€5,300 EPT Main Event Day 4 | 2023 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo

05-04-2023 17:51 UTC+2

Watson Picks Up Queens

Matt Hansen

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Mike Watson picked up Q♦Q♥ and raised to 55,000 from early position and Arnaud Enselme three-bet to 200,000 from the small blind with J♣10♣. Watson flat-called and the flop was 7♣5♠4♦.

Enselme bet 140,000 and Watson called to see K♠ on the turn.

Both players checked the turn and the river was 7♦. Enselme checked and Watson checked back to take the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Arnaud Enselme	2,340,000 -160,000	-160,000
Mike Watson	1,890,000 610,000	610,000

Tags: Arnaud Enselme Mike Watson

05-04-2023 17:51 UTC+2

No Longer World Chess Champion, Magnus Carlsen Sets Sights On Poker

Connor Richards

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Five-time World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen shocked the public in July 2022 when he announced that he wouldn't be defending the title he had held for a decade. And while Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren were at St. Regis Hotel in Kazakhstan last month battling to take his place as supreme leader of the chess world, Carlsen was getting ready for a trip to the sunny Mediterranean coast.

Carlsen made a deep run extending into Day 3 in the EPT Monte Carlo €5,300 Main Event as part of 2023 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) presented by Monte-Carlo Casino® before falling in 63rd place €15,000.

In his first interview since giving up his World Chess Champion Title, Carlsen sat down with PokerNews and PokerStars for an exclusive look at what the future holds for the 32-year-old Norwegian chess prodigy.

READ ABOUT CARLSEN'S DEEP RUN AT EPT MONTE CARLO!

05-04-2023 17:50 UTC+2

Sapitavicius Continues to Stack Chips

Adam Lamers

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

There was a raise to 50,000 followed by a couple of callers before Vicente Delgado three-bet to 230,000 out of the small blind. It wasn't enough to get rid of Arunas Sapitavicius who called from the cutoff.

They went heads-up to a flop of A♦10♥7♣ and Delgado checked. Sapitavicius threw in a bet of 200,000 and Delgado called to see the Q♣ on the turn. Delgado checked again and Sapitavicius announced a bet of 450,000. Delgado laid his hand down this time and Sapitavicius continued to pick up more chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Arunas Sapitavicius	4,800,000 335,000	335,000
Vicente Delgado	1,560,000 -540,000	-540,000

Tags: Arunas Sapitavicius Vicente Delgado

05-04-2023 17:45 UTC+2

Haraldstad Scoops a Three-Way Pot

Connor Richards

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Joachim Haraldstad opened to 50,000 in the cutoff and was called by Maduka Meragal on the button and Pieter Aerts in the big blind. The flop came Q♠J♦3♦ and the action checked around to the 10♦ on the turn.

Haraldstad was the first to throw in a bet of 60,000 and Meragal raised to 180,000. Aerts flat-called and Haraldstad also came along to the K♥ on the river. All three players checked this time and Aerts showed Q♦J♣ for two pair. Haraldstad tabled K♠9♥ for a straight and Meragal's J♠10♠ went into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joachim Haraldstad	1,920,000 320,000	320,000

Maduka Meragal	1,530,000 -470,000	-470,000
Pieter Aerts	370,000 -530,000	-530,000

Tags: Joachim Haraldstad Maduka Meragal Pieter Aerts

05-04-2023 17:37 UTC+2

Hulme Catches Up

Matt Hansen

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Kenan Taylor raised to 50,000 from the cutoff with 9♠9♦ and Andrew Hulme came along from the big blind with 4♠3♣.

The flop was 2♣10♦5♠ and Taylor bet 40,000 into a raise to 135,000 from Hulme. Taylor called and the turn was 4♦.

Hulme checked the turn and Taylor bet 125,000. Hulme called and the river 3♣ brought him a second pair.

Both players checked the river and Hulme took the pot with fours and threes.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Hulme	1,920,000 320,000	320,000
Kenan Taylor	1,770,000 -310,000	-310,000

Tags: Andrew Hulme Kenan Taylor

05-04-2023 17:29 UTC+2

Enselme Flops Top Pair

Matt Hansen

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Kenan Taylor raised to 60,000 from the button with 6♦6♣ and Arnaud Enselme called from the big blind with A♠10♦.

The flop was J♥A♥4♥ and both players checked to see 8♣ on the turn. Enselme fired 75,000 on the turn and that was enough to send Taylor's hand into the muck. .

Player	Chips	Progress
Arnaud Enselme	2,500,000 -130,000	-130,000
Kenan Taylor	2,080,000 40,000	40,000

Tags: Arnaud Enselme Kenan Taylor

05-04-2023 17:28 UTC+2

Three-Bet Wins It for Velasquez

Connor Richards

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Artur Martirosian opened to 55,000 on the button and Jimmy Velasquez three-bet to 180,000 in the big blind. Martirosian laid it down.

Player	Chips	Progress
Artur Martirosian	2,050,000 270,000	270,000

Maduka Meragal	2,000,000 -300,000	-300,000
Leonard Maue	1,700,000 300,000	300,000
Joachim Haraldstad	1,600,000 -300,000	-300,000

Pieter Aerts	900,000 -200,000	-200,000
Jimmy Velasquez	800,000 100,000	100,000

Tags: Artur Martirosian Jimmy Velasquez

05-04-2023 17:24 UTC+2

Hulme Flops Top Pair

Matt Hansen

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Andrew Hulme raised to 50,000 from early position with K♠J♥ and Mike Watson called from the button with A♠10♦. The flop was J♦9♣5♥.

Hulme check-called a 40,000 bet from Watson on the flop and the turn was 3♥. Hulme checked again and Watson checked back to see 4♦ on the river.

Hulme fired 160,000 on the river and Watson gave a it a moment of thought before he gave up the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew Hulme	1,600,000 110,000	110,000
Mike Watson	1,280,000 240,000	240,000

05-04-2023 17:20 UTC+2

Markkos Ladev Eliminated in 19th Place (€34,700)

Adam Lamers

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

The action folded around to Markkos Ladev in the small blind who limped in. Nicola Grieco checked his option and the dealer fanned the flop of 9♠9♥4♥. Ladev led out with a bet of 50,000 and Grieco just called.

The 6♥ landed on the turn and Ladev sized up a bet of 200,000. Grieco ripped all in and Ladev quickly called off his stack of 660,000. Grieco turned over J♥9♦ while Ladev revealed his 9♣7♠. The river was the 6♥ and Grieco's jack-kicker played to eliminate Ladev in 19th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nicola Grieco	1,850,000 1,350,000	1,350,000

Markkos Ladev	Busted

Tags: Markkos Ladev Nicola Grieco

05-04-2023 17:10 UTC+2

Haraldstad Takes from Maue

Matt Hansen

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Leonard Maue opened to 50,000 from the hijack and Joachim Haraldstad three-bet to 150,000 from the cutoff. Maue called when the action got around.

Maue checked on the flop of K♦3♥6♥ and Haraldstad continued for 110,000. Maue called. Maue checked again on the 4♠ turn and quickly folded when his opponent sized up to 385,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joachim Haraldstad	1,900,000 800,000	800,000

Leonard Maue	1,400,000

Tags: Joachim Haraldstad Leonard Maue