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

02-26-2026 17:35 UTC+2

Mokri Recoups Some Chips Off Fuentes

David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

With around 80,000 in the pot on a board of 5♦K♠10♠A♠, Kayhan Mokri bet 60,000 from early position. Bruno Fuentes then raised to 130,000 in the big blind, and Mokri called.

The river was the K♥ and Fuentes checked over to Mokri, who bet 175,000. Fuentes used a few time banks, but he eventually folded and Mokri took the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kayhan Mokri	600,000 80,000	80,000
Bruno Fuentes	520,000 195,000	195,000

Tags: Bruno Fuentes Kayhan Mokri

02-26-2026 17:27 UTC+2

Tabac Freerolls Rubiralta Out of Main Event

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Frank Visser

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

In a pot worth roughly 55,000, Mihai Tabac bet 25,000 from under the gun on the 8♥6♣7♣5♦ turn. Gerard Rubiralta then raised to 75,000, to which Tabac responded by moving all in.

Rubiralta quickly called off his total stack of 160,000, and the players flipped over their cards.

Gerard Rubiralta: A♠9♠ All in
Mihai Tabac: K♣9♣

"Ay, ay, ay," Rubiralta lamented when he saw Tabac had a flush draw to go along with his straight.

His gut feeling was correct, as the Q♣ river upgraded Tabac to a flush to knock out one of the 2025 PokerStars Live League winners.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mihai Tabac	510,000 268,000	268,000
Gerard Rubiralta	Busted

Tags: Gerard Rubiralta Mihai Tabac

02-26-2026 17:23 UTC+2

Ivanov Fills Up in Massive Four-Way Pot

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David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Jean-Louis Perez was already all-in from early position as Lyudmil Ivanov, Kayhan Mokri, and Joachim Meisolle went to the turn on a board of Q♣Q♦J♦8♣, with around 120,000 in the main pot, and another 150,000 in the side pot.

Ivanov then bet 80,000 from under the gun, Mokri called in the cutoff, while Meisolle also called on the button. The river was the K♦ and Ivanov bet another 150,000.

Mokri and Meisolle both quickly folded, and Ivanov turned over 8♦8♥ for a full house. Perez tossed A♥Q♥ into the muck as he made his exit.

"I had a straight," Mokri admitted, while Meisolle claimed he had two aces.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lyudmil Ivanov	1,300,000 520,000	520,000
Joachim Meisolle	620,000 297,000	297,000
Kayhan Mokri	520,000 580,000	580,000
Jean-Louis Perez	Busted

Tags: Jean-Louis Perez Joachim Meisolle Kayhan Mokri Lyudmil Ivanov

02-26-2026 17:22 UTC+2

Marques Saves Some Time Banks

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Frank Visser

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Carlos Marques raised to 75,000 under the gun, leaving only one chip behind. Alexis Lucarini then pushed all in from the small blind, and, with a pay jump looming, Marques threw all his time banks on the table.

The dealer had taken some of them when the floor came over, explaining that stalling in this manner was prohibited, and Marques was given five seconds to make his decision. He quickly called.

Carlos Marques: 5♥5♣ All in
Alexis Lucarini: A♦K♠

Marques won the flip on Q♠10♥6♥7♠5♠, and thanked the floor for saving him three time banks, which he would otherwise have spent.

Player	Chips	Progress
Carlos Marques	168,000 73,000	73,000
Alexis Lucarini	160,000 195,000	195,000

Tags: Alexis Lucarini Carlos Marques

02-26-2026 17:15 UTC+2

See How This Poker Dealer Was Caught Cheating! | PokerNews Podcast #940

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Sandra Barbour

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

In the 940th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway, Mike Holtz, and Ben Ludlow are back to break down the video of a poker dealer caught cheating in a Texas card room. See surveillance footage of what happened and how he was caught!

The trio then discusses Michael Mizrachi & Chino Rheem's $100K No Smoking/Drinking prop bet, Alex Foxen making his Hustler Casino Live (HCL) debut, and results from the PokerGO Tour (PGT) Mixed Games Series, which included big wins by Brian Rast, Qinghai Pan, and Yuri Dzivielevski.

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!

02-26-2026 17:12 UTC+2

Sutera, Frankland Go to the Races

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David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Thomas Cazayous raised to 16,000 in early position before Mathew Frankland three-bet to 54,000 on the button. Benedetto Sutera then moved all in for 111,000 in the small blind and Cazayous folded, but Frankland snap-called.

Benedetto Sutera: J♠J♥ All in
Mathew Frankland: A♠K♠

Sutera was racing for his tournament life, and the 6♥5♥5♣7♦8♣ board kept his jacks in the lead and earned him a double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Thomas Cazayous	860,000 15,000	15,000

Mathew Frankland	370,000 103,000	103,000
Benedetto Sutera	240,000 105,000	105,000

Tags: Benedetto Sutera Mathew Frankland Thomas Cazayous

02-26-2026 17:11 UTC+2

Jeschka Can't Get Away From It

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Frank Visser

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

In middle position, Hannes Jeschka had been put all-in for about 200,000 on the Q♠7♣J♣A♠3♣ river by Gabriel Nahum in the hijack, for what appeared to be about twice the size of the pot.

Jeschka eventually announced a call and tabled A♥J♥ for two pair. It was no good against the Q♣6♣ of Nahum, however, who had rivered a flush to win the pot and take Jeschka out.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gabriel Nahum	885,000 235,000	235,000
Hannes Jeschka	Busted

Tags: Gabriel Nahum Hannes Jeschka

02-26-2026 17:04 UTC+2

Garcia Puts in a Big Shove Against Korynetskyi; Ramzi Holds to Bust Rey

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David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Heads-up on a flop of J♣6♦A♥, Cesar Garcia bet 19,000 from early position and Yevhen Korynetskyi called in the big blind.

The turn was the 6♣ and Korynetskyi led out for 23,000. Garcia called, and the K♦ fell on the river.

Korynetskyi slowed down and checked over to Garcia, who moved all in. Korynetskyi, with around 240,000 remaining, quickly folded.

At another table, Salman Ramzi in the hijack had the all-in triangle atop his chip stack as he and Timothee Rey went to the turn on a board of 3♠9♠7♦2♦ and around 150,000 in the pot. Rey was in the big blind and tanked for a minute before calling for his last 180,000.

Rey turned over A♦3♦ for a pair and flush draw, while Ramzi had 8♣8♦. The 6♠ river was no help to Rey, and he was sent to the rail.

"Ace-three suited? Was he tilting? I don't think he had the equity to make that call," tablemate Renato Minicuci said after Rey left the table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Cesar Garcia	800,000 139,000	139,000
Salman Ramzi	650,000 260,000	260,000
Yevhen Korynetskyi	240,000 113,000	113,000
Timothee Rey	Busted

Tags: Cesar Garcia Timothee Rey Salman Ramzi Yevhen Korynetskyi

02-26-2026 16:57 UTC+2

Hardcastle Heads Home

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Frank Visser

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Jack Hardcastle had pushed in his stack of 122,000 from the hijack and was called by Ricardo Alves on the button.

Jack Hardcastle: A♠J♥ All in
Ricardo Alves: A♣K♠

Hardcastle needed to go runner-runner after the 5♦8♦K♥ flop, and the Q♣ turn gave him an opportunity at doing so.

The 6♥ river was not what he was looking for, however, and he consequently said his goodbyes to the table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ricardo Alves	950,000 146,000	146,000
Jack Hardcastle	Busted

Tags: Jack Hardcastle Ricardo Alves

02-26-2026 16:54 UTC+2

Xanthopoulos Cracks Keating's Aces to Survive

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David Salituro

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

In a blind versus blind battle, Christos Xanthopoulos got in his last 95,000 and was up against Alex Keating.

Christos Xanthopoulos: A♥Q♥ All in
Alex Keating: A♦A♠

Xanthopoulos had run right into Keating's aces and was at serious risk of elimination as the flop came J♣J♥7♣. The 9♥ turn gave him some hope with a flush draw, while the 4♥ river gave him his flush and a miraculous double up.

"Nice hand," Keating told him, reaching across to give Xanthopoulos a fist bump before handing over the pot.