€5,300 Main Event Day 3 | 2025 PokerStars EPT Barcelona

08-27-2025 14:55 UTC+1

Van de Riet Wakes Up With a Monster to Double

David Salituro

Level 16 : Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

Julian Pineda Lozano raised to 10,000 in the cutoff and Raoul Kanme three-bet to 25,000 on the button. Tim van de Riet then moved all in for 64,000 in the big blind. Pineda Lozano reshoved, and Kanme quickly folded.

Tim van de Riet: A♥A♦ All in
Julian Pineda Lozano: K♠K♣

Van de Riet had picked the right time to wake up with aces as he had Pineda Lozano's kings dominated. The board ran out Q♦8♣2♥J♠3♥ and Van de Riet doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Raoul Kanme	170,000 195,000	195,000
Julian Pineda Lozano	160,000 65,000	65,000
Tim van de Riet	140,000 197,000	197,000

Tags: Julian Pineda Lozano Raoul Kanme Tim van de Riet

08-27-2025 14:46 UTC+1

Talebi Calls Tsikopoulos With "Nothing"

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David Salituro

Level 16 : Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

Three players saw the turn on a board of 3♥9♣4♣9♠ when Matin Talebi led out for 15,000 from the small blind. Konstantinos Tsikopoulos then raised to 40,000 in the big blind.

The action folded back to Talebi who reraised to 90,000. Tsikopoulos then moved all in for 182,000, and Talebi burned through a few time banks before calling.

Tsikopoulos showed 2♥2♦, while Talebi was on straight and flush draws holding 6♣5♣. The 7♦ river gave Talebi his straight and sent Tsikopoulos to the rail.

"I knew you had nothing," Tsikopoulos told him.

"You want to be up against this nothing?" Talebi replied.

"Yes, gladly," Tsikopoulos added as he went off to the payout desk.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matin Talebi	600,000 400,000	400,000
Konstantinos Tsikopoulos	Busted

Tags: Konstantinos Tsikopoulos Matin Talebi

08-27-2025 14:38 UTC+1

Amsellem Scores a Knockout

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David Salituro

Level 16 : Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

Jacob Amsellem raised to 11,000 in early position, Christian Pedersen moved all in for 64,000 in the cutoff, and Amsellem called.

Christian Pedersen: A♣J♥ All in
Jacob Amsellem: A♠Q♣

Amsellem had his opponent dominated and was poised for the knockout as the board ran out 6♥5♣4♠K♥7♠, securing the pot for the start-of-day chip leader and sending Pedersen to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jacob Amsellem	650,000 119,000	119,000

Christian Pedersen	Busted

Tags: Jacob Amsellem Christian Pedersen

08-27-2025 14:33 UTC+1

Garcia Takes a Three-Way All In on the River

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David Salituro

Level 16 : Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

Julian Wyss moved all in for 45,000 from the small blind, Carlos Garcia also shoved for 75,000 in the big blind, and Turbo Nguyen put both players at risk in middle position.

Julian Wyss: K♠J♣ All in
Carlos Garcia: A♥Q♣ All in
Turbo Nguyen: 9♠9♣

Wyss and Garcia both needed to improve against Nguyen's nines as the board ran out Q♠2♣3♣4♥, keeping Nguyen in the lead going to the river. The dealer turned over the A♣ on the river, giving Garcia top pair and earning him the pot to double off Nguyen while sending Wyss to the rail.

"You only play ace-queen? I've seen you play two hands today, both ace-queen," tablemate Kevin Houghton said to Garcia after the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Turbo Nguyen	350,000 22,000	22,000
Carlos Garcia	200,000 89,000	89,000
Julian Wyss	Busted

Tags: Carlos Garcia Julian Wyss Turbo Nguyen

08-27-2025 14:22 UTC+1

Bilger Busts a Past Champ; Marin Shoves on Shahar

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David Salituro

Level 16 : Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

Sebastian Malec moved all in for 60,000 from the button and Raphael Bilger called in the big blind.

Sebastian Malec: A♦7♦ All in
Raphael Bilger: A♣K♦

The 2016 EPT Barcelona champion was at-risk and dominated as the flop came A♥K♥6♥, giving Bilger two pair. Malec was left drawing dead aftr the 9♦ turn, while the 4♠ completed the board on the river and sealed his elimination.

At another table, Sergio Marin and Ran Shahar saw a flop of 5♠J♥9♦ where Marin bet 45,000 from the big blind. Shahar then raised to 120,000 in the cutoff.

Marin spent a few minutes in the tank until eventually announcing all in. Shahar had around 160,000 remaining and also took a minute, but he ended up folding and Marin took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sergio Carro Marin	560,000 166,000	166,000
Raphael Bilger	350,000 63,000	63,000
Ran Shahar	160,000 243,000	243,000
Sebastian Malec	Busted

Tags: Raphael Bilger Sebastian Malec Ran Shahar Sergio Marin

08-27-2025 13:17 UTC+1

Voreland Hero Calls Colillas to Double

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David Salituro

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

Ramon Colillas raised to 8,000 on the button, Nicolai Voreland three-bet to 24,000 in the small blind, and Colillas called.

The flop came K♠7♥3♣ and Voreland continued for 16,000. Coilillas called and the 7♦ fell on the turn.

Voreland slowed down and checked, and Colillas bet 20,000. Voreland called to see the 3♠ river and checked again, and this time Colillas moved all in.

Voreland tanked for a few minutes into the break but eventually called for his last 65,000. Colillas tapped the felt and turned over Q♠J♥ for just queen-high, while Voreland had A♠10♣ and won the pot with ace-high to double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ramon Colillas	650,000 150,000	150,000
Nicolai Voreland	250,000 137,000	137,000

Tags: Nicolai Voreland Ramon Colillas

08-27-2025 13:13 UTC+1

Beltz Can't Look at the Flop

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David Salituro

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

Jacob Amsellem raised to 10,000 under the gun and Silius Moll called in the hijack. Wouter Beltz only had one blue 5,000 chip behind after paying the big blind and ante, and tossed it in the middle.

Beltz pretended to cover his eyes as the dealer turned over the 10♦6♣4♣ flop. "I shouldn't have looked," Beltz said. Amsellem then checked to Moll who bet 16,000, and Amsellem called.

Moll bet another 42,000 on the 10♥ turn, and Amsellem this time threw his cards into the muck.

Moll turned over 9♠9♦. "I have outs," Beltz said, revealing K♦J♦, but the 5♦ river wasn't one of them and he headed to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jacob Amsellem	710,000 92,000	92,000

Silius Moll	450,000 69,000	69,000
Wouter Beltz	Busted

Tags: Jacob Amsellem Silius Moll Wouter Beltz

08-27-2025 12:57 UTC+1

Meftahi Survives Against Sow; Navellou Coolers Damestra

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David Salituro

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

Kalidou Sow raised to 8,000 in middle position and Houssem Meftahi three-bet to 45,000 in the big blind, leaving one 5,000 chip behind. Sow then moved all in and Damestra took a few minutes to look at the tournament clock. The rest of the table alerted him that there was a bustout at another table, and only then did Meftahi toss in his last chip.

Houssem Meftahi: A♠J♠ All in
Kalidou Sow: A♣3♦

Meftahi had Sow dominated, but the 5♦8♦4♠ flop gave Sow outs to a straight. The turn was the 5♥, while Meftahi held on through the K♠ river to double up.

The reason for Meftahi finally acting happened at the next table over, when Arthur Navellou and Sil Damestra went to a flop of A♠9♦10♣. Damestra then bet 45,000 from early position, also leaving one chip behind, and Navellou moved all in from middle position. Damestra didn't take as long to committ the rest of his stack.

Sil Damestra: 9♣9♠ All in
Arthur Navellou: 10♥10♦

Damestra turned over a set of nines, but Navellou had flopped a set of tens. The board ran out Q♦4♠ and Damestra fell victim to the brutal cooler.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kalidou Sow	280,000 34,000	34,000
Arthur Navellou	240,000 61,000	61,000
Houssem Meftahi	100,000 26,000	26,000
Sil Damstra	Busted

Tags: Arthur Navellou Houssem Meftahi Kalidou Sow Sil Damestra

08-27-2025 12:43 UTC+1

Ponakovs Takes Out Diedrichs

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David Salituro

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

Lucas Diedrichs survived the bubble with just 25,000 and got the rest of his chips in the middle shortly after from the big blind as Aleksejs Ponakovs put him at risk in early position.

Lucas Diedrichs: A♦10♦ All in
Aleksejs Ponakovs: J♦J♥

The flop came J♣8♠3♣ to give Ponakovs top set, and Diedrichs was left drawing dead after the 10♠ fell on the turn. The river was the 8♥ and Diedrichs was sent to the payout desk.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksejs Ponakovs	340,000 177,000	177,000
Lucas Diedrichs	Busted

Tags: Aleksejs Ponakovs Lucas Diedrichs

08-27-2025 12:36 UTC+1

Laurila (Nearly) Calls His Shot to Bust Kaggerud on the Bubble

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David Salituro

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

Robert Kaggerud three-bet to 36,000 in the big blind before Tero Laurila moved all in from under the gun. Kaggerud leaned back and let out a deep sigh before calling for 193,000. "Good hand to crack aces," Laurila said as the two players waited a few minutes to turn over their cards.

Robert Kaggerud: K♠K♣ All in
Tero Laurila: 10♠9♠

"Straight flush," Laurila said upon revealing his cards.

"Ten-nine of spades. He's expecting a straight flush," tournament director Toby Stone repeated after arriving at the table to call the action. The flop came 8♠6♠3♣ to leave Laurila a card away from fulfilling his prediction, while the K♠ turn gave Kaggerud a set but also improved Laurila to a flush.

Kaggerud needed the board to pair on the river to survive, but he missed the Q♥ and was eliminated.

Two other players were eliminated on the bubble, and the three players will split a min-cash.