World Poker Tour champ Jonathan Roy just became the second player eliminated from the EPT12 Malta Main Event.
According to Niall Farrell, who did the deed, it happened when Roy opened for 450 from early position and he looked him up with the from the button. The rainbow flop saw Roy continue for 525, Farrell call, and the dealer burn and turn the .
Roy checked, Farrell bet 750 with the wheel, and his Canadian opponent check-raised to 3,200. Farrell just flatted and the harmless completed the board on the river. Roy bet a hefty 10,200, and Farrell, holding the nuts, moved all in.
Roy hit the tank for a bit, but eventually called off holding for a losing set.
It took just a little more than a level for the first elimination of the day.
We didn't see it unfold, but learned after the fact that it happened after a player opened for 300 and Michael Wang called from the button. The player in the small blind came along, and then Alessandro Barone three-bet to 1,300 from the big blind.
The original raiser folded, Wang called with the , and the small blind got out of the way to make it heads-up action to the flop. Barone led out for 3,000, Wang raised to 7,800, and Barone shipped all in with what turned out to be aces. Wang made the call and held as both the turn and river bricked.
With that, Barone became the first elimination of the tournament, while Wang sits with nearly double the starting stack.
According to EPT officials, there were 403 players for Day 1 of the €2k IPT High Roller yesterday, which created a €781,820 prize pool that will be distributed to the top 55 players with the winner taking home €151,670. Last season, British player Keith Johnson took down the tournament for €144,500 after defeating a 473-strong field.
Among those taking part this year were Team PokerStars SportStar Fatima Moreira de Melo and Team PokerStars Pros Luca Pagano, Matthias De Meulder, Leo Margets, Theo Jorgensen and Team PokerStars Pro Online’s Mickey Petersen.
In addition, EPT champions Ben Wilinofsky, Michael Tureniec, Steve O'Dwyer, Martin Finger, Anton Wigg, Mohsin Charania and Sebastian Pauli were also in the field along with EPT7 Player of the Year Ondrej Vinklarek, PCA Super High Roller winner Scott Seiver, reigning IPT Malta winner Georgios Zisimopoulos, Californian Marc Pliska, Americans Jonathan Little, Shannon Shorr, Maria Ho, Ari Engel and Dylan Linde.
A dozen of the players — including EPT11 Deauville €2k winner Peter Jelinek from the Czech Republic and EPT10 Vienna finalist Rumen Nanev — won their way in via a €220 unlimited rebuy satellite.
The tournament will continue today alongside the EPT Malta Main Event and €25,000 High Roller. While we won't be bringing you live updates from that tournament, we will bring you a recap upon the tournament's completion. In the meantime, head on over to the PokerStars Blog to keep on top of the IPT High Roller.
With 600 in the pot and a flop of , Mohsin Charania checked from the small blind and Justin Bonomo bet 350 from the button. Charania made the call, both players checked the turn, and the completed the board on the river.
Charania took the initiative and led out for 1,050, which Bonomo called. Charania tabled the for aces up, but it was no good as Bonomo held Broadway with the .
It's been a good first level for Bonomo, who has worked his way up to 42,000.
Alessandro Barone opened for 250 in early position and Maria Ho called from the hijack. Ike Haxton came along from the small blind, and then Michael Wang squeezed to 1,150 from the big. Both Bardaro and Ho folded, but Haxton opted to call the additional 900 to see the flop.
Haxton checked, Wang continued for 1,700, and it did the trick as Haxton quickly released his hand.
After the under-the-gun player opened for 300, Ben Wilinofsky called from the button. That inspired Carmen Ebus to come along from the big blind, and three players saw a flop of . Two checks saw Wilinofsky bet 600, and only Ebus called to see the .
Ebus opted to lead out for 800, but was soon faced with a raise to 2,500. Ebus thought for a solid minute, but eventually decided to release her hand.
Despite winning that hand, it's been a rough first level for WIlinofsky, who is currently down to 23,200.
With 1,700 already in the pot and a board reading , Georgios Karakousis checked from the small blind and Finland's Lauri Varonen bet 1,100 from the hijack. Karakousis called and then checked yet again on the river. This time Varonen did the same, and ended up mucking when Karakousis tabled the for a pair of aces.
from the button. The 
rainbow flop saw Roy continue for 525, Farrell call, and the dealer burn and turn the 
. 
completed the board on the river. Roy bet a hefty 10,200, and Farrell, holding the nuts, moved all in.
flop. Barone led out for 3,000, Wang raised to 7,800, and Barone shipped all in with what turned out to be aces. Wang made the call and held as both the turn and river bricked. 
, Mohsin Charania checked from the small blind and Justin Bonomo bet 350 from the button. Charania made the call, both players checked the 
turn, and the 
completed the board on the river. 
for aces up, but it was no good as Bonomo held Broadway with the 
flop.
. Two checks saw Wilinofsky bet 600, and only Ebus called to see the 
.
, Georgios Karakousis checked from the small blind and Finland's Lauri Varonen bet 1,100 from the hijack. Karakousis called and then checked yet again on the 
river. This time Varonen did the same, and ended up mucking when Karakousis tabled the 
for a pair of aces.
