€2,200 FPS High Roller Day 1a | 2023 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo

04-30-2023 00:43 UTC+2

Oldak Picks Off Jacobson

Adam Lamers

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Martin Jacobson opened to 8,000 in early position and was called by Thierry Oldak on the button. The flop fell 9♠9♣3♠ and both players checked to the 4♥ on the turn.

Jacobson fired out a bet of 6,000 and Oldak stuck around for the 6♣ on the river. Jacobson splashed in a bunch of chips and Oldak was put to the test for his last 26,000 chips. Oldak eventually made the call and Jacobson showed K♦10♥. Oldak celebrated as he tabled A♦3♦ to stay alive in the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Martin Jacobson	143,000 -28,000	-28,000
Thierry Oldak	90,000

Tags: Thierry Oldak Martin Jacobson

04-30-2023 00:40 UTC+2

Benoliel Picks Up Pocket Queens

Matt Hansen

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Eugenio Peralta raised to 8,500 from under the gun and Jean-Jacques Benoliel raised to 25,000 from late position. The rest of the table got out of the way before Peralta shoved and Benoliel called for a total of 70,500.

Jean-Jacques Benoliel: Q♦Q♥
Eugenio Peralta: J♦J♣

The board ran out 8♥4♠2♥5♦A♥ and the queens held to secure a double for Benoliel.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jean-Jacques Benoliel	150,000 150,000	150,000
Eugenio Peralta	110,000 110,000	110,000

Tags: Eugenio Peralta Jean-Jacques Benoliel

04-30-2023 00:39 UTC+2

Orpaz Soars to the Top

Adam Lamers

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

The action folded to Vasileios Panagiotidis in the hijack who just open-shoved all in for 81,500. Tom Orpaz was next to act in the cutoff and asked for a count before making the call. The rest of the table folded and the two hands were tabled.

Vasileios Panagiotidis: A♦J♥
Tom Orpaz: Q♠Q♦

The flop came 10♥9♥2♥ and Panagiotidis held the only flush draw. The 2♠ bricked the turn and the 4♦ was also no help on the river as Orpaz claimed the chips to become the chip leader.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom Orpaz	536,000 223,500	223,500
Vasileios Panagiotidis	Busted

Tags: Vasileios Panagiotidis Tom Orpaz

04-30-2023 00:19 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts

Adam Lamers

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Georgi Abuladze	472,500 395,500	395,500
Yiannis Liperis	416,000 29,000	29,000

Tudor Lazar	361,500 118,000	118,000
Ewen Trevidy	347,000 347,000	347,000
Florian Guimond	346,500 218,900	218,900
Tom Orpaz	312,500 1,000	1,000
Benjamin Spragg	289,000 187,000	187,000

Tsugunari Toma	233,000 22,000	22,000
Martin Jacobson	171,000 -18,000	-18,000
Ambrose Ng	170,500 170,500	170,500
Davidi Kitai	121,000 18,000	18,000

Conor Beresford	103,000 55,000	55,000
Maria Lampropoulos	65,500 5,300	5,300
Ian Bradley	59,500 29,500	29,500

Level: 15

Blinds: 2,000/4,000

Ante: 4,000

04-30-2023 00:14 UTC+2

Pichierri Wakes Up with Aces

Adam Lamers

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Alessandro Pichierri opened to 6,500 from under the gun and Bing Zhou three-bet to 18,500 on the button. The blinds folded and Pichierri four-bet shoved all in for 46,500. Zhou quickly called and the cards tabled.

Alessandro Pichierri: A♥A♦
Bing Zhou: A♠Q♠

The flop came J♥10♠8♥ which made things sweaty as Zhou picked up a two-way straight draw. However, the 7♣ and 8♦ runout was safe for Pichierri who gained a double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alessandro Pichierri	100,000 -103,500	-103,500
Bing Zhou	72,000

Tags: Alessandro Pichierri Bing Zhou

04-30-2023 00:11 UTC+2

Kassouf is in for the Maximum-Minimum

Matt Hansen

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Arrived in Monte Carlo for the @PokerStarsLIVE EPT festival! Having already won a €6,200 seat & expenses package o… https://t.co/oEfOeRFZF7
— William Kassouf (@WilliamKassouf)

04-30-2023 00:08 UTC+2

Asaulenka Sends Heveli to the Rail

Matt Hansen

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Kiryl Asaulenka raised to 7,000 and Richard Heveli shoved from the next seat over. The rest of the table got out of the way and action was heads up with Asaulenka at risk.

Richard Heveli: Ax2x
Kiryl Asaulenka: 6♠6♣

The board ran out 7♥5♣9♣2♣4♣ and Asaulenka picked up a club to beat Heveli's clubless ace-deuce with a flush.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kiryl Asaulenka	189,000
Richard Heveli	Busted

Tags: Kiryl Asaulenka Richard Heveli

04-29-2023 23:54 UTC+2

Banic Doubles Through Nigro

Adam Lamers

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Ivan Banic raised it up to 6,500 in middle position and Gilles Nigro three-bet to 18,000 in the cutoff. The action folded back to Banic who peeled a flop of 10♦5♣2♦. Nigro continued with a bet of 19,000 and Banic check-raised to 42,000. Nigro ripped all in and Banic quickly called off his stack of 126,500.

Ivan Banic: 6♦5♦
Gilles Nigro: A♥K♣

Nigro tried to make a move with just ace-king but Banic was ahead with a pair and a flush draw. The 9♣ and Q♥ runout changed nothing and Banic earned a double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ivan Banic	296,500
Gilles Nigro	57,500 -205,500	-205,500

Tags: Gilles Nigro Ivan Banic

04-29-2023 23:49 UTC+2

Every Past PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo Main Event Champion

Matt Hansen

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

The 2023 edition of the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo festival runs from April 26 through May 6 at the luxurious Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort. You already know that PokerNews is bringing you live and exclusive coverage from seven of the biggest EPT Monte Carlo events, including the prestigious Main Event, the tournament every player wants to win.

Some of poker's most recognizable faces and names have returned home from a trip to Monaco with the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event trophy in tow. Fourteen poker stars have written their names in the EPT's history books under the heading EPT Monte Carlo Main Event champion.

Check Out the Full List on PokerNews!