The prize pool and the total number of players paid have been finalized. 855 players signed up for the PokerStars Championship Prague Main Event and 127 of them will claim their share of the €4,146,750 prize pool. Each of them will receive at least €8,700 for their efforts but all eyes are on the trophy and the €775,000 that awaits the champion on Monday night.
"I am playing 29.7 guys," Ioannis Angelou Konstas said after just having raised to 2,700 from under the gun. Nick Maimone called from one seat over, as did big stack Omid Mojaverian on the button. Jans Arends called from the big blind and the flop fell . Action checked to Mojaverian, who bet 4,300 and picked up no fewer than three callers.
Four-way to the turn, it was again Mojaverian who bet 9,800. This time, only Konstas and Maimone called to see the on the river. Konstas checked, Maimone bet 18,000 and Mojaverian folded. "I guess I can't beat anything," Konstas added and flashed his cards so at least one player could see it before they ended up in the muck.
"I had " Konstas said and the dealer indeed turned over these exact cards. Maimone claimed a decent pot without having to show and bumped his stack nicely, everyone then headed to new tables as theirs broke.
Diego Zeiter's open raise was met with a three-bet to 11,300 by Ivan Soshnikov from one seat over and Zeiter called to see a flop of . Zeiter checked and Soshnikov quickly bet 9,500 to rake in the pot. The Russian started the day below the average and has since more than doubled.
He won't be adding any more chips on this very table though, because that one just broke to see Xixiang Luo, Vlado Banicevic and Louis Salter all head for new homes.
The following notables are among those who busted during the last hour of play, including Christoph Vogelsang, Georgios Sotiropoulos and Bartlomiej Machon.
Poker legend John Juanda, 6th on the all-time money list with over $23 million in lifetime winnings, had a bet of 20,800 in front of him on a board. Rui Neves Ferreira took his time before committing a call but couldn't beat Juanda's .
With that, Juanda now sits at a very workable 150,000 in chips.
Thomas Lentrodt chipped up with quads to boost his stack, while Albert Daher was spotted leaving his chair after running out of chips. Below are further assorted counts in the first level of the day.
Tuukka Meklin raised to 2,400 from the cutoff and was called by Steve O'Dwyer on the button. Both checked the flop before the turn paired the board. Meklin bet 2,600 and was called before making it 3,400 to go on the river. O'Dwyer was not happy about the call but tossed in the chips before mucking as soon as Meklin rolled over the for aces and sixes.