,499 after defeating a 177-strong field, including UKIPT Dublin champion Max Silver heads-up.
Now here in Prague, she has taken down the €5k EPT10 PLO Championship for €100,700 after defeating a 71-strong field that included opponents such as Fabrice Soulier and Team PokerStars Pro Johnny Lodden.
Nine players were paid as below:
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Vanessa Selbst | USA | €100,700 |
| 2nd | Sam Greenwood | Canada | €72,300 |
| 3rd | Nadar Kakhmazov | Russia | €47,300 |
| 4th | Niko Soinnen | Finland | €35,200 |
| 5th | Kory Kilpatrick | USA | €27,500 |
| 6th | Michael Fosco | USA | €21,300 |
| 7th | Francisco Izquierdo | Spain | €16,900 |
| 8th | Joni Jouhkimainen | Finland | €13,100 |
| 9th | Sampo Ryynanen | Finland | €10,050 |
Very few players have done as well as Selbst in 2013 — which has proven to be her second-best year with more than $2.5 million in winnings.
The outstanding year she is having began back in January when she proposed to her girlfriend, Miranda, and then went on to win the $25,000 High Roller at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (PCA) for over $1.4 million, becoming the female all-time money earner.
She followed that up with a fourth-place finish in the EPT Grand Final €25,000 High Roller for $380,656 in May; and runner-up in the World Poker Tour Borgata Poker Open in September.
For more on Selbst, and how she feels about her tremendous year, check out the recent interview she did with PokerNews.
To be honest, we're not sure if they actually just entered or were here all the time and we just noticed them. Anyway, there's some big name players here now we didn't report on before.
EPT Barcelona Season 7 champion Kent Lundmark is here and PokerStars Team Pro's Vanessa Selbst and Johnny Lodden also entered. Selbst has taken down the €5k EPT 10 PLO Championship for €100,700 already here this trip, after defeating a 71-strong field.
Last, but certainly not least, we just talked to Dutchman David Boyaciyan. Boyaciyan finished runner up to Martin Finger two years ago and finished third last year. He's going for three final tables in a row and aims for the top spot this time around. Master Classics of Poker champion Boyaciyan sat down half an hour ago and plays 28,000 at the moment.
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30,000
30,000
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30,000 |
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30,000
30,000
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30,000 |
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28,000
28,000
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28,000 |
There is so much going on here at the Hilton! Check out Sarah's tour of the events and activities going on for Day 1a.
