€1,650 PokerStars Open | 2025 PokerStars EPT Barcelona

08-24-2025 15:23 UTC+1

"You're a Lucky Guy Today"

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David Salituro

Level 38 : Blinds 400,000/800,000, 800,000 ante

Mengshi Tian raised to 2,000,000 on the button and Ben Zech called in the big blind.

The flop came A♥J♥8♦ and Tian continued for 1,500,000. Zech quickly folded.

"Ah," Tian let out as he showed J♠J♦ for a flopped set.

"You're a lucky guy today. Lucky guy," Zech told him.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mengshi Tian	50,000,000 6,500,000	6,500,000
Ben Zech	17,500,000 3,500,000	3,500,000

Tags: Ben Zech Mengshi Tian

Level: 38

Blinds: 400,000/800,000

Ante: 800,000

08-24-2025 15:19 UTC+1

Kazuhiko Yotsushika Eliminated in 7th Place (€120,610)

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David Salituro

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Alexis Nicolai raised to 1,400,000 in the hijack before Kazuhiko Yotsushika moved all in for 15,050,000 in the cutoff. Nicolai let out a long, deep sigh and took a minute before calling, having Yotsushika barely covered.

Kazuhiko Yotsushika: 6♣6♦ All in
Alexis Nicolai: J♠J♦

Nicolai stormed out of his seat after seeing he had Yotsushika dominated with his jacks. The board ran out A♦7♣5♠4♦K♣ and Nicolai secured the pot to send Yotsushika, the massive chip leader for much of the day, to the rail in seventh place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alexis Nicolai	32,000,000 15,500,000	15,500,000
Kazuhiko Yotsushika	Busted

Tags: Alexis Nicolai Kazuhiko Yotsushika

08-24-2025 15:13 UTC+1

Yotsushika Takes Another Hit as Zech Shows a Better King

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David Salituro

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Ben Zech raised to 1,200,000 in the cutoff and Kazuhiko Yotsushika called in the small blind.

The flop came K♠Q♥3♣ and Zech bet 1,100,000. Yotsushika called and the 5♦ fell on the turn.

Zech then bet 2,000,000 and Yotsushika again called. Zech bet 3,000,000 on the 6♣ river and Yotsushika called once more.

Zech showed K♥J♥ for top pair, and Yotsushika let out a sigh as he tossed K♦9♦ into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ben Zech	21,000,000 10,175,000	10,175,000

Kazuhiko Yotsushika	15,000,000 9,000,000	9,000,000

Tags: Ben Zech Kazuhiko Yotsushika

08-24-2025 15:01 UTC+1

Tian Gets Paid by Yotsushika

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David Salituro

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Alexis Nicolai raised to 1,200,000 under the gun and Kazuhiko Yotsushika called in middle position, as did Mengshi Tian on the button.

Action checked to Tian on the J♠10♥7♥ flop and he bet 1,600,000. Only Yotsushika called to see the 4♥ turn.

Tian then bet 3,300,000 and Yotsushika again called. The river was the J♦ and Tian slid forward 4,000,000. Yotsushika called once more, and Tian showed A♥3♥ for a flush to win the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mengshi Tian	43,500,000 12,500,000	12,500,000
Kazuhiko Yotsushika	24,000,000 10,000,000	10,000,000

Alexis Nicolai	16,500,000 500,000	500,000

Tags: Mengshi Tian Kazuhiko Yotsushika Alexis Nicolai

08-24-2025 14:51 UTC+1

Sterba Three-Bets Tian

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David Salituro

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Mengshi Tian raised to 1,200,000 in middle position, Jakub Sterba three-bet to 2,800,000 in the hijack, and Tian called.

Both players checked the 7♦5♥3♠ flop. Sterba then bet 1,700,000 on the Q♥ turn, and Tian folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mengshi Tian	31,000,000 5,000,000	5,000,000
Jakub Sterba	15,500,000 6,500,000	6,500,000

Tags: Jakub Sterba Mengshi Tian

08-24-2025 14:47 UTC+1

Nicolai Takes Three-Way Pot

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David Salituro

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Daniele Cuomo raised to 1,250,000 in early position and Alexis Nicolai and Kazuhiko Yotsushika called in the blinds.

The flop came K♥8♥3♦ and Yotsushika bet 600,000. Both opponents called and the 9♥ turn was checked through.

Nicolai then led out for 600,000 on the 5♠ river, and only Yotsushika called. Nicolai showed 10♥10♦ and Yotsushika mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kazuhiko Yotsushika	34,000,000 4,000,000	4,000,000

Daniele Cuomo	18,500,000 3,625,000	3,625,000
Alexis Nicolai	17,000,000 250,000	250,000

Tags: Alexis Nicolai Daniele Cuomo Kazuhiko Yotsushika

08-24-2025 14:38 UTC+1

David Taieb Eliminated in 8th Place (€92,770)

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David Salituro

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Kazuhiko Yotsushika raised to 1,200,000 in early position, David Taieb moved all in for 6,600,000 on the button, and Yotsushika called.

David Taieb: A♣J♠ All in
Kazuhiko Yotsushika: 4♠4♥

Taieb needed to win the flip to survive, but he missed the Q♣2♠9♠3♥Q♠ board as Yotsushika's pair of fours held up to earn him the knockout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kazuhiko Yotsushika	38,000,000 10,800,000	10,800,000

David Taieb	Busted

Tags: David Taieb Kazuhiko Yotsushika

08-24-2025 14:27 UTC+1

Lim Holds to Double Off Yotsushika

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David Salituro

Level 37 : Blinds 300,000/600,000, 600,000 ante

Kazuhiko Yotsushika raised to 1,600,000 on the button before Chin Wei Lim three-bet to 7,000,000 in the small blind. Yotsushika called and they saw a flop of A♥Q♦J♣.

Lim then bet 2,600,000, leaving himself 600,000 behind, and he stuck in his last chips after Yotsushika moved all in.

Chin Wei Lim: A♠5♠ All in
Kazuhiko Yotsushika: 10♣9♣

Lim was ahead with his pair of aces, while Yotsushika was on a straight draw. The 6♥ turn was safe for Lim, while the river came the 7♠ and Lim doubled up.