2026 PokerStars EPT Monte-Carlo
Axel Bayout raised to 3,000 in the cutoff, and Seyed Tabibzadeh called in the small blind. Next to act, in the big blind, Yuhan Wang three-bet to 12,000, which both players called.
The dealer spread a J♦K♠A♦ flop, which Tabibzadeh seemed to like, as he moved all in for 21,000. Wang called, and Bayout folded.
Seyed Tabibzadeh: Q♥J♥
Yuhan Wang: A♣3♦
Tabibzadeh had a pair and a straight draw, but was unable to improve versus the top pair of Wang, as the 8♦ turn and 2♣ river completed the board.
2023 EPT Monte-Carlo runner-up Leonard Maue got his above-average stack of 108,500 in from the cutoff, being put at risk by Maxime Manzone in early position.
Leonard Maue: A♥K♥
Maxime Manzone: Q♥Q♦
Manzone's queens remained ahead on the 9♠5♥4♣3♦ flop and turn, but Maue made a straight on the 2♣ river to scoop the pot and double up.
Manzone was left with eight big blinds, which he lost not much later to be eliminated.
Arriving as Christopher Nguyen's stack was being pushed across the table to Alan Buttner, the high-roller regular had put his stack in the middle versus ace-king, holding an inferior ace-high.
Buttner's hand remained best as the dealer spread a low board, and Nguyen was eliminated.
Small blind Joan Moragues and Andrej Tekel on the button were heads up on the 9♠10♥J♥K♠ turn. With 38,500 in the pot, Moragues checked it over to Tekel. Tekel then bet 22,000, and Moragues called.
After a bit of thought, Moragues checked the 7♥ river as well. Tekel quickly moved all in, and Moragues snap-called for his stack of 45,500.
Tekel turned over Q♦8♠ for a straight, but Moragues had rivered a flush with his Q♥9♥ and was awarded a sizable double-up. Tekel, meanwhile, was left with about 15 big blinds.
The action was joined as Bosco Li had worked his stack of 27,500 into the middle, and was at risk of elimination versus Vitalijs Korhs.
Bosco Li: A♠K♣
Vitalijs Korhs: 10♥10♣
Li took the lead on the 8♠7♠A♣ flop and scooped a double up after improving to a flush on the 3♠ turn and 6♠ river runout.
Franck Makaci opened to 3,000 in the hijack. Stanislav Anufriiev three-bet to 11,000 once it had folded to him in the big blind, and Makaci obliged with a call.
The pair checked through the 9♣4♣J♦ flop, prompting Anufriiev to bet 23,000 on the 5♠ turn. Makaci called before he saw Anufriiev put him all-in for 62,000 on the J♠ river.
"What do you have? King-queen?" Makaci asked Anufriiev as he burned through his time banks.
"Maybe aces," Anufriiev replied.
Makaci eventually called, just before running out of time. Anufriiev tabled A♥A♦, and Makaci took his exit as his 10♠10♥ was no good.
Markus Bonus raised to 3,000 from middle position, to which Georgios Vrakas responded with a three-bet to 9,000 one seat to his left. Next to act, a short-stacked Bryn Kenney moved all in for 3,500. The action returned to Bonus, who folded.
Bryn Kenney: A♠10♥
Georgios Vrakas: J♦J♣
The dealer spread a 3♠7♥J♠ flop, leaving Kenney requiring running cards to survive.
There was hope on the 8♦ turn, but the 10♠ river sealed Kenney's fate, as one of the players at the table remarked that they were happy to see the back of the all-time money list leader.
Dimitar Danchev raised to 3,500 in the cutoff. It folded to Lucas Blanco in the big blind, who three-bet to 13,500. Danchev called, and did so too when Blanco continued for 15,000 on the 7♦5♦2♣ flop.
The J♦ turn was then checked by both players, and Blanco checked the 6♣ river as well. Danchev spent one of his time banks before moving all in for 78,000. Blanco quickly relinquished the pot and mucked his cards.