2025 PokerStars EPT Barcelona
Konstantyn Holskyi raised to 20,000 in the hijack, Adi Rajkovic moved all in for 177,000 in the small blind, and Holskyi called.
Adi Rajkovic: 2♠2♦
Konstantyn Holskyi: A♣J♣
Rajkovic needed his deuces to hold up to survive as the flop came 9♥8♦7♥, giving Holskyi a straight draw to go with his overcards. The turn was the 5♠, while the 8♥ fell on the river to give Rajkovic the double up.
"Deuces never loses," a tablemate said to Rajkovic.
Ricardo Graells on the button opened to 20,000 from the button and he was called by both players in the blinds.
He continued for 20,000 on the A♣5♣10♠ flop, but only Markus Thimm in the big blind check-called.
Both players checked the 4♥ turn leading to the 10♦ river that Thimm checked.
"What's the river? I didn't see," Graells asked to Thimm because he didn't move his head to see the board. He eventually checked back, saying that he was probably "pretty weak" and lost to Thimm's A♦3♦.
Anton Suarez raised it up to 20,000 from middle position only for Tan Le to three-bet the hijack to 65,000. Suarez thought it over for quite some time while staring intently at Le's stack. In the end, he decided on a four-bet to 120,000. Le didn't take too long to five-bet jam for around 510,000, resulting in an instant fold from Suarez.
Chau Shing Lam moved all in from the small blind and Anton Kraous called in the hijack, the two players having nearly identical stacks.
Anton Kraous: A♦10♦
Chau Shing Lam: A♠8♣
Both players hit a pair on the 10♠8♥7♥ flop, but Kraous remained in the lead with his tens. The turn, though, was the 8♦ to give Lam trips. Kraous failed to improve on the 5♥ river and Lam secured the pot.
The stacks were counted down and Lam had 179,000, while Kraous had 173,000 and was barely covered as the Day 1b chip leader was sent to the rail.
Anton Suarez raised to 20,000 from middle position and Gediminas Uselis jammed for 110,000 from the hijack. Suarez called when the action got back to him and the cards were tabled.
Gediminas Uselis: A♦J♥
Anton Suarez: 7♥7♠
Uselis took a commanding lead in the hand by pairing his ace on the A♠2♦8♥ flop. But, the 7♣ hit the turn to give Suarez a set and leave Uselis drawing dead. An inconsequential 4♥ landed on the river, and Uselis was out of the event.
A massive pot was brewing between Damien Gayer and Ramon Munoz as Gayer got all of his 601,000 in the middle before the flop from the button and Munoz put him at risk under the gun.
Damien Gayer: A♦A♥
Ramon Munoz: K♣K♦
With around 1,200,000 at stake, Gayer showed down a pair of aces against Munoz's kings. The board ran out 10♣10♥4♣5♥J♣ and Gayer doubled up.
Adi Rajkovic was all in for around 160,000 from under the gun against Hugo Gotuzzo in the big blind.
Adi Rajkovic: J♦J♥
Hugo Gotuzzo: 6♦6♥
There was no sweat to be had as the flop landed 8♣J♣K♥ to give Rajkovic a set of jacks before the board finished out 5♦9♠ to earn him a double.
Kelvin Kerber raised to 20,000 in middle position before Sergio Carro Marin three-bet to 75,000 in the big blind. Kerber called and they went heads-up to the 8♥2♠4♠ flop.
Marin then continued for 75,000 and Kerber called. The turn was the 6♦ and Marin bet 170,000. Kerber quickly folded this time, and Marin took the pot.