2015 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final

€10,600 Main Event
Day: 6
Event Info

2015 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a8
Prize
€1,082,000
Event Info
Buy-in
€10,000
Prize Pool
€5,640,000
Entries
564
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
20,000

Jose Carlos Garcia Eliminated in 5th Place (€297,250)

Level 28 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Jose Carlos Garcia
Jose Carlos Garcia

Hand #102: Jose Carlos Garcia had been short for a while and he moved all-in from the cutoff with a suited Ace, and Fares snap-called with kings.

Fares: {k-Spades}{k-Hearts}
Garcia: {a-Spades}{9-Spades}

The flop came {6-Clubs}{q-Clubs}{7-Clubs} which was no help as neither player held a club. The turn was the {j-Clubs} which gave chop-outs to Garcia as any club would keep him alive. However the river was the {10-Spades} and Garcia was eliminated in 5th place (€297,250).

Player Chips Progress
Muhyedine Fares sn
Muhyedine Fares
8,585,000 790,000
Hady El Asmar lb
Hady El Asmar
4,270,000 400,000
Adrian Mateos es
Adrian Mateos
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner
Winamax
2,075,000 -100,000
Johnny Lodden no
Johnny Lodden
1,980,000 -500,000
Jose Carlos Garcia pl
Jose Carlos Garcia
Busted

Tags: Jose Carlos GarciaMuhyedine Fares

Mateos and Lodden Play Comparable Hands Different

Level 28 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante

Hand #103: Lodden opened with king-jack off suit, but folded to Mateos' 450,000 three-bet with {Q-Hearts}{Q-Clubs}.

Hand #104: Lodden with the {K-Spades}{2-Hearts} opened his button to 125,000. Adrian Mateos three-bet to 320,000 with {A-Clubs}{7-Clubs} and both Fares in the big blind and Lodden folded.

Hand #105: Lodden didn't give up and opened again, this time making it 125,000 with {8-Hearts}{6-Hearts}. Mateos and Fares folded, El Asmar in the big blind called with {Q-Hearts}{J-Clubs}. Lodden flopped best: {2-Spades}{6-Clubs}{2-Clubs}. El Asmar check-folded to Lodden's 125,000 bet.

Hand #106: Fares found {7-Hearts}{7-Spades} on the button and raised it up to 140,000. Johnny Lodden with {9-Clubs}{8-Clubs} in the big blind made the call. Both players checked the {K-Clubs}{2-Hearts}{J-Hearts} flop and the {3-Clubs} hit the turn. Another two checks later, the {2-Spades} completed the board and again both players checked.

Hand #107: Fares was first in, making it 150,000 with {A-Spades}{8-Diamonds}. Mateos with {Q-Clubs}{3-Clubs} in the big blind made the call. The flop came {3-Spades}{K-Clubs}{8-Clubs} had both players check. The {9-Hearts} on the river made Mateos bet 175,000. Fares called. The {Q-Hearts} on the river made Mateos bet 150,000 into 720,000. Fares paid his Spanish opponent off and mucked upon seeing Mateos' rivered pair of queens.

Hand #108: El Asmar opened to 125,000 with {Q-Spades}{Q-Hearts} and took down the blinds and antes.

Tags: Adrian MateosHady El AsmarJohnny LoddenMuhyedine Fares

The Amazing Poker Quiz with Sorel Mizzi

Level 28 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante

Sorel Mizzi proved himself during the Amazing Poker Quiz, as not just a man filled with knowledge about himself, but also a straight up hustler. Mizzi did score a lot of points, so check out to see which questions he failed, and which he nailed.

Tags: Sorel Mizzi

Mateos Doubles Up; Moves into Chip Lead

Level 28 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Adrian Mateos
Adrian Mateos

Hand #109: Adrian Mateos raised to 120,000 under the gun with {a-Hearts}{3-Hearts}, Fares called from the button with {a-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds} and Johnny Lodden came along from the big blind with {2-Clubs}{2-Hearts}. All players checked a flop of {10-Hearts}{q-Clubs}{5-Diamonds} and the {A-Clubs} was dealt on the turn. Lodden and Mateos checked and Fares bet 155,000. Lodden folded and Mateos made the call. The {Q-Diamonds} on the river meant the players were both chopping, both with aces and queens with a ten kicker. They both checked, and they split the pot.

Hand #110: Muhyedine Fares raised to 60,000 under the gun with pocket sixes, {6-Hearts}{6-Spades} and Mateos called in the big blind with {q-Clubs}{10-Spades}. Both players checked a flop of {6-Clubs}{k-Diamonds}{9-Spades} and Mateos lead the {j-Spades} on the turn for 250,000. Fares, with bottom set, raised to 500,000 and Mateos three-bet to 1,300,000. Fares thought for a while and asked how large Mateos' stack was. Fares then moved all-in for 7,790,000 and Mateos snap-called.

Fares needed the board to pair to knock out Adrian Mateos, but the {10-Diamonds} on the river ensured a huge double up for Mateos, and he moved into the chip lead with this pot.

Player Chips Progress
Adrian Mateos es
Adrian Mateos
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner
Winamax
7,220,000 5,145,000
Muhyedine Fares sn
Muhyedine Fares
4,350,000 -4,235,000
Hady El Asmar lb
Hady El Asmar
3,830,000 -440,000
Johnny Lodden no
Johnny Lodden
1,510,000 -470,000

Tags: Adrian MateosMuhyedine Fares

Mateos Folds to Fares

Level 28 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante

Hand #111: Johnny Lodden on the button with {5-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds} raised it up to 120,000. Adrian Mateos with the {K-Hearts}{10-Hearts} in the small blind made the call, Fares called with {A-Spades}{4-Hearts}.

The {8-Hearts}{3-Hearts}{4-Diamonds} flop gave all three of them something, but all checked. The {K-Clubs} hit the turn, putting Mateos well in front. Both blinds checked, and Lodden bet 165,000 into 400,000. Mateos called, Fares folded. The {A-Clubs} hit the river and Mateos checked again. Lodden checked behind, ang mucked upon seeing Mateos' second pair.

Hand #112: Lodden found {K-Spades}{2-Spades} under the gun and he made it 130,000. El Asmar in the big blind called with {K-Clubs}{10-Spades}. The flop came {10-Spades}{10-Hearts}{7-Diamonds} and El Asmar checked. Lodden bet 100,000 and El Asmar made the call. The {J-Hearts} hit the turn and El Asmar checked again. Lodden, officially drawing dead now, checked behind. The {2-Hearts} on the river hit Lodden, but he folded to El Asmar's 250,000 bet instantly anyway. Lodden dropped under the one-million mark.

Hand #113: El Asmar opened {Q-Clubs}{7-Clubs} on the button raising it to 175,000. Lodden shoved allin for 895,000 with {10-Diamonds}{10-Clubs} and El Asmar folded.

Hand #114: Mateos opened from the small blind and Fares called from the big blind. Mateos had {8-Hearts}{5-Hearts} in the small blind and Fares had {A-Hearts}{10-Hearts} in the big blind. The two of them played a flop of {5-Clubs}{A-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds} and Mateos check-folded to Fares' 175,000 bet.

Hand #115: Mateos opened the button to 120,000 with {9-Spades}{7-Diamonds}. Fares in the small blind with {A-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds} made the call. The flop came {8-Diamonds}{2-Spades}{A-Hearts} and Fares bet out 155,000. Mateos folded.

Hand #116: Mateos raised under the gun to 125,000 and took down the pot.

Tags: Adrian MateosHady El AsmarJohnny LoddenMuhyedine Fares

Johnny Lodden Doubles Through Chip Leader

Level 28 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Johnny Lodden
Johnny Lodden

Hand #117: Johnny Lodden moved all-in from the small blind with {4-Clubs}{4-Hearts}. The chip leader Adrian Mateos woke up with {a-Clubs}{9-Spades} in the big blind.

It was a race, but Lodden moved way ahead after the {4-Spades}{k-Clubs}{j-Hearts} flop. The {8-Hearts} on the turn ensured Lodden's double-up and he was already sat back down when the {7-Clubs} river was dealt.

Player Chips Progress
Johnny Lodden no
Johnny Lodden
2,300,000 790,000

Tags: Adrian MateosJohnny Lodden

PokerStars SCOOP Returns May 10 With $40 Million in Guaranteed Prizes

Level 28 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante

Online poker players from around the world are gearing up for the 2015 Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) starting this Sunday on PokerStars.

The annual poker festival takes place from May 10-24, featuring 46 events types - or 138 events in total - broken out into low, medium, and high buy-ins with a mouth-watering $40 million in guaranteed prize pools.

Every day during the 15-day poker festival features three different events types, with the first-day featuring four different events. The series kicks off on May 10 at 8:00 am ET with SCOOP-01-L: $11 NL Hold'em featuring a $75,000 guarantee, SCOOP-01-M: $109 NL Hold'em [Sunday Kickoff SE] with a $150,000 guarantee, and SCOOP-01-H: $1,050 NL Hold'em with a $300,000 guarantee.

The series caters to both low-limit and high-limit players with event buy-ins ranging from $7.50 to $21,000, with each event featuring a big guaranteed prize pool.

While most of the events are in no-limit hold'em, the schedule also features just about every poker variant PokerStars offers including limit hold'em, pot-limit Omaha, H.O.R.S.E., eight-game, 2-7 single draw, and badugi. Additionally, there are many different formats on the schedule including freezeout, turbo, heads-up, knockouts, rebuys, shootouts, and Zoom poker.

The highlight of the SCOOP are the three Main Events taking place on May 24 at 2:30 pm ET. The low SCOOP Main Event features a $1 million guaranteed prize pool for a $109 buy-in, the medium Main Event features a $2 million guaranteed prize pool for a $1,050 buy-in, and the high Main Event features a $4 million guaranteed prize pool for a $10,300 buy-in.

Russia's Ivan "vandir4rek" Soshnikov won last year's $10,300 SCOOP Main Event, beating out 657-players to win $1,048,000 as part of a three-way deal.

Players have a chance to qualify into all the SCOOP events cheaper via satellites running around the clock on PokerStars. Satellites start at just $0.11 or one FPP giving many poker players a chance to play in this year's SCOOP.

Here's a look at the schedule for the 2015 PokerStars SCOOP:

Sunday, May 10

08:00 ET - Event 01, $11 / $109 / $1,050: No Limit Hold'em - SCOOP Kickoff (2-Day Event)
11:00 ET - Event 02, $27 / $215 / $2,100: No Limit Hold'em [6-Max, Progressive Super-Knockout] (2-Day Event)
14:30 ET - Event 03, $27 / $215 / $2,100: No Limit Hold'em (2-Day Event)
17:00 ET - Event 04, $11 / $109 / $1,050: No Limit Hold'em [Turbo]

Monday, May 11

11:00 ET - Event 05, $27 / $215 / $2,100: Fixed Limit Badugi
14:00 ET - Event 06, $7.50 / $82 / $700: No Limit Hold'em [Heads-Up]
17:00 ET - Event 07, $7.50 / $82 / $700: No Limit Hold'em [Rebuys]

Tuesday, May 12

11:00 ET - Event 08, $27 / $215 / $2,100: No Limit 5-Card Draw
14:00 ET - Event 09, $11 / $109 / $1,050: No Limit Hold'em (2-Day Event)
17:00 ET - Event 10, $11 / $109 / $1,050: PL Omaha [6-Max, Rebuys] (2-Day Event)

Wednesday, May 13

11:00 ET - Event 11, $27 / $215 / $2,100: Fixed Limit Triple Draw 2-7
14:00 ET - Event 12, $7.50 / $82 / $700: No Limit Hold'em [Ante Up] (2-Day Event)
17:00 ET - Event 13, $27 / $215 / $2,100: 7-Card Stud

Thursday, May 14

11:00 ET - Event 14, $27 / $215 / $2,100: NL Single Draw 2-7
14:00 ET - Event 15, $11 / $109 / $1,050: No Limit Hold'em [Progressive Super-Knockout] (2-Day Event)
17:00 ET - Event 16, $27 / $215 / $2,100: PL Omaha [Heads-Up] (2-Day Event)

Friday, May 15

11:00 ET - Event 17, $11 / $109 / $1,050: No Limit Hold'em [Big Antes, Rebuys] (2-Day Event)
14:00 ET - Event 18, $27 / $215 / $2,100: No Limit Hold'em [6-Max Shootout]
17:00 ET - Event 19, $27 / $215 / $2,100: FL Omaha Hi/Lo [8-Max]

Saturday, May 16

11:00 ET - Event 20, $27 / $215 / $2,100: No Limit Hold'em [4-Max] (2-Day Event)
14:00 ET - Event 21, $7.50 / $82 / $700: PL 5-Card Omaha [6-Max, 1 Rebuy, 1 Add-On] (2-Day Event)
17:00 ET - Event 22, $7.50 / $82 / $700: No Limit Hold'em [6-Max, Variable Level Times, Ultra-Deep] (2-Day Event)

Sunday, May 17

11:00 ET - Event 23, $27 / $215 / $2,100: No Limit Hold'em [6-Max] (2-Day Event)
14:30 ET - Event 24, $27 / $215 / $2,100: No Limit Hold'em (2-Day Event)
17:00 ET - Event 25, $27 / $215 / $2,100: PL Omaha [6-Max, Turbo, Zoom]

Monday, May 18

11:00 ET - Event 26, $11 / $109 / $1,050: No Limit Hold'em [n-Stack]
14:00 ET - Event 27, $11 / $109 / $1,050: Pot Limit 5-Card Omaha Hi/Lo [6-Max, Rebuys] (2-Day Event)
17:00 ET - Event 28, $27 / $215 / $2,100: 7-Card Stud Hi/Lo

Tuesday, May 19

11:00 ET - Event 29, $27 / $215 / $2,100: PL Omaha [6-Max, Re-Entry Available]
14:00 ET - Event 30, $11 / $109 / $1,050: No Limit Hold'em (2-Day Event)
17:00 ET - Event 31, $27 / $215 / $2,100: FL Hold'em [6-Max]

Wednesday, May 20

11:00 ET - Event 32, $27 / $215 / $2,100: Razz
14:00 ET - Event 33, $27 / $215 / $2,100: No Limit Hold'em [Re-Entry Available]
17:00 ET - Event 34, $27 / $215 / $2,100: NL Omaha Hi/Lo

Thursday, May 21

11:00 ET - Event 35, $27 / $215 / $2,100: 8-Game
14:00 ET - Event 36, $11 / $109 / $1,050: No Limit Hold'em [Progressive Super-Knockout] (2-Day Event)
17:00 ET - Event 37, $27 / $215 / $2,100: PL Omaha Hi/Lo

Friday, May 22

11:00 ET - Event 38, $27 / $215 / $2,100: No Limit Hold'em [1 Rebuy, 1 Add-On] (2-Day Event)
14:00 ET - Event 39, $7.50 / $82 / $700: H.O.R.S.E.
17:00 ET - Event 40, $27 / $215 / $2,100: No Limit Hold'em [Turbo, Zoom]

Saturday, May 23

11:00 ET - Event 41, $55 / $530 / $5,200: Pot Limit Omaha [6-Max, n-Stack]
14:00 ET - Event 42, $215/$2,100/$21,000: No Limit Hold'em [Heads-Up, High-Roller] (2-Day Event)
17:00 ET - Event 43, $27 / $215 / $2,100: No Limit Hold'em [6-Max, Variable Level Times, Progressive Super-Knockout] (2-Day Event)

Sunday, May 24

11:00 ET - Event 44, $27 / $215 / $2,100: No Limit Hold'em [8-Max] (2-Day Event)
14:30 ET - Event 45, $109/$1,050/$10,300: No Limit Hold'em Main Event (2-Day Event)
17:00 ET - Event 46, $11 / $109 / $1,050: No Limit Hold'em SCOOP Wrap-Up [Turbo, Re-Entry Available]

Tags: PokerStars SCOOPSpring Championship of Online PokerIvan Soshnikov

Small Pots

Level 28 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante

Hand #118: Johnny Lodden raised to 120,000 from the button with {k-Hearts}{5-Diamonds} and Fares called from the big blind with {10-Diamonds}{9-Spades}. The flop came {8-Clubs}{6-Spades}{4-Spades} and Fares check-folded to Lodden's continuation bet of 160,000.

Hand #119: Adrian Mateos on the button and El Asmar in the big blind took a flop. Mateos {A-Clubs}{3-Diamonds} flopped trips with two aces on the table, but he got no action from El Asmar.

Hand #120: Mateos made it 120,000 with the {J-Diamonds}{8-Spades} and everyone folded.

Hand #121: Adrian Mateos with the {A-Diamonds}{2-Hearts} in the big blind received a walk, Lodden didn't want to do anything with his {3-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds} from the small blind.

Hand #122: El Asmar opened {Q-Spades}{J-Diamonds} to 125,000 and Lodden called from the button with {K-Diamonds}{J-Spades}. The flop came {3-Spades}{K-Clubs}{5-Hearts} and El Asmar bet 105,000. Lodden, having flopped top pair, called. The {4-Spades} hit the turn and El Asmar checked. Lodden bet 200,000 and El Asmar instantly folded.

Hand #123: Mateos made it 120,000 from the button. Fares found {K-Spades}{K-Diamonds} in the small blind and three-bet to 255,000. Mateos folded.

Hand #124: Mateos made it 120,000 with {A-Clubs}{3-Spades} Lodden called from the big blind with the {A-Spades}{6-Clubs}. {K-Spades}{10-Spades}{4-Diamonds} and both players checked. The {4-Hearts} hit the turn and again two checks. The {A-Diamonds} paired both. Lodden bet 160,000 and Mateos called. Chop it up!

Player Chips Progress
Adrian Mateos es
Adrian Mateos
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner
Winamax
6,990,000 -230,000
Muhyedine Fares sn
Muhyedine Fares
4,150,000 -200,000
Hady El Asmar lb
Hady El Asmar
3,205,000 -625,000
Johnny Lodden no
Johnny Lodden
2,565,000 265,000

Tags: Adrian MateosHady El AsmarJohnny LoddenMuhyedine Fares

Mateos Wins a Big Pot Versus El Asmar

Level 28 : 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante

Hand #125: Muhyedine Fares raised to 135,000 under the gun and got called in the big blind by Mateos with {j-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds}. The flop came {2-Clubs}{9-Clubs}{7-Spades} and both players checked. Mateos bet 150,000 on the {5-Clubs} turn and Fares quickly called. The river card was the {j-Spades}. Mateos decided to bet top pair, sliding out a bet of 350,000. Fares mucked his cards and Mateos won the pot.

Hand #126: Johnny Lodden raised to 120,000 from the button with {7-Hearts}{4-Hearts}, and Mateos called from the small blind with {k-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}. The flop was {a-Hearts}{10-Spades}{7-Clubs} and Mateos check-called a bet of 135,000 from Lodden. The turn was {7-Diamonds}, giving Lodden trips. This time however Mateos check-folded to Lodden's bet.

Hand #127: Lodden opened to 120,000 with {10-Spades}{7-Spades} for the second hand in a row, and Mateos three-bet to 325,000 with {6-Spades}{5-Spades}. Lodden folded.

Hand #128: Mateos raised to 120,000 from under the gun with {j-Spades}{9-Clubs} and got calles from El Asmar with {j-Clubs}{10-Hearts} int he small blind and Lodden with {k-Spades}{7-Spades} in the big blind.

All players checked the flop of {6-Hearts}{a-Spades}{j-Diamonds} and the turn card of the {2-Diamonds}. The river was the {9-Hearts} and El Asmar decided to bet 125,000. Mateos, after rivering two pair, raised to 550,000. El Asmar called and Mateos showed him that his jack was no good.

With this hand Mateos extended his chip lead to 7,800,000. El Asmar on the other hand, after coming into the day as chip leader, is currently the tournament short stack.

Hand #129: Lodden just called from the small blind with {k-Diamonds}{j-Clubs} and Mateos raised it up to 200,000 in the small blind with {10-Spades}{6-Spades}. Lodden called, and the flop was {7-Spades}{9-Diamonds}{4-Hearts}. Mateos bet 250,000 and Lodden folded.

Tags: Adrian MateosHady El AsmarJohnny LoddenMuhyedine Fares