€5,300 Main Event Day 2 | 2025 PokerStars EPT Monte-Carlo

05-06-2025 17:40 UTC+1

Baruk Rivers Flush; Tian Takes Chip Lead

Matt Warburton

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Samuel Baruk open-raised to 8,000 from middle position and Nicolas Tytgat three-bet to 24,000 from the cutoff, which Baruk called.

The flop came 2♠3♦4♦ and Baruk checked. Tytgat continued with a bet of 20,000 and Baruk called. Both players then checked it back on the 6♥ turn.

The river was the 5♦ and Baruk led out for 25,000. Tytgat took some time to think before making the call. Baruk had A♦10♦ for an ace-high flush to win the pot.

Tytgat still had plenty of chips, but there's a new chip leader in the tournament - Mengshi Tian has around 700,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mengshi Tian	700,000 220,000	220,000
Nicolas Tytgat	580,000 170,000	170,000
Samuel Baruk	280,000 140,000	140,000

Tags: Mengshi Tian Nicolas Tytgat Samuel Baruk

05-06-2025 17:40 UTC+1

Field Drops Below 200

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David Salituro

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Sebastien Barbe	Busted
Iulian Blebea	Busted
Jacobus Verberk	Busted
Tom Fuchs	Busted
Drake Kemper	Busted
Jamie Flynn	Busted
Christian Rotundo	Busted
Iryna Tsikhanskaya	Busted
Yngve Steen	Busted
Maduka Meragal	Busted
Martin Kabrhel	Busted
Jerome Lhostis	Busted
Davide Calvaresi	Busted
Imanol Cabello	Busted
Ami Barer	Busted
Ouassini Mansouri	Busted
Dan McGinnis	Busted

05-06-2025 17:52 UTC+1

Gaehl Makes the Nuts For a Massive Double Off Alilovic

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David Salituro

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Jack O'Neill bet 9,000 from the big blind on a board of 8♦3♠5♠10♠ and Sebastian Gaehl called in early position. Christian Alilovic then raised to 34,000 in the cutoff and O'Neill got out of the way.

Gaehl came back with a reraise to 70,000 and Alilovic put in another raise to 169,000. Gaehl then moved all in for 221,500 and Alilovic let out a sigh before making a reluctant call.

Gaehl showed A♠9♠ for the nut flush and Alilovic could only show J♠10♣, paying off most of his stack once the J♥ completed the board on the river.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sebastian Gaehl	500,000 260,000	260,000
Jack O'Neill	480,000 30,000	30,000
Christian Alilovic	30,000 230,000	230,000

Tags: Christian Alilovic Jack O'Neill Sebastian Gaehl

05-06-2025 18:02 UTC+1

Caridade Coolered Out

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Matt Warburton

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Ricardo Caridade open-raised to 6,000 from the button and Ramana Epparla three-bet to 18,000 from the small blind. Caridade then moved all in for around 110,000 and Epparla called. Players flipped their cards, wtih Caridade at risk.

Ricardo Caridade: A♥Q♣ All in
Ramana Epparla: A♠K♦

Caridade was dominated and couldn't find any help as the board ran out 7♣6♠J♣8♣5♠. Epparla held with his ace-king high to win the pot, sending Caridade to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ramana Epparla	460,000 109,500	109,500
Ricardo Caridade	Busted

Tags: Ramana Epparla Ricardo Caridade

05-06-2025 18:07 UTC+1

Yosifov Stays Alive

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David Salituro

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Dimitar Yosifov moved all in for 39,000 in early position and Ezequiel Kleinman called in the cutoff.

Dimitar Yosifov: J♣J♥ All in
Ezequiel Kleinman: 8♠8♣

Yosifov was ahead with his pair of jacks and stayed in front through the A♦A♥3♦7♥10♦ board to earn a double up just 10 spots from the money bubble.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dimitar Yosifov	80,000 50,000	50,000
Ezequiel Kleinman	70,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Dimitar Yosifov Ezequiel Kleinman

05-06-2025 18:17 UTC+1

Demydenko, Tian Play a Classic Flip

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David Salituro

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Mykhailo Demydenko and Mengshi Tian got into a preflop raising war that ended with Demydenko all in for 212,500 from under the gun as Tian put him at risk in the big blind.

Mykhailo Demydenko: A♦K♣ All in
Mengshi Tian: Q♣Q♦

It was a classic flip, and Demydenko pulled ahead on the A♣10♣8♠ flop with top pair. The rest of the board ran out 3♣4♥ and Demydenko doubled up.

"You're a brave man," tablemate Sean Jazayeri said to him after the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mengshi Tian	490,000 210,000	210,000
Mykhailo Demydenko	430,000 160,000	160,000

Tags: Mengshi Tian Mykhailo Demydenko

05-06-2025 18:18 UTC+1

Carvalho Ends Van Luijk's Reign

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David Salituro

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Milos Petakovic raised to 6,000 under the gun and Manuel Carvalho three-bet to 25,000 in the hijack. Derk van Luijk then moved all in for 52,000 in the small blind, Petakovic folded, while Carvalho called to put Van Luijk at risk.

Derk van Luijk: A♣K♠ All in
Manuel Carvalho: K♥Q♦

Van Luijk had Carvalho dominated and at risk, but Carvalho found a queen on the Q♠4♣3♠ flop to take the lead. The 5♠ turn gave Van Luijk some hope with a flush draw, but he missed the 10♣ river and the defending champion was sent to the rail less than 10 spots from the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Manuel Carvalho	290,000 204,000	204,000
Milos Petakovic	210,000 80,000	80,000
Derk van Luijk	Busted

Tags: Derk van Luijk Manuel Carvalho Milos Petakovic

05-06-2025 18:19 UTC+1

Mustafov Wins Pot as Action Slows Down

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Matt Warburton

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Fahredin Mustafov open-raised to 6,000 and Andrija Robovic three-bet to 15,000, which Mustafov called.

The flop came A♣9♣5♦ and Mustafov checked. Robovic made it 7,500 and Mustafov called. Both players then checked it back on the 4♠ turn.

The river was the 2♣ and Mustafov led out for 24,000. Robovic took a painfully long time to fold, either thinking it through or perhaps killing a bit of time as the bubble approaches.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fahredin Mustafov	150,000 75,500	75,500
Andrija Robovic	125,000 18,000	18,000

Tags: Andrija Robovic Fahredin Mustafov

05-06-2025 18:23 UTC+1

Players Heading on 75-Minute Dinner Break

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Matt Warburton

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Players in the Main Event are heading for a 75-minute dinner break. Play will resume at about 8:35 p.m.

The bubble is now approaching, with 181 players remaining and 175 set to make the money.

Level 14 Highlights:

05-06-2025 18:45 UTC+1

Denise Pratt Confronts Poker Debtor Maurice Hawkins at Payout Desk | PokerNews Podcast #889

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Kaelaine Minton

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

In the 889th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Kyna England talk about the recent drama involving, you guessed it, Maurice Hawkins and Denise Pratt. The latter claims to be owed $11,200 after backing the former, and things boiled over when she confronted him at the payout desk at the WSOP Circuit Horseshoe Tunica stop.

What's more, the crew reacts to an interview Hawkins gave on his own podcast, him agreeing to come on the PokerNews Podcast before not responding, and then goes one-on-one with Denise Pratt to hear her side of the story.

Mike then shares his experience as the last guest on the final episode of the Only Friends Podcast (they were kind enough to gift a piece of their set to the PokerNews Podcast set), Kyna joins Team Hotdog at the LIPS Spring Festival, and Chad headed up to the NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Oh, and Connor was busy interviewing Jennifer Tilly, Mike Matusow, and comedian Ray Romano during the One Step Closer Foundation's "All in for CP" charity event.

Check out all those stories and more on the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast!

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