2019 PokerStars EPT Sochi

₽77,000 EPT National
Day: 1a
Event Info

2019 PokerStars EPT Sochi

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a9
Prize
9,317,000 RUB
Event Info
Buy-in
77,000 RUB
Entries
721
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000

Kurguzov Bests Big Stack Rudov

Level 1 : 100/100, 0 ante

Big stack Alexandr Rudov opened and got four callers including Vasiliy Kurguzov in the big blind. The flop checked to Danil Bukharin who bet 700. Vasily Yarkov, Kurguzov and Bukharin all called.

The turn was the {5-Hearts}. This time it checked to Yarkov who bet 700 and got two callers.

The three players each checked the {6-Diamonds} river and Kurguzov turned over {a-Spades}{j-Diamonds} from the big blind to win the pot with top pair.

Player Chips Progress
Alexandr Rudov ru
Alexandr Rudov
62,000
Vasiliy Kurguzov ru
Vasiliy Kurguzov
33,000
Vasily Yarkov ru
Vasily Yarkov
30,000
Danil Bukharin ru
Danil Bukharin
21,000

Tags: Danil BukharinVasiliy KurguzovAlexandr RudovVasily Yarkov

Two Early Eliminations

Level 1 : 100/100, 0 ante

South African Robert Blonski was one of the first eliminations of the day, with Artur Darmaniyan moving to over double starting stack.

They still have over seven levels of late registration today, and unlimited re-entries over the remaining starting flights to jump back into the action should they wish.

Player Chips Progress
Artur Darmaniyan ru
Artur Darmaniyan
63,000
Robert Blonski za
Robert Blonski
Busted

Tags: Robert BlonskiArtur Darmaniyan

Houzvicek Down From Starting

Level 1 : 100/100, 0 ante
Matous Houzvicek
Matous Houzvicek

On a {7-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}{3-Spades}{5-Hearts} board Matous Houzvicek checked out of the small blind and Valeriy Avanesyan bet 1,900 into a pot of just over 2,000. Houzvicek called.

The pair checked the {q-Hearts} river and Houzvicek turned over {7-Hearts}{8-Hearts} but Avanesyan had that beat with {10-Clubs}{10-Diamonds}.

Player Chips Progress
Valeriy Avanesyan ru
Valeriy Avanesyan
32,000 32,000
Matous Houzvicek cz
Matous Houzvicek
Defending Champion
27,000 -3,000

Tags: Matous HouzvicekValeriy Avanesyan

Defending Champion Houzvicek Back for More

Level 1 : 100/100, 0 ante

Cards are in the air here in Sochi with over 80 players already registered. They include defending champion Matous Houzvicek who is back hoping to defend his title.

Also in the field is Tomas Macnamara who finished 13th in the EPT Prague Main Event last December.

Player Chips Progress
Matous Houzvicek cz
Matous Houzvicek
Defending Champion
30,000
Tomas Macnamara gb
Tomas Macnamara
30,000
Keisuke Hikosaka jp
Keisuke Hikosaka
30,000
Robert Blonski za
Robert Blonski
30,000

Tags: Matous HouzvicekTomas Macnamara

Level: 1

Blinds: 100/100

Ante: 0

Not Long to Go

Players are taking their seats ahead of the start of play. Levels are 40 minutes long with 20 minute breaks after every three levels. After Level 8 there will be a 60 minute dinner break.

This tournament offers unlimited re-entries for eight levels.

EPT Sochi National Gets Underway at Midday

Sochi Casino and Resort
Sochi Casino and Resort

PokerStars is back in Russia for the fifth time and the second ever EPT Sochi at Casino Sochi. The festival has a jam-packed schedule full of over 20 events to suit all buy-ins and the EPT National gets things started today.

Last year it was Czech player Matous Houzvicek who bested a field of 439 players to win RUB 7,770,000 ($134,589), his largest live cash ever.

The National has a reputation for large, enthusiastic fields to kick off the European Poker Tour Festival. Here are last year's EPT Nationals:

DateEventEntrantsPrizepool (USD)ChampionFirst Prize
March 2018EPT Sochi439$ 710,727Matous Houzvicek$134,589
April 2018EPT Monte Carlo National1,501$1,778,871Guillaume Diaz$305,444
September 2018EPT Barcelona National4,348$4,797,370Jean-Pierre Fontaine$622,198
December 2018EPT Prague2,486$2,745,054Boris Mondrus$435,705

The 2019 EPT Sochi National has three starting days and unlimited re-entries for RUB 66,000. On Day 1a and 1c the levels are 40 minutes. On Day 1b which gets underway tonight at 7 pm the levels are 30 minutes long.

Each Day 1 will play until 15% of the field remains. Players will have to make Day 2 to finish in the money. The levels are 60 minutes from Day 2 onwards.

Stay tuned to PokerNews as the EPT Sochi festival gets underway, with live reporting of the EPT Main Event and High Roller still to come over the next nine days.

Tags: Arsenii KarmatckiiMatous Houzvicek

₽77,000 EPT National

Day 1a Started