Dan O'Brien was eliminated early on today and we just spotted him in one of the side events. O'Brien was kind enough to explain to us what happened and this is how he was knocked out.
"I played a lot of hands, and the table was very good," O'Brien started.
O'Brien continued to explain how his stack dwindled down from 30,000 tot 15,000 when the final hand played out. A player under the gun raised to 1,800 and someone in middle position three-bet to 3,800. O'Brien moved all in from the cutoff and the initial raiser folded. The three-bettor made the call with and rivered a king to beat O'Brien's jacks.
Robert Haigh is the only player who can catch Jan Bendik in the EPT9 Player of the Year race but it depends on him doing well this week.
Haigh came back with less than his starting stack today and would need a double up at some point or go off and grind the side events to try and earn those valuable points. Luckily for him, that double came courtesy of Pratyush Buddiga after an all in showdown.
There was an open to 1,800 and a call from Buddiga in the cut-off before Haigh squeezed all in for 20,300 from the small blind. Buddiga made the call after the original raiser folded.
Haigh:
Buddiga:
The board ran to make the German the better two pair.
From the cutoff seat, Calvin Anderson raised to 1,600. On the button was Lebanon's Charbel Salloum, and he made the call.
The flop came down , and Anderson bet 1,800. Quickly, Salloum raised to 4,500. Anderson called.
The turn was the , and Anderson checked. After Salloum bet 4,000 and Anderson was thinking, Salloum motioned to Anderson for him to fold. Anderson went the other way with his decision and called, though.
The river was the , and both players checked.
Salloum showed the for a pair of aces, and Anderson mucked his hand.
When we arrived at Table 24, a short-stacked Emeric Styevlik was all in with . Brendon Rubie had him at risk with , and the board had just finished . Styevlik was very relived to have made a straight on the turn, but Rubie is still healthy with 62,000 chips.
Bruno Lopes raised preflop and Team PokerStars Sports Star Fatima Moreira decided to make the call from his immediate left. PokerStars Team Online Isaac Haxton and Niklas Asplund called as well and four players saw the flop.
The flop brought out and Lopes fired out 3,700 after which Moreira de Melo raised to 7,400. Haxton and Asplund folded quickly after which Lopes moved all in. Moreira de Melo snap-called and the surprising showdown went as following.
Bruno Lopes:
Fatima Moreira de Melo:
The board ran out , and Moreira de Melo was eliminated.
Team PokerStars Pro Marcel Luske checked the flop before former EPT Grand Final champion Nicolas Chouity fired 2,100. Behind him, Calvin Anderson raised to 5,000. After Luske folded, Chouity called to see the turn.
The paired the board on the turn, and Chouity checked to his opponent. Anderson wasted little time in firing 7,300. Chouity called.
The river was the , and Chouity checked again. While Chouity had about 43,000 in chips in his stack, Anderson plopped out a bet of 23,000. Chouity looked somewhat pained, but made the call anyway.
Anderson instantly slapped over the for a full house, jacks full of queens, and Chouity mucked.
Yacoub Boukhris just ended up getting Michael Tureniec all in for his tournament life. Tureniec started the day with 28,000 chips and was looking to dodge just a few cards.
Yacoub Boukhris:
Michael Tureniec:
The board ran out and the former EPT Copenhagen winner was knocked out.
and rivered a king to beat O'Brien's jacks.
to make the German the better two pair.
.
, giving Dib an ace-high flush, but the river was another king, the 
, and Anderson bet 1,800. Quickly, Salloum raised to 4,500. Anderson called.
for a pair of aces, and Anderson mucked his hand.
. Brendon Rubie had him at risk with 
, and the board had just finished 
flop before 
paired the board on the turn, and Chouity checked to his opponent. Anderson wasted little time in firing 7,300. Chouity called.
