₽191,800 EPT Main Event | 2019 PokerStars EPT Sochi

03-29-2019 11:42 UTC+3

Players Ready for EPT Sochi Main Event Final Day

Will Shillibier

With just six players remaining in the EPT Sochi Main Event, all eyes are on runaway chip leader Zakhar Babaev to see if he can convert his overwhelming chip lead into the title and ₽27,475,000 ($~425,000) in prize money.

Babaev was second in chips when play was down to nine players, but hit the gas during the final three eliminations so that there is now clear water between him and the chasing pack.

Vyacheslav Mizun and Maksim Pisarenko are his nearest challengers, but both would need to double up to move ahead of Babaev at the top of the chip counts.

Position	Name	Country	Chip Count	Big Blinds
1	Ivan Ruban	Russia	1,795,000	30
2	Vyacheslav Mizun	Russia	3,285,000	55
3	Zakhar Babaev	Israel	9,030,000	151
4	Maksim Pisarenko	Russia	3,705,000	62
5	Uri Gilboa	Israel	2,115,000	35
6	Serafim Kovalevsky	Russia	1,865,000	31

Updates today will be in sync with the PokerStars livestream which is available by the link above.

Tags: Ivan Ruban Maksim Pisarenko Serafim Kovalevsky Vyacheslav Mizun Zakhar Babaev

03-29-2019 13:41 UTC+3

Hand #43: Gilboa Doubles After Mizun Misstep

Will Shillibier

Level 27 : 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Hand #43: Uri Gilboa raised to 155,000 from under the gun. Vyacheslav Mizun called on the button with and Maksim Pisarenko defended his big blind with .

The flop came and Pisarenko checked. Gilboa continued for 250,000. Mizun quickly called and Pisarenko got out of the way.

The turn was the and Gilboa bet 600,000. Mizun used a time extension before moving all in and Gilboa snap-called.

Mizun was drawing to two outs with Pisarenko folding an ace on the flop. The river was the and Gilboa doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Zakhar Babaev	9,180,000	-210,000
Uri Gilboa	4,690,000	2,440,000
Ivan Ruban	3,040,000	550,000
Maksim Pisarenko	2,200,000	-210,000
Serafim Kovalevsky	1,420,000	-70,000
Vyacheslav Mizun	1,230,000	-2,500,000

Tags: Maksim Pisarenko Uri Gilboa Vyacheslav Mizun

03-29-2019 14:04 UTC+3

Hand #51: Mizun Doubles Through Ruban

Will Shillibier

Level 27 : 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante

Hand #51: Vyacheslav Mizun moved all in for 655,000 from under the gun. It folded to Ivan Ruban in the big blind who called.

Vyacheslav MIzun:
Ivan Ruban:

The flop came giving Ruban top pair. However the turn gave Mizun the nut straight. The river was the and Mizun doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ivan Ruban	4,370,000	-710,000
Vyacheslav Mizun	1,400,000	745,000

Tags: Ivan Ruban Vyacheslav Mizun

03-29-2019 14:46 UTC+3

Serafim Kovalevsky Eliminated in 6th Place (₽5,390,000/~$83,000)

Will Shillibier

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Hand #60: Serafim Kovalevsky moved all in for 1,400,000 from early position. Zakhar Babaev called in the small blind.

Serafim Kovalevsky:
Zakhar Babaev:

The board ran out with Babaev sending Kovalevsky to the rail as the first elimination of the final day.

Player	Chips	Progress
Zakhar Babaev	12,335,000	1,395,000
Serafim Kovalevsky	Busted

Tags: Serafim Kovalevsky Zakhar Babaev

03-29-2019 14:50 UTC+3

Hand #61: Pisarenko Flops a Full House to Double Up

Will Shillibier

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Hand #61: Vyacheslav Mizun raised to 200,000 from the cutoff and Maksim PIsarenko three-bet all in from the small blind with for 1,165,000. Uri Gilboa folded the big blind.

Mizun called and the cards were turned over.

Vyacheslav Mizun:
Maksim Pisarenko:

The flop came giving Pisarenko a full house. The turn and river came the and Pisarenko doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maksim Pisarenko	2,490,000	1,160,000
Vyacheslav Mizun	95,000	-1,355,000

Tags: Maksim Pisarenko Uri Gilboa Vyacheslav Mizun

03-29-2019 15:02 UTC+3

Hands #62-65: Three Doubles in Four Hands for Mizun

Will Shillibier

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Hand #62: Vyacheslav Mizun moved all in from under the gun for 95,000 and Ivan Ruban called in the big blind with .

The board came and Mizun scored a small double to stay alive.

Hand #63: Zakhar Babaev raised from under the gun to 175,000. Vyacheslav MIzun was all in blind with from the big blind.

The flop came giving Mizun a pair. The turn was the and the river the doubled Mizun up again.

Hand #64: Maksim Pisarenko raised to 180,000 from under the gun. Zakhar Babaev called in the big blind. The flop came and Babaev check-folded to a continuation bet of 160,000 from Pisarenko.

Hand #65: Vyacheslav Mizun moved all in from the button for 540,000. Maksim Pisarenko used a time extension in the big blind before calling.

Mizun was ahead and there were no worries on the flop. The turn did give Pisarenko a gutshot straight draw, but the river was the and Mizun doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Zakhar Babaev	11,810,000	-525,000
Ivan Ruban	4,080,000	-420,000
Uri Gilboa	2,490,000	-200,000
Maksim Pisarenko	2,170,000	-320,000
Vyacheslav Mizun	1,200,000	1,105,000

Tags: Ivan Ruban Maksim Pisarenko Vyacheslav Mizun Zakhar Babaev

03-29-2019 15:17 UTC+3

Hands #66-69: Babaev Bluffs Ruban With Seven-Deuce

Will Shillibier

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Hand #66: Maksim Pisarenko limped in the small blind and Uri Gilboa checked his big blind. The pair saw a flop dealt and Pisarenko bet 80,000. Gilboa called and the turn was the .

Pisarenko checked and Gilboa bet 160,000. Pisarenko folded.

Hand #67: Zakhar Babaev raised to 175,000 and Ivan Ruban defended his big blind.

The flop came and Ruban check-folded to a bet of 250,000 from Babaev.

Hand #68: Zakhar Babaev raised to 175,000 from under the gun and took down the pot.

Hand #69: Ivan Ruban limped on the button and Zakhar Babaev checked his big blind. The flop came and Babaev bet 125,000. Ruban called and the turn brought the .

Babaev continued the aggression betting 260,000 and Ruban called again. Ruban raised in position to 660,000. Babaev used a time extension before raising to 2,200,000.

Ruban used four time extensions before folding and Babaev took down the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Zakhar Babaev	13,205,000	1,395,000
Ivan Ruban	2,920,000	-1,160,000
Uri Gilboa	2,200,000	-290,000
Maksim Pisarenko	2,010,000	-160,000
Vyacheslav Mizun	1,000,000	-200,000

Tags: Ivan Ruban Maksim Pisarenko Uri Gilboa Zakhar Babaev

03-29-2019 15:42 UTC+3

Hands #77-79: Gilboa Doubles After Babaev Bluff Goes Wrong

Will Shillibier

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Hand #77: Blind on blind Ivan Ruban bet 85,000 on a flop and Vyacheslav Mizun moved all in. Ruban folded.

Hand #78: Zakhar Babaev received a walk in the big blind.

Hand #79: Uri Gilboa raised to 175,000 and Zakhar Babaev called in the small blind. The flop was and Babaev checked. Gilboa continued for 260,000 and Babaev called. The turn was the giving Babaev the nut flush draw.

Babaev checked again and Gilboa bet 330,000. Babaev quickly called and the river was the . Babaev checked and Gilboa bet 600,000. Babaev moved all in and Gilboa snap-called to double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Zakhar Babaev	9,185,000	-2,955,000
Uri Gilboa	6,140,000	3,150,000
Ivan Ruban	3,990,000	-160,000
Maksim Pisarenko	1,300,000	-150,000
Vyacheslav Mizun	1,150,000	120,000

Tags: Ivan Ruban Uri Gilboa Vyacheslav Mizun Zakhar Babaev

03-29-2019 15:57 UTC+3

Hands #81-86: Pisarenko Double Before the Break

Will Shillibier

Level 28 : 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante

Hand #81: Vyacheslav Mizun moved all in from under the gun for 1,145,000 and took down the pot.

Hand #82: Maksim Pisarenko open-shoved for 1,250,000 from the cutoff with . Ivan Ruban asked for a count in the small blind with before calling.

The flop came giving Pisarenko a set. The turn was the giving Ruban six outs to eliminate Pisarenko, but the river was the and Pisarenko doubled up.

Hand #83: Zakhar Babaev received a walk in the big blind.

Hand #84: Uri Gilboa opened from under the gun to 175,000 and Ivan Ruban called in the cutoff. Zakhar Babaev picked up in the small blind and three-bet to 675,000. Gilboa and Ruban took down the pot.

Hand #85: Uri Gilboa received a walk in the big blind.

Hand #86: Ivan Ruban received a walk in the big blind.

Players are now going on a 20-minute break.

Player	Chips	Progress
Zakhar Babaev	8,525,000	545,000
Uri Gilboa	7,175,000	-215,000
Maksim Pisarenko	2,460,000	1,160,000
Ivan Ruban	2,440,000	-1,550,000
Vyacheslav Mizun	1,145,000	-5,000

Tags: Ivan Ruban Maksim Pisarenko Uri Gilboa Vyacheslav Mizun Zakhar Babaev

03-29-2019 16:51 UTC+3

Vyacheslav Mizun Eliminated in 5th Place (₽7,091,000/~$110,000)

Will Shillibier

Level 29 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Hand #99: Vyacheslav Mizun raised to 200,000 with and Zakhar Babaev called on the button. Maksim Pisarenko called in the small blind and Uri Gilboa came along from the big blind.

The flop came . It checked to Mizun whose bet was ruled a string bet and was forced to bet 100,000. Babaev and Gilboa called with Pisarenko folding. The turn was the and Gilboa checked. Mizun bet 300,000. Babaev folded and Gilboa raised to 800,000.

Mizun moved all in for 1,440,000 and Gilboa called.

Mizun could hit a flush or a full house to stay alive but the river was the and he was eliminated.