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€50,000 EPT Super High Roller
Day 1 Completed
2024 PokerStars EPT Prague
€50,000 EPT Super High Roller
Day: 1
Event Info
2024 PokerStars EPT Prague
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
Buy-in
€50,000
Total Entries
25
Level
18
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
100,000
Entries
18
Players Left
11
Players Left 1 / 25
Filter
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
The biggest buy-in event of the European Poker Tour Prague festival is underway, with 18 entries in the €50,000 Super High Roller.
Some familiar faces, including €25k SHR Warm-Up champion Espen Jorstad, PokerStars Ambassador Sam Grafton and Swedish phenom Niklas "Lena900" Astedt jumped in on Day 1 in what was a star-studded Super High Roller field.
By the end of the day, just 11 players remained from a starting field of 18, led by Nikita Kuznetsov, who doubled with kings against the pocket jacks of Ilya Nikiforov in the last level of the day to inherit the chip lead, and moved further ahead with the late elimination of Artsiom Lasouski.
Late registration is open until the start of Day 2, with play back underway at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, December 9.
EPT Prague €50,000 Super High Roller End of Day 1 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nikita Kuznetsov | Russia | 889,000 | 148 |
| 2 | Markkos Ladev | Estonia | 763,000 | 127 |
| 3 | Teun Mulder | Netherlands | 572,000 | 95 |
| 4 | Sergey Lebedev | United Kingdom | 370,000 | 62 |
| 5 | Sam Grafton | United Kingdom | 347,000 | 58 |
| 6 | Maksim Vaskresenski | Poland | 344,000 | 57 |
| 7 | Steve O'Dwyer | Ireland | 343,000 | 57 |
| 8 | Viacheslav Buldygin | Russia | 308,000 | 51 |
| 9 | Paulius Plausinaitis | Lithuania | 240,000 | 40 |
| 10 | Ilya Nikiforov | Estonia | 207,000 | 35 |
| 11 | Igor Yaroshevskyy | Ukraine | 118,000 | 51 |
Day 1 Action
There were two tables from the start of the Super High Roller as action got underway promptly at 12:30 p.m. and it wasn't long before the first bustout, as Viacheslav Buldygin bluffed into Sergey Lebedev.
Another early casualty was €12,300 Cuatro Knockout winner Yauheni Tsiareshchanka, whose bluff into Markkos Ladev was sniffed out, and the Belarussian exited shortly thereafter.
Jorstad had a tough day, eventually falling at the hands of Maksim Vaskresenski, and although Niklas Astedt had secured a vital double, he was also sent to the rail by Vaskresenski.
A 30-minute cameo from the loquacious-as-ever Martin Kabrhel followed, doubling up Teun Mulder before doubling twice himself before finally falling at the hands of the Dutchman. Meanwhile, Buldygin recovered from his early elimination to send Pavel Plesuv to the rail, turning a flush to eliminate the Moldovan shortly before the last level of the day.
Nikiforov still lead after a sensational double midway through the day through Vaskresenski. Blind on blind, and in a four-bet pot, both players turned straights, with Nikiforov's six-high straight besting the wheel of his opponent to double into the chip lead.
However, the last level wasn't kind to Nikiforov. Not only did he double up Kuznetsov for the chip lead, he gave another double to Paulius Plausinaitis to fall further down the counts.
Kuznetsov retained the chip lead over the closing exchanges and will return with 889,000 from his starting stack of 250,000, ahead of Ladev (763,000) and Mulder (572,000). With late registration open until the start of Day 2, there are plenty of other names who will undoubtedly join the field and grow the prize pool further still.
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Nikita Kuznetsov just called from the small blind and Artsiom Lasouski checked out of the big blind.
Kuznetsov bet 5,000 on the A♦Q♣10♦ flop and Lasouski called.
When the 9♥ hit the turn, Kuznetsov shoved for Lasouski's remaining 30,000. Lasouski thought it over for a few moments and then made the call.
Artisiom Lasouski: 10♣6♦ 
Nikita Kuznetsov: 4♦3♦
Lasauski had made a good call with third pair and just had to fade a diamond on the river. However, the J♦ hit the river to give Kuznetsov the flush, sending Lasouski out of the tournament.
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
On a K♦J♥9♦ flop, Viacheslav Buldygin checked and Markkos Ladev bet 12,000. Buldygin check-raised to 46,000 and Ladev called.
The pair checked down the K♥3♠ board and Buldygin tabled Ax10x. Ladev showed Jx10x and won the pot.
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Sam Grafton raised to 10,000 from under the gun and Artsiom Lasouski was the only caller. The pair checked the Q♣9♠7♥ flop and the turn was the 8♣.
Grafton checked and Lasouski bet 15,000. Grafton called and the Q♥ completed the board. Grafton checked and Lasouski bet 30,000.
Grafton used a time bank before check-raising to 142,000, leaving himself crumbs behind. Lasouski called and Grafton tabled Q♠Q♦ for quads. Lasouski showed 7♣7♦ and the PokerStars Ambassador secured a late boost to his stack.
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Steve O'Dwyer raised to 11,000 under the gun with Sergey Lebedev calling from the next seat, and Markkos Ladev defending his big blind.
All three players checked the 6♥2♦7♦ flop to see the Q♣ come on the turn. Ladev checked, O'Dwyer bet 20,000, and only Lebedev called.
After the 5♣ came on the river O'Dwyer shoved for Lebedev's remaining 195,000. Lebedev thought it over for a while, but ultimately settled on a fold.
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
With around 45,000 in the middle on a board of 4♣8♥Q♥10♣, Markkos Ladev checked from the big blind and Igor Yaroshevskyy bet 26,000 from the button. Ladev used a time extension before making the call.
The K♦ came on the river and both players checked. Ladev showed K♣J♦ for a rivered pair of kings, which was good as Yaroshevskyy frustratingly tossed his cards into the muck.
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Ilya Nikiforov opened to 10,000 and called the shove of Paulius Plausinaitis for his last 71,000.
Paulius Plausinaitis: A♥5♥
Ilya Nikiforov: K♥Q♥
Nikiforov didn't sound happy to see his suit covered, and the A♦K♠3♠A♠J♦ runout saw him double up Plausinaitis.
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Ilya Nikiforov raised from middle position to 10,000 and Nikita Kuznetsov three-bet to 33,000 from the button. After the blinds folded, Nikiforov called.
After Nikiforov checked the 10♠9♠3♦ flop, Kuznetsov bet 39,000. Nikiforov check-raised to 125,000 and Kuznetsov three-bet shoved for 362,000. Nikiforov got a count from the dealer, before reluctantly making the call.
Nikita Kuznetsov: K♠K♥
Ilya Nikiforov: J♠J♣
Kuznetsov was ahead with his pocket kings, but if Nikiforov could find a jack his stack would increase to over a million.
The K♣ came on the turn to give Kuznetsov a set, but it did give Nikiforov a straight draw. The 4♣ river didn't improve Nikiforov and the majority of his stack was sent over to Kuznetsov.
