2019 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino EPT

€5,300 EPT Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2019 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino EPT

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
q8
Prize
€827,700
Event Info
Buy-in
€5,300
Prize Pool
€4,471,700
Entries
922
Level Info
Level
36
Blinds
250,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000

Adrovic Doubles Through Bassil

Level 2 : 100/100, 100 ante

The {3-Hearts}{3-Diamonds}{5-Hearts} flop was out and two players liked the look of it enough to commit their chips. Damir Adrovic had made the three-bet all in and Maximilian Bassil snap-called.

Maximilian Bassil: {a-Spades}{3-Spades}
Damir Adrovic: {10-Hearts}{6-Hearts}

It was trip threes for Bassil against Adrovic's flush draw. The turn brought the {7-Spades}, adding a gutshot to Adrovic's outs and the {4-Diamonds} river sealed the deal for the Croatian, who is back to starting stack. Meanwhile Bassil who qualified online for his seat is down to the felt.

Player Chips Progress
Damir Adrovic ir
Damir Adrovic
31,500
Maximilian Bassil no
Maximilian Bassil
4,500

Tags: Maximilian BassilDamir Adrovic

Early Exit for O'Grady

Level 2 : 100/100, 100 ante
Michael O'Grady
Michael O'Grady

Michael O'Grady was railing his friend Sam Higgs on the final two tables of the €1,100 French National Championship and that was a bad sign. The Aussie had lost most of his stack early on Day 1a and then confirmed he lost his last 7,000 with aces against pocket eights, which flopped a set.

Player Chips Progress
Michael O'Grady au
Michael O'Grady
Busted

Tags: Michael O'GradySam Higgs

Andreev Eliminated by the "Set Destroyer"

Level 2 : 100/100, 100 ante
Afshin Taheri in the €1,100 French National Championship
Afshin Taheri in the €1,100 French National Championship

Andrey Andreev is out (for the moment at least) after flopping top set with pocket-sevens on a {7-}{5-}{3-} flop but running into the made straight held by Afshin Taheri with {6-Clubs}{4-Clubs} in the hole. With no help on the turn or river for the Russian, he will have to re-enter to stay in contention.

It is great news for Taheri though, with the Iranian more than doubling what he started the day with. His good run has not gone unnoticed by his opponents either, with Raffaello Locatelli proclaiming him the "set destroyer" before promising to fold any sets against him.

Player Chips Progress
Afshin Taheri ir
Afshin Taheri
70,000
70,000
70,000
Andrey Andreev ru
Andrey Andreev
Busted

Tags: Afshin TaheriAndrey AndreevRaffaello Locatelli

Ghassan Doubles Through Teltscher

Level 2 : 100/100, 100 ante

The cards of Mark Teltscher were all but mucked with at least one king showing, and he paid off Ibrahim Ghassan, who had turned the nut flush with {a-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}.

"Nice hand. I can't beat you," Teltscher said as he shipped over 12,000 in chips. Despite this double, Ghassan remains just shy of the starting stack.

Player Chips Progress
Ibrahim Ghassan lb
Ibrahim Ghassan
28,000
28,000
28,000
Mark Teltscher gb
Mark Teltscher
23,000
-7,000
-7,000
EPT 1X Winner

Tags: Ibrahim GhassanMark Teltscher

Sow in the Fray

Level 2 : 100/100, 100 ante

Kalidou Sow is in the running and he has been sat on the same table as Ramon Colillas. The two players are the latest to join the elite group of PokerStars Ambassadors and it will be interesting what happens between the two over on Table 20.

Player Chips Progress
Kalidou Sow fr
Kalidou Sow
30,000

Tags: Ramon ColillasKalidou Sow

Level: 3

Blinds: 100/200

Ante: 200

Geilich Building

Level 3 : 100/200, 200 ante

Ludovic Geilich is on the up and the most recent chips came via a small pot against his neighbour to the right, Denys Shafikov.

Shafikov was on the cutoff and Geilich on the button with {4-Spades}{k-Spades}{8-Spades} already out. Shafikov check-called the 900 bet, taking the two to the turn. It was the {k-Diamonds}, pairing the top card and Shafikov opted to lead for 1,500. Geilich raised it up to 5,500 and after a minute in the tank, Shafikov thought better of continuing and folded.

Player Chips Progress
Ludovic Geilich gb
Ludovic Geilich
46,500
16,500
16,500
Day 1A Chip Leader
Denys Shafikov ua
Denys Shafikov
20,200
-9,800
-9,800

Tags: Denys ShafikovLudovic Geilich

Sow Off to a Great Start

Level 3 : 100/200, 200 ante
Kalidou Sow
Kalidou Sow

Kalidou Sow just scooped a nice pot to boost his stack on a table that hosts several well-known players on the international poker circuit such as PSPC champion Ramon Colillas and Sam Grafton.

With 2,100 in the middle and the flop showing {j-Spades}{4-Hearts}{3-Diamonds}, Mikhail Soltanov in the big blind check-raised from 900 to 2,300 and Sow called. The {7-Spades} on the turn brought a bet of 4,300 by Soltanov and a call by Sow. Soltanov slowed down on the {q-Hearts} river and Sow made it 9,500 to go, which was quickly called.

Sow rolled over the {q-Clubs}{j-Hearts} for two pair and that won the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Mikhail Soltanov ru
Mikhail Soltanov
44,000
6,000
6,000
Kalidou Sow fr
Kalidou Sow
42,000
12,000
12,000
Ramon Colillas es
Ramon Colillas
37,000
7,000
7,000
Sam Grafton gb
Sam Grafton
23,000
-7,000
-7,000
Yehoram Houri fr
Yehoram Houri
9,500
-20,500
-20,500

Tags: Kalidou SowMikhail SoltanovSam Grafton