2013 PokerStars.com EPT Berlin

Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2013 PokerStars.com EPT Berlin

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
98
Prize
€880,000
Event Info
Buy-in
€5,000
Prize Pool
€4,560,000
Entries
912
Level Info
Level
34
Blinds
120,000 / 240,000
Ante
30,000

Day 1a Concludes; Voth Leads the Field

Level 8 : 300/600, 75 ante
Ronny Voth On Top
Ronny Voth On Top

On Sunday, the first of two starting flights for the Season 9 European Poker Tour Berlin Main Event took place. A grand total of 347 runners came out to participate and after eight levels of action on the felt roughly 179 remained. Ronny Voth was the man sitting on the largest stack in the room with 196,100. Following closely on Voth's heels are Mike Kunze (188,000) and Thomas Richter (176,100).

While those players were the ones to accumulate the most chips during the opening levels, many others were able to navigate their way through the stacked field. Marc-Andre Ladouceur (98,000), Marcin Horecki (89,400), Barny Boatman (72,700), Scott Seiver (70,100), Matthias De Meulder (58,200), Fabrice Soulier (48,200), Zimnan Ziyard (33,500), Max Lykov (32,700), and Liv Boeree (18,100) are just a small sample size of the players who will be bringing stacks back for action on Day 2.

Building a stack to bring to Day 2 is the first step to adding the coveted title of EPT Main Event champion to one's résumé. Unfortunately, that dream was dashed for several notable players. The likes of Justin Bonomo, AP Phahurat, Konstantin Puchkov, Steve O'Dwyer, Jeffrey Rossiter, Rupert Elder, and Season 9 EPT London Main Event champion Ruben Visser all fell before the final hand of the day was dealt.

High-roller wizard Dan Smith was also in attendance for Day 1a. While Smith built a sizable stack early and seemed poised to continue his success throughout the day, he ran into a few hands that led to the ultimate destruction of his stack. First, at 150/300/25, we found Smith involved in a three-way pot where the board read {10-Diamonds}{8-Spades}{6-Hearts}{k-Clubs}. With well over 19,000 already in the middle, Smith pondered for about one full minute before moving out a bet of 12,800. Pietro Paolo Sibione flat called and the third player got out of the way. The {9-Clubs} completed the board and Smith went into the tank for about two minutes before the clock was called. However, Smith tapped the table before the floor staff arrived at the table and Sibione checked right back.

Smith showed {J-Diamonds}{J-Hearts} but was saddened to find Sibione show {A-Clubs}{A-Spades} for a better pocket pair. Smith found his final hand later in the level when he tangled with Dominik Nitsche. The board read {5-Diamonds}{8-Spades}{9-Spades}{3-Hearts} when we arrived at the table and Smith moved in his last 28,000. Nitsche called only to find out that he was just slightly ahead.

Smith: {J-Spades}{10-Spades}
Nitsche: {A-Clubs}{9-Clubs}

Despite not having a made hand, the PokerNews Odds Calculator tells us that Smith still had a 47.73% chance to double up. Fortune did not smile on Smith, however, as the {8-Diamonds} on the river bricked out and sealed his fate. Nitsche, on the other hand, continued to build his stack throughout the day and will return for Day 2 with a stack of 137,500.

The second and final starting flight of players will return to the Grand Hyatt Berlin on Monday at 12:00 CET. These players will also play eight levels before both fields combine for Day 2 action. Be sure to stay tuned to our coverage as we bring you the latest from the felt here on PokerNews.

Tags: Dan SmithDominik NitscheRonny Voth

Keiner and Sarwer Depart

Level 7 : 250/500, 50 ante
Michael Keiner
Michael Keiner

Whilst Michael Keiner was being ousted from the tournament by Barny Boatman a slight shocked Jeff Sarwer stopped and told PokerNews of another nasty EPT exit.

He had pocket eights on a {9-}{8-}{5-}{5-} board and called a bet before his opponent shoved 2.5 times the pot on a blank river. Sarwer called and was shown pocket nines. Ouch.

Back to the Team Pro Keiner who moved all in on a {8-Hearts}{k-Diamonds}{7-Clubs} flop holding {6-Hearts}{6-Spades}. Boatman called him with {a-Clubs}{k-Hearts} and the board ran out {7-Spades}{a-Diamonds}.

Player Chips Progress
Barny Boatman gb
Barny Boatman
EPT 1X Winner
45,000 16,000
Michael Keiner de
Michael Keiner
Busted
Jeff Sarwer fi
Jeff Sarwer
Busted

Tags: Barny BoatmanJeff SarwerMichael Keiner

Bonomo Battles Former Champs

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante
Zimnan Ziyard
Zimnan Ziyard

Justin Bonomo has found himself sat with four former EPT champs in the shapes of Michael Tureniec, Moritz Kranich, Max Lykov and Zimnan Ziyard. He's just battled with two of them and lost some chips.

Bonomo opened to 1,050 and was called by Lykov in the cut-off and Ziyard in the small blind. The flop fell {3-Hearts}{5-Spades}{k-Clubs} and Bonomo continued for 2,000 and was only called by Ziyard. No more chips ventured into the middle as the {6-Hearts}{j-Clubs} turn and river were checked through.

Bonomo opened {2-Clubs}{5-Clubs} and lost out to Ziyard's {k-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds}.

Player Chips Progress
Zimnan Ziyard gb
Zimnan Ziyard
EPT 1X Winner
68,000 8,000
Max Lykov
Max Lykov
33,000 1,000
Justin Bonomo us
Justin Bonomo
21,000 1,000

Tags: Justin BonomoMax LykovMichael TureniecMoritz KranichZimnan Ziyard

Dom's Poppin

Level 5 : 150/300, 25 ante
Dominik Nitsche
Dominik Nitsche

Dominik Nitsche is always someone to look out for and today he's already given us quite the show. While we caught the end of the hand in which he busted Dan Smith he managed to knock out another player. The board read {Q-Diamonds}{J-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}{7-Clubs} when Nitsche's opponent check-raised all in for 10,000 after the German pro had bet 2,200. Nitsche called and showed {A-Hearts}{Q-Clubs} against his opponent's {A-Diamonds}{J-Spades}. The river brought the {4-Clubs} and Nitsche knocked another player out.

As mentioned before, one hand before this knockout it was Smith who lost his chips to Nitsche. On a {5-Diamonds}{8-Spades}{9-Spades}{3-Hearts} board Smith put his final 28,000 chips at risk and showed {J-Spades}{10-Spades}. Nitsche had {A-Clubs}{9-Clubs} and the river was the {8-Diamonds}. No luck for Smith was went from 63,000 chips to nothing within a level.

"I've never seen Dan brick in a pot like that," Marc-Andre Ladouceur said as the other players started laughing.

"But the dealer almost shipped him the pot anyways. Even the dealer couldn't believe it," Paul Berende replied as another wave of laughter followed.

Smith has been knocked out and Nitsche has one of the biggest stacks in the room right now.

Player Chips Progress
Dominik Nitsche de
Dominik Nitsche
95,000 56,000
Dan Smith us
Dan Smith
Busted

Tags: Dan SmithDominik NitscheMarc-Andre LadouceurPaul Berende

Ladouceur's Line Fails Against Nitsche

Level 5 : 150/300, 25 ante
Dominik Nitsche
Dominik Nitsche

Dominik Nitsche is on the up after he took on and defeated Marc-Andre Ladouceur.

The action was four-way to a {6-Clubs}{3-Diamonds}{5-Clubs} flop and Nitsche bet 2,000 when the action was checked to him in the hijack. Paul Berende called from the small blind; the big blind folded but Ladouceur check-raised to 5,900.

Nitsche called and then stared at the Canadian as he bet 5,900 on the {j-Clubs} turn. Nitsche moved all in for about 17,000 and Ladouceur had to admit defeat and fold.

Player Chips Progress
Dominik Nitsche de
Dominik Nitsche
39,000 13,000
Paul Berende nl
Paul Berende
18,100 -2,900
Marc-Andre Ladouceur ca
Marc-Andre Ladouceur
12,000 -8,000

Tags: Dominik NitscheMarc-Andre LadouceurPaul Berende

Welcome to EPT Berlin, Season 9

Davidi Kitai - Season 8 EPT Berlin Winner
Davidi Kitai - Season 8 EPT Berlin Winner

The penultimate leg of Season 9 of the European Poker tour lands in Germany's capital city, Berlin today for the main event. The six-day tournament follows on from the Berlin Cup poker festival where the player numbers have been huge, so a large turnout is expected for the main event.

Marcin Horecki, Johnny Lodden, Jan Heitman, Michael Keiner and Sandra Naujoks are confirmed to be playing for Team Pro today and Germany's premiere poker tournament would be out of place with Germany's biggest former sports star, Boris Becker, in attendance.

A host of poker's top stars were at the players party last night so the event promises to be star-studded. Play is due to commence at 12pm CET.