€1,100 EPT National Day 1a | 2019 PokerStars EPT Prague

12-07-2019 12:14 UTC+2

Welcome to Day 1a of the 2019 PokerStars EPT Prague €1,100 EPT National

Christian Zetzsche

One of the highly anticipated tournaments of the 2019 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague festival kicks off today as the first of four starting days of the €1,100 EPT National will get underway at noon local time at the Hilton Prague.

The EPT returns to the Czech Republic with the traditional Advent event allocated in the heart of Europe for the 13th consecutive year, and it has always been one of the most popular stops of the calendar year which attracts thousands of poker enthusiasts from near and far.

Since 2011, back then still under the umbrella of the regional Eureka Poker Tour, the tournament has seen a steady rise in participation and went from 329 players in 2011 to a record-setting 2,486 entries in 2018. One year ago it was local player Boris Mondrus that lifted the trophy and took home the lion's share of the €2,411,420 prize pool, banking a payday of €382,750.

History of Eureka/National Championship events in Prague:
2011: 329 players, €231,290 prize pool, Keith Johnson for €58,400
2012: 652 players, €632,440 prize pool, Menikos Panagiotou for €137,100
2013: 1,315 players, €1,275,550 prize pool, Dimitri Holdeew for €226,400
2014: 1,738 players, €1,685,860 prize pool, Balazs Botond for €206,948
2015: 1,893 players, €1,836,210 prize pool, Javier Rojas Mederos for €311,000
2016: 2,031 entries, €1,970,070 prize pool, Hubert Matuszewski for €193,298
2017: 2,117 entries, €2,053,490 prize pool, Georgios Vrakas for €338 000
2018: 2,486 entries, €2,411,420 prize pool, Boris Mondrus for €382,750
*note: freezeout format in 2011-16, single entry per flight allowed from 2017

Until 2016, the tournament was held as a freezeout but has since switched to a single re-entry per flight and a maximum of three entries in total. All players that bust their Day 1 can only enter again into the next starting day. Each of the three Day 1's will play down to the top 15% and the money, and in order to receive a portion of the prize pool players have to bag chips and reach Day 2.

The level duration throughout Day 1a and 1b are 40 minutes each while the turbo heat 1c has the duration cut down to 20 minutes. All participants receive 30,000 in chips and the late registration remains open for the first eight levels, there is a break every three levels with a 75-minute dinner break upon completion of level nine for Day 1a and 1b. As of Day 2, the level duration will increase to 60 minutes each.

Stay tuned to find out whether or not yet another record will be set for the €1,100 National in Prague as the PokerNews team will be there from start to finish until a champion is crowned.

Tags: Balazs Botond Boris Mondrus Dimitri Holdeew Georgios Vrakas Javier Rojas Mederos Keith Johnson

12-07-2019 14:04 UTC+2

Hulme Busts Snaider

Christian Zetzsche

Level 2 : 100/100, 100 ante

With plenty of chips already in the middle and the flop reading , Andrew Hulme checked out of the small blind and Abram Snaider made it 3,000 to go. Hulme check-raised to 25,000 and Snaider called all in for around 18,000.

Abram Snaider:
Andrew Hulme:

The turn and river run out failed to improve Snaider and he headed to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Hulme	56,000 26,000	26,000

Abram Snaider	Busted

Tags: Abram Snaider Andrew Hulme

12-07-2019 14:07 UTC+2

"Please, Don't Slow Roll Me!"

HillKerby

Level 2 : 100/100, 100 ante

There was around 6,500 in the middle on a board of in a heads up pot between Rifat Palevic in the small blind and a player who was under the gun. Palevic checked to his opponent, who put out a bet of 4,500. Palevic asked how much the player had, thinking for a bit before putting out a check-raise to 10,000.

His opponent then went into the tank and Palevic talked a bit more about how he had just thrown in a small raise. A friend of his had just walked into the room and walked by Palevic's table, prompting him to let his friend know that he was in a pot and had just put in a raise. His friend stuck around and the two joked about whether he was going to lose the hand or hit the river as the under-the-gun player made the call to bring the river .

"I'm all in," said Palevic, lifting up stacks of chips and putting them back down onto the felt in front of him, with each stack dropping slightly more forcefully. His opponent went into the tank.

"Please, don't slow roll me!" said Palevic with a laugh. "My heart is going ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump!"

His opponent told him he only had kings with a little smile and Palevic confirmed he already knew that. The player found a fold after a few more seconds and Palevic took down the pot.

He lifted up his cards to show his friend and his opponent asked to see as well. Palevic told him he had a full house, kings full and began to laugh, changing his tune to say he showed his friend the .

"I flopped a flush draw and turned trips," said Palevic. "That was why I checked to you on the turn - I knew you had the king," he added as he raked in the pot, bringing him close to two starting stacks in the process.

Player	Chips	Progress
Rifat Palevic	54,000 24,000	24,000

Tags: Rifat Palevic

12-07-2019 15:32 UTC+2

Short-Stacked Walerstein Eliminated by Wu

HillKerby

Level 4 : 100/300, 300 ante

A player in middle position pumped it up to 800 and received a call from Yake Wu in the hijack. Erez Walerstein was on the button and called all in for his last 400 and the small blind called as well, taking postflop action three ways to a side pot for any further action.

All three players checked to the river on a runout of , where Wu put out a bet of 1,000 once action checked to him. Both players with chips and cards in front of them folded and the dealer announced a showdown.

Erez Walerstein:
Yake Wu:

Wu tabled his hand first upon his river bet receiving no action, and Walerstein turned his over in a frustrated manner, showing that the left him with the second-best hand and no further chips with which to play.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yake Wu	21,900 -17,100	-17,100
Erez Walerstein	Busted

Tags: Erez Walerstein Yake Wu

12-07-2019 16:57 UTC+2

Martini Chips Up With Flush

HillKerby

Level 6 : 200/500, 500 ante

Julien Martini had a bet of 7,000 in front of him and was sitting with his hands holding his pulled-up hoodie over his face to cover his neck and mouth as his opponent, who was on the button, thought about his decision on a board reading . After well over a minute, he tossed in chips to call.

Martini tabled and the dealer announced his queen-high flush. The player on the button sent his cards to the muck and Martini quickly stacked the chips that were sent his way.

Player	Chips	Progress
Julien Martini	71,500 13,700	13,700

Tags: Julien Martini

12-07-2019 17:14 UTC+2

Flush Over Flush Double for Burns

Christian Zetzsche

Level 6 : 200/500, 500 ante

Simon Burns just sat down and opened in the first hand to get two callers including Charles La Boissonniere on the button and the big blind. The flop came and the big blind check-folded to a bet of 1,500 by Burns, and a raise to 5,000 by La Boissonniere. Burns called and check-jammed into a bet of 7,500 on the turn to pick up a call.

Simon Burns:
Charles La Boissonniere:

The river was a meaningless and Burns scored a full double on the very first hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simon Burns	60,000 60,000	60,000
Charles La Boissonniere	38,000 38,000	38,000

Tags: Charles La Boissonniere Simon Burns

12-07-2019 17:48 UTC+2

Koleno Doubles Through Ye

Christian Zetzsche

Level 7 : 300/600, 600 ante

A raising war broke out and Yi Ye had clicked to 11,000 already when Stanislav Koleno then moved all in for 29,700. Ye reluctantly called and the cards were turned over.

Stanislav Koleno:
Yi Ye:

The boad came and Ye was reduced to a mere 3,500.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stanislav Koleno	60,000 30,000	30,000
Yi Ye	3,500 -26,500	-26,500

Tags: Stanislav Koleno Yi Ye

12-07-2019 21:47 UTC+2

Staszko Eliminated in Three-Way All-In

Christian Zetzsche

Level 11 : 800/1,600, 1,600 ante

Marc Radgen was all in for 4,400 from early position and picked up two callers in Ivan Banic and Laszlo Papai. Martin Staszko moved all in for 10,400 in the big blind and both Banic and Papai called.

On the flop, Banic check-folded to the shove of Papai to see the following showdown emerge.

Marc Radgen:
Martin Staszko:
Laszlo Papai:

The turn and river ensured the double knockout and the pot was shipped to Papai.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ivan Banic	70,000 70,000	70,000
Laszlo Papai	68,000 68,000	68,000
Martin Staszko	Busted
Marc Radgen	Busted

Tags: Ivan Banic Laszlo Papai Marc Radgen Martin Staszko

12-07-2019 22:37 UTC+2

Palevic Check-Raises River for Value

HillKerby

Level 12 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Rifat Palevic was in the big blind and defended versus an open to 5,000 by the player on the button. The two saw a flop of and Palevic check-called a continuation-bet of 6,000. The turn then came and both players checked.

The river fell and Palevic checked again. His opponent put out a bet of 23,000 and Palevic thought for a couple of moments and then check-raised to 50,000. His opponent took a chip from his stack and tossed it into the middle to call, with the chip making a small arc on its journey to the felt.

Palevic then showed for backdoor trips.

"What the f**k?" his opponent said quietly and calmly in a confused manner. "What were you calling with on the flop?"

"Queen high," said Palevic. "I thought it might be good, but this time it was not. I remember you; clearly you don't remember me," Palevic added.

"I don't even know what to say," responded the other player, causing both players to laugh as Palevic finished stacking his chips. "It was a good river for me and a bad one for you."

Player	Chips	Progress
Rifat Palevic	240,000 130,000	130,000

Tags: Rifat Palevic

12-08-2019 00:15 UTC+2

Ace-King No Good for Skhulukhiya

Christian Zetzsche

Level 14 : 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Michal Klepczarek raised to 10,000 and Giorgiy Skhulukhiya moved all in from one seat over, which prompted Klepczarek to ask for a count. The shove was for 35,500 and the Pole made the call.

Giorgiy Skhulukhiya:
Michal Klepczarek:

"No good," Klepczarek immediately said when he spotted the cards of his opponent and would be proven right as the board came .