€5,300 Main Event Day 1a | 2025 PokerStars EPT Monte-Carlo

05-04-2025 19:52 UTC+1

Sitbon Hits the Tank and Correctly Calls

Matt Warburton

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Action was on the river on a board of 8♦10♦K♠J♣6♠ and Julien Sitbon was deep in the tank against an all-in.

A player at the table came over to recount the action and said that after a raise and call preflop, the action had checked down on the flop and turn. There was around 17,000 in the pot and Sitbon had led out with a bet of 8,500 and Paul Jabbari moved all in for 33,000.

Sitbon had apparently been in the tank for around seven minutes. Time was called and the floor gave Sitbon 30 seconds to act. The time was down to the last few seconds before Sitbon plonked his chips in the middle.

Jabbari showed A♦J♦ for a pair of jacks and missed flush draw. Sitbon, clearly relieved, turned over K♥J♠ for two pair to win the pot, sending Jabbari to the rail.

Sitbon apologized for taking so long, and discussed the possibilities with the table, stating that his opponent could have had a straight. In any case, he scooped in the chips and Jabbari left.

Player	Chips	Progress
Julien Sitbon	85,000 46,300	46,300
Paul Jabbari	Busted

Tags: Julien Sitbon Paul Jabbari

05-04-2025 19:37 UTC+1

Trevidy Bests Two Monsters to Double

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David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Georgios Karakousis bet 2,000 from early position on a flop of K♦Q♦4♥ and Ewen Trevidy called in middle position. Iuri Maia then raised to 6,000 in the cutoff and both opponents called.

The turn was the 8♦ and Trevidy bet 6,000. Maia just called this time, as did Karakousis and the 3♠ fell on the river. Trevidy then moved all in for 18,100.

Maia spent a minute in the tank before calling, while Karakousis quickly tossed away A♥A♠. Trevidy showed J♦9♦ for a turned flush and Maia mucked 4♠4♦ for a beaten set before handing over the double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ewen Trevidy	75,000
Iuri Maia	25,000
Georgios Karakousis	23,000 15,000	15,000

Tags: Ewen Trevidy Georgios Karakousis Iuri Maia

05-04-2025 19:29 UTC+1

Yokosawa Holds to Double Off Vallinas

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David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Alexandre Reard raised to 1,700 in early position and received four callers as action went on Jon Vallinas in the big blind. He three-bet to 12,000 and Reard folded, while only Masato Yokosawa called in the cutoff.

The flop came 9♣9♦5♣ and Vallinas bet 5,000. Yokosawa then moved all in for 22,000 and Vallinas called.

Masato Yokosawa: 6♣6♦ All in
Jon Vallinas: A♣Q♠

Yokosawa was ahead with his two pair and held on through the J♥ turn and 2♣ river to secure the double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Masato Yokosawa	55,000 37,200	37,200
Alexandre Reard	35,000 7,600	7,600
Jon Vallinas	30,000 34,800	34,800

Tags: Alexandre Reard Jon Vallinas Masato Yokosawa

05-04-2025 19:27 UTC+1

Kalietina Shoves River on Docherty

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Matt Warburton

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

David Docherty raised from under the gun and Diana Kalietina was the only player to take him up, calling in late position. The flop came 2♦K♦8♣ and Docherty made a continuation bet of 2,600, which Kalientina called.

The flop came 2♦K♦8♣ and Docherty, looking stoic as ever, fired again, this time for 7,100. Kalietina took a moment before making the call.

The river was the A♣ and Docherty opted to check. Kalietina then moved all in for 18,800. Docherty went into the tank and started talking himself through the hand. Kalietina gave nothing away as she waited for her opponent to make the decision. Docherty eventually folded, giving Kalietina the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Diana Kalietina	110,000 55,000	55,000
David Docherty	45,000 90,000	90,000

Tags: David Docherty Diana Kalietina

05-04-2025 19:12 UTC+1

Montalban Catches De Andrade Making a Big Move

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David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Ricardo De Andrade raised to 1,600 in the hijack, Manel Montalban three-bet to 4,000 in the big blind, and De Andrade called.

Montalban continued for 2,300 on the A♦2♥2♣ flop and De Andrade came back with a raise to 6,500. Montalban called and the 4♥ fell on the turn.

De Andrade then bet 13,000 and Montalban again called. The river was the 4♠ and De Andrade moved all in for 30,000. Montalban nearly beat him into the pot with a call.

De Andrade was forced to show 9♦7♦ and was playing the board as Montalban turned over A♣4♣ for a full house to score the knockout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Manel Montalban	130,000 55,500	55,500
Ricardo De Andrade	Busted

Tags: Manel Montalban Ricardo De Andrade

05-04-2025 17:43 UTC+1

Breckenridge Busts to Navarro

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Matt Warburton

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Boutras Awad raised from early position, Jennifer Breckenridge called in the small blind, Mario Navarro three-bet from the big blind, Awad called, and so did Breckenridge.

The flop came 7♥J♣4♥ and Breckenridge moved all in for 15,000. Navarro called and showed K♣J♣ for a pair of jacks.

"C'mon," said Breckenridge as she showed J♦9♠ for the same pair, and then called for a nine to pair her inferior kicker.

The turn came the 3♠ and river the 2♥, so Navarro held with his pair of jacks and higher kicker to win the pot. Breckenridge was eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mario Navarro	52,000 13,500	13,500
Jennifer Breckenridge	Busted

Tags: Jennifer Breckenridge Mario Navarro

05-04-2025 17:24 UTC+1

Docherty Shoves River With Some Value and Some Bluffs

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Matt Warburton

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Action was on the turn on a board of 3♠Q♠9♠2♦ and David Docherty made a bet, which Florian Ribouchon raised up to 16,000 from the button. Docherty called and the river came the 3♦.

With around 40,000 in the pot, Docherty then pushed a stack of blues into the middle, an effective all in of 62,000 against his shorter-stacked opponent. Ribouchon went into the tank for a serious amount of time before eventually making the fold.

"Show one, please?" Ribouchon asked Docherty.

"You already know one, it's the other one you want," replied Docherty.

Rania Nasreddine, who was relaxing with her phone in her hand and a masseuse rubbing her back, then said abruptly, "What you have?"

Docherty laughed and revealed that he had "some value and some bluffs."

Player	Chips	Progress
David Docherty	150,000 15,000	15,000

Florian Ribouchon	62,000 11,000	11,000

Tags: David Docherty Florian Ribouchon Rania Nasreddine

05-04-2025 17:05 UTC+1

Brewer Hits the River to Bust Chen

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David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Chris Brewer raised to 1,800 in the small blind, Zhen Chen three-bet to 5,800 in the big blind, and Brewer called.

The flop came 4♥9♦8♦ and Chen bet 6,500, representing most of his stack. Brewer then moved all in and Chen committed his last chips.

Zhen Chen: A♣J♥ All in
Chris Brewer: A♦7♦

Both players hit a pair of aces on the A♥ turn, but Chen remained in the lead with his jack-kicker until the 2♦ fell on the river to give Brewer the nut flush and the bustout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chris Brewer	100,000 47,000	47,000
Zhen Chen	Busted

Tags: Chris Brewer Zhen Chen

05-04-2025 17:02 UTC+1

Taghla Stuns Fischer on the River

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David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Heads-up on a board of 5♥3♦9♥4♠, Mohamed-Said Taghla bet 9,000 from middle position before Marc Fischer moved all in for 28,100 in the hijack. Taghla spent several minutes in the tank before the clock was called. The countdown had nearly reached zero when Taghla put in the chips to call.

Taghla showed A♦A♣, but he was behind Fischer's 5♣5♦ for a set. The river, though, was the A♥ and a collective gasp arose from the table as Taghla spiked a set of aces to send Fischer to the rail.

"I know that's a bad call. Sorry," Taghla said to Fischer.

"That's poker," Fischer replied, taking the bad beat in stride on his way to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mohamed-Said Taghla	80,000
Marc Fischer	Busted

Tags: Marc Fischer Mohamed-Said Taghla

05-04-2025 16:58 UTC+1

Lu Picks Off Xu

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Matt Warburton

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Qing Lu raised from the button, Ai Guo Xu three-bet to 4,500 and Lu had a little think before she made the call. Both players then checked it back on the 5♣7♠10♥ flop.

The turn came the 4♠ and Xu bet 3,000, which Lu called. On the J♦ river, Xu pushed all in for 16,300 and Lu got the count before making the call.

Xu slammed K♦2♠ on the table for a bluff and was already getting up to leave as Lu showed Q♦J♣ for a pair of jacks to win the pot. Xu was eliminated and the hand left a couple of players on the table bewildered, replaying the events between them.

Player	Chips	Progress
Qing Lu	80,000 80,000	80,000
Ai Guo Xu	Busted

Tags: Ai Guo Xu Qing Lu