2025 PokerStars EPT Prague
Level: 22
Blinds: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 20,000
With the PokerStars Live League raching its final two stops, David Docherty finds himself perfectly positioned for a late surge.
Just EPT Prague and PokerStars Open Cannes remain, not just for Docherty to overtake Steinn Thanh Du Karlsson at the top of the Low tier, but also there are winners to be crowned in the Medium and High tiers as well.
The players have been sent on their last 25-minute break of the afternoon.
When they return, they will play one more 60-minute level before Day 2 wraps up.
Yael Pilo Raz raised to 35,000 from under the gun, Nicolas Vayssieres moved all in for 250,000 in early position, and Raz called.
Nicolas Vayssieres: A♣K♠
Yael Pilo Raz: A♥Q♥
"Can I come from behind one time?" Raz pleaded going to the flop, and she got her wish as the dealer turned over Q♣8♣7♦ to give her top pair. The rest of the board ran out 3♦A♦ and Raz finished with two pair to secure the pot and send Vayssieres to the rail.
"Sorry. You played good," Raz consoled Vayssieres as he made his way to the rail.
Vitezslav Cech was in the big blind with a raise of 135,000 in front of him before Ivan Banic reraised to 295,000 in the small blind. Cech called, and they saw a flop of 5♠9♠5♥.
Banic then continued for 125,000, and Cech raised to 270,000. Banic moved all in, and Cech snap-called for 525,000.
Vitezslav Cech: J♣J♥
Ivan Banic: A♦K♠
Cech needed his jacks to hold on to survive, and he dodged the 5♣ turn and Q♣ river to take down the massive pot.
The action was caught on a 4♥A♣J♣8♦ turn, where Merijn van Rooij fired a pot-sized bet of 100,000 from middle position. Selvakumaran Mahersh called in the hijack, leading to the 6♦ river.
Van Rooij moved all in, and Mahersh snap-called for his 278,000 chips. Van Rooij could only show king-high with KxQx, leaving Mahersh to take the pot with A♠A♥ for top set.
Around 200,000 was already in the middle as Yang Zhang and Matthias Auer went heads-up to a flop of Q♣10♦3♦. Auer then bet 115,000 from the button, and Zhang called in the big blind.
Both players checked the 9♠ turn, and Zhang also checked the 10♠ river. Auer then bet 365,000, and Zhang took a minute before giving up his hand.
"Show the bluff. No f**king way you have a good hand. No f**king way," tablemate Maximilan Sanders said to Auer, who simply smiled and returned his cards face down.
Life Outside Poker is a podcast for PokerNews hosted by Connor Richards that seeks to pull back the curtain on poker players and allow viewers and listeners to get to know them on a personal level.
In the 35th episode, Connor talks with No Filter Poker Series founder Mounir Tajiou about growing up in Sweden, working as a high court judge, playing professional soccer, making a deep run in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, and the new No Filter Poker Series, which values fun at the table over poker strategy.
We also hear from 1998 Main Event champion Scotty Nguyen, reigning WSOP champ Michael Mizrachi and Finnish poker legend Juha Helppi about their involvement with the No Filter Poker tour.