€5,300 Main Event Day 4 | 2025 PokerStars EPT Prague

12-12-2025 20:59 UTC+2

Why Did This Poker Player Pull a Gun on His Opponent? | PokerNews Podcast #929

Kaelaine Minton

Level 24 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

In the 929th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are joined by Hayley Hanna and Steven Jones, the latter having recently finished third place in Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2. He talks about that experience and what it's been like to become a reality TV show star.

The crew then discusses recent developments in the home game fight between Maurice Hawkins and the aggressor Eugene Castaneda. That includes surveillance footage that shows both men going to their respective cars, where Eugene admitted that he retrieved a firearm. From there, it's a recap of Hustler Casino Live’s Million Dollar Marathon that included a $2.1 million cooler, backlash over the WSOP+ App's new ICM feature and a chop at the WSOP Paradise, and Sam Soverel's bracelet win.

Finally, learn about recent winners from the WSOP Paradise, WPT World Championship, and the PokerStars EPT Prague, where Yulian Bogdanov has already claimed two titles!

Find out all about those stories and more in this week's episode of the PokerNews Podcast! Oh, and be sure to check out the audio version of the PokerNews Podcast that is available on all major podcasting platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and SoundCloud.

A new PokerNews Podcast drops every Thursday at 8a PT / 11a ET / 4p UK time. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you do not miss an episode!

Click here to listen to the new PN Podcast!

12-12-2025 20:49 UTC+2

Final 20 Chip Counts

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David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Eyal Maaravi	3,140,000 410,000	410,000
Paawan Bansal	3,125,000 145,000	145,000

Thomas Bazin	2,890,000 70,000	70,000
Conor O'Driscoll	2,845,000 145,000	145,000

Vitezslav Cech	2,700,000 875,000	875,000
Dimitrios Gkatzas	2,545,000 345,000	345,000
Ding Fan	2,365,000 35,000	35,000
Traian Stanciu	2,310,000 90,000	90,000
Bora Kurtulus	2,230,000 140,000	140,000

Mehdi Senhaji	2,130,000 70,000	70,000
Vasyl Pidhrusnyi	1,870,000 45,000	45,000
Filippo Ragone	1,750,000 350,000	350,000
Tobias Peters	1,400,000 240,000	240,000
Maria Lampropulos	1,190,000 90,000	90,000
Dominique Liebrechts	1,090,000 310,000	310,000
David Hu	1,060,000 340,000	340,000
Xiaowen Zhao	810,000 140,000	140,000
Chaofei Wang	455,000 5,000	5,000
Matan Krakow	450,000 10,000	10,000

Gianfranco Iaculli	315,000 320,000	320,000

12-12-2025 20:46 UTC+2

Dinner Break

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 24 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Players have been sent on a 30-minute dinner break, and will return at 7:45 p.m. local time.

Level 24 Highlights:

12-12-2025 20:43 UTC+2

Krakow Gets Payback on Wang

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 24 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Matan Krakow shoved for 195,000 from the button, and Chaofei Wang called from the small blind with a covering stack to put him at risk.

Matan Krakow: A♦4♠ All in
Chaofei Wang: K♦9♦

Krakow remained ahead the whole way with his ace on the 7♥7♠10♦10♥5♦ to double up through Wang, getting back most of the chips he had lost earlier in the level when Wang doubled through him.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matan Krakow	460,000 260,000	260,000

Chaofei Wang	450,000 310,000	310,000

Tags: Chaofei Wang Matan Krakow

12-12-2025 20:43 UTC+2

Jeffrey Sarwer Eliminated in 21st Place (€29,400)

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Frank Visser

Level 24 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Bora Kurtulus open-raised to 60,000 in the cutoff. Jeffrey Sarwer tossed in a call from the big blind and checked the 3♦J♣9♣ flop over to Kurtulus.

Kurtulus wagered 40,000 chips, and Sarwer moved all in for 405,000 after spending some time in the tank. Kurtulus snapped him off with the covering stack.

Jeffrey Sarwer: J♦10♥ All in
Bora Kurtulus: A♠A♥

The 9♥ turn diminished Sarwer's chances as making two pair would no longer be good, but the river came a useless 6♣ anyway, setting his elimination in stone.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bora Kurtulus	2,370,000 420,000	420,000

Jeffrey Sarwer	Busted

Tags: Bora Kurtulus Jeffrey Sarwer

12-12-2025 20:37 UTC+2

Senhaji Snaps Off Zhao to Double

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David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Mehdi Senhaji raised to 60,000 in the hijack before Xiaowen Zhao three-bet to 170,000 in the cutoff. Senhaji then four-bet to 535,000 and slammed in his last 1,065,000 the second Zhao announced "all in."

Mehdi Senhaji: A♥A♦ All in
Xiaowen Zhao: A♣K♣

Senhaji had woken up with two aces and hit the last one in the deck on the A♠J♠3♥ flop to make top set. The 10♠ turn gave Zhao some outs with a straight draw, but Senhaji held on the K♥ river to earn the double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mehdi Senhaji	2,200,000 250,000	250,000
Xiaowen Zhao	950,000 1,150,000	1,150,000

Tags: Mehdi Senhaji Xiaowen Zhao

12-12-2025 20:35 UTC+2

More for Bansal, Less for Lampropulos

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 24 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Maria Lampropulos opened to 60,000 from the cutoff, and Paawan Bansal defended from the big blind.

Both players checked the 3♠5♣9♣ flop, leading to the 10♦ turn. Bansal bet 125,000, and Lampropulos called.

Bansal fired a second barrel for 250,000 on the 6♣ river, and this time Lampropulos opted to fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
Paawan Bansal	2,980,000 390,000	390,000

Maria Lampropulos	1,100,000 675,000	675,000

Tags: Maria Lampropulos Paawan Bansal

12-12-2025 20:31 UTC+2

O'Driscoll Finds Huge Double as Iaculli Back-Raise Jams

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Frank Visser

Level 24 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Bora Kurtulus raised to 60,000 under the gun. Gianfranco Iaculli called in the small blind, prompting big blind Conor O'Driscoll to three-bet to 275,000.

Kurtulus folded 6♠6♣, but Iaculli moved all in. O'Driscoll spent some time scouting the outer tables before he called off his stack of 1,305,000, worth over 40 big blinds.

Conor O'Driscoll: A♦K♠ All in
Gianfranco Iaculli: K♣J♦

O'Driscoll's ace-high remained best on the 7♣8♠4♦3♣Q♠ runout, doubling him up and placing him among the leaders in the Main Event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Conor O'Driscoll	2,700,000 1,350,000	1,350,000

Bora Kurtulus	1,950,000 200,000	200,000

Gianfranco Iaculli	635,000 1,365,000	1,365,000

Tags: Bora Kurtulus Conor O'Driscoll Gianfranco Iaculli

12-12-2025 20:25 UTC+2

Bansal Flops a Set and Gets Paid

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 24 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Paawan Bansal opened to 65,000 from middle position, and Vasyl Pidhrusnyi defended from the big blind.

The flop came A♠2♣J♣, and Pidhrusnyi check-called a 50,000 bet from Bansal.

Pidhrusnyi check-called a 75,000 bet from Bansal on the A♥ turn, before check-calling a 350,000 bet on the Q♦ river. Bansal showed a full house with J♥J♠ to take a chunk out of Pidhrusnyi's stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Paawan Bansal	2,590,000 470,000	470,000

Vasyl Pidhrusnyi	1,825,000 475,000	475,000

Tags: Paawan Bansal Vasyl Pidhrusnyi

12-12-2025 20:22 UTC+2

Pasi Laihinen Eliminated in 22nd Place (€29,400)

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David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante

Pasi Laihinen moved all in for 350,000 in the cutoff and Ding Fan called on the button.

Pasi Laihinen: 10♣9♣ All in
Ding Fan: A♥J♠

Fan took a big lead on the A♦5♠4♥ flop with top pair. "That's bad," Laihinen said, and the 6♠ turn left him drawing dead. The river was the 6♦ and Laihinen was eliminated in 22nd place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ding Fan	2,400,000 400,000	400,000
Pasi Laihinen	Busted

Tags: Ding Fan Pasi Laihinen