The final table has been formed, with Dmitry Ivasnov's departure the tournament is down to its last eight players and another small break has been inserted into the schedule. There will not be a redraw, the seating order is the same as before:
In a couple of minutes time, play resumes in the 2015 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final Main Event with the final eight players. Play continues today till only six players remain. Here's what they're playing for:
Hand #1: Lodden raised to 60,000 under the gun. El Asmar called from the button. Both checked down the board of and Lodden showed for the winner, El Asmar mucked .
Hand #2: Garcia opened to 70,000 from early position and he picked up the blinds and antes as there was no resistance.
Hand #3: Garcia made it 30,000 to go under the gun, raising the second hand in a row. Again nobody wanted to play, and the man from Poland picked up the blinds and antes again.
Hand #4: Fares made it 65,000 from early position and Garcia in the big blind made the call. on the flop and Garcia check-folded to Fares' 110,000 bet.
Hand #5: Action folded to Adrian Mateos on the button. The Spaniard made it 60,000 to go and Garcia in the small blind made the call. This invited Markus Ross to join as well. on the flop and Garcia and Ross checked to Mateos. Mateos made a bet of 90,000 into the 212,000 pot and Garcia and Ross both folded.
Hand #6: Hady El Asmar raised to 65,000 under the gun and won the blinds and antes.
Hand #7: Mateos, the chip-leader, raised to 60,000 from late position and Fares called from the small blind. The flop came and Fares checked to the raiser. Mateos threw out a bet of 65,000 and Fares swiftly called. The came on the turn and Fares check-folded to Mateos' second barrel.
Hand #8: Koichi Nozaki open-shoved for 19 big blinds under the gun. Action folded round to Schemion in the big blind who called.
Ole Schemion:
Nozaki:
Schemion took a while deliberating his decision but was ahead, putting Nozaki at risk. The flop was . On the turn, the changed nothing, with Nozaki needing an ace to stay alive. But it was the on the river and Nozaki was eliminated in 8th place (€120,700).
Hand #9: Ross made it 65,000 from the hijack. Action folded to Ole Schemion in the small blind and he three-bet to 175,000, right after having knocked out the first player of the final table. Ross wasn't so easily scared, and made the call.
The flop came with already 408,000 in the middle. Schemion bet 160,000 and Ross moved all in for 1.3 million. Schemion instantly folded and decided to play on with his 1.32 million stack.
Hand #10: Muhyedine Fares opened for 65,000 from the hijack and picked up both blinds to see a flop. With and Lodden bet out 120,000 from the small blind. Mateos instantly folded his big blind, Fares gave up as well.
Hand #11: Hady El Asmar raised from the hijack to 70,000 and Schemion three-bet to 175,000, which was called by El Asmar. The flop was and El Asmar check-folded to a bet of 160,000.
Hand #12: It was folded to Adrian Mateos who raised to 60,000 on the button and that was enough to take down the pot.
Hand #13: Schemion made it 60,000 and Fares in the big blind made the call. The flop came and both players checked. The on the turn made Fares check again. Schemion now bet 75,000 and Fares folded.
Hand #14: Mateos had been pretty active at the final table and in this hand he again raised here to 60,000 and all the other players folded and he showed . "I'm happy for you," was the comment from Lodden at the other end of the table.
Hand #15: Muhyedine Fares opened to 65,000 and El Asmar called from the small blind. The two players saw a flop of and it was checked by both palyers. El Asmar bet out 75,000 on a turn card of the which was called by Fares. The river brought the which was checked by both players. El Asmar tabled for the winner.
Hand #16: We picked up the action on a flop of , and Garcia's bet of 40,000 was enough to win the pot vs Johnny Lodden
Hand #17: Markus Ross was in early position and min-raised to 65,000. Johnny Lodden was in the small blind and thought for a minute or so before making the call, and was joined by Mateos in the big blind. The flop was and all three players checked. The turn was the and after Lodden checked, Mateos bet out 90,000 which made both other players fold. Mateos extended his chip-lead and he's up to 3,800,000.
and Lodden showed 
for the winner, El Asmar mucked 
.
on the flop and Garcia check-folded to Fares' 110,000 bet.
on the flop and Garcia and Ross checked to Mateos. Mateos made a bet of 90,000 into the 212,000 pot and Garcia and Ross both folded.
and Fares checked to the raiser. Mateos threw out a bet of 65,000 and Fares swiftly called. The 
came on the turn and Fares check-folded to Mateos' second barrel.
. On the turn, the 
on the river and Nozaki was eliminated in 8th place (€120,700).
with already 408,000 in the middle. Schemion bet 160,000 and Ross moved all in for 1.3 million. Schemion instantly folded and decided to play on with his 1.32 million stack. 
and both players checked. The 
and it was checked by both palyers. El Asmar bet out 75,000 on a turn card of the 
which was called by Fares. The river brought the 
, and Garcia's bet of 40,000 was enough to win the pot vs Johnny Lodden