2025 PokerStars EPT Prague
Level: 17
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 6,000
With the PokerStars Live League reaching 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 118 remaining players have been sent on their first 20-minute break of the day.
Listed below are some highlights from the first level of play.
Heads-up on a flop of 9♥4♥10♥, Vasyl Pidhrusnyi led out for 18,000 from the big blind before Benjamin Chalot raised to 50,000 on the button. Pidhrusnyi called, and they saw the J♣ fall on the turn.
Chalot then bet 75,000, and Pidhrusnyi used up a time bank before calling. He checked over to Chalot on the 2♠ river, and Chalot this time checked back.
Pidhrusnyi showed Q♥3♥ for a flush, and Chalot mucked. "Unlucky against me, my friend," Pidhrusnyi told him as the two players joined the rest of the field on break.
Luigi Pignataro raised to 11,000 in the hijack before Ole Schemion three-bet to 26,000 on the button. Gabriele Lepore called in the small blind, while Pignataro got out of the way.
Schemion continued for 17,000 on the 8♣2♥2♦ flop and Lepore called. Schemion then bet 28,000 on the 5♣ turn, and Lepore again called.
The 3♦ river was checked down and Lepore showed 10♦10♣. Schemion mucked 9♥9♦.
Mats Ullereng bet 15,000 from middle position on a flop of A♥7♦5♦ and Grzegorz Flak called in the small blind. Fabio Muhr then raised to 60,000 in the big blind, and Ullereng folded. Flak, though, moved all in, and Muhr snap-called for 220,000.
Fabio Muhr: 7♥7♠
Grzegorz Flak: A♣Q♠
Flak showed top pair, but he ran right into Muhr's flopped set. The rest of the board ran out 10♠3♣ and Muhr doubled up, leaving Flak nursing a short stack.
At another table, John Ishak had moved all in for 135,000 from the button and Merijn van Rooij put him at risk in middle position.
John Ishak: A♣K♣
Merijn van Rooij: 10♥10♠
Ishak was racing for his tournament life as the flop came 5♦3♥3♣ to keep Van Rooij in the lead with his tens. The 9♣ turn gave Ishak a flush draw to go with his overcards, but he missed the 5♠ river and was sent to the rail.
Marcin Lesniewski got his stack of 218,000 in preflop against Igors Vikainis and was at risk.
Marcin Lesniewski: A♦K♠
Igors Vikainis: K♦Q♦
Lesniewski and Vikainis both had a pair after the 8♣9♥A♠Q♣ turn, but only Lesniewski made trips on the A♣ river to secure the pot for a big double-up.