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₽77,000 EPT National
Day 1c Completed
2019 PokerStars EPT Sochi
₽77,000 EPT National
Day: 1c
Event Info
2019 PokerStars EPT Sochi
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Buy-in
77,000 RUB
Total Entries
721
Level
33
Blinds
125,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Players Left 1 / 721
Filter
Level 18
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Twelve months after clinching the biggest victory of his poker career, Matous Houzvicek will start Day 2 in pole position to defend his title. After just over 18 levels on Day 1c, Houzvicek bagged up 694,000 which is good enough for the overall chip lead with 108 players remaining.
Day 1c was by far the biggest starting flight, with its 388 entries eclipsing the 333 entries from the first two flights combined. This ensured that the figure of 705 entries from 2018 was eclipsed by 16 entrants to 721.
"I always perform much better in the C flights!" Houzvicek told PokerNews after bagging up at the end of Day 1c. "I always do better in the last flights. It's my third bullet this year, just like last year. I got through Day 1c last year as well!
"I really like it here. I feel comfortable in the casino with the players. Some of the players from the final table and others that I played with last year have come up to me and recognized me!"
Other big stacks advancing to Day 2 include Daniil Kiselev (664,000), Aidyn Kanabekov (601,000) and Sarkis Karabadzhakyan (595,000).
Notables include former EPT final tablist Kiryl Radzivonau (68,000), Aditya Sushant (456,000) and PokerStars Team Online's Mikhail Shalamov (184,000).
Several familiar faces were back from Day 1a and 1b, with EPT Prague National winner Boris Mondrus jumping into the field. Mondrus took home €382,750 ($435,705) for winning the EPT National last December but won't be repeating the feat in Sochi as he was eliminated midway through the day.
Other notables who failed to make it through include Vadim Lipovka, Viktor Shegay, Gleb Tremzin, Andrey Guliy, Anatoliy Zyrin, Alexander Lakhov, and 2018 EPT Sochi Main Event winner Arsenii Karmatckii.
Midway through the day, it was Rachid Amamou, Aditya Sushant and PokerStars Team Online member Mikhail Shalamov who were among the big stacks, and all three made it through to Day 2.
As the blinds began to steadily increase, Denis Kushnerov and Andrey Danilyuk were the first two players above 200,000 before Aidyn Kanabekov took a chunk from Kushnerov and forged on without him.
He moved above 500,000 with the elimination of Meng Wang and looked in pole position to clinch the end of day chip lead.
However, defending champion Houzvicek had other ideas, winning two late races with pocket pairs to eliminate first Amani Ezatulla with fours and then Sergey Pustobaev with sixes. This pushed him above 600,000 and he held on to secure the chip lead, almost breaking 700,000 in the process.
The players resume tomorrow at 12pm and will play down to a final table.
Level 18
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Level 18
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
For the third and final time in the tournament, the bubble has burst meaning that's a wrap for Day 1C.
Sarkis Karabadzhakyan, the biggest stack on the table, was sat on the button when it folded to him. He opened all in and Evgeniy Lazorkin called in the small blind. The big stack folded and when the cards were spun on their backs, Lazorkin had got it in good but Karabadzhakyan was very much live.
Sarkis Karabadzhakyan: 
Evgeniy Lazorkin: 
The 
flop brought a sweat for Lazorkin, giving Karabadzhakyan a flush draw and a gutshot to add to his jack and ten outs. The turn bricked with the 
and when the dealer paused before laying the final card down, someone on the rail called for a "seven".
Perhaps someone was listening as river was the 
, which gave Karabadzhakyan the winning hand with a straight. Commiserations go to Lazorkin for being today's bubble boy. Congratulations go to the final 58 who will all progress to Day 2 tomorrow.
Stay tuned for a full recap of the day's action, which will follow shortly.
Level: 18
Blinds: 4,000/8,000
Ante: 8,000
Level 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Players are going on another 20-minute break on the pure bubble, which will also signal the end of the day.
Here are the three players who as it stands are vying for the end of day tournament chip lead.
Level 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Aleksandr Shavykin and Anatoliy Voropaev just got their chips in, both with monster hands but it was the former who was a long way ahead with 
to Voropaev's 
.
There was nothing untoward on the 
board and Voropaev shook his opponent's hand before picking up his jacket and heading towards the door.
Level 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Two players limped including Matous Houzvicek before Sergey Pustobaev three-bet all in for 104,000.
The first player folded before Matous Houzvicek called.
Sergey Pustobaev: 
Matous Houzvicek:
Sixes held on the 
runout as Houzvicek moved over 500,000. He's now challenging for the overall chip leader with just two eliminations left in the day.
Level 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
All the chips went in pre and Kartik Ved was the favourite with 
against Vilen Karimov, who raise-called with .
The 
board ran safe for Ved but Karimov is left very short.
Level 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
On an 
board Tobby Drimer moved all in for 55,000 and was called in two places by Yuriy Chernenko and Georgiy Komarov.
The river was the 
. Chernenko checked and Komarov moved all in. Chernenko folded 
for the nut flush face up and Komarov showed 
for the nut full house.
Drimer flashed having flopped the nut straight in a remarkable hand.
