2024 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo

€5,300 EPT Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

2024 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aq
Prize
€1,000,000
Event Info
Buy-in
€5,300
Prize Pool
€5,858,800
Entries
1,208
Level Info
Level
40
Blinds
600,000 / 1,200,000
Ante
1,200,000
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
434
Players Left
154

€5,300 EPT Main Event

Day 2 Completed

Eros Calderone Leads 154 Players After Day 2 of the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Eros Calderone
Eros Calderone

Hundreds left with nothing, while three left with some change and a good story to tell. That left just 154 players still with a dream following Day 2 of the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo €5,300 Main Event.

Eros Calderone ended up as the chip leader with 667,000. Calderone jumped up the leaderboard early when he rivered a full house in a big pot against fellow big-stack Alan Ferraro, then stayed there the rest of the night. The Italian has two EPT Main Event cashes on his resume, both coming from EPT Barcelona in the last two years.

EPT veteran Vladimir Troyanovskiy is in second place with 642,000. The Russian has multiple EPT titles and will be looking to claim another one. Ashkan Fattahi (640,000), Francisco Benitez (632,000), and Konstantyn Holskyi (616,000) round out the top five.

Dan Smith waited until the end of the night to make his big move up the leaderboard. Smith won a three-way all in on the last hand with a set of nines as he bagged up 564,000, placing him firmly in the top 10 heading into Day 3. A victory for Smith this week would make him only the 10th player to complete poker's Triple Crown as he seeks the only thing missing from his already stellar resume. Selahaddin Bedir (546,000), Kayhan Mokri (508,000), Rania Nasreddine (507,000), Irish Open champion David Docherty (495,000), and Alexandre Reard (474,000) also finished as big stacks.

Day 2 Top 10 Chip Counts

RankPlayerCountryChip CountBig Blinds
1Eros CalderoneItaly667,000133
2Vladimir TroyanovskiyRussia642,000128
3Ashkan FattahiIran640,000128
4Francisco BenitezUruguay632,000126
5Konstantyn HolskyiUkraine616,000123
6Christophe MorbeeBelgium610,000122
7Dan SmithUnited States564,000113
8Oleksii IevchenkoUkraine560,000112
9Selahaddin BedirTurkey546,000109
10Kayhan MokriNorway508,000102

Other players to advance to Day 3 include 2015 EPT Monte Carlo Main Event champion Adrian Mateos (355,000), Ankit Ahuja (300,000), Peter Jorgne (287,000), Ana Marquez (231,000), Day 1a chip leader and streamer Elias Gutierrez (200,000), and Marle Spragg (101,000). Rafael Moraes (226,000) and Felix Schneiders (146,000) also made it through and will be representing Team PokerStars, while past EPT Barcelona Main Event champion Sebastian Malec (144,000) will be chasing a second title.

Alexander Seibt
Alexander Seibt

One player who made his mark on Day 2 was Alexander Seibt. To his millions of online followers he’s known as “Wolfgang Poker,” and today Seibt secured his first EPT cash in only his second attempt. Seibt shared a table with Roman Hrabec and Mustapha Kanit the entire day and battled the seasoned pros, picking up aces to double up off Hrabec’s kings while spiking an ace on the river to double off Kanit. He ended up with 122,000, while Hrabec finished with 273,000 and Kanit 271,000. Defending champion Mike Watson squeaked into the money with 49,000, as did Spanish high roller superstar Juan Pardo (61,000).

Day 2 began with 75 players joining the returning players from the two opening flights to create a total field of 1,208, the largest in EPT Monte Carlo history. They were playing for a prize pool of €5,858,800, with the top 175 finishers earning a payday. Sam Grafton, Parker Talbot, Gus Hansen, Andre Akkari, Steve O’Dwyer, and Simon Wiciak were among those who fell early as the bubble rapidly approached.

With 176 players remaining in the last level of the night, four players found themselves all in and at risk. Oleksii Natoptanyi lost with jacks when Oleksii Ievchenko spiked a king on the flop. Demosthenes Kiriopoulos hit an ace on the river to crack Sylvain Loosli’s kings, and finally Jeremie Zouari flopped a full house holding pocket aces and sprung a trap on Lincoln De Souza until the river when De Souza moved all in for his short stack with a smaller full house. The three players split a €5,800 min-cash, with the remaining 173 players making the money.

EPT Montecarlo Main Event 2024 bubble
EPT Montecarlo Main Event 2024 bubble

The 154 players who return tomorrow at noon local time for Day 3 are guaranteed €8,700. The eventual winner will take home €1,000,000 and the prestige of conquering the largest field in this event’s history.

But first, another grueling day of survival is in store tomorrow, and PokerNews will be back providing live updates throughout the day.

Tags: Adrian MateosAlan FerraroAlexander SeibtAlexandre ReardAna MarquezAndre AkkariAnkit AhujaAshkan FattahiChristophe MorbeeDan SmithDavid DochertyDemosthenes KiriopoulosElias GutierrezEros CalderoneFelix SchneidersFrancisco BenitezGus HansenJeremie ZouariJuan PardoKayhan MokriKevin SchulzKonstantyn HolskyiLincoln De SouzaMarle SpraggMike WatsonMustapha KanitOleksii IevchenkoOleksii NatoptanyiParker TalbotPeter JorgneRafael MoraesRania NasreddineRoman HrabecSam GraftonSebastian MalecSelahaddin BedirSimon WiciakSteve O’DwyerSylvain LoosliVladimir Troyanovskiy

End-of-Day Chip Counts (full)

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Eros Calderone it
Eros Calderone
667,000
-133,000
-133,000
Day 2 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Vladimir Troyanovskiy ru
Vladimir Troyanovskiy
642,000
118,000
118,000
Profile photo of Ashkan Fattahi dm
Ashkan Fattahi
640,000
-10,000
-10,000
Profile photo of Francisco Benitez uy
Francisco Benitez
632,000
144,000
144,000
Profile photo of Konstantyn Holskyi ua
Konstantyn Holskyi
616,000
56,000
56,000
Profile photo of Christophe Morbee be
Christophe Morbee
610,000
60,000
60,000
Profile photo of Dan Smith us
Dan Smith
564,000
-6,000
-6,000
Run It Once
Profile photo of Oleksii Ievchenko ua
Oleksii Ievchenko
560,000
10,000
10,000
Profile photo of Selahaddin Bedir tr
Selahaddin Bedir
546,000
-4,000
-4,000
Day 3 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Kayhan Mokri no
Kayhan Mokri
508,000
64,000
64,000
Profile photo of Rania Nasreddine us
Rania Nasreddine
507,000
-93,000
-93,000
Profile photo of Osman Aksu tr
Osman Aksu
507,000
174,000
174,000
Profile photo of Aaron Olechnowicz mx
Aaron Olechnowicz
507,000
84,000
84,000
Profile photo of David Docherty gb
David Docherty
495,000
197,000
197,000
Profile photo of Maxi Lehmanski de
Maxi Lehmanski
488,000
55,000
55,000
Profile photo of Javier Caballo gb
Javier Caballo
480,000
-130,000
-130,000
Run It Once
Profile photo of Georgios Karakousis gr
Georgios Karakousis
477,000
67,000
67,000
Profile photo of Alexandre Reard fr
Alexandre Reard
474,000
221,000
221,000
Profile photo of Derk van Luijk nl
Derk van Luijk
470,000
235,000
235,000
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Ihar Soika by
Ihar Soika
447,000
137,000
137,000
Profile photo of Natan Chauskin by
Natan Chauskin
444,000
164,000
164,000
Profile photo of Silviu Baltateanu ro
Silviu Baltateanu
444,000
24,500
24,500
Profile photo of Ioannis Poullos gr
Ioannis Poullos
426,000
282,000
282,000
Profile photo of Christopher Dowling ie
Christopher Dowling
424,000
38,000
38,000
Profile photo of Jonathan Pastore fr
Jonathan Pastore
424,000
43,000
43,000

Read full

Players Bag and Tag

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

The remaining 154 players in Day 2 of the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event have bagged and tagged for the end of play. They will return at midday tomorrow already in the money as the tournament reaches the business end. Standby for the recap on PokerNews.

Smith Smacks the Flop in Three-Way All In

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Jamie Flynn was all in for 63,000 in the big blind, Dan Smith had his last 235,000 in the middle from the button, and Victor Castanedo had both players covered and at risk in the cutoff.

Jamie Flynn: 22 All in
Dan Smith: 99 All in
Victor Castanedo: AK

The flop came 8109 and Smith hit a set to take a big lead in the pot. The turn was the 2 and Flynn also made a set as he was looking for a one-outer on the river, but he missed on the 3 river and Smith scooped the entire pot to send him to the rail while earning a double up off Castanedo.

"So close," Flynn said on his way to the payout desk.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Dan Smith us
Dan Smith
570,000
330,000
330,000
Run It Once
Profile photo of Victor Castanedo es
Victor Castanedo
165,000
14,000
14,000
Profile photo of Jamie Flynn ie
Jamie Flynn
Busted

Tags: Dan SmithJamie FlynnVictor Castanedo

Chisu's Comeback

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

After losing a big pot worth over 200,000 chips, Danut Chisu was left with only 7,000.

The floor manager had already announced the last three hands of the day. However, Chisu managed to triple up with QJx and one hand later, he doubled up against Perati, the same player from whom he had lost almost his entire stack.

Danut Chisu: 98All in
Muhamet Perati: 55

Chisu hit an eight with the last card on the river QK1068, securing a bag of 60,000 for Day 3.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Muhamet Perati it
Muhamet Perati
235,000
85,000
85,000
Profile photo of Danut Chisu ro
Danut Chisu
60,000
-145,000
-145,000

Tags: Danut ChisuMuhamet Perati

Fattahi Finishes Off Livshitz

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

"I am all in. I am brave now," Gabi Livshitz said as he moved all in for around 50,000 soon after the bubble burst. He got no callers that time, but a few hands later he found himself all in again for 70,000 in the cutoff, and this time he was called by Ashkan Fattahi in early position.

Gabi Livshitz: AJ All in
Ashkan Fattahi: AK

Livshitz was dominated and found no help on the Q9646 board as Fattahi took the pot with his king-kicker to send Livshitz to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ashkan Fattahi dm
Ashkan Fattahi
650,000
90,000
90,000
Profile photo of Gabi Livshitz il
Gabi Livshitz
Busted

Tags: Ashkan FattahiGabi Livshitz

Post Bubble Bust Outs

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Attila Koncz hu
Attila Koncz
Busted
Profile photo of Gabi Livshitz il
Gabi Livshitz
Busted
Profile photo of Kostadin Kostadinov bg
Kostadin Kostadinov
Busted
Profile photo of Bojidar Boiadjiev gb
Bojidar Boiadjiev
Busted
Profile photo of Andrea Crobu it
Andrea Crobu
Busted
Profile photo of Kamal Jbirane fr
Kamal Jbirane
Busted
Profile photo of Benny Kneepkens nl
Benny Kneepkens
Busted
Profile photo of Fabio Peluso it
Fabio Peluso
Busted
Profile photo of Luke Appleton gb
Luke Appleton
Busted
Profile photo of Damien Pilkington-Lewis gb
Damien Pilkington-Lewis
Busted
Profile photo of Alessandro Minasi it
Alessandro Minasi
Busted
Profile photo of Evgenii Sboev ru
Evgenii Sboev
Busted
Profile photo of Sachin Joshi gb
Sachin Joshi
Busted
Profile photo of Louis Perez fr
Louis Perez
Busted
Profile photo of Victorio Piturca ro
Victorio Piturca
Busted

Kneepkens Busts to Quad Queens

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Shortly after the bubble, Benny Kneepkens was all in with a short stack preflop against Stefan Dimitrov, who had him well covered as players turned their cards.

Benny Kneepkens: AK All in
Stefan Dimitrov: QQ

The board ran out Q5Q38, which gave Dimitrov quad queens on the flop. Kneepkens was eliminated from the tournament.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Stefan Dimitrov bg
Stefan Dimitrov
170,000
95,000
95,000
Profile photo of Benny Kneepkens nl
Benny Kneepkens
Busted

Tags: Benny KneepkensStefan Dimitrov