€5,300 EPT Main Event Day 1b | 2024 PokerStars EPT Prague

Dec 10, 2024

Joshi Scores a Triple-Up

Georgios Tavoularis

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Youssef Zereg opened to 1,200 from early position and was called by Claudio Di Giacomo. Sachin Joshi then moved all in for 5,700 on his direct left, and both Zereg and Giacomo called.

The A♦7♥K♠ flop was checked around, and the dealer revealed the A♠ on the turn. Zereg then check-folded to a 5,000 bet from Giacomo, and the players revealed their hands.

Sachin Joshi: A♥10♣ All in
Claudio Di Giacomo: KxJx

Giacomo’s pair of kings was no good as he was drawing dead to Joshi's trips. The 6♦ on the river completed the board, and Joshi more than tripled his stack.

Tags: Claudio Di Giacomo Sachin Joshi Youssef Zereg

Dec 10, 2024

Peluso Calls Lijo's Turn Shove, Runs Into Kings

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Matthew Warburton

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Lander Lijo raised to 1,200 from middle position and picked up a call before Fabio Peluso three-bet to 5,000 from the button. It was back on Lijo and he put in a four-bet to 11,800, which only Peluso called.

The flop came 5♦9♦10♥ and Lijo continued with a bet of 6,700. Peluso called and the hand went to the turn.

On the 3♠ turn, Lijo moved all in for the rest of his opponent's stack. Peluso counted out his own chips and went deep into the tank. Cristian Veres, sitting in seat four, had eaten nearly a full bowl of pistachios before Peluso made the call.

Peluso had J♠J♥ for a pair of jacks, but Lijo turned over K♠K♥ for a pair of kings. The river was a blank, the 7♥, so Lijo held to win the pot, eliminating Peluso from the tournament.

Tags: Cristian Veres Lander Lijo Fabio Peluso

Dec 10, 2024

Alioto Shows the Goods

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Ollie Garland

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Felix Marutz raised to 1,200, receiving three calls from the button and both the blinds.

The K♠8♦Q♣ flop checked through to the J♠ on the turn. Piero Alioto, in the small blind, took the lead for 3,000. Only Marutz called.

The J♦ river saw Alioto size up to 6,700. Marutz was forced to fold. As Alioto raked in the pot, he rolled over the J♥ for trips.

Tags: Felix Marutz Piero Alioto

Dec 10, 2024

Vihakas Doubles Through Kozieja with Jacks

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Sava Krink

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Tapio Vihakas opened the action on the button with a raise to 1,200, and Grzegorz Kozieja defended his big blind.

The flop came 7♦9♠2♣, and Kozieja checked. Vihakas continued with a bet of 1,500, but Kozieja responded with a raise to 4,500. Undeterred, Vihakas moved all in for 13,000. After a brief pause, Kozieja made the call, and the cards were tabled:

Tapio Vihakas: J♦J♠ All in
Grzegorz Kozieja: 9♦6♥

Kozieja needed help to eliminate Vihakas, but neither the Q♠ turn nor the K♣ river brought what he needed. Vihakas’ jacks held strong, securing him a crucial double-up.

Tags: Grzegorz Kozieja Tapio Vihakas

Dec 10, 2024

Cihar's Aggression Takes the Pot

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Sava Krink

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Daniel Heredi opened the action under the gun with a raise to 1,300, followed by a call from Jakub Cihar in the hijack. Ricardo Caridade, sitting in the cutoff, raised the stakes with a three-bet to 4,600. Both Heredi and Cihar made the call, setting up a multi-way pot.

The flop came J♥5♣4♦, and Heredi and Cihar checked to Caridade, who continued with a bet of 3,500. Heredi decided to fold, but Cihar wasn’t backing down. He responded with a raise to 11,000.

Caridade thought it over but ultimately let his hand go, conceding the pot to Cihar’s bold play.

Tags: Daniel Heredi Jakub Cihar Ricardo Caridade

Dec 10, 2024

Khorchidian in the Field

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Nichan Khorchidian opened to 1,500 from under the gun and Sylvain Berthelot three-bet from the next seat to 4,600. When the action got back to Khorchidian, he put on his sunglasses, stretched his arms, cracked his knuckles, and called.

On the 8♥A♣4♠ flop, Khorchidian checked and Berthelot fired 3,800. Khorchidian counted out calling chips, then counted out raising chips, but ultimately elected to fold and relinquish the pot to Berthelot.

After the hand, Berthelot offered Khorchidian the choice to pick one card and show the table, and he chose the K♥.

Lebanon's Khorchidian boasts two EPT final tables to his name, including one earned just last night in a Hyper Turbo event, where he secured ninth place for €7,700. With around $700,000 in earnings this year—his best yet—can he cap off a stellar 2024 in style here in Prague?

Tags: Nichan Khorchidian Sylvain Berthelot

Dec 10, 2024

Rezaei Value Bets Third Pair and Gets Paid

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Ollie Garland

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Cesar Garcia raised to 1,300, from early position, and Daniel Rezaei called, from the big blind.

The 5♠4♦8♥ flop checked through to the Q♣ turn and the 3♠ river. Rezaei placed a bet of 1,000 and Garcia called.

Rezaei rolled over K♥5♣ for third pair, winning him this pot.

Tags: Cesar Garcia Daniel Rezaei

Dec 10, 2024

Jorstad Eliminates Hu

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Dan O'Hair

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Espen Jorstad raised to 1,400 on the button and was called by Thomas Hueber in the small blind. David Hu then shoved for a bit over 10,000 from the big blind and Jorstad shoved as well for more. Hueber got out of the way and a showdown was held.

David Hu: A♥J♠ All in
Espen Jorstad: K♥K♣

Hu would need some help, but the 10♣6♠6♣6♦K♦ runout needlessly improved Jorstad to a full house for the knockout.

Tags: David Hu Espen Jorstad Thomas Hueber

Dec 10, 2024

Yousaf Eliminates Bayram

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Barry Russell

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

There were roughly 13,000 chips in the pot on K♠8♥4♠2♠ when Haci Bayram bet 10,000 from early position. Younas Yousaf on the button shoved on Bayram who only had 21,000 behind.

Bayram was in the tank for sometime before he made the call.

Haci Bayram: K♥J♦ All in
Younas Yousaf: A♠7♠

Bayram was dead on the turn as the dealer flicked over the 8♠ river card.

Tags: Haci Bayram Younas Yousaf

Dec 10, 2024

Thiriat Loses Flip to Bust With Short Stack

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Matthew Warburton

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Following an early position raise, Hrayr Grigoryan called, then Arthur Thiriat moved all in from the small blind for 7,500. The original raiser folded and Grigoryan threw in a few more chips to make the call.

Arthur Thiriat: A♦Q♠ All in
Hrayr Grigoryan: 9♥9♠

It was a coin flip and the board ran out 3♥2♠3♣J♠6♣, so Grigoryan held with his pocket nines to win the pot. Thiriat was eliminated as the dinner break approached.

Tags: Arthur Thiriat Hrayr Grigoryan