€1,100 FPS Main Event Day 1a | 2023 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo

04-26-2023 11:41 UTC+2

EPT Monte Carlo Kicks Off Today With Day 1a of €1,100 FPS Main Event

Connor Richards

It's time for another European Poker Tour (EPT) stop as PokerStars EPT presented by Monte-Carlo Casino® kicks off at Sporting Monte-Carlo along the beautiful Monaco coastline. PokerNews is on-site to cover the tournament action and that coverage begins today with Event #1: €1,100 FPS Main Event, which kicks off at 1 p.m. local time.

The four-day France Poker Series Main Event will feature four starting flights, the second of which will take place later today and the latter two of which will be held on April 27.

If the most recent FPS Main Event offering in Paris earlier this year was any indication, the event should draw a sizable field. Despite venue limitations, that event managed to draw a field of 1,918 entries — making it the largest-ever FPS Main Event field — as Alan Goasdoue defeated fellow Frenchman Jean-Luc Labryga in heads-up play to win the trophy and €287,830.

Action will kick off with blinds of 100/100/100 and levels lasting 40 minutes with 20-minute breaks every three levels. There is also a 75-minute dinner break currently scheduled to take place after the completion of Level 10. Breaks will decrease to 15 minutes after Level 13 and the level lengths will increase to an hour after Level 16.

Players are allowed two entries per flight and each flight will play until 15 percent of the field remains, at which point all players will be in the money heading to Day 2.

Stay tuned as the PokerNews live reporting team is here on the Mediterranean coast and ready to provide updates of all of the EPT Monte Carlo action.

04-26-2023 13:31 UTC+2

Early Four-Bet from Facquet

Connor Richards

Level 1 : Blinds 100/100, 100 ante

Michael Anty opened to 600 on the button and Thierry Giron three-bet to 1,600 in the small blind. Action was then on Vincent Facquet in the big blind and he took a moment before four-betting to 3,600.

Anty folded and Giron followed suit to earn Facquet the pot without seeing a flop.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vincent Facquet	32,000 32,000	32,000
Michael Anty	29,000 29,000	29,000
Thierry Giron	28,000 28,000	28,000

Tags: Michael Anty Thierry Giron Vincent Facquet

04-26-2023 14:25 UTC+2

"Always the Israeli:" Koko Cracks Aces to Bust Demlakian

Connor Richards

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

An early position player opened to 500 and Yonatan Koko called in middle position before two players called behind him. Ken Demlakian three-bet out of the small blind and only Koko called.

"Always the Israeli!" laughed Demlakian. "When there's a murder, they always say it's the husband or the butler. But here, it's always the Israeli!"

Demlakian checked on the 9♠Q♣2♦ flop and Koko bet 2,000. Demlakian called and as he did so, asked his opponent how he got "that bump on your nose."

"You want to know the truth?" asked Koko. "It happened today. I was looking at Google Maps and walked into a pole."

As this conversation took place, Demlakian checked again on the 3♣ turn and Koko bet 4,000. The conversation died down as Demlakian check-raised all in to send Koko into the tank.

"You had enough of the game? I think you've had enough of the game," Koko said before making the call with his opponent covered.

Ken Demlakian: A♥A♦
Yonatan Koko: Q♦10♦

Demlakian was ahead with aces but that changed when the dealer put down the 10♣ on the river to give Koko two pair to mark the Australian's elimination.

"He said it's always the Israeli!" Koko said after his opponent left.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yonatan Koko	70,000 70,000	70,000
Ken Demlakian	Busted

Tags: Ken Demlakian Yonatan Koko

04-26-2023 16:27 UTC+2

Naydenov Takes Another One

Andrew Knowles

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

In a three-way pot with 3,600 in the middle on a flop of J♣8♣5♦, Gerard Cohen and Simeon Naydenov checked from the blinds over to the under-the-gun player who bet out 1,500. Cohen and Naydenov both called and the 7♥ hit the turn.

Cohen checked again and Naydenov took the lead with a bet of 4,500, which only Cohen called to see the 7♣ river. Cohen elected to check a third time and Naydenov put out a small bet of 3,000, which Cohen quickly called.

Naydenov rolled over 9♥6♥ for a turned straight and Cohen tabled K♥J♥ to show his two-pair was no good.

Player	Chips	Progress
Simeon Naydenov	59,000 11,600	11,600
Gerard Cohen	14,000 14,000	14,000

Tags: Gerard Cohen Simeon Naydenov

04-26-2023 17:19 UTC+2

Guichard Gets Value On River

Andrew Knowles

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

In a three-way pot with just under 20,000 in the middle on a board showing Q♠10♦7♣2♣, Oliver Huber in the big blind, Vincent Facquet from under the gun, and Florian Guichard on the button all checked their options.

The A♥ completed the board and action checked to Guichard who tossed out a bet of 7,000. Huber quickly folded and Facquet went deep in the tank. After over a minute of deliberation, Facquet tossed out the chips for a call.

Guichard confidently tabled A♦7♥ for rivered two pair and scored the pot when Facquet mucked his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vincent Facquet	90,000 58,000	58,000
Florian Guichard	48,000 48,000	48,000
Oliver Huber	27,000 27,000	27,000

Tags: Florian Guichard Oliver Huber Vincent Facquet

04-26-2023 18:06 UTC+2

Kyte Cracks Kings To Score Massive Double Up

Andrew Knowles

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

The action was picked up in a pot of close to 30,000 on a board showing 8♣8♥5♠4♥. Josef Huber bet out 10,000 and Jon Kyte moved all in for 44,000 total. Huber made the call with a slightly bigger stack.

Jon Kyte: 7♥6♥
Josef Huber: K♦K♥

Kyte turned the nut straight and had Huber in need of a king or an eight to score the pot. The river fell the 9♣ and Kyte secured the massive double up off Huber.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jon Kyte	110,000 78,000	78,000
Josef Huber	9,000 9,000	9,000

Tags: Jon Kyte Josef Huber

04-26-2023 18:22 UTC+2

Duta Continues To Climb

Andrew Knowles

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

In a heads-up pot with 4,800 in the middle on a flop showing 5♥3♦3♠, Florian Duta checked from the big blind to Stefan Huber under the gun who bet out 1,200. Duta put in a check-raise to 3,500 and Huber made the call.

The A♠ hit the turn and Duta kept up the aggression with a bet of 11,000. Huber took some time, but in the end made the fold and another pot was sent to Duta.

Player	Chips	Progress
Florian Duta	90,000 55,000	55,000
Stefan Huber	26,000

Tags: Florian Duta Stefan Huber

04-26-2023 19:29 UTC+2

Julien Dislodges a Pot

Connor Richards

Level 9 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Harry Lodge opened to 2,500 in early position and Nicolas Julien called in the hijack to get things heads-up.

Lodge continued for 2,500 on the flop of Q♦Q♣3♠ and Julien called. Lodge sized up to 4,000 on the J♠ turn and Julien again called.

The 5♣ river completed the board and Lodge slowed down by checking. Julien bet 15,700 and Lodge laid it down.

Player	Chips	Progress
Harry Lodge	85,000 22,000	22,000
Nicolas Julien	55,000 55,000	55,000

Tags: Harry Lodge Nicolas Julien

04-26-2023 20:36 UTC+2

Spragg Takes From Trofimov

Andrew Knowles

Level 10 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

In a heads-up pot with roughly 17,000 in the middle on a flop showing J♣3♠2♦, Benjamin Spragg checked from under the gun to Dragos Trofimov who bet out 2,500. Spragg tossed in chips for the call and the pair saw the 6♠ turn.

Both players checked their options to the 5♠ river where Spragg elected to take the betting lead with a size of 14,000. Trofimov quickly let his hand go and the pot was sent to the PokerStars Ambassador.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dragos Trofimov	122,000 -13,000	-13,000
Benjamin Spragg	56,000 -4,000	-4,000

Tags: Benjamin Spragg Dragos Trofimov

04-26-2023 22:13 UTC+2

Marquez Chips Up; Talbot Joins

Connor Richards

Level 11 : Blinds 1,000/1,500, 1,500 ante

Ana Marquez opened to 3,500 from the cutoff and Virgil Grecu defended in the big blind as PokerStars Team Pro Parker Talbot joined the table with a big bottle of Rosé in hand.

"I was with him at dinner just barely," Jon Kyte said at the next table over. "I didn't think he was going to make it!"

Grecu checked on the flop of 8♠6♥J♥ and Marquez continued for 3,000. Grecu laid it down.