in the second last hand of the previous level, Jonas Gutteck got up to 100,000 in chips and then lost most of it in the next hand when turning a set with pocket sevens and making a full house on the river. Unfortunately, an opponent had already flopped the higher set of queens and took more than two third of his stack.
Then, Gutteck lost with pocket jacks against as an opponent turned trips tens. Ultimately, the German got it in with and the player in the small blind woke up with pocket aces.
On a board of Jose Quintas shoved all in from the big blind for 24,100 in a pot already quite big. George Danzer, in early position, had the option to call or fold and was clearly conflicted.
The German Team Pro stared at the board for a little and reached into his pocket to get a €2 coin out. He played around with it a little bit and after a minute or so he tossed it in the air, having it land in his hand, and slamming it on the back of his other hand tales up.
"I wished it was the other one" Danzer said with a smile, not acting upon what he had decided before we assumed. It was like the Danish poet and scientist Piet Hein once wrote in a poem:
Whenever you're called on to make up your mind,
and you're hampered by not having any,
the best way to solve the dilemma, you'll find,
is simply by spinning a penny.
No — not so that chance shall decide the affair
while you're passively standing there moping;
but the moment the penny is up in the air,
you suddenly know what you're hoping.
Danzer eventually decided not to follow up with what the coin had decided, and folded his hand. Quintas was kind enough to show the . Hein's advice was again solid. Danzer continues with about 66,000 in chips.
EPT Malta “Triple Crowner" Dzmitry Urbanovich has leap-frogged his way to the top of the EPT Season 11 Player of the Year leaderboard. The 19-year-old Pole was in seventh place before the EPT Malta Poker Festival began but is now 28 points clear of nearest rival Davidi Kitai after three Malta victories, and a fourth final table.
Azerbaijan’s Ramin Hajiyev has notched up more points after finishing ninth in the €25k High Roller but it’s not change for former leader Davidi Kitai, Vladimir Troyanovskiy and Joao Vieira.
They spent the last few days of EPT Deauville jostling for first place with Kitai eventually emerging on top after winning the EPT Deauville €2k NL Turbo - however all three have yet to cash here in Malta.
Israel's Matan Krakow hasn't played many events in the last 12 months, but right here on Malta he's in great shape to make a deep run.
Krakow's the number 15 on the Israel all-time money list, and just now he bet 25,000 on a board. Krakow's opponent, Jakub Michalak, made the call and was shown .
Krakow's set took down the pot and he now sits on 200,000 chips while Michalak has 115,000 left.
George Phiniotis opened to 2,600 from under the gun and Martin Jacobson just flat-called to see a heads-up flop of . The Swede raised from 3,800 to 8,500 and was called before leading the turn for 20,000. Phiniotis made the call and checked the river once again.
Jacobson now fired 35,000 and the valuebet of the reigning World Series of Poker Main Event champion was paid off, giving the pot to the Swede with for a set of queens.
Don't worry, the PokerStars Sponsored and engaged Dominik Panka, is not on the prowl for the ladies, chips are all he desires right now.
He's staying active and played three hands in an orbit, winning two and losing one.
Thomas Muehloecker opened to 3,000 from the hijack and Panka took his time before calling off the button before the very dangerous Matas Cimbolas squeezed to 10,400 in the small blind. Muehloecker released his hand but Panka had other ideas. He set the Lithuanian all in for his remaining 34,000 and forced a fold.
Next up, Panka raised from mid position and Sven Andersson peeled from the big blind. Both players checked the flop before Andersson check-folded to a 2,500 bet with the board reading .
Panks then turned from aggressor to defended after his big blind was raised to 2,600. He called before both players checked the flop. A delayed c-bet of 2,500 on the turn was enough to make Panka check-fold.
Olivier Busquet opened in early position and picked up three callers; a player in middle position, Marc-Andre Ladouceur, and the big blind.
All four of them checked on and the fell on the turn. The big blind lead out for 7,500 and just Busquet made the call, both other players folded. The completed the board and the big blind bet 10,000 even. Busquet tossed in a single chip to indicate he was calling, but had to add to the full 10,000 when he was shown . Busquet mucked.
as an opponent turned trips tens. Ultimately, the German got it in with 
and the player in the small blind woke up with pocket aces.
and faced the 
of the player to his immediate right. The board ran out 
and O'Shea sat back down.
Jose Quintas shoved all in from the big blind for 24,100 in a pot already quite big. George Danzer, in early position, had the option to call or fold and was clearly conflicted.
board. Krakow's opponent, Jakub Michalak, made the call and was shown 
.
. The Swede raised from 3,800 to 8,500 and was called before leading the 
turn for 20,000. Phiniotis made the call and checked the 
river once again.
for a set of queens.
and the 
completed the board and the big blind bet 10,000 even. Busquet tossed in a single chip to indicate he was calling, but had to add to the full 10,000 when he was shown 
. Busquet mucked.
