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

05-05-2025 19:59 UTC+1

Loeser Flops Szabo Dead

David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Gergo Szabo had a raise of 4,100 in front of him from the cutoff before Manig Loeser moved all in from the big blind. The table folded back to Szabo who quickly called for 15,000.

Gergo Szabo: A♦K♥ All in
Manig Loeser: J♣J♥

It wasn't a race situation for long, as the J♠J♦7♣ flop gave Loeser quads and left Szabo already drawing dead. The rest of the board came 3♠Q♣ and the 2019 champion of this event scored the knockout.

Player	Chips	Progress
Manig Loeser	55,000 40,000	40,000

Gergo Szabo	Busted

Tags: Gergo Szabo Manig Loeser

05-05-2025 19:52 UTC+1

Antonius Doubles Up Shortly After Sitting Down

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Matt Warburton

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Patrik Antonius open-raised to 1,800 from the button and Petre Ionescu made a big shove for 23,500 from the big blind. Antonius took a moment before putting his chips in the middle to make the call. Ionescu was at risk as players flipped their cards.

Petre Ionescu: 4♦4♥ All in
Patrik Antonius: A♦9♦

The board ran out 10♦Q♣A♣7♥Q♦ and Antonius paired his ace, making two pair with the queens on board to win the pot. Antonius, who won the €100,000 Super High Roller here in Monte Carlo last year, sat down with a 30,000 starting stack shortly after the dinner break and after this hand, nearly doubled it.

Player	Chips	Progress
Patrik Antonius	58,000 58,000	58,000

Petre Ionescu	Busted

Tags: Patrik Antonius Petre Ionescu

05-05-2025 19:36 UTC+1

Delval Always Lucky With Queens as Klimko Eliminated

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Matt Warburton

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Matyas Klimko and Frederic Delval were locked into a preflop raising battle. Klimko was all in from the button for 32,000 against Delval, who had him covered from late position as players flipped their cards.

Matyas Klimko: A♦K♣ All in
Frederic Delval: Q♦Q♥

The board ran out 2♦7♣9♥4♥5♣ and Delval held with his pocket queens to win the pot.

Klimko tapped the table and said, "Nice playing with you all," as he stood up.

Delval turned to Yuxi Huang seated on his left and said, "I've always been lucky with queens in my life... I've been married for 30 years."

Player	Chips	Progress
Frederic Delval	80,000 30,000	30,000
Matyas Klimko	Busted

Tags: Frederic Delval Matyas Klimko Yuxi Huang

05-05-2025 19:31 UTC+1

Lin Wins a "50-50" Spot to Bust Savevski

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David Salituro

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Hala Karam raised to 1,600 in middle position and Ren Lin called in the hijack. Ilija Savevski then three-bet to 6,000 in the cutoff and Karam folded. Lin pretended to check his wallet before moving all in. "Pocket tens, please," he said to Savevski, who quickly called for 35,000.

Ilija Savevski: A♠Q♠ All in
Ren Lin: K♣J♥

"Ah, 50-50," Lin added once the cards were revealed. The K♠9♣6♣ flop gave him the lead with top pair, while the rest of the board ran out 5♥J♣ and Lin improved to two pair to send Savevski to the rail.

"Gamble too much," Lin said as he took in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ren Lin	125,000 90,000	90,000
Hala Karam	22,000 14,000	14,000
Ilija Savevski	Busted

Tags: Ren Lin Ilija Savevski Hala Karam

05-05-2025 17:13 UTC+1

Dudka Runs Into Mansouri's Monster

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David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Sergiy Dudka raised to 1,200 on the button and Ouassani Mansouri three-bet to 3,300 in the small blind. Dudka then moved all in for 16,000. "Do you say all in? Call," Mansouri said emphatically.

Sergiy Dudka: J♥J♣ All in
Ouassaini Mansouri: A♣A♥

Dudka showed a pair of jacks, but he found himself crushed by Mansouri's aces. The board ran out 8♣4♥7♠5♣2♦ and Dudka was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ouassini Mansouri	55,000
Sergiy Dudka	Busted

Tags: Sergiy Dudka Ouassani Mansouri

05-05-2025 17:03 UTC+1

Afriat Runs Into Antoni's Set

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David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

With around 10,000 in the pot on a board of 8♥4♥5♦8♦, Eric Afriat moved all in for around 8,000 from the hijack as Besiana Antoni put him at risk in the big blind.

Afriat had 10♣5♣ for two pair, but Antoni showed 4♦4♠ for a full house. The river was the 2♥ and Afriat went around the table to shake Antoni's hand before heading off to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Besiana Antoni	35,000
Eric Afriat	Busted

Tags: Besiana Antoni Eric Afriat

05-05-2025 17:00 UTC+1

Margets Busts Thorel With Aces

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Matt Warburton

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Leo Margets open-raised to 1,300 from early position and Jean-Noel Thorel three-bet to 5,300. Margets then four-bet to 11,800 and Thorel called.

The flop came 7♣10♣Q♥ and Margets fired out a continuation-bet of 6,500, which Thorel called. The turn came the 4♣ and Margets checked. Thorel bet 20,000, leaving himself just 1,500 behind. Margets pushed all in and Thorel called for his remaining chips.

Thorel had 2♣2♠ and Margets had A♣A♠ for pocket aces with a higher flush draw, leaving Thorel drawing to a deuce.

The river was the 3♣ and Margets further improved to an ace-high flush. She won the pot and chipped up to around 100,000, while Thorel was eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leo Margets	100,000 50,000	50,000
Jean-Noel Thorel	Busted

Tags: Jean-Noel Thorel Leo Margets

05-05-2025 16:56 UTC+1

Fuchs Shows the Table How to Play Aces

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David Salituro

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Tom Fuchs three-bet to 3,300 in the small blind, Ami Barer moved all in from the big blind, and Fuchs called for his last 12,000.

Tom Fuchs: A♥A♠ All in
Ami Barer: J♦J♣

Fuchs had woken up with aces and was a big favorite to double up as the flop came 3♦K♠10♦. The K♦ turn, though, gave Barer outs to a flush.

"There's always a sweat," tablemate Nina Krasilnikova said, but Fuchs successfully dodged the 2♠ river to double up.

"That's how you play aces. You double up with them," Dietrich Fast added.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tom Fuchs	25,000 7,500	7,500
Ami Barer	9,000 24,600	24,600

Tags: Ami Barer Tom Fuchs

05-05-2025 16:49 UTC+1

Vo Survives a Flip With Glaser

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Marius Gicovanu three-bet to 3,800 in the cutoff and Benny Glaser four-bet to 9,100 on the button. Viet Vo then moved all in for 19,800 in the small blind as Gicovanu took a few minutes before folding. Glaser also spent a minute in the tank, but he eventually called to put Vo at risk.

Viet Vo: 10♠10♦ All in
Benny Glaser: A♣J♥

Vo needed to survive the flip as the board ran out K♠5♥4♥6♠8♠, keeping his tens in the lead and securing his double up. Gicovanu could only shake his head and shrug as the pot was pushed to Vo.

"Did you fold ace-king?" a tablemate asked him.

"I don't lose to him. There's no way. If he goes in, I triple," Vo added.

Player	Chips	Progress
Viet Vo	42,000 12,000	12,000
Marius Gicovanu	32,000 3,600	3,600
Benny Glaser	26,000 12,800	12,800

Tags: Benny Glaser Marius Gicovanu Viet Vo

05-05-2025 16:37 UTC+1

Aguiar Ramos Fires at Petleshkov

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Tiago Aguiar Ramos three-bet to 3,800 in early position and Viliyan Petleshkov called under the gun.

The flop came Q♥10♦4♦ and Aguiar Ramos bet 2,500. Petleshkov called to the 7♠ turn, where Aguiar Ramos bet another 8,500. Petleshkov again called.

Aguiar Ramos fired out 20,000 on the 6♠ river, sending Petleshkov into the tank. He took a few minutes before folding as Aguiar Ramos took down the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tiago Aguiar Ramos	45,000 10,000	10,000
Viliyan Petleshkov	25,000 7,000	7,000

Tags: Tiago Aguiar Ramos Viliyan Petleshkov