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

04-29-2023 23:48 UTC+2

Pihela Takes With a Flush

Matt Hansen

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

Action was heads up with around 23,000 in the middle and K♥7♥3♥ on the board when Igor Pihela bet 10,000 from the small blind and Arnaud Enselme called from the big blind.

The turn was 6♦ and Pihela bet 15,000 to a quick call from Enselme.

The river was 9♥ and Pihela tossed out another 10,000. Enselme shifted in his chair before he tossed 10,000 in the general direction of Pihela. Pihela showed 6♥4♥ to take the pot with a flush and Enselme tossed the losing hand in the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Igor Pihela	161,000
Arnaud Enselme	137,000

Tags: Arnaud Enselme Igor Pihela

04-29-2023 23:44 UTC+2

Nitsche Applies the Pressure

Adam Lamers

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

Dominik Nitsche opened to 6,000 in middle position and Hicham Hachoumi reraised to 16,500 on his left. The action folded back to Nitsche who called to see a flop of 6♣5♠5♣.

Nitsche checked to Hachoumi who continued with a bet of 11,500. Nitsche check-raised to 40,000 and Hachoumi called. The turn was the 2♦ and Nitsche ripped all in. Hachoumi had a decision to make for his stack of 125,500 and went into the tank for a couple of minutes before ultimately folding.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dominik Nitsche	314,000 48,000	48,000
Hicham Hachoumi	125,500

Tags: Dominik Nitsche Hicham Hachoumi

Level: 14

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 3,000

04-29-2023 23:12 UTC+2

Take 15

Adam Lamers

Level 13 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

The field on Day 1a is down to just 219 players and they are heading on another 15-minute break. They will be playing down to 136 players before the bagging process begins.

04-29-2023 23:06 UTC+2

Chen Nears 100K With Elimination

Matt Hansen

Level 13 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Mohamed Kechiche got his dwindling stack into the middle and Andrew Chen was the one to look him up. The rest of the table was out of the way and action was heads up.

Mohamed Kechiche: 6♣6♥
Andrew Chen: A♦10♦

The board ran out A♥9♦10♥2♣Q♥ and Chen flopped aces and tens to send Kechiche to the rail in the closing moments of Level 13.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Chen	98,000 68,000	68,000
Mohamed Kechiche	Busted

Tags: Andrew Chen Mohamed Kechiche

04-29-2023 22:59 UTC+2

Kovalski Scores a Double

Adam Lamers

Level 13 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

There was a raise to 6,000 in middle position and Mathieu His called in the hijack. The cutoff called as well and Fabiano Kovalski ripped all in for 56,500 on the button. The action folded back to His who reshoved all in, forcing the cutoff out of the hand.

Fabiano Kovalski: K♠J♣
Mathieu His: A♥Q♣

The flop fell J♠10♥ and Kovalski took over the lead after hitting a jack on the flop. The 7♥ and 7♦ runout changed nothing as Kovalski scored a double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fabiano Kovalski	131,000 131,000	131,000
Mathieu His	65,000 65,000	65,000

Tags: Fabiano Kovalski Mathieu His

04-29-2023 22:49 UTC+2

Quick Guide to PokerStars Home Games; It Takes Just Five Easy Steps!

Matt Hansen

Level 13 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

There's never been a better time to find out how to set up a PokerStars Home Games than right now.

PokerStars Home Games allow you to set up a private members club where you can play cash games and tournaments. All games can be for play money and real money, so you don't need to spend anything if you don't want to.

You can invite whoever you want and even keep track of tournament leaderboard standings.

PokerStars Home Games allow you to take the banter of your local home game onto the online felt with poker friends from all over the world.

04-29-2023 22:47 UTC+2

"It's a Cooler!"

Adam Lamers

Level 13 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Tommaso Briotti opened to 5,000 in the hijack and Samy Boujmala three-bet to 15,000 in the cutoff. Dominik Nitsche four-bet to 40,000 from the small blind and Briotti five-bet jammed all in for 64,500. Boujmala asked for a count but decided to lay his hand down while Nitsche snap-called.

Tommaso Briotti: A♠A♣
Dominik Nitsche: Q♣Q♦

The flop came 10♦9♦5♥ and Boujmala grumbled as he would have flopped a set. However, the Q♥ peeled off on the turn and Nitsche took the lead with a set of queens. The K♣ completed the board and Briotti was ousted.

"It's a cooler!" someone exclaimed at the table as they shrugged their shoulders.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dominik Nitsche	266,000 89,500	89,500
Samy Boujmala	65,000
Tommaso Briotti	Busted

Tags: Dominik Nitsche Samy Boujmala Tommaso Briotti

04-29-2023 22:40 UTC+2

Ruosi Chips Up With Calderone Elimination

Matt Hansen

Level 13 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Eros Calderone raised to 4,500 from early position before Andrea Ruosi called from middle position. A player in the button came along before Jean-Jacques Zeitoun made it 32,000 from the big blind.

Calderone shoved his last 30,000 into the middle and Ruosi jammed with 151,000 to send the button into the muck before the pressure was on Zeitoun.

Zeitoun went into the tank before he tossed his cards away and action was heads up with Calderone at risk.

Eros Calderone: A♣J♦
Andrea Ruosi: A♦K♣

The board ran out 7♦4♠2♣9♣2♠ and Ruosi held on with Big Slick to send Calderone to the rail.