€25,000 EPT High Roller Day 1 | 2023 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo

05-04-2023 13:26 UTC+2

Nikiforov and Bonomo Check it Down

Frank Visser

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Ilya Nikiforov and Justin Bonomo had created a 5,000 pot before a 9♥J♠3♥ flop was dealt. Bonomo led out from the small blind for 1,500 and NIkiforov called.

The pair then checked the 6♦ turn and 2♠ river. On showdown, Bonomo's A♥7♠ for ace-high was narrowly beaten by the A♥3♠ of Nikiforov, who flopped bottom pair.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ilya Nikiforov	54,000 4,000	4,000
Justin Bonomo	40,800 -9,200	-9,200

Tags: Ilya Nikiforov Justin Bonomo

05-04-2023 13:31 UTC+2

Ketzer Catches a Set

Frank Visser

Level 1 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

When the action was caught there were already 16,800 chips in the middle, for a pot of more than 80 big blinds. Felipe Ketzer was in the small blind and bet another 4,000 on the A♠7♠3♦9♠ board. His opponent was Alexandros Kolonias and he made the call.

Ketzer then opted to check the 4♥ river and Kolonias quickly checked behind. Ketzer was trying to set a trap on the river, as he showed A♦A♥ for flopped top set. It would be hard for Kolonias to beat this, and indeed he did not, as he mucked his cards.

Player	Chips	Progress
Felipe Ketzer	63,500 13,500	13,500
Alexandros Kolonias	34,500 -15,500	-15,500

Tags: Alexandros Kolonias Felipe Ketzer

Level: 2

Blinds: 100/200

Ante: 200

05-04-2023 13:41 UTC+2

Mateos Gets Paid With Trips

Andrew Knowles

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Adrian Mateos opened the action from the cutoff to 500 and both Yuan Li and Christoph Vogelsang made the call from the blinds.

The flop fanned out A♦3♠2♥ and all three players checked their options to the 8♣ turn. Again both blinds checked over to Mateos who bet out 500, which only Li called.

The A♥ completed the board and Li checked a third time. Mateos took a moment before tossing out a bet of 1,700 and Li quickly called. Mateos rolled over A♠5♠ for rivered trip aces and took down the pot when Li mucked his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adrian Mateos	55,000 5,000	5,000

Yuan Li	51,000 1,000	1,000
Christoph Vogelsang	49,000 -1,000	-1,000

Tags: Adrian Mateos Christoph Vogelsang Yuan Li

05-04-2023 13:42 UTC+2

Mikolaitis Adds More

Frank Visser

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Christopher Chaudey opened to 600 from under the gun before Dominykas Mikolaitis made it 2,100 to go from the cutoff. Chaudey made the call and a flop was dealt.

7♥9♦A♥ appeared on the table and Chaudey checked his option. MIkolaitis then fired a continuation-bet of 1,300, which Chaudey called.

Mikolaitis fired another 5,500 on the K♦ turn and this was enough to make Chaudey check-fold this time around.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dominykas Mikolaitis	67,000 17,000	17,000

Christopher Chaudey	36,100 -13,900	-13,900

Tags: Christopher Chaudey Dominykas Mikolaitis

05-04-2023 13:50 UTC+2

More Late Arrivals

Andrew Knowles

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Viacheslav Goryachev	50,000
Martin Jacobson	50,000
Isaac Haxton	50,000

Shakhabiddin Muradov	50,000
Frederic Delval	50,000
Emil Bise	50,000

05-04-2023 13:59 UTC+2

Vieira Victorious in Four-Way Pot

Frank Visser

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Joao Vieira raised to 600 preflop from under the gun, and received calls from Julien Sitbon in the hijack, Cesar Garcia on the button, and Mikhail Rudoy in the small blind.

The quartet saw a flop of 8♦10♠K♣ and the action checked to Sitbon, who put out a bet worth 800 chips. Garcia made the call and so did Vieira, while Rudoy was the only one to fold his hand.

All three players checked the A♦ turn before Vieira retook the initiative on the 5♦ river by betting 3,100. Sitbon quickly folded but Garcia thought for a while and ended up making the call.

Vieira showed down Q♣J♦ for Broadway, and that was enough to win the pot, as Garcia slid his cards towards the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joao Vieira	56,500 6,500	6,500

Mikhail Rudoy	48,800 -1,200	-1,200
Julien Sitbon	36,800 -9,600	-9,600
Cesar Garcia	32,500 -17,500	-17,500

Tags: Cesar Garcia Joao Vieira Julien Sitbon Mikhail Rudoy

05-04-2023 14:08 UTC+2

Barbero Hangs On With Jacks

Andrew Knowles

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

In a heads-up pot with 2,200 in the middle on a flop showing 4♦2♣2♥, Fahredin Mustafov checked from under the gun to Nacho Barbero next to act who bet out 1,200. Mustafov elected on a check-raise to 4,500 and Barbero came along.

On the 7♣ turn Mustafov kept up the aggression with a bet of 11,000, and after some thought, Barbero made the call. The 4♣ completed the board and Mustafov took awhile before tapping the table for a check to Barbero who quickly checked back to a showdown.

Mustafov rolled over 6♠5♠ for a missed straight draw and Barbero scooped the pot when he revealed J♥J♠ for the over pair.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nacho Barbero	66,000 16,000	16,000

Fahredin Mustafov	38,000

Tags: Fahredin Mustafov Nacho Barbero

05-04-2023 14:13 UTC+2

Every Past PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo Main Event Champion

Matt Hansen

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 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!

05-04-2023 14:23 UTC+2

Jiang Deep in the Tank

Frank Visser

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

A completed board of A♥K♥K♠3♥8♠ was already spread when the action was caught. A pot of 9,800 was in the middle and Honglin Jiang had made a bet of 10,000 from the button. Quan Zhou was in the cutoff and made the raise to 30,000, almost covering Jiang's remaining chips.

''Ten'' was heard from the dealer three times, to let Jiang know he had ten seconds left on his shot clock, and each time Jiang threw in a time bank chip. On the fourth and final ''time'', Jiang laid his hand down, saving himself one time bank chip for a rainy day.

''You promised to show one!'', Milos Skrbic proclaimed. Zhou kept his word and showed the table the K♣, just as Davidi Kitai was sitting down with a fresh stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Quan Zhou	77,700 27,700	27,700
Davidi Kitai	50,000

Honglin Jiang	21,800 -28,200	-28,200

Tags: Davidi Kitai Honglin Jiang Milos Skrbic Quan Zhou