€5,300 Main Event Day 3 | 2026 PokerStars EPT Paris

02-26-2026 20:30 UTC+2

Flashback: Matan Krakow Wins 2025 EPT Prague Main Event

Kaelaine Minton

Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Every winter, Matan Krakow makes it a point to travel from his home in Israel to play in the PokerStars European Poker Tour Prague. It’s his favorite stop of the year. It’s where he first cashed in an EPT festival nearly fifteen years ago. And in December, at the final table of the 2025 EPT Prague Main Event, Krakow enjoyed his crowning achievement in a long career in the poker industry.

Krakow spiked a flush on the river to defeat Turkey’s Bora Kurtulus heads up and capture the prestigious PokerStars golden shard trophy and €778,255 top prize for prevailing over the 1,224-entry field.

“It’s more exciting than I can put into words. It’s a dream come true. It really is,” the new champion said with the gold-plated trophy by his side and confetti strewn across the floor, taking in the scene that most poker players can only dream of.

2025 EPT Prague Main Event Final Table Results

Place	Player	Country	Prize
1	Matan Krakow	Israel	€778,255*
2	Bora Kurtulus	Turkey	€757,400*
3	Dimitrios Gkatzas	Greece	€574,600*
4	Traian Stanciu	Romania	€349,650
5	Paawan Bansal	India	€269,000
6	Conor O'Driscoll	Ireland	€206,900
7	Vitezslav Cech	Czechia	€159,150
8	Ding Fan	China	€122,400

*Denotes three-way deal

Read the Full Recap Here

02-26-2026 20:09 UTC+2

Dinner Is Served

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Frank Visser

Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

The 65 remaining players have been sent on their dinner break of 70 minutes.

The EPT Paris Main Event will resume around 8:20 p.m. local time.

Level 19 Highlights

02-26-2026 20:09 UTC+2

Bechahed Smacks the River in the Biggest Pot of the Tournament

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David Salituro

Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Diogo Duarte three-bet to 110,000 in the big blind, and Sami Bechahed called under the gun.

The flop came 6♠7♠2♦ and Duarte continued for 140,000. Bechahed called, and the 5♦ fell on the turn.

"This is a huge pot," tablemate Alex Keating said, as the other players all got up to go on dinner break.

Duarte then moved all in for 492,000.

"Where are the video cameras?" Keating added as Bechahed went deep into the tank.

"F**k it," he eventually said, slamming in the chips to call.

He turned over 8♦8♠, but Duarte had turned two pair with 6♥5♥.

"Deuce, eight, four, or a nine," Bechahed pleaded, and he spiked the 2♣ on the river to make a better two pair and take down the biggest pot of the tournament.

"I can't even eat now. He had 50K when I got to the table. Now he's chip leader of the whole tournament," Keating added, as Bechahed and Duarte exchanged a hug before Duarte headed to the rail, while Bechahed was pushed the massive pile of chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sami Bechahed	1,550,000 1,130,000	1,130,000
Diogo Duarte	Busted

Tags: Diogo Duarte Sami Bechahed

02-26-2026 20:08 UTC+2

Pre-Dinner Eliminations

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Frank Visser

Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Mahersh Selvakumaran	Busted

Mathieu His	Busted
Juan Pinero	Busted
Gerard Carbo	Busted
Edgard Moreau	Busted

02-26-2026 20:07 UTC+2

Gordo Doubles Before Dinner

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Frank Visser

Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Felix Schneiders opened the action with a raise to 20,000 from early position. Guillermo Gordo then three-bet jammed his stack of 245,000 from the cutoff, after which the action folded to Salman Ramzi in the big blind.

Ramzi spent multiple time banks, seemingly agonizing over the decision. Eventually, he slammed in a tower of chips to call. Schneiders quickly moved out of the way to force a showdown.

Guillermo Gordo: A♣K♦ All in
Salman Ramzi: K♥Q♥

Ramzi flopped a straight draw on 10♦J♦K♣, but Gordo's ace kicker remained in play on the 5♥10♣ runout to secure his double-up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Felix Schneiders	560,000 110,000	110,000
Guillermo Gordo	525,000 175,000	175,000
Salman Ramzi	245,000 332,000	332,000

Tags: Felix Schneiders Mario Colavita Salman Ramzi

02-26-2026 20:05 UTC+2

State Leaves Selvakumaran on Fumes; Buhaiov Hero Calls Gordo

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David Salituro

Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Adrian State bet 75,000 from under the gun on a board of K♠9♠J♦6♣ and Mahersh Selvakumaran called in the cutoff.

The river was the 4♥ and State bet another 225,000. Selvakumaran again called, and State showed K♣J♠ for two pair to win the pot and leave the former chip leader with less than 10 big blinds.

At another table, Nazar Buhaiov was facing an all-in shove from Guillermo Gordo on a board of 6♣K♣A♦4♣2♣. Buhaiov took a few minutes before calling for his last 225,000 out of the big blind, and Gordo could only show Q♠J♠ for a bluff. Buhaiov turned over A♠10♥ for top pair as he won the pot to double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Adrian State	800,000 255,000	255,000
Nazar Buhaiov	600,000 280,000	280,000

Guillermo Gordo	350,000 220,000	220,000
Mahersh Selvakumaran	70,000 460,000	460,000

Tags: Adrian State Guillermo Gordo Mahersh Selvakumaran Nazar Buhaiov

02-26-2026 20:01 UTC+2

Ettedgi Edges Out Georgopoulos on River

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Frank Visser

Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Ioannis Georgopoulos committed his last 73,000 to the middle from middle position. Joel Ettedgi asked for a count in the big blind before he called.

Ioannis Georgopoulos: A♦10♠ All in
Joel Ettedgi: 10♣8♥

Georgopoulos' ace-high remained in the lead on the 3♦4♦6♣ flop and 5♥ turn. Ettedgi requested a seven on the river, and his wish was granted when the 7♣ appeared as the final card.

Ettedgi made a straight to the eight, while Georgopoulos played the straight to the seven on the board and was thus eliminated from the EPT Paris Main Event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joel Ettedgi	790,000 344,000	344,000
Ioannis Georgopoulos	Busted

Tags: Ioannis Georgopoulos Joel Ettedgi

02-26-2026 19:52 UTC+2

Gogniat Climbs Further

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Frank Visser

Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Thierry Gogniat raised to 20,000 in the hijack. Gael Djenkal flicked in a three-bet to 60,000 in the cutoff, and Gogniat called.

Gogniat check-called Djenkal's continuation-bet of 40,000 on the J♣6♦3♦ flop before the J♥ turn was checked by both players.

The 3♣ river saw Gogniat lead out for 30,000. Djenkal called near the end of his shot clock. Gogniat tabled A♣6♣ for jacks and sixes, and Djenkal nodded his head before mucking his cards in defeat.

Player	Chips	Progress
Thierry Gogniat	1,325,000 170,000	170,000
Gael Djenkal	643,000 321,000	321,000

Tags: Gael Djenkal Thierry Gogniat

02-26-2026 19:49 UTC+2

Schneiders Leads Into Buhaiov

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David Salituro

Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Nazar Buhaiov raised to 20,000 under the gun and Felix Schneiders called in the big blind.

Buhaiov continued for another 20,000 on the 6♠4♦Q♣ flop, and Schneiders called. Schneiders then led out for 35,000 on the 7♥ turn, and Buhaiov called.

Television cameras began swarming the table as Schneiders slid forward a tower of blue 5,000 chips on the A♣ river for a bet of 100,000. Buhaiov took about 30 seconds, but this time he gave up his hand and Schneiders took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Felix Schneiders	450,000 41,000	41,000
Nazar Buhaiov	320,000 49,000	49,000

Tags: Felix Schneiders Nazar Buhaiov

02-26-2026 19:48 UTC+2

Assorted Counts

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Frank Visser

Level 19 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Lyudmil Ivanov	1,340,000 170,000	170,000
Pawel Wojciechowski	1,280,000 190,000	190,000
Zdenek Zizka	950,000 130,000	130,000
Bruno Fuentes	735,000 150,000	150,000

Ruben Lopes	425,000 138,000	138,000
Felix Schneiders	415,000 6,000	6,000
Angelina Rich	155,000 192,000	192,000