$2,200 Luxon Pay Grand Final Day 1a | 2025 Mediterranean Poker Party

May 05, 2025

Jorstad Takes His Seat

Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Espen Jorstad, the 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event champion, has just taken his seat in Day 1a of the $2,200 Luxon Pay Grand Final at the Mediterranean Poker Party. Jorstad made history by becoming the first Norwegian player to win the WSOP Main Event, earning a $10 million prize after topping a field of 8,663 players .

Since his landmark victory, Jorstad has continued to build on his impressive resume, amassing over $18 million in live tournament earnings, which places him at the top of Norway's all-time money list . His presence here in Cyprus adds a significant level of prestige to the event, and all eyes will be on him as he begins his campaign in the Grand Final.

Tags: Espen Jorstad

May 05, 2025

Tsouloftas' Pair Holds Up

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Georgios Tsouloftas just stacked his table neighbor to bring his stack north of 300,000.

The action was picked up on the flop of 4♣2♥J♥ with Pavel Tomashchuk committing his stack of over 100,000 to the pot, and being put at risk by by Tsouloftas.

Pavel Tomashchuk: A♥3♥ All in
Georgios Tsouloftas: 6♥4♥

Both had flush draws but it was the pair of Tsouloftas that gave him the big advantage going to the turn and river. The turn was red, but the Q♦ was the wrong suit for Tomashchuk, who had just one chance left to improve.

Though he did improve on the 3♣ river, his pair of threes weren't enough to keep him alive, leaving him on the rail and giving Tsouloftas the pot.

Tags: Georgios Tsouloftas Pavel Tomashchuk

May 05, 2025

Selected Chip Counts

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Kai Cocklin

Level 8 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Level: 8

Blinds: 3,000/6,000

Ante: 6,000

May 05, 2025

Hirs Left With Fumes

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

Aliaksandr Hirs is down to his last few big blinds after a failed bluff attempt.

Hirs raised from middle position and got a call from the big blind. The flop came 6♥Q♦5♥ and the big blind check-called a bet of 7,000 from Hirs to the 4♣ turn, where both checked.

A K♥ completed the board and when the action got to Hirs, he bet 16,000. The big blind called.

Hirs then revealed A♦9♠ for just ace-high, and lost to the Q♣8♦ of the big blind.

On another table, Kirill Burtin just busted and was seen exiting the tournament area.

Tags: Aliaksandr Hirs Kirill Burtin

May 05, 2025

Menhardt Spikes the River to Bust Gabdullin

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

The action was caught on a flop of Q♦7♦8♥ with Damir Gabdullin committing the last of his 80,000-chip stack and Julian Menhardt putting him at risk.

Damir Gabdullin: A♠A♥ All in
Julian Menhardt: K♠Q♠

Gabdullin was well in the lead with his rockets and was one card closer to a double-up when the 2♣ hit the turn. However, a K♣ on the river changed everything as Menhardt made two pair, leaving Gabdullin on the sidelines.

Tags: Damir Gabdullin Julian Menhardt

May 05, 2025

Burtin Loses Most of His Stack

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Kai Cocklin

Level 7 : Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante

Kirill Burtin wasn't a happy man after having to send the bulk of his stack over in Dan Borlan's direction.

The complete action was missed but on a board of 9♣5♣J♠9♠5♦, Borlan had all of his stack in the middle by the time the river card hit. Burtin stuck around and may have thought his hand was best when he tabled trips with A♠9♥. However, Borlan turned a full house with J♦9♦ to earn himself a double-up.

Tags: Dan Borlan Kirill Burtin

Level: 7

Blinds: 2,500/5,000

Ante: 5,000

May 05, 2025

Another For Kirichenko

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Daniel Vellender made it 11,000 to go from middle position and got called by Tobias Peters in the cutoff, the button, and Aleksandr Kirichenko in the big blind.

All four checked the K♦3♦9♣ flop to the 5♠ turn, where Kirichenko led out for 11,500. One by one, all of his opponents folded, allowing Kirichenko to take down another pot.

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Daniel Vellender Tobias Peters

May 05, 2025

Kirichenko Gets One Through

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Kai Cocklin

Level 6 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Aleksandr Kirichenko had lost the bulk of his 200,000-chip starting stack but managed to get some back in a hand against Daniel Vellender.

The board read 7♠9♣2♥2♦ and with around 25,000 in the middle, both players put in 20,000 to see the J♣ hit the river. Kirichenko was first to act and led with a shove for 64,000 Vellender then used some time to think it over but eventually decided to fold, allowing Kirichenko to grow his stack.

Tags: Aleksandr Kirichenko Daniel Vellender