€1,100 EPT National
Day 1a Started
2019 PokerStars EPT Prague
€1,100 EPT National
Day: 1a
Welcome to Day 1a of the 2019 PokerStars EPT Prague €1,100 EPT National
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.
Level: 1
Blinds: 100/100
Ante: 0
Shuffle Up and Deal!
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
Cards are in the air for Day 1A of the €1,100 EPT National with 252 players in their seats for the start of the tournament.
First Batch of Notables for Day 1a
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
More than 250 players have trickled into the main tournament area and a lot more tables are prepared for the a field that is expected to grow significantly. Below are the first notables in the first of three starting days.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
Fontaine and Martini in Action
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
Jean-René Fontaine and Julien Martini clashed in the 2018 EPT Barcelona National with the better end for the former while Martini had an outstanding year nonetheless. They are both in action on Day 1a and one table apart from each other.
Martini was just involved in a limped pot to the 
flop that went check, check. On the 
turn no betting action took place either and Martini bet the 
river for 200 to win the pot uncontested.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,300 | 30,300 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
Stjernvang Gets an Early Straight
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
Four players each put in 1,100 and the dealer was in the process of spreading a flop of 
. The small blind led out with a bet of 3,000 and was called by the big blind. The hijack then folded to put action onto Helge Stjernvang, who was the final player with cards in front of him from the cutoff. Stjernvang called.
The turn was 
and the small blind checked. The big blind fired out 5,500, which both Stjernvang and the small blind called, leaving all three players to see the river 
. All three players then checked to showdown and the dealer asked for cards to be tabled.
The small blind showed 
for two pair, eights up. The big blind then tabled 
for a better two pair of kings up. Stjernvang topped them both, showing 
. The dealer announced a straight, pushing forward the appropriate cards on the table to signify the hand and shipped the pot Stjernvang's way.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
48,400 | 48,400 |
Douail Hits the Nut Flush
Level 1
: 100/100, 0 ante
The hijack opened the action with a raise to 300 and was called by the cutoff. Action folded around to Abedel Douail, who defended his big blind, and the flop fell 
. Douail checked to the original raiser, who made a continuation-bet of 400. The cutoff folded and Douail made the call, bringing the turn .
Douail checked again to put action onto the aggressor, who fired a second barrel for 1,000. Douail stuck around once more and the river came . Douail checked one final time and his opponent tossed out a final shell worth 1,100. Douail quickly put in chips to call.
The hijack tabled 
and Douail showed 
to win the hand with the nut flush.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
33,600 | 33,600 |
Level: 2
Blinds: 100/100
Ante: 100
More Notables Enter
Level 2
: 100/100, 100 ante
The field size has grown to more than 360 entries and among those to be seated now are Rifat Palevic, John Mooney, Boris Kuzmanovic, Jessica Teussl and Tomas Jozonis, among others. Pierre Calamusa was also spotted on the way into the tournament room as well.
The first two bustouts on Day 1a are Petr Zalsky and Aguinaldo Parmisciano.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted |