€5,300 Main Event Day 1b | 2026 PokerStars EPT Monte-Carlo

3 days 16 hours ago

Mustafov Falls for Trap

Frank Visser

Level 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

In a pot worth 6,500, Almira Skripchenko checked the K♥8♥6♣ flop from under the gun to Fahredin Mustafov in the next seat over. Mustafov flicked in a bet of 2,400, which Skripchenko raised to 6,400.

Mustafov called to the 3♥ turn, where Skripchenko reverted to checking. Mustafov inquired about Skripchenko's remaining chips before he put her all-in for 12,000. Skripchenko wasted no time and snap-called.

Almira Skripchenko: A♥7♥ All in
Fahredin Mustafov: A♦J♥

Mustafov was drawing dead against the nut flush of Skripchenko, and she was awarded her double-up when the inconsequential Q♥ river completed the board.

Player	Chips	Progress
Almira Skripchenko	43,300 43,300	43,300
Fahredin Mustafov	9,500 20,300	20,300

Tags: Almira Skripchenko Fahredin Mustafov

3 days 15 hours ago

Clean Double for Xu

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Frank Visser

Level 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Hang Xu got his 29,900 chips in preflop from the small blind and was looked up by Ramiro Petrone in the cutoff.

Hang Xu: A♥K♥ All in
Ramiro Petrone: A♦Q♠

The 4♥4♦8♦ flop brought some chop outs, but they disappeared when Xu paired his king on the K♠ turn. Petrone cut out the exact amount from his stack and paid Xu as soon as the 8♣ river had completed the board.

Player	Chips	Progress
Hang Xu	61,800
Ramiro Petrone	55,000 35,000	35,000

Tags: Hang Xu Ramiro Petrone

3 days 15 hours ago

Lappin Finds a Flush to Double

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Stewart Morrison

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Arriving with 7,900 already in the pot, and a 7♣8♠5♠ flop face up on the felt, Alexandre Bermon placed a bet of 3,500 from middle position. In response, PokerStars Team Pro member David Lappin moved all in for 32,800 from the cutoff, and Bermon called.

David Lappin: A♠3♠ All in
Alexandre Bermon: 5♦5♣

The J♠ turn brought immediate service for Lappin, whose double up was confirmed when the 4♥ completed the board.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Lappin	73,500 32,300	32,300

Alexandre Bermon	3,800 3,800	3,800

Tags: Alexandre Bermon David Lappin

3 days 14 hours ago

Konnikova Wins Big With Rivered Flush

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Frank Visser

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Catching the tail end of a pot between Maria Konnikova in the small blind and Gianluca Cedolia in the cutoff, Konnikova checked the completed 3♠A♥10♥8♣7♥ flop over to Cedolia.

Cedolia then placed an overbet of 15,700, which appeared to be about one and a half times the pot. Konnikova did not take long before she flicked in a call.

Cedolio briefly flashed a straight, prompting Konnikova to table 9♥8♥ to take down the pot with her flush.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maria Konnikova	90,000 31,900	31,900

Gianluca Cedolia	80,000

Tags: Gianluca Cedolia Maria Konnikova

3 days 14 hours ago

Aksu Cracks Kings to Climb Back to Six Figures

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Frank Visser

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

In a blind-on-blind battle, Osman Aksu and Eric Sfez got their chips in the middle preflop, with Sfez being at risk for his stack of 37,000.

Eric Sfez: K♥K♦ All in
Osman Aksu: A♠K♣

The 9♦6♦4♠ flop remained safe for Sfez, but Aksu celebrated as the A♣ turn left his opponent with one out. The final king did not reveal itself on the 6♥ river, and Sfez took a picture of his unfortunate exit before he left for an early dinner.

Player	Chips	Progress
Osman Aksu	120,000 20,000	20,000
Eric Sfez	Busted

Tags: Eric Sfez Osman Aksu

3 days 12 hours ago

Konnikova Puts Padilha in Tank

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Frank Visser

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

The action was picked up on the Q♠2♦9♠Q♥ turn. With a sizable pot of 35,000 in the middle, Pedro Padilha checked from the hijack. Maria Konnikova followed suit in the cutoff, after which the J♣ appeared as the river.

Padilha checked again, prompting Konnikova to fire a massive bet of 46,000, covering Padilha's remaining chips. Padilha thought it over for a while before he decided to preserve his 54 big blinds by mucking his cards.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maria Konnikova	130,500 40,500	40,500

Pedro Padilha	43,500

Tags: Maria Konnikova Pedro Padilha

3 days 12 hours ago

Sammartino's Second Exit

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Frank Visser

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Dario Sammartino got his stack of 27,000 in from the big blind and was up against David Djian in middle position.

Dario Sammartino: Q♠Q♦ All in
David Djian: A♣K♦

Djian paired up on the A♠J♠9♥ flop for a big lead. The 8♣ turn gave Sammartino a straight draw, but the 6♣ river was of no use.

Sammartino busted his second bullet of the day, ending his EPT Monte Carlo Main Event on Day 1.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Djian	110,000
Dario Sammartino	Busted

Tags: Dario Sammartino David Djian

3 days 11 hours ago

Parmar's Woes Continue

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Frank Visser

Level 8 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Abdullah Turan opened to 2,000 in early position. Former chipleader Taran Parmar then three-bet to 5,000 in the hijack and quickly called when Turan moved all in for 27,300.

Abdullah Turan: A♣K♣ All in
Taran Parmar: 10♦10♣

Turan won the flip by making a pair on the K♦3♥9♠6♥Q♦ board and doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Taran Parmar	150,000 20,000	20,000
Abdullah Turan	57,100 42,800	42,800

Tags: Fabiano Cappelli Taran Parmar

3 days 10 hours ago

Lewis Left Short as Tsokaridis Flops Nuts

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Frank Visser

Level 9 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Romain Lewis raised under the gun and called button Paraskevas Tsokaridis' three-bet to 7,700.

Both players then checked the 7♦10♠9♣ flop, and Lewis checked again on the 3♥ turn. Tsokaridis fired a bet of 5,500, which Lewis called after some thought.

Lewis then pondered for a while on the 6♠ river, eventually opting to check a third time. Tsokaridis settled on a bet of 17,000, and Lewis once again entered the tank.

The clock was eventually called on Lewis, and he slid in a call during his 30-second countdown.

Tsokaridis revealed J♥8♥ for a flopped straight, and Lewis returned his cards to the muck in defeat.

Player	Chips	Progress
Paraskevas Tsokaridis	192,000 32,000	32,000

Romain Lewis	23,000 28,100	28,100

Tags: Paraskevas Tsokaridis Romain Lewis

3 days 10 hours ago

Studniarz Shoves and Shows

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Frank Visser

Level 9 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

The action was caught on a 6♠3♠9♦ flop. Sylwia Studniarz checked from the big blind, prompting Rodrigo Selouan to add 12,000 to the 30,000 pot from middle position.

Studniarz responded with a raise to 30,000, which Selouan quickly called. The 8♦ turn saw Studniarz quickly move all in for 71,700. Selouan asked for a count, but folded his hand upon hearing the correct number.

Studniarz then tabled A♠J♠ for a flush draw, and Selouan admitted he had folded a pocket pair.