€5,300 EPT Main Event Day 1a | 2024 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo

04-28-2024 14:05 UTC+1

Moreno Makes Flush, Appleton Rivers Full House

Matt Warburton

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Action folded around to Francisco Perez Moreno, who open raised from the button. Luke Appleton three-bet from the big blind and Moreno called.

The flop came K♥7♥4♥. Appleton made a continuation bet for 3,400 and Moreno called the bet.

The turn was the K♠. Appleton slowed down with a check, but Moreno picked it up with a bet of 9,000, putting pressure on his opponent, who had just 15,200 left behind. There was an anguished look on Appleton's face as he deliberated his next move before throwing in the rest of his stack. Moreno quickly called the extra few chips.

Appleton turned over A♠K♦ for trip kings, but Moreno flipped J♥9♥ for a flopped flush.

In a dramatic twist, the river fell the 4♣ to give Appleton a full house. He almost apologetically scooped the chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Luke Appleton	43,000 43,000	43,000
Francisco Perez Moreno	13,000 13,000	13,000

Tags: Francisco Perez Moreno Luke Appleton

04-28-2024 14:07 UTC+1

Alilovic Picks Off Roca With Kings

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Christian Alilovic raised to 1,000 on the button before Manuel Roca three-bet to 3,100 in the big blind. Alilovic then moved all in and Roca called for his last 18,000.

Manuel Roca: J♦J♣ All in
Christian Alilovic: K♥K♣

The 8♥Q♥3♥ flop gave Alilovic a flush draw and left Roca drawing to one out heading to the turn. The rest of the board came 6♣6♥ and Alilovic made his flush to send Roca to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Christian Alilovic	80,000 80,000	80,000
Manuel Roca	Busted

Tags: Christian Alilovic Manuel Roca

04-28-2024 14:14 UTC+1

Wheeler Left Short as Scafini Makes Nut Flush

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Matt Warburton

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Lucas Scafini raised from early position and Jason Wheeler put in the three-bet to 2,200 from middle position, which Scafini called.

The flop ran out 4♥9♥K♥. Scafini checked and Wheeler continued for 1,800. Scafini called the bet. The turn was the J♥ and Scafini checked again. With four hearts now on the board, Wheeler bet again for 2,100, only slightly more than his flop bet.

The river was the 7♣ and Scafini checked. Wheeler now had just 8,000 left behind and after thinking it through also opted to check back his hand. Scafini flipped over A♥6♥ for the nut flush, his check on the river an invitation for Wheeler to barrel again.

Wheeler avoided the final bluff, but was left short stacks as Scafini pulled in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lucas Scafini	45,000 45,000	45,000
Jason Wheeler	8,000 4,000	4,000

Tags: Jason Wheeler Lucas Scafini

04-28-2024 14:15 UTC+1

Kitai Flips Ketzer to the Rail

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Hossein Ensan raised to 700 in the hijack before Felipe Ketzer three-bet to 1,700 on the button. Davidi Kitai four-bet to 4,500 in the small blind and Ensan folded, but Ketzer moved all in for around 12,000 and Kitai snap-called.

Felipe Ketzer: A♠K♦ All in
Davidi Kitai: Q♥Q♣

The two players were racing for Ketzer's tournament life, and the Brazilian high roller couldn't find any help on the 3♦9♥5♥J♠6♣ board as he headed for the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Davidi Kitai	45,000

Hossein Ensan	25,000 1,000	1,000

Felipe Ketzer	Busted

Tags: Davidi Kitai Felipe Ketzer Hossein Ensan

04-28-2024 14:25 UTC+1

Lafontaine Gives the Table a Poker Lesson

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Luc Lafontaine led out for 4,500 in the small blind on a flop of 9♦3♣Q♠ and Ramon Miquel called in early position.

The turn was the 5♦ and Lafontaine bet 9,200. Miquel called and the Q♥ fell on the river.

Lafontaine slowed down and checked as Miquel fired out 10,000. Lafontaine instantly called.

"You got it," Miquel said as he mucked. Lafontaine showed K♦K♥ and took down the pot.

"Do you call an all in?" tablemate Priit Parmasto asked Lafontaine.

"Yes, because if he had ace-queen he would've raised me somewhere," Lafontaine replied, proceeding to give a lengthy speech about why he put Miquel on a small pocket pair.

"Good explanation. Good poker lesson," tablemate [Removed:467] said when Lafontaine was finally finished.

Player	Chips	Progress
Luc Lafontaine	85,000 85,000	85,000
Ramon Miquel	30,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Luc Lafontaine Ramon Miquel

04-28-2024 14:25 UTC+1

Nasreddine Raises Flop and Closes Action on Turn

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Matt Warburton

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Action was on the flop on a board of J♠3♦10♦. Rania Nasreddine had a bet of 2,000 in the middle and picked up a caller before Manuel Valduga raised it up to 6,000. Antonio Buonanno called from the next seat across and Nasreddine called.

The turn was the 9♣ and players checked it to Nasreddine, who fired out a large bet of 13,000. Valduga folded and Buonanno deliberated before also mucking his hand, but not before attempting to guess his opponent's cards.

"King queen?", he asked. Nasreddine wasn't up for giving anything away as she scooped the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Rania Nasreddine	51,000
Manuel Valduga	50,000
Antonio Buonanno	39,000 9,000	9,000

Tags: Antonio Buonanno Manuel Valduga Rania Nasreddine

04-28-2024 14:33 UTC+1

Six Players, One Nut Flush

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Sava Krink

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Jerome Ruefenacht initiated the action with a modest raise of 700 from under the gun, oblivious to the fact that the entire table was eager to join the hand.

"Everybody in?" quipped a player, eliciting laughter from the table.

Almost everyone obliged, except for Peter Jorgne, who opted to fold. Six players, including PokerStars ambassador Maria Konnikova, opted to see the flop.

The flop revealed Q♦6♥A♦, prompting a round of checks around the table.

The 2♦ on the turn seemed poised to continue the pattern, but Konnikova disrupted the flow with a bet of 2,200 from the button after everyone checked. Dmitrii Prusov, from the small blind, and the initial raiser, Ruefenacht, both called.

The river card, 7♦, completed flush possibilities for those holding diamonds, prompting Ruefenacht to seize the initiative once more with a bet of 4,200. Konnikova made the call, while Prusov folded.

Ruefenacht revealed K♦Q♣, boasting the nut flush. Konnikova, conceding defeat, playfully raised one of her cards and remarked, "You're better," revealing the J♦.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maria Konnikova	72,000 23,000	23,000

Jerome Ruefenacht	37,000

Tags: Dmitrii Prusov Jerome Ruefenacht Maria Konnikova Peter Jorgne

Level: 4

Blinds: 200/400

Ante: 400

04-28-2024 14:37 UTC+1

Dellisola Raises Zhao Big on the Flop

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

A pot of around 12,000 was already in the middle as Cheng Zhao and Edoardo Dellisola went heads-up to a flop of 5♠3♣10♠.

Zhao was in middle position and bet 7,000. Dellisola then raised to 19,000 on the button.

Zhao spent nearly five minutes in the tank before the EPT Prague finalist sent his cards into the muck.

Alexander Seibt, better known by his online handle "Wolfgang Poker" where he has more than one million YouTube subscribers, just took his seat in the tournament. Seibt quickly won a pot uncontested with a pre-flop raise and pumped his fist in the air.

"I need to win a big pot so I make it on TV," he said as a host of cameras surrounded his table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Edoardo Dellisola	50,000 50,000	50,000
Alexander Seibt	30,000 30,000	30,000
Cheng Zhao	26,000 26,000	26,000

Tags: Alexander Seibt Cheng Zhao Edoardo Dellisola

04-28-2024 14:43 UTC+1

Action Slows Down on Turn and Ferraro Takes Pot

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Matt Warburton

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

[Removed:548] opened from middle position and Igor Pihela Jr. called from late position. Alan Ferraro then squeezed from the button, raising to 3,200. [Removed:549] folded and Pihela Jr. called the raise.

The flop was 4♦5♦10♣. Pihela Jr. checked and Ferraro bet 2,600, which Pihela Jr. called.

The action slowed down after the flop, with both players showing reluctance to invest more in the pot.

The turn was the 5♣ and both players checked. The river brought the A♠ and again both players checked to showdown.

Pihela Jr. revealed 10♠9♠ for a pair of tens, but Ferraro showed A♦J♠ for a pair of aces, winning the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alan Ferraro	38,000 15,000	15,000
Igor Pihela Jr.	32,000 32,000	32,000

Tags: Alan Ferraro Igor Pihela Jr