$25,000 NL Hold'em I
Day 1 Completed
2023 PokerStars EPT Cyprus
$25,000 NL Hold'em I
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
2023 PokerStars EPT Cyprus
Buy-in
$25,000
Prize Pool
$1,416,590
Entries
59
Level
21
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
50,000
Entries
59
Players Left
1
Level 21
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
The $25,000 NLHE I event, running at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa as part of the PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus, has now reached its conclusion and a winner has been crowned.
A total of 59 entries were made to the event, which generated a prize pool of $1,416,590. Of those entries, just eight players made the money.
After coming to the final table as the chip leader and knocking out four of his remaining opponents on the way to victory, Alexander Tkatschew emerged as the outright winner. He faced Teun Mulder heads-up and, still holding a significant lead, made short work of it to come out on top.
Tkatschew earned himself the top prize of $432,090 as well as the PokerStars Spade trophy.
Mulder had to settle for second place and walked away with $283,300, although given the difference in stacks he shouldn't feel too disappointed with the outcome.
Artur Martirosian came third for $205,400 and PokerStars Team Pro player Sam Grafton finished fourth for $155,800, both managing to ladder up several spots with short stacks before eventually busting.
EPT Cyprus $25,000 NLHE Results
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexander Tkatschew | Austria | $432,090 |
| 2 | Teun Mulder | Netherlands | $283,300 |
| 3 | Artur Martirosian | Russia | $205,400 |
| 4 | Sam Grafton | England | $155,800 |
| 5 | Kanan Taherkhani | Turkey | $120,400 |
| 6 | Biao Ding | China | $92,100 |
| 7 | Ognyan Dimov | Bulgaria | $70,800 |
| 8 | Dimitar Danchev | Bulgaria | $56,700 |
Final Table Recap
The tournament broke down to the final table at nine players, yet only eight made the money. Biao Ding was sitting on the shortest stack at that point, but he managed to pick up aces and found the double up to stay in the game. Moments later, Aliaksei Boika lost a flip to bust out on the bubble.
Following a scheduled break, two players bust out in quick succession. The first of those was Dimitar Danchev, who called Mulder's small blind shove in the big blind and found himself behind. Mulder held and Danchev was eliminated in eighth place.
Ognyan Dimov was next to go. Less than 10 minutes after Danchev's bust, he shoved from the small blind and ran into Tkatschew's pocket tens to hit the rail in seventh.
Although he had managed to ladder a couple of places, Ding then shoved for ten big blinds with ace ten and was dominated by Mulder's ace king to come sixth.
With just five players remaining, Grafton and Artur Martirosian were both short, but it was Kanan Taherkhani who was next to go. He stacked off against Tkatschew on the flop holding pocket aces. Unfortunately for him, Tkatschew had made two pair and held.
Grafton then shoved all in and was called by Mulder, who won the pot with pocket tens. Grafton was clearly happy to have laddered up, saying "I'll take it," as he left the table with a fourth place finish.
Then it was Martirosian's turn to make the shove. Tkatschew called him off and held to eliminate Martirosian, taking the tournament to heads-up with a huge chip lead.
Players agreed to take a short break and when they were returned spectators started to gather, making for a loud and exciting finale that included supporters on both sides - literally - German's on one side of the room rallying for Tkatschew, followed by a crowd of Dutch friends of Mulder.
Tkatschew applied continuous pressure to the shorter stacked Mulder, firing off bets and then putting Mulder to the test with river shoves on several occassions. By the third round of river shoves, Mulder picked his spot to make the call, but Tkatschew had the goods, turning over two pair to win the hand, the tournament, and the $432,090 top prize.
That concludes the PokerNews coverage of the $25,000 NLHE I event, the first of six tournaments of this buy-in level on the schedule. There's still loads more to come at the EPT Cyprus, including the Main Event and High Rollers, so stay tuned for more live reporting straight from the tournament floor.
Level 21
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Alexander Tkatschew completed the button and Teun Mulder checked his option.
The flop came Q♣4♠9♥. Mulder checked and Tkatschew put out a bet, which Mulder called. The turn was the 6♣. Mulder checked and Tkatschew bet 200,000. Mulder called again.
The river came the A♥. Mulder checked and Tkatschew moved all in again. This time, Mulder opted to make the call.
Mulder showed K♥4♥ for a pair of fours. Tkatschew triumphantly flipped over Q♥6♥ for two pair to win the pot and the tournament.
Mulder was eliminated in second place for $283,300.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
5,900,000
890,000
|
890,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 21
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Teun Mulder raised to 125,000 from the button and Alexander Tkatschew called in the big blind.
The flop came 7♠10♣A♠. Mulder checked and Tkatschew bet 100,000, which Mulder called. The turn was the 9♥. Mulder checked and Tkatschew bet 350,000, which Mulder called.
The river came the A♣. Mulder checked again and Tkatschew once again shoved all in on the river to put maximum pressure on his opponent. Mulder found the fold and Tkatschew won the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,010,000
110,000
|
110,000 |
|
|
800,000
-200,000
|
-200,000 |
Level 21
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Alexander Tkatschew completed the button and Teun Mulder checked his option.
The flop came 9♥9♣4♣. Mulder checked and Tkatschew bet 100,000. Mulder check-raised to 325,000 and Tkatschew called.
The turn came the A♦. Mulder checked and Tkatschew bet 225,000, which Mulder called.
The river was the 6♦. Mulder checked again and Tkatschew moved all in for 1,000,000 effective, putting Mulder to the test. Mulder went into the tank before eventually making the fold.
Meanwhile, a large rail has gathered to support both sides.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,900,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
1,000,000
-400,000
|
-400,000 |
Level 21
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
The tournament went heads-up between Alexander Tkatschew and Teun Mulder. Tkatschew had a significant chip lead. Players took a ten minute break and then play resumed.
Level: 21
Blinds: 25,000/50,000
Ante: 50,000
Level 20
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Artur Martirosian moved almost all in from the button and was called by Alexander Tkatschew in the big blind.
The flop came Q♠Q♥5♠. Tkatschew checked, Martirosian flicked his last chip in the middle and Tkatschew called. Players turned over their cards.
Artur Martirosian: K♠8♣
Alexander Tkatschew: A♠2♦
The turn came the J♦ and the river was the A♥. Tkatschew was already ahead with ace high and improved to make a pair of aces on the river.
Martirosian was eliminated from the tournament in third place for $205,400.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,600,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 20
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Sam Grafton shoved all in for 260,000. "Imagine how strong this hand is," he said.
Teun Mulder made the call in the big blind with the bigger stack.
"You're calling?!", said Grafton in shock as players flipped their cards.
Sam Grafton: A♣4♣
Teun Mulder: 10♣10♥
The board ran out 5♠3♣9♦K♣10♠. Mulder further improved to make a set of tens on the river. Grafton was eliminated from the tournament in fourth place for $155,800.
"I'll take it," he said as he left the table.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,400,000
350,000
|
350,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 20
: Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante
Kanan Taherkhani raised from the button and Alexander Tkatschew called in the big blind.
The flop came J♣4♣9♠. Tkatschew checked, Taherkhani bet 115,000 and Tkatschew check-raised to 300,000. Taherkhani then four-bet and Tkatschew pushed all in. Taherkhani made the call for the rest of his chips and players flipped their cards.
Kanan Taherkhani: A♥A♠
Alexander Tkatschew: J♥9♥
Taherkhani had pocket aces, but Tkatschew had two pair, jacks and nines.
The turn came the 6♠ and the river the Q♥. Tkatschew held to win the pot. Taherkhani was eliminated from the tournament in fifth place for $120,400.
"You're up next Artur," said Grafton as he laddered up another spot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,200,000
1,600,000
|
1,600,000 |
|
Busted |