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

05-04-2025 16:40 UTC+1

Tepeh Spikes a Two-Outer to Double

David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Tjan Tepeh raised to 1,500 in the hijack and Zhen Chen three-bet to 5,500 in the big blind. Tepeh then moved all in for 30,500 and Chen quickly called.

Tjan Tepeh: J♣J♠ All in
Zhen Chen: A♥K♦

Chen took the lead on the K♥8♥2♣ flop with a pair of kings, while the 8♦ turn left Tepeh looking for just two outs to stay alive. He found one of them on the J♥ river to make a full house and Tepeh earned the miracle double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tjan Tepeh	62,000 62,000	62,000
Zhen Chen	5,000 5,000	5,000

Tags: Tjan Tepeh Zhen Chen

05-04-2025 16:22 UTC+1

Kolonias Busts Two Players in Three-Way All In

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Matt Warburton

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Kamal Jbirane open-raised to 1,200 from middle position and Graeme Newman three-bet to 6,300 from late position. Alexandros Kolonias then isolated from the small blind, pushing a stack of a touch over 20,000 into the middle worth the rest of Jbirane's chips. Jbirane went into the tank and then made the call. Players flipped their cards for the three-way all in, with both Jbirane and Newman at risk.

Graeme Newman: A♣5♣ All in
Kamal Jbirane: 7♠7♦ All in
Alexandros Kolonias: A♦K♦

Newman was in trouble, while Jbirane and Kolonias were flipping. The board ran out J♦J♥9♥K♠6♠ with the turn bringing Kolonias a pair of kings to win the pot.

Both Newman and Jbirane were eliminated, while Kolonias chipped up to around 100,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alexandros Kolonias	100,000
Kamal Jbirane	Busted
Graeme Newman	Busted

Tags: Alexandros Kolonias Graeme Newman Kamal Jbirane

05-04-2025 16:07 UTC+1

Lascar Spikes the River to Bust Angelov

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

David Lascar raised to 1,000 in early position, Boris Angelov moved all in for 4,500 from the cutoff, and Lascar called.

Boris Angelov: 8♦8♥ All in
David Lascar: K♦J♠

The two opponents were racing as the flop came 7♠10♠6♣. The Q♥ turn gave Lascar a straight draw, while the 9♣ river completed his straight and Angelov, who finished runner-up in this event last year, was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Lascar	50,000 3,000	3,000
Boris Angelov	Busted

Tags: Boris Angelov David Lascar

05-04-2025 15:54 UTC+1

Zamani Is Unstoppable

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Martin Zamani bet 2,100 from middle position on a flop of 6♦2♠8♣ and Daniel Drommel raised to 7,000 in the cutoff.

"Let's play a bit," Drommel said as Zamani flashed a smile. He then moved all in and Drommel quickly called for 22,000.

Daniel Drommel: 10♥10♠ All in
Martin Zamani: Q♠Q♦

Drommel's tens were dominated by Zamani's queens, and the rest of the board ran out J♥7♣ to earn Zamani a bustout and another boost to his already massive stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Martin Zamani	160,000 15,000	15,000
Daniel Drommel	Busted

Tags: Daniel Drommel Martin Zamani

05-04-2025 15:46 UTC+1

How to Approach Day 1 of the EPT Main Event

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Will Shillibier

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

David Docherty, Masato Yokosawa, Barny Boatman, & Jerome Sgorrano

Thinking About Day 1 Strategy? We asked top players including Barny Boatman, Masato Yokosawa, and David Docherty how they approach the start of the EPT Main Event.

From staying patient with deep stacks to observing table dynamics and avoiding early slip-ups, their advice could make all the difference.

Custodio Cracks Aces on River

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Matt Warburton

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Daniel De Sousa Custodio raised to 1,000 from the button, the small blind called, then Kestutis Jungevicius three-bet to 3,600 from the big blind. Custodio clicked it back, the small blind folded and Jungevicius five-bet to 11,800, leaving himself less than 2,000 behind. Custodio called.

The flop came 6♠2♥Q♥ and Jungevicius put his last few chips in the middle. Custodio was never folding. Players turned their cards for the all in.

Kestutis Jungevicius: A♠A♦ All in
Daniel De Sousa Custodio: 10♠10♥

The turn came a blank, the 3♣. The river changed it all, though, the 10♣ giving Custodio a set of tens to crack Jungevicius' aces. Custodio won the pot and Jungevicius was sent to the rail.

Elsewhere, Dario Talio got his chips in the middle on the turn against Attila Ivacson. Talio had a pair of tens and Ivacson won the pot with pocket kings to send Talio to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Attila Ivacson	55,000 36,400	36,400
Daniel De Sousa Custodio	48,000 48,000	48,000
Dario Talio	Busted
Kestutis Jungevicius	Busted

Tags: Attila Ivacson Dario Talio Kestutis Jungevicius

05-04-2025 15:17 UTC+1

Bogdanov Spikes a Straight Flush in Three-Way All In

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Alessandro Traversi bet 6,000 from early position on a flop of J♠10♠7♠ and Maksym Filipovskyi raised to 12,000 in the hijack. Yulian Bogdanov then moved all in for 39,100 in the cutoff, Traversi tossed in his last few chips, while Filipovskyi also called having both players covered and at risk.

Alessandro Traversi: A♣K♥ All in
Yulian Bogdanov: Q♠9♠ All in
Maksym Filipovskyi: J♣J♦

Filipovskyi turned over a set of jacks, but Bogdanov had flopped a flush to take the lead. The turn, though, was the 10♦ as Filipovskyi improved to a full house and was poised for a double knockout until the K♠ fell on the river to give Bogdanov a straight flush.

Traversi was sent to the rail, while Bogdanov earned the massive double up off Filipovskyi.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yulian Bogdanov	95,000 50,000	50,000
Maksym Filipovskyi	15,000 50,000	50,000
Alessandro Traversi	Busted

Tags: Alessandro Traversi Maksym Filipovskyi Yulian Bogdanov

05-04-2025 14:36 UTC+1

Afriat Reads Zagar Correctly

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

With around 8,000 in the pot on a flop of K♣10♠6♥, Eric Afriat bet 3,500 from the hijack and Franck Makaci called on the button, as did big blind Vid Zagar.

All three players checked the A♦ turn. Zagar then led out for 9,000 on the 3♦ river.

Afriat spent a minute in the tank before folding, while Makaci quickly mucked. "Show one time," Afriat pleaded with Zagar, who obliged by showing Q♦J♦ for a straight.

"I had two pair. See how I folded and checked the turn? You're the only one who can have a straight there," Afriat added after the hand.

Matthew Wantman recently took his seat at this table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vid Zagar	37,000 2,000	2,000
Matthew Wantman	30,000 30,000	30,000
Franck Makaci	25,000 25,000	25,000
Eric Afriat	17,000 10,500	10,500

Tags: Eric Afriat Franck Makaci Vid Zagar

05-04-2025 14:26 UTC+1

Jaraiz Makes Set, Golinski Loses Chips, Boatman Tries to Take Seat

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Matt Warburton

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Three players were in the pot on a flop of 3♠10♣4♥ and Mariusz Golinski checked. Eric Afriat bet 2,000, which Jose Jaraiz and Golinski both called.

The turn was the 8♦ and Golinski checked. Afriat bet 4,500, which both Jaraiz and Golinski called again.

The river came the J♣ and Afriat checked. Jaraiz sized up a bet of 16,000 and Golinski went into the tank, placing his head on his hands and leaning on the table. He eventually placed his chips in the middle in dramatic fashion. Afriat folded and players showed their cards.

Golinski had 10♠8♥ for two pair, but Jaraiz flipped over 3♥3♣ for a set of threes to win the pot. Golinski's stack was reduced to around half what it was towards the start of the level.

On the table behind, mild drama was unfolding as Barny Boatman tried to take his seat for his second bullet, only to find a player already seated who also had the same seat number on his ticket. The floor was called and the situation cleared up. Boatman took his seat with a fresh 30,000 stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jose Jaraiz	68,000 31,500	31,500
Mariusz Golinski	45,000 50,000	50,000
Barny Boatman	30,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Barny Boatman Eric Afriat Jose Jaraiz Mariusz Golinski

05-04-2025 14:25 UTC+1

Kraous Hero-Calls Wiciak For a Bustout

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Selim Amghar raised to 700 under the gun and Anton Kraous called in middle position. Simon Wiciak then three-bet to 2,200 in the hijack and only Kraous called, donning his hood as he and Wiciak went to the flop.

The flop came 9♥4♠4♣ and Wiciak bet 2,500. Kraous called to the 9♣ turn, where Wiciak bet another 5,600. Kraous again called.

The river was the 2♥ and Wiciak moved all in for 15,500. Kraous ripped off his hood and went into the tank for a few minutes until eventually calling.

Wiciak could only show K♥10♥ for king-high, while Kraous turned over A♥8♥ for ace-high to win the pot and send Wiciak to the rail.