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

12-13-2025 21:43 UTC+2

Action Starts Slow After Break

David Salituro

Level 30 : Blinds 50,000/125,000, 125,000 ante

Bora Kurtulus raised to 300,000 in the cutoff with Q♣J♥ and Matan Krakow called with K♦Q♥ in the small blind.

Kurtulus bet 400,000 on the 5♦4♥2♠ flop, and Krakow folded.

Conor O'Driscoll then raised to 250,000 in the hijack holding K♦J♥ and Ding Fan defended his big blind. The flop came 10♥3♦7♠ and O'Driscoll continued for 300,000, and Fan folded Q♣9♦.

The next hand, Krakow opened to 250,000 in the hijack with J♥10♥ and Traian Stanciu called in the cutoff with K♠Q♠.

Stanciu flopped a flush on 7♠5♠2♠ as Krakow checked over to him. Stanciu then bet 200,000, and Krakow folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bora Kurtulus	12,430,000 570,000	570,000

Traian Stanciu	5,680,000 255,000	255,000
Matan Krakow	5,580,000 545,000	545,000

Conor O'Driscoll	3,680,000 420,000	420,000

Ding Fan	1,300,000 360,000	360,000

Tags: Bora Kurtulus Conor O'Driscoll Ding Fan Matan Krakow Traian Stanciu

Level: 30

Blinds: 50,000/125,000

Ante: 125,000

12-13-2025 21:06 UTC+2

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

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kaelaine Minton

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 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!

12-13-2025 21:00 UTC+2

Extended Break Time

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Frank Visser

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

The eight remaining players have been sent on a 30-minute break.

When they return, they will play one full level of 30 hands or down to six players, whichever comes first.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bora Kurtulus	11,860,000

Matan Krakow	6,125,000

Traian Stanciu	5,425,000 5,000	5,000
Dimitrios Gkatzas	3,500,000
Conor O'Driscoll	3,260,000

Vitezslav Cech	2,995,000 5,000	5,000
Paawan Bansal	1,845,000 5,000	5,000

Ding Fan	1,660,000

12-13-2025 21:00 UTC+2

Krakow Catches O'Driscoll Making a Move

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

David Salituro

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

On the last hand before break, Conor O'Driscoll limped in from the small blind before Matan Krakow picked up A♦Q♦ in the big blind and raised to 350,000. O'Driscoll then reraised to 875,000, and Krakow moved all in.

O'Driscoll quickly folded J♥9♦.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matan Krakow	6,125,000 875,000	875,000

Conor O'Driscoll	3,260,000 880,000	880,000

Tags: Conor O'Driscoll Matan Krakow

12-13-2025 20:57 UTC+2

O'Driscoll Squeezes Some Chips Out of Competition

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Frank Visser

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Vitezslav Cech opened his button to 200,000 with A♣4♣. Bora Kurtulus flat-called A♥10♠ in the small blind before big blind Conor O'Driscoll went for a massive all-in bet of 3,635,000 with A♠J♥.

Cech and Kurtulus both deemed the amount too much, and they folded in quick succession.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bora Kurtulus	11,860,000 200,000	200,000

Conor O'Driscoll	4,140,000 400,000	400,000

Vitezslav Cech	3,000,000 250,000	250,000

Tags: Bora Kurtulus Conor O'Driscoll Vitezslav Cech

12-13-2025 20:54 UTC+2

Kurtulus Loses Nine-Six to Ladies

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Frank Visser

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Matan Krakow raised his Q♠Q♥ to 200,000 in early position. Bora Kurtulus called 9♣6♦ in the big blind, and check-called when Krakow continued for 175,000 on the 7♦A♣9♥ flop.

The A♥ turn then checked through to the 3♦ river, which Kurtulus also checked. Krakow went for value with a bet of 600,000, but Kurtulus did not pay up as he correctly mucked his pair of nines.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bora Kurtulus	12,060,000 480,000	480,000

Matan Krakow	5,250,000 520,000	520,000

Tags: Bora Kurtulus Matan Krakow

12-13-2025 20:51 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Frank Visser

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Bora Kurtulus	12,540,000 700,000	700,000

Traian Stanciu	5,430,000 100,000	100,000
Matan Krakow	4,730,000 50,000	50,000

Conor O'Driscoll	3,740,000 350,000	350,000

Dimitrios Gkatzas	3,500,000 50,000	50,000
Vitezslav Cech	3,250,000 450,000	450,000
Paawan Bansal	1,850,000 250,000	250,000

Ding Fan	1,660,000 800,000	800,000

12-13-2025 20:47 UTC+2

Gkatzas, Bansal Can't Get Action

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

David Salituro

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Dimitrios Gkatzas raised to 200,000 in early position with Q♣J♣ and picked up calls from Bora Kurtulus on the button and big blind Matan Krakow.

All three players checked the 10♠9♣9♠ flop. Gkatzas hit a straight on the 8♦ turn and bet 225,000, but both opponents gave up their cards.

Paawan Bansal then picked up Q♦Q♣ in early position and opened to 200,000, but he found no action and took down the blinds and ante.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bora Kurtulus	11,840,000 350,000	350,000

Matan Krakow	4,780,000 300,000	300,000

Dimitrios Gkatzas	3,550,000 100,000	100,000
Paawan Bansal	2,100,000 250,000	250,000

Tags: Bora Kurtulus Dimitrios Gkatzas Matan Krakow Paawan Bansal

12-13-2025 20:40 UTC+2

Two Three-Bets Get Through

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Frank Visser

Level 29 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Conor O'Driscoll was in middle position with K♣Q♠ and raised to 200,000. Matan Krakow fired a three-bet to 600,000 in the hijack, holding J♥8♥.

O'Driscoll weighed his options for a bit before giving up on the invested chips with a fold.

The next hand, Krakow was the opener when he put in 200,000 with K♥J♣ in middle position. Paawan Bansal was in the small blind and put his stack of 1,445,000 a risk with 8♦8♣.

Krakow made a quick fold, sending Bansal the chips uncontested.