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

05-05-2025 10:13 UTC+1

Day 1b Offers Another Opportunity to Bag in 20th Anniversary of EPT Monte-Carlo Main Event

Matt Warburton

There's perhaps no tournament on the EPT calendar more prestigious than the PokerStars European Poker Tour Monte-Carlo Main Event, running at the Sporting Monte-Carlo casino here on the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean coast. It's the 20th anniversary of the event and Day 1b is the final starting flight for this event, although registration remains open until the start of Day 2.

In 2024, Derk van Luijk came out on top of the 1,208 entry field, defeating Boris Angelov after a six-hour heads-up battle to claim the €1,000,000 top prize. The reigning champion has already bagged an above average stack on Day 1a.

The overall chip leader following the conclusion of Day 1a was David Docherty, best known for his 2023 Irish Open victory which gave him a career high score of €365,000. Docherty is on the hunt for his first EPT title and is the man to beat for those joining Day 1b, starting at 12 p.m. local time.

Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts

Rank	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Blinds
1	David Docherty	United Kingdom	279,500	233
2	George Tomescu	Romania	275,000	229
3	Christian Alilovic	France	260,500	217
4	Qing Lu	United States	240,500	200
5	Jeremie Beneteau	France	236,500	197
6	Stanislav Petriv	Ukraine	225,000	188
7	Boris Kuzmanovic	Croatia	208,500	174
8	Adi Rajkovic	Austria	204,500	170
9	Mariusz Golinski	Poland	201,000	168
10	Sameer Chaturvedi	India	196,000	163

In Day 1b, players begin with a 30,000 starting stack and will play 10 hour-long levels, with a break every two levels and a 75-minute dinner break at the end of Level 6. Late registration remains open until the start of Day 2 and players can take a maximum of two entries in this event.

Those who make it through and bag at the end of the evening will proceed to Day 2, which commences on Tuesday, April 6 at noon.

Stay tuned to the action on PokerNews as reporters bring you live updates straight from the tournament floor.

Tags: Adi Rajkovic Boris Angelov Boris Kuzmanovic Christian Alilovic David Docherty Derk van Luijk George Tomescu Jeremie Beneteau Mariusz Golinski Qing Lu Sameer Chaturvedi Stanislav Petriv

05-05-2025 11:46 UTC+1

Song Shoves the River on Berthomet

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 100/100, 100 ante

With 3,200 in the pot on a flop of A♠K♥2♣, Boris Berthomet bet 2,000 from the small blind and Stephen Song called on the button.

Berthomet bet another 5,000 on the 10♠ turn and Song again called. The river was the 10♣ and Berthomet bet 1,700.

Song this time came back with an all-in shove. Berthomet, with around 20,000 remaining, then went deep into the tank.

"I want to call. Can you bluff here?" he wondered as several minutes came off the clock.

"Sorry guys," he eventually said and another tablemate called the clock. Berthomet allowed his 30-second timer to run out before his hand was declared dead. Song returned his cards face down as he scooped the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stephen Song	40,000 10,000	10,000

Boris Berthomet	20,000

Tags: Boris Berthomet Stephen Song

05-05-2025 12:27 UTC+1

Studniarz Sends Gherghe to an Early Exit

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Matt Warburton

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Razvan Gherghe opened to 500 from late position and Sylwia Studniarz three-bet to 2,000 from the small blind. Gherghe four-bet to 6,500 and Studniarz called.

The flop came 8♦4♥4♦ and Studniarz bet 5,000, which Gherghe called. The turn was the 8♠ and Studniarz checked. Gherghe moved all in for 7,400 and Studniarz had a little think before making the call.

Gherghe had 5♣5♠ for pocket fives, but Studniarz turned over 7♠7♥ for a higher two pair, sevens with the fours on board.

The river came the 3♦ and Studniarz held to win the pot, sending Gherghe to an early exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sylwia Studniarz	50,000 50,000	50,000
Razvan Gherghe	Busted

Tags: Razvan Gherghe Sylwia Studniarz

05-05-2025 14:04 UTC+1

Colillas Doubles His Short Stack

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Matt Warburton

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Ramon Colillas moved all in with a short stack of just 4,200 from early position. The rest of the table folded, aside from Ai Guo Xu, who made the call in the big blind with the covering stack. Players flipped their cards and Colillas was at risk.

Ramon Colillas: Q♠Q♥ All in
Ai Guo Xu: Q♣J♣

Colillas had woken up with queens at a great moment to sustain his tournament life and Xu would need a lot of help to catch up. The board ran out 4♥5♣4♦3♥7♠ and Colillas held with his queens to win the pot and double his stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ai Guo Xu	24,000 24,000	24,000
Ramon Colillas	10,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: Ramon Colillas Ai Guo Xu

05-05-2025 14:09 UTC+1

Cabello Snaps Off Studniarz

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David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

There was already around 16,000 in the middle as Imanol Cabello and Sylwia Studniarz went to the turn on a board of 3♣9♠10♠7♦. Cabello then bet 12,500 from middle position and Studniarz called in the small blind.

The river was the 6♦ and Cabello bet another 6,000. Studniarz then moved all in for 19,000 and Cabello snap-called.

Studniarz showed Q♣10♣ for a pair of tens, but Cabello slammed down Q♦Q♥ to win the pot and send Studniarz to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Imanol Cabello	80,000
Sylwia Studniarz	Busted

Tags: Imanol Cabello Sylwia Studniarz

05-05-2025 14:36 UTC+1

Gill Makes the Nuts to Bust Mihai

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Heads-up on a flop of 7♦6♠J♥, Harpreet Gill picked up a pile of chips but accidentally dropped 2,000 in the middle. His bet was made to stand as Nicolae Mihai called in early position.

Mihai then moved all in for 6,000 on the 3♥ turn and Gill called. Mihai showed 8♠8♥ for a pair of eights, while Gill had A♥7♥ for a pair and flush draw.

The Q♥ fell on the river and Gill made his flush to send Mihai to the rail.

"I would've gone all in on the flop, anyway. He had no chips," Gill said after the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Harpreet Gill	60,000
Nicolae Mihai	Busted

Tags: Harpreet Gill Nicolae Mihai

05-05-2025 14:53 UTC+1

Kliper Wins a Flip to Bust Camarda

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Salvatore Camarda moved all in for around 25,000 from early position and Arie Kliper put him at risk on the button.

Salvatore Camarda: 10♣10♠ All in
Arie Kliper: A♥K♥

Camarda needed to win the flip to stay alive, but Kliper took the lead on the 3♦4♣K♦ flop with top pair. The rest of the board ran out 3♣5♥ and Camarda was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Arie Kliper	65,000 42,000	42,000
Salvatore Camarda	Busted

Tags: Arie Kliper Salvatore Camarda

05-05-2025 15:02 UTC+1

"Lucky River" For Lin

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

"Beautiful open, under the gun plus one," Ren Lin said as he raised to 800 in early position. Sofien Djaballah in the cutoff, button Virgile Turchi, and big blind Kestutis Jungevicius all called.

"Ay, ay, ay, no respect," Lin said heading to the K♠2♣10♦ flop. All four players checked to the K♣ turn, where Lin bet 2,500. Djaballah and Jungevicius both called, while Turchi got out of the way.

"Drawing dead, my friend," Lin said as the A♣ fell on the river. He then bet 8,500 and Djaballah folded, while Jungevicius called.

"Lucky river," Lin said, turning over 7♣6♣ for a flush. Jungevicius flashed A♥Q♣ before mucking.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kestutis Jungevicius	65,000 65,000	65,000
Virgile Turchi	60,000 33,600	33,600
Ren Lin	45,000
Sofien Djaballah	5,000

Tags: Kestutis Jungevicius Ren Lin Sofien Djaballah Virgile Turchi

05-05-2025 15:13 UTC+1

Said Holds On to Bust Golczyk

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David Salituro

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Tahar Said and Lukasz Golczyk built a pot of around 10,000 as they went to a flop of 3♣5♠2♦. Golczyk then moved all in for 15,000 under the gun and Said called in the big blind.

Lukasz Golczyk: 6♣6♠ All in
Tahar Said: K♦K♠

Said showed a pair of kings, while Golczyk had a pair of sixes and a straight draw. The 5♥ turn was no help to Golczyk, while the river was the 2♠ and Said secured the pot to send Golczyk to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tahar Said	130,000
Lukasz Golczyk	Busted

Tags: Lukasz Golczyk Tahar Said

05-05-2025 15:25 UTC+1

Cai Makes Comeback After Longdin Missclicks

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Matt Warburton

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Following an under-the-gun raise to 800, Haoran Cai moved all in from the next seat across for 10,700. Ian Longdin said "call" in the small blind and didn't see the shove, so was forced to put his chips in the middle.

Haoran Cai: 10♥10♠ All in
Ian Longdin: 9♦4♦

Longdin explained the situation to his confused opponent as the board ran out J♥8♦3♥6♣7♣. Cai held with his pocket tens to double up his stack.

The following hand, Cai raised to 1,000 from under the gun and Tiago Aguiar Ramos called on the button. The flop came 5♥J♦4♣ and Cai continued for 1,300, which Ramos called. Both players then checked it back on the 5♠ turn.

On the 9♥ river, Cai checked and Ramos bet 2,200. Cai check-raised to 12,100 and Ramos let his hand go to give Cai the pot. It was a great comeback for Cai, who was back close to starting stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tiago Aguiar Ramos	35,000 35,000	35,000
Haoran Cai	23,000 23,000	23,000
Ian Longdin	6,000 24,000	24,000

Tags: Haoran Cai Ian Longdin