$5,300 EPT Main Event Day 1b | 2023 PokerStars EPT Cyprus

10-17-2023 20:10 UTC+2

Sidhu Drags in a Pot, Fresh Off an EPT Win

Calum Grant

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Kuljinder Sidhu just dragged in a pot to nearly return to starting stack. He opened to 1,600 from middle positon and was called by the hijack and Maximilian Silz from the big blind.

He continued for 3,200 on the Q♠6♦5♥ flop, and only the hijack called. The 2♦ turn checked through to the A♦ river, and Sidhu took the pot down after his opponent folded to a bet of 10,800.

Sidhu has form on his side as he triumphed in Saturday's $2,100 Hyper Turbo Knockout Freezeout, topping the 216-entry field for $41,940 plus bounties.

PokerStars Ambassador Benjamin Spragg also performed well in that tournament and finished in 5th place for $14,420. Spragg, however, was not so fortunate in today's Main Event flight and was sent to the wrong side of the rail moments ago.

https://twitter.com/spraggy/status/1714338712509624716

Player	Chips	Progress
Maximilian Silz	40,000 40,000	40,000
Kuljinder Sidhu	25,000 25,000	25,000
Benjamin Spragg	Busted

Tags: Benjamin Spragg Kuljinder Sidhu Maximilian Silz

10-17-2023 20:12 UTC+2

Qi Finds the Right Number

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Josh Noy

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Xuming Qi opened to 2,200 from under the gun and was called by Roman Gadzhiev in the cutoff. The two went heads up to the 8♦2♠10♣ flop and checked through to the 3♦ turn.

Qi led out for 4,200, which Gadzhiev called to see the 7♠ river. Qi prepared to lead out again, counting out a bet of 9,900 as the chips slid forward.

Gadzhiev did not take long to make the call, mucking his cards after Qi flipped over J♣J♦ to pad his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Xuming Qi	132,000 39,500	39,500
Roman Gadzhiev	39,500

Tags: Roman Gadzhiev Xuming Qi

10-17-2023 20:13 UTC+2

Recent Eliminations

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Calum Grant

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Sebastian Schulze	Busted
Samy Boujmala	Busted
Anton Wigg	Busted

Masato Yokosawa	Busted
Stoyan Obreshkov	Busted
Jon Kyte	Busted
Takahiro Tsugu	Busted
Alexey Popov	Busted
Amir Touma	Busted

10-17-2023 20:20 UTC+2

Blebea Shoves Short and Doubles With Straight

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Matt Warburton

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Sachin Joshi raised from late position and Iulian-Remus Blebea moved all in from the button for 9,400, less than ten big blinds. Joshi made the call with the bigger stack and players flipped their cards.

Iulian-Remus Blebea: A♦J♠
Sachin Joshi: K♥10♦

The board ran out 9♦8♣Q♠3♥10♥. The ten on the river brought Joshi a pair but also gave Blebea the the straight. He won the pot and doubled up his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sachin Joshi	32,500 32,500	32,500
Iulian-Remus Blebea	21,000 21,000	21,000

Tags: Iulian-Remus Blebea Sachin Joshi

10-17-2023 20:29 UTC+2

Ojeil Check-Raises to a Win

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Josh Noy

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Konstantinos Tzinis opened from under the gun to 2,100 and the action folded around to Vasileios Panagiotidis, who called in the small blind. Chady Ojeil also came along in the big blind to see the 8♥Q♥7♦ flop.

Both blinds checked to Tzinis, who bet 2,000. Panagiotidis called before Ojeil raised to 7,000. Tzinis folded while Panagiotidis made the call.

Both players then checked through the A♥ turn and J♦ river, with Ojeil turning over K♦Q♦ to take the pot as Panagiotidis mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chady Ojeil	59,000
Vasileios Panagiotidis	57,000
Konstantinos Tzinis	33,000

Tags: Chady Ojeil Konstantinos Tzinis Vasileios Panagiotidis

10-17-2023 20:35 UTC+2

Jazzar Paid for Two Pair

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Matt Warburton

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Floyd Rosner raised to 2,000 from under the gun Mehmet Berk Deniz called, Maroun Jazzar called on the button and the big blind also came along.

The flop came 4♠Q♥K♥ and all three players checked. The turn was the 2♦. Deniz checked and Jazzar bet 2,500, which Deniz called.

The river was the 9♦. Deniz checked and Jazzar bet 4,000, which Deniz called. Jazzar showed Q♠9♠ for two pair, queens and nines. Deniz mucked his hand and Jazzar won the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mehmet Berk Deniz	110,000
Maroun Jazzar	55,000 1,000	1,000

Tags: Floyd Rosner Maroun Jazzar Mehmet Berk Deniz

10-17-2023 20:37 UTC+2

Straight Flush Draw for Kulev

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Jeremy Geist

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Oleksii Kovalchuk opened the cutoff to 2,200 before action was on Alex Kulev on the button who flat called. It was then on Damir Gabdullin in the small blind who took a moment and then three-bet to 11,000.

Kovalchuk got out of the way but Kulev stuck around to see three.

The K♥3♣4♣ flop landed and Gabdullin continued for 6,800. Action was then on Kulev who sat in the tank for a moment and then raised to 17,000. Gabdullin only took a second and then moved all in having Kulev covered. Kulev snap-called for his tournament life.

Alex Kulev: A♣5♣
Damir Gabdullin: K♦Q♠

Kulev was swimming in equity with his straight flush draw but Gabdullin was currently in the lead as they went to the 6♠ turn. Kulev was now open-ended with a flush draw and an over. The 2♦ river would bring one of the many outs he needed in the form of a straight.

Kulev scooped the pot and left Gabdullin with about half of what he was working with prior to the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alex Kulev	155,000 117,000	117,000
Oleksii Kovalchuk	55,000 55,000	55,000
Damir Gabdullin	55,000 96,000	96,000

Tags: Alex Kulev Damir Gabdullin Oleksii Kovalchuk

10-17-2023 20:38 UTC+2

Matrai Jams into Hula's Kings

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Calum Grant

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Ihor Hula opened to 2,000 from the button before Andras Matrai three-bet to 8,000 from the big blind. Hula clicked it to 16,000 and snap-called when Matrai five-bet jammed for around 60,000.

Andras Matrai: A♥Q♦
Ihor Hula: K♦K♥

Hula's kings managed to avoid disaster and held out following the 10♥9♥2♦4♠7♥ runout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ihor Hula	145,000 73,000	73,000
Andras Matrai	Busted

Tags: Andras Matrai Ihor Hula

10-17-2023 20:46 UTC+2

PN Podcast: Was Idea for Rounders Stolen? Guest Jeffrey Allan Grosso Alleges So

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Kaelaine Minton

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

On the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Connor Richards, and Matt Hansen talk about Ari Engel capturing his record 16th World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit gold ring, remember poker author Anthony Holden, and reveal what six new players have confirmed to play the $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop. They also recap Isaac Haxton winning the Super High Roller Bowl, winners from the Mixed Game Series II, WSOP Player of the Year Ian Matakis winning another tournament, and Next Gen Poker becoming ambassadors for PokerStars USA ahead of the NAPT.

Chad also shares highlights from his vacation on a Virgin Voyages cruise where he played in the WPT at Sea poker room, Matt tells you how you can win a seat into the $10,000 WPT World Championship, and Connor comes to you straight from the EPT Cyprus, which just kicked off.

Finally, Chad chats with Jeffrey Allan Grosso, author of the poker book Dirty Dealing. In it, he alleges that his ideas and screenplay were stolen by Miramax Films and ultimately turned into the movie Rounders. It might sound crazy, but there was a court case and everything. Chad read the book prior to chatting with Grosso, who opened up about what he claims happened, how he feels about it, and why he ultimately decided to write a book about his experience.

Listen to those stories and more on the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast.

Listen to the New PokerNews Podcast Here!

10-17-2023 20:53 UTC+2

Pardo Sits Down and Immediately Busts, Reenters

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Matt Warburton

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Juan Pardo sat down and said hello to the table. He'd just entered the tournament for his first bullet.

Pardo open raised and was met with a three-bet from Andrey Kotelnikov, who made it 6,300 to go. Action folded back around to Pardo, who shoved all in for his starting stack of 30,000. Kotelnikov called with the bigger stack and players revealed their hands.

Juan Pardo: A♣Q♣
Andrey Kotelnikov: J♦J♠

Neutral players at the table chuckled as they realized that Pardo was already flipping for his tournament life.

The board ran out 8♦9♣6♠3♥6♣. Kotelnikov held with his pocket jacks. Pardo was sent to the rail. He has since reentered.