€2,200 Eureka High Roller
Day 3 Completed
2021 PokerStars EPT Prague
€2,200 Eureka High Roller
Day: 3
Jose Manuel Gonzalez Wins 2021 PokerStars EPT Prague €2,200 Eureka High Roller (€343,750)
Level 37
: Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
The record-breaking 2021 PokerStars European Poker Tour Prague €2,200 Eureka High Roller has crowned a champion. An additional day was needed to whittle down the record-breaking field of 1,149 entries to a winner and it was Spain's Jose Manuel Gonzalez who defeated Pedro Marques in a brief heads-up encounter.
Both split the lion's share of the €2,206,080 prize pool after entering the extra day as the two run-away chip leaders. Among the six finalists who returned to the King's Casino at the Hilton Hotel Prague was also the 2021 WSOP bracelet winner Romain Lewis, who was unable to mount a comeback from one big blind and finished in sixth place.
Final Result EPT Prague €2,200 Eureka High Roller
| Place | Winner | Country | Prize (in EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jose Manuel Gonzalez | Spain | €343,750* |
| 2 | Pedro Marques | Portugal | €288,750* |
| 3 | Ermanno Di Nicola | Italy | €166,120 |
| 4 | Nicolas Vayssieres | France | €124,860 |
| 5 | Thomas Lhomme | France | €95,080 |
| 6 | Romain Lewis | France | €69,930 |
| 7 | John Mooney | United Kingdom | €53,060 |
| 8 | Gilles Gauyacq | France | €37,880 |
* the final two players agreed to an ICM deal and continued to play for €32,500 in cash and the EPT winner's trophy
The day began with a scenario heavily impacted by ICM considerations as four of the six finalists had six or fewer big blinds at their disposal. Lewis was fortunate enough to begin on the button but none of his opponents bowed out in the first orbit to send the Frenchman all-in and at risk when the big blind came around. There was no miracle for Lewis and he had to settle for a payday of €69,930.
Next to go was fellow countryman Thomas Lhomme who also hit the rail after being forced all-in from the big blind as well. Nicolas Vayssieres made some moves with his short stack and doubled twice but ultimately fell in fourth place. One hand later, it was all over for Ermanno Di Nicola and the odds-on heads-up duel between the two biggest stacks Gonzalez and Marques was set.
Marques, a former EPT Main Event finalist and two-time SCOOP champion, started with a narrow disadvantage but never gained the lead in a duel that stretched almost one hour. Ultimately, the Portuguese jammed with a king on the button and Gonzalez called with an ace.
Five blanks later, the celebrations of Gonzalez could be heard throughout the entire tournament room as the Spaniard recorded a career-best score of €343,750. Marques had to settle for a consolation prize of €288,750 and will certainly jump into the ongoing second starting day of the €5,300 EPT Prague Main Event soon.
It's a busy day at the King's Casino, as the €50,000 Super High Roller concludes as well. Make sure to follow along as the PokerNews team will provide live updates from all marquee events.
Pedro Marques Eliminated in 2nd Place (€288,750)
Level 37
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Down to 7,700,000 and on the button, Pedro Marques moved all-in. Jose Manuel Gonzalez glanced over at the tournament info screen, grabbed into his large stack and splashed a pile in for the call.
Pedro Marques: 
Jose Manuel Gonzalez: 
A small rail gathered in the corner of the main room to watch the action unfold. Neither player connected with the 
flop and 
turn. Marques still had plenty of outs to stave off elimination but also whiffed the 
on the river to bow out in second place.
According to the deal both players cut, Marques takes home €288,750 for his efforts. In the meanwhile, an ecstatic Gonzalez loudly celebrated for the entire room to hear. He secured a payday of €343,750 and the EPT winner's trophy.
A recap of today's action is to follow.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
34,500,000 | 7,400,000 |
|
Busted |
Marques Still Under Pressure
Level 37
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Jose Manuel Gonzalez faced the button shove by Pedro Marques for 8,000,000 and went into the tank. "I got king-high bro," the Spaniard said in table chat and eventually folded.
Marques then gave up the button once, folded to a shove and limp-folded to another all-in by Gonzalez to drop to just over 12 blinds.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
27,100,000 | 600,000 |
|
|
7,400,000 | -600,000 |
Gonzalez Starts Jamming
Level 37
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Two orbits in a row, Pedro Marques limped the button and Jose Manuel Gonzalez moved all-in from the big blind. The result was the same as Marques opted to fold. He also had to forfeit his big blind and big blind ante once when folding to another shove by the Spaniard.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
26,500,000 | 2,000,000 |
|
|
8,000,000 | -2,000,000 |
Two Barrels Work for Gonzalez
Level 37
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Jose Manuel Gonzalez opened the action with a button raise to 1,200,000 and Pedro Marques defended the big blind. Following the 
flop, Marques check-called a bet worth 1,000,000 and checked again the 
on the turn.
Gonzalez now carefully cut out a bet of 2,400,000 and that ended the hand right there, as Marques opted to fold.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
24,500,000 | 3,500,000 |
|
|
10,000,000 | -3,500,000 |
The Small Pots Continue
Level 37
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Following a button raise by Jose Manuel Gonzalez and the call by Pedro Marques in the big blind, the latter check-called a continuation bet on the 
flop. Both then checked down the 
turn and 
river. Marques flipped over the 
and Gonzalez briefly flashed the 
.
One hand later, Marques min-raised and folded to a shove.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,000,000 | -1,500,000 |
|
|
13,500,000 | 1,500,000 |
The Small Pots Continue
Level 37
: 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante
Following a button raise by Jose Manuel Gonzalez and the call by Pedro Marques in the big blind, the latter check-called a continuation bet on the flop. Both then checked down the turn and river. Marques flipped over the and Gonzalez briefly flashed the .
One hand later, Marques min-raised and folded to a shove.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,000,000 | -1,500,000 |
|
|
13,500,000 | 1,500,000 |
Level: 37
Blinds: 300,000/600,000
Ante: 600,000
Gonzalez Pulls Some Chips Back
Level 36
: 250,000/500,000, 500,000 ante
On the tail end of a 
board, Jose Manuel Gonzalez bet 1,200,000 and Pedro Marques quickly tossed in a single chip for the call. Gonzalez revealed the 
for the top pair and that won the pot, increasing the lead of the Spaniard once more.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,500,000 | 2,000,000 |
|
|
12,000,000 | -2,000,000 |