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

05-05-2023 13:31 UTC+2

Kenan Taylor Eliminated in 12th Place (€52,750)

Adam Lamers

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Joachim Haraldstad raised to 80,000 under the gun with J♠J♦ and Kenan Taylor called from the hijack with K♥9♥. The flop came 8♥6♣2♠ and the action checked around to the 8♣ on the turn.

Both players checked once more and the 9♠ completed the board. Haraldstad ripped all in on the river and Taylor was left with a decision for his stack of 610,000. Taylor used a couple of his time banks before flicking in the call. Haraldstad showed the good and Taylor was eliminated in 12th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joachim Haraldstad	6,610,000 690,000	690,000

Kenan Taylor	Busted

Tags: Joachim Haraldstad Kenan Taylor

05-05-2023 13:30 UTC+2

Nicola Grieco Eliminated in 13th Place (€52,750)

Connor Richards

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Ori Hasson opened to 80,000 from the hijack and Nicola Grieco called out of the big blind.

The flop landed 3♥6♦3♣ and Grieco led all in with a stack of 340,000. Hasson gave it some thought and called.

Nicola Grieco: 7♣6♥
Ori Hasson: A♦K♦

Grieco was ahead with a pair of sixes and walked away from the table before the 5♦ on the turn gave Hasson a flush draw and the 9♦ on the river gave him the flush.

"I win?" Grieco said as he walked over and saw that he did not win.

Grieco's 13th-place elimination, a step up from his 17th-place finish in last year's 2022 EPT Monte Carlo Main Event, earned him a payday of €52,750.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ori Hasson	1,650,000 45,000	45,000
Nicola Grieco	Busted

Tags: Nicola Grieco Ori Hasson

05-05-2023 13:15 UTC+2

Grieco Jams the Turn

Matt Hansen

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Nicola Grieco raised to 80,000 and Arnaud Enselme came along from the cutoff. The blinds got out of the way and action was heads up to a flop of 2♥3♦8♠.

Grieco fired 75,000 on the flop and Enselme called.

The turn was 5♣ and Grieco shoved 550,000. Enselme shuffled a chip or two, but it was too much and he gave up the pot. Grieco flashed K♦K♥ before he dragged the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Arnaud Enselme	1,800,000 -145,000	-145,000
Nicola Grieco	870,000 270,000	270,000

Tags: Arnaud Enselme Nicola Grieco

05-05-2023 13:09 UTC+2

Haraldstad Flops Top Pair, Avoids the Flush

Adam Lamers

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Joachim Haraldstad opened to 80,000 from under the gun with K♥5♥ and Samy Boujmala called on the button with A♣8♣. They went heads-up to a flop of K♦10♣6♣ and Haraldstad continued with a bet of 80,000 which Boujmala called.

The turn brought the 4♥ and Haraldstad slowed down with a check. Boujmala checked behind and the Q♦ landed on the river. Haraldstad flicked in a small bet of 125,000 on the river and Boujmala laid his hand down after missing his flush draw.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joachim Haraldstad	5,920,000 300,000	300,000

Samy Boujmala	3,220,000 -260,000	-260,000

Tags: Samy Boujmala Joachim Haraldstad

05-05-2023 13:00 UTC+2

"Check-Back of the Tournament": Wheeler Avoids Disaster

Connor Richards

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Jason Wheeler had just finished telling a joke — "Monaco is so expensive even the dogs have nannies" — which he opined was "at least as good as one of Stapes'," when he opened to 90,000 from early position and was called by Nicola Grieco in the cutoff and Leonard Maue in the big blind.

Maue checked on the flop of A♣10♠2♠ and Wheeler continued for 110,000. Both opponents called. Maue checked again on the 7♥ turn and Wheeler sized up to 350,000. Grieco folded and Maue called.

Maue checked once more on the 7♦ river and Wheeler eyed his opponent before remarking "super nitty, but I'm not going to get set up" as he checked back and showed A♥10♣ for top two pair.

It was the right move as Maue tabled A♠7♠ for a rivered full house and Wheeler celebrated despite losing the pot.

"That's the check-back of the tournament," he said. "No one else in the tournament would ever make that fold. Good luck to all of you. Best I've ever felt."

Player	Chips	Progress
Leonard Maue	3,400,000 480,000	480,000
Jason Wheeler	2,100,000 -715,000	-715,000
Nicola Grieco	600,000 -855,000	-855,000

Tags: Jason Wheeler Leonard Maue Nicola Grieco

05-05-2023 12:58 UTC+2

Short Stacks Chop It Up

Adam Lamers

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Oleg Vasylchenko raised to 80,000 in early position and Arunas Sapitavicius flat-called in the hijack. Kenan Taylor shoved all in for 800,000 in the small blind and Vasylchenko also ripped all in for his last 720,000. Sapitavicius got out of the way and the two hands were tabled.

Oleg Vasylchenko: 10♥10♦
Kenan Taylor: A♥K♣

The flop came 8♣5♦4♠ and Vasylchenko maintained the lead with his pair of tens. The 7♠ and 6♣ runout put a straight on the board and the two players were forced to chop the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kenan Taylor	880,000 80,000	80,000

Oleg Vasylchenko	800,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Oleg Vasylchenko Kenan Taylor Arunas Sapitavicius

05-05-2023 12:55 UTC+2

PN Podcast: Guest Patrik Antonius Talks EPT, WSOP & Record Hand Against Eric Persson

Matt Hansen

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

On the latest PokerNews Podcast episode, Chad Holloway and Jesse Fullen give updates on the PokerNews Cup on Global Poker, as well as the Matt Berkey vs. Nik Airball grudge match. Additionally, they discuss Nate Silver being out at 538, Patrick Leonard going back-to-back in the PartyPoker Sunday Party, and poker players having their fines dismissed from the Watauga Social Poker Club raid.

As for Connor, he chats with the legendary Patrik Antonius, who shares his plans for both the PokerStars EPT presented by Monte-Carlo Casino® and 2023 World Series of Poker (WSOP), what it was like to capture his first Triton High Roller title, and of course, winning the largest pot ever broadcast on a US Live Stream. The new WSOP Thrill Team Ambassador also shares his thoughts on the current state of online poker. Don't miss your chance to hear from the Finnish poker legend!

Finally, Chad is headed down to Florida for the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown from April 28-May 2; while Jesse will head down to PokerGO Studio for the High Stakes Poker Live Stream.

[CTA url="https://www.pokernews.com/podcast/pokernews-podcast/pokernews-podcast-patrik-antonius-wsop-43439.htm" color="green"]LISTEN TO THE POKERNEWS PODCAST HERE![/CTA

05-05-2023 12:53 UTC+2

Haraldstad Uses His Big Stack to Bully

Adam Lamers

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Joachim Haraldstad opened to 90,000 on the button with 7♣5♣ and Mike Watson just called from the small blind with 7♠7♦. Kenan Taylor also came along from the big blind with 6♦Xx. The flop fell J♦10♣8♠ and the action checked around to the J♣ on the turn.

The blinds checked again and Haraldstad finally threw in a bet of 150,000 after picking up a combo draw and got both of his opponents to lay their hands down.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joachim Haraldstad	5,620,000 -15,000	-15,000

Mike Watson	1,850,000 -170,000	-170,000

Kenan Taylor	800,000 -335,000	-335,000

Tags: Mike Watson Kenan Taylor Joachim Haraldstad

05-05-2023 12:46 UTC+2

Still a Great Deal

Matt Hansen

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

I don't want to say Monaco's expensive, but an Arizona Iced Tea costs $1.25.
— Joe “Legacy Blue” Stapleton (@Stapes)

05-05-2023 12:46 UTC+2

Gin River Card for Boujmala

Adam Lamers

Level 25 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Samy Boujmala raised to 80,000 on the button with K♥Q♥ and Arunas Sapitavicius defended from the big blind with 8♣6♦. The flop came A♥9♣7♠ and Sapitavicius check-called a bet of 65,000 from Boujmala.

The turn brought the J♠ and both players checked to the 10♣ on the river. Both players made a straight, Boujmala obviously holding the better of the two. Sapitavicius led out with a bet of 280,000 and Boujmala slid out a raise to 1,100,000. Sapitavicius went into the tank for nearly two minutes before paying it off.

Player	Chips	Progress
Samy Boujmala	3,480,000 1,205,000	1,205,000

Arunas Sapitavicius	3,240,000 -1,280,000	-1,280,000

Tags: Arunas Sapitavicius Samy Boujmala