2019 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino EPT

€25,000 EPT High Roller
Day: 1
Event Info

2019 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino EPT

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
99
Prize
€705,840
Event Info
Buy-in
€25,000
Prize Pool
€3,374,630
Entries
142
Level Info
Level
30
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
160,000

PSPC Runner-Up Julien Martini on his Breakout Year in Poker

Level 5 : 200/500, 500 ante
Julien Martini
Julien Martini

Stories abound of love found at the poker table, but pairing up after playing heads-up for a WSOP bracelet might be a new one. That's a story that professional poker player Julien Martini can now tell.

It's been a whirlwind of a year for the Frenchman. Before 2018 began, he had under $160K in live cashes to his name. Now, the 27-year-old is a WSOP bracelet winner with over $4 million in career live earnings.

Click here to read the full article at the PokerNews homepage.

Tags: Julien Martini

"Punish Him!"

Level 5 : 200/500, 500 ante
Sam Grafton
Sam Grafton

After a raise to 1,200 and a call, Orpen Kisacikoglu three-bet to 7,200 in the small blind. Sam Grafton four-bet shoved all in for over 54,000 and the other two players folded. Kisacikoglu thought for a minute and then made the call for his last 48,300 chips.

Sam Grafton: {a-Clubs}{k-Diamonds}
Orpen Kisacikoglu: {10-Hearts}{10-Clubs}

It was a coin flip but for Grafton, it was a lot more than that. "Punish him!" Grafton shouted at the dealer.

The dealer did just that as the flop came {a-Diamonds}{k-Spades}{k-Hearts}. By the time the {6-Diamonds} hit the turn, Kisacikoglu was already drawing dead.

"This is a big tournament for me. It's a 25k. Tens is not a good hand!" Grafton continued all in good fun.

Player Chips Progress
Sam Grafton gb
Sam Grafton
105,400
58,200
58,200
PokerStars
Orpen Kisacikoglu tr
Orpen Kisacikoglu
Busted

Tags: Sam GraftonOrpen Kisacikoglu

Ryan Riess is Putting His Money on Shaun Deeb

Level 4 : 200/400, 400 ante

Ryan Riess went to Twitter to ask if anyone wanted to bet ANY POKER PLAYER to win World Series of Poker 2019 POY over Shaun Deeb. He got one taker. Who did that person take? It's a must win bet and it may prove to be quite the sweat. Riess seems very confident that Deeb, who won WSOP POY 2018, can go back to back.

Tags: Shaun DeebRyan Riess

Seth Fischer knows the pain of poker

Level 4 : 200/400, 400 ante
Seth_Fischer
Seth_Fischer

If you don’t know who Seth “SFisch04” Fischer is, that’s partially by design. Though he’s a PokerStars qualifier here at EPT Monte Carlo, he doesn’t maintain a PocketFives profile and says he enjoys flying under the radar. But it’s also partly chance. Had a single card fallen friendly in 2008, things might have been different.

Born and raised in Florida, Fischer was at college in Atlanta when he became one of the millions who picked up poker during the Moneymaker boom.

Read the full article written by Jason Kirk at the PokerStars Blog.

Tags: Seth Fischer

Aldemir Cracks Zhao's Aces

Level 4 : 200/400, 400 ante
Koray Aldemir
Koray Aldemir

Dong Zhao opened to 1,000 and Koray Aldemir three-bet to 3,000 in the next position. Zhao then four-bet to 10,500 and Aldemir shoved.

Zhao called and was all in with {a-Spades}{a-Hearts} against the {a-Diamonds}{k-Clubs} of Aldemir. The flop {q-Hearts}{7-Hearts}{j-Clubs} gave Aldemir a gutshot, which he completed on the {10-Hearts} turn.

Zhao could still hit a flush to double, but the river was the {q-Spades} and he was eliminated.

Player Chips Progress
Koray Aldemir de
Koray Aldemir
75,000
35,000
35,000
Dong Zhao cn
Dong Zhao
Busted

Tags: Dong ZhaoKoray Aldemir

Aldemir Jumps Out Front After a Big Pot

Level 3 : 100/300, 300 ante
Koray Aldemir
Koray Aldemir

Three players saw a flop of {10-Clubs}{9-Clubs}{2-Hearts} and Koray Aldemir got things started with a check from the big blind. Ivan Leow bet 1,700 in the cutoff and Steve O'Dwyer raised to 6,000 on the button. Aldemir stuck in a three-bet to 15,700 which got Leow to fold but O'Dwyer still called.

The {2-Diamonds} paired the board on the turn and Aldemir put together another bet of 9,000. O'Dwyer called and the {4-Hearts} hit the river. Aldemir checked this time after a time bank and O'Dwyer quickly checked it back. Aldemir turned over {8-Clubs}{2-Clubs} for trip deuces and O'Dwyer mucked his cards.

Player Chips Progress
Koray Aldemir de
Koray Aldemir
91,000
18,900
18,900
Steve O'Dwyer ie
Steve O'Dwyer
42,700
-7,300
-7,300
EPT 1X Winner

Tags: Ivan LeowKoray AldemirSteve O'Dwyer

Akkari Gets the Best of Charania

Level 1 : 100/200, 200 ante
André Akkari
André Akkari

Andre Akkari raised from middle position and was called by only Mohsin Charania on his left. The flop came {a-Clubs}{8-Hearts}{7-Hearts} and Akkari checked to Charania who bet 1,500. Akkari called and the {7-Diamonds} paired the board on the turn.

Akkari checked again and Charania checked it back. The river brought the {2-Clubs} and Akkari led out for 6,500. Charania flicked in a chip to call and Akkari tabled {7-Spades}{6-Spades} for the best hand.

Player Chips Progress
Andre Akkari br
Andre Akkari
59,800
9,800
9,800
PokerStars.fr
Mohsin Charania us
Mohsin Charania
37,200
-12,800
-12,800
EPT 1X Winner

Tags: Andre AkkariMohsin Charania

A Large Field is Expected for the €25,000 EPT High Roller

2019 PokerStars Monte Carlo EPT
2019 PokerStars Monte Carlo EPT

The 2019 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino EPT festival is winding down and only a couple of high rollers remain on the schedule. Today will mark the start of the €25,000 EPT High Roller and the field is expected to be rather large.

Many of the world's best poker players have made their way to the Monte Carlo Bay Resort and Casino and this is one event they will not want to miss. As the €5,300 Main Event field gets smaller, many of the players will be jumping into this high roller for one last shot at glory.

This event will take place over the course of the final three days of the festival. Each player will receive a starting stack of 50,000 chips and the blinds will begin at 100/200 with a 200 ante for the first two hours. The blind levels will be 60 minutes in length throughout the tournament with a 20-minute break after every two levels. There will also be a 75-minute dinner break after the sixth level of the day.

There are 10 levels on tap for the first day of action and late registration will stay open throughout. It is not until the start of Day 2 that late registration will be closed. Players will be given the option of a single re-entry should their first bullet not go according to plan. This tournament will also be played with a 30-second shot clock and each player will receive six time banks that are worth 30 seconds apiece.

The PokerNews live reporting team will be on the tournament floor to bring you all of the live updates throughout the entire event.