Niklas Astedt opened to 50,000 from the cutoff and Diogo Coelho defended in the big blind.
On the 6♣5♣3♣ flop, Coelho check-called versus a bet of 30,000 from Astedt.
The A♦ turn followed the same pattern, but this time Astedt sized up with a bet of 130,000.
The 4♦ river completed the board. Coelho led out with a bet of 95,000, but Astedt quickly raised to 600,000. Coelho took a fair bit of time to think, but ultimately disposed of his hand.
Stoyan Madanzhiev raised from early position to 50,000 and Hannes Jeschka shoved from the cutoff for 325,000. When it got back to Madanzhiev, he called.
Hannes Jeschka: 9♥9♦
Stoyan Madanzhiev: A♠K♣
Jeschka was at risk and needed to win a flip in order to stay alive. The Austrian player surely breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the 9♠ in the window, but seeing the 8♠5♠ that followed probably didn't help the nerves, as Madazhiev picked up a flush draw. A 4♥ on the was safe, but the 2♠ river gave Madanzhiev a flush, eliminating Jeschka.
Action folded to Mehdi Chaoui on the button, who opened to 350,000, leaving himself about 60,000 behind. Hannes Jeschka three-bet jammed from the small blind with the covering stack, and Chaoui got the rest in the middle.
Mehdi Chaoui: A♦J♠
Hannes Jeschka: A♥4♥
Chaoui had Jeschka dominated, and his double-up was confirmed by the J♦8♦4♣9♠3♦ runout, Chaoui ending up with top pair jacks.
The final day of a hugely successful 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus is on the horizon, with 24 players set to return at noon today, October 20, to the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa to battle for the $10,300 EPT High Roller title and first place prize of $865,700.
A total of 456 entries created a $4,423,200 prize pool, from which 63 places were paid. All remaining players have locked up a guaranteed payday of $30,600, but all will have their eyes on taking home the title.
The remaining field is a high quality one, with the chip lead being held by an all-time great, Irishman Steve O'Dwyer (2,235,000), and another, Swede Niklas Astedt
(1,200,000), lurking ominously in the top ten.
Steve O'Dwyer
Those players will also face an extremely tough competitor in the form of Portuguese player Diogo Coelho (1,995,000), who is sitting just behind O'Dwyer in the standings and is gunning for his second High Roller trophy of the week, having already triumphed in the $2,200 Eureka High Roller for over $350,000.
2016 EPT Barcelona Main event winner Sebastian Malec and three-time EPT trophy winner Andras Nemeth also sit in the top ten, and will represent dangerous foes for O'Dwyer.
Start of Day 3 Top Ten Chip Counts
Rank
Player
Country
Chip Count
Big Blinds
1
Steve O'Dwyer
Ireland
2,235,000
89
2
Diogo Coelho
Portugal
1,995,000
79
3
Shankui Li
China
1,725,000
69
4
Andras Nemeth
Hungary
1,550,000
62
5
Stoyan Madanzhiev
Bulgaria
1,370,000
54
6
Lars Kamphues
Austria
1,335,000
53
7
Niklas Astedt
Sweden
1,200,000
48
8
Adrian Cazacu
Romania
1,000,000
40
9
Jelle Moene
Netherlands
915,000
36
10
Sebastian Malec
Poland
910,000
36
The remaining payouts the players are playing for are as follows:-
Remaining Payouts
Place
Prize
Place
Prize
1
$865,700
10-11
$77,000
2
$540,700
12-13
$64,200
3
$386,200
14-15
$53,500
4
$297,000
16-17
$46,500
5
$228,500
18-20
$40,400
6
$175,800
21-23
$35,200
7
$135,200
24
$30,600
8
$110,900
9
$92,400
The players will return to 50-minute levels at Level 23, with blinds of 10,000/25,000, with a 25,000 big blind ante, and play will continue until a champion is crowned.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all your coverage of what is sure to be a thrilling day of top quality poker, as we will see who will capture the coveted EPT High Roller trophy.
