After getting several complaints from players about the currently underway European Poker Tour (EPT) Paris festival, PokerStars issued a statement apologizing for "the subpar experience some of you have had at EPT Paris."
The festival is taking place at the Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile, a venue that hasn't been the most popular among players due to its limited space, tight hallways, and registration process. Many were startled when they went to register for the record-breaking €1,100 FPS Paris Main Event only to learn that the event was at capacity and they'd be unable to do so.
In a statement issued on Feb. 18, Cedric Billot, Head of Live Events Global Operations for PokerStars, personally apologized for the issues experienced by players at the first-ever EPT stop in France, a country with its own unique gambling rules and restrictions. The statement also provided information for players looking to register for the EPT Main Event to ensure the smoothest experience possible.
A short-stacked Apoorva Goel was all-in for 10,900 and then saw the all-ins of Tomasz Kolewczynski and Sandro Pitzanti behind him with the latter also at risk for 35,100.
Apoorva Goel:
Sandro Pitzanti:
Tomasz Kolewczynski:
Pitzanti flopped top set on but the turn gave Goel some outs to win. Nothing changed with the river and Goel was gone while Pitzanti more than doubled.
Jakob Miegel raised to 2,500 and then called the shove by Ren Lin from one seat over for around 22,000.
Once Miegel exposed the , Lin grinned and leaned closer to hug his opponent. "Oh man ..." he said as he slowly rolled over the first. That was followed by the and Lin was in need of help.
Things got worse with the flop and turn, leaving Lin with a mere two outs. No miracle came on the river and Lin was sent to the rail. Even though he was only at the table for a mere half an hour, all other players knew about his "Lady Gaga" hands, also known as cards containing a queen.
"Did you expect him to show better than a ace-jack there?" Julien Bolimowski asked and Miegel replied "I don't know ... he is a funny guy, we play a lot".
On the tail end of a heads-up pot, Yannick Cardot bet the turn and river of a board. The final bet was worth 18,000 and table big stack Shimizu Nozomu quickly called. Cardot revealed the for the nut straight and won the pot.
Jeremy Saderne limped in and Darko Svesko raised to 5,100 from one seat over. The limp-shove by Saderne followed for 30,200 and no call followed.
One table over, the completed board showed and Sidi Tourad bet 6,500 with 18,000 behind. Jamie Howells then moved all-in with the covering stack and Tourad tank-folded.
Fedrico Molina raised to 2,500 and was called only by Benjamin Chalot in the big blind. The flop was checked and Chalot overbet for 13,000 on the turn to win the pot uncontested.
One table over, Paul-Adrian Covaciu raised to 2,500 and El Mostafa Ederoua called in the big blind. Having checked down the flop and turn, Ederoua then bet the river for 2,500 and Covaciu called. Ederoua showed the and Covaciu chopped with the .