2022 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo

€10,200 Mystery Bounty
Day: 2
Event Info

2022 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
54
Prize
€107,290
Event Info
Buy-in
€10,200
Prize Pool
€390,100
Entries
83
Level Info
Level
25
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
120,000
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
83
Players Left
1

€10,200 Mystery Bounty

Day 2 Completed

Jean-Noel Thorel Claims Third Career Victory in the €10,200 Mystery Bounty Event (€107,290 in Cash + €77,500 in Mystery Bounties)

Level 25 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Jean-Noel Thorel
Jean-Noel Thorel

The first major title of the 2022 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) presented by Monte-Carlo Casino® at the Monte-Carlo Sporting complex on the French Riviera has been awarded. Out of a field of 83 entries in Event #4: €10,200 Mystery Bounty, French entrepreneur Jean-Noel Thorel prevailed in heads-up against Spanish poker pro Sergi Reixach to win his third ever victory on the live poker circuit.

Thorel and Reixach were responsible for the lion's share of the eliminations in the money and shared the biggest portion of the €390,100 in cash and €415,000 in Mystery Bounty prizes. Reixach as well as fourth-place finisher Imad Derwiche drew the golden envelope with the highest bounty of €100,000 while Thorel and Sam Greenwood scored an instant payday of €50,000.

Only the top 11 spots earned prizes for their efforts. Among the players in the money were Belarmino De Souza, EPT regular and recent 2022 Irish Open champion Steve O'Dwyer, Rodrigo Selouan, and Timothy Adams. French poker pro Johan "YoH ViraL" Guilbert was eliminated on the bubble to let the bounty bonanza commence shortly thereafter.

Final Result €10,200 Mystery Bounty Event

PlaceWinnerCountryCash Prize (EUR)Bounty Prize (EUR)Total Prize (EUR)
1Jean-Noel ThorelFrance€107,290€77,500€184,790
2Sergi ReixachSpain€76,260€177,500€253,760
3Belarmino De SouzaBrazil€49,930 €49,930
4Imad DerwicheFrance€38,420€100,000€138,420
5Steve O'DwyerIreland€30,430€10,000€40,430
6Sam GreenwoodCanada€23,800€50,000€73,800
7Rodrigo SelouanBrazil€18,720 €18,720
8Lukasz Szymon GrossmannPoland€14,630 €14,630
9Timothy AdamsCanada€11,120 €11,120
10Boris KolevBulgaria€9,750 €9,750
11Hiroshi NishiyamaJapan€9,750 €9,750

The final day of the tournament got back underway with 50 players out of 71 entries remaining and another dozen entries were added in the first hour of play thanks to the extended late registration. Only one of the last minute additions eventually made it into the money as Japan's Hiroshi Nishiyama was the first player to take home a cash prize.

All other hopefuls fell by the wayside as the field raced towards the money bubble. Among the casualties were also the Day 1 big stacks Ben Heath, Luciano De Hollanda, Kayhan Mokri, Alex Kulev and Guram Andronikashvili. They all bowed out much earlier than they were hoping for with Heath falling on the final three tables during a frantic period of the tournament.

Heath first doubled his short stack through Dimitar Danchev only to then come up second-best to Iman Derwiche. For Danchev, there was no happy end either as he was knocked out soon after. On the final three tables, Sam Greenwood surged into the lead with back-to-back eliminations when he turned a straight flush to knock out Motoyoshi Okamura and then flopped the nut flush to felt Pavel Veksler.

However, the Canadian then went on a slippery slope and became the short stack close to the money bubble only to bounce back. The two German High Roller regulars Claas Segebrecht and Dietrich Fast were eliminated just shy of the cash bubble and Johan Guilbert became the bubble boy after a clash with Sergi Reixach.

Once in the money, it didn't take long to award the first two Mystery Bounties with values of €10,000 and €50,000. The loudest celebration then came from Derwiche when he drew one of the two golden €100,000 Bounty envelopes by knocking out Timothy Adams, who he had previously joked to be gunning for.

Imad Derwiche - €100,000 Mystery Bounty
Imad Derwiche and Timothy Adams

From there on, Reixach went on a rampage and scored the next three eliminations including Lukasz Szymon Grossmann (€10,000), Rodrigo Selouan (€25,000) and Greenwood (€35,000). Jean-Noel Thorel then sent Steve O'Dwyer to the rail and immediately drew a €50,000 Mystery Bounty prize on his first attempt. Reixach and Thorel split the next €15,000 bounty when their ace-kings held against the ten-eight suited of Derwiche.

Reixach suffered several setbacks and his commanding lead was cut short thanks to the emergence of Thorel and Belarmino De Souza. It was then Brazilian De Souza who had his aces cracked by the five-four suited of Reixach, who drew the second €100,000 envelope and entered heads-up with a small lead.

During one of the first hands of the duel between Reixach and Thorel, both got their chips in preflop with ace-queen and Thorel hit running hearts for a flush. Despite the large lead thereafter, a tense and fierce fight of more than an hour unfolded in which Thorel eventually emerged victoriously to win his third ever title on the live poker circuit. Reixach may have walked away as the runner-up but claimed more money thanks to the Mystery Bounty format.

Sergi Reixach
Sergi Reixach with the €100,000 Mystery Bounty

The first High Roller contest of the first EPT stop in Monte-Carlo for three years certainly convinced with a large field and promises more enticing high stakes action in the days to come. Stay tuned for more as the PokerNews team will provide live coverage of all marquee events on the French Riviera.

Tags: Belarmino De SouzaImad DerwicheJean-Noel ThorelRodrigo SelouanSam GreenwoodSergi ReixachSteve O'DwyerTimothy Adams

The Mystery Bounties at a Glance

Level 25 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Imad Derwiche - €100,000 Mystery Bounty
Imad Derwiche - €100,000 Mystery Bounty

With a cash prize pool of €390,100 and €415,000 allocated in eleven Mystery Bounties, more than half of the prize money was up for grabs by chance and selecting the fortunate envelopes.

Runner-up Sergi Reixach was responsible for five eliminations and earned as many bounties, one of which he chopped with the eventual champion Jean-Noel Thorel.

Below are all the Mystery Bounty Prizes in order of how they were collected and their totals.

Order ClaimedValueBounty Claimed By
1€10,000Steve O'Dwyer
2€50,000Sam Greenwood
3€100,000Imad Derwiche
4€10,000Sergi Reixach
5€25,000Sergi Reixach
6€35,000Sergi Reixach
7€50,000Jean-Noel Thorel
8€15,000Sergi Reixach & Jean-Noel Thorel
9€100,000Sergi Reixach
10€10,000Jean-Noel Thorel
11€10,000Jean-Noel Thorel
   
Total€177,500Sergi Reixach
Mystery€100,000Imad Derwiche
Bounties€77,500Jean-Noel Thorel
Earned By€50,000Sam Greenwood
Players€10,000Steve O'Dwyer

Sergi Reixach Eliminated in 2nd Place (€76,260 in Cash + €177,500 in Mystery Bounties)

Level 25 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Sergi Reixach
Sergi Reixach

Jean-Noel Thorel raised it up from the button and Sergi Reixach defended the big blind to see a flop of {7-Spades}{4-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}. Reixach opted to check and Thorel then splashed in a bet worth 480,000. The shove by Reixach for around 1.2 million followed and Thorel called without asking for an exact count.

Sergi Reixach: {j-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}
Jean-Noel Thorel: {5-Diamonds}{4-Hearts}

The two live cards and flush draw of the Spaniard missed on the {a-Hearts} turn, as did on the {2-Hearts} river, to crown Thorel as the champion. Reixach earned a cash prize of €76,260 and €177,500 in Mystery Bounties along the way.

For Thorel, it was the third ever victory on the live poker circuit and it came with a cash prize of €107,290 and €77,500 in Mystery Bounties.

A full recap of today's action is to follow.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jean-Noel Thorel fr
Jean-Noel Thorel
8,300,000
1,825,000
1,825,000
Profile photo of Sergi Reixach es
Sergi Reixach
Busted

Tags: Jean-Noel ThorelSergi Reixach

Reixach Adds a Small Bunch of Chips

Level 25 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Sergi Reixach moved all-in two times in quick succession and flashed the {a-Spades} once before collecting the chips.

The next limped pot led to the {j-Spades}{j-Hearts}{3-Diamonds} flop on which Jean-Noel Thorel bet and Reixach folded.

Another limped pot brought the {8-Clubs}{5-Spades}{3-Hearts} flop on which Thorel check-called for 120,000 and they headed to the {a-Clubs} turn. Thorel checked once more and Reixach bet 175,000 to claim the pot right there.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jean-Noel Thorel fr
Jean-Noel Thorel
6,475,000
-720,000
-720,000
Profile photo of Sergi Reixach es
Sergi Reixach
1,825,000
720,000
720,000

Tags: Jean-Noel ThorelSergi Reixach

Reixach Wins Some, Loses Some

Level 25 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Jean-Noel Thorel raised to 560,000 from the button and Sergi Reixach responded with a three-bet shove for 1,030,000. Thorel considered it for a bit but opted to fold.

On the next hand, Reixach limped in on the button and Thorel opted to check. They both checked through the {6-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{j-Diamonds} flop to the {10-Spades} on the turn. Thorel bet 125,000 for Reixach to call. The river completed the board with the {8-Diamonds} and they both checked again. Thorel showed the {10-Clubs}{2-Diamonds} for the pair of tens and the pot as Reixach mucked his hand.

Another hand later, Thorel limped in on the button and Reixach checked. The flop came {7-Spades}{6-Spades}{8-Diamonds}, Reixach check-called the 125,000 bet of Thorel but check-folded on the {6-Clubs} turn when Thorel continued with a bet of 175,000.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jean-Noel Thorel fr
Jean-Noel Thorel
7,195,000
-255,000
-255,000
Profile photo of Sergi Reixach es
Sergi Reixach
1,105,000
255,000
255,000

Tags: Jean-Noel ThorelSergi Reixach

Thorel Pulls Further Ahead

Level 25 : 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

In a limped pot, Jean-Noel Thorel and Sergi Reixach checked all the way to the {10-Spades}{5-Spades}{3-Clubs}{7-Diamonds}{4-Clubs} river on which Thorel announced "nothing" but revealed the {9-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds} for a straight to win the pot.

The next limped pot saw a flop of {k-Spades}{j-Hearts}{4-Hearts} on which Reixach check-called a bet worth 120,000. Another two check-calls for 200,000 each followed on the {6-Diamonds} turn and {8-Clubs} river. Thorel tabled the {k-Hearts}{4-Diamonds} for kings and fours, which beat the {k-Clubs}{2-Spades} of Reixach.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jean-Noel Thorel fr
Jean-Noel Thorel
7,450,000
885,000
885,000
Profile photo of Sergi Reixach es
Sergi Reixach
850,000
-880,000
-880,000

Tags: Jean-Noel ThorelSergi Reixach

Level: 25

Blinds: 60,000/120,000

Ante: 120,000

Break for the Final Two Players

Level 24 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

The last few hands before the end of the level brought no major excitement. Sergi Reixach got a few open-shoves through, one of which saw Jean-Noel Thorel fold the {10-Spades}{9-Spades} in the big blind.

Ultimately, Reixach also limp-folded to raises or all-ins by Thorel and remains the vast underdog in this heads-up duel as a 15-minute break kicked off.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jean-Noel Thorel fr
Jean-Noel Thorel
6,565,000
-805,000
-805,000
Profile photo of Sergi Reixach es
Sergi Reixach
1,730,000
800,000
800,000

Tags: Jean-Noel ThorelSergi Reixach

Mix Up Causes Confusion, Thorel Leaves Reixach Short

Level 24 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Jean-Noel Thorel
Jean-Noel Thorel

Jean-Noel Thorel raised to 275,000 from the button and Sergi Reixach defended.

They both checked through the {a-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds} to the {6-Hearts} on the turn. Reixach check-raised the 100,000 bet of Thorel to 600,000 and was called.

The {q-Hearts} completed the board and Thorel bet 600,000 out of turn. The floor was called and Reixach had the option. Reixach seemed uncomfortable with the situation and felt bad. He bet 600,000 for Thorel to make the call. Reixach and the floor explained to Thorel that he had the option still but Thorel insisted on calling.

Reixach showed the {5-Clubs}{4-Hearts} for the straight but then Thorel flipped over the {k-Diamonds}{5-Diamonds} for the nut flush.

Reixach put his hands in his hair: "Oh no, you're supposed to raise..."

The floor explained to Thorel that he was supposed to raise when he was last to act and had the nuts as per the rules. Thorel nodded and the floor was ready to give him a penalty but Reixach objected and said he'd wouldn't play like that. In the end, no penalty was given as everyone agreed things had become confusing and they continued play.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jean-Noel Thorel fr
Jean-Noel Thorel
7,370,000
1,320,000
1,320,000
Profile photo of Sergi Reixach es
Sergi Reixach
930,000
-1,320,000
-1,320,000

Tags: Jean-Noel ThorelSergi Reixach