€5,300 Main Event Day 4 | 2025 PokerStars EPT Barcelona

08-28-2025 17:05 UTC+2

Set Over Set for Nielsen

Maxime Taldir

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Thomas Lilamand opened to 40,000 from the button. Georgios Karakousis in the small blind three-bet all-in for 200,000, then Martin Nielsen in the big blind jammed for 590,000. Lilamand seemed tempted but folded.

Georgios Karakousis: 3♦3♠ All in
Martin Nielsen: J♦J♣

Karakousis stood up but was ready to sit back down when he flopped a set on K♦2♣3♣. However his hopes were short-lived as the J♥ turn gave a better set to Nielsen. Karakousis smiled when he saw this turn and was eliminated on the 8♥ river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Martin Nielsen	850,000 300,000	300,000

Thomas Lilamand	450,000 150,000	150,000
Georgios Karakousis	Busted

Tags: Georgios Karakousis Martin Nielsen

08-28-2025 17:04 UTC+2

Who is Monarch, the Poker Player Who Lost $15,000,000? | PokerNews Podcast #914

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Chad Holloway

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

In the 914th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Hayley Hanna (AKA Vegas Hayls), who is fresh off finishing fourth in the 2025 Arizona State Poker Championship. The trio discusses the sudden rise of Monarch, who is Finnish poker pro Ossi Ketola. While at the Onyx Cup in Cyprus, he challenged both Norway's Kayhan Mokri and Dan "Jungleman" Cates to high-stakes heads-up matches, and when all was said and done, Monarch was down eight figures!

From there, they talk about recent tournament winners, including Brandon Mitchell taking down the 2025 Arizona State Poker Championship for $525K, Jennifer Shahade winning the Women's Summer Festival, and both Jesse Lonis and Jeremy Ausmus winning over in Europe.

Other stories covered include the loss of Poker Hall of Famer Jack McClelland, a poker player robbed in Texas, Daniel Negreanu saying a Season 2 for Game of Gold is unlikely, and that goofball Nacho Barbero finishing another sponsorship opportunity.

Finally, remember PokerNews is giving away a seat in the World Tournament of Slots (WTOS). You could have an approximate one in 500 chance at a $1,000,000 top prize. Click here to learn more about the WToS.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Click here to listen to the new PN Podcast!

08-28-2025 16:58 UTC+2

Lemmens Blasts Off and Rascar Rockets Into the Chip Lead

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Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Yohan Rascar opened the hijack to 40,000 with 7♠7♣ and Ronnie Lemmens looked down at A♣9♥ in the small blind before he three-bet to 135,000. Rascar called.

The flop of K♥A♠7♦ was a juicy one as Rascar made a set and Lemmens paired his ace. Lemmons bet 110,000 and Rascar called to the 2♠ turn, where Lemmens continued to fire with a bet of 265,000. Rascar was of course going nowhere with his set and called.

A 10♥ fell on the river and Lemmens shoved for 840,000, which Rascar snapped off to claim the monster pot and send Lemmens to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yohan Rascar	4,640,000 1,520,000	1,520,000

Ronnie Lemmens	Busted

Tags: Ronnie Lemmens Yohan Rascar

08-28-2025 16:55 UTC+2

Lilamand Shoves on Pantazis; Marin Moves In Against Eychenne

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Panagiotis Pantazis bet 40,000 from the cutoff on a flop of J♠10♠8♣ and Thomas Lilamand called in the small blind.

Pantazis bet another 80,000 on the 8♥ turn and Lilamand again called. The river was the 9♠ and Lilamand this time moved all in for 155,000.

"Can I show my hand?" Pantazis asked the floor as he tanked for a moment. He eventually folded and Lilamand took the pot.

At another table, Sergio Carro Marin bet 280,000 from under the gun on a board of 4♦6♥2♠7♥ and Thomas Eychenne called on the button.

Marin then moved all in for 440,000 on the J♣ river, and Eychenne used up a few time banks before folding.

Player	Chips	Progress
Thomas Eychenne	2,600,000 635,000	635,000

Panagiotis Pantazis	1,250,000 250,000	250,000
Sergio Carro Marin	1,200,000 460,000	460,000
Thomas Lilamand	600,000 245,000	245,000

Tags: Panagiotis Pantazis Sergio Carro Marin Thomas Eychenne Thomas Lilamand

08-28-2025 16:45 UTC+2

Rascar Collects the Last of Kovalski's Stack

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Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Yohan Rascar opened the button to 40,000 and then called the shove of Fabiano Kovalski, who moved all in for 335,000 from the big blind.

Fabiano Kovalski: K♥10♥ All in
Yohan Rascar: A♠Q♥

Both players connected with the A♥J♠K♦ flop, but Rascar kept his lead with a pair of aces. No help arrived for Kovalski on the 3♣9♦ runout, and he was sent to the payout desk.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yohan Rascar	3,120,000 320,000	320,000

Fabiano Kovalski	Busted

Tags: Fabiano Kovalski Yohan Rascar

08-28-2025 16:44 UTC+2

Saaskilahti Likes the River

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Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Heitor Maciel raised the button to 40,000 and Lauri Saaskilahti called in the big blind.

The flop came 5♠J♥6♠ and both checked to the A♠ turn. Saaskilahti checked again and Maciel bet 60,000, only to be met with a raise to 150,000 from Saaskilahti. After around 20 seconds, Maciel called.

A Q♦ fell on the river and both players decided to check it down, with Saaskilahti showing Q♠3♥ for a rivered pair of queens. That was good for the pot as Maciel's 10♠10♥ went into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lauri Saaskilahti	1,810,000 200,000	200,000
Heitor Maciel	355,000 190,000	190,000

Tags: Heitor Maciel Lauri Saaskilahti

08-28-2025 16:40 UTC+2

Fazio Fills Up

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Connor Richards

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Olivier Fazio was all in for around 200,000 in early position against Juan Carlos Vecino in late position.

Olivier Fazio: 4♣4♦ All in
Juan Carlos Vecino: A♦8♥

The flip wasn't a sweat as the flop landed 4♠6♥2♠ to give Fazio a set and the 2♦ turn improved him to a full house before the K♦ bricked off on the river to earn him a small double.

Player	Chips	Progress
Juan Carlos Vecino	800,000 885,000	885,000
Olivier Fazio	450,000 240,000	240,000

Tags: Juan Carlos Vecino Olivier Fazio

08-28-2025 16:35 UTC+2

Leknes Cold Four-Bets

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Kai Cocklin

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Yohan Rascar raised to 40,000 from under the gun with J♠J♣ and Lauri Saaskilahti three-bet from the next seat with K♠Q♠. Tobias Leknes was in the hijack with A♦K♣ and four-bet to 260,000, which brought the action back around to Rascar.

Rascar threw his jacks in the bin, and Saaskilahti's cards followed, which meant Leknes raked the pot and grew his stack to over 3,000,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tobias Leknes	3,090,000 280,000	280,000
Yohan Rascar	2,800,000 40,000	40,000

Lauri Saaskilahti	1,610,000 105,000	105,000

Tags: Lauri Saaskilahti Tobias Leknes Yohan Rascar

08-28-2025 16:35 UTC+2

Bich Doubles Through Le

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Maxime Taldir

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Marco Bich moved all-in for 265,000 from middle position and he was called by Tan Le on the button.

Marco Bich: A♣K♠ All in
Tan Le: K♦Q♦

Bich hit two pair on K♣10♣6♣9♠A♠ and doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Marco Bich	580,000 310,000	310,000
Tan Le	500,000 265,000	265,000

Tags: Marco Bich Tan Le

08-28-2025 16:33 UTC+2

"You're Too Good"; Nielsen Puts Pantazis to the Ultimate Test

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David Salituro

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Heads-up on a flop of 3♣2♦2♥, Panagiotis Pantazis bet 40,000 from the hijack and Martin Nielsen raised to 90,000 in the big blind. Pantazis called and the 8♣ fell on the turn.

Nielsen then bet 200,000 and Pantazis called. The river was the Q♥ and Nielsen moved all in.

Pantazis, who had been covering nearly his entire face with his hoodie, ripped it away as he went deep into the tank. He tossed all of his time banks into the middle and burned through several of them before calling for his last 400,000.

"Nice call," Nielsen said, showing 6♥4♥ for a missed straight. Pantazis turned over J♣J♦ to win the pot and double up.

"I don't like playing with you. You're too good," Pantazis told him.

"It's not working so well," Nielsen replied as the start-of-day chip leader fell to a short stack.