Monday, March 14, 2022

WORLD NEWS

March, 2016

  • 14 March

    Sunday Warm-Up: Mayu “marroca5” Roca earns $70K victory

    Mayu "marroca5" Roca is one of Columbia's live top money winners claiming fourth place at the European Poker Tour Grand Finale two years ago earning $579,682. Roca was already established as a force online before that EPT final table winning a WCOOP br...

  • 13 March

    P1M Guarantee- March: A dominating victory for Wang-Ping Yuan

    It was a big day for Taiwanese player Wang-Ping Yuan aka Wayne who overcame a field of 361 entries at the P1M Guarantee Main Event to claim the trophy and the P332,648 first place cash prize. Yuan's run to the finish line began with him scalping man...

  • 13 March

    PokerNews Streamer Spotlight: Daniel Mar Turns Up the Volume

    Daniel Mar will be the first featured streamer on the PokerNews Twitch channel. Learn all about him here.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 13 March

    Poker and Chess with Jennifer Shahade

    We talk about what poker players can learn from chess, and vice versa, with expert in both Jennifer Shahade.

  • 13 March

    Report Links Chinese Criminal Underworld and Macau Casinos

    A report from the British Journal of Criminology links Chinese triads to gaming junkets in Macau.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 13 March

    Any graph that points up is a good one

    We've winners big and small this week in the Bankroll Challenge, it doesn't matter how you win, as long as you win.

  • 13 March

    Delaware iGaming Revenue Notches Second Best Month Ever

    The post Delaware iGaming Revenue Notches Second Best Month Ever appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

  • 13 March

    P1M Guarantee- March: Final Day Updates

    We are at the final day of the P1M Guarantee with 56 players returning to the felt for a battle to the trophy. The first place cash prize is P332,648 big ones plus a seat to the upcoming Manila Megastack 5. Top 36 players will see a profit with the low...

  • 13 March

    P1M Guarantee- March: Final Day Begins; 56 qualifiers

    We are at the final day of the P1M Guarantee at the PokerStars Live Manila poker room at City of Dreams Manila. The combined day one flights saw a total of 361 entries - 168 for day 1a and 193 for day 1b - bringing the prize pool to a massive P1,540,74...

  • 12 March

    P1Million Guarantee- March: Soo Jo Kim ends day 1b with a monster stack; Chip Counts

    Although the day started slow, day 1b of the P1M Guarantee Main Event eventually picked up momentum and recorded 193 total entries by the end of late registration. At the end of regulation play, only 28 players were able to hold on to their chips with ...

  • 12 March

    The versatility of small suited connectors

    There is more to small suited connectors than just hitting a flush or straight. Find out how to win more money with hands like 78 of hearts.

  • 12 March

    2016 - the year of the crazy poker story

    Donald Trump, childbirth, funerals and Lance Armstrong have all been in the poker news this year. Vote for the craziest story of the year so far.

  • 12 March

    P1M Guarantee- March: Day 1b Updates

    Cards are in the air for day 1b of the P1M Guarantee Main Event at the PokerStars Live Manila poker room. We will post random updates of some of the action at the felt today. This is the last flight to qualify into day 2. Buy-in is P5,000 with unlimite...

  • 12 March

    P1M Guarantee- March: Last Main Event day one flight underway today

    The final day one flight of the P1M Guarantee Main Event kicks off today at 1230pm at the PokerStars Live Manila poker room at City of Dreams, Manila. Buy-in for this event is P5,000 with unlimited re-entries until the end of level 8. Starting stack is...

  • 11 March

    The decade-long journey of the Sunday Million

    For most people these days, it's hard to remember a time when there wasn't a Sunday Million. Some of 2016's best players hadn't even hit puberty when the Sunday Million first appeared ten years ago. Now, the world's biggest weekly tournament is about...

  • 11 March

    Poker Cartoon - All-in

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 11 March

    P1M Guarantee- March: Dave Colclough rides high above at day 1a

    UK poker pro Dave Colclough, one of the most decorated and experienced players at the PokerStars Live Manila P1M Guarantee Main Event, came out way on top at the end of day 1a with 227,700 chips in his arsenal at bagging. Colclough earned a massive...

  • 11 March

    Who said this famous poker quote? [QUIZ]

    Test your knowledge on famous lines delivered by some of the biggest names in the game.

  • 11 March

    Support One Drop By Bidding To Announce WSOP Main Event “Shuffle Up and Deal”

    Ever wanted to make the "shuffle up and deal" announcement at the WSOP? Now, you can, by winning an open auction.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 11 March

    Triads dominate the Macau high roller scene

    We round-up some stories you may have missed this week, including Mike Matusow talking TV poker and more on the $1.2 million cycling prop bet.

  • 11 March

    The PokerStars diet of cake and ice cream

    If a PokerStars weekend was a diet fad, it wouldn't be one to get you healthy any time soon. Let' face facts. We don't do kale, we do treats. We don't do moderation, we binge. And while this weekend promises a meat and two vegetables kind of menu, we made sure to throw in cake and ice cream along the way. We're like your favourite uncle.

    I can't promise this dubious analogy won't reappear below, but let me explain.

    First off let' get the formalities out of the way. You'll find everything you usually find taking place this weekend. That means all the weekend majors and the Sunday Million to cap it all off. Last weekend that went to CantWinAFlip who despite brazenly misleading us with his username took a first prize of $174,951.74 to headline the weekend.


    pokerstars_spade_11mar16.jpg

    Whatever the current size of your bank roll there's plenty that will satisfy even the modest competitive urge, and there are satellites to get you a seat to the big ones for a fraction of the prize. Open up the PokerStars client, find the tournament lobby and enjoy having a look around.

    Talking of the Sunday Million....


    Sunday Million tenth anniversary

    We're now just a week away from what could turn out to be the biggest Sunday Million ever held. It's the tenth anniversary so we've kept the numbers simple: A prize pool of $10 million and $1 million to the winner.

    In terms of structure everything remains the same, but we've made a couple of temporary tweaks. The buy in is still $215 but if you're knocked out within the first three hours of play (before registration closes) you can re-enter up to three times. Whether that promotes prudence or recklessness remains to be seen, but either way it will be quite the event. Win it and you'll be telling your grandchildren about it.

    You can get details on the Sunday Million Tenth Anniversary homepage, along with information on how to qualify. You'll also find details of various bonus codes to take advantage of that will earn you a freeroll ticket. It's one thing to turn $215 into $1 million, something else entirely to do the same with $0.


    $1,000,000 Freeroll

    That's not the only guarantee we're making right now. This week we announced details of the first $1 million freeroll on PokerStars, which takes place a day before the Sunday Million Anniversary, on Saturday March 19 at 13:04 ET.

    Entry is open to every real money player on PokerStars, although you have to qualify first.

    To do that you must enter one of our 90-player Sit & Go qualifiers, which are running around the clock. From each Sit & Go the top nine players will advance, with the freeroll itself capped at 100,000 players.


    Want to take part and play in the $1 million guarantee freeroll? Click here to get a PokerStars account.

    To get a ticket simply open your Challenges window and opt-in. To release your ticket just play one hand of real money poker - at any stakes, and in either a cash game or a tournament. If you miss out first time round you can get a second ticket by depositing $20 or more using the bonus code "MILLION1". Get all the details of that event on the Freeroll homepage.


    Results

    It proved a week for appropriate and inappropriate names. First there was CantWinAFlip in the Sunday Million, who won flips, and more to take the title. It seems only wise to counsel against taking on players with usernames like "humblepiemmmm" or "OhFFS101!" this weekend.

    Of course in the real world people play it straight. Who knows if somewhere in the poker world there are struggling players called Trevor Weak, Pete Passive or Lionel Loose. But there is a Rodrigo Strong, and he won the LAPT Chile this week for $120,565.

    Jack Stanton and Will O'Connor were on hand to watch his show of strength, and their reports and updates are well worth a read even if we just spoiled it by telling you the result.

    While the LAPT might eclipse the Eureka Main Event in Rozvadov for prize money, in terms of a story it nudged them at the line.

    That was thanks to Ivan Luca's victory in the Main Event. There's no doubting the immense talent of Luca, a regular high roller and bracelet winner from last year. But this time it was not the win that caught the imagination exactly, but his heads up opponent - his girlfriend Maria Lampropoulos.

    I'm not sure I've ever seen anything quite like this in ten years covering poker. In the old days of the EPT Patrick Antonius was once moved to another table after his wife was moved to a vacant seat opposite. That's not really a practical policy at a final table.

    But in this case any such problems were pushed aside by the unique story of a great final table, told in typically compelling style by our man Nick Wright, whose reports you can read here. It's also worth mentioning that, in an age where it seems everyone is entitled to get involved in a winner's photo; Luca's win produced the most genuine one we've seen for a long time.


    Ivan_Luca_rozvadov_winner_11mar16.jpgRozvadov winner Ivan Luca with his girlfriend (and runner-up) Maria Lampropoulos


    Grand Final

    Luca and Lampropoulos will be likely contenders at the EPT Grand Final, still some six weeks away. But while that's still a ways off, the business of winning seats to the season finale has already started, and in fantastic style.

    As we wrote earlier this week a seat to the EPT Grand Final Main Event costs €5,300, but any number of our satellites can slash that price. Now though, our new Spin & Go promotion will slash the price to as little as €10, and the time it takes to win it to a matter of minutes.

    We launched this promo yesterday and already eight players have booked their ticket to Monaco. Remember that each package is worth €9,000. That includes your main event seat, accommodation for you and a guest at the Monte Carlo Bay Resort, as well as travel expenses. For €10 and ten minutes of your time, it's the best ticket in town, and you have until April 10 to give it a spin... so to speak.


    EPT Not Live

    While there is no EPT Live to keep us busy this month you get more form the #EPTNotLive team. We'll let those guys tell you what's in store this week...

    "Joe Stapleton is in the closet. Literally. He whispers his way through the show, as he broadcasts from his temporary "home" in Los Angeles. The boys kick things off with a major Social Media Beef, before breaking down the first two episodes of the EPT 11 Grand Final (available to watch at pokerstars.tv). These TV shows feature a random Craig David gag, and showcase the talents of Ole Schemion, Maria Ho and Ludovic Geilich - who was booked to appear as the guest on this week's podcast, but never showed up. There's a reminder of the Club ID and Invitation Code for the #EPTLive Home Game Club, plus a preview of the UKIPT London festival, before Lucas Summers demonstrates his knowledge of 'Back to the Future' in 'Superfan vs Stapes'. #EPTNotLive"

    Listen to #EPTNotLive on the relevant links below:

    http://www.soundcloud.com/eptnotlive
    https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ept-not-live/id970248920?mt=2
    http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/ept-not-live


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    So let's see now... that's $10 million guaranteed in the Anniversary Sunday Million next weekend, a $1 million freeroll next week, and a Grand Final package worth €9,000 for €10. That is a lot of cake and ice cream. But what the hell, it's worth it.

    Play well on PokerStars this weekend. As always send any thoughts and comments to us on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 11 March

    Global Poker Index: Steve O’Dwyer Head & Shoulders Above Rest, Leads for 9th Week

    Steve O'Dwyer enjoys a ninth-straight week at No. 1 in the Global Poker Index overall rankings while David Peters and Stephen Chidwick enter the top 10.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 11 March

    P1M Guarantee- March: PS Live Manila Day 1a Updates

    Action is underway at the PokerStars Live Manila poker room at City of Dreams Manila for day 1a of the P1M Guarantee Main Event. They will be playing a total of 16 levels with late registration / re-entries open for half of that. Blind duration is 30 m...

  • 11 March

    Watch how to play Six Plus Hold’em

    Our coach will be using our strategy guide to show you how to thrive in this exciting new format from iPoker.

  • 11 March

    PokerStars Live Manila P1M Guarantee Main Event

    We are back at PokerStars Live Manila for the poker room's second event of the year, the P1M Guarantee poker festival. The festivities kicked off on Tuesday March 8 at City of Dreams Manila, and will run until Sunday March 13, 2016. Today begins day 1a...

  • 11 March

    18 | How many hours can Huck Seed stand in the ocean

    It’s Friday Prop Bet Day – let’s have some fun! 1996 World Series of Poker Main Event winner Huck Seed is back for Prop Bet Friday! Never one to shy away from a challenge, fellow WSOP Main Event Champ Phil Hellmuth bet Huck that he couldn’t stand in the Pacific Ocean, with water up to his shoulders, for 18 consecutive hours. The Poker Brat put $50,000 on the line. Three hours in, Seed was making his way back...

    The post 18 | How many hours can Huck Seed stand in the ocean appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 10 March

    Remko Report Episode #35: Ronnie Bardah

    Ronnie Bardah joins Remko in Australia to talk about Boston, muay thai, his poker career, and more.

  • 10 March

    Global Poker League: A Look at the Rome Emperors and Montreal Nationals

    Take a closer look at the members of Global Poker League franchises the Rome Emperors and Montreal Nationals.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 10 March

    Confusion Arises As Dutch Court Rules Poker a Game of Chance

    The Amsterdam Court of Appeals overturned a ruling that poker is a game of skill and deemed it a game of chance.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 10 March

    Jamie Staples Twitch highlights - 6 March 2022

  • 10 March

    Spin & Go your way to the EPT Grand Final in Monaco

    It's the same old story. You're desperate to play the EPT Grand Final in Monaco - the most prestigious event of its kind - but finding the time to win your seat in a satellite is often impossible. What you need is a solution that factors in the promise of high stakes poker with the obligations of normal life. Does such a solution exist? We think it does. It's called Spin & Go, and should take you from 0-to-Monaco in about nine minutes.

    Nine minutes?

    Well that's about the average time it takes to play our a Spin & Go. They cost as little as €10 and will send some players to Monaco with a package that includes your Main Event ticket, eight night's accommodation at the five star Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort (along with a guest), and travel expenses of $1,125 (€988) paid into your PokerStars account. All in, that's €9,000.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    What's more you can start playing now, with our special Spin & Go's starting today at 10:00 ET and running until 11:59pm on April 10. All you do is register, watch the wheel spin and see what comes up. They start from €10, with an even greater chance of booking your trip to Monaco with buy-ins of up to €500.


    Monaco_eptgf_10mar16.jpg

    Not bad for a trip to Monaco on April 29 all the way through to May 7, with some high stakes poker in one of games' premier venues, and all in nine minutes


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 10 March

    Boyfriend & Girlfriend get heads-up in Eureka event

    Move over Phil Laak and Jennifer Tilly, poker has a new Power Couple.

  • 10 March

    BlogNews Weekly: Kanit’s Huge Pair of Balls, $1 Million Freeroll, and Handling Beats

    Learn about the PokerStars $1 Million Freeroll, Mustapha Kanit's big pair of balls, and how to handle bad beats in this week's edition of the BlogNews Weekly.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 10 March

    2010 | #TBT Scott Clements wins prelim at Wynn Classic

    Scott Clements has a total of 17 victories on the live tournament circuit, including a pair of World Series of Poker bracelets and a World Poker Tour title. One of those 17 victories came on this very day, in 2010. It was in Las Vegas at the 2010 Wynn Classic where Clements would earn career victory #11 in the $545 Omaha Hi/Lo event, defeating Hassan Kanoei heads-up for the title. The Washington native would win the...

    The post 2010 | #TBT Scott Clements wins prelim at Wynn Classic appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 10 March

    Online Poker Weekend Promos: Calling All Heavyweights

    The post Online Poker Weekend Promos: Calling All Heavyweights appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

  • 9 March

    Poker Cartoon - Fame

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 9 March

    Ivan Luca Defeats Girlfriend To Win Eureka Poker Tour Rozvadov Main Event for €106,186

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56d/f6c6545eb7.jpg

    Ivan Luca defeated his girlfriend to win the Eureka Poker Tour Rozvadov Main Event for €106,186.

      Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 9 March

    Jason Wheeler Tops Tough Final Table at WSOP Circuit Bally’s Main Event

    Jason Wheeler won his first WSOPC ring in the Bally's Main Event, taking down $323,236 against a tough final table.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 9 March

    Dutch court says poker is a game of chance

    Bad news for poker players in the Netherlands after a previous ruling about the skill in poker was overturned.

  • 9 March

    20 | Steve O’Dwyer to add another flag to his collection

    Just like any other professional poker player, GPI World #1 Steve O’Dwyer enjoys collecting flags on the live tournament circuit. Each time a player collects a cash in a country for the very first time, he/she earns a “flag” on the THM Database. A recent trip to Georgia (at the first-ever World Series of Poker Circuit event in Tbilisi) saw O’Dwyer earn flag #20, one step away from joining the Top 5 list, led by the incredible...

    The post 20 | Steve O’Dwyer to add another flag to his collection appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 9 March

    PokerNews Podcast Episode #364: Off the Rails

    It’s a slow week in poker, so Rich and DP derail the show a few times to discuss poker players’ obsessions with politics, Jamie Gold’s new expert title, and, of course, Elon Day! There is discussion of the WPT L.A. Poker Classic, California Swing, and a boyfriend/girlfriend heads-up match in Europe.

  • 8 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Strong start, strong finish! Rodrigo Strong claims title and $120,565

    Over the last few days, we've mentioned a few different themes throughout our coverage of the LAPT9 Chile Main Event. Through both Day 1 flights, we talked about two-time LAPT champions, one of which was defending his title here in Vina del Mar, and a ...

  • 8 March

    Eureka6 Rozvadov: Ivan Luca defeats his girlfriend, Maria Lampropoulos, to win title

    eureka6_rozvadov_day4_ivan_luca_winner.jpg

    A big grin from Negriin

    Mysterious poker player takes the EPT by storm and over the course of 15 months final tables High Rollers and Super High Rollers for fun before bagging first major European title early in 2016. No we're not talking about Dzmitry Urbanovich, but Ivan Luca.

    Tonight in Rozvadov he added a Eureka title to the WSOP bracelet he won in 2015 and took his live tournament earnings for 2016 to almost $1,000,000.

    The Argentinian entered the final table as chip leader and it was always going to take something, or someone, special to stop him. By the time heads-up play began it was only his special someone who could deny him the title as he faced off against his girlfriend Maria Lampropoulos. She may not be as experienced as Luca in big buy-in tournaments but she can play, she can play very well as evidenced by her runner-up finish in a WPT National event in Brussels at the end of February.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day4_maria_ivan2.jpg

    So whoever loses has to do the washing up for a month right?

    When heads-up play began Luca had the chip lead but soon lost it. Then he made a straight to her top pair, top kicker to take a big lead. When Lampropoulos made a straight of her own it would prove to be her downfall as Luca had rivered a flush. He shoved, she called and after 90 minutes of back and forth it was all over.

    Eureka6_rozvadov_day4_ivan_maria2.jpg

    Fancy meeting you here

    It's impossible to go any further at this point without mentioning the part David Urban played in this final table. When three-handed play began at 4:20pm CET he had the chip lead. He didn't lose that lead until 8:15pm and barely put a foot wrong despite being up against the two Argentinian's. Forty minutes later he was out in third place for €54,800 and wondering what might have been.

    It wasn't the money he was funking over though. "I really wanted to play Luca heads-up to play against a really top opponent," he told us. With an attitude like that we suspect we'll see more of Urban in the future.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day4_david_urban.jpg

    On another day Urban may well have won

    The blow-by-blow account

    There were eight players left when play got under way today and this is how they lined up.

     FINAL TABLE SEAT DRAW  
    SeatNameCountryStatusChips
    1Mick HederDenmark 1,370,000
    2David UrbanSlovakia 2,005,000
    3Hannes SpeiserAustriaPokerStars player445,000
    4Stoyan StefanovBulgaria 1,505,000
    5Maria LampropoulosArgentina 2,455,000
    6Ivan LucaArgentina 5,355,000
    7Peter SiemundGermany 2,845,000
    8Robert KokoskaCzech Republic 895,000

    Main Event final tv day  Eureka 6 Rozvadov Tomas Stacha-2602.jpg

    The elite eight

    Despite a couple of short-stacks I don't think anyone could have predicted the whirlwind start to proceedings as four players were eliminated in the opening 15 minutes. Hannes Speiser busted on the very first hand when he shoved [Kh][Qs] into Luca's [Ac][Jd].

    eureka6_rozvadov_day4_hannes_speiser.jpg

    Speiser - bust on the first hand


    Ace-jack didn't work out so well for Robert Kokoska as he ran into the pocket kings of Lampropoulos, to finish seventh. A few minutes later Mick Heder picked the wrong time to shove for 20 big blinds with [Kh][Jh] as Luca woke up with aces. When Stoyan Stefanov lost a race with pocket fives to the [As][Kc] of Urban we wondered if we might be done in record time.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day4_robert_kokoska

    Seventh place for Kokoska...

    eureka6_rozvadov_mick_heder.jpg

    ...Heder followed soon after in sixth...

    eureka6_rozvadov_day4_stoyan_stefanov.jpg

    ...and then Stoyan, all in 15 minutes!

    In those opening 15 minutes Peter Siemund had earned €29,000 without playing a hand but his run would end in fourth place when he got very unlucky in a hand against Urban. The German flopped top pair and Urban - who'd three-bet out of position pre-flop - continued his aggression post-flop by setting Siemund all-in on the turn with just ace high and a gutshot straight draw. Siemund had seven outs to dodge then but an ace on the river sent him out in fourth.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day4_peter_siemund.jpg

    Siemund busted in a sick hand


    So that left us with just three. For the vast majority of three-handed play Urban was in control. He had over 50% of the chips in play for large swathes of the four and a half hours it took to go from three to two. Play slowed dramatically at this point with only one all-in and call - which ended in a chop - before Urban's exit in third. He can be proud of his performance today and impressed everybody, not only in the way he played but in how he handled being up against Luca and Lampropoulos when play was three handed.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day4_david_urban2.jpg

    Urban - a classy competitor

    So that left us with the rare heads-up of boyfriend vs girlfriend and they struck a chip-chop deal before play started, leaving €5,000 and household bragging rights on the line. It took 90 minutes of play but eventually Luca's experience deep in big tournaments told and he prevailed to win a major title and add to his glowing reputation. As for Lampropoulos, she's having a breakout year of her own and has recorded her highest ever cash for the second time in a fortnight.
    Eureka6 Rozvadov Main Event
    Dates: March 4-8, 2016
    Buy in: €1,100
    Players: 682
    Prize pool: €661,540

    PlaceNameCountryStatusPayoutDeal
    1Ivan LucaArgentina  € 124,890 € 106,186.00
    2Mraia LampropoulosArgentina  € 76,700 € 95,404.00
    3David UrbanSlovakia  € 54,800  
    4Peter SiemundGermany  € 41,500  
    5Stoyan StefanovBulgaria  € 33,100  
    6Mick HederDenmark  € 25,340  
    7Robert KokoskaCzech Republic  € 18,330  
    8Hannes SpeiserAustriaPokerStars player € 12,500  

    Click for full payouts

    eureka6_rozvadov_day4_ivan_maria3.jpg

    All photos are copyright of Tomas Stacha


  • 8 March

    Watch the WPT Bay101 Shooting Stars live

    We have all the action from Day 1B of this popular World Poker Tour event.

  • 8 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Final table live updates

    * CLICK HERE TO REFRESH THE LIVE UPDATES * CLICK HERE FOR CHIP COUNTS * 8 of 565 remain * Click here for prize pool and payouts * Want more tournament action? Check out live updates from Eureka6 Rozvadov 11:30pm: The final table awaits 565 started....

  • 8 March

    Eureka6 Rozvadov: Final table updates

    Main Event day 3 Eureka 6 Rozvadov Tomas Stacha-2935.jpg

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS
    * 4 of 682 remain
    * Click for prize pool and payouts
    * Live stream here
    * Sprechen Sie deutsch? Dann klicken Sie rein beim PokerStarsblog DE

    * Want more tournament action? Click for LAPT Chile coverage

    3:55pm: Calm after the storm
    Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

    After that crazy opening 15 minutes of the final table the next 15 minutes have passed with little incident. David Urban took a small pot from Maria Lampropoulos and Ivan Luca then outflopped Urban's pocket queens with ace-seven. Urban checked flop and turn and folded to a river bet from Luca though.

    3:40pm: Chip counts
    Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

    Another elimination! Only joking, still four and this is how they stack up after that crazy 15 minutes.

    NameCountryStatusChips
    Ivan LucaArgentina 7,000,000
    Maria LampropoulosArgentina 3,600,000
    David UrbanSlovakia 3,500,000
    Peter SiemundGermany 2,845,000

    3:35pm: €29,000 for 15 minutes work, not bad if you can get it
    Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

    By our reckoning Peter Siemund didn't play a hand during the opening 15 minutes. In that time he's gone from being guaranteed €12,500 to €41,500. Tidy.

    3:30pm: Stoyan Stefanov eliminated in fifth place (€33,100)
    Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

    Scenes! What the hell is going on. A fourth exit in the opening 15 minutes of the final table. Do the players have somewhere to be?

    David Urban opened from the cutoff with [As][Kc], Stoyan Stefanov re-raised all-in for 1,345,000 from the button with [5d][5h] and when it folded back to Urban he called.

    They were off to the races and the [Ac][4s][Kh] flop turned it into a one sided affair. Neither the [Jd] turn or [Qs] river could save Stefanov and he exited in fifth place.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day4_stoyan_stefanov.jpg

    Stefanov (right) shakes David Urban's hand on his way to the payouts desk

    3:25pm: Mick Heder eliminated in sixth place (€25,340)
    Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

    Another one's gone! Three bust outs in the opening 10 minutes! Mick Heder open shoved for 1,175,000 from the button with [Kh][Jh] only for Ivan Luca to wake up with [Ad][Ah] in the big blind.

    The [kc][7h][qh] flop was a dream for Heder but it didn't get any better on the [Ac] turn or [8c] river and he was eliminated in sixth place. Luca is up to around 7,000,000 in chips.

    eureka6_rozvadov_mick_heder.jpg

    Mick Heder - couldn't crack aces

    3:18pm: Robert Kokoska eliminated in seventh place (€18,330)
    Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

    Like London buses! Two exits in the opening orbit here in Rozvadov.

    Maria Lampropoulos opened to 125,000 with [Kd][Ks], Ivan Luca smooth called with pocket eights and Robert Kokoska looked down at [As][Jd]. He had just over 1,100,000 and elected to move all-in. Lampropoulos called and Luca folded.

    The [9c][5d][Kh] flop left Kokoska drawing thin and the [5s] turn left him drawing dead. The [2s] completed the board.

    Two early exits here and six remain.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day4_robert_kokoska

    Kokoska - out in seventh

    3:12pm: Hannes Speiser eliminated in eighth place (€12,500)
    Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

    One hand, one out!

    Hannes Speiser was the short stack of the final eight and on the very first hand he moved all-in for 435,000 with [Kh][Qs] and Ivan Luca made the call with [Ac][Jd].

    The [Ad][Kd][8d][5s][Jh] board hit Luca harder than Speiser and the Austrian player was knocked out in eighth place.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day4_hannes_speiser.jpg

    Speiser (standing) watches on as his fate is dealt

    3:10pm: The final begins
    Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

    Let's shuffle up and deal.

    3pm: The final countdown
    Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

    Welcome to the final table of the Eureka6 Rozvadov Main Event. 682 players have been whittled down to just eight. This is how the final table stacks up:

     FINAL TABLE SEAT DRAW  
    SeatNameCountryStatusChips
    1Mick HederDenmark 1,370,000
    2David UrbanSlovakia 2,005,000
    3Hannes SpeiserAustriaPokerStars player445,000
    4Stoyan StefanovBulgaria 1,505,000
    5Maria LampropoulosArgentina 2,455,000
    6Ivan LucaArgentina 5,355,000
    7Peter SiemundGermany 2,845,000
    8Robert KokoskaCzech Republic 895,000

    Ivan Luca leads the way as he did for much of Day 3. Should he look to his right he'll see his girlfriend, Maria Lampropoulos looking back at him. This is the first time they've both made the same final table together either online or live. It's International Woman's Day, could we have the first female Eureka Main Event champion.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day3_ivan_maria.jpg

    Maria and Ivan

    Here's a reminder of what the final eight are playing for:

    PlaceNameCountryStatusPayout
    1    € 124,890
    2    € 76,700
    3    € 54,800
    4    € 41,500
    5    € 33,100
    6    € 25,340
    7    € 18,330
    8    € 12,500

    The final table is being streamed with cards-up so is being broadcast on a one hour delay. Play should start at roughly 3.05 CET.

    PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at Eureka6 Rozvadov: Nick Wright. Photos by Tomas Stacha. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

  • 8 March

    Eureka6 Rozvadov: Final table profiles

    Seat 1: Mick Heder, 25, Them, Denmark - 1,370,000

    eureka6_rozvadov_day3_mick_heder.jpg

    Mick Heder

    Mick Heder collected his biggest prize here in the King's Casino just two months ago when he was fourth in the EPSC Main Event, taking €24,603. He returned to Rozvadov and is now among eight finalists in the Eureka 6 Rozvadov Main Event. With a sixth place or better, the Dane would record a new best result. He's already guaranteed to add at least €12,500 to his $87k in live tournament earnings. Heder told us that his main discipline is cash game but he didn't have any time to play it for the last three days, being busy with the Main Event.

    Seat 2: David Urban, 26, Trebisov, Slovakia - 2,005,000

    eureka6_rozvadov_day3_david_urban.jpg

    David Urban

    Two seasons ago here in Rozvadov, Martin Meciar became the first Slovakian to win the Eureka Main Event. Now it's David Urban who'll try to emulate his fellow countryman. Urban lies in fifth place on his nation's all-time money list, just behind Meciar. Urban's live tournament winnings exceed $300k and the list of his cashes includes a mix of various flags. Urban has cashed as far as in Australia (4th in the A$1k Six Max at last year's Aussie Millions). Back in July 2014, he won the CAPT Velden Open in Vienna, bringing €50,000 back home from Austria.

    Seat 3: Hannes "suchadegen" Speiser, 30, Vienna, Austria, PokerStars player - 445,000

    eureka6_rozvadov_day3_hannes_speiser.jpg

    Hannes Speiser

    Hannes Speiser comes to the final table with the shortest stack but will try to follow the footsteps of his fellow countryman Raphael Wimmer who won the Eureka Rozvadov Main Event last year. Speiser is living in Vienna and is mostly focusing on the online multi-table tournaments, using screenname "suchadegen" on PokerStars. On the live scene, Speiser has racked up winnings of $221,000 so far.

    Seat 4: Stoyan Stefanov, 25, Plovdiv, Bulgaria - 1,505,000

    eureka6_rozvadov_day3_stoyan_stefanov.jpg

    Stoyan Stefanov

    Mainly a cash game player, Stoyan Stefanov started playing poker with friends seven years ago. Now he's active both live and online. As for live tournaments, he's had only one cash to date: last year's 98th place for €1,775 in the Estrellas/UKIPT Marbella Main Event. Stoyanov is now guaranteed to add much bigger prize by making the final table here at Eureka Rozvadov.

    Seat 5: Maria Lampropoulos, 36, Argentina - 2,455,000

    eureka6_rozvadov_day3_maria_lampropoulos.jpg

    Maria Lampropoulos

    If anyone is regularly cheering for Ivan Luca in the tournaments, it's Maria Lampropoulos who's been railing her boyfriend during many deep runs over the last 15 months. This time, she'll only need to look left to see him but might not be interested in supporting him that much.

    The couple made the Eureka 6 Rozvadov final table and they'll be sitting next to each other on the feature table. While Luca is currently one of the hottest players in the world, Lampropoulos have also had a brilliant February at the poker tables. She cashed the EPT12 Dublin Main Event and then marched to the heads-up in the WPTN Brussels Main Event. Lampropoulos earned €68,200 for the second place - the biggest payday of her career. Now she has a chance to better her largest cash twice in less than two weeks - with another top two finish, she'd set her new top mark. The Argentinian couple is pretty much on the road all the time but they have plans to settle in London, trying to avoid flying overseas back and forth.

    Seat 6: Ivan "Negriin" Luca, 24 Argentina - 5,355,000

    eureka6_rozvadov_ivan_luca2.jpg

    Ivan Luca

    It's hard to find a table where Ivan Luca wouldn't be considered a superstar as he's been thriving in nearly all events including the EPT High Rollers. Aged only 24, Luca is already #2 in the Argentinian all-time money list with more than $2.8 million in live tournament winnings. He's been crushing the events all over Europe since December 2014 when he arrived to the Czech Republic for EPT11 Prague and made three top three finishes there. After that festival, Luca shined in the FPS Deauville Main Event, finishing fourth for €68,500 at the end of January 2015. Then he added his first EPT High Roller notch when he took €397,000 for a runner-up finish in the EPT11 Malta €10k High Roller.

    Luca also won his first WSOP bracelet last summer, banking $353k. He's now one of the regular heavyweights on the live circuit, having made several deep runs in the High Rollers and Super High Rollers. Since the beginning of this year, Luca has already cashed for more than $700k. The Argentinian is also an online beast, using a moniker "Negriin" on PokerStars. His numerous online achievements include a Super Tuesday title as well as a Sunday 500 victory. Luca has made a lot of final tables in his career but this one will be a unique experience for him. For the first time, he'll play against his girlfriend Maria on the final table. The couple tried to look back to remember if that had happened before but Maria said that they'd only played tournaments where they'd met on the last two tables. Luca is a huge favourite coming back for the Final Daywith 5,355,000 in his bag, he's entering the finale in chip lead.

    Seat 7: Peter Siemund, 45 years, Berlin, Germany - 2,845,000

    eureka6_rozvadov_day3_peter_siemund.jpg

    Peter Siemund

    Peter Siemund is the oldest player among the eight finalists in the Eureka 6 Rozvadov Main Event. The 45-year-old from Berlin has been playing poker for five years, choosing between both cash games and tournaments. Siemund has not much time to play as he's working as a CEO for a couple of companies. When off duty, he's watches a lot of poker videos, trying to learn from the pros. So far, his highlight of this tournament was a successful bluff against Ivan Luca on the feature table. Back in 2013, Siemund cashed the EPT10 Prague Main Event, earning €9,900 for a 118th place finish.

    Seat 8: Robert Kokoska, 27, Neratovice, Czech Republic - 895,000

    eureka6_rozvadov_day3_robert_kokoska.jpg

    Robert Kokoska

    One of the top poker players from the Czech Republic, he was originally planning another career, playing football for Sparta Prague. But when Robert Kokoska injured his knee several years ago, he started taking poker seriously and turned professional soon after. Kokoska has been successful both live and online, playing since 2008. On the live circuit, he's amassed over $230k in live tournament winnings with the biggest prize of $52,430 earned for a first place in the Venetian Deepstack Extravaganza $1k Event back in 2012. Recently, he cashed in the PCA 2016 Main Event (93rd for $10,840). The 27-year-old from a small town Neratovice is still playing football. He's a midfielder for his hometown team which lies in the Czech fourth tier. Although seventh in chips, Kokoska can still hope to become the first Czech player to win the Eureka Main Event

  • 8 March

    Join Team Online’s ‘Katerina289’ on Twitch this week to win great prizes

    Katerina 'Katerina289' Malasidou is one of the fastest-rising stars on PokerStars Team Online and this week you have the chance to learn from her - and win prizes at the same time! The Greek poker pro will be hosting a special stream on the PokerSchoo...

  • 8 March

    Russian poker could be worth billions in tax

    An article on International Business Times has suggested that legal online poker in Russia could yield huge returns for the government.

  • 8 March

    The Road to the WSOP 2016

    The post The Road to the WSOP 2016 appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

  • 8 March

    1,332,482 | Mike Shariati is WPT’s L.A. King

    Mike Shariati became a household name last September following his unexpected victory at the WPT Legends of Poker in Los Angeles, defeating the legendary Freddy Deeb heads-up for the title. Six months later, Shariati was back in the LA spotlight, this time attempting to win the WPT L.A. Poker Classic, one of the most prestigious tournament on the live poker circuit. He would once again make it to heads-up play, this time finishing second to German...

    The post 1,332,482 | Mike Shariati is WPT’s L.A. King appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 7 March

    Ivan Luca leads Eureka Rozvadov final table

    Guess who's chip leader!

    Was there ever any doubt? The Argentinian superstar started the day fourth in chips of the 63 returning players and quickly rose to the top. He stayed there for most of the day. When his compatriot, Andres Viola, was eliminated in tenth place to set the unofficial final table of nine he was actually in second place, half a big blind behind Peter Siemund.

    He soon put that right. He eliminated Domenico Gala in ninth place in a four million chip pot and will start the final table in pole position with almost double his nearest challenger. When play resumes they'll be 43 minutes left in the 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante) level.

     FINAL TABLE SEAT DRAW  
    SeatNameCountryStatusChips
    1Mick HederDenmark 1,370,000
    2David UrbanSlovakia 2,005,000
    3Hannes SpeiserAustriaPokerStars player445,000
    4Stoyan StefanovBulgaria 1,505,000
    5Maria LampropoulosArgentina 2,455,000
    6Ivan LucaArgentina 5,355,000
    7Peter SiemundGermany 2,845,000
    8Robert KokoskaCzech Republic 895,000

    The eagle eyed amongst you may notice that we have a lady at the final table. What's more she and Luca are an item! For most of the past two days Maria Lampropoulos beat a different drum to stay in the tournament, playing a short to medium stack extremely well to stay alive.

    Lampropoulos is having a great 2016

    Today she showed she can play when she gets her hands on chips too. She eliminated Jonas Lauck in the third level of the day to win a huge 1,400,000 pot and climb to second at the time. She wouldn't be shifted either and will start tomorrow in 3rd spot with 2,455,000.

    To those who follow poker though her deep run should come as no surprise. She's been a tear of late. She finished 58th in the EPT Dublin Main Event and followed that up with a second place in a WPT National event in Brussels just 10 days ago. That result was good for €68,200.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day3_peter_siemund.jpg

    Siemund separates the two Argentinians

    The player who splits those two at the top of the chip counts is the only remaining German in the field. Peter Siemund largely flew under the radar today. That is until he would a 2,300,000 chip pot with ace-king against the ace-queen of Robert Kokoska. That explains why he starts tomorrow's final table with 2,845,000 whilst Kokoska, who was near the top of the chip counts until then, comes in with 895,000. He's the only Czech hope of a first Eureka Main Event title.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day3_david_urban.jpg

    Urban - well suited to the poker environment


    The only other player with a stack of over 2m is David Urban and he squeaks in with 2,005,000. Throughout the tournament we've seen him content to play post-flop poker and he's a danger, make no bones about it. He's got over $300,000 in lifetime earnings and can now add a Eureka Main Event cash to those he's had on the EPT, Estrellas and UKIPT.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day3_stoyan_stefanov.jpg

    Stoyan Stefanov

    It's a cosmopolitan final table - Argentina (!) are the only country with more than one player - and the Eureka6 Rozvadov Main Event trophy could be heading to Bulgaria, Denmark or Austria tomorrow.

    Stoyan Stefanov (1,505,000), Mick Heder (1,370,000) and Hannes Speiser (445,000) may all find themselves in the bottom half of the chip counts but only Speiser is in the danger zone. They certainly can't be discounted. Heder, for instance, finished fourth in a massive 2,292 runner tournament here in Rozvadov in January and Speiser has over $220,000 in live tournament earnings

    eureka6_rozvadov_day3_martin_kabrhel.jpg

    Another cash for Kabrhel

    Whilst those eight will return tomorrow to play for the trophy and a first prize of €124,890 there were 55 players who had their Eureka title dreams ended today. Michael Eiler, who returned with 1.7 big blinds, was first out and was followed by the likes of: Martin Kabrhel (51st), Tonino Schmitz (39th), Andreas Gann (38th), Grzegorz Wyraz (16th) and Daniel Rose (13th) as the field was whittled down to the final eight. You can see who's won what so far here.

    Of more importance though is what's up for grabs tomorrow:

    PlaceNameCountryStatusPayout
    1    € 124,890
    2    € 76,700
    3    € 54,800
    4    € 41,500
    5    € 33,100
    6    € 25,340
    7    € 18,330
    8    € 12,500

    We'll be back tomorrow from 3pm CET as final eight play down to a Eureka champion. Meanwhile you can catch up on all today's action here and here.

    Main Event day 3 Eureka 6 Rozvadov Tomas Stacha-2935.jpg

    All photos are copyright of Tomas Stacha

  • 7 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Rodrigo Strong tops stacked final table line-up

    On the first few days of this event, we relied heavily on our Latin American colleagues to point out the who's who of LAPT regulars (this is my first time covering an LAPT, and the same goes for my colleague Will, and we couldn't be happier to be here)...

  • 7 March

    Poker Cartoon - River

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 7 March

    Eureka6 Rozvadov: Day 3 live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES * CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS * 21 of 682 remain * Play until final table today or 11 levels * Click for prize pool and payouts * Live stream here * Sprechen Sie deutsch? Dann klicken Sie rein beim PokerStarsblo...

  • 7 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Day 3 live updates

    * CLICK HERE TO REFRESH THE LIVE UPDATES * CLICK HERE TO REFRESH CHIP COUNTS * 32 of 565 remain * Click for prize pool and payouts * Want more tournament action? Click here for Eureka6 Rozvadov coverage 11:30 Day 3 a half hour away... With close to...

  • 7 March

    Eureka6 Rozvadov: Day 3 live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES * CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS * 63 of 682 remain * Play until final table today * Click for prize pool and payouts * Sprechen Sie deutsch? Dann klicken Sie rein beim PokerStarsblog DE * Want more tournament acti...

  • 7 March

    Weekend Review: CantWinAFlip wins flips and more to headline weekend

    A look at all the major stories from this past weekend on PokerStars.

    Weekend highlights

    * CantWinAFlip wins the Sunday Million
    * Riffa Kriffa wins the Warm Up
    * The LAPT Chile Main Event is down to 32 players
    * The Eureka Main Event plays on in Rozvadov


    pokerstars_cap_7mar16.jpg

    Round up of latest results

    We promised a lot when we previewed the weekend on Friday. Seems we got what we asked for. Much of what took place happened in different parts of the world, but let's start with the online realm, our manor sop to speak, and the Sunday Million won by CantWinAFlip.

    Every so often the siren in the PokerStars Department of Accuracy in Usernames sounds, sending our Integrity Enforcement Officers into overdrive. Such as was the case this weekend, or would have been had such a department had existed. Because it turned out, as Kristin Bihr reported, CantWinAFlop actually won a good number of flips on his way to a first prize of $174,951.

    No such breech in truthiness in the Warm-Up however, won by Riffa Kriffa of the Netherlands. We're not sure what Riffa Kriffa actually means but guess something along the lines of "outlasting a pair of Brazilians while at a final table." Or something like that. David Aydt put it better in his report, which you can read here.

    Here are those two results in full:

    PokerStars Sunday Million results (3/5/2022)
    Players: 5,593
    Prize pool: $1,118,600.00
    Places paid: 810

    1. CantWinAFlip (United Kingdom) $174,951.74
    2. M.Strelskaya (Russia) $130,316.90
    3. spearjohn (Greece) $92,116.71
    4. anjuli777 (Germany) $63,200.90
    5. david owie (United Kingdom) $47,540.50
    6. trajna (Slovenia) $36,354.50
    7. Noah "dirty.brasil" Vaillancourt (Canada) $25,168.50
    8. Breakchips (Netherlands) $13,982.50
    9. cxde (Slovakia) $8,948.80


    PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up results (03-06-2022)
    Entrants: 2,322
    Places paid: 342
    Prize pool: $464,400.00

    1. Riffa Kriffa (Netherlands) $73,375.28
    2. UncleAnte9 (Canada) $55,110.34
    3. Angobet (Angola) $39,474.00
    4. João Mathias "joaoMathias" Baumgarten (Brazil) $27,167.40
    5. Carol "carolventura" Ventura (Brazil) $20,665.80
    6. Knightsgeee (Australia) $16,021.80
    7. KING BAIT (Canada) $11,377.80
    8. oceanemm (Mongolia) $6,733.80
    9. XX MUC XX143 (Germany) $3,947.40


    The weekend's top online tournament winners

    Away from the two big winners it was fun to pick out a few other names turning a profit this weekend.

    Team PokerStars Pro Kosei Ichinose won the $215 Weekly PLO Hi/Lo for $2,315, while Mustapha "Lasagnaaammm" Kanit won the Sunday SuperSonic for $47,999.

    KendrickBoy from the UK won two events over the weekend - the $215 Pacific Rim Special for $5,900 and the $55 NLH Hyper-Turbo for another $8,572. Meanwhile Dzmitry Urbanovich reached four final tables, winning one of them.

    Here are the big online winners from the weekend.

    EVENTWINNERCOUNTRYPRIZE MONEY
    $215 Sunday Million CantWinAFlipUnited Kingdom $174,951.74
    $215 Sunday Warm-Up Riffa KriffaNetherlands $73,375.28
    $530 Sunday 500 elmelogno4Uruguay $58,353.00
    $215 Sunday Supersonic [6-Max] lasagnaaammmAustria $47,999.89
    $215 Sunday 2nd Chance poosnack11Canada $37,620.00
    $109+R Sunday Rebuy farmjimUnited Kingdom $37,034.83
    $320 Saturday Super-Knockoutwilmy_xCzech Republic $25,237.20
    $11 Sunday Storm MiegstroemFinland $24,389.55
    $109 Sunday Kickoff KozirBelarus $21,237.25
    $162 Sunday 6-Max bigpapas1978Iceland $21,168.00

    Click here for a complete list of major results on PokerStars for the weekend of March 5 to 6, 2016.


    LAPT

    There was plenty of action in Chile over the weekend with Day 3 of the Latin American Poker Tour beginning later today, with the final 32 players working their way down to a final table to be played tomorrow. As our reporters Jack Stanton and Will O'Connor report, Ricardo Matamala holds the chip lead ahead of a field full of revenants. Read their round of yesterday's action here, which contains links to everything that's happened in Viña Del Mar up to now.


    Eureka

    Meanwhile back in Europe the Eureka Poker Tour is in Rozvadov, Czech Republic from where our man Nick Wright reports.

    It's the penultimate day there too as it happens, with 63 players left, led by Daniel Rose. Ivan Luca is among the notables vying for the lead there. Coverage from Rozvadov continues as we speak, all of which you can find here.


    MPC High Roller

    As if providing some sort of geographical balance, events at the Macau Poker Cup concluded over the weekend with Wayne Jun Wen Yap winning the High Roller event for a winner's cheque of HK$2,292,720. Brad Kain was there at the finish, and had this report. Keep an eye out for an almost weird performance by former EPT Grand Final runner-up Jack Salter and his brother Louis.

    Here's that result in full:

    MPC24 High Roller Final Table
    Entrants: 114
    Places paid: 9
    Prize pool: HK$7,514,720

    1. Wayne Yap (Singapore) $2,292,720
    2. Xixiang Luo (China) $1,528,000
    3. Quan Zhou (China) $934,000
    4. Jack Salter (United Kingdom) $722,000
    5. Louis Salter (United Kingdom) $552,000
    6. Wei Zhang (China) $467,000
    7. Ya Hui Xu (China) $382,000
    8. Vikram Nanda (Hong Kong) $340,000
    9. Wei Zhao (China) $297,000


    If any of this has inspired you a little, you can open a PokerStars account in just a few minutes. click here to get started.

    That's everything. As always send your questions and comments to us on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 7 March

    Negreanu offers 100k to see Trump’s penis

    Yes you read that headline correctly. The US Presidential debate got weird last week and KidPoker joined in the shenanigans.

  • 7 March

    1,579 | Pius Heinz returns to the winner’s circle

    Pius Heinz won the World Series of Poker Main Event in November of 2011. Late last week, Heinz won a preliminary event at the Eurekea Poker Tour Festival in Rozvadov, Czech Republic … his first win on the live tournament circuit since the Main Event win. The 2011 WSOP Champ went 1,579 days in between wins. Fab Five Four | Eureka! Rozvadov Super High Roller 1. Pius Heinz (GER) €44,814 2. Martin Kabrhel (CZE) €29,876 3....

    The post 1,579 | Pius Heinz returns to the winner’s circle appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 7 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Ricardo Matamala sets himself top on Day 2; leads 32 into penultimate day

    In yesterday's Day 1B recap, Jack Stanton mentioned Oscar-nominated film The Revenant, in which Leonardo DiCaprio's character is left for dead and then comes back from the dead to get revenge. We don't want to completely piggy back off of that post but...

  • 6 March

    Eureka6 Rozvadov: Daniel Rose blooms late on to claim huge Day 2 chip lead

    eureka6_rozvadov_main_event_day2_daniel_rose.jpg

    Daniel Rose - two thumbs up for two big pots

    Sometimes the end of day chip leader is at the top of the counts throughout the day, steadily accumulating throughout to finish on top. On other occasions, like today at the King's Casino in Rozvadov, the chip leader bludgeons their way to the top by winning one or two massive pots.

    Daniel Rose is the man who tops the chip charts heading into Day 3 of the Main Event and his lead is massive as he has almost double that of his nearest challenger. His ascent to the chip counts came courtesy of back to back pots in the last level in which the German went from 400,000 to 1,600,000. He slipped a little to end the day on 1,570.000.

    Want to start your own Eureka campaign? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.


    In the first of the two big hands he flopped a straight to win a 600,000 pot against Mateusz Martewicz (who folded the flop) and Boris Andreev, who had top pair and a gutshot and missed. Had Martewicz called he'd have rivered his flush and eliminated both players. That was crucial because on the next hand Martewicz, Martin Ilavsky and Rose - who now covered Martewicz played a huge pot.

    The fireworks went off on the turn of a [Ts][8s][Jh][5h] board. Rose led, Ilavsky raised, Martewicz shoved for 570,000, Rose re-shoved for over 800,000 and Ilavsky had a decision for his final 400,000. His decision was to fold a set of tens. He folded the best hand as Rose had a set of eights and Martewicz [Kh][9h] for the combo draw. The river was a blank and Rose scooped that chip leading pot.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day2_martin_ilavsky.jpg

    Big fold, would you've called?


    To be fair to Ilavsky he didn't go on tilt after that hand and staged a late night comeback of his own to finish the day second in chips on 841,000. The rest of the top five is pretty menacing as it's made up of: David Urban (837,000), Ivan Luca (708,000) and Alexandru Farcasanu (643,000).

    eureka6_rozvadov_day2_ivan_luca3.jpg

    Another deep run and big stack for Luca

    At the other end of the spectrum Martin Kabrhel (111,000) and Michael Eiler (17,000) will return tomorrow with a short-stack. To see the counts of all 63 survivors click here.

    Whilst the Day 3 seat draw can be viewed here.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day2_martin_guth2.jpg

    Guth (centre) looks on during his bubble hand


    At 2pm local time the 287 players who'd made Day 2 of the Main Event sat down, all hoping to finish in the top 103 spots to ensure some return on their investment. The bubble would burst just minutes before the dinner break and it was Martin Guth who ensured that 103 players would tuck into their dumplings with a cash to their name.

    It was a double bad beat for Guth as not only did he have his pocket jacks cracked by the [Ac][9c] of Karol Radomski but he had a chance to chop 103rd place prize money as there was an all-in at another table. It was Grzegorz Wyraz who was at risk, he was all-in with [Kd][Qd] and in bad shape against Arsenii Karmatckii's [Ac][Kd]. Guth had wandered over to watch the hand and looked on as the board made Wyraz a straight.

    eureka6_rozvadov_day2_martin_mulsow.jpg

    Mulsow - out in time to play the Sunday Million

    Once the bubble burst there followed the usual rush to the exits and among those who cashed in but crashed out on Day 2 were: Lee Mulligan (96th, €1,800), Martin Muslow (91st, €1,920), Adam Jaguscik (82nd, €1,920) and Boris Andreev (71st, €2,120). You can see the payouts so far here.

    Whilst they won't be back tomorrow for the Main Event, we will be. Action starts at 2pm CET. You can catch up on all today's action in Rozvadov here, whilst Day 2 action from LAPT Chile can be found here.

    Main Event day 2 Eureka 6 Rozvadov winners trohys Tomas Stacha-1692.jpg


    All photos are copyright of Tomas Stacha


  • 6 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Day 2 live updates

    laptchile_dinner2.jpg

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS
    * 192 of 565 remain (79 get paid)
    * Want more tournament action? Click for Eureka6 Rozvadov coverage

    11:40am: Day 2 about to start
    Level 11 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

    Welcome back to Viña del Mar, where the last bits of prep are underway before we kick off Day 2 at 12pm. There will be 192 players in total taking their seats today, as we combine both the Day 1A and Day 1B survivors into one field.

    We'll need to lose 113 players before we make the money, as only 79 will be able to lock up a guaranteed min-cash of $2,500. However, they'll all have their eyes set on making it through to Day 3 and eventually claiming the $141,785 first place prize.

    Uruguay's Francisco 'Tomate' Benitez is out chip leader coming in with 181,800, followed by Sergio Palma who has 167,500. If you want to find out more about each of the Day 1 flights, click here for Day 1A or click here for Day 1B.

    The plan is to play down to 32 players today, so the bubble is guaranteed to burst here on Day 2. Make sure you stick around all day to see how it goes down - there's a link at the top for you to refresh the updates. --JS

    PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at LAPT9 Chile: Will O'Connor and Jack Stanton. Photos by Carlos Monti. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog


    Want to qualify for the LAPT? Click here to get a PokerStars account and start today

  • 6 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Day 2 live updates

    laptchile_dinner2.jpg

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * CLICK FOR LATEST SELECTED CHIP COUNTS
    * 104 of 565 remain (79 get paid)
    * Want more tournament action? Click for Eureka6 Rozvadov coverage

    4:35pm: chips ahoy
    Level 15 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (400 ante)

    We're back and ready to begin Level 15. Here the biggest stacks and notable names in the room. --JS

    NameCountryChips
    Manuel UrrejolaChile315000
    Francisco RochaChile280000
    Frank NaranjoColombia275000
    Alfredo TorresChile255000
    Bruno Vendramini PolitanoBrazil 240000
    Fernando MartinezArgentina 235000
    Andres FinkelbergArgentina 230000
    Sebastian RuizChile175000
    Francisco BenitezUruguay 135000
    Sergio Antonio Palma HerreraChile132000
    Lucas Fernandes TabarinBrazil 124000
    Richard DubiniArgentina 96000
    Andrius BielskisLithuania 92000
    Bruno De Oliveira SeverinoBrazil 84000
    Mauricio ZemanChile 60000
    Fabian ChauriyeChile57000
    Fernando Reines CornejoChile 51000
    Bruno Pereira Lima KawautiBrazil 45000
    Fabian Daniel OrtizArgentina 22500

    manuel_urrejola_laptchile_d2.jpg

    Manuel Urrejola leads

    4:23pm: Take a break
    Level 14 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

    Our players have gone on a 15-minute break. There are 104 players remaining, and 79 will get paid. Notable chip counts are coming shortly. --JS

    4:12pm: Ruiz four-bets, then flops better
    Level 14 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

    A trend through the first few levels of this Day 2 session has been tactical pre flop play, plenty of small clicks and raises building sizable pots. Those pots have usually seen those encounters end with the chips getting in the middle at some point or another and Sebastian Ruiz just four-bet and called off with ace-queen to score a massive knockout.

    Action was picked up with Alejandro Rodriguez opening the action to 5,200 from middle position, a player then three-bet the hijack to 13,200. Ruiz was waiting in the cutoff and after some thought, he four-bet to 23,000. The button and blinds folded back to Rodriguez, who looked like he wanted to do something with his 50,000 chip stack.

    He couldn't pull the trigger, eventually folding, but the three-bettor could. He immediately moved all-in for 63,000 total and Ruiz snap called, only to see that he was dominated. His opponent held [Ad][Kh] to Ruiz's [Ah][Qh] and the Chilean would need to hit to score the knockout.

    He did just that, spiking his pair on the flop and holding through the [Qs][4d][3c][9c][4c] runout, a board that left his opponent in near disbelief. That player hovered around the tournament area for a few minutes and then eventually headed out, while Ruiz stacked up just shy of 175,000. --WOC

    3:52pm: Table movements
    Level 14 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

    We've just had a table break and it featured a couple of big names.

    One was our sole remaining two-time LAPT champ Fabian Ortiz, who now is sitting alongside start-of-day chip leader Francisco Benitez, as well as Bruno Severino and Lewis Osvaldo.

    Meanwhile, former November Niner Bruno Politano from Brazil, who shared that original table with Ortiz, is now sat in tough spot - to the direct right of new chip leader Manuel Urrejola. Mauricio Zeman joins them on that table. --JS

    3:45pm: Our new chip leader
    Level 14 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

    The man with the most chips right now is Chile's Manuel Urrejola, who has a massive 300,000 stack right now. We'll have all the big stacks on the second break of the day, but I don't think anyone comes close right now. --JS

    3:35pm: Adding some color and emotion
    Level 14 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

    Poker tournament reporting is an interesting task. In a few small paragraphs you not only have to explain what happens in a given hand but you also have to make it entertaining and engaging to the reader. You have to put them right into the action, giving them a sense of what exactly is happening at the table.

    We've been trying to do just that over the last two days and Rodrigo Strong, who we featured during Friday's Day 1A session, let us know that our work was well received by family and friends who were following the PokerStars blog. He caught up with us before play began at 12pm and commented how "we have so much emotion" in our updates.

    Quite frankly, poker hands are a somewhat boring exercise. 'Player A does this, Player B does that. Player C wins." We'd lose our minds if we didn't add some color, and we'd also be missing the most important part of our job: the players, the atmosphere, and the emotion around a given hand, table or event.

    We're going to report on the rest of this event as we normally would but we'll also be keeping a little extra eye on Rodrigo over the next few levels, to see if we can catch another update, as he's still alive with just over 120 players remaining in this LAPT9 Chile Main Event. --WOC


    rodrigo_strong_laptchile.jpg

    Rodrigo Strong - presumably after reading a moving piece on the PokerStars Blog

    3:25pm: Level up
    Level 14 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

    We've moved into Level 14 - 1,200/2,400 (300 ante). --JS

    3:24pm: Gone but not forgotten
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    I mentioned in our Day 1B coverage that the PokerStars Blog team here in Chile have said 'two-time LAPT champ' so much over the past few days that it's now become an in-joke. Even when I was typing it earlier I had a little chuckle to myself.

    Well, it's with much regret that I have to inform that Mario Lopez - as in two-time LAPT champ Mario Lopez - has been eliminated from this event. He opened to 5,100 and found a caller in Rodrigo Chavez from the small b lind. But then Jorge Ellena announced "all-in", having both players covered. Lopez snap called and Chavez folded, and the cards were on their backs.

    Two-time LAPT champ Mario Lopez [ac][qs]
    Jorge Ellena [ah][ks]

    Our man was behind and in need of help, but he couldn't find any on the [4c][2s][td][7c][2h] board. And like that, he was gone.

    But you know what? The two-time LAPT champ will always be in our hearts and in our minds. (Jorge Ellena now has 160,000 by the way). --JS


    mario_lopez_laptchile_d1b.jpg

    Lopez in happier times on Day 1B

    3:24pm: Dubini passes Palma's test, moves over 100,000
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    We've done a few posts of Richard Dubini through the early portions of this Day 2 session and with just a few minutes remaining in the level, he's now peaking with close to 120,000. The Argentine came into this restart relatively short but he's been involved in a lot of pots, with his more recent victory coming against Day 1A chip leader Sergio Palma.

    On a board of [Qs][8h][3s][6h], Dubini check-called a bet of 12,000, leaving himself close to 45,000 behind. The [3h] paired the board and brought some backdoor draws in and Dubini checked for a second time, leading Palma to bet 24,000. It was a sizable bet and one that put Dubini to the test for a decent portion of his remaining stack.

    After a minute of thought, he eventually called, giving himself a little fist pump after he saw Palma turn over [th][9s] for ten-high. Dubini turned over [ts][8s] and everyone at the table seemed to shoot the Argentinian a look, as they all realized just how good of a call that was for more or less your tournament life.

    Had Dubini been wrong, he'd likely have been left with just over 10 big blinds. He wasn't though and he's now playing over 50 bigs heading towards Level 14. Sergio Palma is playing 135,000 and we could continue to see these two, along with big stack Andrius Bielskis, battle over the next few hours. --WOC

    3:14pm: Lopez wins one but stays in danger zone
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    Two-time LAPT champ Mario Lopez is stuck in the danger zone, despite just picking up a small pot when his 4,600 bet on a [3h][6d][8c] flop got through. He only has 24,000 - good for 12 big blinds right now. --JS

    3:08pm: The biggest stack in the room, but not the largest
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    Cristian Monterrosa arguably has the biggest stack in the room right now. That doesn't mean he has the chip lead though; rather just that his chips seem to be taking up the most space of any player.

    He's built something of a chip castle with his 178,000, and it's quite impressive. So much so that it's currently being filmed for TV. --JS

    2:58pm: Chenaud turns Hua dead
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    Even though we're still a ways from the money bubble, we're at the stage of the tournament where short stacked players are going to be under some intense pressure. Across the tournament area, there are nearly two dozen players working close to ten big blind stacks and He Hua was one of them until he ran into Brazil's Guilherme Chenaud.

    Action was picked up with Hua open shoving from late position for just over 22,000 and after some folds, Chenaud had a decision to make in the big blind. He asked for a count and even though it was just an eleven big blind shove, it was a decent portion of his own stack.

    He was playing close to 60,000 and eventually, he elected to call. He held [Kh][Qs] and was surprised to see that he was up against [8d][7d]. He still needed to hit or fade and he did the former as the board ran out [As][4c][3s][Kd][ts]. Hua hit the rail and after making the correct call, Chenaud, who won last night's $600 NLH Turbo side event, is playing nearly 85,000. --WOC

    2:48pm: Roberly Fericio rivers Daniel Cordaro
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    Roberly Fericio entered this Day 2 session with a top ten stack and after a swingy first two levels, the Brazilian is now back near the top of the leaderboard after catching the perfect river. The hand was picked up at Table 16 with the board showing [Kc][7c][5c][td]. Daniel Cordaro checked from the big blind and Fericio, in middle position, bet 9,400 only to see Cordaro click it back with a check-raise.

    That raise weighed in at 23,300 and quickly, Fericio called to see the [Js] complete the board. After check-raising the turn, Cordaro slowed down and checked the river, putting Fericio in a slightly awkward position. We weren't inside his head but after curiously inspecting the board, his stack and his opponent's, Fericio elected to push out a 35,000 chip bet.

    Cordaro clearly didn't like the bet, as he began to cut down his stack and try to make sense of it all. He had just over 85,000 in front of him and eventually, after close to a minute, he put out the necessary chips to call only to see the bad news.

    He'd been rivered, as Fericio tabled [Kh][Jc] and after an almost painful exhale, Cordaro threw over [Kd][Qs]. His pair, and kicker, were good until the end and as the dealer push Fericio a nearly 185,000 chip pot, Cordaro sat in dead silence, head in his hands left bemoaning his luck, or lack thereof. Eventually, he snapped up and tapped the table, with Fericio sportingly sending a knock of his own across the felt, realizing how fortunate that river was. --WOC

    2:38pm: Crowd gathers to watch big bluff
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    I was the first one to arrive at this hand, but by the end the table was surrounded by fellow players, TV cameras, and spectators. Here's what happened.

    Jorge Ellena had kicked off proceedings with an open to 4,200, only for Ivan Raich to three-bet from his immediate left up to 10,100. That wasn't the end of the pre-flop action though; Ellena then four-bet to 25,000 and Raich made the call.

    [3s][6d][8h] came the flop, and neither wanted to fire again as both checked. The turn came the [ks], and the action picked up again with a 15,000 bet from Ellena. Raich called.

    The river landed and it was the [3h], pairing the board. Now Ellena shoved and Raich immediately asked for a count. It was 43,600 total and he went into the tank as it was for around all his chips too. The crowd had gathered by this point as Raich was staring Ellena down sternly, but he eventually gave his hand up.

    Ellena flipped over [as][6h] for just a pair of sixes to go with the threes, and Raich nodded, suggesting he'd thrown away the winner. Raich has 50,000, while Ellena is up to 115,000 now. --JS

    2:28pm: More or less 50/50 coming back from break
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    After a quick break, this Day 2 field is back and heading into Level 13, more or less 50% of this remaining LAPT9 Chile Main Event field will record a cash today. As it stands, 144 players remain and with 79 officially making the money, that leaves us with a pretty even split of the future haves and have nots.

    The PokerStars blog will bring you all the action as this field moves towards that money bubble and if the pace at the start of Day 2 continues, as over 50 players hit the rail through the first two levels, we'll likely get into the money before dinner. --WOC

    2:24pm: AND we're back
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    Players have returned from their break, and we're straight into Level 13 - 1,000/2,000 with a running 300 ante. --JS

    2:15pm: Notable chip counts

    Here's the big stacks and notable names on the first break of Day 2. --JS

    NameCountryChips
    Frank NaranjoColombia204000
    Lucas Fernandes TabarinBrazil 184000
    Sergio Antonio Palma HerreraChile171000
    Andrius BielskisLithuania 133000
    Francisco BenitezUruguay 128000
    Bruno Vendramini PolitanoBrazil 120000
    Fernando Reines CornejoChile 94000
    Mauricio ZemanChile 94000
    Amos Ben HaimChile 83000
    Bruno Pereira Lima KawautiBrazil 77000
    Fabian ChauriyeChile66000
    Mario Lopez RitaArgentina 58000
    Bruno De Oliveira SeverinoBrazil 57000
    Richard DubiniArgentina 49000
    Fabian Daniel OrtizArgentina 38200
    Osvaldo Rene LewisArgentina26500
    Irina PetrovaRussia17400
    Daniela HornoChile0
    Juan Duran CeronChile0
    Damián Andrés SalasArgentina 0

    bruno_kawauti_laptchile.jpg

    Brazil's Bruno Kawauti

    2:08pm: First break of the day
    Level 12 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    Players have gone on a 15 minute break. We'll have updated notable chip counts momentarily. --JS

    2pm: Martin moves up the leaderboard
    Level 12 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    Wagner Martin has played some sizable pots over the last orbit. The first seeing a portion of his stack head to Rodrigo "Zidane" Caprioli after a pre flop leveling war forced the Argentinian to fold but the second shot him up the leaderboard, as he took a sizable portion of Mac Hilaire's chips after flopping a straight.

    The first hand was picked up with a player opening in early position and after some folds, Martin three-bet to 8,400 from the cutoff. Caprioli, who was on the button, then pumped it up to 19,100. The blinds and original opener folded and after a quick trip to the tank, Martin elected to wait for a better spot.

    That spot came a few hands later, as he and Hilaire saw a flop of [8c][7h][6s]. Hilaire led for 4,600 and Martin raised to 12,300. The Chilean called to see the [th] fall on the turn, putting four to a straight on board. That scary called slowed both players, as Hilaire both quickly tapped the table to see the [Kc] fall on the river.

    Hilaire repeated his turn action and after some thought, Martin went for value, betting 18,000. It was a decent portion of Hilaire's stack, as he had just over 50,000 behind, and after seeing Martin splash around in a few previous pots, he elected to make a bit of a "hero call". Unfortunately, he picked the wrong time to take a stand, as Martin tabled [5d][4d], good for a flopped straight.

    Hilaire flashes [As][6d] and bottom pair was sent to the muck, while a majority of his chips were headed to Martin. When the dust settled, the Argentinean was playing just under 140,000, putting himself in a good spot as this field is just a few minutes from the first break of Day 2. --WOC

    1:46pm: Dubini gets a big boost
    Level 12 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    Richard Dubini has a great opening two levels to this Day 2. In one hand we just saw against Chile's Andrés Achelat, the Argentinian called a big 5,400 open on the button from the big blind, and the two went to a flop. It came [6c][5h][AS] and Dubini checked, allowing Achelat to c-bet for 8,100. Now Dubini made it 17,000 to go, and after a little bit of thought Achelat decided it was worth a call.

    The turn landed and it was another ace - the [ac]. It put the breaks on proceedings as both players checked, resulting in the [th] on the turn. Now Dubini decided to move all-in, and Achelat asked for a count. Achelat had around 50,000 in front of him, and after the dealer counted it was saw that Dubini had him covered with 58,100. Achelat went into the tank but eventually decided to fight another day. Dubini is up to around 95,000 now. --JS

    1:36pm: Petrova's shove gets through
    Level 12 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    Russia's Irina Petrova started Day 2 short with 22,100 and seemed to have slipped even further. After a player opened to 3,200, Petrova insta-jammed for her last 14,700 and it folded all the way around. That meant she picked up the blinds and antes, plus the 3,200 - bringing her stack to 21,500 now. --JS

    1:32pm: "Limpio, limpo" until the river
    Level 12 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    One of the bigger pots we've seen throughout this LAPT9 Chile Main Event just played out on Table 11, with Fernando Santin and Tomas Molina getting nearly 190,000 in pre-flop with massive holdings. That hand was picked up with Santin opening the button and after the small blind folded, Molina, in the big blind, three-bet to 10,000.

    Santin clicked it back again, four-betting to 25,000 but he was then faced with a five-bet shove, as Molina verbalized himself "all-in" for just under 84,000. We haven't prided ourselves on being able to 100% translate what's being said at the tables over the last few days but it doesn't matter what your native tongue is to understand when someone doesn't like the position they're in.

    "Aye yai yai," Santin said as he went to count out his own stack, one that barely had Molina covered. He put his head in his hands and eventually called, only to see that he was in a great spot, as his [Kc][Ks] had Molina's [Qh][Qd] drawing to just two immediate outs. The five-bettor rolled his eyes and slouched in his chair as the [tc][3s][3d] flop did nothing to help his current situation.

    The [3h] didn't do much either and Santin, turning to his friend at a table across the room, said, "Limpio, limpo." That means "clean" in Spanish and while the runout was clean for the Argentinian through the flop and turn, the river was all kinds of dirty. The [Qs] spiked to complete the board and in a flash, Santin went from likely holding the chip lead to being left with just a handful of big blinds.

    Molina apologized before getting pushed the pot, looking like he was asking Santin for forgiveness after the brutal beat. Nothing to be sorry for though and now, Tomas Molina is playing one of the bigger stacks in the room midway through Level 12. --WOC

    1:22pm: Different directions for Day 1 leaders
    Level 12 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    Francisco Benitez and Sergio Palma ended their respective Day 1 starting flights with the chip lead and then, obviously, entered today's restart one-two on the LAPT9 Chile leaderboard. While they each peaked during those Day 1 sessions, they're trending in opposite directions heading into Level 12.

    Benitez, who came back with just over 180,000 has seen close to half that stack disappear over the first hour of play. He's now working just shy of 95,000 and while he's fallen, he's still working a very comfortable over 50 big blind stack. Palma hasn't fallen though, as he's increased his stack slightly to 185,000.

    The Chilean has done so despite having to deal with one of the tougher table draws in the room. He doesn't seem phased by the big names at Table 12 though, as he's still near the top of the leaderboard as we continue to play through the early levels of Day 2. --WOC

    1:15pm: A closer look at the field
    Level 12 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    Thanks to my colleague Reinaldo Venegas, we can now see how the field breaks down by nationalities. As you'd expect, Chileans make up most of the players, but take a look at the stats. --JS


    LAPT9_Chile_Nationalities.png

    1:10pm: Blinds are up
    Level 12 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    We're now playing 800/1,600 with a 200 ante. --JS

    1pm: Chop it up
    Level 11 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

    Fernando Reines opened to 2,500 and Rodrigo Chavez made the call on the button. The blinds got out of the way and two players saw a flop of [3s][jd][5h]. Reines put out a c-bet of 2,600 and Chavez called, taking us to the the [7s] on the turn. Both checked, and the [8d] hit the river. It started to feel like neither player had much, but Reines now bet 5,200 - perhaps trying to steal the pot.

    It turned out he was bluffing - but he was bluffing with the joint-best hand. Chavez called after thinking for a while (he had just 24,000 behind) and turned over [ac][2d] for ace high, and that's exactly what Reines had too with the [ah][2h]. Nice call, sir. --JS

    12:55pm: Cornelio Lopera leaves Daniela Horno short, then leaves the table
    Level 11 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

    When a player jokes that he has 'walking chips', that usually means he's playing one of the bigger stacks in the room. All Cornelio Lopera needed to earn a trip around the room, and to the bathroom, was a double up to 25,000 though, which he got courtesy of Daniela Horno.

    Action was picked up with Lopera all-in for 13,400 from the small blind and Horno, looking like she limp-reshoved from middle position, also all-in for just over 20,000. Another limper, in the cutoff, had both short stack shoves covered and he went into the tank. While the third player thought, Lopera, who might be the most energetic player in the room, jumped from his seat and did a half lap around the table to stand behind Horno.

    While he was the one at risk, as she had him covered, he began massaging her shoulders, drawing a round of laughter from Horno and the rest of the table. When the thinking player eventually folded, he quickly ran back to his cards and said, "Uno?" saying that each should only show one of their hold cards.

    Lopera turned over the [Kc] and Horno showed [7h]. The dealer rightfully wasn't going to let them play their own little game though, forcing Lopera and Horno to show their other card as well. They each had a matching ace, meaning Horno would have to hit to score the knockout with [Ah][7h] to the shorter stack's [Ac][Kc].

    The board ran out [Qd][th][ts][2d][Kd] and Lopera high-five himself after the river paired him up and confirmed his double. When the dust settled, Horno, still in good spirits herself, was a left with just a few big blinds while Cornelio Lopera stacked up just over 25,000 and then, in the middle of an almost oration that bordered on rambling, he said "bano".

    We know that one! The Chilean then exited the tournament area, heading to the bathroom with a little pep in his step but he should try to hurry back, as he's still only working close to ten big blinds. --WOC

    12:45pm: Great call by Tabarin
    Level 11 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

    Dan Denghal opened to 3,200 from the hijack and it folded to Lucas Tabarin in the small blind. "How much do you play?" he asked (or something along those lines), and Denghal didn't say but showed instead. He moved his stack into middle as if he was moving all-in, but only to Tabarin could get a better look. He made the call and the two went to a flop.

    It came the [tc][th][8d] and Tabarin checked only for Denghal to continue for 6,500. Tabarin made a quick call and we saw the [6c] hit the turn, which both checked. Then came the [8c] on the river, bringing two pair to the board. Tabarin checked once more and Denghal threw out three blue chips for 15,000 total. Now Tabarin, who had been leaning forward the whole hand, leant back in the day for a more comfortable thinking position. It worked - he made a great call with [ad][qh] for just an ace and the board, while Denghal announed "good call" and turned over a counterfeited [2h][2s]. Denghal now has 27,000, while Tabarin is up to roughly 170,000. --JS

    12:37pm: Andruis Bielskis involved early
    Level 11 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

    There are a few ways players can attack a Day 2 restart. Some bide their time and wait for their spots as they figure out the lineup they've been thrown into and others go in trying to assert themselves as table captain. So far, Lithuania's Andruis Bielskis has done the latter, as he's been involved in a few hands early in Level 11.

    The first saw Bielskis and Richard Dubini see a flop of [Ah][Qs][ts] in a blind versus blind encounter. Bielskis bet 1,500 from the small blind and the Argentinian called to see the [5c] fall on the turn. Bielskis bet for a second time, firing out 2,600. Again, Dubini called and while the [Js] hit the felt to complete the board, Dubini shot his opponent a quick glare.

    Bielskis could likely feel that stare coming from his immediate left and after he tapped the table, Dubini did the same to get to showdown after seemingly every potential draw got there by the river. Bielskis tabled [As][3d] but top pair was no good, as Dubini turned over [Qd][5h] for turned two pair. That was enough to take the pot and get him up near 40,000 after coming into Day 2 relatively short.

    In the next hand, Bielskis took a small pot off Day 1A chip leader Sergio Palma and then after he folded his button, he was back in the action from the cutoff. Rodrigo Quezada opened from middle position to 2,600 and after a player called, Bielskis did the same to see the [Kh][7s][4s] flop in position.

    Quezada continued for 3,900 and Bielskis quickly called to see the [8s] fall on the turn. That forced the Chilean to slow down, as he checked and Bielskis then took the betting lead with a wager of 6,300. Quezada called and the [3s] put four to a flush on board.

    The out of position Quezada checked for a second time and Bielskis decided to put him a test to close to a third of his remaining stack, sliding out 16,700. The Chilean shook his head, visibly frustrated with potentially the turn card and the river. In the end, he folded and Bielskis took in the pot, one that moved him up near the 125,000 chip mark. --WOC

    12:26pm: Two knock-outs; Salas and 'the departed' fall to Naranjo
    Level 11 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

    A few minutes ago I brought you word of arguably the toughest table in the room. Now here's a bit about the table with the most action!

    It was the table that Damian Salas was sitting at - but we'll get to him. First came the felting of an unknown player (I tried asking for his name, but he was in no mood to talk - as you're about to find out).

    It started with an open to 2,700 from Colombia's Frank Naranjo, which Damian Salas called from the small blind. The player we're going to name 'the departed' then bumped it up to 7,200 and both Naranjo and Salas made the call.

    The flop came the [ad][jh][3h] and Salas checked to the departed, who continued for 7,200 again. Now Naranjo raised to 14,400, doubling the bet. Salas got out of the way but the departed went nowhere. The turn was then the [3c] and the departed went into the tank. The cameras were rolling on the table as he thought for a while, constantly peeking back at his cards. He then decided to move all-in, but Naranjo couldn't have called faster.

    The departed let out a sigh and sheepishly turned over [ah][9s] - he knew he was beat and he was, as Naranjo had [ac][qd]. The [7c] hit the river, the departed left without a word, and Naranjo stacked 103,000.

    Then - the very next hand...

    Naranjo was back in the action, opening to 2,700 and facing a three-bet to 6,700 from Salas. A four-bet then arrived from Naranjo up to 21,000 and Salas went into the tank. He eventually made the call.

    The dealer fanned a flop of [2d][ts][8h] and with the action on Naranjo, he slid out a bet of 20,000 in 1K chips. Salas thought for a long time once more, counting his chips (he had about 60,000 behind), and eventually made the call.

    The turn was the [qd] and it was to be a very quick street. Naranjo announced "all-in", and Salas snap-called. His confidence turned to regret, though, as he saw his [ks][kh] was crushed by Naranjo's [as][ah]. The [2c] river changed nothing and now it was Salas hitting the rail. Naranjo might have the biggest stack in the room now with more than 190,000. --JS

    12:13pm: The toughest table
    Level 11 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

    While we don't have an official seat draw to bring you, I've just had a walk around the room and our notable names seem to be spread quite well across the floor. However, there is one particular table featuring two-time LAPT champ Mario Lopez (here we go again), Bruno Severino, and Fernando Reines. There's sure to be a lot of action over there. --JS

    12:08pm: We're off!
    Level 11 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

    Well, it didn't quite get started at 12pm as expected, but we're now off and running in Level 11. Stay tuned. --JS

    11:40am: Day 2 about to start
    Level 11 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

    Welcome back to Viña del Mar, where the last bits of prep are underway before we kick off Day 2 at 12pm. There will be 192 players in total taking their seats today, as we combine both the Day 1A and Day 1B survivors into one field.

    We'll need to lose 113 players before we make the money, as only 79 will be able to lock up a guaranteed min-cash of $2,500. However, they'll all have their eyes set on making it through to Day 3 and eventually claiming the $141,785 first place prize.

    Uruguay's Francisco 'Tomate' Benitez is out chip leader coming in with 181,800, followed by Sergio Palma who has 167,500. If you want to find out more about each of the Day 1 flights, click here for Day 1A or click here for Day 1B.

    The plan is to play down to 32 players today, so the bubble is guaranteed to burst here on Day 2. Make sure you stick around all day to see how it goes down - there's a link at the top for you to refresh the updates. --JS

    PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at LAPT9 Chile: Will O'Connor and Jack Stanton. Photos by Carlos Monti. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog


    Want to qualify for the LAPT? Click here to get a PokerStars account and start today

  • 6 March

    Alibaba Aims To Make Poker Boom In China, Invests in Match Poker

    The initial target is to have as many as two million Match Poker players from China within the next five years.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 6 March

    Eureka6 Rozvadov: Day 2 live updates


    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS

    * 263 of 682 remain (103 get paid)
    * Click for payout structure
    * Sprechen Sie deutsch? Dann klicken Sie rein beim PokerStarsblog DE
    * Want more tournament action? Click for LAPT Chile coverage

    2:45pm: Eiler flying
    Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    It's been a great opening level for Michael Eiler. The EPT7 Vienna champion is up to 235,000.

    2:35pm: Seat open
    Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    We've lost a remarkable 29 players in the opening 35 minutes. Among those to lose their chips are: Vladas Burneikis, Felix Kaltner, Huseyin Arkun, Roman Cieslik, Siamak Tooran, Oliver Dopp, Detlev Pantzek, Kai Kresovic, Martin Komprda, Patrik Meca, Branislav Ondrus, Bernd Leesing, Lionel Clerc and Sergei Petrushhevskii.

    2:30pm: Respect the raise
    Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    If Ivan Luca isn't the best player left in this field (Martin Kabrhel perhaps?) then he's the best player with a big stack and he just put it to good use.

    Tamas Janicsak opened to 3,500 from the cutoff, Antonio Martins Pedro smooth called on the button and Luca, who was in the small blind, considered his options.

    He announced raise and slid out a bet totalling 12,700. Janicsak quickly folded and although Pedro looked interested he too folded to the Argentinian.

    2:20pm: Eights not so great for Tapelzon
    Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    Down to just 12,500 Boris Tapelzon peaked down at [8d][8h] which was more than enough of a hand to take a stand with. Unfortunately for the Russian, Mateusz Bober picked up [Js][Jh] on the same hand and called his shove.

    The [2s][As][5s][Qc][3s] board didn't help Tapelzon and he's another early Day 2 casualty in Rozvadov.

    2:10pm: Short day for...
    Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    Day 2 has not gone the way they'd have hoped for Frank Robotka, Tomasz Domaracki, Seballo Faldalarga, Michael Polchlopek, Frank Stumpf, David Dolak, Carsten Barth, Michael Koran, Petar Petrov, Tomas Pleticha, Adrian Esslen or Martin Bartos as they're all out.

    None of those players had over 20 big blinds to start the day.

    2pm: Shuffle up and deal
    Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    Right on time the tournament is under way. Just before play started the Tournament director announced details of the prize pool. The winner will collect €124,890, whilst a 103 players will get paid, with a min-cash worth €1,800. See the full structure here.

    1:50pm: Day 2 set to start
    Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    Welcome to Day 2 of Eureka6 Rozvadov. There were a total of 682 entrants into the Main Event and 287 of those have made it to Day 2. Leading the way is Quentin Dellis. The Belgian, who finished sixth at UKIPT5 Dublin in February, is the only player who'll begin Day 2 with over 200,000 as he bagged up 201,100 to top the Day 1B field.

    Quentin Dellis

    The plan for today is to play eight levels. The first four of those will be 45 minutes in length and then from level 15 onwards the clock is increased to 60 minutes.

    Play will start on time at 2pm. Stick right here for moving day.

    PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at Eureka6 Rozadov: Nick Wright. Photos by Tomas Stacha. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

  • 6 March

    Dietrich Fast Denies Mike Shariati Second WPT Title To Win LA Poker Classic Main Event

    Dietrich Fast won the 2016 World Poker Tour L.A. Poker Classic Main Event for just over $1 million, adding a WPT title to his WSOP bracelet.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 6 March

    6 | James Woods shines at the L.A. Poker Classic

    It’s Celebrity Sunday on PokerStats! James Woods isn’t just a “poker playing celebrity” … he’s a poker player who just happens to be a Hollywood actor. Woods recently participated in the L.A. Poker Classic poker series presented at the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles where he collected the second win of his career on the live tournament circuit, besting a 88-player field on the way a title in the $1,100 buy-in Omaha 8 or Better event....

    The post 6 | James Woods shines at the L.A. Poker Classic appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 6 March

    Recreational Poker Players Benefit from Industry Shift

    The post Recreational Poker Players Benefit from Industry Shift appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

  • 6 March

    Inside Poker Prepares for Poker Central Premiere

    The post Inside Poker Prepares for Poker Central Premiere appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

  • 6 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Francisco ‘Tomate’ Benitez leads the revenants on Day 1B

    Have you seen that movie The Revenant? In it, Leonardo DiCaprio plays frontiersman Hugh Glass; a man on a revenge mission after being attacked by a bear and then left for dead by his backstabbing colleagues. In fact, that's what a revenant is - someone who has come back from the dead.

    Well, there weren't any bears here on Day 1B of LAPT9 Chile, but there were plenty of revenants - i.e. players who busted Day 1A and were back today with a revived tournament life. In case you hadn't guessed, it's a re-entry event here at Viña del Mar.

    The possibility to re-buy was too tempting for many, and in the end we had a total of 307 entries here on Day 1B, and a total of 565 across both Day 1 flights. That created a juicy prize pool of $737,325, with a handsome $141,785 up top for the winner.


    francisco-benitez_laptchile_d1b.jpg

    Francisco 'Tomate' Benitez

    The player closest to that prize at the end of Day 1B is Argentina's Francisco 'Tomate' Benitez, who finished the day as our chip leader with 181,800. That tops Day 1A leader Sergio Palma's 167,500, making Benitez the overall big stack going into Day 2. 102 players made it through from this flight, and in total 79 players will be paid, with a min-cash worth $2,500.

    Parts of The Revenant were actually filmed in Argentina, and we had plenty of other Argentinians in the field today aside from the chip leader. Two-time LAPT champion Fabian Ortiz was back again, for one, having busted his Day 1A stack around 6pm. He fared a lot better today and will take 43,900 into Day 2.


    fabian_ortiz_laptchile_d1b.jpg

    Ortiz survived

    We also had two other members of that elusive two-time champ club in Mario Lopez and LAPT Player of the Year Oscar Alache. It was a rocky day for Lopez, who busted his first Day 1B bullet earlier and then bizarrely found himself sitting in the exact same seat once he'd re-entered. His stack was up and down all day, and he ended the day with 47,400.


    mario_lopez_laptchile_d1b.jpg

    Lopez is coming back

    Oscar Alache, on the other hand, couldn't survive. The best player of LAPT's Season 8 will have to wait a little longer to add to his trophy collection, as he busted his stack midway through Level 9.


    alache_playeroftheyear.jpg

    Alache might be Player of the Year, but he's out of this one

    The only player representing the red spade in Chile was Team PokerStars Pro Leo Fernandez, but he could never really get anything going here today. He nursed short stacks all the way until the last level of the day before being felted.


    leo_fernandez_laptchile_day1b.jpg

    Leo Fernandez is gone

    After Benitez, the biggest stacks in the room belonged to Javier Venegas (158,200), Luis Alberto Aray LePiche (143,600), Roberly Felicio (126,200), Yoel Palmer (121,400), 
Andres Hemola (110,900), Carlos Polna (109,000
), Jose Paez (103,300
), and Amos Ben (101,100
). They'll also be joined by Irina Petrova (22,100) and Francisco Belaustegui (28,000) on the lower end of the counts.

    Meanwhile, some of the many eliminated players we had today included Bruno Severino, Renata Teixeira, Jorge Cantos, and Pablo Chacra.

    Both the Day 1A and Day 1B survivors will combine at 12pm tomorrow for the beginning of Day 2. There'll be a total of 192 players looking to become the next LAPT champ, and blinds will be 600/1,200 with a 200 ante. Make sure you come back and follow the action.

    Until then, you can catch up on all of the live updates from the past two days:

    Day 1A live updates
    Day 1B live updates

    Photos by Carlos Monti.


    Want to qualify for the LAPT? Click here to get a PokerStars account and start today

  • 6 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Francisco ‘Tomate’ Benitez leads the revenants on Day 1B

    Have you seen that movie The Revenant? In it, Leonardo DiCaprio plays frontiersman Hugh Glass; a man on a revenge mission after being attacked by a bear and then left for dead by his backstabbing colleagues. In fact, that's what a revenant is - someone who has come back from the dead.

    Well, there weren't any bears here on Day 1B of LAPT9 Chile, but there were plenty of revenants - i.e. players who busted Day 1A and were back today with a revived tournament life. In case you hadn't guessed, it's a re-entry event here at Viña del Mar.

    The possibility to re-buy was too tempting for many, and in the end we had a total of 307 entries here on Day 1B, and a total of 565 across both Day 1 flights. That created a juicy prize pool of $737,325, with a handsome $141,785 up top for the winner.


    francisco-benitez_laptchile_d1b.jpg

    Francisco 'Tomate' Benitez

    The player closest to that prize at the end of Day 1B is Uruguay's Francisco 'Tomate' Benitez, who finished the day as our chip leader with 181,800. That tops Day 1A leader Sergio Palma's 167,500, making Benitez the overall big stack going into Day 2. 102 players made it through from this flight, and in total 79 players will be paid, with a min-cash worth $2,500.

    Parts of The Revenant were actually filmed in Argentina, and we had plenty of other Argentinians in the field today. Two-time LAPT champion Fabian Ortiz was back again, for one, having busted his Day 1A stack around 6pm. He fared a lot better today and will take 43,900 into Day 2.


    fabian_ortiz_laptchile_d1b.jpg

    Ortiz survived

    We also had two other members of that elusive two-time champ club in Mario Lopez and LAPT Player of the Year Oscar Alache. It was a rocky day for Lopez, who busted his first Day 1B bullet earlier and then bizarrely found himself sitting in the exact same seat once he'd re-entered. His stack was up and down all day, and he ended the day with 47,400.


    mario_lopez_laptchile_d1b.jpg

    Lopez is coming back

    Oscar Alache, on the other hand, couldn't survive. The best player of LAPT's Season 8 will have to wait a little longer to add to his trophy collection, as he busted his stack midway through Level 9.


    alache_playeroftheyear.jpg

    Alache might be Player of the Year, but he's out of this one

    The only player representing the red spade in Chile was Team PokerStars Pro Leo Fernandez, but he could never really get anything going here today. He nursed short stacks all the way until the last level of the day before being felted.


    leo_fernandez_laptchile_day1b.jpg

    Leo Fernandez is gone

    After Benitez, the biggest stacks in the room belonged to Javier Venegas (158,200), Luis Alberto Aray LePiche (143,600), Roberly Felicio (126,200), Yoel Palmer (121,400), 
Andres Hemola (110,900), Carlos Polna (109,000
), Jose Paez (103,300
), and Amos Ben (101,100
). They'll also be joined by Irina Petrova (22,100) and Francisco Belaustegui (28,000) on the lower end of the counts.

    You can find all of the end of Day 1B chip counts here.

    Meanwhile, some of the many eliminated players we had today included Bruno Severino, Renata Teixeira, Jorge Cantos, and Pablo Chacra.

    Both the Day 1A and Day 1B survivors will combine at 12pm tomorrow for the beginning of Day 2. There'll be a total of 192 players looking to become the next LAPT champ (click here for all the Day 2 chip counts) and blinds will be 600/1,200 with a 200 ante. Make sure you come back and follow the action.

    Until then, you can catch up on all of the live updates from the past two days:

    Day 1A live updates
    Day 1B live updates

    Photos by Carlos Monti.


    Want to qualify for the LAPT? Click here to get a PokerStars account and start today

  • 5 March

    Eureka6 Rozvadov: Arsenii Karmatckii finishes on top after turbo Day 1C

    The third and final opening flight of the Eureka6 Rozvadov Main Event has just wrapped. The special turbo Day 1C - levels were 20 minutes instead of 45 - attracted 118 runners which took the total players 675, add in seven no shows and that takes the total entries to 682 .That's a record for this stop of the tour.

    Late in the day we got word of the official prize pool. The winner will receive €124,890, 103 players will get paid with a min-cash worth €1,800. To see the full payout structure click here.


    eureka6_rozadov_main_event_day1c_arsenii_karmarckii.jpg

    Arsenii Karmatckii

    This flight was a second chance for the all the players who took part - you could only play 1C if you had busted 1A or 1B - and it was Arsenii Karmatckii who took his second shot at the Main Event the best. The Russian player bagged up 166,200 to lead the 65 players who made it through from the third and final flight. They'll return at 2pm tomorrow to play Day 2.

    eureka6_rozvadov_main_event_day1c_martin_mulsow.jpg

    Martin Mulsow

    Others who made it through the repechage include: Dennis Brutscher (126,500), Maria Lampropoulos (79,000), Martin Mulsow (56,000), Martin Kabrhel (34,400) and Marius Pospiech (24,500).

    eureka6_rozvadov_main_event_day1b_hanno_offen.jpg

    Hanno Offen - second time wasn't the charm for him

    For others the motto of 'if at first you don't succeed try and try again," did not ring true as Hanna Offen, Tobias Peters and Paul Michaelis all tried again but came up empty once more.

    The crucial information for Day 2 can be accessed via the links below:

    Click here for start of Day 2 Seat Draw
    Click here for start of Day 2 chip counts

    Whilst to catch up on the previous flights action click on the links below. We'll be back at 2pm CET for Day 2.

    Daniel Karacic leads Day 1A survivors
    Quentin Dellis tops Eureka6 Rozvadov Day 1B field

    Main Event 1a Eureka 6 Rozvadov Tomas Stacha-1518.jpg

    All photos are copyright of Tomas Stacha

  • 5 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Oscar Alache - your LAPT Player of the Year

    It's not often you see an entire poker room stop and applaud for someone they're still competing with. However, when the player in question is as popular as Oscar Alache, it's not surprising at all.

    A Chile native who currently sits fourth on the country's all-time money list, Alache has had quite a year. The icing on the cake came right before our Day 1B players here at LAPT9 Chile returned to play after their dinner break:

    Alache was officially named our LAPT Player of the Year.


    alache_playeroftheyear.jpg

    Oscar Alache (right) with Santiago Gandara

    When that message was announced over the microphone, all 200-plus of the remaining Day 1B field started clapping and cheering. Alache looked touched, but remained as cool as ever.

    So, how did Alache get to this point? Let's take a look at just some of his results over the past 12 months.

    - LAPT8 Chile Main Event - 1st place for $131,962

    - Two side event wins

    - Six final tables for a combined $70,532

    Needless to say, Alache is a very worthy winner of Player of the Year. He also has another LAPT title too, one he won in Peru back in 2014. That means he's on the short list of players who are chasing their third title alongside Fabian Ortiz, Jose Barbero, and Mario Lopez.


    alache_laptchile_2015.jpg

    Oscar Alache winning his second LAPT title in Chile, 2015

    And Alache's not done yet - there's still the matter of LAPT9 Chile, in which Alache is still playing.

    "I have seven LAPT trophies now, but I also have lots of room for more," Alache said over the mic.

    When you've got the talent, and the support of even the people you're playing against, we wouldn't bet against Alache scooping more trophies over the next year.

    En @Enjoy_Vina @santigandara @PokerStarsLAPT me entregó el premio al "Player of the year 2015"
    Inolvidable momento! pic.twitter.com/f61JO7rrcL

    — alachepoker (@alachepoker) March 5, 2022

    Follow all the action from LAPT9 Chile with our live coverage.

    Photos by Carlos Monti.


    Want to qualify for the LAPT? Click here to get a PokerStars account and start today

  • 5 March

    MPC24: Wayne Yap conquers record High Roller!

    Congratulations to Wayne Jun Wen Yap! He overcame this star-studded record High Roller field with 114 entries to take home HK$2,292,720 and etch his name in Macau poker history. It was back to back hands that ultimately decided the winner. Yap st...

  • 5 March

    Quentin Dellis tops Eureka6 Rozvadov Day 1B field

    If Day 1A of a poker tournament is an amuse-bouche then Day 1B is a hearty starter. A total of 338 players elected to start their Eureka6 Rozvadov adventure today, easily eclipsing the 219 who played yesterday.

    The format, of course, was the same, 10 levels each 45 minutes in length. When they'd been completed just 132 players remained and it was Quentin Dellis who topped the lot. If you recognise the name it's because the Belgian final tabled UKIPT Dublin last month. He finished sixth on that occasion winning € 31,880.

    Over 200,000 for Dellis

    By the time play ended today 27 year old poker professional had built his 25,000 starting stack all the way up to 201,100 and is the only player thus far to break the 200,000 chip barrier. Dellis has been playing for five to six years, professionally for the last three. The bad news for other players is that when Dellis cashes he makes the final table. He's got seven live cashes to his name and the lowest finish of any of them in sixth.

    eureka6_rozadov_main_event_day1b_dag_palovic.jpg

    Palovic powered through

    Whilst Dellis was the only player to break the 200,000 chip mark plenty of other players ran up big stacks. The likes of Martin Ilavsky (174,100), Jean-Marc Jelk (168,100), Jonas Lauck (159,300) Amir Mozaffarian (157,300) and Dag Palovic (132,600) will all be well placed when Day 2 starts tomorrow at 2pm CET.

    eureka6_rozvadov_main_event_day1b_martin_kabrhel.jpg

    Martin Kabrhel

    There were also plenty of big names among the 206 players who busted out during today's action. Martin Kabrhel, who sits second on the Czech Republic all-time money list, couldn't get anything going today. Paul Michaelis, who has a WSOP bracelet to his name, got his hands on a stack but couldn't hold onto it and Antonin Duda (two EPT Main Event final tables) would've given anything to build a stack. He couldn't and also busted out.

    They'll perhaps try their luck in the turbo Day 1C which has just started. If they do they may well find themselves at the same table as: Martin Mulsow, Anthony Ghamrawi, Stefan Raab,
    Maria Lampropoulos, Marc Radgen or Mattias Ruzzi.

    That's it for Day 1B, you can catch up on all today's action here and view end of day chip counts here. Day 1C will wrap up around 2am CET and we'll bring you a recap of the final flight at that point.

    eureka6_rozvadov_main_event_day1b_tournament_room.jpg

    All photos are copyright of Tomas Stacha

  • 5 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Main Event restarts; Day 1B live updates

    CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES 12pm: Cards are in the air Level 1 - Blinds 50/100 Play has kicked off here at Day 1B - the room's not quite full yet but we already see plenty of familiar faces that played yesterday. Stay tuned. --JS After an ...

  • 5 March

    Eureka6 Rozvadov: Day 1B live updates

    eureka6_rozvadov_main_event_day1b_chip_cards.jpg

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * Sprechen Sie deutsch? Dann klicken Sie rein beim PokerStarsblog DE

    * Click for end of Day 1A chip counts
    * Want more tournament action? Click for LAPT Chile coverage.

    1pm: Shuffle up and deal
    Level 1 - Blinds 25/50

    Right on time the action has started.

    12:45pm: Let's get ready for a super Saturday

    Let's do it again! It's time for Day 1B of the Eureka6 Rozvadov Main Event and as (almost) always we expect Day 1B to be significantly bigger than Day 1A. So with 219 players turning up yesterday the hope is that this could be the biggest ever Eureka Rozadov Main Event. If we get a little over double yesterdays runners we'll beat the mark of 664, which was set last season.

    Eureka Rozvadov Main Event history:
    Season 3: 421 players, €500,000 prize pool, Bart Lybaert from Belgium for €115,000
    Season 4: 493 players, €500,000 prize pool, Martin Meciar from Slovakia for €87,600
    Season 5: 664 entries, €644,080 prize pool, Raphael Wimmer from Austria for €99,695

    The target for anyone playing today is 194,400 as that's what Daniel Karacic managed to amass yesterday. He topped the 90 players who made it through. Full chip counts of the survivors can be seen here.

    Play is due to start at 1pm.

    Key Eureka6 Rozvadov Facts:

    - 25,000 starting stack
    - Blinds starting at 25/50 for 500 big blinds
    - Levels are 45 minutes on Day 1 and they'll be 10 of them. On Day 2 from level 15 onwards levels increase to 60 minutes.
    - Late registration is open until the start of level seven.
    - Day 1B is today and there's also a special Turbo Day 1C at 10pm CET. That's only open to players who have busted either Day 1A or 1B. The field will then combine for the first time on Sunday. Players will reach the money on Day 2 and then play down to a final table on Day 3. The final table will play out on Tuesday. Cue mad celebrations and swigging of pilsner from the trophy (possibly).
    - Full Eureka6 Rozvadov schedule here.

    PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at Eureka6 Rozadov: Nick Wright. Photos by Tomas Stacha. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

  • 5 March

    Live Poker in March: The Best Low Buy-In Events in Europe

    Want to play some live poker? Check out the best live poker tournament in March in Europe.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 5 March

    Meet the Coach Master tonight

    In the Community Show this week we meet the Yoda to LemOn36's Luke, Peter 'Marshall28' Jennings.

  • 5 March

    When poker and politics collide

    In a week where Phil Hellmuth and Jamie Gold are deemed as experts in the Presidential race, we look at times poker and politics came together.

  • 5 March

    98% | Jennifer Harman takes one tough beat

    Saturday is Bad Beat Day on PokerStats … enjoy?! We kick off our new Saturday segment by taking a look at an awful beat the great Jennifer Harman, recently inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, in the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event. Holding Queens pre-flop, Harman would face two opponents. The flop would give her trips but fellow WSOP bracelet winner Cory Zeidman would flop a straight giving the best hand heading into the...

    The post 98% | Jennifer Harman takes one tough beat appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 5 March

    MPC24: High Roller live updates

    2:45pm: Level 11 begins, blinds are 3,000/6,000 with a 500 ante 2:40pm: Bad river sends Celina Lin packing Team PokerStars Pro Celina Lin was super short-stacked and moved in for her last 19,000 with ace-jack. Wing Cheong Chong made the call with a s...

  • 5 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Sergio Palma quietly leads through Day 1A

    Vina del Mar, Chile welcomed the Latin American Poker Tour for the second stop of their Season 9 schedule, after the LAPT opened 2016 at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. We're now back to the continental tour of South America and if Day 1A of LAPT9 ...

  • 4 March

    Eureka6 Rozadov: Daniel Karacic leads Day 1A survivors

    Season six of the Eureka Poker Tour kicked off today at the King's Casino in Rozadov. A total of 219 players put up €1,100 to play some poker and when the ten levels were over 90 players had made it through to Day 2.

    eureka6_rozadov_main_event_day1a_daniel_karacic.jpg

    Daniel Karacic, chipped up in the Czech Republic

    Topping the lot of them is Daniel Karacic. The Croat bagged up 194,400 and is no stranger to success in this casino. In September 2010 he scored his biggest career score to date when he collected €15,000 for winning a €330 tournament.

    He leads a chasing pack that contains: Harald Casagrande (155,000), Lazer Gjergji (151,800), Gaspare Leggio (147,700), Arturs Scerbaks (138,700), Jens Steuber (126,100) and Ivan Luca (124,800).

    eureka6_rozadov_main_event_day1a_ivan_luca.jpg

    Luca went on a late run

    The Argentinian high roller finished third in the €5,000 event that concluded here yesterday and showed up halfway through the day. He'd soon done half his stack, but a late night comeback, including a timely queens versus jacks coup, sees him in great shape for Day 2

    eureka6_rozadov_main_event_day1a_michael_eiler.jpg

    Eiler enjoyed a good day

    There were EPT, UKIPT, Eureka and even Who Wants to be a Millionaire champions in the field today and Michael Eiler - who won EPT7 Vienna - had a great day at the felt. He was always well placed and the 117,900 he bagged up means he'll be hopeful of a deep run.

    eureka6_rozadov_main_event_day1a_tom_holke.jpg

    Eureka Hamburg winner Tom Holke

    Of course for some stacks to grow others must disappear. For the likes of Alex Kravchenko, Marius Pospiech, Jan-Peter Jachtmann, Josef Snejberg, Raphael Wimmer, Makarios Avramidis, Tom Holke and Daniel Stacey it was a day to forget. They aren't completely out of contention yet though as they'll be able to enter Day 1C, a turbo Day 1 that starts at 10pm tomorrow and has 20 minute levels.

    We'll be back before then though as Day 1B kicks off at 1pm CET. We'll see you then but you can catch up on today's coverage by clicking here. Whilst overnight chip counts are available here.

    There's a big tournament taking place in South America too. Follow live updates from LAPT Chile here.

    But until tomorrow, goodnight.

    eureka6_rozadov_main_event_day1a_location.jpg

    All photos are copyright of Tomas Stacha

  • 4 March

    Poker Cartoon - Fishes

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 4 March

    MPC24: Three cheers for Ying Lin Chua!

    A stellar week of poker, a record-breaking field and a new Macau Poker Cup Red Dragon champion! The atmosphere here at PokerStars LIVE Macau has been electric over the past few days. Not only did this iteration of the Red Dragon prove to be the bigges...

  • 4 March

    On happiness, confidence & gratitude

    People always ask me on Twitch or YouTube how I can be so "happy," motivated, and confident starting a brand new poker session every day - especially after I have had a stretch of big losses, bad beats, or bad play of my own. The simple answer to this ...

  • 4 March

    Valentine’s Day Score

    I was fortunate enough to score on Valentine's Day...by making the final table of the $10.50 Super-Knockout! Unfortunately, I also had a date planned with my girlfriend at the same time. It was your typical poker-life balance dilemma, one that full-t...

  • 4 March

    2011 WSOP Main Event Champ Pius Heinz Back in the Winner’s Circle

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56d/9020d8cf8f.png

    2011 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Pius Heinz won the Eureka Poker Tour €5,300 Super High Roller.

      Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 4 March

    LAPT9 Chile: Main Event gets underway! Day 1A live updates

    lapt1.jpg

    CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS

    12:40pm: Giorgio Calls The River, Then Takes One
    Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

    Early level play usually involves small pots and quick decisions but don't tell that to Viccenzo Giorgio and Mauricio Aguilar, who just got involved in a sizable pot on Table 10. Action was picked up with three players seeing a flop of [Qs][7c][6h], with Aguilar checking from the blinds.

    Giorgio, on the button, put out a bet of 600. Aguilar then clicked it back with a check-raise to 1,500, forcing a fold from the middle position player and picking up a call from Giorgio who wasn't going away quietly. The [Qd] fell on the turn and the action slowed, with both players quickly passing to see the [Ah] complete the board.

    Aguilar quickly made a move towards his stack and bet 3,500, a sizable bet at this stage of the tournament. Giorgio's face said it all, as he seemed to hate the bet and the spot he was in on the river. After shooting Aguilar a few looks and talking himself through the hand for close to two minutes, Giorgio called, to see that his decision-making process led to a correct call.

    The out-of-position Aguilar tabled [4c][4s] and Giorgio's hand was good, as he turned over [Ad][Kh] for a rivered top pair. The dealer mucked Aguilar's cards and pushed Giorgio the pot, or at least pushed it towards his seat. After the hand, the victor quickly stood and stepped away from the table to receive a quick phone call.

    He eventually returned to the table to stack his newly won chips and after making a great river call and receiving one on his cell phone, Viccenzo Giorgio is off to a hot start here in Day 1A. --WOC

    12:20pm: Top Two From Season 8 Headline Early Crowd
    Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

    While this early Day 1A crowd is full of unfamiliar faces, two of the big names from Season 8's Latin American Poker Tour stop in Chile are headlining the action. Oscar Alache, who claimed his second LAPT title last year, returns to not only defend his title but also attempt to write his name into the LAPT record books.

    A back-to-back win and third overall LAPT title would do just that. The Chilean has already started 2016 with some solid results, including two final table appearances at January's PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. He ended January with another final table run and will be walking away with hardware regardless of his LAPT9 Chile finish this weekend (he's being presented with the LAPT8 Player of the Year title). He's the player to watch over the next few days.


    Oscar_Alache_LAPT9CHILE_D1A.jpg

    Oscar Alache - LAPT Player of the Year

    Alache isn't the only podium finisher from 2015 to make an early Day 1A appearance, as Renata Teixeira has just taken her seat at a central table. The Brazilian finished 2nd last year, good for a $113,000 score, and she'll now try to make her third career LAPT Main Event final table appearance after finishing 9th in Uruguay last September.

    With past experience and immense success on the LAPT and at Vina del Mar, these two players will certainly be contenders throughout this $1,500 NL Hold'em Main Event. --WOC


    Renata_Teixeira_LAPTChile_d1a.jpg

    Renata Teixeira - going for the gold this year

    12pm: Shuffle up and deal - vamos!
    Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

    We're officially off and running here in Chile. The players start with 20,000 chips, and we'll be playing 10 one-hour levels today. --JS

    11:30am: Who will set the bar in Viña del Mar?

    Buenos días! We're here in the beautiful 'Garden City' of Viña del Mar in Chile for the Latin American Poker Tour Season 9's second stop. In a half hour's time, we'll be kicking off the festival with Day 1A of the $1,500 NL Hold'em Main Event with unlimited re-entries.

    Viña del Mar has been a regular stop on the tour since Season 2 back in 2008, when Argentina's Fabián Ortiz took down the inaugural event. Last year it was Chile's own Oscar Alache who won the $131,962 first place prize and his second LAPT title, having also notched a win in Peru in Season 7. To scoop the trophy in Chile last year, Alache defeated a tough final table that also included two-time LAPT champ Jose Barbero.

    So, the question is: will he try and go back-to-back, overtaking both Ortiz and Barbero to become the first player with three LAPT titles? We'll have to wait and see!

    We're expecting an exciting day of play to get this Main Event going, and if other LAPT stops are anything to go by then that's exactly what we're going to get. We'll be back shortly when the players start to arrive and the cards are (almost) in the air - don't go anywhere. --JS


    Want to qualify for the LAPT? Click here to get a PokerStars account and start today

    PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at LAPT9 Chile: Will O'Connor and Jack Stanton. Photos by Carlos Monti. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

  • 4 March

    Bots could beat humans within three years

    Even the world's best players could find themselves on the losing side if robots continue to evolve at their current rate.

  • 4 March

    Global Poker Index: O’Dwyer Maintains Lead; Drinan, Seidel, Winter Join Overall Top 10

    Steve O'Dwyer tops the Global Poker Index rankings for an 8th straight week as Connor Drinan, Erik Seidel, and Sean Winter join the overall top 10.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 4 March

    Eureka6 Rozadov: Day 1A live updates

    eureka6_rozadov_main_event_day1a_tournament_room.jpg

    Let the season begin


    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * Sprechen Sie deutsch? Dann klicken Sie rein beim PokerStarsblog DE

    1:50pm: Time to start Season 6

    For the fourth time the Eureka Poker Tour is back in Rozvadov and we're here to kick off the tour's sixth season. Playing host to the tour is the King's Casino, which is located on the border of the Czech Republic and Germany.

    The 22 event festival is already in full swing, but today our attention turns to the flagship €500,000 guaranteed Main Event, which year on year has attracted more players. It gets underway at 2pm CET.

    Eureka Rozvadov Main Event history:
    Season 3: 421 players, €500,000 prize pool, Bart Lybaert from Belgium for €115,000
    Season 4: 493 players, €500,000 prize pool, Martin Meciar from Slovakia for €87,600
    Season 5: 664 entries, €644,080 prize pool, Raphael Wimmer from Austria for €99,695

    Key Eureka6 Rozadov Facts:

    - 25,000 starting stack
    - Blinds starting at 25/50 for 500 big blinds
    - Levels are 45 minutes on Day 1 and they'll be 10 of them. On Day 2 from level 15 onwards levels increase to 60 minutes.
    - Day 1A is today, Day 1B takes place tomorrow and then there's a special Turbo Day 1C at 10pm CET. That's only open to players who have busted either Day 1A or 1B. The field will then combine for the first time on Sunday. Players will reach the money on Day 2 and then play down to a final table on Day 3. The final table will play out on Tuesday. Cue mad celebrations and swigging of pilsner from the trophy (possibly).
    - Full Eureka6 Rozadov schedule here.

    PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at Eureka6 Rozadov: Nick Wright. Photos by Tomas Stacha. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

  • 4 March

    The perfect weekend ahead?

    Sometimes all the elements that make for a great poker weekend collide creating a weekends you want to dive into fully clothed. Whether it's something to play, something to inspire, or something to read, we seem to have it all.

    For one thing there are the usual assortment of weekend Majors, and the satellites that will get you into them at a discount. That culminates with the Sunday Million where someone will walk away with the biggest payday of the weekend.

    But size isn't everything (despite what you hear on TV). Other prizes might not match the million for magnitude, but they'll still put a smile on your face, starting with the conclusion of Team Pro Online week.


    Team Pro Online week

    If you've been reading the Blog this week you'll already know about this, but let me get you up to speed.

    Foremost was the Beat Them or Back Them element, whereby you had to beat the Online Pros heads-up to win a package to the EPT Grand Final, or Back Them to do the same thing. Then there's the $200,000 Bounty Freeroll, the Zoom Pools, and an opportunity to actually join Team Pro Online. If this last part appeals to you in particular, I can highly recommend the post by Katerina Malasidou this week who talked of her own application and the changes that has brought to her life.


    team_online_week_4mar16.jpg

    Liliya 'Liay5' Novikova wrote yesterdayabout her experiences at EPT Prague (good experiences). Meanwhile Malasidou's husband Andre Coimbra wrote about his latest challenge, to turn $10 into $1,000. It's not the first time Coimbra has attempted this kind of thing. Last time he tried to turn $1,000 into $100,000. He failed miserably, reaching only $70,000. A shortfall perhaps, but if that's considered a failure I'm not sure Coimbra will ever want to be right again.

    That takes care of the playing side of things. What to watch while all this is taking place?

    Well that's where Twitch makes an inevitable appearance. Various members of Team Online will be broadcasting their progress through the weekend, the schedule for which you can find here.

    While that's all taking place online, two festivals get started in the real world


    LAPT Chile

    The Latin American Poker Tour pulls into Chile this week. As always the LAPT knows how to put on a show, and a poker tournament, which our team of Jack Stanton and Will O'Connor will be on hand to report on starting later today in Viña del Mar.


    lapt_trophy_4mar16.jpg

    The LAPT homepage has all the details, while coverage begins on the blog later today.


    Rozvadov

    Those of us who have never been to Rozvadov hear it's a deceptive place. It's essentially a small town in the Czech countryside with an enormous casino in the middle of it. But while there might not be much to do outside, inside there's one of the best poker venues in the region. That's what we told our reporter Nick Wright as we packed him onto a plane yesterday to cover the Eureka Rozvadov festival, which starts today.


    eureka_rozvadov_4mar16.jpg

    But like many places that are far from anywhere, the reception is typically warm, as the thousands of players who have already given this theory a try will back us up on. We have full coverage of the Main Event in Rozvadov starting today.


    MPC

    Lastly, and certainly not least(ly), the Macau Poker Cup 24 concludes today. You might have seen our coverage this week on the Blog which our reporter Brad Kain wraps up tonight. It's final table time, so check out the finalists then jump into the MPC:24 coverage.


    EPT Not Live

    In between all of the above there's another episode of the #EPTNotLive podcast to enjoy. Not only will James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton bring the irreverence, but there's also details of a freeroll being staged on Thursday March 10 which could earn you a ticket to the 10th Anniversary Sunday Million later this month, as well as signed "KidPoker" poster.

    That's our bit. Here's the official version:

    "It's a triple-header, as James and Joe bring Matt Broughton ("The Other Commentator") into the booth. Although, in the run-up to this week's recording, Stapes went missing, and Matt was on stand-by to play the role of Uncle Daddy! Luckily, Hartigan' s journalistic skills saved the day. After kicking things off with a few post-Dublin anecdotes - including James's near-death experience and an update on Matt's mouth - Joe recalls the glamour and glitz of the American Poker Awards and talks about his work as a "seat filler" during the ceremony. There are details of the forthcoming #EPTLive Home Game, including the all-important Club ID and Invitation Code. Plus, find out if Teun van Dijk from The Netherlands is a Muggle or a Wizard in a Harry Potter-themed edition of 'Superfan vs Stapes'. And the show concludes with the boys' (delayed) review of 'Deadpool'. #EPTNotLive"

    Tune in using your preferred link below:

    http://www.soundcloud.com/eptnotlive
    https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ept-not-live/id970248920?mt=2
    http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/ept-not-live


    That's about everything you'll need going into the weekend, except a PokerStars account, which you can get here. In the meantime best of luck at the tables, both real and online, and as always you can send us your thoughts and comments on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 4 March

    Head to Las Vegas via the Tournament of Champions

    The $5 million guaranteed Powerfest is in full swing and what a fantastic series it has been so far. More than 50 players have claimed Powerfest titles across the Featherweight and Middleweight categories and by the time the Heavyweight and High Roller weeks are completed we will have 98 Powerfest champions. Each of those 98 […]

    The post Head to Las Vegas via the Tournament of Champions appeared first on partypoker.com blog.

  • 4 March

    200,000 | How Tiger Woods cost John Hennigan a lot of money

    It’s Friday Prop Bet Day – let’s have some fun! Barry Greenstein is a big Tiger Woods Fan … John “World” Hennigan? Not so much. The three-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, who just made a deep run at the WPT L.A. Poker Classic never shies away from a fun prop bet. That’s why, when Barry Greenstein offered Johnny World a bet when Tiger Woods was making his way onto the PGA Main Tour,...

    The post 200,000 | How Tiger Woods cost John Hennigan a lot of money appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 4 March

    MPC24: Final table live updates

    3:10pm: Cards in the air And we're off! PokerStars LIVE Macau's Rex Cheong has just introduced our final nine players and with that the action is underway. The blind levels now switch to 75 minutes each and begin today on 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ...

  • 3 March

    I had no other choice…

    PokerStars festivals are, by far, my favorite. They're enjoyable in a lot of ways; you can visit a new country, meet old friends and make new ones, or just simply have a good time. For some players these are the biggest reasons. like to concentrate on the tournaments and try my very best to maximise my playing ability.

    I recently went to Prague EPT, and my first tournament of the series was the €1,100 Eureka Main Event. I felt I played well and in general was satisfied with my game, but I managed to bust out during last three hands of the day. The elimination was hard to take, because I had a built a big stack. I found myself on the wrong end of a cold deck.

    The next day I played the €2,200 High Roller, making it into Day 2 and managing to cash, I busted in 72nd due to some bad luck. I had originally decided to play in the evening Turbo €300, but then I saw a €1,100 deep stack which had a much more agreeable tournament structure.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    I really wanted to win this one. I felt extremely focused and was silently repeating, "I have to win it!" as a mantra. I planned each action with the maximum amount of attention, trying not to make any mistakes. What bet-sizing to use? How to play best against each particular player? Step by step, I was moving ahead in the tournament. As the number of players decreased, I was able to maintain a good stack.

    liliya_novikova_winner.jpg

    Closer to the bubble, I was able to put pressure on my opponents. An aggressive style works well when emotions are bubbling up and everyone is doing their best to get into the money. When there were three tables left, I was among the chip leaders. At that moment I had an extremely tough table with what looked to be only professionals left in the tournament. I met a fellow countryman who appeared to be an experienced MTT player, and he ended up taking sixth place. As I speak only a little English, it was great to meet players and dealers from Russia and have conversations with them in Russian during the breaks. Being able to do this regularly is really precious to me.

    Surprisingly, the final table felt very comfortable, and I felt confident in my abilities. I was able to play a lot of hands and always had a big stack. When we got down to the final three players the tournament seemed like a turbo and luck started to become a major factor. I proposed a deal to my opponents but one of them consistently refused. I knocked him out soon after.

    I was left head-up versus a player from Hong Kong. I had met him earlier and we had spoken a little. I offered him a deal but he also declined. After that I had no other choice but to win, and I managed to do so! My happiness was bottomless. I was full of emotion and had a real feeling of triumph. It's just one of the reasons why I like poker so much.

    novikova_team_online.jpg

    Ahead I have more hard work planned to improve my game and hopefully some more victories under the PokerStars flag.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.
    Liliya "Liay5" Novikova is a member of Team Online Pro

    Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/liay5/profile
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Liay5
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liay5

  • 3 March

    MPC24: Final table player profiles

    Seat 1: Takashi Ogura, 33 (Tokyo, Japan) - 2,710,000 Japan's Takashi Ogura starts our Red Dragon final table second in chips. The 33 year-old says he's played poker for six years and got his start in cash games. When he's not running deep in tournam...

  • 3 March

    Remko Report #34: Jono Karamalikis

    Australian Jonno Karamalikis, known by online players as “Monster Dong,” joins Remko down under to talk about his career, his new business venture, and much more. 

  • 3 March

    Low-rolling High Roller: The Life of an EPTourist

    Today we debut the first part of an upcoming occasional series from PokerStars' Innovation Coordinator & Ideation Manager, Christin Maschmann. When she isn't coming up with new ideas and fun stuff at PokerStars, she travels the EPT on a surprisingly low budget.


    FANGIRL

    "Sure, just show up at the venue. It'll be fine!"

    I couldn't believe it. The most famous German female poker player and WSOP bracelet winner, Katja Thater, had replied to my email, and I was excited to head to the event venue RDS (Royal Dublin Society) one November day in 2007 after work to visit my first ever European Poker Tour event.

    Only half a year earlier I had started playing online poker and quickly fell in love with everything PokerStars. I wanted to get my hands on as much branded merchandise as possible, and I wanted to learn to play poker like Daniel Negreanu.

    As I was living in Dublin at the time, my first live play experiences were €30 self-dealt tournaments at the "Fitz," the Fitzwilliams Card Club. When I heard there was a live PokerStars event for big money coming to Dublin, my fangirl heart leaped, and I knew I had to see that.

    But could I actually just go there and watch?

    So, I had written an email to the former Team Pro Katja to ask and got the above reply.

    I couldn't wait to get out of the office (I was working at Yahoo! at the time but had already sent my first applications to PokerStars) to get to the venue.

    When I arrived I was surprised I could just walk into the tournament room and in between tables. I quickly spotted the tall and charismatic Katja, and we chatted a bit until Annette Obrestad (who ended up runner-up in this event) stopped by as well. In all of the months I played poker I had wondered if a woman could exist in the male-dominated world. Suddenly I was standing next to two of the most famous female European poker players.

    Every day after work, I went to the RDS to watch people play poker. I didn't really know what was going on, but I just loved being there, listening to the sound of the chips and the cards, absorbing the atmosphere, and wishing that someday I could play in a tournament like this.

    Together with my Italian poker friend Enrico, I sat at a PokerStars branded table and we let our dreams take over.


    Want to roll with the high rollers? Click here to get a PokerStars account.

    c_old_school.jpg

    First time at a PokerStars table 2007 - Dreaming that one day I could play at an EPT myself


    FIRST STEPS

    I guess it was because women just rarely show interest that I was given a lot of love at the event. I was invited to join the dinner buffet and got a player bag as a souvenir. I asked all my questions, which included how to get a job at PokerStars.

    Out of this conversation came an invitation to help out for IntelliPoker, PokerStars' poker school at EPT Dortmund in January 2008, which I gladly accepted. Ultimately I was offered the job for this daughter-company of PokerStars.

    At the time, Daniel Negreanu still was my poker hero. I did one interview with him, and it had convinced the team to hire me to do PR and Marketing.

    c_daniel.jpg

    Daniel was the main reason in 2007 that I became a poker and PokerStars fan. Not even a year later, I met him here

    I had taken my first step.

    Little did I know back then that when I eventually got the job at PokerStars, I would neither be allowed to play online on the site nor play EPT Main Events. I had to make a choice between the dream of being a poker player and the dream of working for PokerStars. I chose the safe option, took the job at PokerStars in 2010, and moved to the Isle of Man.

    After having worked at EPT Dortmund, San Remo, and Monte Carlo, my love for the game kept growing, and my fascination didn't wane. So I decided to become an EPTourist!

    My plan was to visit places I hadn't been to or wanted to visit again anyway and do so while the EPT was in town. I wanted to go sightseeing, play at least one side event at each stop, and spend time with friends I made along the way - staff, media, dealers, and players.

    Eight of the 15 EPTs I visited were mainly for holidays.

    3,000 DAYS LATER

    "Hurry up, will ya?" I said to Team PokerStars Pro Johnny Lodden who had just won a big pot and took forever picking up his chips while I waited to put my ante in for the next hand. He just smirked and raked the chips over the line.

    c_and_lodden.jpg

    There I was more than eight years later at the same venue (with the same chairs!). In February 2016 PokerStars' European Poker Tour had made its return to the RDS in Dublin, and so had I.

    However, things had changed.

    I was still a poker fangirl, but I wasn't playing the EPT Main Event. I was still an employee and still not allowed to play those. I had come to Dublin to work a few of those days, play the UKIPT Main Event, the Women's, and Charity event. The last of those was one of the most exciting tournaments was another proof I had become an integral part of the poker world. The first table I sat down at I played with Team Pros Theo Jorgensen and Jake Cody. Andre Akkari walked past, greeting me cheerfully. I got moved to sit next to Johnny Lodden who, whenever I wasn't involved in a hand, showed me the cards he was playing (it was a fun charity event, so this wasn't an issue and they were always exposed to all in the end). The next table I got moved to, my seat was right next to Eugene Katchalov who greeted me with "Hi, Christin!" I had just enough time for a selfie with him before I busted the tournament. But my fangirl heart was very happy.

    All this was on Valentine's Day, and as it happened I ended up having an amazing steak dinner with a group of seven poker players that included two EPT champions.

    During the festival two people approached me, recognizing me from my Twitch streams. So, although the poker didn't go well for me on this trip, I was a very happy poker fan.

    c_tats.jpg

    Back in 2016 - tattooed and branded

    I have come a long way, and I know I am not gonna stop here.

    In this series of articles I will tell you about my adventures on the circuit and how I usually manage to hang out in places like London or Monte Carlo without spending a fortune. I am not a big money player, and I have a limited travel bankroll.

    Nevertheless, it is possible to mingle with the high rollers while low-rolling it almost all the way. Over the next few months, I'll show you how.

    My next EPT trip is probably going to be Barcelona, but I will look back on some of my previous travels in the meantime.


    Want to roll with the high rollers? Click here to get a PokerStars account.
    Christin Maschmann is the PokerStars Innovation Coordinator & Ideation Manager


  • 3 March

    MPC24: China’s Liang Xu leading into final table

    We finally made it! After a week of exciting poker action here at PokerStars LIVE Macau the Red Dragon final table is here at last. When things kicked off at 3pm we had 55 players and weren't sure how long the day would last. Approximately eight hou...

  • 3 March

    Katerina Malasidou on joining Team Pro Online (and how you can too)

    How did you become a member of PokerStars Team Pro Online? If had to make a list of the all questions people ask me, that would definitely be among the top three.

    I've been familiar with Team Online since its creation in 2010 because my husband, André Coimbra, was one of its first members. Back then I was taking my first baby steps in the game. I accompanied my husband in his various poker trips and felt quite starstruck whenever I was around big poker players. Soon, I quit my 9-to-5 job and decided to chase the dream: the life of a professional poker player. The seed was already there, but when the time came to meet the rest of my husband's teammates my interest was sparked even more!

    I mean there I was, a small/mid-stakes grinder having dinner with some of the greatest minds of poker! I was surprised at how easy-going they were. I liked each and every one of them, because apart from great poker players they also had great personalities. Conversations with them were never boring, regardless of whether the subject was poker or something else.


    TeamOnline_Katerina_Malasidou_3mar16.jpgKaterina Malasidou

    Team Online members were all very different. Coming from countries all over the globe, they had interesting stories about how they became poker players (if you want to know more about that check the Team Online video of each member). They also represented different games, different stakes. There was diversity in all aspects, but they all had one thing in common: they were great poker ambassadors. Shortly after I met them, I was the biggest Team Online fan!

    Fast forward to some years later to when I was making a living out of Poker. During Team Online week in 2013 I heard that PokerStars was searching for new members and was accepting applications from players. I filled in the online application - not because I really thought I would get in but because I thought "What have I got to lose?" I hit the "Submit" button and forgot all about it.

    And I really mean I forgot all about it because a couple of months went by and I had no news. But then all of a sudden I got an e-mail from the Team Online manager saying that I was among the final candidates being considered, and that I had to answer some additional questions. I swear to you the mail was in very simple English but I had to re-read it a couple of times to fully understand it (I also asked my husband to read it and verify that I had understood well, for good measure). A couple of months later my joining PokerStars Team Pro Online was announced in public.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    It has been a great journey ever since. I've been to places, and met people, that I wouldn't have had it not been for Team Pro Online. I've interacted with hundreds of players both on and off the online felt, shared my story and my poker experiences, and hopefully sparked some interest in them the same way that Team Online pros did with me when I was starting out. I truly enjoy being an ambassador for this wonderful game and for what I consider to be the best poker site.

    Another thing that I've gained from being on the Team is friends.

    Even though we live thousands of kilometers away from each other, we Team Pro Online members have almost daily interactions online. It can be because we're working on some PokerStars project, or because we're helping each other out with poker-related things, or maybe we're simply having a chat. Either way, there's a strong feeling of camaraderie.

    When André and I got married last summer we invited the entire Team Online to our wedding and were fortunate to have some of them with us on our special day. Needless to say when we all get together in one of the Team Online meetings, a live tournament or anywhere else, it's like a big party!


    team_online_wedding_summer_2015.jpgBack in the summer of 2015: A first Team Online wedding

    All of this started with one very simple thing: an online application. So if you are interested in joining PokerStars Team Pro Online, now's your chance: applications are open again during Team Online week so don't hesitate a second. And who knows? Maybe this could be the start of YOUR amazing journey with the Team!


    Katerina "katerina289" Malasidou is a member of Team PokerStars Pro Online

    Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/katerina289
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/katerina0289
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katerina289
    Blog: http://fromzerotopoker.blogspot.com

  • 3 March

    Guess what the girls are holding and win $50

    Now Live - Hand 2 in our Guess the Hand promotion where you can win community prizes for working out what hands these gals are playing with.

  • 3 March

    Phil Hellmuth Says “Donald Trump Is the Ultimate Loose-Aggressive Player”

    According to Phil Hellmuth, Donald Trump "is the ultimate loose-aggressive player," do you agree?  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 3 March

    Olivier Busquet is ready to fight

    We round up some of the stories you may have missed, including a $600,000 pot and the American Poker Awards.

  • 3 March

    Joe Stapleton Talks About His New Gig with Poker Night in America

    Joe "Stapes" Stapleton talks to PokerNews about his new position with Poker Night in America.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 3 March

    Mike Sexton Reacts to His Lifetime Achievement Award

    On February 25, 2016, I was honored as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2nd edition of the GPI American Poker Awards in Beverly Hills, CA. It was a fabulous evening, first class all the way. More importantly, many deserving people who have all contributed to the betterment of the poker industry, […]

    The post Mike Sexton Reacts to His Lifetime Achievement Award appeared first on partypoker.com blog.

  • 3 March

    How poker was played 10 years ago

    Wow, and those were winning strategies?

  • 3 March

    2006 | #TBT Nam Le wins WPT Bay 101

    It was on this very day, 10 years ago, where Nam Le became a shooting star winning the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star in San Jose, defeating Ravi Udayakumar heads-up for the first major championship of his career. Le has collected four other WPT final tables so far in his career, including a return to a final table at the Bay 101 Shooting Star in 2014. Fab Five | 2006 WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star 1. Nam Le (USA),...

    The post 2006 | #TBT Nam Le wins WPT Bay 101 appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 3 March

    MPC24: Day 3 live updates

    3:00pm: Cards in the air! We're live again! Tournament official Rex Cheong has just told the players it's time to shuffle up and deal. Blinds will recommence at 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 ante and the average stack at the start of proceedings sits at...

  • 3 March

    $20K Bounty Freeroll Tops Online Poker Weekend Promos

    The post $20K Bounty Freeroll Tops Online Poker Weekend Promos appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

  • 2 March

    Poker Cartoon - Comments

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 2 March

    PokerNews Podcast Episode #363: DP Voted Media Person of the Year

    Our very own Editor-in-Chief Donnie Peters was voted the Media Person of the Year at the 2016 American Poker Awards. Rich and DP discuss the evening, break down the GPL draft, and touch upon PokerStars’ pending return to the United States this month.

  • 2 March

    Draft dreams

    Anthony Zinno stood against a wall at a posh Beverly Hills hotel. Dressed in a suit and blue tie, Zinno looked as if he'd plastered an irremovable smile from his face in lieu of shaving. A semi-circle had formed around him, a man who had earned more ...

  • 2 March

    Watch the eSports Invitational Poker Tournament

    Watch the eSports Invitational Poker Tournament
    On the eve of the Unibet Open in London, a single table tournament of famous eSports gamers are competing for £10,000 from 16:00 GMT.

  • 2 March

    Watch the Unibet Open London Main Event Day 1A

    Watch the first day of action from the Unibet Open Main Event in London from 16:00 GMT.

  • 2 March

    Watch the Unibet Open London Main Event Day 1B

    Watch the second starting day from the Unibet Open Main Event in London from 16:00 GMT.

  • 2 March

    Watch the Unibet Open London Main Event Day 2

    Watch the penultimate day of the Unibet Open Main Event in London from 16:00 GMT.

  • 2 March

    Watch the Unibet Open London Main Event finale

    Watch as we play down to a winner in London from 16:00 GMT.

  • 2 March

    MPC24: Ukraine’s Kamel Mokhammad back on top for Day 2

    Eliminations and cold hard cash were the main features today. The poker room is dying down here now as Day 2 of the MPC24 Red Dragon has wrapped but not long ago PokerStars LIVE Macau was electric with excitement. We had 259 returning from our reco...

  • 2 March

    Andre Coimbra on his $1K Challenge: Level 1

    Some years ago I did a challenge where I tried to turn $100 into $100K over the course of a year playing only tournaments. I didn't reach the $100K goal (I finished with $70K), but I learned a lot about tournaments and what kind of content my followers...

  • 2 March

    Kevin MacPhee Talks Surprise GPL Draft Selection, PokerStars Back in the US, and More

    In a long interview with PokerNews, Kevin MacPhee shares his views on the Global Poker League and confesses "I am not too excited about PokerStars back in the U.S."  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 2 March

    14 | WPT to crown another L.A. Poker Classic Champion

    Fourteen years after Gus Hansen was crowned the first ever WPT L.A. Poker Classic Champion, the World Poker Tour is back in Los Angeles this week as the next LAPC winner is set to be crowned on Thursday. Defending Champion Anthony Zinno won the event in 2015 earning back-to-back titles after winning the WPT Fallsview Poker Classic in Niagara Falls prior to his victory in LA. Although Zinno won’t be defending his title (he was...

    The post 14 | WPT to crown another L.A. Poker Classic Champion appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 2 March

    MPC24 Day 2 live updates

    3:05pm: Shuffle up and deal! Cards are in the air here for Day 2 of the MPC24 Red Dragon. Blinds commence at 1,200/2,400 with a 400 ante and the average stack currently at 62,258. The returning 259 will be hoping to have another great day at the f...

  • 2 March

    Online Gambling Elements Rampant In Social Video Games

    The post Online Gambling Elements Rampant In Social Video Games appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

  • 1 March

    MPC24: China’s Huitong Cao claims top spot on Day 1c

    For poker fans; today had everything.

    We witnessed records broken and an indescribable atmosphere as players flooded the poker room here for the third and final opening flight of the Red Dragon.

    By the close of late registration it was 512 who joined the hunt today. That brought our total up to 1,075 for a record-breaking Red Dragon field. Not only was today the biggest Day 1 flight and confirmed we were among the biggest iteration of this tournament ever, but it also became the largest-ever freezeout tournament in the whole of the Asia-Pacific.

    Of those 512 who did take part today, only 127 would survive the 12 levels of play. Ahead of the pack when all was said and done stood Huitong Cao. He finished with 232,600 ahead of Wayne Zhang with 167,600 and Jun Yang Ong on 165,900.

    MPC24 Day 1c chip leader Huitong Cao.jpg

    Ahead of the pack on Day 1c - Huitong Cao

    Cao has only one previous live cash to his name from a second place finish in a turbo event back in 2014. With that score awarding him only $4,479 Cao is well on his way to the biggest result of his poker career.

    Returning tomorrow to join Cao on Day 2 from today's flight will be four previous Red Dragon champions. Yuefeng Pan (95,700), Zhenru Xie (73,400), Raymond Wu (73,000) and Tom Alner (49,000) all finished with chips.

    MPC23 Red Dragon Day 1c Top Ten Chip Counts
    Huitong Cao (China) - 232,600
    Wayne Zhang (China) - 167,600
    Jun Yang Ong (Singapore) - 165,900
    James Chen (Taiwan) - 150,500
    Raul Gallego (Spain) - 138,400
    Leo Cheng (Canada) - 135,100
    Satrya Wijiya Teja (Indonesia) - 126,500
    Yongjun Liang (China) - 121,200
    Marc Rivera (Philippines) - 115,900
    Vladimir Dobrolskii (Russia) - 114,800

    Click here for full end of day chip counts
    Click here for Day 2 seating draw/i>

    While these lucky players survived the night, for others, it was a different story. Our two representatives for the PokerStars contingent couldn't hold on. Bryan Huang was eliminated earlier after a three-way all in didn't end in his favour. Also hitting the rail was Yaxi Zhu who lasted until late in the day but just came up short in the end.

    MPC24 day 1c Yaxi Zhu.jpg

    Team PokerStars Pro Yaxi Zhu

    We also lost a horde of notable names today with Jason Lo, Aaron Lim, Raiden Kan, Jack Salter and MC HotDog all falling by the wayside.

    For the 127 who made the cut, they'll join the qualifiers from the first two flights back here tomorrow. Play will kick off earlier with a 3:00pm start to give players a chance to attend the MPC24 Welcome Party in the evening.

    As always we'll be covering all the action from here at PokerStars LIVE Macau. We hope you can join us for another exciting day of poker action!

  • 1 March

    From $10 to $1,000 the easy (smart) way

    Unlike many other players who turn pro after a big tournament score, my poker career started with $10 on micro-stakes. It has been a long grind to where I am today, so I am very familiar with how poker players with modest bankrolls trying to move up stakes feel. Naturally when I decided to LiveStream, I thought that showing others how I did this would be the way to go. So I decided to walk this path once again.

    Of course, I am not the player I was eight years ago, and it showed. Despite the games being a little tougher than they were in my early days, there is still a lot of people making a lot of big mistakes, and I breezed through the stakes to my $1,000 goal. I don't say this to brag but to demonstrate my initial objective: to show people that it isn't very difficult. I used a seven-buy-in bankroll management method (to move up or down). I didn't make any fancy plays (except for when I was trying to specifically teach a concept to the stream). I played a bit less than 10,000 hands of solid and basic poker, and that was all it took.

    baalim_bankroll_challenge.jpg

    So, to anyone who is stuck in micro-stakes or simply wants to do this, I strongly recommend you watch all the 32 episodes in my YouTube channel. Watch one before your session for motivation or binge watch them, whatever your style is.

    If you cant be bothered to watch hours of videos, then here is some pragmatic advice that I can give you after experiencing this grind again:

    I completed this challenge this quickly because I know more poker than the opponents I faced. So your only goal is to learn more poker. It isn't growing your bankroll, moving up stakes, or anything else. It is simply to get better at this game.

    Your bankroll is a tool to learn the game. Don't see it as money or goal or as any kind of metric. Lose any emotional attachment to it.

    Despite what you read elsewhere do not use a conservative bankroll management (using 50 buy-in rule for micro-stakes is a huge mistake). The lower you play, the less you will learn. Moving up is essential for the learning process, but don't overdo it. If you lose your bankroll, you can't learn any more. So, I'd suggest something like 15 buy-ins to move up or down, and obey it religiously.

    There isn't a big gap between skill level of stakes. Each stake higher is slightly more difficult than the previous one, don't be afraid, get frustrated, or be superstitious about a stake you have "bounced" back from a few times.

    When you are forced to move down in stakes don't feel bad about it. Again, your goal is to learn and only learn. It might help with these kind of distractions to use software to see the tables in big blinds and not money. That way, all the stakes will be the same.

    I know, easier said than done.

    So, get to work and see you at the tables!


    Jorge "Baalim" Limón is a member of Team PokerStars Pro Online

    Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/baalshin
    Twitter: http://twitter.com/Baalshin
    Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/Baalshin
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BaalimTeamOnlinePS


  • 1 March

    48 | The game’s best selected at #GPLDraftDay

    The first ever #GPLDraftDay took place in Los Angeles last week as the 12 Team Managers of the Global Poker League added the first four players on their rosters. Rome Manager Max Pescatori was first on the clock. He went with rising Italian star Mustapha Kanit with the 1st overall selection while Montreal followed with Canadian legend Mike “Timex” McDonald. Former GPI World #1 Jason Mercier was the first American pro off the board on #GPLDraftDay...

    The post 48 | The game’s best selected at #GPLDraftDay appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 1 March

    Are you ready for the Elite Series?

    As I wrote in my previous blog entry, Play Money Poker has changed. One of the big changes in the last two years is the dramatic increase in popularity of tournament poker, with the number of daily tournament entries more than doubling in the last two ...

  • 1 March

    Hellmuth and Gold weigh in on Trump

    The mainstream media has looked to two former World Champions to give their insight into the rise of Donald Trump.

  • 1 March

    Eureka Poker Tour Returns To King’s Casino This Week with €1.5 Million Guaranteed

    The Eureka Poker Tour is kicking off its sixth season at the King's Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic with 22 action-packed events from Mar. 2-8, 2016.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 1 March

    Guess what the girls are holding and win $50

    Our fifth hand is now live and even if you haven't played yet, you can still win prizes by guessing all of the hands posted so far.

  • 1 March

    MPC24: Day 1c live updates

    MPC24 Red Dragon Day 1c ready to go It's almost time for the Red Dragon's third and final opening flight! Today is expected to be easily the biggest yet and with 563 combined entrants from Days 1a and 1b we'll be hoping the field can reach the 1000-p...

  • 1 March

    Global Poker League Draft Analysis: Surprises, Snubs, Winners, and Losers

    Donnie Peters analyses the first-ever Global Poker League Draft. Find out the surprises, who was snubbed, and more.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 1 March

    High Stakes Poker Pro Jason Mo Airs Beef with PokerNews

    The post High Stakes Poker Pro Jason Mo Airs Beef with PokerNews appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

  • 1 March

    U.S. Online Poker Players Welcome PokerStars Return

    The post U.S. Online Poker Players Welcome PokerStars Return appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

February, 2016

  • 29 February

    Poker Cartoon - Feelings

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 29 February

    Watch the Cash Kings €50/€100 PLO live!

    Sam Trickett, Pius Heinz and George Danzer are expected for this live streamed cash game from 19:00 CET.

  • 29 February

    Watch the Cash Kings €50/€100 game live.

    Join us for the second day of high stakes cash game action from 19:00 CET tonight.

  • 29 February

    Watch the Cash Kings €100/€200 game live.

    Join us for the final day of high stakes cash game action from 19:00 CET tonight.

  • 29 February

    MPC24: Ukraine’s Kamel Mokhammad crushes Day 1b

    The Red Dragon spread its wings again today and now Day 1b is in the books. Dwarfing the opening flight yesterday, today's proceedings had the room here at PokerStars LIVE Macau packed out. While Day 1a attracted a field of 205, we saw that smashed b...

  • 29 February

    Kevin “Phwap” Boudreau’s amazing comeback story

    Watch the short documentary about how a young poker pro overcame incredible odds to return to the game he loves.

  • 29 February

    Jaime Staples EPT Dublin Video Blog

  • 29 February

    Weekend Review: Hicks proves staying power with Sunday Million win

    A look at all the major stories from this past weekend on PokerStars.

    Weekend highlights

    * Kenny "LoneHixx" Hicks wins the Sunday Million
    * XingsMaster of Germany wins the Sunday Warm-Up
    * Team Pro Online week starts today


    weekend_review_29feb16.jpg

    Round up of latest results

    I remember a few years ago at an EPT seeing the name Ken Hicks on the player list. I noticed it because I noticed it at every EPT, one of those players who always qualified, and always played the Main Event. He'd do well, cash, and then show up at the next one, whether it was Dublin, Warsaw, London, Berlin or the PCA. Then just two years ago he reached the final table in Monaco, finishing seventh.

    I suppose my point here is that Hicks is one of those workmanlike players who may not light up internet forums, or grace high roller events, but is at least still here nearly ten years after his first live cash in a game that re-invents itself each year. This weekend he proved just how well he does that by winning the Sunday Million.

    As Martin Harris reported, Hicks even managed to secure the best deal for himself four-handed, to take away a first prize of $133,405.

    Elsewhere in the Warm-Up XingsMaster took the first prize of $74,828 in a deal-free final table. As David Aydt reported, the eventual winner took on the role of table bully with great results.

    Talking of which, here are those two results in full:


    PokerStars Sunday Million results (2/28/16)
    Entrants: 5,727
    Prize pool: $1,145,400
    Places paid: 855

    1. Kenny "LoneHixx" Hicks (Canada) $133,405.67*
    2. slayertompa (Sweden) $100,420.20*
    3. JanekJorgman (Norway) $135,141.73*
    4. _m0ney2_89 (Russia) $97,384.80*
    5. Armani1974 (Germany) $48,106.80
    6. pinkwins (Denmark) $36,652.80
    7. p€troceli (Hungary) $25,198.80
    8. Köstritzer83 (Germany) $14,317.50
    9. mo-big-big (Netherlands) $8,934.12
    * denotes a four-way deal leaving $20,000 for the winner


    /en/blog/online/sw/2016/sunday-warm-up-x-marks-the-spot-as-xings-160690.shtml
    PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up results (02/28/16)
    Entrants: 2,368
    Prize pool: $473,600.00
    Places paid: 342

    1. XingsMaster (Germany) $74,828.91
    2. Crashsite!! (Netherlands) $56,202.11
    3. cigarromata (Brazil) $40,256.00
    4. Peter "RcknTheSbrbs" Nigh (Costa Rica) $27,705.60
    5. Hoegh93 (Denmark) $21,075.20
    6. ciaca21 (Romania) $16,339.20
    7. olelemaiko (Bulgaria) $11,603.20
    8. Maxxx72alba (Russia) $6,867.20
    9. PataNegraXD (Czech Republic) $4,025.60


    The weekend's top online tournament winners

    EVENTWINNERCOUNTRYPRIZE MONEY
    $215 Sunday MillionLoneHixxCanada $133,405.67
    $215 Sunday Warm-UpXingsMasterGermany $74,828.91
    $530 Sunday 500Callisto 5Canada $53,148.75
    $215 Sunday Supersonic [6-Max]MONSTER_DONGAustralia $47,385.42
    $109+R Sunday RebuyStackedOffCanada $39,217.50
    $215 Sunday 2nd ChanceEvnomiYaRussian $37,404.00
    $22 Sunday Mini-MillionNikiforos86Greece $28,933.31
    $109 Sunday KickoffBusyman919Switzerland $28,816.65
    $11 Sunday StormWoody fingerPoland $25,707.84
    $162 Sunday 6-Maxbah23Bulgaria $20,655.18
    The Weekender: $530 NLHE [8-Max, 2-Day]DaNuts90Germany $20,227.50


    Click here for a complete list of major results on PokerStars for the weekend of February 27 to 28, 2016.


    Now is the perfect opportunity to get a PokerStars account. Open your account here.

    Team Pro Online week

    Team Pro Online week is upon us, giving you chance to Beat them or Back them. As we wrote last week there's plenty going on over the course of the next seven days that's Team Online orientated. But given they're not allowed to win anything other than bragging rights there are plenty of opportunities for you to profit, which you can read about in detail here. It's usually a lot of fun, so get involved. And you can follow the Pros minutely on Twitch. We have the full broadcast schedule here.


    Red Dragon

    Lastly, while it's one of the smaller events on the PokerStars calendar the Red Dragon events are always good for a few surprises. Coverage from Macau began over the weekend and is worth following to see a mixture of local and foreign talent competing on one o Macau's biggest stages. Brad Kain is our reporter in the field, with live updates on the PokerStars Blog.

    That's the weekend in a nutshell. As always send your questions and comments to us on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.




    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.



  • 29 February

    PokerStrategy webinars return to Twitch

    Our free English webinars become more convenient and interactive as they will now take place on Twitch. Make sure to subscribe to our channel.

  • 29 February

    The death of Pot Limit Hold’em

    With the absence of a PLHE event this year at the WSOP, has the format become extinct?

  • 29 February

    US Online Poker in February: PokerStars to the Rescue

    The post US Online Poker in February: PokerStars to the Rescue appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

  • 29 February

    MPC24: Day 1b live updates

    MPC24 Red Dragon Day 1b begins soon It's time for the second Day 1 flight of the Macau Poker Cup 24's feature tournament - The Red Dragon! The poker room here is already filling up with players preparing to make a run at that prestigious title and im...

  • 28 February

    MPC24: China’s Chao Yang charges ahead on Day 1a

    The Red Dragon took flight again today. The feature tournament of this Macau Poker Cup 24 generated an electric atmosphere across the room here at PokerStars LIVE. When late registration was locked out it was a total of 205 who had posted up the HK$1...

  • 28 February

    How to make $1,000 at NL10

    Find out how our latest Bankroll Challenger turned $33 into $1,000 by playing like a champ (and running good in promotions).

  • 28 February

    The poker tournament bigger than a small country

    On October 5 2015 PokerStars blazed a trail into the Guinness World Records once again when an incredible 253,692 players took part in the largest online poker tournament in history. To put that number into context there were more players in the Common...

  • 28 February

    American Poker Awards Shine; PokerNews’ Donnie Peters Wins Media Person of the Year

    The American Poker Awards took center stage in Beverly Hills on Thursday night, with PokerNews Editor-in-Chief Donnie Peters winning the award for Media Person of the Year.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 28 February

    Online Poker Player Traffic Update – February 2016

    The post Online Poker Player Traffic Update – February 2016 appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

  • 28 February

    Winners Shine at American Poker Awards

    The post Winners Shine at American Poker Awards appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

  • 28 February

    MPC24: Day 1a live updates

    MPC24 Red Dragon Day 1a set to start Welcome once again to PokerStars LIVE Macau for our coverage of the Macau Poker Cup 24 Red Dragon! We're kicking things off with the first of three opening flights as Day 1a is set to commence shortly. In the mean...

  • 27 February

    Learn About the Documentary “Phwap’s Back - A Poker Comeback Story”

    Phwap's Back - A Poker Comeback Story tells the story about the remarkable recovery of Ship it Holla Ballas crew member Kevin "Phwap" Boudreau.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 27 February

    888poker Unveiled as Official Sponsor of the 2016 WSOP

    The World Series of Poker has unveiled 888poker as the official sponsor of the 2016 WSOP, continuing the partnerships created in 2015.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 27 February

    MPC24: The Red Dragon fires up

    Lower the drawbridge. It's time again for players to hunt for the illustrious Red Dragon. Macau Poker Cup 24 is in full swing and now the festival's crown jewel is upon us. It's already been an exciting nine days here at PokerStars LIVE in the City ...

  • 27 February

    Global Poker Index: Top 10 Debut for EPT Dublin Winner Dzmitry Urbanovich

    Steve O'Dwyer tops the Global Poker Index overall rankings for a seventh-straight week while EPT Dublin champ Dzmitry Urbanovich moves into the top 10.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 27 February

    Top 5 underage poker crushers

    In honour of 20-year-old Dzmitry Urbanovich's breakout year, we look at five players who crushed before they were old enough to play in Vegas.

  • 27 February

    Remko Report Episode #33: Fedor Holz

    Fresh off of a few insane months on the felt, Fedor Holz joins Remko to talk about his meteoric rise and more. 

  • 26 February

    Poker Cartoon - Rage

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 26 February

    Your guide to everything Twitch during Team Pro Online week

    Throughout this Team Pro Online week you'll be able to watch the action on various Twitch channels as the Pros themselves provide a player's eye view of the action. At least 12 Team Pro Online members will be twitching throughout the week. Ensure ...

  • 26 February

    How Your Poker Skills Can Help You Win at Daily Fantasy Football

    We explain how you can use your poker skills to win at daily fantasy football on DraftKings.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 26 February

    Beat them or back them: it’s Team Pro Online week

    There's a big week coming up on PokerStars, with cash prizes and EPT packages up for grabs starting on Monday. The reason: it's Team Pro Online week, a time when you the PokerStars player reap the rewards while they slug it out for nothing more than bragging rights. Allow us to explain how you cash in.

    In all there are three EPT packages and tens of thousands of dollars to be one, starting on Monday and running until Sunday March 6. PokerStars players will have the chance to take on Team Pro Online members and win big prizes in a special Heads-Up Challenge, $20,000 Bounty Freeroll, and special micro-stakes Zoom pools, among all sorts of other activities.


    team_online_week_feb2016.jpg

    "Team Pro Online Week is a great opportunity for all players to compete against a host of PokerStars pros and win some big cash prizes," said Andre "acoimbra" Coimbra of Team Pro Online. "The Heads-Up Challenge in particular promises to be a really fun competition and I can't wait to try to get my hands on the title."

    So here are a few details.


    'BEAT THEM' OR 'BACK THEM' HEADS-UP CHALLENGE

    The 'Beat Them' or 'Back Them' Heads-Up Challenge is the focal point of the week, running from Saturday 5 to Sunday 6 March from 14:00 ET.

    The 'Beat Them' promotion features 32 players, made up of Team Pro Online members and online qualifiers, battling it out to become the Heads-Up Challenge champion. The highest-placed online qualifier in the Heads-Up Challenge tournament will win $5,000.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    If they then go on to win it they receive a $10,000 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino European Poker Tour (EPT) Grand Final package. So the first thing you need to mark in your diary is the qualifying tournament. That runs on Tuesday, March 1 at 14.00 ET, with a buy-in of $11.

    But even if you don't reach the final stages there's more to keep you interested.

    You can still back the winners (yep, this is where the "Back Them" element comes into play), by predicting the winner of the Heads-Up Challenge and winning one of two $10,000 EPT Grand Final packages. Every player who plays the qualifier gets a "backing ticket", which allows them entry into one of 32 freeroll tournaments, with the finals of each streamed live on the PokerStars Twitch channel: http://www.twitch.tv/pokerstars/

    $20,000 BOUNTY FREEROLL

    The $20,000 guaranteed Bounty Freeroll and takes place on March 6 at 15.00 ET. As the name suggests there's a $50 bounty on each Team Pro Online. All you need to claim a ticket is to deposit $10 or more using bonus code ONLINE2016 by 15.00 ET on March 6.


    SPECIAL ZOOM POOLS

    It sounds like something you might find at a water park, but the Special Zoom Pools are actually a great way to play against Team Pro Online in micro-stakes games. The pros themselves will announce that they're playing on Twitter an hour before they log in, and if you make a profit against them within an hour we'll multiply your winnings by seven.


    JOIN TEAM PRO ONLINE

    While it's fun to play against Team Pro Online, we hear it's even better to be a Team Pro Online. PokerStars is also currently accepting applications to join Team Pro Online from Supernova VIP level players. Supernova players will have received an email for details of how to apply. What are you waiting for?

    For everything else, including ways to show your support for your favourite team pro, and all the terms and conditions, check out the Team Online Pro Week homepage.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 26 February

    Mike Sexton Receives a Lifetime Achievement Award

    A couple of hundred of North America’s most-prominent poker industry members and players gathered at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills on February 25 for the 2nd Annual Global Poker Index American Poker Awards where they celebrated the achievements of the past 12 months. Almost a dozen categories were voted for, including Breakout Performance of […]

    The post Mike Sexton Receives a Lifetime Achievement Award appeared first on partypoker.com blog.

  • 26 February

    PokerStars Blog photographer Joe Giron wins American Poker Award

    The PokerStars Blog team woke up to some great good news this morning. It wasn't just that PokerStars was heading back to New Jersey, but that the American Poker Awards once again recognised the contribution members of our team have made to the game. ...

  • 26 February

    Ever wondered what winning a million is like? This man knows…

    PokerStars is celebrating 100 million players this month. Today, we talk to an electrician whose life was changed forever by winning a million dollars Come on, admit it - you've often found yourself daydreaming about winning a million. How would you r...

  • 26 February

    Global Poker League Holds First Draft; Mustapha Kanit Picked First Overall

    The first ever Global Poker League draft has concluded. Check out the rosters here.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 26 February

    The Global Poker League teams are revealed

    Vote for who you think has the strongest team after the first ever GPL draft.

  • 26 February

    PokerStars to return to the US in March

    Amaya has confirmed they expect PokerStars to be available in New Jersey on March 21.

  • 26 February

    Big Names Chosen on GPL Draft Day

    The post Big Names Chosen on GPL Draft Day appeared first on pokerupdate.com.

  • 25 February

    Mark your calendars, New Jersey — PokerStars is coming

    Mark your calendars, New Jersey -- PokerStars is coming

    It's been nearly five years. Five years of hoping. Five years of waiting. Five years of anticipating the time I could write these words again:

    PokerStars is back.

    Just moments ago, PokerStars announced that it plans to launch in New Jersey on March 21 in partnership with Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, marking the first time in nearly five years that people living in America will have a chance to play for real money on the world's biggest online poker site.

    pokerstars_new_jersey.jpg

    Want to play on your desktop or laptop in New Jersey just like you once did? That's coming back.

    Want to play on your tablet or phone? You'll now be able to do that, too.

    If you were once a PokerStars player and want to play from New Jersey, you'll be eligible to use your old PokerStars screen name and regain your former VIP status just as soon as you come back.

    Remember what Sundays used to be like? New Jersey will have its own Sunday Special to go along with all the other poker tournaments and games everyone remembers. What's more, for the first time, PokerStars players in New Jersey will be able to play Spin & Go tournaments as well as a wide variety of casino games.

    "PokerStars is the global leader in online poker and trusted by its customers for its robust and innovative technology, world-class security and game-integrity. We are honored and excited to now bring these experiences to New Jersey," said David Baazov, Chairman and CEO of Amaya, PokerStars' parent company.

    In September of last year, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement authorized PokerStars and Full Tilt to operate in that state. PokerStars expects to run a testing period and beta period with a limited player base beginning in mid-March in the run-up to the full launch.

    PokerStars is no stranger to the regulated gaming industry. It has licenses in more than a dozen jurisdictions. Worldwide, more than 100 million people have registered to play on the site. PokerStars is now set to bring its games and reputations back to the Garden State.

    For more information, visit the brand new PokerStars New Jersey web site.


    is the PokerStars Head of Blogging.

  • 25 February

    Taylor Caby, Guy Laliberté, and Viktor Blom Inducted Into Internet Wall of Fame

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56c/dafc1357ed.jpg

    TwoPlusTwo Pokercast hosts Adam Schwartz and Terrence Chan added Taylor Caby, Guy Laliberté, and Viktor “Isildur1” Blom as its 15th, 16th, and 17th inductees to their Internet Pokers Wall of Fame.

      Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 25 February

    Kara Scott joins 888poker

    We recap some stories you may have missed, including casting news for Molly's Game and archive footage of Doyle Brunson.

  • 25 February

    BlogNews Weekly: Dealer Mucks Pocket Aces in the WSOP, Records, and Live Poker Tips

    Learn about the biggest poker tournaments, dealer mucking pocket aces in the WSOP Main Event, and how to beat bounty tournaments in this week's edition of the BlogNews Weekly.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 25 February

    Nevada, New Jersey Welcome Former Ultimate Bet Brass

    Former Ultimate Bet executives are getting involved in online poker once again, in both Nevada and New Jersey.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 25 February

    2012 | #TBT Mickey Petersen wins EPT Copenhagen

    We take you back to this day in 2012 where online poker sensation Mickey Petersen would secure the EPT Copenhagen Main Event title in his native Denmark. Petersen would beat now November Niner Pierre Neuville heads-up for the title which was, at the time, the first of his career. He has since won three other times on the circuit. Fab Five | EPT Copenhagen Main Event 1. Mickey Petersen (DEN), $444,595 2. Pierre Neuville (BEL), $282,843 3. Bjarke...

    The post 2012 | #TBT Mickey Petersen wins EPT Copenhagen appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 24 February

    PokerNews Podcast Episode #362: 2016 WSOP Schedule Announcement

    The 2016 WSOP schedule is out, and Donnie and Remko are here to break it down. 

  • 24 February

    Poker Cartoon - Whispering

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 24 February

    Mustapha Kanit’s Spectacular Bluff in EPT Dublin High Roller

  • 24 February

    Would you like to be tagged in this PCA photo?

    PokerStars is celebrating 100 million players this month. Today, we take a deep and sometimes unflattering dive into the PCA photo archives As you might have seen over the past couple of weeks, the PokerStars Blog has been taking look back at the past...

  • 24 February

    WSOP Schedule Released; Eight New Bracelet Events Among 69 Total

    The 2016 World Series of Poker schedule has been released with 69 gold bracelet events and some exciting new changes.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 24 February

    2016 World Series of Poker schedule announced

    More chips and more people make the money this year at the WSOP in Las Vegas.

  • 23 February

    Rush Street Productions Set to Launch ‘The Final Table’

    Rush Street Productions announces a new poker show called 'The Final Table.'  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 23 February

    India’s Stars Poker Room Raided by Police During Its Inaugural Poker Series

    The Stars Poker Room located in Indiranagar, India was raided by local police earlier this month during the start of its inaugural poker series.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 23 February

    O’Dwyer and Urbanovich Amongst Those Headed To Tbilisi for WSOP Circuit Georgia

    Dzmitry Urbanovich and Steve O'Dwyer amongst those heading to Tbilisi for WSOP International Circuit Georgia.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 23 February

    ‘How I took my chance in 100 billion’

    PokerStars is celebrating 100 million players this month. Today, we hear from one who took part in our 100 billionth hand.

    The odds were huge. As PokerStars geared up to deal its historic 100 billionth hand, nearly 390,000 players were online trying to hit it. Many of those were multi-tabling, and so the chances of being dealt into the big one, and a shot at the $100,000 on offer for winning it, were remote in the extreme.

    But Clayton Tomkulak, 28, already felt lucky. See, for three years straight he was called into work each day, and therefore assumed his chances of playing in the 100 billionth hand promotion climax, predicted to hit on a weekday afternoon, were gone. Then, out of the blue, his boss rang at 6.30am as he prepared to leave home, telling him things were slow and he could take the day off.

    "It was the first time I had got a call like this in three years of working at the place," the Canadian said. And he didn't waste the golden and unexpected opportunity. He fired up 26 tables of microstakes no-limit and began to grind.

    "I played 28,000 hands that day, which was a record for me by far, in the hope hitting one of the smaller million hand milestones leading up to the 100 billionth hand. Then, as the big one got nearer, I closed some of my $0.02/$0.05 tables and opened up a $0.05/$0.10, a $0.15/$0.25 and a $0.25/$0.50 table because PokerStars would pay a bonus to any player playing the same stakes as the 100 billionth hand when it hit."

    clayton-tomkulak.jpgClayton Tomkulak

    The million hands came and went with no success. Then the 100 billionth hand, which was one of the milestones in PokerStars history that we are revisiting as part of our 100 Million player celebration, came around.

    "I wanted to sit out on my 26 tables so I could watch the 100 billionth hand unfold. I clicked the table ID in the lobby, and the table popped up on my screen but then instantly got pushed somewhere into my stack of tables so I didn't at that point see what was happening.

    "Then my girlfriend, who was watching on her laptop, yelled, 'You won!' I totally thought she meant I had won a stake share prize for playing on the same level as the 100 billionth (a $0.02/$0.05 table). But she said, 'No, it's you! Look!' and she showed me her screen and I saw myself sitting at the paused 100 billion hand table!"

    The action had been stopped to allow tens of thousands of players the opportunity to watch the huge milestone hand play out.

    Clayton, who plays with the screen name HeyitsClay, and who lives in Burnaby, British Columbia, explained: "At this point I was in a huge panic because I didn't know how long the table would be paused for, and I had lost it on my screen! I had 26 tables open and needed to find that one. I was scared the hand would start, and that I might be auto folded because my time bank had been used up during the day!

    "Thankfully I found it in time, and then I started getting messages on Skype, Twitter and Facebook, asking, 'Dude, is that really you?' Eventually the hand was played out, and I knew it was a snap all-in for everyone at the six-handed table.

    "I was dealt [kh][6c], which I wasn't thrilled about but I knew it could have been a lot worse. Once everyone duly moved all in, all the hands were shown, and I liked my spot even more. The flop came [Ac][2c][Jc] and someone had paired their jack. At first I was like damn! No king! Then I thought I had one over card and a flush draw as outs until I saw someone had the [7c] so my [6c] was useless. So after that flop I was hoping for a miracle."

    Clayton never caught up. The hand ran out with a [9d] turn and [Th] river, meaning microulis69 won with the paired jack, taking the $103,800 prize. Just for being on the table, however, still meant a $13,440 purse for Clayton. The hand, and all the milestones leading up to it were captured in a special live blog run by this writer and colleague Rick "Corporate" Dacey.

    100_billionth_hand.JPGThe 100 billionth hand in all it's glory

    "It was a crazy mix of emotions, that's for sure," he said. "It's hard to say how much was shock, poker discipline, or sadness at missing out on the added $85,000 - then happiness at winning £13,440.

    "I realise how lucky I was to be in the hand. It felt like I had used my life one-time on this, so it's too bad I didn't bink that 100k. But a 14k one-time is solid use, I think!"

    Of course, his luck was multiplied by being turned away from work that day for the first time in three years. The money was put to good use. As well as leaving extra cash in the bank for everyday provisions, Clayton splashed out on a luxury festival and camping trip. "It made the trip 100 times easier and more fun. It paid for our tickets, rental car, and nice camping equipment. I had the best time of my life there, and winning that money really helped make that happen."


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    Clayton may think he has already used his "one time" - but he plans to be around when PokerStars celebrates its 200 billionth hand. "I'll be there going for two in a row," he joked.

    But he was quite serious when asked what it was he liked about PokerStars. "When Stars does something it always does it right, with high quality. If there were any issues, you knew it would get sorted.

    "A huge part would be PokerStars' interaction with the community. At times it seems like it is building something together as a team rather than a pure customer/client relationship - and that builds loyal players, I think."


    PokerStars is celebrating 100 million players this month. See how you can join in the celebration and win some big money here.

    Other stories from this series:

    PokerStars has the need for speed
    Meet PokerStars' longest-serving player of all time
    The ghosts of WCOOP
    The Moneymaker Boom that almost wasn't
    Alexander Stevic and the start of a new era in poker
    The PokerStars Sunday Million Two-Timer Club
    Smile! You're on Kid Poker Camera!
    Biggest poker tournament ever? Check!
    So who was that first winner on PokerStars mobile?


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

  • 23 February

    Lance Armstrong to coach Dan Bilzerian

    Joe Rogan, Vanessa Selbst and Samantha Abernathy also get involved in the $1.2 million cycling prop bet.

  • 23 February

    See what a winning loose style looks like

    Watch this evening as our coach shows you how to play lots of hands profitably at NL50 Zoom.

  • 23 February

    423 | WPT Fallsview hits Niagara Falls

    The great Anthony Zinno would set up what would become an impressive back-to-back performance on the World Poker Tour, winning the WPT Fallsview Poker Classic in Niagara Falls. This year, 423 competitors are battling it out to replace Zinno at the top in hopes of duplicating his performance, heading to the LAPC with the Fallsview title. Final table play is set for Wednesday! Fab Five | 2015 WPT Fallsview 1. Anthony Zinno (USA), $302,235 2. Mike Leah...

    The post 423 | WPT Fallsview hits Niagara Falls appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 22 February

    Poker Cartoon - Small Pair

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 22 February

    PokerStars has the need for speed

    PokerStars is celebrating 100 million players this month. Today, we celebrate those players who like to go fast.

    What's the most boring part of playing poker? Folding. Nobody sits down in a casino or poker room eagerly awaiting the opportunity to pass their hand and wait a couple of minutes before they get dealt more cards. When playing on PokerStars that process is much quicker - you'll play at least three times as many hands per hour online than you will live - but it's still frustrating.

    However, folding and waiting for another hand is just part of the DNA of the game of poker. There's no way around it and it will always be an element of the game that justifies the idiom 'patience is a virtue'. Well, that was the theory before PokerStars changed the game on March 16, 2012; the day when Spaniard 'Doña Blasa' won the first ever hand of real money Zoom poker. A new, faster poker game was now here and it effectively eradicated the boredom of waiting for the next hand forever.

    zoom-table-100M.jpg

    As you probably know by now, Zoom poker places you in a pool of players, instead of fixed opponents on one table. Every time you complete a hand - or fold - you'll be taken instantly to a new hand at a new table with new players. Speeding the game up even more is the ability to 'Fast Fold', where you can pass before it's your turn to act. So if you get dealt 7-2 off suit you don't have to wait for the heroes before you to raise, three-bet and four-bet before throwing your hand into the muck. Just do it straight away and move on to pastures new.

    It's fair to say that Zoom poker has taken PokerStars by storm since it was launched four years ago. A substantial amount of cash game traffic is now played on Zoom tables, Zoom tournaments have been introduced and, just this month, PokerStars withdrew all of its regular heads-up ring games and replaced them with heads-up Zoom tables.

    Zoom poker is an established part of the PokerStars experience now but expectations were mixed upon the launch of the format back in 2012. Team Online pro Roy 'GodlikeRoy' Bhasin says, 'I was intrigued at a new and different style of poker, and a bit sceptical. I didn't think your average recreational player would enjoy the extremely fast action and non-traditional feel of the tables.' It took Bhasin a bit of time to adjust to the different strategies required for Zoom poker too. As he says, 'I was very hesitant to move on [from normal poker]. I would play a small amount of Zoom poker here and there to try it out but my results were always far worse at Zoom, and I had trouble concentrating on the action.'

    roy_bhasin_queenstown_100M.jpg

    Roy 'GodlikeRoy' Bhasin




    Within Team PokerStars Bhasin was a bit of an outlier - the general feeling towards Zoom poker was one of excitement and anticipation. Long-time Team Pro Bertrand 'ElkY' Grospellier thought, 'It would be really cool, because Zoom is perfect for when you are on the move and don't have much time.' Lex Veldhuis echoed a similar sentiment, saying, 'I loved it immediately. It felt like an innovative way to re-approach a game that is loved.'

    Of course, with any new variant of poker comes a whole new set of tactics and strategies to learn too. On the surface, Zoom poker isn't too different to traditional poker but there are definite adjustments to consider. Due to the Fast Fold option Veldhuis says, 'recreational players play tighter because they want to get on to the next hand. You also need more dynamic ranges [play a wider selection of hands] because the tables are so different every time.' Overall though, Roy Bhasin found out that Zoom poker was more similar to a standard poker game than he expected. Bhasin says his playing style, 'didn't change significantly since it was always based on the players at the table and making my decisions based on them - I do that now, and just assign slightly tighter ranges to my opponents in certain spots.'

    Zoom poker was always going to appeal to a certain audience of adrenaline junkies, but any time that an established game like poker undergoes a seismic shift it has to be considered a surprise. The launch of Zoom poker coordinated perfectly with PokerStars moving to mobile via its official app - see this story for more details on that milestone - and suddenly allowed players to get in dozens of hands while they were on their daily commute, bored at work or making an extended visit to the bathroom. According to ElkY Zoom poker was a case of perfect game at the perfect time; 'We live in a world where fast action is always prized, and it will be more and more [in the future].'

    In the modern mobile world poker players are always striving for a combination of fast and exciting action that they can play on-the-move. It's one reason why Spin & Go's are so successful, why Duel poker is so eagerly anticipated in 2016 and why Zoom poker has continued to grow in importance since its launch four years ago. By removing one of the major obstacles of poker - the boredom of folding - a new and improved version of the game arrived and it shows no signs of slowing down now.


    PokerStars is celebrating 100 million players this month. See how you can join in the celebration and win some big money here.

    Other stories from this series:

    Meet PokerStars' longest-serving player of all time
    The ghosts of WCOOP
    The Moneymaker Boom that almost wasn't
    Alexander Stevic and the start of a new era in poker
    The PokerStars Sunday Million Two-Timer Club
    Smile! You're on Kid Poker Camera!
    Biggest poker tournament ever? Check!
    So who was that first winner on PokerStars mobile?


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    Ross Jarvis is a writer for PokerStars



  • 22 February

    Dzmitry Urbanovich takes 2016 EPT Dublin Main Event

    Dzmitry Urbanovich takes 2016 EPT Dublin Main Event
    Polish poker prodigy's incredible form continues as he wins Dublin's Main Event for €561,900 and could yet take Vanessa Selbst for a further $2m.

  • 22 February

    Weekend Review: Big winners online while events in Dublin turn heads

    A look at all the major stories from this past weekend on PokerStars. Weekend highlights * Stardust167 wins the Sunday Million * Vlad "dariepoker" Darie wins the Warm-Up and... *Dzmitry Urbanovich wins the EPT Dublin Main Event Round up of late...

  • 22 February

    “My main goal is to win a High Roller” - Dominik Nitsche

    We talk to the 888poker pro about bracelets, swap deals, studying and the freedom poker has given him.

  • 22 February

    10 | Dzmitry Urbanovich keeps adding the W’s

    Just in case you haven’t noticed, there’s a 20-year-old destroying the poker world right at this moment. Poland’s Dzmitry Urbanovich has been unstoppable for the past 13 months, winning an astounding 10 events on the live tournament circuit, including a first major event victory at EPT Dublin over the weekend. Urbanovich’s rise to fame was put into overdrive last March when he took home a remarkable four titles at the inaugural EPT Malta Festival. Fab...

    The post 10 | Dzmitry Urbanovich keeps adding the W’s appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 21 February

    So who was that first winner on PokerStars mobile?

    So you're at home, playing a tournament on PokerStars and the internet goes down. Who knows what caused it, apart from one of those illogical and irrational assumptions anyone would make in a time of such crisis - bad weather, a piece of furniture blocking the signal, or an IP address conflict that not even switching everything off and switching everything on again can shift. And all the while you're being blinded away.

    In the old days this was a problem. But not anymore. The advent of mobile technology means you can download the PokerStars client on your smart phone or tablet, and always have a Plan B. So go ahead, kick your Wi-Fi router and shout a bit when the signal drops. Just be sure to grab your phone as you do so.

    For many PokerStars players playing on our mobile site is now a matter of routine. But it wasn't long ago that the technology was brand new. So thinking logically that means there was a day when it was first launched and first played on. There was a first hand played on mobile, a first pot won, then then a first tournament.

    That's how David "dmf81" Forsyth played a small part in PokerStars history.

    "I don't remember much about the win," said Forsyth. "But it's fun to think that I was the first winner of an MTT using the mobile app. It's also surprising too given I'm normally behind the times as far as tech is concerned!"


    david_forsyth_mobile.jpgFirst PokerStars mobile winner: David Forsyth

    It might not seem like an enormous achievement, but it was a first; one that represents one of the milestones PokerStars is celebrating this month to mark our 100 millionth player. Who cares that it wasn't a weekend major, or a COOP event?

    "The win itself sounds lame, but we all have to build a poker bankroll from somewhere!"

    Forsyth, 34, downloaded the PokerStars app on his phone after seeing an advert on his way home one day. He took part in a PokerStars promotion that was running at the time for UK players, whereby the winner of a monthly league would win a full package to a UKIPT event.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    "Entry was £1.10 with a couple of hundred entrants and the win was for £50 or so," explained Forsyth. "I think I finished second in the league that month and won a $109 tournament ticket on top of my winnings from the MTTs."

    Not bad while using a screen the size of, well, a smart phone.

    Since then Forsyth, who usually plays $25 no-limit games on PokerStars, keeps his phone handy for those dreary bus rides home, or to simply unwind after a busy day. At the very least it's a way to make a commute profitable, or to make a few dollars while waiting for the lights to change.

    Like a lot of players Forsyth got interested in poker after watching Late Night Poker, and then started playing freerolls online (again, like others, taking a freeroll win as a sign of great things to come).


    pokerstars_mobile_21feb16_22.jpg

    "I was doing a lot of dumb things like misreading boards e.g. bet/calling huge river jams with top set when the obvious straight or flush came in because I thought I still had the nuts."

    But freerolls had another use, helping him grasp the rules and subtleties of the game without risking his own money. Then, armed with a small bankroll he began grinding micro-tournaments.

    "I was doing okay but wanted to get better."

    Reading articles and websites he began having some success, steps that ultimately lead to the games he plays now.

    "The most important thing I learned early on is that poker is a continuous learning process and to never assume that you're a good player."

    It's the kind of discipline that has helped him become the poker player he is, which, as we're saluting today, is one able to win anywhere, including on the move.

    If you want to join him you can download the PokerStars app here.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 21 February

    Samuel Panzica Wins EPT Dublin €10,300 High Roller for €375,770

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56c/8ddde97031.jpg

    Samuel Panzica won the European Poker Tour Dublin €10,300 High Roller for €375,770.

      Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 21 February

    European Poker Tour Grand Final Schedule Promises to Be “Biggest and Best Yet”

    The European Poker Tour has released the schedule for the Season 12 Grand Final in Monaco.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 21 February

    Hong Kong Stars Manager Celina Lin Talks GPL, Jackie Chan, and Next Poker Boom

    Hong Kong Stars franchise manager Celina Lin talks about the Global Poker League and unveils her dream pick: Jackie Chan.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 21 February

    Polish Phenom Dzmitry Urbanovich Wins 2016 EPT Dublin Main Event for €561,900

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56c/972b60db21.jpg

    Dzmitry Urbanovich wins 2016 European Poker Tour Dublin Main Event for €561,900.

      Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 21 February

    Does popularity improve your poker winnings?

    Daniel Negreanu thinks popularity is important for winning money at the highest stakes, do you agree?

  • 21 February

    93rd | ‘The Notebook’ Director Cassavetes hits Top 100

    It’s Celebrity Sunday on PokerStats! Famed ‘The Notebook’ director Nick Cassavetes surely likes to spend some his time away from Hollywood sets at the poker table. Known as a big player in the Hollywood home games, Cassavetes is also no stranger to live tournament play. Back in 2005, the Los Angeles resident was right in the thick of things in the World Series of Poker Main Event. After several days of competition, he would finally...

    The post 93rd | ‘The Notebook’ Director Cassavetes hits Top 100 appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 21 February

    EPT Dublin 2016: Dzmitry Urbanovich is the Main Event Champion

    Dzmitry Urbanovich wins the EPT Dublin Main Event. He tells PokerNews about his side bet with Kitty Kuo, his favorite form of poker, and how he deals with slow play at the final table.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 20 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Dzmitry Urbanovich caps annus mirabilis with crushing victory in Ireland

    dzmitry_urbanovich_champion.jpg

    The most predictable winner's photo of all time: Dzmitry Urbanovich

    Poker has a habit of uncovering new sensations at intervals of about 12 months. We've had Mike McDonald, Jason Mercier, Ole Schemion, Dan Colman and the like, while others like Steve O'Dwyer continue hot streaks year after year.

    But for the past 12 months, there has been a new wunderkind in the halls of the European Poker Tour who may be the most sensational of them all. Dzmitry Urbanovich won four events at EPT Malta last season, including a €25,000 High Roller, and finished second in the first two Super High Roller tournaments he played.

    Now, not even a year since that breakout in Malta, Urbanovich is EPT Dublin Main Event champion. The €561,900 first prize takes his career winnings close to $5 million.

    Dzmitry Urbanovich, ladies and gentlemen, is 20 years old.

    "It feels very good, very good," he said. "It's been a long week."

    dzmitry_urbanovich_ept12_dublin_ept.jpg

    Dzmitry Urbanovich: It's his EPT, we just live in it

    This victory will rank among the most brilliant tournament displays of all time, with Urbanovich perhaps not putting a foot wrong ever since he joined the event in the late hours of Day 1. In the final today, he began with a huge stack, but lost an enormous flip to find himself on the ropes with four players left.

    Then, after clinging on to get heads up, he overcame a five-to-one chip lead to prevail just after 11pm local time. Urbanovich wasn't even feeling 100 percent -- he spent much of the first level or so running to the bathroom. But healthy or otherwise, Urbanovich truly does have the world at his feet.

    8G2A8530_EPT12DUB_Dzmitry_Urbanovich_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Dzmitry Urbanovich: The boy can play

    It's impossible to go any further in this eulogy without mentioning the player vanquished heads up by Urbanovich. Gilles Bernies was chip-leader at the end of Day 1 and was that massive leader too when only two players were left.

    He was the man who had seemed most likely to halt the irrepressible Urbanovich. But Bernies, playing at his first EPT event, could not quite get over the line, and Urbanovich was there to pip him at the post. Bernies wins €349,800 and an enormous number of admirers.

    gilles_bernies_ept12_dublin_main_event_thumbsup.jpg

    Gilles Bernies: A brilliant debut

    You can read how it all played out in two versions: the hand-by-hand as-it-happened updates and the precis about an inch down this page.

    The blow-by-blow account

    There were only six players left when play got under way today, but no one was expecting this one to be quick. Despite the one-man wrecking ball Urbanovich out in front, the stacks were remarkably deep for this stage of any tournament.

    Here's how they lined up at the start of play:

    Dzmitry Urbanovich, Poland, 5,125,000
    Patrick Clarke, Ireland, 4,300,000
    Kuljinder Sidhu , United Kingdom, 3,260,000
    Gilles Bernies, Germany, 2,735,000
    Iliodoros Kamatakis, Greece, 1,965,000
    Rhys Jones, United Kingdom, 740,000

    8G2A8241_EPT12DUB_Final_6_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Final table players (l-r): Ilioros Kamatakis, Gilles Bernies, Patrick Clarke, Rhys Jones, Dzmitry Urbanovich, Kuljinder Sidhu

    The one exception to that rule was the stack in front of Rhys Jones. It was, by any standards, short. And he didn't take too long to find a hand worth getting it in with.

    The only problem for Jones, whose hand was [as][9h], was that Urbanovich had [ac][tc] and wasn't going to fold it. Jones did hit a nine on the board, but only after Urbanovich had already paired his ten. It meant Jones was first out today, sixth overall, earning €119,450.

    rhys_jones_eliminated_ept12_dublin_day6.jpg

    Rhys Jones gets his coat

    The most significant battle at this stage developed between Patrick Clarke and Kully Sidhu, two medium-sized stacks. They should really have just got a room. Clarke gave to Sidhu; Sidhu gave to Clarke. This sideshow at least kept Urbanovich quiet.

    However, Iliodoros Kamatakis could not find a way to get involved and his stack was dwindling. When he found kings, he got minimal action, and then with growing frustration he got his stack in with pocket tens.

    That was good for a double up through Sidhu's nines, but any momentum Kamatakis found soon evaporated. He picked up [ks][9s] under the gun and open raised. Bernies called with [as][qd] from one seat along and they saw a flop that had something for both of them: [qs][9h][5d].

    Maybe Kamatakis will live to regret his aggressive line -- betting, then three-bet shoving over Bernies' raise. But maybe he won't. Kamatakis had a ball during this tournament and, after a called from Bernies and a blank turn and river, he headed to the cage with a smile on his face.

    He found €152,600 waiting there for him, the fifth-place prize.

    iliodoros_kamatakis_all_in_ept12_dublin_day6.jpg

    Iliodoros Kamatakis: As worthy a fifth-placed finisher as any

    Bernies' stack enjoyed a huge boost after that coup, and the hand set up what seemed certain to become the tournament-defining pot soon after.

    Bernies, with close to 4 million in his stack, was really the only player at that stage who would hurt Urbanovich. And he managed in fact to inflict the most significant wound he could.

    He found [as][qs] in the small blind and opted to limp. Urbanovich, in the big blind, found [8s][8h] and raised to 300,000. Bernies now sprung a trap, and three-bet to 905,000. But Urbanovich responded with a four-bet shove, covering Bernies.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    There has been a lot of talk all week about the relative ability of Bernies. He came to Dublin for his first ever EPT event after qualifying online, and without a huge number of live results to his name. He also had a peculiar breathing pattern when involved in pots that led more than one person to claim they could get a read on him.

    But despite the apparent trappings of a rank amateur, Bernies played with a huge amount of guile, and many other commentators believed his entire backstory to be a bluff. It was this kind of hand that gave weight to the latter argument. Bernies called all in.

    8G2A8397_EPT12DUB_Gilles_Bernies_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Gilles Bernies is all in

    His courage was rewarded with the [ah] on the turn and no river re-draw from Urbanovich. This huge pot relegated Urbanovich back among the mortals and catapulted Bernies into a commanding four-handed chip lead.

    As the remaining four played for a couple of hours, the structure shallowed out the tournament a good deal. Bernies continued to build, but all of Clarke, Sidhu and Urbanovich returned for Level 30 with stacks of fewer than 30 big blinds.

    And both Clarke and Sidhu would go no further.

    First, Clarke found [ac][2d] and shoved for 2 million. Bernies woke up with [qs][qh] and there was a queen in the window. Clarke couldn't catch up after that blow, despite two clubs on the flop and another on the turn.

    Clarke, the last remaining Irishmen in this tournament, had a huge and vocal rail, bellowing for the fourth club to appear on the river. But it never came. He headed out in fourth, pocketing €193,650.

    8G2A8366_EPT12DUB_Patrick_Clarke_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Patrick Clarke: Last home hope

    patrick_clark_supporter_kelsey.jpg

    Clarke did Ireland proud

    Bernies had already established himself as a juggernaut at this final table, but knocking out two players in consecutive hands is not something we see very often. But that was Bernies' next trick.

    No sooner had Clarke wandered away than Sidhu found himself traipsing in the same direction when he called all in with [ah][6h] after Bernies shoved with [5c][5h].

    The board was totally blank and Sidhu, an eighth-placed finisher in London a couple of years ago, went looking for €250,300 this time. "Come on, let's get you drunk," a Sidhu supporter said on the rail. Sidhu seemed open to the idea.

    Bernies_Sidhu_EPTDub_FT.jpg

    Kully Sidhu says goodbye

    So that left two: the 20-year-old "veteran", Urbanovich, and the total rookie, Bernies. The latter, however, had that massive chip lead, the best part of 15 million against Urbanovich's 3 million.

    gilles_bernies_dzmitry_urbanovich_ept12_dublin_final.jpg

    Preparing for the final between Gilles Bernies and Dzmitry Urbanovich

    Urbanovich has seen a lot in his short career, including a short-stack comeback heads up for a major title. It wasn't him who did it, however. It was Erik Seidel, who gave Urbanovich a lesson in Monaco to take down a €100,000 Super High Roller title.

    And it appears that Urbanovich is a fast learner because he pulled off something similar here. First, he flopped a straight with [ts][9c] and got the maximum when Bernies flopped middle pair. (Urbanovich raised the flop, bet the turn and shoved the river.)

    The Urbanovich was waiting in the wings with middle pair and a flush draw when Bernies bluff-jammed four high. Bernies battled back, doubling with [ah][8d] against Urbanovich's [as][js] when he flopped an eight and Urbanovich missed a flush draw.

    8G2A8460_EPT12DUB_Gilles_Bernies_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Gilles Bernies: Power poker

    This was far from over. The pair traded blows and Bernies managed to haul himself back into the lead with a series of small pots. However there then followed the hand that was the defining event.

    Bernies had a pretty decent lead then he limped with [6d][4d] and Urbanovich checked his option. They saw a flop of [as][ad][2d].

    Of course, nobody will have expected Urbanovich to check with an ace, but that's exactly what had happened. Urbanovich was sitting with [ac][3s].

    Bernies, however, had the flush draw and was still interested, so called Urbanovich's 150,000 tickle. The [ts] came on the turn and this time Bernies got aggressive. He raised to 1.4 million after Urbanovich fired 415,000.

    Urbanovich wasn't going to take this lying down and three-bet to 2.4 million, which committed him. Bernies shoved, Urbanovich called and had to fade a diamond.

    Actually, he didn't. There was a diamond on the river. But the [td] filled Urbanovich's boat and put him way ahead. He had slightly more than 12.5 million, with Bernies at 5.5 million.

    Bernies by this point seemed spent. He admitted to anyone who chatted to him that he was finding it tough to overcome his nerves. The heavy breathing, he said, was not an act. (A side point: when Urbanovich first played against Bernies yesterday, he was the only player to ask, "Are you all right?")

    Today, Urbanovich had slightly changed his tune. "It's not to easy to perceive [how he] plays," he said of Bernies. "Wth play like that, y'know? I mean, he's really too slow. Way too slow, than it should be."

    Sensing a beaten opponent, Urbanovich did his best to keep the pressure on, making his decisions almost instantaneously and keeping Bernies outside of any comfort zone. Eventually, with Bernies on the ropes, Urbanovich found pocket kings and a short-stacked opponent willing to go the distance.

    If Dzmitry Urbanovich has kings, there's only going to be one winner. That much is obvious. We are entering a whole new era, an era in which Dzmitry Urbanovich is the king.

    ***

    EPT Dublin Main Event
    Dates: February 14-20, 2016
    Buy in: €5,300
    Players: 605
    Prize pool: €2,934,250

    1 - Dzmitry Urbanovich (Poland) €561,900
    2 - Gilles Bernies (Germany) €349,800
    3 - Kully Sidhu (United Kingdom) €250,300
    4 - Patrick Clarke (Ireland) €193,650
    5 - Iliodoros Kamatakis (Greece) €152,600
    6 - Rhys Jones (United Kingdom) €119,450
    7 - Alexandre Meylan (Switzerland) €88,300
    8 - Ivan Banic (Croatia) €60,750

    Click for full payouts.

  • 20 February

    Highlights from EPT Dublin 2016

    A few of our favorite moments from EPT Dublin 2016  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 20 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Samuel Panzica flops quads to win High Roller and €375,770

    The RDS is a huge venue. So big in fact that even while hosting one of the biggest poker festivals in the country, it can also host an even bigger convention in the hall next door called Divine Mercy** which, shall we say, has a different agenda to, say, a high roller event.

    But at the conclusion of that "holy" roller event tonight you couldn't help wondering what sort of influence divine mercy played in the outcome. At least new champion Sam Panzica will be thinking that tonight as he leaves the RDS tonight, passing several hundred evangelicals while carrying a shiny trophy and a first prize of €375,770.


    samuel_panzica_eptdub_winner_pic_20feb16.jpgEPT Dublin 10K High Roller winner Sam Panzica

    He got there thanks to a remarkable performance, but also a last hand that will be talked about for some time yet, one that depended upon (are you listening Divine Mercy?) three Kings.


    heads_up_eptdub_hr3.jpg

    After a cagey heads up that had swung between Panzica and his opponent Akin Tuna, Panzica finally got a good hold on the edge he'd worked hard on. Then the last hand came. For Tuna jack-ten, for Panzica, well we'll get to that.


    akin_tuna_eptdub_hr3.jpgAkin Tuna

    After much time spend swapping chips; the three Kings arrived, together on the same flop. By the river it had given Tuna a full house, which for Panzica, holding the fourth king, must have felt like a miracle, even more so when Tuna called his all-in.


    samuel_panzica_eptdub_final_eptdub_hr3.jpgSamuel Panzica

    Watching from the rail it was hard to understand how Panzica had contained himself - one of many things perhaps that separate the pros from the giddy amateurs. While the rest of us looked on in wonder, Panzica and Tuna shook hands, both not quite believing how things had ended, but laughing nonetheless.

    The other clues came in the rest of Panzica's performance, a personal best on the EPT, and one fully deserving of the title and silverware. And to think he'd thought about skipping it.

    Looked at the 10k field and think I am going to skip. Anyone in Dublin want to get food and go do something fun hit me up #daysoff

    — Sam Panzica (@bestindabiz51) February 18, 2022

    Whatever it was that changed his mind (still with me Divine Mercy?) it was a career defining one. While high rollers often play the part of poor relative on what is the last day of the festival - permanently in the shadow of the TV lights and main event stage, it still appeals to players, many of whom stopped by to watch, drink in hand.


    trophy_eptdub_hr3.jpg

    Play resumed today with 13 players (full payouts can be found here), the first to go being Diego Ventura. He was followed by Sam Chartier and Christoph Vogelsang, then Jerry Odeen and Rocco Palumbo, who busted in ninth to leave an official final eight.

    There was no urgency to the eliminations. The Gods decided there would be double ups first to raise the blood pressure, seven to be exact, with Riess, Arruda, Kitai, Riess again, Adams, Patel and Arruda again, all doubling up before the first of them was sent to the rail.
    That would be Arruda, who ran jacks into Patel's ace-queen, which became a straight on the river. Adams followed a short while later when his ace-ten fell to the ace-queen of Panzica.


    william_arruda_eptdub_hr3_22.jpgWilliam Arruda

    Former World Champion Ryan Riess went later, having fought well with the short stack. He found pocket sevens just as Kitai found pocket eights. Not that it did Kitai much good. He busted next in fifth place when his ace-seven was undone by Tuna's ace-six, which with some good fortune was turned into a straight by the river.


    ryan_reiss_eptdub_hr3_222.jpgRyan Riess

    Patel got similar treatment, seemingly ahead with ace-ten only to watch Panzica's ace-eight overtake him on the turn.

    Then it was Lebedev's turn.

    Chip leader at the start of the day, the Russian will nurse bruises tonight having taken knocks in the run up to the final table. He lasted until third though, busting with threes against Panzica's nines, a hand that gave Panzica an edge going into heads up.


    sergey_lebedev_eptdub_hr3_final.jpgSergey Lebedev

    The two finalists quickly agreed to a deal, splitting the money marginally in Panzica's favour, with €65,770 (and the trophy) left to play for. It meant a first prize of €375,770 to the American, watched to the finish line by the likes of Mike McDonald and Chance Kornuth. Tuna, who let's not forget had played the game of his career, having been the first person to bust (and re-enter on Day 1) and the last, took away €290,000 as runner-up.

    And that was that - another champion, and arguably the most memorable final hand. Three kings bestowing riches on one man. What an incredible story.

    It's not the last story to play out at EPT Dublin. The Main Event continues with play now at the heads-up stage. Follow live updates on the PokerStars Blog.

    In the meantime congratulations to Samuel Panzica on a great victory.

    Event #54, €10,000 NL Hold'em (single re-entry)
    Entries: 185 (45 re-entries)
    Prize pool: €1,794,500
    Places paid: 27

    1. Samuel Panzica (United States) €375,770*
    2. Akin Tuna (Germany) €290,000*
    3. Sergey Lebedev (Russia) €184,650
    4. Emil Patel (Finland) €150,550
    5. Davidi Kitai (Belgium) €120,050
    6. Ryan Riess (United States) €92,240
    7. Timothy Adams (Canada) €67,120
    8. William Arruda (Brazil) €48,630
    * Denotes a two-way deal.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    ** No divine intervention was implied. It was just coincidence.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 20 February

    EPT Dublin 2016 10k High Roller Winner Samuel Panzica

    Sam Panzica tells PokerNews that he almost didn't register the $10K tournament he just won!  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 20 February

    Mickey Petersen’s EPT Dealer Audition

    EPT holds Dealer Auditions and Mickey Petersen joins in on the fun  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 20 February

    Chance Kornuth- Learning Mandarin and Playing the Big One for One Drop

    Chance Kornuth talks about his wedding last summer and his plans for poker in the next few years.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 20 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Main Event final day live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS
    * CLICK FOR PAYOUTS TO DATE
    * Watch the action on EPT Live

    * 6 of 605 players remaining

    2:05pm: Rhys Jones is playing for more than the title
    Level 27 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (ante 5,000)

    He might be coming in to this final table as the short stack with 740,000, but Rhys Jones has big plans if he should win the EPT Dublin Main Event:

    Hope I win. It's quite a lot of money but more importantly I need a new Twitter avatar

    — Rhys Jones (@floppinhel) February 20, 2022

    2pm: Off they go
    Level 27 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (ante 5,000)

    Away they go. Here are your final six:

    8G2A8241_EPT12DUB_Final_6_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Final table players (l-r): Ilioros Kamatakis, Gilles Bernies, Patrick Clarke, Rhys Jones, Dzmitry Urbanovich, Kuljinder Sidhu

    1pm: Preparing to crown a champion

    It's 1pm at the Royal Dublin Society and six players remain in the EPT Dublin Main Event, looking for that elusive first prize. Only one (Kuljinder Sidhu) has been at a Main Event final table before, but all eyes are surely on Dzmitry Urbanovich, poker's most wunderest of wunderkinds.

    Urbanovich is approaching the one-year anniversary of his explosive arrival on the global stage (that four-trophy sensation in Malta), so can be complete the most spectacular 12 months with a Main Event title? Only a fool would bet against him. Speaking of which...

    Play is getting under way in the tournament room here, but there's a one-hour security delay so that action can be shown as live on EPT Live with hole cards exposed. No spoilers until then. -- HS

    Here are the stacks at the beginning of the day. And why not take a look back and how they got them with last night's wrap.

    NameCountryChips
    Dzmitry UrbanovichPoland5,125,000
    Patrick ClarkeIreland4,300,000
    Kuljinder SidhuUK3,260,000
    Gilles BerniesGermany2,735,000
    Iliodoros KamatakisGreece1,965,000
    Rhys JonesUK740,000

    tv_table_final_table_day.jpg


    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin Main Event: JAck Stanton and Howard Swains. His joie de vivre balances my world-weariness to produce a perfect mean. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.

  • 20 February

    Global Poker Index: O’Dwyer Leads, Nitsche and Kanit Trending Upward

    Steve O'Dwyer tops the Global Poker Index rankings for a sixth-straight week while Dominik Nitsche and Mustapha Kanit use EPT Dublin successes to move up.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 20 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Pick the Main Event winner on BetStars

    We're still half an hour away from the restart in the €10K High Roller in Dublin, and the Main Event does the same at little while later at 1pm (with EPT Live beginning the cards up broadcast at 2pm). That gives you plenty of time to consider a wager on the Main Event winner to make things "interesting".

    For the first time BetStars is offering odds on the EPT Main Event winner in Dublin, and is taking bets up until the start of play. Obviously, there will be no live odds, given that being in Dublin and watching the final table in real time would give you the kind of advantage not seen since Robert Redford and Paul Newman worked the system in the 1920s, but you have until 1pm to place your bets. If you're curious here's how the odds look:

    Dzmitry Urbanovic2.55
    Kuljinder Sidhu4.6
    Iliodoros Kamatkis8.5
    Patrick Clarke4.1
    Gilles Bernies6.5
    Rhys Jones18

    Got a favourite? Click here to go to the BetStars website.


    trophy_eptdublin_20feb16.jpg


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 20 February

    EPT12 Dublin: €10K High Roller final day updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * CLICK FOR LATEST FINAL DAY CHIP COUNTS
    * 13 of 185 entries remain (140 uniques, 45 re-entries)


    highroller_chips_eptdub_20feb16.jpg

    12:35pm: Two all ins on the first hand of the day
    Level 21 - Blinds 10,000-20,000 (3,000 ante)

    Action right from the start with two all ins, one on each table. The first was technically that involving Emil Patel and Christoph Vogelsang. Patel shoved and Vogelsang called all in, with the cards as follows.

    [9d][8d] for Patel
    [ad][5h] for Vogelsang

    The board ran [qs][kc][6c][7s][2h]

    The turn meant a slight scare for Vogelsang but it was short lived. He doubles up.

    Meanwhile on the other table Rocco Palumbo opened from the button but quickly got out of the way of the small and big blinds who moved all in. That was Samuel Panzica and Jerry Odeen respectively.

    Penzica [ac][6s]
    Odeen [ah][th]

    But just as on the other table there would be no elimination (technically Penzica had been at risk). The board came [kd][3s][js][9c][9d] for a chopped pot. As one reporter put it, they effectively split the antes. But if you're making a profit you can't lose, right? -- SB

    12:30pm: Play starts
    Level 21 - Blinds 10,000-20,000 (3,000 ante)

    We're under way in the high roller with 13 players left. They'll be a redraw at nine.
    12:05pm: Pick the winner on BetStars

    We're still half an hour away from the restart in the high roller, and the Main Event does the same at 1pm (with EPT Live beginning the cards up broadcast at 2pm). That gives you plenty of time to consider a wager on the Main Event winner to make things "interesting".

    BetStars is offering odds on the EPT Main Event winner in Dublin, and is taking bets up until the start of play. Obviously, there will be no live odds given that being in Dublin and watching in real time would give you the kind of advantage not seen since the 1920s, but you have until 1pm to place your bets. If you're curious here's how the odds look:

    Dzmitry Urbanovic2.55
    Kuljinder Sidhu4.6
    Iliodoros Kamatkis8.5
    Patrick Clarke4.1
    Gilles Bernies6.5
    Rhys Jones18

    Got a favourite? Click here to go to the BetStars website.

    11:45am: Perfect conditions

    It's a wonderful grey and misty day in Dublin today, with light rain and no prospects of things brightening up. Quite frankly those are perfect poker playing condition.

    Players are arriving for what is the final day of the EPT12 Dublin festival. Today we'll play down to a winner in the High Roller, but also in the Main Event, coverage of which begins at 2pm on the Blog and EPT Live. We'll have live updates from both events. -- SB

    11:30am: Lebedev leads heading into final day
    Level 20 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Play restarts today with 13 players remaining. Sergey Lebedev lead when players bagged up last night. -- SB

    NameCountryChips
    Sergey LebedevRussia1,522,000
    Emil PatelFinland1,339,000
    Ryan RiessUSA1,174,000
    Akin TunaGermany1,100,000
    Timothy AdamsCanada758,000
    Jerry OdeenSweden596,000
    Rocco PalumboItaly565,000
    Davidi KitaiBelgium512,000
    Willliam ArrudaBrazil458,000
    Sam ChartierCanada458,000
    Christoph VogelsangGermany310,000
    Samuel PanzicaUSA276,000
    Diego VenturaPeru157,000


    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin €10K High Roller Day 2: Martin Harris and Stephen Bartley. Photography by Jules Pochy. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter:@PokerStarsBlog


  • 20 February

    2016 EPT Dublin Main Event Day 5: Dzmitry Urbanovich Leads Final Table

    Dzmitry Urbanovich leads the final table of the 2016 PokerStars European Poker Tour Dublin Main Event.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 20 February

    Daily Fantasy Sports vs Poker

    Barry Carter hits back at the FanDuel CFO who claimed that poker was not a game of skill.

  • 20 February

    5 | Countdown to the American Poker Awards

    The countdown is on … The 2nd Annual GPI American Poker Awards are just five days away! The game’s biggest names will all gather at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills and you’ll be able to catch the action, live on Twitch.tv/GPL starting at 8:30pm PT on Thursday, February 25th! 1st Annual American Poker Awards Winners Top Player in the World – Dan Smith Charitable Initiative – “All In” for Kids (CHOP/WPT Foundation) Tournament Performance – Mark Newhouse...

    The post 5 | Countdown to the American Poker Awards appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 20 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Higher Roller final 13 led by Sergey Lebedev

    The penultimate day of the PokerStars Dublin Poker Festival also happens to coincide with the penultimate day of one of the most coveted tournaments on the EPT - the €10k High Roller Event. Winning this one really gives you street cred amongst the best high stakes tournament grinders around.

    Ten levels were played on Day 1 yesterday and another ten today. After three reentries and one new entry before play started, the final number of entries came to 185. The two major stories that stood out today included the end of day chip leader (Sergey Lebedev on 1,522,000) and the bubble boy (Vladas Tamasauskas).

    EPT12_dublin_hr_day3_Sergey_Lebedev.jpg

    Lebedev leads after Day2

    The chip lead changed many times during the day but as the last level wound down, it became a two-way battle between Emil Patel and Lebedev. The latter had always been near the top of the counts whereas Patel had to deal with being a short stack before a late surge. He doubled up in the last level after making a flush to crack Christoph Vogelsangs kings. In the end though, his 1,339,000 wasn't enough to overtake the Russian who also won a crucial last-level pot, turning a set of queens versus Samuel Panzica, who said he had aces. He'll enter Day 3 as favourite for the €397,500 first placed prize (full payout details).

    EPT12_Dublin_HR_day2_Emil_Patel.jpg

    Great end for Patel

    Lithuanian Tamasauskas was a player that must've been extremely confident coming into today. Not only because he won his seat in a live satellite, but also because of a little tournament he won earlier in the festival. The 21-year-old beat 1,001 players to become the UKIPT5 Dublin champion and collected the €176,900 that came with it. He failed to add any more cash to that pile after calling all in on the river of a [5c][7c][jh][8c][2s] board with [ah][7h]. His opponent, Jerry Odeen, had pocket nines and that was that.

    EPT12_Dublin_high_roller_Vladas Tamasauskas.jpg

    Tamasauskas trying to work out if he should call on the river

    Another player who's had an amazing Dublin experience is Dominik Nitsche. He took down the UKIPT High Roller event and came second in the single day €10k High Roller event for nearly €300k. He came back as the chip leader today and cruised into the money but a couple of coolers cost him:

    coolered twice and the dream is over #sorrychuck #eptdublin

    — Dominik Nitsche (@DominikNitsche) February 19, 2022

    EPT12_Dublin_HR_day2_Dominik_Nitsche.jpg

    Other notables who cashed but failed to make the final day were: Jeff Gross (16th), Ben Heath (17th), Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier (18th) and Scott Margereson (24th) fresh from his 19th place finish in the EPT Main Event.

    ept12_Dublin_high_roller_day2_jason_mercier.jpg

    Another deep run for Mercier

    Here's how the final 13 line up tomorrow:

    NameCountryChips
    Sergey LebedevRussia1,522,000
    Emil PatelFinland1,339,000
    Ryan RiessUSA1,174,000
    Akin TunaGermany1,100,000
    Timothy AdamsCanada758,000
    Jerry OdeenSweden596,000
    Rocco PalumboItaly565,000
    Davidi KitaiBelgium512,000
    Willliam ArrudaBrazil458,000
    Sam ChartierCanada458,000
    Christoph VogelsangGermany310,000
    Samuel PanzicaUSA276,000
    Diego VenturaPeru157,000

    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    EPT12DUB_chips_8834_JulesPochy.jpg

    Photos by Jules Pochy

  • 19 February

    EPT12 Dublin: High Roller Day 2 live updates archive

    This is an archive of previous coverage. Please follow the live action on the live updates page .

    9:45pm: Vieira tanks, can't find a fold
    Level 17 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

    Joao Vieira and Sylvain Loosli had been sat side by side with four tables left, with the Portuguese player in position. With the three table redraw Loosli was now to the left of Vieira, but in the latter's exit hand he still had position as this was a button versus small blind encounter.

    EPT12_Dublin_Joao_Vieira.jpg

    Viera tank busts

    Vieira raised the button, Loosli defended the small blind and Arne Coulier ducked out the way from the big. On the [3s][8c][8d] flop Vieira c-bet 18,000, Loosli check-raised to 45,000 and Vieira, after a bit of a think, made the call.

    The turn was the [6s] and Loosli simply moved all in. He was the covering stack and the effective shove was for Vieira's final 152,000. The Portuguese player thought about the hand for ages and was looking at Loosli throughout. After about five minutes he appeared to be no closer to a decision and Coulier said to him: "In another minute I'm going to have to call the clock."

    Sixty seconds more ticked by and good to his word Coulier did indeed call the clock. With less than 30 seconds remaining Vieira called it off and showed [Kc][Kh]. He was behind to Loosli's [9h][8h] and didn't hit either of his outs on the [4c] river. Loosli's up to 550,000 after that hand. -NW

    Sylvain Loosli, 550,000
    Joao Vieira, 0

    9:35pm: Duarte up and then out
    Level 17 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

    Luiz Duarte's remarkable spin up has come to an end. Having been down to 4,000 at one point in this level, he spun it all the way up to 380,000 before spinning it down to zero.

    He check-raised all in on a [Ts][Tc][2h][8c] flop with [Qc][Jh] and Marco Leonzio was only too happy to call with [Ad][Th]. Duarte was drawing thin but spiked the [9c] river to survive and climb to 370,000.

    A few hands later he three-bet after Sergey Lebedev had opened, the Russian four-bet jammed with [Js][Jd] and Duarte called off with [Ah][Kh]. The [3h][7s][4h][5d][7d] board kept the pair in front and means Lebedev is up to 1,100,000.

    Sergey Lebedev, 1,100,000
    Marco Leonzio, 370,000
    Luiz Duarte, 0

    9:33pm: Margereson taken down by Kitai
    Scott Margereson was the first player out after played resumed.

    He was down to 97,000 when he moved all in from under the gun. Davidi Kitai was in the next seat and successfully isolated with a reshove.

    Margereson: [ad][9s]
    Kitai: [as][kd]

    The board ran [2h][3c][td][5d][7d] failing to improve either player. -- MC

    9:25pm: Final three tables redraw
    Level 17 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

    SeatTable 1Table 2Table 3
    1Jerry OdeenJeff GrossRocco Palumbo
    2Felix BleikerLuiz DuarteJoao Vieira
    3Scott MargeresonMarco LeonzioSylvain Loosli
    4Davidi KitaiRyan RiessArne Coulier
    5Samuel PanzicaSergey LebedevJacob Bazeley
    6Akin TunaBen HeathDiego Ventura
    7Emil PatelWillliam ArrudaTimothy Adams
    8Sam ChartierJason MercierChristoph Vodelsang

    9:16pm: Redraw
    Level 17 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

    There's a short break in play whilst there's a complete redraw of the final 24 players. Cards will be back in the air shortly. --NW

    9:15pm: Nitsche and Billard bust
    Level 17 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

    Francois Billard has just busted out in 25th place of this tournament. He moved all in for just over 120,000 with [As][Qh] and Felix Bleiker woke up with aces.

    The [ts][4h][Ad][4s][4c] board only strengthened Bleiker's grip on the hand and he's up to 490,000 after winning that pot.

    A few moments before Billard busted we lost Dominik Nitsche in 26th place. It looks like William Arruda got his chips and the Brazilian is now up to 960,000 as a result and has stretched his chip lead. -NW

    William Arruda, 960,000
    Felix Bleiker, 490,000
    Dominik Nitsche, 0
    Francois Billard, 0

    9:10pm: Duarte goes on and off life support
    Level 17 - Blinds 4,000-8,000 (1,000 ante)

    Luiz Duarte lost a big pot versus Sam Chartier and dropped down to just 4,000 chips, but managed to double and triple up to get back up to 138,000.

    His big loss came after he three-bet a Chartier 18,000 early position open up to 59,000. Jeff Gross tank-folded ([as][qs] he later said) before Chartier jammed for 266,000. Call.

    Duarte: [ah][kd]
    Chartier: [8s][8h]

    Chartier fell behind on the [7d][ad][kd] flop but found a winning set as the board ran out [2h][8c]. -- MC

    9:05pm: Odeen takes out another
    Level 17 - Blinds 4,000-8,000 (1,000 ante)

    Jerry Odeen burst the bubble and now he's taken out the first player into the money, Ibrahim Ghassan.

    Ghassan had fewer than 50,000 when he moved all in. Odeen had raised already and made the call with [jh][9h]. Ghassan was ahead with [as][5s] but couldn't stay there after a [6h][4s][2h][8h][qh] board made Odeen a flush to move up to 480,000. -- MC

    8:55pm: Vogelsang dents Chartier
    Level 17 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

    Christoph Vogelsang is up to 630,000 after winning a pot against Sam Chartier. The German online cash game wizard opened to 19,000 from under the gun+1 and called when Chartier three-bet to 63,000 from the small blind.

    "About three hundred behind?" asked Vogelsang to Chartier and the Canadian nodded confirming how many chips he had left. On the [7d][2c][Js] flop Chartier bet 47,000 and Vogelsang smooth called.

    On the [Jh] turn Chartier slowed down, checking the action to his opponent who bet 60,000. Chartier tanked for a good while before ultimately releasing his hand. -NW

    Christoph Vogelsang, 630,000
    Sam Chartier, 250,000

    8:50pm: Mercier evens up the stacks with Palumbo
    Level 16 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

    Jason Mercier battled, and won, a hand versus Rocco Palumbo. At the end, both had stacks of around 360,000.

    The Team PokerStars Pro raised from under the gun and Palumbo peeled from the big blind to see a an [8s][jc][kh] flop appear. Mercier continued for 13,000 and Palumbo check-called. He did the same for another 26,000 on the [4s] turn before the river was checked down. Palumbo opened [ad][qh] but the pot went to the American after he opened [qc][qd]. -- MC

    8:40pm: Play resumes
    Level 17 - Blinds 4,000-8,000 (1,000 ante)

    Everyone got a full belly? Great, let the race to the final table commence. -- MC

    7:26pm: Dinner break

    The final 27 players -- all safe in the knowledge they've made the cash -- are taking a dinner break. It's actually lasting 75 minutes, so we'll be back along with them around 8:40 pm local time. --MH

    7:24pm: From hero to zero, Vladas Tamasauskas bubbles
    Level 16 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

    Vladas Tamasauskas has had the week of his life, winning UKIPT Dublin for €176,900 and then winning a satellite to qualify for this event. That may well still be the case despite the fact he's the High Roller bubble boy.

    EPT12_Dublin_Bubble_Boy.jpg

    Deen (L) busts Tamasauskas (R)

    Jerry Odeen limped in from under the gun and picked up four callers, including Tamasauskas in the next seat. The flop was [5s][7c][jh] and Odeen continued for 15,000. Tamasauskas was the only caller to the [8c] turn where he called another 33,000. The board completed with the [2s] and Odeen set Tamasauskas in for his last 79,000.

    Tamasauskas went into the tank for several minutes as players ignored the "stay in your seat" instructions and gathered around. He eventually stood out of his seat and made the call with [ah][7h] for third pair. It was no good though as Odeen opened a winning [9h][9d]. --MC

    7:18pm: Bubble go pop!
    Level 16 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (500 ante)

    For those who appreciate clean edges and tidy accounting, the cash bubble has very conveniently burst just a couple of minutes before the end of the level and the start of the dinner break. Stay tuned to discover who was the unfortunate 28th-place finisher. --MH

    7:16pm: Felix misclicked doubles
    Level 16 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

    A funny hand just occurred and ended with Felix Bleiker doubling to around 140,000.

    Arne Coulier opened to 13,500 from early position before Bleiker went to call. He threw in too many chips though so was forced to min raise to 21,000. The action got back to Coulier who decided to four-bet big. Really big. He shoved for an effective 257,500 and Bleiker said he had to call, and did.

    Coulier: [ks][9h]
    Bleiker: [ah][kc]

    The board ran [qc][8h][2c][7h][kh]. Coulier dropped to 145,000. --MC

    7:07pm: Ghassan doubles through Mercier
    Level 16 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (500 ante)

    Our first "all in and call" on the bubble happened when Lebanon's Ibrahim Ghassan three-bet shoved for 31,500 over Jason Mercier's 12,500 open. Mercier called.

    We then had a lonnnnnnng wait before the cards could be revealed, while we waited for action on the other tables to finish.

    Francois Billard was up on his chair trying to see the action play out on another table. Meanwhile, Timothy Adams nipped over to Mercier and the Team PokerStars Pro flashed him a peek of his card. Adams nodded casually. "Haha, I'm glad I have your approval!" said Mercier.

    Then, finally, the hands were revealed.

    Jason Mercier: [ad][4h]
    Ibrahim Ghassan: [js][jh]

    The board ran out [6c][5c][5s][ts][qs] and we're going to have to wait a bit longer to find out who will become our bubble boy. Mercier is still healthy, while Ghassan is up to 75,000. --JS

    6:52pm: Nice catch for Tuna
    Level 16 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

    Hand-for-hand play on the bubble was due to start, but three tables were waiting for Akin Tuna and Vladas Tamasauskas to play out a big hand first.

    Tamasauskas opened to 12,500 off the button and called after Tuna three-bet to 33,000 from the big blind. Tuna continued for 45,000 on the [6c][8d][3d] flop. Tamasauskas called and did the same for another 70,000 on the [3c] turn. The [2c] completed the board and Tuna bet another 70,000. Tamasauskas called but couldn't beat Tuna's [7s][8c] and dropped to 142,000. Tuna, meanwhile, moved up to 610,000. --MC

    6:50pm: Rush to the bubble -- four quick knockouts, 28 remain
    Level 16 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

    Whew. We walk over to look in on the last four tables and 32 players, and within the space of just a couple of minutes there were no less than four busts to bring the tournament right to the stone bubble and the start of hand-for-hand play. We'll try not to dilly-dally... here's the skinny:

    First it was Luuk Gieles reraising over a Jason Mercier open to 12,500, pushing all in for his last 115,000 and watching Mercier call. Gieles had [Jc][Tc] and Mercier [8s][8c], and the [Qs][Js][2h] was a nice one for Gieles. But the [8h] turn couldn't be worse, giving Mercier a set and leaving Gieles drawing dead. Mercier has 350,000 now.

    Second came the knockout of Romain Lewis who was all in for his last 55,500 with [3c][3s] versus Sam Chartier's [As][Kh]. The board came [Kd][Th][5c][6s][6c] to give Chartier the better pair and send Lewis out. Chartier up to 290,000.


    EPT12DUB_Romain_Lewis_8845_JulesPochy.jpg

    Romain runs out

    Third was knockout of Andrew Lichtenberger who took [Qs][Qh] up against Ryan Riess's [As][Ks]. The [3s][7s][2s] flop gave Riess a flush, and the [Kd][Kd] runout was just piling it on. Riess is up around 300,000.


    EPT12DUB_Andrew_Lichtenberger_8745_JulesPochy.jpg

    Lichtenberger bounced

    Finally Pierre Neuville shoved his last 125,000 behind [8d][8h] and was up against chip leader William Arruda's [Ac][Qd]. Again it was a nasty flop for the all-in player, coming [Kc][Th][Jd] to give Arruda a straight. The turn was the [9c] and river the [Td], and Neuville busted in 29th. Arruda continues with about 650,000.

    A brief pause to breathe and ready for hand-for-hand play. Stay tuned! --MH

    6:43pm: Srinivasan straight flushed by Vogelsang
    Level 16 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

    Christoph Vogelsang's up to 540,000 after he eliminated Canadian online heavyweight Shyam Srinivasan.

    Vogelsang raised from the cutoff and Srinivasan called from the small blind to see a [jd][qc][6c] flop appear. Vogelsang continued for 18,000 and was check-raised to 60,000 by Srinivasan. His response was to three-bet all in for an effective 160,000. Call.

    Srinivasan: [kh][qh] for top pair.
    Vogelsang: [kc][tc] for an open-ended straight flush draw.

    The [3c] turn made the German's flush and the [9c] river completed the straight flush. --MC


    EPT12DUB_Shyam_Srinivasan_8896_JulesPochy.jpg

    Shyam I am

    6:36pm: Ariel sunk
    Level 16 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

    Ariel Celestino busted in 35th place after three roller-coaster hands. Before his bustout hand he had dropped down to 3,000 after running king-jack into aces. Then he won with jacks versus king-queen for a short-lived comeback.

    His final hand came after moved all in from under the gun with [9h][7h] and was called in the blinds by Vladas Tamasauskas, who held [ks][6s]. The board ran [2c][ad][3h][th][4c], and the Brazilan was ousted. --MC

    6:27pm: Loosli had him in the Palma of his hand
    Level 16 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (500 ante)

    EPT12 Barcelona €50K High Roller champ Sylvain Loosli has just eliminated Nicholas Palma from this €10K.

    Loosli opened to 12,500 and Palma three-bet it up to 38,000. Then Loosli made a four-bet to 92,000, Palma insta-shoved for 240,000 more and Loosli insta-called.

    Nicholas Palma [tc][ts]
    Sylvain Loosli [qd][qh]

    That shove was exactly what the Frenchman was hoping for. But then, as Loosli himself pointed out, "Ahhh it's always a sweat!"

    He was referring to the [js][9c][8s] flop which gave Palma an open-ended straight draw. Loosli did not want to hit a set.

    The turn wasn't much better either! The [2s] gave Palma a flush draw to boot.

    But the [4h] river was safe. Palma is gone, Loosli has 640,000. --JS

    6:20pm: Level 16 begins
    Level 16 - Blinds 3,500-6,000 (1,000 ante)

    Just 35 remain as they move on into Level 16. Those making it through the next 60 minutes of poker will then go on a one-hour dinner break. --MH

    6:19pm: Sammartino races away
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    Dario Sammartino, who came third in the PCA $25,000 High Roller last month, had failed to cash in this High Roller.

    The Italian was in the big blind when he squeezed all in for 88,000. Willliam Arruda had opened to 10,500 from the cutoff and Pierre Neuville called from the small blind. Aruda raised to isolate and Neuville obediently left them to it.

    Sammartino: [ac][9d]
    Arruda: [7d][7c]

    The board came a blank [qd][kc][qc][3h][3s]. Arruda looks to have taken over the chip lead now with 625,000. --MC

    EPT12DUB_Dario_Sammartino_8812_JulesPochy.jpg

    An early dinner for Dario

    6:18pm: Loosli eliminates the last Greenwood
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

    Luc Greenwood was the last of the three brothers Greenwood still in this event, but he, too, has been knocked out and it's Sylvain Loosli who got him.

    Pre-flop Loosli made it 11,500 to go and called when Greenwood three-bet to 27,500. On the [6h][9h][Qs] flop Greenwood bet 20,000, Loosli check-raised all in and Greenwood called all in for 116,000 total.

    Greenwood: [Kh][Kd] - a pair of kings
    Loosli: [Ah][Jh] - nut flush draw and over card to Greenwood's pair.

    The [8h] turn left Greenwood drawing dead and the meaningless [Ts] completed the board. --NW

    6:15pm: Battle of the Nordics
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    If you thought a hand involving players from Sweden and Finland could be described as a Scandinavian showdown, then think again. Finland, where Samuel Vousden is from, is technically not part of Scandinavia, but is part of The Nordics. As is Sweden, which is the country of birth of Jerry Odeen.

    It was Vousden who would provide the opening salvo to this big pot, he raised to 13,500 from under the gun and called when Odeen raised to 32,000 from middle position.

    Vousden would go on to check-call bets of 27,000 and 55,000 on the flop and turn of a [7s][5d][4h][2c] board before both players checked the [As] river. Odeen showed [Qh][Qs], which bested Vousden's [Td][Tc].

    Odeen is up to 352,000 whilst Vousden is down to 110,000. --NW

    6:08pm: MacPhee felted by Leonzio
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    Kevin MacPhee three-bet all in one hand and got it through. The next time he tried it, he was on the rail.

    Marco Leonzio opened to 10,000 from early position and called after MacPhee moved all in for 65,000 from the big blind.

    MacPhee: [9h][9s]
    Leonzio: [jd][js]

    The board ran [5d][4c][5c][qd][6s], MacPhee is out, and the Italian has moved up to 215,000. -- MC

    6:04pm: Mark Radoja - from huge stack to gone
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    Mark Radoja was right up there with the chip leaders at the first break of the day; in fact, the bracelet winner was in second place with 445,000.

    But now he's gone.

    It was his old nemesis William Arruda who did it. Arruda had doubled through Radoja not too long ago, and then the pair tangled in this fatal hand.

    It started with an open to 12,000 from Steve O'Dwyer and was followed by a 37,000 three-bet by Radoja. Arruda then put in a cold four-bet to 75,000, O'Dwyer folded, and Radoja shoved. Arruda called, but we weren't quite sure who was the player at risk just yet.

    Mark Radoja: [ah][kd]
    William Arruda: [jh][jd]

    The board ran out as follows: [tc][th][5h][7s][9d] -- and the chips were counted. Arruda only just had Radoja covered, meaning we lost the Canadian from this event. Still, he won €144,180 only a few nights ago in the €10K Single-Day High Roller, so we're sure he'll get over this.


    EPT12DUB_IMG_8921_JulesPochy.jpg

    Radoja departs

    Arruda now has around 520,000. --JS

    6:00pm: Rocky spot for Rocco turns into double up
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    Rocco Palumbo has just doubled up through Samuel Vousden.

    Palumbo open-shoved the small blind with [kh][qh] and Vousden snap-called and had him dominated with the [as][qc]. However, the poker Gods were kind to Palumbo and the board ran out [kd][3h][6h][ks][jh]. --JS

    Rocco Palumbo -- 310,000
    Samuel Vousden -- 100,000

    5:56pm: Hook, line, and sinker as Drinan falls to Tuna
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    Connor Drinan has an amazing record in high roller events, the majority of his $8.6 million in earnings coming from them. He won't be adding an EPT Dublin High Roller cash to his stellar résumé, though.

    Dietrich Fast was kind enough to fill the blog in on the hand. Akin Tuna opened from under the guns with pocket threes and called after Drinan three-bet all in for 68,500 from the next seat holding [ad][ks]. Tuna flopped a set, but had to fade a flush draw after the turn brought a third spade. The river bricked and Drinan was on his way. Tuna moved up to around 280,000. --MC


    EPT12DUB_Connor_Drinan_8738_JulesPochy.jpg

    Drinan driven' out

    5:52pm: Patel dents Billard
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    I joined the action to see a [Kd][Tc][6d][4h] board on the felt and Francois Billard (button) betting 70,500. Emil Patel (big blind) was his lone opponent and he made the call.

    Both players checked the [Qc] river and Patel's [Td][2d] was the winner. "Were you half-expecting him to roll over a queen there?" said Jason Mercier to Patel as he raked in the chips.

    Patel's up to 355,000 whilst Billard is down to 160,000. --NW


    EPT12DUB_Emil_Patel_8725_JulesPochy-thumb-450x300-284266-a.jpg

    Emil keeping the Patel to the metal

    5:47pm: Wet board gets wetter
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    From late position Dario Sammartino opened to 11,500 and Mark Radoja defended from the big blind. The [7d][Qd][Th] flop wasn't exactly uncoordinated, but that didn't stop Sammartino betting 13,000. Call from Radoja.

    The [8h] turn meant the board got straightier and flushier and the action slowed, with both players checking. The [Qh] river both paired the board and completed the backdoor flush draw. Radoja led for 31,500 and Sammartino pitched his cards into the muck. --NW

    5:38pm: Three hands, two all-ins, one table, one elimination
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    I decided to park up at an interesting table featuring Christoph Vogelsang, Joao Vieira, Jeff Gross, Sam Chartier, and Scott Margereson. I only watched three hands, and all three had some action.

    Hand 1: Vieira opens to 12,000, Chartier calls, and Margereson shoves on the button for 138,000. Everyone folds.

    Hand 2: Gustav Nordh shoves on the button for 22,000, having been crippled in a hand we reported at 5:19pm when he ran jacks into Gross' kings. Vieira thought for a minute and ended up calling the 17,000 more. Nordh was in good shape with the [kc][9h] against Vieira's [9s][7c], but the flop paired Vieira's seven and gave no extra help. Nordh is out.

    Hand 3: It was folded around to Christoph Vogelsang on the button and he opened to 12,000. Vieira folded his small blind, but Gross put out a 3-bet to 38,000. It got the job done, as Vogelsang folded. --JS

    5:37pm: Small Lebedev battles
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    Sergey Lebedev seems pretty chilled, winning pots and losing pots, settling on 587,000.

    He raised from the cutoff and picked up calls from Diego Ventura (button) and Sylvain Loosli (big blind). The flop came [6c][2c][js] and the action was checked to Ventura who bet 17,000. Only Lebedev called and no more chips ventured forward as the [qd][kh] turn and river were checked through. Lebedev opened [ts][th] and Ventura mucked.

    The very next hand Lebedev raised to 11,000 from the cutoff but folded when Loosli shoved for 123,000 from the small blind. --MC

    5:31pm: Lebedev leading
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    Coming out of the last break, the Russian Sergey Lebedev had emerged as a new chip leader after building up to 580,000, with Dominik Nitsche, Jason Mercier, and Jerry Odeen all currently forming the chase pack.

    Mark Radoja had been in second position to start the new level, but fell back a bit after dropping that recent pot to William Arruda.

    Be sure to check the chip counts page for updates along the way as the field continues to shrink down. The top 27 finishers make the money. --MH

    5:23pm: Arruda-wakening for Radoja
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    Mark Radoja opened to 11,000 and faced a three-bet from William Arruda on the button. It folded back around to Radoja and he made the call.

    [9d][9h][6d] came the flop, and Radoja checked. Arruda made it 20,000, Radoja shoved, and Arruda called off his last 113,500.

    Radoja had an open-ender with the [8c][7c], while Arruda was ahead with his pocket jacks. The turn was the [6s], and the [qs] river changed nothing. Arruda bumps up to 288,000, just behind Radoja now who has 295,000. --JS

    5:19pm: Pretty Gross for Nordh
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    Gustav Nordh will have a battle to get into the money after he dropped to 38,500 by doubling up Jeff Gross.

    Nordh opened to 12,000 from early position and then moved all in after Gross three-bet to 31,000 from the button. The latter called all in for 139,500.

    Nordh: [jc][jh]
    Gross: [kd][kc]

    The board ran [ts][9c][9d][qd][kh] to hand Gross a full house. He blew out a sigh of relief and sat back down. --MC


    EPT12DUB_IMG_8931_JulesPochy.jpg

    Gross grabs some

    5:13pm: Level 15 begins; 44 left
    Level 15 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

    Level 15 is underway. Two more one-hour levels and they'll be taking a dinner break. --MH


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    4:55pm: Break time


    EPT12DUB_chips_8834_JulesPochy.jpg

    The remaining players are taking another 15-minute break. --MH

    4:54pm: Sam Greenwood eliminated
    Level 14 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

    Sam Greenwood is no longer in the pack as he's been eliminated but Christoph Vogelsang. Sam Chartier was kind enough to fill in the blog on some of the details.

    Vogelsang opened from the cutoff and called when Greenwood three-bet from the small blind. The flop fanned [kd][7d][6h] and Greenwood continued. Call. On the [kh] turn Greenwood check-called all in with [ad][5d]. Vogelsang had the other flush draw with [ah][qh] and improved to it on the [8h] river.

    Vogelsang gave a lot of those chips back the very next hand. He opened and called after Romain Lewis moved all in for 64,800 from the small blind with [ah][9h]. Vogelsang opened [kh][qc] but the board came a French flavoured [as][2d][6h][2s][8c]. -- MC


    EPT12DUB_HR_Sam_Greenwood_8702_JulesPochy.jpg

    Down one Greenwood

    4:53pm: Wham, bam, thank you Shyam (says Billard)
    Level 14 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

    A huge pot just played out between Francois Billard and Shyam Srinivasan. A flurry of raises ended with Billard four-bet shoving for 151,000 with pocket queens and Srinivasan snap-calling with [Ac][Kh].

    The [3s][4d][Js][4h][6c] board meant Srinivasan handed over the vast majority of his chips to the Canadian as he's down to 46,000. --NW

    4:47pm: Elevating Lebedev now among the big stacks
    Level 14 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

    Sergey Lebedev has been on a good run since returning from the last break. Incidentally, the next break isn't far away, coming in about 10 minutes when this level concludes.

    In one big hand he busted Or Hadad with pocket aces against Hadad's pocket queens for a half-million pot. Then Lebedev just picked up a pot from Luc Greenwood where Greenwood bluffed the river on a [5h][2d][3d][td][jd] board with [ac][ks]. Lebedev called with just [6d][6h] and his diamond won it.

    Lebedev now has 600,000. --JS

    4:41pm: Luc Greenwood backhanded by Palma
    Level 14 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

    "You actually had a hand this time, I'm impressed -- not ace-deuce or king-eight!" needled Nick Palma to Luc Greenwood after the latter hit quads to double through him.

    Greenwood had opened to 11,000 from the cutoff before Palma three-bet to 32,000 from the small blind. Greenwood then shoved and Palma said he didn't raise to fold and called all in for 129,500.

    Greenwood: [ah][qs]
    Palma: [7h][7c]

    The flop fell [kc][5h][as] to see Greenwood take the lead, but Palma came storming back to make quads as the board ran out [7d], then [7s]. Palma is up around 270,000 now while Greenwood drops to just a little more than that with 280,000. --MC

    4:38pm: Exits
    Level 14 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

    Down to 46 now in the High Roller with Zvi Stern, Rui Ferreira, Joaa Simao, Jean Paul Zaffran, Bernardo Dias, Kyle Frey,Or Hadad, Fernando Brito, Rafael Da Silva Moraes, Anthony Zinno, Moshin Charania and Paul Dando among the latest players to bust out. --NW

    4:35pm: It took him a while, but Radoja makes great call to bust Zisimopoulos
    Level 14 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

    Georgios Zisimopoulos had shoved all in two hands in a row, but on the second time he'd get called and be behind. It was Mark Radoja who played executioner, even if it did take him a good few minutes and the clock being called to make the decision.

    Zisimopoulos opened to 9,000 and Radoja three-bet to 25,000 on the button. Zisimopoulos then opted to four-bet jam for 89,400 and Radoja went into the tank.

    After a few minutes, Zisimopoulos told him: "If you fold I show."

    "If I call I'm really gambling," replied Radoja. "Do you wanna gamble?"

    Zisimopoulos didn't respond but he did call the clock, so Radoja only had a minute to decide. About 40 seconds later he stuck a big stack of 5K chips in and the cards were on their backs.

    Mark Radoja: [qs][9s]
    Georgios Zisimopoulos: [th][9h]

    It turned out to be a great call by Radoja as he was ahead with a better kicker to his nine. The flop paired both nines too - [ad][4s][9c]. The turn was the [8h] and the river the [2c], eliminating Zisimopoulos. "Good luck boys," he said as got his coat.

    Radoja now has 530,000. --JS


    EPT12DUB_Georgios_Zisimopoulos_8853_JulesPochy.jpg

    Zisimopoulos down to zero

    4:31pm: Bleiker building
    Level 14 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

    From the hijack Mark Radoja opened to 9,000, Felix Bleiker called on the button, and Dario Samamrtino did likewise from the big blind.

    The flop was a tasty looking [9c][Kc][Qs]. Radoja c-bet 11,500, but both he and Sammartino folded after Bleiker raised it up to 35,000. The Swiss player is up to 220,000, whilst Radoja has a very healthy 415,000. --NW

    4:25pm: Akin vs Arne
    Level 14 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

    It was a case of who'd blink first in a recent hand between Akin Tuna and Arne Coulier. The former opened to 10,000 in the cutoff and Coulier then came over the top with a raise to 24,500 on the button. It folded back round to Tuna and he pretty swiftly four-bet to 65,000 straight.

    Coulier had about 89,000 back and decided to preserve that stack as he folded. Tuna is up to 230,000. --NW

    4:18pm: Nordh doubles through Sam Greenwood
    Level 14 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

    Sam Greenwood spent most of Day 1 at, or near, the top of the counts. He's back in the pack with 180,000 though after doubling up Gustav Nordh.

    The Swede raised from the cutoff, then went on to bet 10,000, 25,000, then all in for 21,500 on a [5c][ts][7s][8c][5d] board. Greenwood was in the big blind and called all the way to the river where he tanked. He looked up at the sky and seemingly talked the hand through to himself. When he titled his head back down it was to reach for a calling chip.

    Nordh opened [jh][jc] and Greenwood flashed his [8d][9d] before mucking. --MC

    4:08pm: Ferreira is gone at the hands of Radoja; Nitsche gets stronger
    Level 14 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

    Rui Ferreira jammed for his last 45,800 and was called by Mark Radoja on the button. Everyone else folded and the cards were on their backs: [as][8c] for Ferreira and [ahj][jh] for Radoja. No help came on the flop, turn or river for Ferreira and he was eliminated.

    Meanwhile, Dominik Nitsche has extended his chip lead even further. --JS

    Mark Radoja -- 460,000
    Dominik Nitsche -- 570,000

    3:55pm: Level 14 begins
    Level 14 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

    The price of poker has just gone up. There are 49 players remaining. --MH

    3:54pm: Nitsche busts Kurganov in super-aggro preflop battle
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    Wow, that escalated quickly.

    Dominik Nitsche opened to 7,000 and Igor Kurganov put in a big 3-bet to 41,000. Nitsche then shoved and Kurganov called off his remaining stack for what looked to be roughly 160,000.

    Igor Kurganov [ah][kd]
    Dominik Nitsche [9h][9s]

    The board ran out [3d][qh][4c][8c][7d] and Igor was no more. Nitsche meanwhile, is almost certainly our new chip leader with 530,000. --JS


    EPT12DUB_Kurganov_Lichtenberger_8731_JulesPochy-thumb-450x300-284130a.jpg

    Kurganov (center) has been cut down

    3:52pm: Drinan down flush street
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    Connor Drinan had dropped to around 61,000 after he paid off Luiz Duarte, and his flush, on the river.

    The latter had bet 32,100 from the small blind when the board read [7d][ah][jd][2d]. Drinan was in the hijack and made the call. The river came as [5s] and Duarte moved all in for 68,000. Drinan tanked for a few minutes before calling with [ad][tc]. It was no good as Duarte opened [8d][9d]. --MC

    3:51pm: Adams heroes river, is right
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    Timothy Adams was deep in the tank by the time I arrived at the table. The Canadian had been set all in by Ariel Celestino and was thinking over his decision. He was starring at a [2d][Ah][2h][4s][Qd] board and there was a pot of somewhere in the region of 72,500 in the middle.

    Adams had 54,400 back and the conclusion he came to was that they, too, should go into the pot. Celestino showed [Kh][9h] for the busted flush draw, whilst Adams had [Kd][Qh] for the winning hand. He's up to around 185,000 whilst Celestino slips to 65,000. --NW

    3:35pm: Luc loving those rivers
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    Luc Greenwood sat in his seat, thinking long and hard over whether he should call all in or not. He had 22 big blinds and had been asked the question for all of them.

    The action had folded around to Sylvain Loosli in the small blind and he set his Canadian opponent all in. It took around three minutes before Greenwood flicked in a chip to indicate a call.

    Loosli: [ac][7d]
    Greenwood: [kd][8d]

    The board ran [4c][ts][jc][7h][8h] with Greenwood getting out of it on the river. Loosli dropped to 61,000.

    Word reached blogging row that Greenwood was up to his old tricks the very next hand. The action folded around to him in the small blind and he moved all in with [ac][2s]. Fernando Brito was in the big blind with fewer chips and called all in with [ad][qs]. The board ran [6s][8c][9s][ks][2c] to hit Greenwood on the river again! He moved up to 225,000 as Brito was moved out. --MC

    3:21pm: Prize pool and payouts
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    Here's a full look at those payouts. The top 27 finishers are dividing up a €1,794,500 total prize pool. --MH

    1st - €397,500
    2nd - €268,270
    3rd - €184,650
    4th - €150,550
    5th - €120,050
    6th - €92,240
    7th - €67,120
    8th - €48,630
    9th - €40,200
    10th-11th - €34,100
    12th-15th - €29,610
    16th-17th - €24,220
    18th-20th - €21,530
    21st-23rd - €19,740
    24th-27th - €17,950

    3:14pm: Geilich gone
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    Ludovic Geilich just ran pocket kings into the pocket aces of Joao Vieira, and following a queen-high runout Geilich is out and Vieira up to 270,000. --MH


    EPT12DUB_Ludovic_Geilich_8778_JulesPochy.jpg

    Ludovic Geilich is gone

    3:02pm: So long, Soulier
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    Fabrice Soulier was just all in and at risk with pocket jacks against the ace-king of Marco Leonzio. Alas for Soulier, Leonzio won the race and the Frenchman is out.

    Leonzio is up to 175,000 with 60 players remaining. --MH


    EPT12DUB_Fabrice_Soulier_8821_JulesPochy.jpg

    Soulier sunk

    2:57pm: Mercier moves in front
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier had a profitable first two levels today, moving up in the counts to claim first position with 61 players left to begin Level 13. He's up to 375,000 now.

    Mark Radoja has also moved way up over the 350,000 mark, while Dominik Nitsche sits just behind with about 345,000. Be sure to the chip counts page for the latest chip movement. --MH


    EPT12DUB_Jason_Mercier_8813_JulesPochy.jpg

    Jason jumps in front

    2:55pm: Level 13 begins
    Level 13 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    Players are back and play has resumed. --MH


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    2:40pm: Break time; 61 remain

    The remaining 61 players are taking their first 15-minute break of the day. --MH

    2:35pm: Stern's ticked off about clock
    Level 12 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

    Zvi Stern is not happy right now, having branded the fact that the clock was called on him "rude".

    We're not sure who did the clock-calling, but here was the situation. Stern faced a big river three-bet from Ariel Celestino of around 60,000 with the board showing the [4c][kc][9s][5d][7d]. He'd obviously been taking his time in other hands prior to this, and his three-and-a-half minute decision was the last straw.

    About 30 seconds of the clock ticked down before Stern made the call and Celestino flipped over [kd][9c] for top two. Stern insta-mucked and then made his complaint.

    "It was not rude," said Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier, one of Stern's tablemates. "I think that every person would vote that you had long enough." --JS

    Zvi Stern -- 145,000
    Ariel Celestino -- 141,000


    Zvi_Stern_EPTDub_HRd2.jpg

    He was given a Stern talking to...

    2:24pm: Kanit can't collect double in Dublin
    Level 12 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

    Connor Drinan raised from the small blind and Mustapha Kanit reraised his short stack all in from the big blind, earning a quick call from Drinan.

    Drinan: [Js][Jd]
    Kanit: [Ac][7s]

    Kanit began rubbing his hole cards back and forth on the felt in anticipation of the flop, as if to conjure good things. The flop wasn't so bad for him, coming [5d][8h][4c] to provide a gutshot possibility.

    "Wow," said Kanit.

    The turn was pretty good, too, pairing him up with the [7d].

    "Send it!" Kanit petitioned the dealer.

    But the [5c] river didn't help the Italian, and he's out.


    EPT12DUB_Mustapha_Kanit_8767_JulesPochy.jpg

    I lose? What is happening, bro?

    With 64 players left, Drinan is up to 155,000. --MH

    2:15pm: NOW he talks
    Level 12 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

    Fabrice Soullier was tangled up in a hefty pot with Samuel Vousden from Finland. Soullier began the pot with an open to 6,000 before Vousden 3-bet to 14,000. Soullier called and the two saw the [th][6h][5d] flop. It went check-check, and the [td] hit the turn. Now Soullier led for 17,500 and Vousden called. The river came the [4h] and Soullier checked, and now Vousden put out a big bet of 59,000.

    Soullier went deep into the tank on this one. He was chatting to Vousden, trying to get him to mutter anything of significance, but he got nothing out of him.

    He eventually folded, and after someone said nice hand to Vousden he responded with "Thanks".

    "Oh, so now you talk huh?" said Soullier, jokingly.

    "I'm just not as talkative as you," replied Vousden.

    Soullier thought for a moment and said: "Well, maybe that's because your hand was better, huh?"

    Fabrice Soullier 80,000
    Samuel Vousden 195,000 -JS

    2:05pm: Nordh beats Vieira
    Level 12 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

    Joao Vieira opened to 6,400 and found one caller in Gustav Nordh. We saw a [kh][8c][ac] flop and Vieira c-betted for the same 6,400 after it was checked to him. Nordh made the call and the turn was the [tc]. Nordh checked again and now the bet from Vieira was 11,800. It would be called and the [3s] landed on the river. Both checked and Nordh flipped over [as][jd] for top pair. It was good. -- JS

    Gustav Nordh -- 190,000
    Joao Vieira -- 82,000

    2:01pm: Leonard loses, Ghassan gathers
    Level 12 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

    Patrick Leonard got the last of his stack in on the turn with the board showing [2h][Th][7h][Ts] and Leonard holding [Ah][7d] for tens and sevens plus a flush draw. Too bad for him, Ibrahim Ghassan had [Kc][Tc] for trip tens, and after the [5s] river Leonard was eliminated. Ghassan is up around 145,000 now. --MH

    1:51pm: Either/or situation for Dvoress ends in favor of Or
    Level 12 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

    Following a [4h][6d][Tc] flop, Daniel Dvoress was all in with his short stack versus Or Hadad. Either Daniel's [Kd][Td] would hold up, or Or's [Jh][Th] would outdraw him.

    The [Jc] that spiked on the turn meant the latter option had come true, giving Hadad two pair, and after the [Qh] river Dvoress was eliminated. Hadad now has about 225,000. --MH

    1:40pm: Simao doubles through Mercier
    Level 12 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

    With the board reading [tc][4h][2c], Mercier had put out a bet of 7,000 and Brazil's Joao Simao shoved for his last 31,100. Mercier made the call with pocket sevens but was trailing the [td][9d] of Simao. The [6s] turn and [ac] river changed nothing. --JS

    Jason Mercier -- 105,000
    Joao Simao -- 62,000

    1:36pm: Vamplew sent home
    Level 12 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

    David Vamplew has been knocked out at the hands of Mark Radoja, who finished third in the Single-Day €10K and came into Day 2 in this event 2nd in chips.

    Vamplew stuck the last of his chips in with the [qs][6s] on a [js][8s][6d][kd] board, and was unsurprisingly called by Radoja with his pocket jacks. The river was the [6h], giving Vamplew a pointless set and improving Radoja to a boat.

    Radoja now has 303,000. --JS

    1:34pm: Level 12 begins
    Level 12 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

    Just 75 players remain as Level 12 gets underway, with Nick Petrangelo and Antonio Ferreira the last couple of players eliminated. Meanwhile Dominik Nitsche has added a few to stay in the chip lead. He has about 315,000 now.


    EPT12DUB_Dominik_Nitsche_8796_JulesPochy.jpg

    Dominating Dominik

    You can check the live chip counts page for updates on where the chips are going. --MH

    1:21pm: Stern takes a big pot from Adams
    Level 11 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

    Timothy Adams opened to 5,000 (for the second hand in a row), which found three callers in Zvi Stern, Ariel Celestino and Francois Billard.

    The dealer put out a [tc][3s][jc] flop, which both Billard and Adams would check. That allowed Stern to open the aggresion with a 7,800 bet, and only Adams would call.

    We saw the [6d] on the turn, and here's where the pot grew substantially. Adams checked once more and Stern continued for 16,800, but now Adams opted to 3-bet to 44,000. Stern didn't budge.

    To the river we went - the [3c]. Adams checked for a third and final time and then folded to Stern's 46,000 bet.

    That takes Stern up to 225,000, while Adams dips to 70,000. --JS

    1:11pm: Chance a chancer
    Level 11 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

    Chance Kornuth is among the latest to fall here in the early going on Day 2 after tangling with Luuk Gieles over a pot and being unsuccessful. Kornuth joins Darrell Goh, Emil Ekvardt, and Luis Rodriguez Cruz on the rail. Gieles, meanwhile, jumps up over 250,000.

    After busting, Kornuth has wandered back to the tournament area and is chatting with those still in about taking pieces.
    "You can take a piece of me, Chance," called Dietrich Fast just after losing small one to chip leader Dominik Nitsche. "I'm cheap!" he added with a grin.

    A smiling Chance is considering Fast's offer. --MH

    1:05pm: Full treble up for Neuville; just a double for Frey
    Level 11 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

    2015 November Niner Pierre Neuville just locked up a rather nice treble up. He came in to the day short, but now sits with a playable stack of 30 big blinds.

    Georgios Zisimopoulos kicked things off with an open to 4,500 and Felix Bleiker called from the small blind. Pierre Neuville then took this opportunity from the big blind to get his last 18,800 into the middle, and both Zisimopoulos and Bleiker called.

    The flop came [7d][qd][jh], and Zisimopoulos and Bleiker commenced the side pot, although not much would happen. Both checked the flop, then Zisimopoulos put out a bet on the [9h] turn and Bleiker gave it up, so the cards were on their backs.

    Pierre Neuville [qh][qc]
    Georgios Zisimopoulos [qs][9s]

    The river was an inconsequential [4h] and Neuville shot up to 60,000.

    The next hand saw Kyle Frey double through Zisimopoulos. The two got it all-in after Zisimopoulos made it 5,000, and Frey shoved for 46,100. It was the [as][qc] for Frey which had out-run Zisimopoulos' [8d][8h] on the [2h][ac][6c][9d][9c] board. --JS

    Kyle Frey -- 95,500
    Georgios Zisimopoulos -- 35,000

    12:56pm: Money, money, money
    Level 11 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

    With late registration now closed, we can share information about the prize pool and payouts.

    The total of 185 entries (140 uniques, 45 re-entries) generated a total prize pool of €1,794,500 that will be divided among the top 27 finishers. A min-cash will be worth €17,950, while the winner is scheduled to receive a nifty €397,500. --MH

    12:49pm: MacDonnell, Watson out
    Level 11 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

    Marc MacDonnell and Mike Watson are among the early busts here on Day 2, reducing the field to 82 players. --MH

    12:42pm: Two black aces for Drinan
    Level 11 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

    Connor Drinan raised to 5,000 from under the gun, then watched Alex Difelice three-bet to 12,500 from the button. Drinan called, and the pair both checked after the [9c][6c][7d] flop and again after the [Td] turn.

    At the [9s] river Drinan fired 18,000, and after some thought Difelice called. Drinan tabled [As][Ac] and Difelice mucked. Drinan is up to 170,000 now while Difelice slips to just over 37,000. --MH


    EPT12DUB_Connor_Drinan_8743_JulesPochy.jpg

    Connor Drinan

    12:36pm: Three returners and one newcomer
    Level 11 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

    It looks like just four new players joined the field to start today's Day 2. Bryn Kenney, Rafael Moraes, and Kevin Killeen all re-entered to start play today, while Scott Margereson -- who finished 19th in the EPT12 Dublin Main Event yesterday -- has joined the field for the first time.

    That brings the total number of entries to 185. Prize pool information should arrive before too long, and we'll forward that along when it does. --MH

    12:34pm: Day 2 begins
    Level 11 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

    Day 2 has begun! Back shortly with a report on the under-the-wire entries and re-entries. --MH


    EPT12DUB_HR_start_8723_JulesPochy.jpg

    Time to unbag the chips, and unleash the poker

    11:55am: Nitsche leads €10K High Rollers into Day 2

    Welcome back to the Royal Dublin Society where the €10K High Roller moves into its second day of play. Dominik Nitsche has already won the UKIPT High Roller and taken second in the EPT Dublin €10K Single-Day High Roller, and after a fruitful first day for the German yesterday carries the chip lead into Day 2. Here's a look at the top of the leaderboard to start play today:

    1. Dominik Nitsche (Germany) -- 305,600
    2. Mark Radoja (Canada) -- 280,000
    3. Jerry Odeen (Sweden) -- 250,000
    4. Sam Greenwood (Canada) -- 248,300
    5. Ben Heath (UK) -- 240,300
    6. Felix Bleiker (Switzerland) -- 212,000
    7. Vladas Tamasuaskas (Lithuania) -- 198,100
    8. Jason Mercier (USA) -- 189,300
    9. Sam Chartier (Canada) -- 187,400
    10. Luuk Gieles (Netherlands) -- 185,500

    Also returning to big stacks are Ariel Celestino, Shyam Srinivasan, Kevin MacPhee, Jeff Gross, and the EPT Dublin 25K High Roller champion Mustapha Kanit. You can click here for a full list of chip counts from the end of Day 1.

    Additionally, click here for a look through the Day 1 live updates, and click here for the Day 1 recap.

    Late registration and the last chance to re-enter ends with the start of play today, so we'll soon know just how many entries there are as well as prize pool information. They'll play six one-hour levels today, take a one-hour dinner break, then come back for four or five more levels or stop if they get to an eight-handed final table.

    Play begins a little over a half-hour from now. Join us then for start-to-finish coverage of Day 2! --MH



    Want to start your own EPT campaign? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin €10K High Roller Day 2: Marc Convey (rhythm guitar, vocals), Martin Harris (lead guitar), Jack Stanton (bass), and Nick Wright (drums and percussion). Photography by Jules Pochy. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter:@PokerStarsBlog


  • 19 February

    Chance Kornuth- From Playing his Dad’s Poker Room Account in High School to WSOP Bracelet

    Aussie Millions 2016 $25K Winner Chance Kornuth talks about how he went from playing on his dad's Poker Room online account freshman year of high school to dropping out of UC Boulder to taking down a $5k PLO WSOP bracelet.  Share: Facebook Tw...

  • 19 February

    Get Wimbledon tickets in VIP Store today!

    So you want to see Wimbledon but don't fancy shelling out big bucks for tickets.

    That's fine. How about you just pick up some in the PokerStars VIP Club Store?

    Today, the PokerStars VIP Club store put up some sweet seats that you can get exclusively with StarsCoin.


    wimbeldon.png

    For the price of 80,000 StarsCoin, you will get two tickets to the Wimbledon Centre Court Ladies Semi-Final, Thursday 7th July with President's Suite Hospitality. If that sounds good, check out what you actually get in the President's Suite.

    • A reserved table throughout the day
    • Plated starter
    • Two-course buffet
    • Traditional afternoon tea with strawberries and cream
    • Drinks package of Pimms, wine, beer, and soft drinks
    • Insight into the day's play from a guest speaker
    • Open from 11 am until 9 pm or half an hour after close of play, whichever is sooner

    There aren't many left, so if you want them, get them today. Note: the tickets will be sent to a UK address one week before the match via Royal Mail Special Delivery and require a signature.

    For those tickets and more, check out everything in the PokerStars VIP Club Store.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.
    is the PokerStars Head of Blogging.

  • 19 February

    Poker Cartoon - Trash Talk

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 19 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Dzmitry Urbanovich leads final six of Main Event. Surprised?

    There was arguably a theme to this fifth day of the EPT Dublin Main Event. It was simple. The short stacks came and went, leaving the big stacks to lay claim to a final table spot. There was just one exception to this rule, and a familiar one too. It c...

  • 19 February

    Smile! You’re on Kid Poker Camera!

    PokerStars is celebrating 100 million players this month. Today, we celebrate its best-known.

    Say what you will about Daniel Negreanu. Go ahead. There's nothing that hasn't been said before. Talk about his eating habits. Talk about his ego. Talk about his intentions. You're not going to say anything new.

    Kid Poker is a polarizing figure in poker. There is no one in the game as successful as Negreanu who also lives his life so ear-shatteringly aloud. Negreanu is a man of opinions--some controversial--that he seems almost compelled to share with the world. For many people, this turns Negreanu into a figure one either loves or hates.

    Know this: if you're one of his haters, you're in the minority. There are a lot more people who are on the love side of that coin, and you only have to watch Negreanu for a few minutes to see why.

    By 2007, Daniel Negreanu had already established himself as one of poker's best and most beloved players. That year, PokerStars made what was unquestionably its biggest-ever pick-up when it signed Kid Poker to its Team PokerStars Pro stable.

    There are more than a few reasons why PokerStars put a red spade on Negreanu's chest. He's among the best in the game. He is a good spokesman. He works hard.

    Even if none of those things were enough, he'd likely still be a Team Pro based on one thing alone: his fans love him, and those fans outnumber everybody else's in a way that's hard to accurately quantify.

    devvynpdx_2016-Feb-01.jpg

    One of countless photos Negreanu has taken with fans

    That fact was never more clear than this past summer when Negreanu came within a couple spots of making the WSOP Main Event final table. At no time in the WSOP's modern history has there been a crowd as big and supportive as there was when Negreanu looked like he might win the WSOP. Outside of Doyle Brunson (and, fine, maybe Phil Hellmuth), there is no one else who could draw as big of a crowd to watch nine people play cards.

    There are a lot of reasons for this. There is probably a book to be written about just how he's managed to turn himself from a pool hustler into one of the world's most recognizable poker players. Nevertheless, for the many reasons he is successful, there should be no discounting of what might be his greatest talent:

    He knows how to be nice to his fans.

    TheRealBerlo_2016-Feb-01.jpg

    Over the past decade in poker, there has been a never-ending chorus of people who have spent countless hours whining about how they can't get a poker sponsorship. They're good at the game. They've won lots of money. "Why?" they have often wondered aloud. "Why won't a poker company sponsor me? How am I any different than Daniel Negreanu?"

    To answer that question, you only have to go on Twitter and ask, "Have you ever had your picture taken with Daniel Negreanu?"


    Want to join Daniel at PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    Ten years ago, Lori Johnson started going to the World Series of Poker so her mother could see Daniel Negreanu. Each year, they would find him and spend as much time on his rail as they could.

    On one of those trips, Johnson and her mother were watching Negreanu and Todd Brunson at the same table during the WSOP Main Event. That's when Negreanu turned around and posed a question for Johnson's 72-year-old mother.

    "Have you ever smoked pot?"

    "I told her to plead the fifth. ESPN was there and dozens of other fans," Johnson said.

    But Mama Johnson wasn't going to miss her chance to talk to Kid Poker.

    "One time," she admitted for everybody to hear.

    Negreanu and the rest of the table laughed. "I want to hear the story," he said.

    "So, while they are all playing in the $10,000 Main Event, everyone at the table listens to my mom's story of how her and my dad somehow got a 'marijuana cigarette'," Johnson said.

    "A joint?" Negrenau said.

    "Yes. A joint," Mama Johnson said. "We went into the bathroom and each took one puff, and then my daughter came home and said that it smelled like pot in the house."

    Negreanu looked and the younger Johnson woman and said, "You are so busted."

    lorpsie_2016-Feb-01.jpg

    Though it was at least seven years ago, Lori remembers it like it was yesterday.

    "Now she is known as the pot lady on the rail," Loris said. "Each and every time we have seen him since then he has made it a point to wave my mom and I over if he is way back behind the ropes, or he comes up to the ropes and makes sure to take a picture of her. In fact last year when we were there, he was way in the back and waved us back. So, we walked back and he gave her a hug and took a picture. She looked at all the guys he was playing with at the table and said she was sorry but that she wanted Daniel to take all of their chips. They all laughed."

    Last summer, Negreanu had promised the Johnson women they would have a seat in he Penn & Teller Theater if he made the November Nine. They were crushed when he missed it, but it did nothing to stop their love for him.

    "All I know is just how great is treats my mom, and that's all I need to know about him," Johnson said. "He said she reminds him of his mother. Someone saying that--who truly loved their mom--really meant the world to me."

    lorpsie_2016-Feb-01 copy.jpg

    Lori Johnson with Negreanu

    If this were something that had happened once, it might be written off as a fluke or a flashing moment of charity.

    It is no fluke. This is how Negreanu lives his life. Though he is a guarded many who values his privacy and his time alone, he routinely goes out of his way to accommodate the people he puts above himself: his fans.

    There will be people--even smart, good people--who write off the above as hyperbole or will say it's all tainted by Negreanu's self-interest. They are free to believe that, but it will make no difference to Negreanu's fans. Even people who don't like his opinions end up liking him.

    RickGleason_2016-Feb-01.jpg

    Take Kyle Bernard, for instance.

    He loves Negreanu's game, and he hates his politics. Last summer, Bernard happened to see Negreanu talking politics on Twitter.

    "I decided to tweet at him because of our difference in views. I instantly got a response and was pretty pumped that my favorite player took the time to respond to me," Bernard said.

    It didn't end there. The conversation continued through the 2015 American political season.

    "It wasn't just tweets of politics," Bernard said. "There were others, like him playing soccer, being a beast pumping iron, something vegan, and some like his goal settings and other inspirational tweets. Most of the time he's debating someone because obviously not everyone agrees with everything he posts--he could say the sky's blue and he'd get debated."

    Last November, Bernard ran into him at Jennifer Harman's NSPCA charity event.

    "He was trying to get situated and find a table to be seated. so I walked up to him and said 'Hey, I'm Kyle' as I shook his hand," Bernard said. He replied quickly with, 'Hey, I know who you are' with a slight chuckle. The first thing he says is, 'This is the guy that talks trash to me on twitter all the time!' We go back and forth talking politics as usual, and I finally asked him for a picture, which is where that picture comes from with the look of 'It's this guy' on his face."

    kc_barnard_2016-Feb-01.jpg

    The stories go on and on. There are the fans on the rail. There are the amateurs at the table. And then, there is the star-struck Seniors player who waited for Negreanu to finish eating at the Empire Casino before asking for a photo.

    "I liked him because of how much of an icon he is," Karl Parrish said. "Even now I have the photo framed and hanging on office wall."

    Karl_Parrish_2016-Feb-01.jpg

    Karl Parrish and Negreanu

    Whether he is eating in a café, running out of the bathroom, or still stinging from busting out of a tournament, Negreanu still manages to find a smile for his fans.

    "He's someone I look up to not only as a player but as someone who is an ambassador for something he loves and has a great passion for," said Jose Miguel Meneses after meeting Negreanu at the debut of the documentary Kid Poker.

    jmCorleon_2016-Feb-01.jpg

    Now in his 40s, Negreanu has been around long enough to see something not many pros do: his fans have become his opponents.

    Years ago, now EPT-champ Rupert Elder was a still a kid with a dream.

    "Back then the pool of top pros I recognised off TV was a lot less diluted than it is now," Elder said. "In the UK I watched WPT and WSOP coverage, and Daniel was very prominent in all of them. So I was without a doubt a fan boy. I'm still a fan, even though I disagree with him on many issues he has been vocal about. But I also see him more as a fellow professional now - poker player as well as superstar."

    What's more, Elder still has the picture he took with Negreanu after running into him at 5am in the Coral Lobby of the Atlantis resort.

    ruperte_2016-Feb-01.jpg

    Baby Elder and Kid Poker

    There is no telling where Negreanu's career goes from here. These days, in addition to his vast tournament schedule, he's challenged himself to play 200 hours of high stakes cash games and win $250,000.

    For most of his fans, the idea of earning $250,000 a year is a dream that might never realize. Nevertheless, they flic to his rail, scrunch in for selfies, and proudly keep those photos on their phone to show off wherever they can.

    Before the end of the day, Daniel Negreanu will likely say something or post a Tweet that frustrates or angers a legion of people around the world. He'll probably pick a position and fight for it until there's nothing but scorched earth below his feet. He'll find some new and clever way to get under someone's skin. He will do all of this, seemingly, for the sport of it.

    And when he's done, no matter how many people are flaming him on the internet or mumbling curses under their breath, Negreanu fans will outnumber his detractors by a factor so big, it's not even worth calculating.

    Why?

    It's simple, really.

    Because he's Daniel Negreanu. Love him or hate him, beyond being one of the best poker players in the world, he is hands down the best ambassador the game has ever had.


    Want to see more photos of Negreanu & fans through the years? We've posted a gallery below


    PokerStars is celebrating 100 million players this month. See how you can join in the celebration and win some big money here.

    Other stories from this series:

    Meet PokerStars' longest-serving player of all time
    The ghosts of WCOOP
    The Moneymaker Boom that almost wasn't
    Alexander Stevic and the start of a new era in poker
    The PokerStars Sunday Million Two-Timer Club


    2NoLimitNBeyond_2016-Feb-01.jpgcardplayerlife_2016-Feb-01.pngcourtiebee_2016-Feb-01.jpgEddySabat_2016-Feb-01.jpg JBeachnau_2016-Feb-01.jpg JimSinkovic_2016-Feb-01.jpg jizzildur_2016-Feb-01.jpg kissapig_2016-Feb-01.jpg woo_el_2016-Feb-01.jpg Arnthorsson_2016-Feb-01.jpg CasertaMaestro_2016-Feb-01.jpg dannysaddoo1_2016-Feb-01.jpg PDro_Almeida_2016-Feb-02.jpg coreysimon_2016-Feb-01.jpg CoryPansano_2016-Feb-01.jpg emd_2016-Feb-01.jpg Hulley16_2016-Feb-01.jpg ispeakFarC_2016-Feb-01.jpg jdgrover_2016-Feb-01.jpg KNQPL_2016-Feb-01.jpg L_Tse_2016-Feb-02.jpg lauriehawman_2016-Feb-01.jpg mgrish_2016-Feb-01.jpg mixmastered_2016-Feb-01.jpg Naughto89_2016-Feb-01.jpg NoChopBrock_2016-Feb-01.jpg Rejeena27_2016-Feb-01.jpg Thumbikin_2016-Feb-01.jpg trbrain_2016-Feb-01.jpg




    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.


    is the PokerStars Head of Blogging.

  • 19 February

    Dominik Nitsche is Not Bill Perkins

    Dominik Nitsche has made two final tables here at EPT Dublin. He discusses when he will and won't consider a chop at a Final Table.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 19 February

    European Union Declares Germany’s Online Gaming Laws Are Illegal

    The Court of Justice for the European Union declared Germany's online gaming laws are illegal.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 19 February

    Bill Perkins Bets Dan Bilzerian $600,000 He Can’t Bike from L.A. To Vegas in 48 Hours

    Bill Perkins bet Dan Bilzerian $600,000 that Bilzerian couldn't ride a bike from L.A. to Las Vegas in under 48 hours.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 19 February

    EPT12 Dublin: €10K High Roller Day 2 live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * CLICK FOR LATEST DAY 2 CHIP COUNTS
    * 13 of 185 entries remain (140 uniques, 45 re-entries)

    1:10am: Play ends, Lebedev leads
    Level 20 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Play has ended for the day with 13 players remaining. Sergey Lebedev leads overnight:

    NameCountryChips
    Sergey LebedevRussia1,522,000
    Emil PatelFinland1,339,000
    Ryan RiessUSA1,174,000
    Akin TunaGermany1,100,000
    Timothy AdamsCanada758,000
    Jerry OdeenSweden596,000
    Rocco PalumboItaly565,000
    Davidi KitaiBelgium512,000
    Willliam ArrudaBrazil458,000
    Sam ChartierCanada458,000
    Christoph VogelsangGermany310,000
    Samuel PanzicaUSA276,000
    Diego VenturaPeru157,000

    1am: Final four
    Level 20 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    The clock has been paused and the players will play four more hands before ending for the day. --NW

    12:55am: Double up for Vogelsang
    Level 20 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Down to just 119,000 Christoph Vogelsang moved all in from under the gun and found a caller in the shape of Willliam Arruda.

    Vogelsang: [Qc][Qd]
    Arruda: [8h][8d]

    The [9s][Qh][7d][7h][3c] board meant Vogelsang had it wrapped up by the turn. He's doubled to around 276,000 as a result. --NW

    12:45am: Lebedev cracks aces to take the chip lead
    Level 20 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Sergey Lebedev is up to 1,691,000, good for the chip lead.

    In the hand that took him there Samuel Panzica raised from the cutoff, Lebedev called from the small blind and Diego Ventura did likewise from the big blind.

    On the [2h][Th][Kc] flop Panzica bet 43,000 and Lebedev was the only caller. On the [Qs] turn the Russian changed tactics, leading for 100,000. Call from Panzica. The [7s] fell on fifth street, Lebedev bet 225,000 and Panzica swiftly called. The former showed [Qc][Qd] for a turned set and although Panzica didn't show he said he had aces. He's down to 415,000 after that loss. --NW

    12:35am: Huge pot for Patel as Vogelsang misreads the board
    Level 20 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Emil Patel is up to 1,280,000 whilst Christoph Vogelsang is down to just 128,000 in a hand where we think Vogelsang misread the board as at first he thought he had the winner at showdown.

    We missed the pre-flop action but on the [9c][6h][Qd] board Vogelsang (under the gun) bet 55,000 and Patel (big blind) check-called. The pattern repeated itself on the [6d] turn with Patel calling a bet of 150,000.

    The [7d] rounded off the board and after Patel checked for a third time Vogelsang slid out a bet of 395,000 which was slightly more than the 375,000 that Patel had behind. The latter called and Vogelsang showed [Kd][Kc] and thought he'd won when Patel showed [Ad][9d]. But Patel had the nut flush for the winning hand and the majority of Vogelsang's chips were pushed his way. --NW

    Update: we spoke to Patel when play ended and he told us that Vogelsang didn't misread the board he just didn't see that Patel had a flush straightaway.

    EPT12_Dublin_HR_day2_Emil_Patel.jpg

    Patel's shot up the chip counts

    12:25am: Tuna's comeback continues
    Level 20 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Akin Tuna has had a storming 20 minutes. He was as low as 160,000 and now he's up to 1,075,000 after winning a big pot against Chartier.

    The Canadian called bets of 55,000, 80,000 and 150,000 on a [4s][3c][5h][6d][Qc] board and lost out to Tuna's [Qd][2s]. As a result Chartier is in the danger zone with just 335,000. --NW

    12:21am: Last level of the night
    Level 20 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    This is the last level of the night...probably. Christoph Vogelsang just asked the TD if they can play on should they not reach the final table. She told him that's an option, but only if everyone agrees. Which is unlikely. --NW

    12:20am: Panzica makes the nut flush
    Level 19 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Samuel Panzica just made the nut flush in a hand against Jerry Odeen and extracted two streets of value. They'd called from the blinds after Rocco Palumbo raised to 26,000 on the button. There was no betting on the [As][Qh][9s] flop but Panzica bet 48,000 and then 122,000 on the [2s] turn and [2d] river with Odeen calling all the way. Panzica opened [Ks][Js] for the nut flush and took the pot. --NW

    Samuel Panzica, 880,000
    Jerry Odeen, 530,000

    12:15am: Arruda can't can Tuna
    Level 19 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Sound the sick call klaxon!

    Willliam Arruda opened to 26,000 from the button, Akin Tuna called from the small blind and Sam Chartier stuck around from the big blind.

    On the [Ah][3c][Jh] flop Arruda c-bet 45,000 and Tuna was the only caller. The [5h] turn completed the flush draw and Arruda bet again, this time 90,000 and again Tuna called.

    The German had just 196,000 back and on the [7h] river Arruda bet enough to set him all in.
    He took off his sunglasses and headphones and tried to chat to Arruda, who stayed silent. Arruda was starring at Tuna though and the German put his headphones back in as he tried to work out what to do.

    After another couple of minutes he called all in and was handsomely rewarded. Arrunda had [5s][2s] for nothing but a pair of fives, meaning Tuna's [Ac][2c] was the winning hand. What a call! He's up to 760,000 now and has leapfrogged Arruda, who's dropped to 750,000. --NW

    ept12_Dublin_high_roller_day2_akin_tuna.jpg

    Tuna is no fish, what a call


    12:05am: Felix Bleiker eliminated in 14th place (€26,910)
    Level 19 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    By the time Felix Bleiker made his move, he'd just dipped below the stack of Akin Tuna, the player who sent him to the rail.

    Tuna opened to 25,000 from the hijack with [qd][jd] and then made a quick call after Bleiker three-bet all in for 156,000 with [5c][5h] from the next seat. The board came [as][8d][jc][8h][tc] to make the German two pair. --MC

    11:45pm: Tuna trying to swim upstream
    Level 19 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Despite being one of the shortest stacks of the remaining players Akin Tuna is playing the most pots of anyone. At the moment it's not working as he's seen his stack cut in half during level 19. He's lost two significant pots to drop to 160,000.

    The first was against Emil Patel, he raised to 30,000 and Tuna called from the cutoff. Patel then check-called bets of 40,000 and 80,000 on the [9c][Qd][2s] flop and [4s] turn before moving all in on the [Kc] river.

    He had Tuna covered and the German tank-folded. Having recovered by winning a few small pots - including one where he raised with aces and got no action - Tuna then tangled with Christoph Vogelsang. The high stakes cash pro raised to 28,000 on the button and Tuna called from the big blind.

    The [3c][Ts][Ad] flop checked through and Tuna then led for 25,000 on the [7s] turn. Call from Vogelsang. The [2h] completed the board and Tuna bet again. This time 45,000 was the price and it was a price Vogelsang was willing to pay. Tuna showed [Kd][7d] but Vogelsang had a hand, [Qs]][Qd] meaning Tuna is now the shortest stack of the remaining players. --NW

    11:30pm: Sylvain Loosli eliminated in 15th place (€26,910)
    Level 19 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    EPT12_Dublin_Sylvain_Loosli.jpg

    No second high roller title this season for Loosli

    EPT12 Barcelona High Roller champion Sylvain Loosli was the first player to depart this level.

    He opened to 28,000 from under the gun before Jerry Odeen three-bet to 70,000 from the button. Loosli went all in for around 350,000 and Odeen called.

    Loosli: [ad][kd]
    Odeen: [tc][ts]

    The board ran [7s][6h][js][qs][9c] failing to improve either player. Odeen's stack jumped up to around 970,000.

    That's two players out from Table 2 since the redraw so Ryan Riess has been moved into the seat vacated by Loosli so both tables are balanced with seven players apiece. -- MC

    11:10pm: Riess leads the final 15
    Level 19 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    The players are back for the final two levels of the night, although should they reach the final table of eight then play will cease for the night.

    NameCountryChips
    Ryan RiessUSA1,340,000
    Sergey LebedevRussia1,125,000
    Willliam ArrudaBrazil1,010,000
    Christoph VogelsangGermany980,000
    Sam ChartierCanada690,000
    Jerry OdeenSweden610,000
    Emil PatelFinland520,000
    Samuel PanzicaUSA500,000
    Timothy AdamsCanada490,000
    Akin TunaGermany385,000
    Rocco PalumboItaly383,000
    Sylvain LoosliFrance379,000
    Davidi KitaiBelgium325,000
    Diego VenturaPeru285,000
    Felix BleikerSwitzerland170,000

    10:58pm: Last break of the night
    Level 18 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    The players are on a 20-minute break. Two more levels are scheduled for tonight; play will only stop before that time if the final table of eight is reached. -- MC


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    10:55pm: Jeff Gross eliminated in 16th place (€24,220)
    Level 18 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    EPT12DUB_IMG_8931_JulesPochy.jpg

    Not too Gross a finish for Jeff

    Jeff Gross winced a little after he was called by Timothy Adams and saw his hand.

    Adams had opened to 23,000 from under the gun and called after Gross three-bet all in for 173,000 from the button.

    Adams: [ac][kh]
    Gross: [as][qd]

    The board ran [ah][9c][tc][2h][7h] meaning Adams' kicker remained in play and he moved on up to 500,000. -- MC

    10:45pm: Last 16 redraw
    Level 18 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    This is the second to last redraw of the tournament. The final one will take place with nine players remaining. --MC

    SeatTable 1Table 2
    1Sam ChartierSergey Lebedev
    2Davidi KitaiDiego Ventura
    3Ryan RiessSylvain Loosli
    4Emil PatelTimothy Adams
    5Christoph VodelsangRocco Palumbo
    6Willliam ArrudaSamuel Panzica
    7Akin TunaJerry Odeen
    8Felix BleikerJeff Gross

    10:40pm: Two tables remain after Heath departs
    Level 18 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    There are just two tables remaining after Ryan Riess took out another player, in the shape of Ben Heath.

    Riess opened to 25,000 from the button and called after Heath three-bet all in for 211,000 from the big blind.

    Riess: [kc][qc]
    Heath: [ah][5h]

    The board ran [qd][ts][3h][qh][2s] to make Riess trips. He moved up to 1,120,000.

    They'll be a short break in play while a redraw onto two tables takes place. -- MC

    10:37pm: No comeback for Mericer
    Level 18 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

    After losing that big pot against Ryan Riess (see 10:30pm post) Jason Mercier was left with just three big blinds. He folded one hand, but on the second he moved all in for 31,000 and Jeff Gross, who'd just been moved to the table, re-raised all in for about 150,000 total and everyone else folded.

    Mercier: [4d][4s]
    Gross: [Ah][5h]

    It was a race, but not for long as the [5c][5s][2s] flop favoured Gross. The [8c] and [7h] completed the board and Mercier wished the table good luck before heading on his way. --NW

    ept12_Dublin_high_roller_day2_jason_mercier.jpg

    There was no miracle comeback for Mercier

    10:35pm: Diego doubles
    Level 18 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Diego Ventura is up to 300,000 after doubling through Christoph Vogelsang. The Peruvian shoved for 147,000 with [Ah][Jh] and Vogelsang called the all in with [Kh][Qh]. The [Ad][Tc][Kd][8c][7h] board ruled decisively in Ventura's favour and dropped Vogelsang down to 920,000. --NW

    10:30pm: Riess up to a million, Mericer left with fumes, Leonzio out
    Level 18 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

    A huge hand just went down at table two and it's left Ryan Riess with a seven-figure stack.

    The action was started by Marco Leonzio, who moved all in for 146,000 from under the gun. Next to act was Ryan Riess and he re-raised all in for 426,000 total. It then folded to Jason Mercier and the Team PokerStars Pro got a count of Riess' stack, capped his cards, thought for about 20 seconds and then called to create a three-way all in.

    Leonzio: [Ad][8s]
    Riess: [9h][9c]
    Mercier: [Ac][Ks]

    The [7c][Qc][6d][Js][3h] board kept the pocket pair in front. As a result Mercier is down to just 32,000, whilst Leonzio is the 19th place finisher. --NW

    ept12_Dublin_high_roller_day2_ryan_riess.jpg

    Riess is on the rise

    10:25pm: Adams on the double
    Level 18 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Timothy Adams righted a little wrong of the world by holding with pocket kings versus Christoph Vogelsang to double.

    He opened to 23,000 from the hijack before Vogelsang three-bet to 61,000. Adams four-bet jammed for 157,000 and the German high roller called.

    Adams: [ks][kh]
    Vogelsang: [ah][jd]

    The board ran [th][qh][td][ts][5s] to make Adams a full house. Vogelsang still has over 1.1 million.-- MC

    10:10pm: Vogelsang eliminates Bazeley and takes the chip lead
    Level 18 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Oh boy! This is a sick one and a hand Jacob Bazeley won't forget in a while:

    The American raised it up from the cutoff and Vogelsang defended from the big blind. On the [4c][7d][9h] flop Bazeley c-bet, Vogelsang check-raised and Bazeley smooth called. The [Tc] fell on the turn and Vogelsang bet enough (203,000) to set Bazeley all in and he made the call.

    Vogelsang: [Kc][5c] - for a turned flush draw
    Bazeley: [Kd][Ks] - a pair of kings

    ept12_Dublin_high_roller_day3_christoph_vogelsang.jpg

    Lots of chips for Vogelsang

    The [5c] river completed Vogelsang's flush draw and Bazeley couldn't believe it. A horrible way to exit the tournament but he took it well and had a quick chat with Ryan Riess before heading to the payouts desk. Vogelsang is up to 1,280,000 which is good for the chip lead. -NW

    Christoph Vogelsang, 1,280,000
    Jacob Bazeley, 0

    9:55pm: Level up
    Level 18 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

    9:53pm: Coulier busts in classic race
    Level 17 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

    Christoph Vogelsang has gotten his stack up to 890,000 after he eliminated Arne Coulier.

    The latter opened from under the gun and then four-bet all in for 282,000 after Vogelsang three-bet to 59,000 from the button. Call.

    Coulier: [ts][td]
    Vogelsang: [as][kh]

    The board ran [ac][3h][7d][4d][4s].

    "Good game everybody," said a polite Coulier before exiting the room. -- MC

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin €10K High Roller Day 2: Marc Convey (rhythm guitar, vocals), Martin Harris (lead guitar), Jack Stanton (bass), and Nick Wright (drums and percussion). Photography by Jules Pochy. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter:@PokerStarsBlog


  • 19 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Main Event Day 5 live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS
    * CLICK FOR UPDATED PAYOUTS
    * Watch the action on EPT Live

    * 15 of 605 players remaining

    12:08pm: First hand, man down
    Level 24 - Blinds 12,000-24,000 (ante 3,000)

    Christopher Kruk's Day 5 lasted precisely one hand. He is now out. Action folded to Alexandre Meylan on the button and he opened to 50,000. Kruk, who had 450,000 at the start of play, moved all in and Meylan wanted a count and then a moment before calling.

    He was right to make the call. He had [ac][qc]. Kruk had [ah][7s]. The board ran [9c][jh][6d][jd][kh] and that was enough to send Kruk to the payouts desk. He'll get €25,820. -- HS

    11:58 am: Bags torn
    Level 24 - Blinds 12,000-24,000 (ante 3,000)

    The bags have been torn open and play will be under way any minute now. -- HS

    11:30 am: To lose ten players

    That's the plan for today: to lose ten players. And then we will bag up and prepare for tomorrow. That's the long game, but there will be many twists and turns along the way.

    When play gets ten-handed, they will be split across two five-handed tables. And then when it goes nine-handed, they will convene around a single table. At eight-handed, we'll have an "official" final table. But play will continue either for five levels or until six players are left, whichever is soonest.

    Got that? It's easy really. Just stick with us and watch it play out all the way.

    Before that, read yesterday's day-end report and look at the official chip counts. -- HS

    NEIL5993_EPT12DUB_Trophy_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin Main Event: Stephen "Five Pints" Bartley and Howard "Five Pints" Swains. Don't worry. We've been doing this a long time. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.

  • 19 February

    2016 EPT Dublin €10,300 High Roller Day 1: Dominik Nitsche’s Continues Big Irish Run

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56c/6affd6b1c7.jpg

    Dominik Nitsche leads after Day 1 of the 2016 PokerStars European Poker Tour Dublin €10,300 High Roller.

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  • 19 February

    2016 EPT Dublin Main Event Day 4: Urbanovich, Jones, and Mateos Highlight Final 16

    Only 16 players remain in the 2016 European Poker Tour Dublin Main Event, Ireland's Patrick Clarke leads.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 19 February

    Phil Galfond outs a scammer

    We round-up some stories you may have missed, including Dan Bilzerian's $1.2 million prop bet and a famous movie star wins a poker tournament.

  • 19 February

    40,000 | Andrew Robl buys out of bathroom bet

    It’s Friday Prop Bet Day – let’s have some fun! We take you back to 2008 where high stakes poker player Andrew Robl challenged his friend Jay Kwik to live in a hotel bathroom for a period of 30 days. The big problem with this bet? Kwik would stay at the Bellagio on the Las Vegas strip plus he would allowed to actually setup a bed inside the luxurious bathroom. Kwik would quickly find a home...

    The post 40,000 | Andrew Robl buys out of bathroom bet appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 19 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Dominik Nitsche leads final high roller of the festival

    As I'm sure you know by now the EPT Dublin Poker Festival is the biggest of its kind to be held on the Emerald Isle. As is the custom at PokerStars' EPT festivals the third and final high roller kicks off three days from the end of proceedings. Already this week we've seen big names with prior high roller success win the big events. On Sunday Mustapha Kanit took down the €25,000 High Roller and a day later Charlie Carrel triumphed in the 'Single-Day €10K'.

    After Day 1 of the 'Three-Day €10K' it's a player who's having an incredible festival who flew highest of all during the opening 10 levels. Dominik Nitsche finished runner-up to Carrel in the €10,000 Single Day High Roller. That result came just 24 hours after he'd won the UKIPT €2,000 High Roller. Those results combined earned him almost €300,000. That figure's just shy of the 305,600 chips he accrued today, he was the only player to break the 300,000 chip mark. He leads the 80 players who'll be back tomorrow. Given that reentry is open until the start of play we expect that number to swell considerably before another card is dealt.

    ept12_Dublin_high_roller_day1_dominik_nitsche.jpg

    Nitsche's great week continues

    It's not surprising that an event of this magnitude attracted a stellar field dripping with poker talent. There was a slight delay in play but by the time the first level ended the likes of Jared Jaffee, Timothy Adams, Sam Greenwood, Daniel Dvoress, Joao Vieira, Christoph Vogelsang, Team PokerStars Pro Andre Akkari, and EPT12 Dublin €25K High Roller runner-up Chance Kornuth had taken their seats.

    EPT12DUB_HR_Anton_Wigg_8472_JulesPochy.jpg

    Anton Wigg

    They were joined throughout the day by players busting out of the Main Event with Nick Petrangelo, Artem Litvinov, Pierre Neuville and Anton Wigg among those who immediately put €10,000 of their winnings back into play.

    By the time the dinner break approached it was Connor Drinan who had risen to the top of the chip counts, he was the first player past the 200,000 mark and he led from the likes of Shyam Srinivasan, Luuk Gieles, Jason Wheeler and Jason Mercier.

    ept12_Dublin_high_roller_day1_jason_mercier.jpg

    Mercier doing what Mercier does best

    The American was one of just two Team Pros who entered the fray today and he enjoyed another good day at the felt. He won a big pot against Sam Greenwood to get his tournament moving in the right direction and steadily built throughout the day, he'll be back for Day 2 with plenty, 189,300 to be precise.

    Andre Akkari completed the duo and it was a mixed day for the Brazilian. By level three he was on his second bullet (he wasn't alone). By the start of the final two levels though he had over 100 big blinds and was one of the big stacks. It doesn't take long for a tournament to unravel and with 30 minutes left on the clock he had his coat on and was heading for the exit after jamming into Or Hedad's made straight on the river.

    EPT12_Dublin_HR_Sam_Greenwood_Day1.jpg

    Good day for Greenwood

    When play restarts tomorrow they'll be a chasing pack of poker sharks breathing down Nitsche's neck challenging for the chip lead. Mark Radoja (280,000), Jerry Odeen (250,600), Sam Greenwood (248,300) and Ben Heath (240,300) finished just a few big blinds shy of Nitsche's haul.

    ept12_Dublin_high_roller_day1_mike_mcdonald.jpg

    Swing and a miss twice for McDonald

    Because this is a single reentry tournament we can't be sure that many of those who busted today are out for good as they still have the option to reenter. However we know for sure that as well as Akkari, Pratyush Buddiga, Jean-Noel Thorel, Ivan Luca, Jeff Rossiter, Max Silver and Mike McDonald are out of bullets.

    By the time the bell tolled to signal the end of level 10 roughly 84 players from the 181 players (139 uniques and 42 reentries) had made it through to Day 2. A full list of end-of-day-1 chip counts can be seen here, but the seat draw will not be available until play has started due to reentry still being open.

    Join us tomorrow starting at 12:30 GMT when Day 2 of the €10,000 High Roller continues.

  • 18 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Patrick Clarke, final home hope, bags most of last 16

    patrick_clarke_ept12_dublin_day4.jpg

    Patrick Clarke: Leading on home soil

    The European Poker Tour has a habit of setting records then breaking records, setting and breaking, setting and breaking, rinse and repeat. But through all of its 12 seasons, there has never been a level of deep-stack play like the one that kicked off Day 4 of this EPT Dublin Main Event.

    In the space of 90 minutes, the overnight field of 45 withered to 27. That's 18 eliminations (one every five minutes), from a field of players that did not appear especially short-stacked.

    Jaime Staples of Team PokerStars Online was eliminated within the first 15 minutes of play. But remarkably, he had laddered up into 43rd despite not even playing an orbit. It was that kind of day.

    jaime_staples_all_in_ept12_dublin.jpg

    The end of Jaime Staples

    Despite all the frantic early action, we still finished tonight with 16 players, the exact number anticipated. The pace did slow up a bit towards the end of the day, but we only played four levels, meaning an early night for all.

    Stack-sizes yo-yoed crazily throughout the day and the chip-lead was not established until its very final hand. In that, Patrick Clarke won a chunk from Christopher Kruk and vaulted close to 3 million.

    You can review all the hand-by-hand action on the live updates page, including that dramatic last hand.

    Clarke is the former Irish Open champion and has also made a final table on the UKIPT, so he knows how to handle the pressure. He'll need that knowledge because, as the last Irishman in this event, he carries the Emerald Isle's expectations on his shoulders.

    The final hand moved Clarke ahead of Gille Bernies, who seemed like he was going to return to the top of the counts after leading at the end of Day 1. That in itself bucked a trend for early chip leaders, who are usually out by now.

    Clarke and Bernies find some highly proficient campaigners behind them. Iliodoros Kamatakis, Dzmitry Urbanovich and Kuljinder Sidhu complete the top five. The full counts are over there on the chip-count page.

    dzmitry_urbanovich_ept12_day4.jpg

    Dzmitry Urbanovich: Best Main Event showing for the High Roller/Side Event beast

    The early carnage accounted for two of three former champions: Anton Wigg lost a flip to leave in 31st, while Dominik Panka, despite an early double up, couldn't get his pocket tens to beat Clarke's kings.

    dominik_panka_eptdub_med4.jpgNo second title for Dominik Panka

    Luca Pagano also bade a sorry farewell today, eliminated in 17th. The Team PokerStars Pro secured his 21st career EPT cash here this week--his third in Dublin--and his progress reminded us all of those early seasons of the EPT.

    But the throwback continued with the sight of Pagano sitting in anguish by the side of the table during a break after losing almost all of his stack to Adrian Mateos. Pagano turned a straight after Mateos had flopped two pair. Mateos filled up on the river.

    Pagano, who was out soon after, plays a lot less than he used to. But the sting of beats like that clearly still affects him. I wouldn't be surprised if this deep run persuades him back to the tables far more often.

    luca_pagano_ept12_dublin_day4.jpg

    Luca Pagano: Torment ended on Day 4

    As for Mateos, he endures. The Spanish player will go to Monaco in a few weeks time to defend his Grand Final crown, and he does so in fine form. He confessed he wasn't enjoying his time on a table with the volatile talents of Frank Williams, Bernies and Alex Goulder, but Mateos stuck it out and returns tomorrow with 651,000.

    Tomorrow we play to a final of six. It genuinely is anyone's game.

    Have a look at the payouts to day on the payouts page. And follow the €10,000 High Roller event deep into the wee hours. Your hosts: Marc Convey and Nick Wright.

  • 18 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Main Event Day 4 live updates archive

    This is an archive of previous coverage. Please follow the live action on the live updates page.

    5:25pm: Full chip counts
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (ante 2,000)

    NameCountryChips
    Gilles BerniesGermany2,200,000
    Christopher KrukCanada1,900,000
    Ivan BanicCroatia1,800,000
    Patrick ClarkeIreland1,700,000
    Mikhail PetrovRussia1,320,000
    Alex GoulderUK1,305,000
    Rhys JonesUK1,122,000
    Matias RuzziArgentina1,0170,00
    Kuljinder SidhuUK963,000
    Iliodoros KamatakisGreece835,000
    Frank WilliamsUK798,000
    Tomas MacNamaraUK769,000
    Alexandre MeylanSwitzerland650,000
    Adrian MateosSpain647,000
    Dzmitry UrbanovichPoland477,000
    Jiachen GongCanada450,000

    5:15pm: Redraw (stacks coming)
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (ante 2,000)

    Here are the final two tables of the EPT Dublin Main Event. Ordinarily, we'd stop at 16 players, but they're going to play to the end of this level (there are 20 minutes left) and then another one before bagging for the night.

    TV table

    1 - Kuljinder Sidhu
    2 - Matias Ruzzi
    3 - Frank Williams
    4 - Rhys Jones
    5 - Adrian Mateos
    6 - Tomas MacNamara
    7 - Dzmitry Urbanovich
    8 - Alex Goulder

    Outer table

    1 - Christopher Kruk
    2 - Iliodoros Kamatakis
    3 - Ivan Banic
    4 - Gilles Bernies
    5 - Jiachen Gong
    6 - Patrick Clarke
    7 - Mikhail Petrov
    8 - David Meylan

    5:15pm: Bernies wins a big one; takes chip lead
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (ante 2,000)

    Gilles Bernies is up to 2,200,000 - good for the chip lead - after winning a big pot against Alex Goulder.

    Adrian Mateos opened pre-flop to 35,000 from under the gun and Goulder was joined by Bernies (small blind) and Matias Ruzzi (big blind) in calling.

    No one bet the [Jc][2s][Jh] flop, but the action picked up on the [7d] turn. Mateos bet 77,000, Goulder raised to 210,000, Bernies called and Mateos folded.

    The [8h] completed the board and Bernies starred at the community cards for longer than 30 seconds before sliding out a bet of 375,000. Goulder quickly called and saw the bad news when Bernies opened [7c][7s] for a turned ful house.

    After that hand Bernies is up to 2,200,000, while Goulder drops to around 1,400,000.

    With Luca Pagano's exit in 17th that means there's a complete re-draw of the final 16 players. They've taken the break that was scheduled for the end of this level now, so during that we'll bring you the re-draw and chip count information. --NW

    5:15pm: Banic flops trip treys - but the hand is rudely interrupted
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Ivan Banic limped on the button and then called a raise of 55,000 from big blind Tomas MacNamara.

    The flop came [3d][2c][3s] and MacNamara continued for 70,000. Banic called.

    The [jc] landed on the turn and now the bet from MacNamara was 150,000. Banic called once more.

    The river was the...well, actually I didn't quite catch it as that's when Alex Goulder shockingly hit the case queen on the other table. I have to admit, I got a bit distracted.

    What I can tell you is that both players checked, MacNamara had nothing with his [kc][th], and Banic won the pot with a set of threes holding the [3h][6h].

    Tomas MacNamara had 750,000 after that hand, and Banic was up to 1.8 million roughly. --JS

    5:10pm: Pagano departs
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Luca Pagano will have to wait a little longer for that first EPT title. His Main Event campaign just ended in 17th place after he shoved for his last 272,000.

    Rhys Jones opened for 36,000 which Christopher Kruk raised to 102,000 from the cutoff. Pagano shoved from the button, which Kruk called.

    Pagano: [ah][qc]
    Kruk: [kd][qh]

    This looked good for Pagano, or did until the flop of [kh][qd][3d]. That left him needing help, which didn't come on the [td] turn or the [4h] river.

    Another cash for Pagano - 21 now - but an elimination he'll consider to be premature. - SB

    5:05pm: Goulet-Ratelle's death knell
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    We've just lost the longest name left in the field - Jean-Phillipe Goulet-Ratelle.

    He opened to 35,000 and faced a three-bet of 100,000 from Alex Goulder. Goulet-Ratelle shoved for roughly 410,000 and Goulder snap-called.

    Alex Goulder [qc][qd]
    Jean-Phillipe Goulet-Ratelle [ac][qh]

    Goulet-Ratelle was all smiles on the [as][2c][9d] flop and [7d] turn, and Goulder was down to one out. The [qs].

    And the river, you ask? The [qs].

    Goulet-Ratelle collects €22,880 for 18th, while Goulder now has 1.94 million. --JS

    5pm: Meylan's jacks hold against Mateos
    Level 22- Blinds 8,000/16,000 (ante 2,000)

    This all in actually started after the Frank Williams double, but ended before it as the action was far swifter.

    Adrian Mateos opened from the cutoff and then called after Alexandre Meylan moved all in for 321,000 from the small blind. The Swiss player had [Js][Jd] and was looking to stay in front of the [Ad][Td] of Mateos.

    Although Mateos connected with the [7c][8s][3s][Tc][7d] board it was with his under, rather than over-card and Meylan survived. He's up to 672,000 while Mateos slips to 775,000. --NW

    4:50pm: Jones v Petrov
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Jiachen Gong opened from under the gun making it 38,000. Rhys Jones then three-Bet to 108,000. Mikhail Petrov though was ready with the four-Bet, making it 180,000 from the cutoff. Gong passed but Jones moved all in for 942,000.

    rhys_petrov_ept12_dublin_day4.jpg

    Rhys Jones

    If you were watching EPT Live you would have seen Petrov's reaction. Along with an expression that at best guess began with an "F", he sat up and removed his glasses. It was 762,000 to call, more than half of Petrov's stack. But he couldn't do it.

    It puts Jones up to 1.2 million. - SB

    5pm: Frank Williams doubles through Tomas MacNamara
    Level 22- Blinds 8,000/16,000 (ante 2,000)

    There were all ins on the two outer tables almost simultaneously and on both occasions the short stack survived.

    That's good news for fans of Frank Williams. He raised to 35,000 on the button only for Tomas MacNamara to three-bet to 90,000 from the small blind. Iliodoros Kamatakis folded the big blind and Williams considered his options. He stacked up his chips - which amounted to 321,000 - and pushed them over the line. MacNamara got a count, tanked and then called.

    MacNamara: [Ks][Ts]
    Williams: [Ah][Qh]

    The [2h][8h][Ad][7s][Kc] board doubled Williams to 670,000 and dropped MacNamara to 1,460,000. --NW

    4:50pm: Williams on a slippery slope; MacNamara on the up and up
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Frank Williams's stack has taken a battering in the last orbit. Here's the latest hit.

    Williams opened to 35,000 and faced a three-bet to 85,000 from Tomas MacNamara to his immediate left. Williams called and the two saw the [jh][5d][th] flop. Both checked, and the [6c] hit the turn. Now Williams led for 92,000 and MacNamara called.

    The river was the [2c] and Williams calmly (and slowly) counted out a bet of 285,000 - all in blue 5,000 chips - and slid them over the line. It didn't take MacNamara too long to call, flipping over [qd][jc] for top pair. Williams had top pair too, but his [jd][8d] was out-kicked. He dropped to 246,000 while MacNamara shot up to 1.8 million.

    Williams would win a little back though on the next hand. He opened to 35,000 and it folded around to Ivan Banic in the big blind, who made the call. The flop came [9c][kh][3s] and Banic checked, resulting in a 33,000 c-bet from Williams. Banic called, the turn was the [2d], and Banic checked again. Williams bet 58,000 and took it down.

    After all that, he's left with 350,000. --JS

    4:45pm: Margereson's run ends
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Scott Margereson spent yesterday building a big stack, today he had to fight as the short one. That fight just came to an end in 18th place.

    8G2A7489_EPT12DUB_Scott_Margereson_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Scott Margereson

    He shoved with [ac][9h] for 278,000 and looked good when Christopher Kruk called with [kh][qd]. But while Margereson hit the flop, so did Kruk.

    [9d][qs][js]

    Margereson needed help, but none came on the [6d] turn or [qh] river card. -- SB

    4:40pm: Gong doubles
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    A double up for Jiachen Gong who shoved with [ac][kh]. Mikhail Petrov called with [ks][js]. The flop came [qd][8c][qc], the turn [8s] and the river [2c]. Gong up to 540,000 while Petrov drops slightly to 1,390,000. - SB

    jiachen_gong_ept12_dublin_day3.jpg

    Jiachen Gong: Gone

    4:35pm: Dias done
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Bernardo Dias is out in a hand with some three-way drama. He was all in with ace-king and both Mikhail Petrov and Chrstopher Kruk saw a flop (Kruk betting and Petrov calling).

    bernado_dias_ept12_dublin_day4.jpg

    Bernardo Dias: Dias is done

    The flop came [6d][9s][qh] which was checked. The turn came [6h] which Petrov checked. At which point Kruk bet 225,000. Petrov then called. They both then checked the [3c] river, at which point Kruk showed fives and Petrov aces. All of which meant curtains for Dias, out in 20th place. - SB

    4:30pm: Pagano pushes, misses double
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Luca Pagano moved all in from the cutoff and, one seat to his left, the other table short stack, Jean-Philippe Goulet-Ratelle, showed interest. After establishing that Pagano had 163,000 left, Goulet-Ratelle re-shoved over the top.

    luca_pagano_ept12_dublin_day4.jpg

    More torment for Luca Pagano

    Everyone else folded and Pagano discovered that he was in good shape. He had [as][9s] to Goulet-Ratelle's [ah][8d]. The dealer took a while to get the full flop dealt as the television cameras needed to swarm over to potentially record the last Team PokerStar's Pro's elimination or double up.

    But they got neither. The board ran [qs][th][5h][7s][5d] and that's a chop. -- HS

    4:20pm: Nice call from Clarke
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Our sole remaining Irishman Patrick Clarke is now up to 1.23 million after making a nice river call to Frank Williams' bet.

    Williams kicked off the action with a 35,000 open under the gun. Two players called - the aforementioned Clarke on the button and Ivan Banic from the big blind.

    [qs][6d][th] came the flop, and Banic checked. Williams put out a c-bet of 62,000, and both Clarke and Banic would match it, making it three to the turn.

    It came the [7h] and went check-check-check. So, the dealer dealt the [6h] on the river. Banic checked once more, and Williams kicked back into life with a bet of 180,000. Clarke thought for a while, counted out calling chips, and shuffled them while seemingly trying to get a read on his opponent. He'd end up making a fantastic call with [qc][jc], Banic folded, and Williams showed [ad][kh] for nothing butst a busted straight draw.

    Williams is now down to 660,000, while Clarke races up to 1.23 million. --JS

    4:10pm: Ruzzi's river bet gets rid of Goulder
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    It's a formidable job taking on Alex Goulder today, but somebody has to do it. Matias Ruzzi gave it a crack and added a few chips to his stack.

    Ruzzi opened to 35,000 and Goulder three-bet from the button 100,000. Ruzzi took a while before deciding to call and they went to a flop of [ah][qh][9c]. Check, check. The turn was [7h] and it went check, check. And then the [ac] came on the river.

    Ruzzi cut out a bet of 140,000 and that was finally enough to get rid of Goulder. -- HS

    4:05pm: Play re-starts
    Level 22 - Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

    Players are back in action in the Main Event after a 20 minute break.

    3:45pm: Pagano left with almost nothing after Mateos rivers full house
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    It seems as though Luca Pagano just suffered a pretty horrific run out against Adrian Mateos and the Team PokerStars Pro is down to about 185,000. Pagano mucked on the end, but took so long to do so that it seems he must have had a huge hand too, but couldn't quite believe that it had lost.

    luca_pagano_med4.jpgLuca Pagano

    Mateos started the hand with a raise to 25,000 from early position and Pagano defended his big blind. Just the two of them saw the flop of [8h][9s][6h] and both checked.

    The turn brought the [5c], making any random big-blind hand look quite attractive. Pagano bet 33,000. Mateos called. The [9d] came on the river and Pagano bet 68,000.

    Mateos asked to see Pagano's stack and then measured a raise of 225,000. That was more than 50 percent of what Pagano had left, but the Italian didn't take any time at all to call.

    Mateos turned over [8s][9h] and Pagano seemed stunned. He tank-mucked, and wandered away wondering if his chance at a second EPT Dublin final table is now over. He'll return to 11 big blinds after the break. -- HS

    3:40pm: Goulder's raking them in
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Alex Goulder came into Day 4 with the chip lead and he's still right up there. He just took down a big pot that must make him a top three stack at least.


    alex_goulder_eptdub_med4.jpgAlex Goulder

    It started with an open to 27,000 from Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano, and that was met with a 3-bet to 81,000 from Goulder. Alexandre Meylan made the call, and Pagano really looked like he wanted to either call or perhaps even shove. He'd fold though, making it heads up to the flop.

    It came the [7s][4d][ah] and Goulder led for 115,000, which was called. It was a similar story on the [td] turn - a 200,000 bet from Goulder and a call. Then came the [kh] on the river. Goulder had Meylan covered and used that to his advantage by making him play for it all. It was too much for Meylan, however, and he gave it up.

    Alexandre Meylan 480,000
    Alex Goulder 1,890,000 --JS

    3:35pm: Shine burns out in 21st
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    After Frank Williams opened for 27,000 from the cutoff, it folded around to Cathal Shine in the big blind who reshoved for about 310,000 total and Williams called right away.

    Shine: [Ac][9c]
    Williams: [As][Kd]

    The board came an uneventful [Td][6d][5s][Qs][5c], and Shine departs in 21st, leaving Patrick Clarke as the lone remaining Irishman of the final 20. Meanwhile Williams gets back to about 800,000. --MH

    3:30pm: Sidhu bounces Boyaciyan
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    David Boyaciyan has now hit the rail, turning top pair and check-raising all in, but finding that Kuljinder Sidhu had also turned the same pair and had a higher kicker.

    Boyaciyan opened to 26,000 from under the gun and Sidhu called from a couple of seats along. No one else was interested. They both checked a flop of [3s][4s][js] and then all the action happened on the [kc] turn.


    david_boyaciyan_eptdub_med4.jpgDavid Boyaciyan

    Boyaciyan checked, Sidhu bet 36,000 and Boyaciyan shoved for about 200,000. Sidhu immediately called.

    Boyaciyan, with [kh][9h] had falled into Sidhu's slow-played [ad][kd].

    Boyaciyan heads home with €19,950 for 22nd while Sidhu is sticking around with about 1.4 million. -- HS

    3:20pm: Big stacks get four-betting
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    The volatile Frank Williams has moved tables, taking a seat between Ivan Banic and Tomas MacNamara. Williams's stack has taken a slight dip of late -- down to about 550,000 -- and he is the thin sandwich between Banic (1.2 million) and MacNamara (900,000).

    He had a close-up view of this latest hand between his new neighbours, though. Banic opened from early position, making it 26,000 to play. MacNamara three bet to 70,000 and Banic four-bet to 175,000.

    MacNamara called, which took them to a flop of [4s][as][3s]. Check, check. They had done their pot-swelling pre-flop.

    The turn was the [qc] and Banic checked. MacNamara, despite intense scrutiny from Banic, found a way to bet 150,000 and Banic, despite MacNamara looking the other way, found a way to fold.

    On the table Williams just vacated, Alex Goulder has built his stack to about 1.6 million now. -- HS

    3:15pm: The end of Oliveira
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    They are down to 22 after Francisco Oliveira departs. It's been a good festival so far for Portuguese players, at least in the side events, but their representation in the Main Event is now over.


    francisco_de_oliveira_eptdub_med4.jpgFrancisco De Oliveira

    This was a battle of the blinds, although with 248,000 total after the hand against Tomas MacNamara detailed below, Oliveira wasn't in a particularly good spot to get cute. He got it in with [6s][6d] and was, on balance, unfortunate to find Iliodoros Kamatakis with [ad][kc] in the big blind.

    He was even more unfortunate to see a flop of [kd][kh][jh] and then a turn of [9h] and a river [9d]. That's the end of Oliveira. -- HS

    3:10pm: MacNamara applies the pressure
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Four players went to flop, which came the [7d][8c][8h]. Tomas MacNamara, Francisco Oliveira, Kuljinder Sidhu, and Ivan Banic all checked. There was some action on the [7h] turn though; MacNamara checked but now Oliveira led for 31,000. Sidhu made the call, Banic folded, and MacNamara bumped it up to 93,000 to go. Oliveira called but Sidhu let his hand go.


    kuljinder_sidhu_eptdub_med4.jpgKuljinder Sidhu

    So, to the river. It was the [2d], and MacNamara shoved - putting Oliveira and his remaining 248,000 to the test. He'd give it up and MacNamara now has 1.4 million. --JS

    3:05pm: Goulet-Ratelle gets there versus Williams
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Down to his last 173,000, Jean-Philippe Goulet-Ratelle looked down at [Kc][Js] in the hijack seat, pondered for a few beats, then announced he was all in. The action folded to Frank Williams in the big blind who asked for a count, then called the push, turning over [Ac][Ts].

    The [Qs][5d][3s] flop was no good for Goulet-Ratelle, but the [Jc] turn certainly was. The [6d] river then meant the pair of jacks had held, and Goulet-Ratelle doubled to about 360,000. Williams now has exactly 600,000. --MH

    3:00pm: The calm after the storm
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    We all agree -- TV crew, reporters and players -- we have never seen a Day 4 level as frantic as the first one today.

    But after the storm, now the relative calm. Things are a good deal more placid, at least for now, as the blinds try to catch up with the stacks.

    Three hands from Table 2 as evidence: Adrian Mateos opened from UTG+1 and Alex Goulder was his only customer, one seat to his left. They saw a flop of [9c][js][jd] and Mateos check-called Goulder's bet of 32,000.

    Both players checked the [7h] turn. Mateos bet 75,000 at the [2c] river and Goulder folded.

    Next hand, Goulder got back in the saddle with an open to 28,000 and everyone folded. And then on the next hand, it folded all the way around to Matias Ruzzi's small blind and he limped.

    Mateos checked his option in the big blind but then a bet of 16,000 from Ruzzi after the [4h][3d][2h] flop was the last action of the hand. Mateos flicked away his cards. -- HS

    2:55pm: MacNamara scores big double up through Kamatakis
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    A dream start back from the break for Tomas MacNamara.

    Kuljinder Sidhu kicked things off with an open to 27,000, which Ivan Banic called. MacNamara then 3-bet to 82,000 on the button, and it folded to Iliodoros Kamatakis in the big blind. He then 4-bet to 210,000, which was too much for Sidhu and Banic. But MacNamara then shoved for 475,000 total and was called.

    Tomas MacNamara [kd][kc]
    Iliodoros Kamatakis [jh][jd]


    tomas_macnamara_eptdub_med4.jpgTomas MacNamara

    It was a great spot for MacNamara and one which would end well too. The board ran out [4c][qh][ac][4d][5s] and MacNamara now has 968,000, while Kamatakis has 749,000. --JS

    2:45pm: Redraw done
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Play has restarted earlier than expected. The remaining 23 players are back in action. -- SB

    2:30pm: Redraw details
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Here's how the final three tables line up at the EPT Dublin Main Event:

    TV Table

    1 - Bernardo Dias
    2 - Rhys Jones
    3 - Mikhail Petrov
    4 - Christopher Kruk
    5 - Scott Margereson
    6 - Dzmitry Urbanovich
    7 - Patrick Clarke
    8 - Jiachen Gong

    Table 2

    1 - Alex Goulder
    2 - Frank Williams
    3 - Alexandre Meylan
    4 - Gilles Bernies
    5 - Luca Pagano
    6 - Jean-Philippe Goulet-Ratelle
    7 - Matias Ruzzi
    8 - Adrian Mateos

    Table 3

    1 - Ivan Banic
    2 - empty
    3 - Tomas MacNamara
    4 - Francisco Oliveira
    5 - Iliodoros Kamatakis
    6 - David Boyaciyan
    7 - Cathal Shine
    8 - Kuljinder Sidhu

    They are taking a 30-minute break to do TV things. Whatever they are. -- HS

    2.30pm: Saout busts to Kruk, Zhang busts to Banic
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Two eliminations in the space of a minute to tell you about from before the pause in play.

    Frenchman and 2009 November Niner Antoine Saout is out of the Main Event. He got it all in with the [6h][6c] and was up against the [jh][qc] of Chris Kruk, but a queen on the flop and no help anywhere else sent him out of here in 25th.


    antoine_saout_eptdub_med4.jpgAntoine Saout

    Meanwhile, Yang Zhang was also all-in for around 430,000 with the [ah][qd] against Ivan Banic's [kd][kh]. A king on the flop gave Banic a set and sealed Zhang's fate as our 24th place finisher.

    We're not quite sure how much Kruk and Banic have, but the players have gone on a 10 minute break while we get official chip counts. Don't go anywhere. --JS

    2:25pm: Redraw
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    With the latest elimination from the feature table, we are down to 24. That means a re-draw. Details of where they are all sitting will be with you shortly. -- HS

    2:23pm: La Boissonire on his way back to Canada
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Charles La Boissonnire is the next man out, sent packing by Alexandre Meylan. This was routine: La Boissonnire open-shoved for his last 250,000-ish and Meylan, one seat to his left, re-shoved for a covering stack. Everyone else folded.

    La Boissonnire: [ah][js]
    Meylan: [qs][qc]

    La Boissonnire hit one of his cards on the flop, but it was the wrong one. The [jd], nestled between the [9h][2h], was not enough to beat the queens. The [3s] on the turn wasn't enough either, and nor was the [ks] on the river.

    La Boissonire, who qualified for the event on PokerStars, heads back to Canada with €17,310.

    Of the remaining 24 players, ten qualified online, including the chip-leader Christophe Kruk. -- HS


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    2:22pm: Shine shoves, Williams releases
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    A blind-versus-blind battle saw Frank Williams (small) and Cathal Shine (big) reach a [4h][Ad][4s] flop, at which Williams fired 24,000 and Shine called. Williams then checked the [Ts] turn, inviting Shine to bet 47,000. After a moment of thought, Williams called.

    The river brought the [9h] and another check from Williams. This time Shine shoved all in for his last 160,000 or so, and after about a half-minute Williams released his hand.

    Shine is up to 365,000 now while Williams has right about 800,000. --MH

    2:21pm: Two hands worth mentioning
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Guy Goosens out. Having played a short stack for about two days, he laddered well, but departed a short while ago. -- SB

    2:20pm: Two hands worth mentioning
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    I haven't seen any huge collisions since the players returned, but here are a couple of hands I caught over the last five minutes.

    One started with an open by second-shortest stack Bernardo Dias to 26,000. "You have 200 more?" asked Gilles Bernies from the big blind, and Dias nodded. He made the call.


    bernadro_dias_eptdub_med4.jpgBernardo Dias

    The two players saw the [6c][6s][js] flop and Bernies checked. Dias continued for 25,000 but there was a check-raise all-in from Bernies. Dias quickly folded and now has 175,000, while Bernies is up to 1.46 million.

    On another table, Ireland's Patrick Clarke opened to 26,000 also, which had one caller - Mikhail Petrov from the big blind. The flop came [ks][qs][8d] and Petrov checked to the raiser, who put out a c-bet of 31,000. Petrov called.

    The turn was the [3c], which both checked, taking us to the [8c] on the river. Petrov checked once more, but Clarke now bet 55,000. Petrov played with his chips, counting them out while trying to get a read from Clarke. He eventually made the call but we never saw his cards - he mucked when Clarke showed [js][qc] for a pair of ladies. Clarke has 625,000 now, while Petrov has 560,000. --JS

    2:10pm: Gong!
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Everything Rhys Jones touches this afternoon has turned to gold, but he just lost a few chips to Jiachen Gong.

    Jones opened to 26,000 from mid-position and Gong defended his big blind. He was the only man prepared to take on Jones's 1 million stack. They both checked the flop of [td][jc][8s] and then Jones bet 28,000 after Gong checked the [ts] turn.

    The [qc] came on the river and Gong checked again. Jones bet 87,000 but Gong found a call. Jones did show his hand, but mucked it so quickly when Gong flipped [8h][9d] that I missed it. Suffice to say, it wasn't as good as Gong's eights and tens. -- HS

    2:05pm: Goulet Ratelle shoves, collects
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Among the short stacks right now is Jean-Philippe Goulet-Ratelle of Canada, but he's trying to do what he can to change that circumstance.

    Just now Goulet-Ratelle watched Matias Ruzzi of Argentina open for 52,000, and when the action reached him he shoved with his last 288,000. It folded quickly back to Ruzzi who took a short while before letting his hand go. Goulet-Ratelle bumps up over 360,000 with that one while Ruzzi sits with 445,000. --MH

    2:00pm: Aces again for Urbanovich - doubles through Jones
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Dzmitry Urbanovich is running hot so far today; he's just doubled up for the second time in little over a level, and both times with pocket rockets.

    Rhys 'Floppinhel' Jones limped from the small blind, but Urbanovich bumped it up to 33,000. Jones then shoved (Urbanovich had 291,000 total) and the Polish wizard announced "I'm all in as he turned over [as][ac]. Jones held the [kd][qd].

    There was a queen on the [js][qs][4h] flop, but Jones would need to hit again if he was to eliminate Urbanovich. The [7s] turn made that harder to do, as it eliminated the [ks] from Jones' outs. In the end, the [8h] hit the river and Urbanovich is up to 582,000, while Jones slips to 630,000. --JS

    1:50pm: Next level
    Level 21 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (1,000 ante)

    After an exceptionally action-filled Level 20, we now move into Level 21, which promises more of the same. Full chip counts are on their way, while the payouts page is (nearly) up to date too. -- HS

    1:40pm: Frank Williams, doing stuff
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    "You are doing all kinds of stuff," Scott Margeresen said to Frank Williams at the end of a hand that played into the break. It was complimentary, referencing Williams's apparent disregard for the gravity of the situation -- his first Day 4 at an EPT Main Event.

    Williams has actually got a stack now that's about the same size as the one he sat down with at the start of play (about 850,000), but he is among the more active players in the room.


    frank_williams_eptdub_med4.jpgFrank Williams

    Margereson and Gilles Bernies are also at that table, as is Adrian Mateos. It's a measure of how difficult it's become that Mateos, the EPT Grand Final champion, was eager to learn whether there would be a redraw when they got down to 24 players. "I don't like this table," he said.

    On the latest hand in question, Margereson opened to 22,000 from the cutoff and Bernies called from the button. Williams, in the small blind, evidently seemed tempted to find a three-bet, but eventually just called, which also persuaded Cathal Shine to call from the big blind.

    So it was four of them to a flop of [td][5c][5h] and Williams led immediately for 36,000. Shine and Margereson folded, but Bernies called. The [2d] came on the turn and Williams again bet at it, this time 92,000.

    Margereson, who had got up to begin his break, sat down again for a close-up view of proceedings. The cameras, with nothing else in the room, also zoomed in to watch. Bernies eventually folded and, with Margereson prompting Williams to "show one for the cameras", Williams turned over the [jh].

    "You are doing all kinds of stuff," Margereson said. -- HS

    1:36pm: Urbanovich doubles through Ruzzi
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Dzmitry 'Colisea' Urbanovich is still in the hunt for his first EPT Main Event title after doubling through Matias Ruzzi.

    Urbanovich opened to 22,000 on the button, and was 3-bet to 50,000 by Ruzzi. Urbanovich shoved for around 120,000 more and Ruzzi made the call with [qd][jd]. It's a pretty looking hand, but not as pretty as the [ah][as] that Urbanovich held.

    The double up was secured on the flop, and in the end here's how the board looked: [ac][5h][3s][8d][8c]. Urbanovich now has 272,000, while Ruzzi has 485,000. --JS

    1:35pm: Malone out in 28th place
    Level 20 - Blinds: 10,000-20,000 (1,000 ante)

    Stephen Malone is the latest faller from the TV table. He was all in with [td][tc] against the [jh][jd] of Iliodoros Kamatakis. The flop came [7d][qs][9d].

    "I'll take a jack," joked Malone, changing his tune.

    But the turn came [kc] and the river [7c] to end the Irishman's Main Event campaign in 28th place. - SB

    1:30pm: Panka pummelled
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)


    dominik_panka_eptdub_med4.jpgDominik Panka

    Sorry Poles -- and poker fans the world over -- Dominik Panka is out. After Patrick Clarke opened to 23,000 from under the gun, Panka shoved for about 230,000 from the button and Clarke called.

    Clarke: [ks][kh]
    Panka: [th][tc]

    It was a tough break for Panka, particularly when the board ran [jd][jc][3s][jh][5d], leaving Adrian Mateos as the last remaining former champions. -- HS


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    1:25pm: Michalak out in 30th place
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Jakub Michalak is out in 30th place at the TV table, sent there by Kuljinder Sidhu who has doubled his stack since the start of play. He's on 1.5 million. -- SB

    1:20pm: Tough turn knocks out Wigg
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Over on the feature table, Anton Wigg opened for 23,000 then saw Kuljinder Sidhu reraise to 60,000 behind him. The action returned around to Wigg who shoved all in for 298,000, and after some thought Sidhu called the shove.

    Wigg had [Ah][Jc] and was hoping to improve versus Sidhu's [7h][7d], and the [6h][Ac][4d] flop brought such improvement by giving Wigg a better pair and a seemingly strong hold on the hand. But then the [7c] fell on the turn, and Wigg turned his head away from the table in frustration as Sidhu had made an unbeatable set of sevens.

    The [Qc] river meaninglessly completed the board, and Wigg is out in 31st. Meanwhile Sidhu is now up over 1.15 mllion. --MH

    1:05pm: Jean runs into Williams' bullets
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Frank Williams opens a lot of pots, so he has a very good chance of being paid off when he actually finds a hand. And he just found [ah][ad] versus Mikael Jean's [as][qh] and they got it all in on a flop of [qd][5d][8c].

    Jean's shove was for about 150,000 but after a turn of [7s] and a river [7c], that 150,000 was heading to Williams and increases his stack to about 850,000 -- HS

    1:00pm: Reeves out
    Level 20 - Blinds: 10,000-20,000 (1,000 ante)

    Lucas Reeves is out. He shoved all-in with [7h][7d] and got a call from fellow Brit Rhys Jones who held [ah][ks].


    lucas_reeves_eptdub_med4.jpgLucas Reeves

    The flop came [9d][9c][kd], which Reeves admitted was not good. The turn and river were both eights, which didn't change that. Reeves made his way to the rail while Jones now has 1.15million. - SB

    12:55pm Banic gets stronger
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Ivan Banic opened to 22,000 and found two callers in Patrick Clarke (on the button) and Tomas MacNamara (small blind).

    The three went to a flop which came the [9c][6h][4d]. Both MacNamara and Banic checked, leading to a 32,000 bet from Clarke. Only Banic would call, and we went to the [ah] on the turn. It was checked to Clarke again and now the bet was 56,000. Banic called and the two saw the [jd] hit the river. Both checked, and Banic took it down with his [as][kd]. Clarke mucked.

    Ivan Banic now has 1.2 million. --JS

    12:50pm: Akenhead croaks courtesy of Kruk
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    By the turn, the board showed the [7h][8s][6s][4s]. James Akenhead had put out a bet, which was re-raised by Christopher Kruk. Akenhead then shoved for 274,000 total, Kruk asked for a count, and made the call.

    Akenhead was dreaming of spades as he had the [as][5d]. Meanwhile, Kruk wasn't afraid of a flopped flush, and called with [tc][9c] for a straight.

    Only a spade could save Akenhead, but the river was the [kd]. Kruk now has 1.4 million.

    Akenhead, another November Niner, is now free to join Neuville to relive the memories of Vegas. --JS

    12.45pm: November Niner Neuville out in 35th
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Pierre Neuville's turn now to head to the door, another victim of the Day 2 chip-leader, Ivan Banic.

    Banic opened from the hijack and Neuville called from the cutoff and it was only those two to a flop of [4d][8h][2d]. Banic checked, Neuville bet 50,000 and then Banic moved all in, comfortably covering Neuville's last 150,000 or so.

    Neuville called all in, but this was a misstep. He had his top pair with his [9s][8s] but was in trouble against Banic's [jc][js].

    The [kc][3s] completed the board and Neuville heads away. Banic is up to about 800,000. -- HS

    12:41pm: Teichert out
    Level 20 - Blinds: 10,000-20,000 (1,000 ante)

    Nikolaus Teichert is out. He and Iliodoros Kamatakis got their chips in on a flop of [td][th][6s]. Each had a ten, but Kamatakis had the advantage.

    Teichert: [tc][9h]
    Kamatakis: [as][ts]

    The turn and river brought nothing to change Teichert's fate. - SB

    12:40pm: Calamusa and Hadad - both gone
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    So many bust-outs, such little time to sit down and type them up before hearing "All in and a call!"

    The first to tell you about is Pierre Calamusa. He got his last 140,000 in on the [9d][4h][ad] flop with the [qd][6d] and was called by Scott Margereson's [ac][td]. The turn was the [as], giving Margereson trips, and the [kh] river was not the diamond Calamusa was looking for in the rough.

    Then, after Gilles Bernies had checked the turn on a [2d][7d][qc][4h] board, Or Hadad moved all in for 119,000 into a 125,000 pot. Bernies called with [qs][th] which was ahead of Hadad's [8s][8d]. The [2s] hit the river and Hadad was eliminated.

    Bernies moves up to 1.4 million. --JS


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    12:36pm: The Adventures of Jaime Staples (Final scene)
    Level 20 - Blinds: 10,000-20,000 (1,000 ante)

    Who knew that moving all in for 2,000 could reap such an enormous return. But it does. None of which really meant anything to Jaime Staples, who just busted the Main Event.

    In reality it was the hand before the 2K shove that did the damage.

    He moved in from the hijack for about 245,000, behind a bet from Alex Meylan, who then called all-in himself.

    Staples turned over [9s][9c] but would need help against Meylan's [ks][kc].

    He didn't get it. The board ran out [4d][8h][qh][7h][tc] and the dealer did the calculations. Staples had him covered. Just. The dealer tossed him three yellow chips.

    "Chip and a chair, right?" he said.

    "Three chips," said Pierre Calamusa helpfully, as if that meant his predicament was actually three times better than that.

    jaime_staples_all_in_ept12_dublin.jpg

    Jaime Staples all in for not very much

    After coughing up the ante Staples shoved (can you shove two chips?) on the next hand. Remarkably it went rather well and at the end of the hand he had a flush and 16K.

    So much?

    Yang Zhang wanted to know why so much. To be honest I did too. So the dealer explained. Eight players (an ante each) and four players in the pot. Or something. It convinced Zhang. I'll work it out later.

    Still, it kept Staples alive for another hand. Another shove, this time with 15,000 (after another ante) and [kc][9c]. Zhang was his opponent, but he had jacks and had flopped a set. That would see Staples, with a "good game guys," to the rail (and ultimate the EPT Live booth). -- SB

    jaime_staples_eliminated_day4_ept12_dublin.jpg

    Jaime Staples heads to the booth

    12:35pm: Bernies missteps but gets lucky to bust Arruda
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    This one happened a little while ago, but action has been so ridiculous we've not had a chance to publish everything just yet. But, to catch up:

    To quote Worm from Rounders: "Lot of action. Lot. Of. Action."

    Let's rewind five minutes. Brazil's William Arruda had opened to 21,000 - pretty standard. Then PokerStars Qualifier Gilles Bernies three-bet to 53,000. Both had started the day with similar stacks (603,000 for Arruda and 657,000 for Bernies).

    Next up was a four-bet from Arruda to 121,000, and we knew a massive pot was in the works. Bernies then bumped it up again, this time with a five-bet 253,000.

    Arruda didn't take too long to announce the sixth bet - an all-in shove for 550,000 more. Bernies stood, seemingly agitated. He eventually called with the [jd][js], which needed help to beat Arruda's [kc][kh].

    There was none on the [2d][4s][6s] flop. But the [jh] flew in on the turn like a helicopter to a stranded castaway. Bernies let out a huge sigh of relief, while there were a few groans around the room.

    The river was the [6h] and Arruda was sent packing. Meanwhile, Gilles Bernies is our new chip leader with 1.2 million. --JS

    12.30pm: Litvinov continues the race to the door
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Even by established standards, this had been a mad opening 30 minutes. Artem Litvinov is now also out, his chips sliding towards Christopher Kruk. Litvinov was the first man into the room today, taking his seat about 15 minutes before play began. But it was a short day nonetheless. -- HS

    12.23pm: Jones ousts Petrangelo
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Nick Petrangelo has become the latest casualty of this brutal opening 30 minutes. Petrangelo opened to 22,000 from early position and Jones three-bet to 56,000 one seat along. Action folded back to Petrangelo and he shoved for about 280,000 and Jones, after quickly double-checking his cards, called.

    Jones: [ah][ad]
    Petrangelo: [jc][jd]

    The board didn't quite have enough paint for Petrangelo. It came [6d][qd][th][kc][6h]. That was the end of that for the dominant force of Petrangelo. Lucky for him, the High Roller has just started.

    Jones has nearly a million chips. -- HS

    12.15pm: Kan can't
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Raiden Kan has had a fine run at this EPT Dublin festival, but he is now out. He became the first casualty from the feature table

    12.10pm: Jean genie
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Mikael Jean just survived a pair-under-pair skirmish, denying Cathal Shine the chance to vault beyond half a million. The pair both had premium hands: Jean had [qh][qc] while Shine had [kh][kd].

    The board ran [8c][jc][9c][4c][tc] and they both ended up playing the board. Jean began today with 228,400; Shine had 291,000. They still have about the same each after Jean found the genie in the bottle. -- HS

    12:02pm: Panka doubles through MacNamara - first hand of the day
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    2014 PCA winner Dominik Panka has doubled up in the very first hand of the day. He came in with just nine big blinds (91,000), so it wasn't too surprising to see him get it in.

    He got it in with the [ah][td] from under the gun and was called by Tomas MacNamara from the big blind, who held the [5c][5s].

    The run-out was kind to Panka - [kd][tc][6d][qc][2h]. He won with his pair of tens and now sits with 192,000, while MacNamara has dropped to 474,000. --JS

    12pm: First man down
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    We are down to 40 already after Adrien Allain became the first man out today. He got his last 84,000 in the middle with [ac][4c] and Adrian Mateos snapped him off with [9h][9c]. The flop was pretty emphatic. It came [9d][7d][7h] and Allain did not pull off the miraculous outdraw on the [ks][6c] turn and river. Allain will get €11,440. -- HS

    12pm: Play under way
    Level 20 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Play is under way on Day 4. They will play down to the last 16 players or five levels, whichever comes soonest.

    We will have full, official chip-counts at the end of every level over on the chip-count page. In the meantime, there will be approximations and eliminations featured there. -- HS

    11:35am: Day 4 preparation

    Play will begin at noon on Day 4 of the EPT Dublin Main Event. Alex Goulder is out in front. Luca Pagano is going deep having secured his 21st EPT cash, and Jaime Staples is recording his best ever live cash. Stick with us all day.-- HS

    8G2A7279_EPT12DUB_Jaime_Staples_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Jaime Staples

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin Main Event: Stephen Bartley, Jack Stanton and Howard Swains. One fresh, new, eager upstart and two grizzled old-timers. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.

  • 18 February

    Alex Goulder Enjoys the Quick Bustouts on Day 4

    Alex Goulder holds on to his chip lead after 3 levels on Day 4. He tells PokerNews his strategy as chip leader and how he enjoys himself at EPT festivals.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 18 February

    Anton Wigg On to the 10K

    Anton Wigg tells PokerNews how he busted the EPT Dublin Main Event.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 18 February

    Team Event Said to Return to the WSOP for the First Time Since 1983

    The 2016 World Series of Poker schedule is said to include a team event, the first of its kind since 1983.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 18 February

    WAG Diaries: Tommy & Liz Miller

    Sasha Salinger puts Tommy Miller to the test. Just how well does he know Liz who he started dating 12 years ago?  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 18 February

    Winamax mistakenly gifts player €1.5m

    French online poker site Winamax accidentally gives player a more than generous bonus.

  • 18 February

    EPT12 Dublin: €10K High Roller Day 1 live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES

    12:56pm: Litvinov lets it ride
    Level 1 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

    More than 30 have registered so far according to the big board, and that number will be steadily increasing throughout the afternoon and evening as players continue to arrive, then eventually when the re-entries start picking up.

    Among players taking hands at the start of the level is Artem Litvinov who just moment ago cashed in the Main Event, having lasted into the top 40 over there for a €13,200 cash -- more than enough for one entry here. --MH

    12:50pm: Shuffle up and deal!
    Level 1 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

    At last... cards are in the air! The starting stack is 50,000, and don't forget there is a single re-entry option. --MH

    12:37pm: Getting close

    A little bit of a delay here as the staff waits for the high rollers to start rolling in. Play should start soon. --MH

    11:45am: €10K High Roller Awaits!

    Welcome poker fans to Day 1 of the much anticipated €10K High Roller, the third and last of the high rollers here at the EPT Dublin festival.

    We've already watched a couple of previous champions of EPT high rollers pick up additional silver spades in the big buy-in events here this week, with Mustapha Kanit taking down the €25K High Roller and Charlie Carrel winning the €10K Single-Day High Roller.

    Meanwhile Carrel also took third in the €25K, and like Jeff Rossiter (who finished fifth in the €25K and seventh in the €10K Single-Day) will be going for the high roller trifecta here in Dublin in this one.

    The schedule calls for 10 one-hour levels today, with late registration and the option to re-enter -- only once! -- available all day and night up until the start of tomorrow's Day 2. There will be a 75-minute dinner break after Level 6. Play starts at 12:30pm local time -- stick close for start-to-finish coverage with live updates, photos, and more from the poker room here at the Royal Dublin Society! --MH


    EPT12DUB_chips_mainevent_8077_JulesPochy.jpg




    Want to start your own EPT campaign? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin €10K High Roller Day 1: Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey, Martin Harris, and Nick Wright. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter:@PokerStarsBlog


  • 18 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Main Event Day 4 live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES * CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS * CLICK FOR UPDATED PAYOUTS * Watch the action on EPT Live * 18 of 605 players remaining 6:55pm: Banic stations Level 23 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 3,000) Patrick Clarke has moved...

  • 18 February

    2016 EPT Dublin Main Event Day 3: Bubble Bursts, 45 Remain, and Alex Goulder Leads

    Day 3 of the 2016 PokerStars European Poker Tour Dublin Main Event played down to 87 players with Alex Goulder leading.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 18 February

    WSOP adds Team Tournament

    In a big year for poker innovation, the WSOP admit plans to add a team event to the 2016 schedule.

  • 18 February

    95/96 | Back to the 90s with Minneapolis Jim, Miami John

    It’s a double-dose of #TBT today as a pair of legendary names in the game would win L.A. Poker Classic prelim events on this very day in back-to-back years. First to 1995 where Minneapolis Jim Meehan would earn his very first tournament victory, winning the $500 buy-in Limit Hold’em event. WPT television fans will remember Meehan, a 2003 WSOP bracelet winner, at the 2004 WPT Mirage Poker Showdown final table. 1996 saw the presentation of the...

    The post 95/96 | Back to the 90s with Minneapolis Jim, Miami John appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 17 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Alex Goulder looking golden, ends Main Event Day 3 on top

    It was another cool, crisp day in Dublin, though inside the Royal Dublin Society the EPT12 Dublin Main Event is just starting to heat up. Day 3 of the tournament saw the money bubble burst, the field narrow down to just 41 hopefuls, and the UK's Alex Goulder emerge from five levels' worth of hold'em with the most chips of anyone, bagging 1,020,000 to claim the overnight chip lead.

    A former poker dealer before becoming a live cash game pro, Goulder cut his teeth in Nottingham before moving to London. He's notched some impressive tourney results as well including an 11th-place showing in the EPT10 Deauville Main Event, a finish he'll keep trying to better here.


    8G2A7296_EPT12DUB_Alex_Goulder_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Goulder a step closer to the goal

    From a field of 605 just 127 had survived through the tournament's first two days, and with only 87 making the money that meant a number would be exiting without earning a share of the more than €2.9 million prize pool.

    Ivan Banic began the day with the chip lead, and would remain near the top most of the day while others accumulated and the top spot changed hands. Tudor Purice would enjoy a short spell in first position, with Christopher Kruk and Frank Williams taking turns surging in front thereafter.


    NEIL5805_EPT12DUB_Frank_Williams_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Frank Williams grabs a few more

    Meanwhile the field shrunk down with Jonathan Concepcion, Pratyush Buddiga, Ofer Zvi Stern, Ismael Bojang, Ben Heath, Diego Ventura, Steve O'Dwyer, Chris Moorman, Jude Ainsworth, and EPT11 Deauville champion Ognyan Dimov among those not lasting long enough to make the cash.


    NEIL5702_EPT12DUB_Ben_Heath_Dzmitry_Urbanovich_Neil Stoddart-thumb-450x300-283805a.jpg

    Heath heads for the exit

    The bubble finally arrived partway into the day's third 90-minute level, and in the first hand of hand-for-hand play Sven Magirius became the unfortunate 88th-place finisher after his ace-king failed to outrun Alexandre Rivero's pocket tens.


    8G2A7103_EPT12DUB_Sven_Magirius_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Sven Magirius, bubblin' in Dublin

    By then earlier leader Tudor Purice had become short-stacked, and he'd begin the march to the cashier as the first of the min-cashers finishing in 87th. He was soon followed by Christoph Vogelsang (84th), EPT7 London champion David Vamplew (82nd), and EPT6 Sanremo winner and Team PokerStars Pro Liv Boeree (74th), all of whom also took away bottom-rung bounties of €9,100.


    8G2A7044_EPT12DUB_Liv_Boeree_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Liv didn't survive the last jam-Boeree

    Fabrice Soulier (71st), LAPT4 Uruguay champion Alex Komaromi (69th), and Anthony Zinno (62nd) were part of the next wave of knockouts, with EPT4 Dortmand winner Mike McDonald soon following in 60th and like them cashing for €10,270.


    8G2A7091_EPT12DUB_Mike_McDonald_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    More money for Mike

    Two players remembered for deep runs and hands against one another in the 2012 WSOP Main Event were among those next to fall -- Andras Koroknai (56th, €10,270) and Gaelle Baumann (55th, €11,440). And as the last level concluded Timothy Adams (51st, €11,440) and Alex Difelice (49th, €11,440) were among the last to go.

    Looking at some of those who claimed the eliminated players' stacks, Frank Williams (881,000), Christopher Kruk (812,000), Ivan Banic (715,000), and Gilles Bernies (657,000) finished near the top. James Akenhead (626,000), Nick Petrangelo (326,000), Antoine Saout (325,000), and Dzmitry Urbanovich (164,000) also bagged up tonight.

    Three former EPT champions remain in the field -- EPT11 Monte Carlo Grand Final winner Adrian Mateos (631,000), 2014 PCA champ Dominik Panka (91,000), and EPT6 Copenhagen titlist Anton Wigg (345,000).

    Also returning for Thursday's Day 4 are a couple of red spade-sporters. Jaime Staples of Team PokerStars Pro Online bagged 241,000 and will continue what for him will ultimately represent a best career live score, no matter where he lands.


    8G2A6807_EPT12DUB_Jaime_Staples_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Staples still has stack

    Like Staples, longtime EPT fave and Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano also endured a swingy day that ultimately ended well enough for him to bag an even 480,000. While Staples is earning his first career EPT cash, Pagano -- who has been making the money in EPT events since the first season -- is enjoying his 21st career cash in EPT Main Events.


    8G2A7171_EPT12DUB_Luca_Pagano_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    In the money... Pagano again!


    For start-to-finish coverage of the action from Day 2, check the live updates, and click here for chip counts for all those who remain.

    It's back out, then, into the chilly Dublin night, although there may be a pub or three between the RDS and the hotel to help keep warm on the way back. We'll be back at the crack of noon tomorrow, though, to see who from the remaining group of players can continue the quest to become the next EPT champion.

    Cheers!


    8G2A6951_EPT12DUB_Snail_Card_Protector_Neil Stoddart.jpg


    * CLICK FOR CHIP COUNTS
    * Relive the day's action on EPT Live


    Want to compete for your own online championship? Click here to get a PokerStars account.
    Martin Harris is Freelance Contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

  • 17 February

    Poker Cartoon - Comic

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 17 February

    PokerNews Op-Ed: Speaking Up About High-Stakes Thieves

    In an exclusive PokerNews Op-Ed, Phil Galfond explains why it's important to speak out against high stakes thieves.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 17 February

    Global Poker League Announces the Addition of a Sixth Player To Each Franchise

    Global Poker League announces the addition of a sixth player to each franchise.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 17 February

    Charlie Carrel’s Rise Continues with EPT Dublin Single-Day High Roller Win

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56c/34871f1bc6.jpg

    Charlie Carrel won the 2016 European Poker Tour Dublin €10,200 Single-Day High Roller for €145,938.

      Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 17 February

    Pratyush talks Denver Broncos and Getting Paid with Quads

    Pratyush Buddiga excitedly tells PokerNews about the Denver Bronco Super Bowl win. He also analyzes the second to last hand of Day 2 of the EPT Dublin main.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 17 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Big names pick up big cashes in EPT side events

    As you have likely seen if you're keeping up with EPT Dublin action via social media, there have been some pretty high-profile side-event winners already so far this week.

    In addition to Mustapha Kanit and Charlie Carrel triumphing in the €25,000 and €10,000 High Roller events, players including Dominik Nitsche, Jeff Madsen, Sam Chartier and Jason Tompkins have also found themselves hoisting trophies aloft.

    Let's start this quick side-event round up with a look at the latter. Tompkins is perhaps best known to EPT watchers as the fifth-placed finisher at EPT Sanremo, the year Ludovic Lacay took first prize. But he has long been known on the Irish poker scene and also has a World Series final table to his name, plus a visit to a UKIPT final here in Dublin.

    It was appropriate that Tompkins prevailed in the PokerStars Dublin Cup: an Ireland native taking the prestigious crown. He had to beat 673 players to do so and took €27,400 after a deal also involving Alexandre Viard and Daniel Portiansky, who took €24,300 apiece.

    They are startling paydays for a tournament with a €330 buy-in.

    EPT12DUB_Event8_Winner_Jason_Tompkins_7694_JulesPochy.jpg

    Jason Tompkins

    Chartier began this festival playing in the highest buy-in event of the week and although that was a whiff, he picked up €43,220 on Monday night in the €2,000 Turbo, and had many of his High Roller compadres for company right to the death.

    Keith Johnson, fresh from the final table in the €25,000 event, finished second, while Adrian Mateos and Mohsin Charania were also at the final, busting eighth and ninth respectively.

    EPT12DUB_Event38_Winner_Sam_Chartier_7994_JulesPochy.jpg

    Samuel Chartier

    Back now to Nitsche. The German globetrotter has most recently made Edinburgh his home, so in a sense this festival is about as close as they come. And he's doing all right too: on Monday he finished second to Carrel in the €10,000 single-day high roller, but came to that final fresh from victory in the €2,000 UKIPT High Roller.

    That's always an exceptionally popular event, and it was no different here in Dublin. There were 416 runners and Nitsche won €156,160 for first. Tom Hall (€98,460) was secong and Daragh Davey, another local player and last season's UKIPT leader board champion, was fifth (€43,990).

    EPT12DUB_Event23_Winner_Dominik_Nitsche_7866_JulesPochy.jpg

    Dominik Nitsche

    Madsen, then. The three-time World Series bracelet winner only visits the European Poker Tour every now and then and, until this past weekend, had never won a tournament outside of North America.

    That all changed when he played the €500 quadruple stud event and he was the best from the 28 runners. It won him €4,840 but, more than that, gave him his first EPT trophy.

    EPT12DUB_Event25_Winner_Jeff_Madsen_7641_JulesPochy.jpg

    Jeff Madsen

    Other high-profile winners so far this week include Felix Stephensen, a former World Series Main Event runner up, who beat Sylvain Loosli, another former November Niner, in the €5,000 PLO on Tuesday night. Stephensen won €33,950.

    Jan Bendik won the €500 HORSE on the festival's opening night, the same time that Joao Vieira won the first €5,000 Turbo of the festival. Portugal--Vieira's home country--started brilliantly here in Dublin and, in the €500 NL Hyper Turbo the same weekend, finished in gold, silver and bronze place.

    EPT12DUB_Event6_winner_Jan_Bendik_7161_JulesPochy.jpg

    Jan Bendik

    David Abreu won, Fernado Brito came second and Hugo Andrade was third, for €7,640, €5,515 and €3,515 respectively.

    All the winners so far are on the side-event results page.

  • 17 February

    Alexander Stevic and the start of a new era in poker

    PokerStars is celebrating 100 million players this month, so we looked back on the first ever EPT winner Alexander Stevic, and his part in changing the game.

    Looking back, there was no way to predict the magnitude of what happened in Barcelona in 2004. The event was called the European Poker Tour, there were nice new banners, new logos, and new chips to make everything seem special. But what would happen next was anyone's guess. One event would be followed by a full season's worth of tournaments. Then what?

    It's likely you've seen the footage, or read the story from that day. The EPT, the brainchild of John Duthie, who thought up the whole thing while in the tub, attracted 229 players, racking up what was then an enormous €229,000 prize pool. That meant €80,000 to the winner, a figure rarely seen outside Las Vegas, which was won by Alexander Stevic, a dashing 30-year-old pro from Sweden.


    Stevic_barcelona_etp1_17feb16.jpgStevic midway through the final hand at EPT1 Barcelona

    The expression on Stevic's face told most of the story. He'd just won the first ever EPT Main Event, a moment for the history books, even if no one really knew how big that history book would become. Regardless, it proved one neither he, nor the poker world, would ever forget.

    Heads-up that day he faced Irishman Dave O'Callaghan. Had a hand with queen-jack gone differently, it might be O'Callaghan we were talking about now. But his role was to be the vanquished, not the vanquisher. But then to be a great champion you have to beat great opposition. For his part O'Callaghan ensured Stevic got just that.


    alex_stevic_tears_ept1bar_17feb16.jpgStevic after winning the first ever EPT title

    The Swede was second in chips at the start of the final table. A self-confessed gambler, he described how his love of the game was based around the tactics, the strategy, and the people. "It's a beautiful game," he'd said back then. "I don't know what makes me a winner. I'm very often too aggressive, too loose. Yes, definitely too loose. I'm not a good tournament player. Just lucky!"


    Ready to start your own EPT campaign? Click here to get a PokerStars account.

    Irishman O'Callaghan had only begun playing online a year earlier. Like Stevic he'd had his moments on the way to heads-up (he got lucky in one notable hand against a previously unheard of Italian player named Luca Pagano) which ultimately lead to what is now one of the most watched hands in tour history.

    With Stevic holding king-queen and O'Callaghan queen-jack, both were delighted to see a queen on the flop, even more so when the case queen hit the turn. But with cards face up the full story was revealed. The players shook hands, Stevic fearful of the Irishman's "lucky jack", but O'Callaghan ready to accept his fate. No jack came, the players embraced, Stevic wiped away tears.

    That first season would prove momentous for Stevic, who bookended the year with a third place finish in the Grand Final in Monaco, worth more than double his Barcelona winner's cheque. It proved the calibre of Stevic, but it also demonstrated how rapidly the tour was expanding.

    "It was not just another tournament when I won," he said years later on the tenth anniversary of his victory. "I felt that this could be something big. And I knew that I was the first winner of something that will probably grow big. I remember people saying that they were going to play more on this tour."

    The tour has since awarded more than $500 million in prize money, but that 80 grand one by Stevic is still perhaps one of its most memorable shares.

    Stevic's story though goes beyond the EPT. He continued to play on the tour in the years after, but like many in the game took a step back as new players emerged, the game evolved, and, well, home life and family became his preferred focus.

    But he'd started something. Just as Chris Moneymaker had shown it was possible to turn cents into dollars and dollars into millions, new players began to emerge, rushing to a game that now promised millions to those who knew where to strike gold.

    Names like Pagano, Antonius, Gavatin, Williams and Iremark found themselves in the limelight. Some would not stick around for long - the rigours of such a highly competitive field proving too much - but others play on to this day.

    It was a big change for the older generation who had paid their dues in the casinos and back rooms of poker's yesteryear, including the likes of Stevic, who even talked fondly of the characters that frequented back room games.

    Those days are, perhaps happily, in the past. But the legacy of players like Stevic, is the thousands of players who play the tour, and that new breed who regularly score six figure cashes, in tournaments with buy ins that eclipse even Stevic's winner's cheque.

    Was that the sort of thing he ever thought about - preferring perhaps to have won a few years later than he did?


    stevic_with_dealer_ept10bar_17feb16.jpgStevic back in Barcelona

    "Always!" he'd said with a grin. "I would prefer to be runner-up three years later and never be a champion! It's a lot more money. But still it's fun to be the first winner, the most special guy. I always say that."

    Ten years on Stevic played the Main Event in Barcelona in Season 11 but he was mostly there to reminisce, as he did so in an interview with the PokerStars Blog. He still looked the same, and his enthusiasm was equally contagious. It was just the surroundings that had changed - the size of the field, the size of the tournament room, and the players competing in it. Most of them walked past Stevic without even noticing him, but each owed him something, arguably worth far more than that winner's cheque of €80,000.

    Don't miss your chance to win up to $100,000 in cash daily in the PokerStars 100M player celebration

    Other stories from this series:

    Meet PokerStars' longest-serving player of all time
    The ghosts of WCOOP
    The Moneymaker Boom that almost wasn't


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 17 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Main Event Day 3 live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS
    * Watch the action on EPT Live

    * 119 of 605 players remaining

    12:44pm: None shall pass Baumann
    Level 15 - Blinds: 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    Gaelle Baumann is never intimidated. She is more than happy to do battle with anybody at the poker tables. Case in point, this hand, in which she pushed Sven Magirius out of a pot and took her stack to about double his.

    Baumann opened from early position, making it 6,500 to play. Only Magirius, one seat to Baumann's left, was in any way interested and only enough to warrant a call.

    The two of them went to a flop of [9d][jh][3d] and Baumann bet 7,600. Magirius called and they went to the [kc] on the turn. Baumann fired again, this time 12,500, but Magirius now tried to flex his muscles. He raised to 36,000.

    Baumann called and they went to the river: [qc]. Baumann checked this time, which prompted a bet of 36,000 from Magirius. But if he thought Baumann's long pause was prelude to a sigh-fold, he was wrong. Baumann instead raised all in.

    Baumann's check-raise was for about 150,000, which covered Magirius. And instead it was the German forced into the sigh-fold, preserving his tournament life.

    He now has about 120,000 left, while Baumann has about 260,000. --HS


    8G2A6624_EPT12DUB_Gaelle_Baumann_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Gaelle Baumann (from Day 2)

    12:41pm: Boeree's barrels can't shake off Rudelitz
    Level 15 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (400 ante)

    Completing from the small blind is a trend that we've seen a lot in high buy-in events on the EPT this season, and that's exactly what Liv Boeree did when action folded to her. Enrico Rudelitz checked his option from a seat over, and the two of them saw a [5s][8h][Kd] flop hit the felt. Boeree then bet 3,000 and Rudelitz smooth-called.

    On the [7d] turn Boeree reached for chips again, betting 8,500, and again Rudelitz stuck around. Both players checked the [As] river and Boeree announced that she had nine-high. Rudelitz could beat that, showing [Kc][3d] to claim the pot. He's up to 170,000 now while Boeree slips a little to 116,000. --NW

    12:34pm: Akenhead makes Staples twitch
    Level 15 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (300 ante)

    PokerStars Team PokerStars Pro Online member and Twitch sensation Jaime Staples spent all day yesterday on the feature table, and had a pretty solid day ending with 289,600 -- almost double the tournament average.


    Staples in his element, on the Day 2 EPT Live stream yesterday

    However, Day 3 hasn't begun quite as well for Staples as he's just lost a big pot to James Akenhead right before their table broke.

    Akenhead opened to 7,000 and Staples called on the button. The blinds folded and the two saw a flop of [3c][3h][7s], which Akenhead continued on for 9,500. Staples made the call once more and they went to the turn -- the [td]. Now the bet from Akenhead was 13,500, but again Staples went nowhere.

    Another ten -- the [tc] -- landed on the river and Akenhead counted out a bet of 48,500 and slid it across the line. "That's a big bet," said Staples.

    He thought for a minute and made the call, but mucked immediately when Akenhead flipped over his [th][jc] for a runner-runner full house. Akenhead now has 245,000, wile Staples has slipped to around 190,000. --JS

    12:31pm: Urbanovich more than doubles up
    Level 15 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (400 ante)

    Beware, Dzmitry Urbanovich now has a stack that's almost average and as we know his poker skills are anything but.

    He raised it up to 7,000 from under the gun and picked up four calls, including both blinds. On the [5d][4h][9d] flop the action checked to Vebjorn Monstad who bet 18,000. That got rid of Jude Ainsworth, Alex Goulder, and Ben Heath, but Urbanovich was not so quick to release. Instead he moved all in for 51,500 and Monstad called the extra.

    Urbanovich: [Ac][9c] - top pair
    Monstad: [Kd][Qd] - two overs and a flush draw

    Monstad was actually a 53.74% favourite to win the hand, but it would be Urbanovich's hand that would improve on the [As] turn and [Ah] river, and the Polish pro survived. --NW

    Dzmitry Urbanovich -- 141,200
    Vebjorn Monstad -- 97,000

    12:25pm: Dias the king of Dublin
    Level 15 - Blinds: 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    That's not quite true as Dublin is part of a republic, but Bernardo Dias is feeling king-like now after finding pocket kings to double up. The "president" of EPT Dublin doesn't get installed until Saturday anyway.

    The high-rolling Christoph Vogelsang opened from under the gun with pocket queens and made a quick call after Dias moved all in for around 65,000 with his kings. The board ran out [8s][5d][ad][6h][5s] and Vogelsang quietly paid his dues and dropped to 189,000. --MC

    12:20pm: Dzelinquent Dzmitry
    Level 15 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (300 ante)

    At last the EPT11 Player of the Year has arrived -- only about 10 minutes after the start. That's everyone accounted for now, as Level 15 continues. --MH

    12:19pm: Side-event crushers

    It's not only about the Main Event here in Dublin this week and some big names and local heroes have been crushing the side-event schedule. Have a quick spin through our side-event review. --HS

    12:13pm: Where's Urbanovich?
    Level 15 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (300 ante)

    All I know is that if I were playing in an event with a €5,300 buy-in and €561,900 for first, I wouldn't want to turn up late for fear of missing a hand. I think most people feel that way.

    Dzmitry Urbanovich is not like most people.

    His bag is open and his chips are out (so the dealer can put his blinds in), but he's not yet arrived for Day 2. Funny thing is, I saw him at the hotel this morning up and about, so at least we know he's not forgotten to set his alarm.

    Urbanovich might not like what he sees when he does eventually appear -- he's got what most people would consider a brutal table, hosting Steve O'Dwyer, Jude Ainsworth, Alex Goulder, and Ben Heath.

    Then again, Urbanovich is not like most people.

    We'll let you know when he shows! He starts the day with 67,000. --JS

    12:09pm: Pezelj the first player out today
    Level 15 - Blinds: 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    Ivica Pezelj could only giggle at the flop he was faced with after moving all in and getting called.

    Nikolaus Teichert had opened and made the call after Pezelj went all in for around 27,000 from the big blind with [kc][js]. Teichert opened [ts][9s] and hit the nuts on the [6s][7s][8c] flop. The board ran out [qc][qh], Pezelj is out, and Teichert's stack jumped up to 140,000. --MC

    12:01pm: Cards in the air
    Level 15 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

    Day 3 of the EPT Dublin Main Event has begun. The tournament now moves to 90-minute levels, with five levels scheduled to be played today.

    With 127 players left, that means they are 40 eliminations away from the bubble bursting. A min-cash is €9,100, while all who remain continue to eye the €561,900 up top due to go to the winner. --MH

    11:45am: Chasing Banic

    Day 3 of the EPT Dublin Main Event begins at noon and all eyes will be on Croatia's Ivan Banic. He is the man to chase with 381,000 chips.

    There's a spectacular chasing pack. Have a look at how they line up at the start of the day on the seat-draw page. --HS


    8G2A6636_EPT12DUB_Ivan_Banic_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Ivan "Banicivan" Banic: Dominant performance on Day 2 in Dublin

    Want to start your own EPT campaign? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin Main Event: Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey, Martin Harris, Jack Stanton, Howard Swains and Nick Wright. Two days on the spin. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.


    all_in_play.jpg

  • 17 February

    2016 EPT Dublin Main Event Day 2: Ivan Banic Leads as 127 Progress

    Croatia's Ivan Banic topped the chip counts on Day 2 of the 2016 EPT Dublin Main Event where 127 players progressed.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 17 February

    PokerNews Podcast Episode #361: Galfond Op-Ed, Full Tilt/PokerStars Merger, and More

    Donnie and Rich are back to discuss the Phil Galfond op-ed about him getting scammed out of $250,000, the upcoming Full Tilt/PokerStars merger, and more. 

  • 17 February

    Talking Chess and PokerStars with Greg Shahade

    International Chess Master Greg Shahade joined PokerStars the day it launched. We catch up with him to talk chess and poker.

  • 17 February

    87 | Players looking to get paid at EPT Dublin

      A grand total of 87 players will be in the money soon as the European Poker Tour made its triumphant return to Ireland for the presentation of the EPT Dublin Festival. The Festival, which had been off the EPT schedule for over eight years, has attracted many of the game’s biggest stars included for GPI World #1’s Anthony Zinno and Jason Mercier. The Main Event final table is set for Saturday. Fab Five | Biggest...

    The post 87 | Players looking to get paid at EPT Dublin appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 16 February

    Virtual Reality Boobs (yes really!)

    PokerStars is testing our virtual reality poker game here at EPT Dublin. Willing subjects Liv Boeree, Mickey Petersen, and others have put on the virtual reality headset and played a few hands of virtual poker.  Share: Facebook Twitter Googl...

  • 16 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Ivan Banic takes online form to live arena, leads star-studded field

    ivan_banic_leads.jpg

    Ivan "Banicivan" Banic: Dominant performance on Day 2 in Dublin

    EPT12 Dublin is shaping up to be a cracker, both a throwback to the old days when the European Poker Tour last visited these shores, and a celebration of all that is brilliant about the contemporary game.

    As we head into Day 3 with about 130 of the original 605 still involved, there are superstars scattered throughout this field.

    There are eight former EPT champions still with chips -- Liv Boeree, Steve O'Dwyer, Mike McDonald, David Vamplew, Anton Wigg, Dominik Panka, Adrian Mateos and Ognyan Dimov -- as well as other leading lights whose absence of a title still baffles.

    liv_boeree_adrian_mateos_ept12_dublin_day2.jpg

    Boeree, Pillar, Mateos: Three glorious champions

    That group includes Andrew Chen, Jude Ainsworth, Christoph Vogelsang and Tim Adams, among others, plus Luca Pagano, the Team PokerStars Pro who made a final table in this city in Season 1 of the tour.

    luca_pagano_ept12_dublin_day2.jpg

    Luca Pagano: A throwback to Season 1

    Furthermore, the brave new world is also in the house: Jaime "Twitch" Staples, Chris "moorman1" Moorman, and Dzmitry "four-titles-one-stop" Urbanovich also have plenty of chips to be getting on with.

    jaime_staples_ept12_dublin_main_event_day2.jpg

    Jaime Staples: A fine day on the TV set

    Tonight's outright leader fits most comfortably into that final category. Ivan Banic has no live tournament pedigree to speak of (a couple of side event places at EPT Prague last December is all) but Banic plays as "Banicivan" on PokerStars and has close to $1 million in recorded tournament cashes.

    He pushed 381,200 chips into his bag tonight, which is marginally ahead of Alex Dileface (359,500), Tudor Purice (323,700), Jiachen Gong (323,200), Mikhail Petrov (322,600), Mikael Jean (320,000) and Gilles Bernies (314,700).

    The most notable counts of the remaining players is over there on the chip-count page, and the full, official count will appear there in due course. It may even be there already.

    Today was not for the faint-hearted. We began with 359 players and they flew out the door at a blistering pace. Theo Jorgensen, Jeff Rossiter, Jason Mercier, Dermot Blain, Aaron Gustavson, Sebastian Pauli, George Danzer, Charlie Carrel, Felipe Ramos, Jannick Wrang, Bryn Kenney and Dominik Nitsche were among those who couldn't last the distance.

    Three other former champions also very nearly did, but Jake Cody, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier and Mickey Petersen all perished in the final level.

    The former got it in with kings against Raiden Kan's queens and Kan flopped a queen. ElkY lost a flip with tens to Staples' big slick. Petersen was flushed away by McDonald. That trio will continue to look for that second title.

    elky_ept12_dublin_day2.jpg

    ElkY defeated at the last

    dominik_nitsche_ept12_dublin_day2.jpg

    Dominik Nitsche hit the rail

    Oh yes, and one more thing. Day 2, as is customary, was the day on which we learned how much they were all actually playing for. When all the bean-counting was complete, the tournament staff offered up €561,900 to the winner, from a total prize pool of €2,934,250.

    The bubble will burst when the 88th player leaves the room. Player No 87 will get the first min-cash of €9,100.

    That player's identity will likely be discovered during the second or third level of play tomorrow. It'll be an even bigger day as we play deep into the money. Join us from noon.

    NEIL5286_EPT12DUB_TV_Table_Neil Stoddart.jpg


    * CLICK FOR CHIP COUNTS
    * Relive the day's action on EPT Live

  • 16 February

    Fabrice Soulier on the Ups, Downs, and Aviators of Poker

    Fabrice goes from a big stack to huge stack to below average stack in the matter of a few hands against Dominik Panka. His spirits are up on break and he eagerly awaits the GPL draft rankings.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin  ...

  • 16 February

    The Moneymaker Boom that almost wasn’t

    As PokerStars celebrates 100M players, we look back at one of the players who helped make it all happen.

    Even after the springtime sun had gone down that night, it was still warm in Tennessee. It was just before 10pm, and the thermometer was hanging around 65° F.

    It was April 23, 2003, and if the recent news was any indication, the world had reason to be optimistic. Private Jessica Lynch had just been rescued from captivity in Iraq. Troops had captured Baghdad and ended the Saddam Hussein regime. Scientists had just announced the mapping of the human genome. 50 Cent's "In Da Club" was in the middle of nine weeks as the number one song in the United States. After nearly three years of worldwide turmoil, anyone could've been forgiven for feeling like better days were ahead.

    On that warm Wednesday night, Chris Moneymaker was not yet one of those optimistic people. He had $8,000 in credit card debt and an already rocky relationship with gambling. Through some keen maneuvering and a little bit of luck, the as-yet anonymous amateur poker player had found a way to pay off his credit cards and go in to his accounting job on Thursday debt-free.

    And that's when everything happened.

    ***

    Almost everything you know about Chris Moneymaker begins with a story told so many times that it's almost impossible to convince people it's not entirely true.

    As the story was told and re-told over the years, Moneymaker parlayed $39 into a World Series of Poker seat, one that he used to beat the leather-assed pros of Las Vegas out of the $2.5 million first prize.

    chris_moneymaker2.jpg

    Today, no one can tell us who first uttered "Thirty-nine dollars," but whoever it was turned out to be wrong. In fact, Moneymaker's first step toward Las Vegas started with an $86 feeder satellite into a $650 mega-qualifier. By the time registration closed, the satellite would award three packages to the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event.

    See, the buy-in of the now-historic story was forever reported incorrectly, but that's not the most interesting thing about how that final satellite played out.

    The most startling thing in a series of exceptionally startling things was that poker came very close to never hearing the name Chris Moneymaker in 2003.

    Why? It was all about fourth place. That was a cool $8,200, enough to pay off the credit cards and start over with $200 in his pocket.


    PokerStars is still running satellites to live events 13 years later. Get an account and win your seat here.


    The Field

    Getting to those top four spots would not be a simple task. Here are just a few of the people playing in the $650 mega that would eventually change the poker world.

    MultiMarine, the winner of the first WCOOP Main Event
    Julian Thew, eventual Team Pro and longtime UK grinder
    Anders "Donald" Berg, eventual Team Online member
    Harley Hall, 2002 WSOP Main Event (5th place)
    Josh Arieh, 2004 WSOP Main Event (3rd place)

    With the exception of MultiMarine who would turn into one of poker's ghosts, the rest would go on to be well-known names in the game. None of, them, however, made the final table or came close to a WSOP seat that night.

    Moneymaker, sitting in a dark home office, had seen them all fall as he worked his way toward those top four places. He wasn't thinking about Vegas. He wasn't thinking about Doyle Brunson, Binion's, or any of the things that might have fascinated Rounders' Mike McDermott.

    Moneymaker was only thinking about money. He saw the three seats at the top, and for a time, he decided he didn't want them. He wanted the cash to pay off his credit card debt.

    "I was attempting to do the responsible thing," he said.

    He had his reasons. There was the credit card debt, and there was a clear lack of confidence in his ability.

    "To be honest, the [WSOP] seat back then was non-transferrable. I was a recreational player. I literally played around the kitchen table with my friends," he said. "Back then, when you saw anybody from online, you targeted them. It was a different time, obviously. I just didn't think I had a real shot to go out to play in Vegas against the quote-unquote pros. I thought they would read me like a book and it would just be really bad."

    There might have been some truth to Moneymaker's assumption, because the bubble of that historic satellite was almost laughably unprofessional.

    chris_newspaper.jpg

    The Bubble That Wasn't

    Moneymaker had all but decided to take the cash and be on his way. That's when a friend, Bruce Peery, convinced him via speakerphone to go for the seat. In a story that's been told a few times before, Peery offered Moneymaker $5,000 for half his action, and that was enough for Moneymaker to make the calculated decision to play for the seat and get some cash for his debt problems.

    "Back then, I would've been fine taking five grand from my buddy," he said. "If I could get the full $8,000 for fourth, I would've been happy with that as well."

    So, after some protracted discussion, with three seats on the line for first through third and $8,200 going to fourth, the remaining players cut through a raucous and rowdy rail to make a deal. It was a save for fifth place with each of the remaining players giving up $500 apiece.

    Everyone seemed to understand what was going on, except maybe for a well-known player who went by the name gotmilk. Reading the chat transcript today is still painful 13 years later.

    gotmilk said, "wait is the deal on or off"
    gotmilk said, "is the deal on or off"
    HostDavid [observer] said, "yes gotmilk"
    HostDavid [observer] said, "the deal is ON"
    Money800 said, "it is on"
    HostDavid [observer] said, "5th place gets $500 from each of 1 to 4"

    It seemed so simple. So easy to understand. So incredibly fair and equitable. Everybody understood that when gotmilk knocked out Bombardier in fifth place that Bombardier got the $2,000 and the remaining four players would play to determine who got the seats and who got the fourth place money.

    Well, not everybody understood.

    It was 9:47pm when Bombardier's ace-king crashed and burned against gotmilk's queens, and the chat box blew up.

    With the blinds at 600/1200, the chip counts looked like this:

    Seat 2: gotmilk (34,177 in chips)
    Seat 5: Hugefish2888 (18,370 in chips)
    Seat 7: Money800 (62,952 in chips)
    Seat 9: First Ward (52,001 in chips)

    Here's just some of what scrolled past in the chat box over the next few seconds.

    Hugefish2888 said, " STOP THE GAME"
    Hugefish2888 said, "STOP THE GAME"
    dpcusnavy [observer] said, "BLIG SLICK LOSES"
    Hugefish2888 said, "WE'RE DONE"
    TheHawk [observer] said, "I knew this was going to happen"
    gotmilk said, "were dibe"
    gotmilk said, "rught"
    Hugefish2888 said, "STOP THE GAME!!!!!!"
    Money800 said, "whew im happy"
    Hugefish2888 said, "GET SUPPORT"
    gotmilk said, "we are dibe right"
    gotmilk said, "its over"
    gotmilk said, "right"
    Hugefish2888 said, "WARD, MILK, ME GETS SEATR, OK???"
    Money800 said, "no"
    Money800 said, "not over"
    Hugefish2888 said, "GOD"
    JOHNY G [observer] said, "lol"

    If that wasn't confusing enough, the next hand blew up everything. Hugefish2888 got all his chips in against both gotmilk and Moneymaker pre-flop. Moneymaker held pocket sevens, and if they held, he would be in the WSOP Main Event.

    But when the flop fell [8s][5d][Qc], gotmilk did something confounding. He shoved into a dry side pot.

    Moneymaker was nonplussed.

    Money800 said, "why you do that milk?"
    Money800: folds
    Money800 said, "stupid"

    And why was Moneymaker so confused?

    Well, gotmilk held [5s][Ts].

    Hugefish2888, holding [2d][Ac] spiked his ace, and gotmilk was left with only 15,807.

    This, folks, is what was determining who would go on to play the most important World Series of Poker in history.
    moneymaker_2003_money.jpg

    The Rail

    To understand what happened next, you have to understand just how important the satellites of that day and age were.

    "Poker was in its infancy. Those satellites were really the biggest thing going at the time. People flocked to watch it," Moneymaker said.

    He's not exaggerating. The rail was swarming with fans, pros, and people who would someday be famous around the world. Just a quick scan of the chat box shows names historic online names like Spiro "55lucky55" Mitrokostas, Keith "TheHawk" Hawkins, Pete "TheBeat" Giordano.

    "It was the future Who's Who of poker on the rail watching that thing," Moneymaker said.

    How right is he?

    Well, you might recognize the screen name Kevmath, at the time an anonymous but very knowledgeable railbird, and now a poker household name. Mathers, now with PocketFives, remembers watching this very satellite from the rail and just how ridiculous everything was.

    Yet, there Mathers was on the rail 13 years ago watching with everyone else. He paid his bills by working in a customer call center and spent his free time doing what he still does today: explaining things to internet people who have a weak grasp on reading.

    "Working in poker was the farthest thing from my mind back then," Mathers said. "That was over seven years before anyone in the poker community met me in person, which is mind-blowing to think about."

    As Mathers and PokerStars support staff (including the also-now-famous Terrence Chan) tried to hold things together, the rail was off the chain.

    "PokerStars was in its infancy back in the day, and anyone could attempt to talk to the players, criticize a player or players not at that particular table and flood the observer chat," Mathers said. "It wasn't surprising there were plenty of low-stakes or freeroll players offering their opinions at that final table. People acting rude in chat, begging for a dollar and a host of other reasons caused PokerStars to turn observer chat off to players who didn't have at least the amount in their account as the buy-in of the tournament they were watching."

    In that kind of environment, the insanity of the non-bubble bubble was ripe for going rotten. As the players tried to figure out what was happening, the chatbox pundits laughed and laughed and laughed. Here's just a little bit of it.

    gotmilk said, "we made a deal david"
    gotmilk said, "its over"
    Hugefish2888 said, "WHAT DEAL??"
    HostDavid [observer] said, "support will transfer $500 to 5th place after the rourney i sover"
    JOHNY G [observer] said, "lol"
    Hugefish2888 said, "NOT YET"
    brocklanders [observer] said, "its not over milk. lol"
    gotmilk said, "DAVID"
    gotmilk said, "do we need to keep playing"
    Money800 said, "milk it aint over, should be"
    TheHawk [observer] said, "I dont think there was a clear understanding on the deal"
    Money800 said, "obviosly"
    nealjl [observer] said, "sure there ws"
    gotmilk said, "David please tell me what to do"
    GOLDAR [observer] said, "your an idiot milk"
    Hugefish2888 said, "NO OTHER DEAL"
    tomnshell [observer] said, "rofl"
    JOHNY G [observer] said, "lolGotmilk went in with that crap cause he thought he was guarenteed a seat"
    Fixxe [observer] said, "an idiot"
    nealjl [observer] said, "500 from 1-4"
    HostDavid [observer] said, "not sure what you mean"
    nealjl [observer] said, "to 5"
    TheHawk [observer] said, "they thought money was settlling for 4rth"
    First Ward said, "just cash to 5th milk - NO OTHER DEAL"
    gotmilk said, "money takes 4th"
    Drawmonster [observer] said, "MONEY HAS TO GIVE CHIPS TP SOME1"
    Hugefish2888 said, "YOU CALLED MY ALL IN WITH 10,5"
    HostDavid [observer] said, "you should play - there was no other deal"
    CaseAce [observer] said, "somebody better call time...got milk confused"
    Hugefish2888 said, "10,5"
    gotmilk said, "money said he takes 4th"
    55lucky55 [observer] said, "amazing"
    Hugefish2888 said, "10,5 YOU CALLED MY ALL IN"
    55lucky55 [observer] said, "milk you goofed"
    JOHNY G [observer] said, "Milk was juked"

    Perhaps the only thing that made sense in that moment was a couple sage comments from the rail.

    Big Ben 33 [observer] said, " this is a sad hour for poker world-wide, lol"
    55lucky55 [observer] said, "just amazing"


    The Bubble That Actually Was

    For the next fifteen minutes, gotmilk would try to mount a comeback. He doubled up once, and then battled some more.

    It would've been a better story if Moneymaker had done the final dirty work and sent the still-confused gotmilk on his way. Instead, that honor went to Hugefish2888. Ultimately, it was his [Ad][Kc] that beat gotmilk's [Ac][2s] to send Chris Moneymaker to the WSOP and turn the poker world upside down.

    Although the final three were guaranteed seats, the tournament didn't automatically stop. So, the three played it out over the next few minutes. As if portending what would happen in Las Vegas, Moneymaker won the final hand of that satellite, his [Ah][8d] standing up to Hugefish2888's [Jh][6d].

    On the rail, one chatterbox said this:

    SaminDetroit [observer] said, "I don't think I have ever seen a dumb tournament like this one before.......wonder what will happen in vegas....

    He only had to wonder for a month.

    That satellite finished at 10:14pm on April 23. Exactly a month later on May 23, Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker Main Event.

    Kevin Mathers remembers what it was like trying to keep up with the action.

    "I was kind of following along with the WSOP through RGP, but it wasn't very easy to follow," he said.

    While he remembered some websites that were trying to follow it and a $25 live stream from Binion's on the internet, the full scope of what he'd seen on PokerStars wouldn't crystalize until later.

    "When the WSOP coverage started on ESPN that summer, it provided a better picture of what the 'Moneymaker Effect' would become to poker and the boom that followed after," he said.

    What (Horrifyingly) Could Have Been

    There is an alternate universe where Moneymaker never made that final table. There is another one in which he made it but took that fourth place money, paid off his credit card bills, and never went to Vegas. In those worlds, gotmilk and the rest of the clan went to Vegas and did something we can't even begin to predict.

    "I don't want to go down that road. That's a bad wormhole," Moneymaker said.

    Truly, who knows what would've happened. Poker may still have exploded like it did. Any of those other three might have won the WSOP. It's just impossible to say. But Moneymaker, when forced to think about it, knows what that would've meant for him.

    "I'd probably be an accountant still. Who knows where we would be?" he wondered aloud. "Everything personally in my life would change. I would never have met my current wife. I wouldn't have my current kids."

    moneymaker_wsop_statue.jpg

    Moneymaker and his gold bust at the 2013 WSOP

    Beyond that, there is the very real possibility that amateur players around the world would not have paid any attention to who won the WSOP that year and flocked to online poker in droves. Everything we know about poker might have been different if not for that one ridiculous, confusing, confounding satellite on April 23, 2003.

    "Things happen for a reason," Moneymaker said. "There's just no telling where I might be or where any of us who play poker might be today."


    Don't miss your chance to win up to $100,000 in cash daily in the PokerStars 100M player celebration

    Other stories from this series:

    Meet PokerStars' longest-serving player of all time
    The ghosts of WCOOP


    PokerStars is still running satellites to live events 13 years later. Get an account and in your seat here.
    is the PokerStars Head of Blogging.

  • 16 February

    Jaime Staples at his First Featured Table

    Jaime Staples shares his excitement over live poker and being at the EPT Dublin Main Event final table. He is pitted against good friend Jeff Gross and hopes to take all his chips.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 16 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Day 2 Levels 9-10 live updates

    This is an archive of previous coverage. Please click through for latest updates.

    8G2A6368_EPT12DUB_Trophy_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    2:39pm: Ace for Ventura
    Blinds - 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    Diego Ventura perhaps thought he wouldn't be around to see Level 11, which starts after the break. But he just managed to double up in the "fun way," as one player at his table put it, after looking rail bound.

    He shoved with king-queen and was called by Ognyan Dimov with queen-jack. The flop brought a jack, but the turn was a ten and the river an ace, to make Ventura the straight. He's doubled up to 24,000. Fun way indeed. - SB

    2:36pm: Jer el Salsero sunk
    Level 10 - Blinds: 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    Jer el Salsero of the Netherlands is out. He risked the last of a small stack [Ad][Kd] versus Alexander Goulder's [Kh][Kc], but the community cards -- [Qh][9d][2h][9c][Ts] -- were no help and Salsero hit the rail just shy of the end of Level 10.

    Goulder has 74,000 now. --MH

    2:35pm: Clock!
    Level 10 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    I arrived at the table to see a [8s][3c][9d] flop on the felt, a bet of 8,500 in front of Yiannis Liperis and an all-in shove of 37,800 in front of Jussi Nevanlinna.

    Liperis was deep in the tank. The call was most of his remaining stack and eventually time was called. The clock didn't reach zero though as Liperis released his hand.

    The consensus at the table was that Liperis had jacks, but he shook his head at that assertion. --NW

    2:30pm: Akenhead will settle for that
    Level 10 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    James Akenhead has won another pot to more than quadruple his stack from its Day 2 starting point. He took out Yen Chen in a hand that was a bit of a cooler.

    The latter raised from middle position and Akenhead peeled from the big blind to see a [ks][4c][qc] flop appear. Chen continued for 3,000 and was check-raised to 8,300 by the Brit. Chen then moved all in for around 45,000 and Akenhead called.

    Chen: [kh][qd] for top two pair
    Akenhead: [4h][4d] for bottom set.

    The board ran out [5h][6c] to see Chen sent to the rail.

    James Akenhead -- 157,000
    Yen Chen -- 0 --MC

    2:25pm: Viellevoije vanquished
    Level 10 - Blinds: 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    Leon Viellevoije was just all in and at risk with [Ad][8d] versus Michael Wang's [Kh][Qh]. The [Th][3c][Ah] flop improved Viellevoije to aces, although the table collectively made a noise at the sight of both a flush draw and gutshot for Wang.

    The [6h] filled the flush for Wang, making the two-pair making [8c] no matter for Viellevoije who hits the rail.

    Wang is way up to 180,000 now. --MH

    2:22pm: Orpen Kisacikoglu stands, Bernies delivers
    Level 10 - Blinds: 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    Gilles Bernies, who was earlier pushed off his four bet by a five bet shove from Alfie Adam, just set out to recoup some of his losses, this time against Orpen Kisacikoglu.

    Kisacikoglu, conspicuous for a large blue and yellow woolly hat with "Sweden" emblazoned on the front, opened from the hijack for 2,100. Bernies then raised from his position on the button, making it 5,400. Kisacikoglu called.

    The flop came [jh][jd][2s]. Bernies looked over at Kisacikoglu, who now had his face covered by a black scarf, making him look like he was about to hold up a stage coach, disguised as a Swede. Kisacikoglu had checked so Bernies raised, making it 6,100 to play. Kisacikoglu re-arranged his hat, removed his mask (no longer fearful of witnesses perhaps), and called.

    Both players then checked the [9c] turn, and also the [2c] river. Bernies's attempts to regain lost chips had been thwarted. He turned over [ac][7c] which was some way short of Kisacikoglu's [3d][3s]. Bernies's bad level continues. - SB

    2:21pm: Conan cut down
    Level 10 - Blinds: 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    Arthur Conan -- just Arthur Conan (no Doyle) -- is out, having lost the last of his chips to Maria Lampropulos. Conan was all in with [8h][8d] versus Lampropulos's [As][Js], and the [5d][Qs][Ah][Jd][Qh] runout gave the latter two pair and ended Conan's run.

    Lampropulos has right at 100,000 now. --MH

    2:20pm: Payout schedule announced
    Level 10 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    All the bean-counting is done and the full details of the EPT Dublin payout schedule has been announced.

    There were 605 players (including one no show). The total prize pool stands at €2,934,250 and top 87 finishers will get paid.

    The eventual champion will take €561,900 along with the trophy. Here's how the final table will be paid, while the full schedule is on the payouts page.

    1   €561,900
    2   €349,800
    3   €250,300
    4   €193,650
    5   €152,600
    6   €119,450
    7   €88,300
    8   €60,750

    2:15pm: Nitsche happy despite defeat
    Level 10 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    How can a player be happy when he busts a tournament with eights versus eights? When your name is Dominik Nitsche and you've already won €295,610 this week.

    The German star took down the UKIPT High Roller event three days ago and came second to Charlie Carrel in the one-day €10,000 High Roller at 4am this morning.

    "It was the dealer's fault!" he said. "She was supposed to put four suited cards out that matched my cards."

    "At least you lasted longer than in the Aussie Millions Main Event," needled someone close by.

    Nitsche managed to last just 20 minutes in that event last month after he stacked off with set-under-set. -- MC

    2:10pm: No flop but plenty of drama
    Blinds - 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    One of those hands that promises so much, doesn't really deliver in terms of a show down, but still provides some excitement.

    Alfie Adam opened from the cut off for 3,000 which was then raised by Jarkko Mammela on the button to 7,500. Waiting in the big blind though was Gilles Bernies, ready to four-bet to 14,500.

    The action was now back on Adam who displaying the character traits of a no-nonsense kind of player, announced he was all in for roughly 110,000 more. That forced a fold from Mammela but Bernies was forced to tank for a while. It would be almost everything he had left to call. There was a lot of staring.

    Finally Bernies folded.

    "Ace-jack... suited," Adam said, unable to contain his secret any longer. Bernies winced, but then he could have been thinking about something else. "I won a flip, ha, ha," he added. It wasn't really funny to anyone else. - SB

    2:06pm: From the UKIPT to the EPT
    Level 10 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    A perusal of the Day 2 seat draw unearthed four UKIPT champions who have made it to Day 2 of the EPT Main Event.

    Two of them are Dublin natives. Kevin Killeen was the last man standing at UKIPT Dublin in 2015 and since then he's finished third at EPT11 London and continued to put up good results online. He's playing 66,500 at the moment.

    The other local, via Canada, is Nick Abou Risk. He used to work for Full Tilt (there are actually two UKIPT champions and two runners-up who share that distinction) and Risk has two UKIPT titles to his name.

    While it took 98 events for the first double EPT champion to be crowned the UKIPT had that record in the history books after only ten events thanks to Risk. He's playing a stack of 57,000 right now.

    Dean Hutchison was in the field at the start of today. His original table has broken, but a double scan of the field has not yet found him. That said, we've yet to receive his bust-out slip so can't confirm that he's out or indeed in.

    Last, but not least, is David Vamplew. During Season 1 of the UKIPT, the Grand Final of the tour doubled as EPT London. It was there that Vamplew defeated John Juanda to win his EPT title, so does he consider himself a UKIPT champion?

    "If I wanted to brag then yes," he told us. "But technically no I don't think I am." And with that Vamplew went back to his stack of 84,000. -- NW

    2:04pm: Swing and a miss for Swidler
    Level 10 - Blinds: 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    Down to his last 11,900, Carter Swidler pushed all in from the button. Swidler is often seen going deep in Super Tuesdays, Sunday Millions, and other tournaments on PokerStars as "cswidler."

    Swidler watched Robert Sampson call his push from the small blind, and exhaled a little when he saw Sampson had [Ah][Td] versus his own [Ad][8c]. The [9c][4h][2d][Qh][Ks] runout was of no help to Swidler, and he heads to the exit. Sampson how has 62,000. --MH

    2:01pm: Meeting halfway
    Level 10 - Blinds: 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    They're halfway through Level 10, and the field has just shrunk to fewer than 300.

    That means roughly half the 605-entry field has been eliminated, and of course that means the average stack is a little over twice the 30K with which they started, up to just over 60,000. --MH

    2pm: Cathal takes the shine out of Tompkins' tournament
    Level 10 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    Earlier this week Jason Tompkins won the PokerStars Cup, pocketing over €27,000 for that win. He's just busted out of the Main Event to Cathal Shine. The latter flat called a raise with aces and Tompkins shoved behind with pocket tens and didn't get there. --NW

    1:55pm: Not such a sick brag bro
    Level 10 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    Dominik Nitsche sat down in the €10,000 Single Day High Roller yesterday and asked his tablemates whether any of them had played the Main Event yet. Most of them said they had, but Nitsche said he hadn't--in the process just casually mentioning that he had been busy winning the €2,000 UKIPT High Roller.

    "Sick brag, bro," Bryn Kenney said.

    Nitsche's week got even better. He came second in that €10K turbo too, meaning he had to wait until noon today to start his Main Event campaign. But he can finally now sleep. He is out.

    dominik_nitsche_ept12_dublin_day2.jpg

    Dominik Nitsche: Sick bragging

    Here are the latest players to be eliminated: Norber Szecsi, Dominik Nitsche, David van der Weele, Jason Tompkins. -- HS

    1:50pm: Ace high good for Pagano
    Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    Luca Pagano is Italian and dresses as such. His pressed white shirt matches his white headphones, the red trim of which is in sync with the red spade stuck to his front. In a hand just now, the Team PokerStars Pro's read on Andrew Chen was as immaculate as his dress sense.

    Around 10,000 chips sat in small pile in the middle and Pagano (under the gun) checked to see Chen (button) bet 6,200. Pagano didn't give attention to the stoic Chen; his attention was on the board and inside his mind. He took his time, made the call, and checked over the [ts] river. Chen thought for a minute and gave up with a check behind. Pagano opened [ah][4h] for ace high and Chen mucked.

    In Prague at the end of last year, Johnny Lodden overtook Pagano as the player with the most EPT cashes. Lodden is out of this one, but Pagano could get back level if he carries on like this. -- MC

    Luca Pagano -- 85,000
    Andrew Chen -- 38,600

    1:45pm: Jorgensen headlines latest bill
    Level 10 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    It's not necessarily the kind of list you want to headline, but Theo Jorgensen is the most recognisable name among the latest clutch of eliminated players. They are as follows: Peter Akery, Natasha Barbour, Raffaele Carnevale, Yucel Eminoglu, David Lopez Llacer, Amgd Nadr, Daniel Wilson, Malkiel Berlianshik, Olov Jansson, Michael Ferrari, Kenny Hallaert, Theo Jorgensen, Samuel Vousden. -- HS

    natasha_barbour_ept12_dublin_day2.jpg

    Natasha Barbour

    1:40pm: Checking in on the leaders
    Level 10 - Blinds: 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    Back on Sunday, Gilles Bernies of Germany finished Day 1A bagging what would turn out to be the most chips of anyone who'd make it to Day 2. He's fallen back just a bit in the early going today, though still is quite healthy with 172,000.

    gilles_bernies_ept12_dublin_day2.jpg

    Gilles Bernies: Narrowly out of the chip lead

    Meanwhile Francisco Correia De Oliveira of Portugal bagged the Day 1B lead last night, and he's continued to add to his stack through the first level-plus today, pushing up to 228,000. --MH

    1:35pm: Advantage Ainsworth
    Level 10 - Blinds: 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    Michel Abecassis bet 2,200 in the cutoff which was called by Jude Ainsworth in the big blind. This was a tough table, featuring the likes of Luca Pagano, Tom Hall and Andrew Chen, all of whom watched the flop come [6d][2h][6c].

    Ainsworth then began a series of bets, leaving both of his hands resting outstretched in the table in front of him each time. The first for 2,400, which was called for a [3c] turn card. Another bet from Ainsworth, 5,800 this time, which the Frenchman called, his expression never changing from total concentration.

    Then on the [8d] river card another 13,500 from Ainsworth. Abecassis paused a moment but then called. Ainsworth flipped over his [ac][ad], prompting Abecassis to muck.

    He drops to 52,000 chips, which Ainsworth now sits with roughly 137,000. - SB

    1.30pm: Level up
    Level 10 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

    They're into Level 10 now, playing blinds of 500-1,000. I say, "they" but it doesn't include this lot, who are the latest to bust:

    Aaron Gustavson, Gaetano Dell'Aera, Andrea Dato, Chan Pelton, Christian Thiry, Pawel Matloka, Casey Kastle, Jaroslaw Sikora, Erik Olofsson, Mustapha Kanit, Billy Chattaway, Barny Boatman, Tobias Peters, Antonio Fernandez, Mikko Saarremaa, Jimmy Kebe, Steven Warburton, Hugo Cesario Gomes Andrade. -- HS

    kimmy_kebe_ept12_dublin_day2.jpg

    Jimmy Kebe

    1:29pm: In the Palma of his hand
    Level 9 - Blinds: 400-800 (100 ante)

    We're back at the "Show one card" table, where the talk is frequent and entertaining. Christian Thiry had opened from under the gun and it had folded around to Nick Palma who tossed in a call from the big blind.

    "I'm either ahead or I'm not, am I right?" grinned Palma as the flop came [9h][5d][7c]. Palma checked, Thiry bet 2,400, then Palma check-raised to 6,000. Thiry hesitated a moment before continuing.

    "You would have put it in already so I'm not worried," said Palma. "I'm a nit," responded Thiry with a nod before he finally called.

    The turn then brought the [4d], and Palma promptly set out 30,000 -- a bit more than what Thiry had behind.

    "You got me crushed probably with a set of fours," Thiry said. "You see my cards?!?" Palma instantly responded, and the table chuckled. Palma went on to note how he'd have to show one of them, should Thiry fold.

    The chatter continued. "You say one thing, I think you have it," said Thiry. "You say another, I think you don't." At last he decided upon the latter and called all in.

    Palma turned over his cards -- [4c][4h] -- and the table laughed again.

    Thiry shook his head with a smile and turned over his [8d][8s]. "I do have outs," he said, although the river [Qs] wasn't one of them and he was eliminated. They talked a little further about the hand, and Thiry wished the table luck before departing.

    Palma is up around 72,000 now. --MH

    1:25pm: Concepcion looking for a super result in the live arena
    Level 9 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

    Jonathan "OMGjonyctt" Concepcion might only have $19,790 in live tournament winnings but he's got a bucket load online including two Super Tuesday wins in 2015.

    The Spanish player, who lives in the UK, is up to 83,000 after winning a hand against Jean-Noel Thorel.

    Thorel opened to 1,900 from early position, Concepcion three-bet to 6,000 from the button and Thorel he made the call when it folded back to him.

    On the [7h][5d][4h] flop Concepcion c-bet 7,000 and Thorel stuck around to see the flush come in on the [Qh] turn. He re-checked his cards quickly and then check-folded to Concepcion's second barrel. -NW

    Jean-Noel Thorel, 85,000
    Jonathan Concepcion, 83,000

    1:15pm: Cardoso's cards test Tedeschi
    Level 9 - Blinds: 400-800 (100 ante)

    Paul Tedeschi had the look of someone about to be handed an exam. He'd studied, he clearly knew the material, and after pausing just a beat to steel himself he was ready.

    The board showed [Ah][7d][3s][9c][6d], there was about 25,000 in the middle, and Diogo Cardoso had shoved all in for just under 40,000. The test was not a simple one, but with calling chips in hand Tedeschi felt ready.

    Tedeschi emphatically slammed the chips down in front of him to call, then looked Cardoso's way as he tabled his hand -- [3c][3d].

    Alas, a set of treys. Not what Tedeschi wanted to see, as he showed his [9d][7h] for two pair. The good news for Tedeschi is, we're still a long way from the final.

    Cardoso is now up over 100,000, while Tedeschi continues with 25,000. --MH

    1:10pm: Ruzicka gets value from Mayer
    Level 9 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

    Nicholas Palma and Brian Reinert, among others, were involved in a conversation about the differences in poker tournaments in Europe and the USA. They're both American and Palma said: "Only in Europe do you get to the turn and not know who the action is on as everyone is just starring at each other." That made Liv Boeree and Adrian Mateos, who are sat side by side, chuckle.

    liv_boeree_adrian_mateos_ept12_dublin_day2.jpg

    Liv Boeree and Adrian Mateos. The white fella in the middle doesn't say much

    Meanwhile a pot had broken out between Vojtech Ruzicka and Szabolcs Mayer. There was a [4d][7d][7s] flop on the felt and Ruzicka checked the action to Mayer. Ruzicka was in the big blind; Mayer the button.

    Mayer bet 2,200, Ruzicka check-raised to 6,500 total and after a bit of thought Mayer made the call. The turn was the [9h] and Ruzicka kept up his aggressive line. He bet 9,100 and again Mayer took some time to think through his decision before matching the bet.

    The [Jd] completed the board and Ruzicka emptied the clip. He bet 12,500 and, after about 30 seconds thought, Mayer called for a third time. Ruzicka opened [Js][7c] and Mayer nodded before mucking. -NW

    Vojtech Ruzicka, 98,200
    Szabolcs Mayer, 44,000

    1.05pm: Kanit departs
    Level 9 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

    Mustapha Kanit has won all the High Roller events under the sun but is yet to take to the winner's enclosure in a Main Event. And he won't be doing so here either. Kanit is another of the big name early casualties, failing to get there with a nut flush draw apparently. -- HS

    1:05pm: Brian takes out Bryn
    Level 9 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

    It was a short tournament for Bryn Kenney. The Super High Roller champion from this year's PCA was one of the last players to enter today and failed to make the end of the level.

    Brian Ganon opened to 2,000 from under the gun and was called in two spots (including Jason Mericer) before Kenney squeezed to 7,200 from the cutoff. Ganon came back with a four-bet to 7,200 which was enough to force out the two callers, but not Kenney, who five-bet all in for 40,000.

    After getting a count, his Argentinian opponent made the call.

    Ganon: [ad][qh]
    Kenney: [jh][jd]

    The board ran [7s][kh][qc][4s][2h] to pair Ganon's queen and vault him to about 165,000. Kenney has zilch. -- MC

    1pm: Carving the field
    Level 9 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

    A few high rollers have been brought back down to size with a bump this afternoon. Take a look through the latest list of eliminations and you'll notice a few players with huge reputations, but who will not be cashing in this one:

    Bryn Kenney, Francesco Delfoco, Paul Delaney, Keith Johnson, Conor Beresford, Rui Ferreira, Ivan Luca, Daniel Mcaulay, Peter Murphy, Alberto Garcia, Luuk Giles, Michael Kopietz, Tomasz Raniszewski, Luciana Manolea, Jeff Rossiter, Dermot Blain, Richard Jones, Adrian Szuman. -- HS

    12:55pm: Rossiter sent to the rail by Palma
    Level 9 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

    Jeffrey Rossiter came back with a sub 20,000 stack today and it had dwindled to 13,300 by the time he found a spot to get them in.

    Liv Boeree opened to 1,800 from under the gun before Rossiter three-bet all in from the cutoff. Nick Palma was in the small blind and he four-bet all in for around 35,000, which was enough to oust Boeree from proceedings.

    Rossiter: [ac][kd]
    Palma: [jc][js]

    The board ran an American flavoured [qs][8c][qh][5s][qc] to make Palma a full house.

    Nick Palma - 41,000
    Jeffrey Rossiter -- 0 -- MC

    12:50pm: River rescue for Ramos
    Level 9 - Blinds: 400-800 (100 ante)

    Felipe "Mojave" Ramos was on the super-short side to start the day, and just now we saw him folding a hand after an ace-high flop to a Piero Guido bet. Guido showed Ramos the [As] as he collected the pot, confirming that Ramos had chosen correctly.

    Soon, though, the chips Ramos had preserved -- just over 10,000 of them -- went all in from the button on the strength of [Kc][4d], and that decision didn't seem so great when Jon Clark in the big blind decided to look him up with [As][4s].

    The [9h][3h][5c] flop and [Qc] turn made things even less comfortable for Ramos, but the [Ks] falling on fifth street made things right again for the Brazilian.

    He survives, now back to about 22,000, while Clark is down to 32,000. --MH

    12:45pm: Aces cracked by a four in the door
    Level 9 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

    Jeremy Wray used to be the chairman of a soccer club in the UK and he just made a new signing: a third of Hugo Andrade's stack.

    David Vamplew was the "gossip monger" in this transfer coup. He opened to 1,800 from early position and Wray then shoved for 13,500 total. It passed round to Andrade and his call was enough to scare off Vamplew.

    Wray: [4c][4h]
    Andrade: [Ah][Ad]

    The [4s][8h][7d] flop gave Wray the lead as his pair of fours turned into a set. The [9d] turn and [5s] river were both bricks and Wray survived. -NW

    Jeremy Wray, 30,900
    Hugo Andrade, 22,000

    12:40pm: Szuman sunk
    Level 9 - Blinds: 400-800 (100 ante)

    All in for his last 13,500 from under the gun, Adrian Szuman watched the table fold around to Koray Aldemir who reshoved from the small blind, forcing a fold from the BB.

    Szuman had [Kc][Qs] and needed to improve against Aldemir's [9s][9c], but with no king or queen on the flop and a nine on the turn, Szuman was done by the river.

    Aldemir has 80,000. --MH

    12:35pm: Erect a memorial...
    Level 9 - Blinds: 400-800 (100 ante)

    ...because the following are no more: Felipe Boianovsky, Pim Gieles, Diogo Veiga, Luiz Duarte Ferreira Filho, Carlo Savinelli, Dennis Berglin, Andy Black, Jose Carlos Garcia, Dany Parlafes, Michal Starzec, Winfred Yu, Jorma Nuutinen, Bartosz Ziolkowski, Breixo Bastian Gonzales Pena, David Peters, Daniel Chtrov.

    12:30pm: Akenhead relieved to win without showdown
    Level 9 - Blinds: 400-800 (100 ante)

    James Akenhead, who has already made deep runs in the UKIPT Main Event (24th for €4,950) and High Roller (10th for €12,185) this week, has got off to a great start here on Day 2 - winning a pot without showdown versus Luciana Manolea.

    Manolea raised to 1,900 from the button and then bet 2,100, 6,200 and 13,500 on each street of a [ks][2d][2s][qc][8c] board. Akenhead was in the big blind and stuck with her all the way.

    He winced a little when Manolea fired a third street, but after he called and she insta-mucked, he shoulders relaxed enough to enable his arms to stretch out and gather in his rewards.

    James Akenhead - 62,000
    Luciana Manolea - 32,000

    12:25pm: Yu, Peters out
    Level 9 - Blinds: 400-800 (100 ante)

    A quick postscript to Winfred Yu's day -- in short, it's over.

    All in for his last 7,000 or so with [Kc][Jc] versus Dominykas Karmazinas's [Ks][Kd], Yu was drawing dead by the turn as the board came [3c][Qs][4h][6h][Ts].

    "The most boring runout ever!" Dominik Nitsche said. Karmazinas -- who found the hand not-so-boring -- is now up to 75,000.

    Just ahead of Yu heading to the rail was David Peters, similarly short to start the day. --MH

    12:20pm: Death by quads
    Level 9 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

    Jose Carlos Garcia made the final table at the EPT11 Grand Final and repeating that trick in Season 12 will be his last shot at EPT Main Event glory for this season. His EPT Dublin adventure is over early on Day 2.

    Coming into the day with 15,000 he needed a double up to get out of the danger zone. After Yiannis Liperis opened to 2,000 from early position, Garcia three-bet to 4,200 only for Diego Zeiter to cold four-bet to 9,500 in total. That got rid of Liperis but Garcia counted up his remaining chips and then moved all-in. Zeiter immediately called.

    Garcia: [Th][Ts]
    Zeiter: [Ks][Kd]

    Garcia was out of his seat after the [As][Kh][2d] flop as he needed runner-runner to survive. It didn't arrive on the [2h] turn or [Kc] river as Zeiter rubbed it in by making quads. -NW

    12:25pm: Buddiga doubles through Adams
    Level 9 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

    Timothy Adams gave little reaction after Pratyush Buddiga got a little lucky to double through him in a battle of the blinds. He's been though enough in this game to worry about one lost pot.

    The action folded around to Buddiga in the small blind and moved his short stack (13,000) all in. Adams was in the big blind and made the call.

    Buddiga: [kd][qh]
    Adams: [ah][jh]

    The board ran [5c][kc][5d][5s][8d] to pair Buddiga's king. -- MC

    Pratyush Buddiga - 26,800
    Timothy Adams - 35,500

    12:23pm: I don't know about Yu, but this looks like a tough seat
    Level 9 - Blinds: 400-800 (100 ante)

    Winfred Yu finds himself in a less than comfortable spot to start Day 2. He had but 12,300 to start the day, making him one of the shortest stacks in the room. Then on his immediate right he finds Dominik Nitsche has been seated.

    Nitsche is just entering the Main Event today, having spent Sunday winning the €2K UKIPT High Roller, then Monday chopping and finishing runner-up in the €10K EPT Dublin Single-Day High Roller.

    On Nitsche's right is Steve O'Dwyer, and on his right is Dermot Blain. So you see why -- and Yu sees why -- his Day 2 starting assignment is less than desirable.

    Yu folded the first few hands today, but a similarly short-stacked Blain opened one just now to 1,600 and got a call from PokerStars qualifier Johannes De Vries playing from the big blind.

    The flop came [8c][8h][Js], and De Vries check-called a 2,100 c-bet from Blain. Both checked the [Jc] turn, then on the [4c] river De Vries pushed out 5,100 and Blain called.

    De Vries tabled [8d][8s] for flopped quads, and Blain grinned as he mucked. Now like Yu, Blain is down around the 10,000-chip mark while De Vries is up close to 70,000. --MH

    12:20am: And three out
    Level 9 - Blinds: 400-800 (100 ante)

    They have already started to fall today. Krzysztof Dulowski, Dario Cannistra and Jan-Eric Schwippert are out. -- HS

    12:15am: Another three
    Level 9 - Blinds: 400-800 (100 ante)

    I don't know how these people do it, but three more players have crept in today. They are Parker Talbot, Jussi Nevanlinna and Samuel Vousden. That should be it, but it's still going to take a while to ascertain final numbers for the tournament. -- HS

    12:05am: Away they go
    Level 9 - Blinds: 400-800 (100 ante)

    There are 11 new players involved for Day 2, buying in at the start of the action: Zvi Stern, Roberto Gazzola, Clement Thumy, Idris Ambraisse, Luuk Gieles, Jesper Hoog, Dominik Nitsche, Mark Radoja, Mustapha Kanit, Patrick Leonard, Bryn Kenney.

    Action is now under way. -- HS

    11:50am: Day 2 imminent
    Level 9 - Blinds: 400-800 (100 ante)

    We're preparing for Day 2 of the EPT Dublin Main Event, the day on which registration closes. There were 344 players returning from the combined Day 1s, but there may well still be some joining the action for the first time today.

    Not long after play starts -- a level or two, probably -- we'll have an official number plus an idea of the total prize pool for the event. Stick with us for blow-by-blow action.

    NEIL5178_EPT12DUB_Tournament_Room_Neil Stoddart.jpg


    Want to start your own EPT campaign? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin Main Event: Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey, Martin Harris, Howard Swains and Nick Wright. A fine bunch of strays. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.

  • 16 February

    Fabrice Soulier “Feels a lot of Pride” in Becoming the Manager of GPL’s Paris Aviators

    PokerNews speaks with Fabrice Soulier about managing the Paris Aviators for the Global Poker League.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 16 February

    EPT Grand Final schedule guarantees thrilling end to the season

    While the EPT Dublin is now in full swing, with live updates continuing from the Main Event on the PokerStars Blog, it's natural to look ahead to what will be the finale of the season, and the PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino EPT Grand Final. Today we can provide all the details of what will be an EPT festival to remember.

    It all kicks off at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel, a destination that has become synonymous with the European Poker Tour since the first Grand Final in season one. The Salle des Etoiles will once again provide the backdrop to the 79 event festival, with plenty of highlights to whet the appetite of fan and pro alike.


    tournament_room_ept12_16feb16.jpgSalle des Étoiles tournament room

    Running from Tuesday April 26 to Friday May 6, it starts with a three day €10K High Roller single re-entry, at the unusual time of 6pm. Then, well, take a look at what's in store.

    FPS Main Event (April 27-May 1, 2016) - €1,000 + €100
    Super High Roller (April 28-30, 2016) - €98,000 + €2,000
    FPS High Roller (April 29-30, 2016) - €2,000 + €200
    EPT Main Event (April 30-May 6, 2016) - €5,000 + €300
    Single Day Super High Roller (May 1, 2022) - €49,000 + €1,000
    EPT High Roller (May 4-6, 2016) - €25,000 + €750

    From that you'll see the traditional Grand Final favourites, with buy-ins to make eyes water (in a good way). But there's also that eclectic mixture of alternative side events taking place that make festival one for every player, whether they're a Super High Roller, or Super Keen Amateur.

    Those alternative highlights include Open Face Chinese Pineapple (the first event of its kind), the €330 Monaco Cup, an assortment of Flip-outs, a deuces wild event, a seniors event, Omaha events (of the pot-limit, sextuple and turbo variety), and an FPS High Roller. There are also satellites from as little as €100 and a €200 buy-in Cote D'Azur Open, with three starting days and a final day of play to guarantee some season ending fireworks.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars and make your own way to the EPT Grand Final? Click here to get an account.

    That's not even everything. The rest you can find on the EPT homepage, along with accommodation details and how to qualify for the festival in one of the countless satellites running from this weekend.


    monaco_outside_ept12_16feb16.jpgCasino Square in Monaco

    If it's anything like every other Grand Final festival staged in Monaco, it guarantees a fitting end to the season, complete with luxurious surroundings and great poker.

    We can't wait to see you there.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 16 February

    Las Vegas Moneymakers Manager Chris Moneymaker Ready To Inspire Another Poker Boom

    Las Vegas Moneymaker team manager Chris Moneymaker is ready to help ignite another poker boom by being a part of the Global Poker League.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 16 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Main Event Day 2 live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES * CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS * Watch the action on EPT Live 4:20: Great timing for Ruzzi Level 11 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante) Of course it helps getting big hands in poker, but what really helps is getting on...

  • 16 February

    2016 EPT Dublin Main Event Day 1b: Francisco Oliveira Surges To the Top

    Francisco Oliveira finished atop the pack on Day 1b of the 2016 PokerStars EPT Dublin Main Event.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 16 February

    2,416 | Huge field competes in WPTDS Parx opening event

      A massive 2,416-player field has assembled near Philadelphia to play the opening event of the WPTDeepStacks – Big Stax XV series at Parx Casino in Bensalem. The $300 buy-in event winner will fetch a massive $113,190 for first place, 377 times the amount the entry into the tournament – certainly a nice bonanza for the the lone person left standing as champion. The total prize pool for the event is set at $688,560. The...

    The post 2,416 | Huge field competes in WPTDS Parx opening event appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 16 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Charlie Carrel defeats Dominik Nitsche to win €10,300 High Roller

    Whoever plans these big poker festivals is one clever cookie.

    You see, with Day 1A of the Main Event taking place yesterday, that meant that anyone who had played and survived now wasn't due back until Tuesday for Day 2. Add to the mix the fact that the €25,000 EPT High Roller finished yesterday, and you could have expected a lot of bored poker players searching for something to fill their Monday off.

    Yeah, right.

    Boredom doesn't exist at the EPT! Luckily for those players who just want to keep on playing (i.e. the vast majority), there was a €10,300 High Roller tournament running today that would start and finish all on the same day, meaning they could comfortably play before returning to the Main Event tomorrow. Heck, even if they hadn't played the Main Event yet, they can still buy-in at the start of Day 2!

    A total of 66 players decided to pony up the buy-in, and 23 of those exercised their single re-entry option, making it 89 entries in total. That produced a staggering prize pool of €863,300, with a handsome €229,200 going to the eventual winner.

    That final table was full of familiar faces, including Dominik Nitsche - who won the UKIPT High Roller last night for €156,560. Nitsche would go on to finish 2nd in this event, but in the end it was the 22-year-old British superstar Charlie Carrel who took it down, fresh off his 3rd place finish in the €25,000 High Roller yesterday for €234,100.

    Carrel can now add €164,500 to his Dublin winnings, as the final four players made a deal. Here's how the tournament played out over the day (the full updates can be found here).

    Every face a name

    It was a stacked line up: Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier, PCA 2016 Main Event champ Mike Watson, and €25,000 EPT Dublin High Roller champ Mustapha Kanit were amongst the action, as were Mike McDonald, Steve O'Dwyer, Igor Kurganov, Dzmitry Urbanovich, Martin Jacobson, Adrian Mateos, Timothy Adams, Christoph Vogelsang, Daniel Dvoress, Ryan Riess, and Ben Heath.

    Our bubble boy was Daniel Dvoress, who was crippled when he ran jacks into Kevin MacPhee's kings, and busted a few hands later.


    Daniel_Dvoress_EPTDub_1DHR.jpg

    Daniel Dvoress bubbles

    Ryan Riess, Kevin MacPhee, Fernando Brito, and Sergey Lebedev were the next to go.


    Kevin_Macphee_EPTDub_1DHR2.jpg

    MacPhee out in 11th

    That got us down to a final table of 9, and here's how they stacked up:

    Mark Radoja 1,840,000
    Dominik Nitsche 1,425,000 
    Demetrio Barreca 1,220,000
    Senh Ung 1,000,000
    Jeff Rossiter 930,000
    Charlie Carrel 825,000
    Francois Billard 670,000
    Viacheslav Goryachev 400,000
    Paul Tedeschi 375,000

    Viacheslav Goryachev was the first to leave the final table, followed by a crazy double elimination hand. Jeff Rossiter shoved, then Senh Ung shoved, and then Mark Radoja shoved as well!

    Rossiter had [ad][qh], Ung had [jd][jc], but Radoja had them both with [kc][ks], which would hold up, knocking both players out.


    Jeff_Rossiter_EPTDub_1DHR.jpg

    Rossiter falls in 7th

    Demetrio Berreca went out in 6th shortly after, followed by Paul-Francois Tedeschi in 5th.


    Paul_Tedeschi_EPTDub_1DHR.jpg

    Paul-Francois Tedeschi laddered up nicely with a short stack

    When we got to four-handed, the players cut a deal. Here's what they agreed:

    Mark Radoja €144,180
    Dominik Nitsche €139,450
    Charlie Carrel €134,600
    Francois Billard €128,120

    They left €29,900 plus the trophy to play for, and after a little bit of four-handed play we lost Billard in 3rd. He'd already locked up €128,120 so wasn't too dissapointed!


    Francois_Billard_EPTDub_1dhr.jpg

    Francois Billard gets 4th

    Three-handed went on for quite some time, taking us into the early hours of the morning. It was Mark Radoja - the man who led for much of this final table following that double-elimination hand - who exited in 3rd, taking home his €144,180. He moved all in from the small blind for 1 million with [qs][6h] and was called by Carrel in the bb with [ac][8s]. The flop paired Carrel's eight and no queen turned up on the turn or river.


    Mark_Radoja_EPTdub_1DHR2.jpg

    Radoja gets 3rd

    Heads up was quite a relaxed affair, with both Carrel and Nitsche fresh off huge scores yesterday. However, both still clearly wanted to win the extra €29,900 and the shiny trophy.

    The chip lead changed hands several times, and plenty of bluffs were shown. However, it was two big hands that would settle it.


    Carrel_Nitsche_EPTDub_1dhr.jpg

    Carrel and Nitsche - two poker beasts

    Nitsche limped on the button and Carrel made it 400,000 to play from his bb. Nitsche didn't waste time shoving for his last 2.1 million and the call from Carrel was even quicker - "Aces!" he said gleefully, turning over [ac][as]. Nitsche had [ah][qd], and the [ts][5d][jc] gave him some hope for a straight. But the [4s] turn and [8c] river were no help whatsoever.

    And just like that, we had our champ!

    Nitsche and Radoja were all talking about whether or not they could still register for the EPT Dublin Main Event tomorrow on Day 2 - which they can in the morning. So don't be surprised if we see them both tomorrow, alongside Carrel who survived Day 1A.

    We hope we see you tomorrow too! Come back and check out all the action from Day 2 of the Main Event. Goodnight!

    €10,300 Single-Day High Roller
    Players: 66
    Re-entries: 23
    Prize pool: €863,300

    1 Charlie Carrel (United Kingdom) €164,500*
    2 Dominik Nitsche (Germany) €139,450*
    3 Mark Radoja (Canada) €144,180*
    4 Francois Billard (Canada) €128,120*
    5 Paul-Francois Tedeschi (France) €66,480
    6 Demetrio Barreca (Italy) €51,800
    7 Jeff Rossiter (Australia) €41,000
    8 Senh Ung (United Kingdom) €31,940
    9 Viacheslav Goryachev (Russia) €24,170

    *Indicates a four-handed deal was made


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

  • 15 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Francisco Correia de Oliviera takes Main Event lead on Day 1B

    Should we really be surprised how things went today? Probably not. For this was Day 1B, a day that could easily be summed up using the official EPT textbook*, with a well-worn blueprint that goes something like this. * Seats are filled * More seats ar...

  • 15 February

    Poker Cartoon - Debts

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 15 February

    Jeff Gross’ Twitch Party House

    Jeff Gross tells PokerNews how he got started with Twitch, how much he's learned, and his plans to start a live twitch house in Prague. Gross, Elky, and some of your other Twitch favorites are hosting a live meet-up in Dublin.  Share: Facebo...

  • 15 February

    Justice Vanessa Selbst?

    Now that there is a US Supreme Court Justice seat open, PokerNews asked some player here in EPT Dublin which poker player they would choose to serve on the highest US court.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 15 February

    FanDuel CFO says poker is not a game of skill

    The Daily Fantasy Sports boss has enraged poker players in a TV interview.

  • 15 February

    Why Did Highly-Ranked GPI Players Decide To Not Opt In for GPL Draft?

    Find out why some of the GPI's highest ranked players decided not to opt in for Global Poker League draft eligibility.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 15 February

    Five Thoughts: GPL Draft List Revealed, Negreanu Blogging Hard, and Award Predictions

    In this edition of Five Thoughts, Mo Nuwwarah talks Global Poker League draft, Daniel Negreanu's latest blogs, and more.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 15 February

    2016 EPT Dublin Main Event Day 1a: 147 Show Up, 79 Advance, Gilles Bernies Leads

    The European Poker Tour Dublin Main Event kicked off on Sunday with an opening flight of 147 players.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 15 February

    Weekend Review: A look back on (and ahead to) the week’s winners

    A look at all the major stories from this past weekend on PokerStars.

    Weekend highlights

    * Sr.Rouquinho wins the Sunday Million for $171,000
    * shtruddle does the same in the Sunday Warm-Up
    * EPT Dublin Main Event gets started


    chips_fingers_15feb16.jpg

    Round up of latest results

    A short and sweet round up of the weekend news this Monday given that we write this ahead of Day 1B of the EPT Dublin Main Event. That also explains why both of this week's major write ups were tasked to our intrepid reporter Jason Kirk who doubled down on usual duties. We're pleased to say he coped manfully.

    In his first the story was one of resilience on the part of Sr.Rouquinho, who took down the Sunday Million title ahead of a field of 5,494. That meant a deal-free first prize of $171,854, which you can read about here.

    In the Warm-Up meanwhile shtruddle took honours in a three way deal with Pokerfan89Gr and arturuz77, to claim a first prize of $64,427. Read Jason Kirk's report of that one here.

    Check the results in full below.

    2/14/16 Sunday Million ($215 No-Limit Hold'em) results
    Entrants: 5,494
    Total prize pool: $1,098,800
    Places paid: 810

    1. Sr.Rouquinho (Czech Republic) $171,854.75
    2. NEMEZIS JT (Russia) $128,010.20
    3. amar11111 (Germany) $90,486.18
    4. ismo 5. 163Andrey63 (Russia) $46,699
    6. marcel389 (Canada) $35,711
    7. Camari (Norway) $24,723
    8. woopwoopster (Norway) $13,735
    9. sslazio904 (Russia) $8,790.40


    2/14/16 Sunday Warm-Up ($215 No-Limit Hold'em) results
    Entrants: 2,250
    Total prize pool: $450,000
    Places paid: 324

    1. shtruddle (Switzerland) $64,427.98*
    2. Pokerfan89Gr (Greece) $53,416.40*
    3. arturuz77 (Uzbekistan) $46,293.12*
    4. LlKE A G6 (Czech Republic) $27,000
    5. Nicolau "nicofellow" Villa-Lobos (Brazil) $20,250
    6. 0$kar15 (Germany) $15,525
    7. pr0fes0rul (Romania) $11,025
    8. Caz_Carneiro (Brazil) $6,525
    9. Steve "Illini213" Barshak (Costa Rica) $4,050
    * Reflects the results of a three-way deal that left $8,000 in play for the winner


    The weekend's top online tournament winners

    Here's a look at this week's big winners.

    EVENTWINNERCOUNTRYPRIZE MONEY
    $215 Sunday Million Sr.RouquinhoCzech Republic $171,854.75
    $215 Sunday Warm-Up shtruddleSwitzerland $64,427.98
    $530 Sunday 500 omaha4rollzHungary $57,750.00
    $215 Sunday Supersonic [6-Max] calo88Argentina $44,737.31
    $215 Sunday 2nd ChancevicenfishUnited Kingdom $35,784.00

    You'll find the complete list of major results on PokerStars here for the weekend of February 6-7, 2016.


    Now is the perfect opportunity to get a PokerStars account. Open your account here.

    As we mentioned earlier this big focus of this week on the Blog is the European Poker Tour. We're up to Day 1B of the Main Event which kicks off any minute, alongside the always entertaining Single Day High Roller, which will keep at least one of us awake into the early hours of Tuesday. Then on the main EPT Live stage the UKIPT Main Event final table will play out for all to see.

    What's more you can follow all three events via the PokerStars Blog, with live updates for all three events taking place today.

    Here you'll find UKIPT live updates from start to finish. Bear in mind what you read here will be on a one hour delay from what is actually taking place in the room a few feet from where we're sitting. That's for the cards up coverage you can find on EPT Live.

    The Main Event just got underway. Live updates can be found here.

    Finally the Single Day High Roller, which really should be renamed the day and a half high roller, starts at 12.30pm. Live updates will begin then.

    That's all for now. Congratulations to all of this weekend's winners. Now back to Dublin. As always you can keep in touch with us on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.




    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.



  • 15 February

    Watch the UKIPT Main Event final table

    We have the live stream from the UKIPT Main Event live from 13:30 GMT today.

  • 15 February

    Watch EPT Dublin Day 2 live

    We have the live stream from the European Poker Tour from 12:00 GMT today.

  • 15 February

    Watch EPT Dublin Day 3 live

    We have the live stream from the European Poker Tour from 12:00 GMT today.

  • 15 February

    Watch EPT Dublin Day 4 live

    We have the live stream from the European Poker Tour from 12:00 GMT today.

  • 15 February

    Watch EPT Dublin Day 5 live

    We have the live stream from the European Poker Tour from 12:00 GMT today.

  • 15 February

    Watch the EPT Dublin final table live

    We have the live stream from the finale of the European Poker Tour from 14:00 GMT today.

  • 15 February

    EPT12 Dublin: €10K Single-Day High Roller live updates

    2016_UKIPTDub_MickeyMay_86509a.jpg

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * 22 remain from 89 total entries

    7:34pm: A couple for Riess
    Level 13 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

    Ryan Riess is having a good level. He just won a nice pot against Sergey Lebedov - here's how it played out.

    Riess limped from the sb and Lebedov checked from the bb. The flop was the [3s][js][7h], and both players checked. The same thing happened on the [8c] turn. Then, on the [4h] river, Riess checked but Lebedov bet 20,000. But now Riess decides to 3-bet to 75,000, and finds a caller. Riess flipped over his [4d][4c] for a set of fours confidently, and Lebedov let out a wince and a sigh.

    The next hand, Mark Radoja opened to 28,000 and Riess 3-bet to 64,000, taking it down. He's up to 600,000 now, while Lebedev has slipped a little to 760,000. --JS

    7:25pm: A whole lot of 3-bets
    Level 13 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

    3-betting is the order of Level 13 - all the cool kids are doing it. Everywhere we look it's happening.

    Sam Greenwood opens to 30,000, Dominik Nitsche 3-bets to 77,000, Greenwood folds.

    Mark Radoja opens to 30,000, Jeff Rossiter 3-bets to 82,000, Radoja folds.

    Paul-Francois Tedeschi opens to 26,000 Reiner Kempe makes it 81,000 to play, and Tedeschi gives it up.

    All three of this took place on different tables. We've only got three tables left! --JS

    7:15pm: Level 13 is a go
    Level 13 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

    We're down to 26 players as we enter Level 13. --JS

    7:00pm: Lebedev takes the chip lead
    Level 12 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

    We just caught the end of a huge pot between Sergey Lebedev and Orpen Kisacikoglu. The board read [th][ah][4h][5c][ks] and Kisacikoglu checked over to Lebedev (bear in mind there was around 427,000 already in the middle!). Lebedev put out a bet of 200,000 and Kisacikoglu had a long think. He'd eventually make the call, but mucked when Lebedev flipped over the [kh][3h] for the stone-nuts.

    With that hand, Lebedev has taken a good chip lead with 960,000, while Kisacikoglu has 245,000 remaining. --JS

    6:50pm: Players are back - except this lot
    Level 12 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

    We now have 29 players remaining. Adrian Mateos, Jean-Noel Thorel, Piotr Franczak, Rocco Palumbo, Scott Margereson, Georgios Sotiropoulos, Davidi Kitai, Alexandru Papazian, Dzmitry Urbanovich, Martin Jacobson, and Max Silver have all been eliminated. --JS

    6:40pm: A few chip counts
    Level 12 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

    Here are a few unofficial chips counts at the break:

    Jason Wheeler 520,000
    Daniel Dvoress 510,000
    Sam Greenwood 430,000
    Dominik Nitsche 400,000
    Paul-Francois Tedeschi 375,000
    Viacheslav Goryachev 344,000
    Kevin MacPhee 288,000

    Jason_Wheeler_EPTdub_1DHR.jpg

    Wheeler leads at the break

    6:30pm: Break time

    Players are now on a 20 minute break. When we return the blinds will be 5,000/10,000 with a 1,000 ante. --JS

    6:24pm: Nitsche wins big from Zisimopoulos, then doubles Sormunen
    Level 11 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

    The clock had been called on Georgios Zisimopoulos, as he was taking a heckuva long time to make a decision as to call Dominik Nitsche's all-in shove. The board was [qh][8h][4d][2h][8s], the bet was for 185,000 more and the pot was already huge, but with just 191,000 himself it would basically be for Zisimopoulos' tournament. As it ticked down to 5 seconds his hand hit the muck.

    Nitsche scraped in the pot and now had 430,000. "I had ace queen, you had king queen," he said afterwards. Juding by Zisimopoulos's reaction, he may have been on the money.

    The next hand Nitsche was right in the thick of the action again, opening and then calling a shove from Pasi Sormunen for 48,000. Nistche held [ad][5d] while it was [ks][qc] for the Finnish player, and a king on the flop secured him the double up.

    Dominik Nitsche 375,000
    Pasi Sormunen 108,000
    Georgios Zisimopoulos 191,000 --JS

    6:14pm: Habib busts to Lebedev
    Level 11 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

    Walid Bou Habib was all-in with [ah][kh] but would need to hit to beat Sergey Lebedev's [2h][2d]. The board ran out [5d][3d][js][8s][jc] and the deuces held, eliminating Habib, while giving Lebedev around 600,000. --JS

    6:04pm: Prize pool and pay-outs
    Level 11 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

    The 89 entries in this event created a prize pool of €863,300, and 13 people will be paid. Here's a look at how the pay-outs breakdown:

    1. €229,200 
    2. €159,280 
    3. €105,320 
    4. €82,450 
    5. €66,480 
    6. €51,800 
    7. €41,000 
    8. €31,940 
    9. €24,170 
    10. €18,560 
    11. €18,560 
    12. €17,270 
    13. €17,270 

    There are 37 players remaining. --JS

    6:00pm: Level 11 underway
    Level 10 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

    The blinds continue to go up, and many stacks are entering the danger zone. Don't go anywhere - we'll be back with knock-outs and the prize pool/pay-outs in just in a sec. --JS

    5:50pm: Buddiga loses the race
    Level 10 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

    Pratyush Buddiga had got it all-in with [qh][qd] against Orpen Kisacikoglu's [ah][ks], and the two were off to the races. Kisacikoglu has an interesting look today - a ski woolly hat and a scarf covering everything but his eyes. The board ran out [9c][as][5h][4c][2h] and that ace ended Buddiga's tournament. It was a pretty large pot, and Kisacikoglu now has more than 500,000. --JS

    5:45pm: Kanit can't make it two in a row
    Level 10 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

    The enigmatic, entertaining, and effervescent Mustapha Kanit won't win two High Rollers in a row, as he has been eliminated from this event. Will we see him hop into the Main Event on Day 1B? --JS

    5:40pm: Mercier eliminated - no chance to re-enter
    Level 10 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

    What an annoying time to bust your first bullet - right after entry is closed! Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier is gone and will have to find new plans for the day. --JS

    5:30pm: Level 10 begins
    Level 10 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

    Play has now entered Level 10 which means there are no more entries allowed. A total of 66 players entered this event, with 23 re-entering. As it stands 43 remain - we'll have the prize pool details as soon as they're announced. --JS

    5:23pm: Greenwood doubles through Vogelsang
    Level 9 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

    Jean-Noel Thorel kicked off the action with an open to 12,000, before Sam Greenwood decided to shove for 98,000 on the button. Christoph Vogelsang looked interested, and thought for a little while before raising to 225,000. Thorel quickly got out of the way, and the cards were on their backs.

    Sam Greenwood [7d][7s]
    Christoph Vogelsang [ah][tc]

    There was an ace in the window on the flop, but also a 7 - giving Greenwood a set. At the end, the board read [as][4d][7h][qd][ks] and Greenwood doubled up. He now has 124,000.

    There are 45 players remaining. --JS

    Sam_Greenwood_EPTDub_1DHR.jpg

    Sam's happy

    5:10pm: McDonald, Kurganov, Drinan, Chartier, Charania - all eliminated
    Level 9 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

    There have been plenty of bust-outs since the players have returned for Level 9. Igor Kurganov, Connor Drinan, Sam Chartier, Mohsin Charania, and Mike McDonald have all been felted.

    In Mike McDonald's case, it was by the hands of Davidi Kitai. McDonald had got all his chips in with [ac][5c] on the turn of the [4s][kd][2c][9c] board, and needed an ace, club or 3 to beat Kitai's [td][tc]. The river was the [9s] though and McDonald is outta here. Kitai now has 115,000.

    52 players remain, with one more level before entry is closed. --JS

    4:50pm: One last hand

    While all other players had gone on their break, two remained. I went over to see what was going on and found Francois Billard and Sergey Lebedev playing a pot together which would stretch five minutes into their comfort time.

    The board had already reached the river, showing [qh][td][jd] and Billard checked, before Lebedev put out a 36,000 bet into a 90,000 pot. Billard went deep into the tank - for so long that Ryan Reiss - who had hung back to watch his tablemates play - had a chance to do an interview and still come back in time to catch the end of the hand. Billard would eventually fold though, and now sits with 168,000, while Lebedev is up to around 205,000. --JS

    4:46pm: Break time

    Level 8 has concluded and players are on another 15-minute break. This will be the last chance for anyone to enter or re-enter, as that window will close with the start of Level 9. --MH

    4:42pm: Mercier doubles through Kurganov
    Level 8 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

    Jason Mercier was just now all in and at risk holding [Ad][Kc] versus Igor Kurganov's [Ac][Jd]. The [9h][Qd][9c][3c][Tc] board was okay for Mercier, and he doubles to about 180,000 while Kurganov slips to just over 85,000. --MH

    4:37pm: Assorted chip counts
    Level 8 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

    They are about halfway through Level 8 -- almost four hours into the tournament -- and at the moment Daniel Dvoress looks like the leader as he's pushing up toward the 500,000-chip mark.

    Here's a glimpse at how several of the stacks look at present, including all the big ones:

    Daniel Dvoress - 475,000
    Jason Wheeler - 390,000
    Christoph Vogelsang - 328,000
    Charlie Carrel - 318,000
    Martin Jacobson - 353,000
    Senh Ung - 290,000
    Pratyush Buddiga - 244,000
    Adrian Mateos - 220,000
    Ryan Riess - 196,000
    Jeffrey Rossiter - 186,000
    Nick Petrangelo - 145,000
    Sam Greenwood - 120,000
    Igor Kurganov - 118,000
    Rocco Palumbo - 107,000
    Bryn Kenney - 105,000
    Connor Drinan - 91,000
    Mustapha Kanit - 88,000
    Steve O'Dwyer - 82,000
    Dominik Nitsche - 80,000
    Max Silver - 75,000
    Davidi Kitai - 73,000
    David Peters - 60,000
    Jason Mercier - 54,000

    With about 15 minutes of late registering and re-entering to go, there are 89 total entries so far. --MH

    4:35pm: Jacobson felts Watson, while Heath hits the rail again
    Level 8 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

    Two more players have exited this event, one of whom has become our first to bust twice.

    Ben Heath, who has now used both of his entries and can't re-enter, was putting on his backpack and making his way out of the tournament area while we were watching a hand between Martin Jacobson and Mike Watson.

    Jacobson min-raised from UTG and it folded around to Watson in the big blind. He made the call the two saw the [4c][3c][td] flop, which Watson would check to the pre-flop raiser. Jacobson c-betted for 13,000, but Watson 3-bet shoved for around 40,000. Jacobson made the call with the [ts][qc] and was ahead with a pair of tens against Watson's [ac][8c]. The [8h] on the turn gave SirWatts some hope, but the [6s] river sealed his fate.

    It's likely we'll see Mike Watson again in this event, but he only has one and a bit levels to re-enter. Meanwhile, Jacobson is storming up the counts with 350,000. --JS

    4:22pm: Kanit's back in
    Level 8 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

    There may only be one Mustapha Kanit, but there are two Mustapha Kanit buy-ins in this event. The Italian High Roller champ is back in with 100,000. --JS

    4:17pm: Zisimopoulos doubles through Silver
    Level 8 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

    Before Level 7 ended, Georgios Zisimopoulos found a double up when he shoved from the small blind into Max Silver's bb. It was only for 26,300, so Silver made the call with [8h][6h], in bad shape against Zisimopoulos' [th][8d]. It would get worse for Silver on the flop as Zisimopoulos flopped the nut straight. The board ran out [9c][jh][7s][as][kh] and Zisimopoulos is up to 54,000, while Silver is in trouble with 33,500. --JS

    4:16pm: Level 8 begins
    Level 8 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

    They're up to Level 8 now, the last full level before late registration and the ability to re-enter ends. --MH

    4:12pm: Gieles felts Kanit
    Level 7 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (400 ante)

    We're trying to keep our cool and not get too excited around here whenever someone loses an all-in. Not yet, anyway. With late registration and the ability to re-enter available through the start of Level 9, nothing is final, really... unless, of course, a player busts for a second time, which is something we haven't seen happen yet.

    Case in point, just now we were reporting how Steve O'Dwyer had responded to being knocked out once by re-entering and knocking out Luuk Gieles. Well, Gieles then performed a similar feat, immediately buying back in and then felting yesterday's €25K High Roller champ, Mustapha Kanit.

    Following an open from the button, Kanit had shoved for about 58,000 from the small blind, and Gieles reshoved from the big to isolate. Kanit had [As][8d] and Gieles [9s][9d]. The [7d][4h][6d][8h][5h] put a straight on the board, but Gieles was able to make a better one and Kanit was out... but likely not for long.

    Gieles is at 145,000 now. --MH

    3:58pm: O'Dwyer felts Gieles
    Level 7 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (400 ante)

    Steve O'Dwyer was nursing a short stack up through the last level when he finally busted and then re-entered. Shortly after that, he was the one felting another in a hand versus Luuk Gieles.

    Gieles had open-pushed his last 38,000 from early position and O'Dwyer called from late, with the blinds stepping aside. Gieles showed [Ac][3c] while O'Dwyer had picked up [Ah][Ad]. The board ran out [2s][3d][4c][7c][6h], and Gieles moved to the rail.

    On his second try, O'Dwyer has 142,000 now. --MH


    NEIL4961_EPT12DUB_Steve_O'Dwyer_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Steve O'Dwyer

    3:48pm: Seeking more silver spades
    Level 7 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (400 ante)

    They're up to Level 7, and as it happens there are now 77 total entries in the event. Which will be the lucky one?


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    3:43pm: Seeking more silver spades
    Level 6 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

    "You guys play the Main yet?"

    So asked Dominik Nitsche, one of the late arrivers for this event. Most at the table had, but Nitsche said he hasn't as yet. At that revelation, Bryn Kenney -- another of the latecomers -- had a ready rejoinder.

    "Sick brag, bro."

    The table laughed, as they all knew along with Kenney why it was Nitsche has yet to play the EPT Dublin Main Event. The German was otherwise occupied during yesterday's first Day 1 flight, busy winning the €2K UKIPT High Roller where he topped a 416-entry field to earn a cool €156,160.

    Speaking of players who collected silver spades a day ago, another one has also now joined the €10K SDHR field -- Mustapha Kanit, winner of the EPT Dublin €25K High Roller. --MH

    3:27pm: Kempe snares Neuville's stack
    Level 6 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

    In a battle of the blinds, Pierre Neuville found himself all in and at risk with [Kd][2s] versus Rainer Kempe's [3d][3c].

    The [7c][2c][Jh] flop gave Neuville one pair, but the [8s] turn and [9h] river provided no further improvement and he was felted. Kempe has about 120,000 at present. --MH

    3:18pm: Level 6 begins
    Level 6 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

    As Level 6 begins the big board shows 67 total entries, with 57 players in action. --MH

    3:16pm: Vogelsang stacks Silver
    Level 5 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    Christoph Vogelsang opened for 4,800 from under the gun and Nicholas Palma called from the next seat over. It folded around to Max Silver in the big blind who then reraise-shoved for 42,000 total.

    Vogelsang paused about a half-minute, studying Silver's bet and the counting through his own chips. Finally he reraised all in over the top, and Palma quickly folded.

    Silver: [Ts][Td]
    Vogelsang: [Ad][Ah]

    Silver immediately stood from his seat at the sight of Vogelsang's rockets, and five cards later -- [Js][8h][7c][3s][Kd] -- he departed. Vogelsang now has about 290,000, while Silver is already re-entering to try and take a second crack. --MH


    8G2A5153_EPT12DUB_Christoph_Vogelsang_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Christoph Vogelsang

    3:05pm: Jacks hold for Luca
    Level 5 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    Following a Martin Jacobson open from the button, Ivan Luca reraised all in from the big blind for 12,900 and after thinking for a short while the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event champion called.

    Jacobson showed [Ac][Qc] while Luca had [Jc][Jd]. The board came [Ks][4s][Kc][8s][8h] -- safe for Luca who doubled to just under 30,000. Meanwhile Jacobson slips to about 75,000. --MH

    2:59pm: Surveying the big stacks
    Level 5 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    A quick survey of the tables seeking the biggest stacks reveals that Senh Ung -- one of the players who has re-entered -- looks to have the most chips at present. An unofficial top five:

    Senh Ung - 310,000
    Daniel Dvoress - 290,000
    Jeff Rossiter - 220,000
    Nicholas Palma - 215,000
    Christoph Vogelsang - 215,000


    8G2A5203_EPT12DUB_Daniel_Dvoress_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Daniel Dvoress

    2:48pm: Level 5 begins
    Level 5 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

    Players are back and cards are in the air once again. Now the total number of entries is up to 61, with late registration continuing to stay open through the start of Level 9.


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    2:33pm: Break time

    Players are now taking their first 15-minute break of the day. --MH

    2:23pm: Field increases, becomes increasingly tough
    Level 4 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    Some more latecomers to tell you about -- Steve O'Dwyer, Martin Jacobson, Igor Kurganov, Sam Greenwood, Ivan Luca, and Jared Jaffee are further helping fill out a stellar field in this one.

    Right now there are 58 total entries with 50 players sitting behind stacks. --MH

    2:11pm: Serving treys
    Level 4 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    With the board showing [3h][3c][9d][9c][3d] and a small pot having developed, Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier made bet from the small blind with the full house on the board and Georgios Zisimopoulos couldn't resist calling from the button.

    Mercier then showed [Qc][3s] for quads and Zisimopoulos mucked. Mercier is at about 118,000 right now while Zisimopoulos sits with just over 160,000. --MH


    NEIL4953_EPT12DUB_Jason_Mercier_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Jason Mercier

    2:01pm: Level 4 begins
    Level 4 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

    Another half-hour level has started. After this one, players will be taking their first 15-minute break of the day. --MH

    1:53pm: More KOs, Dvoress chips up
    Level 3 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

    We just saw Daniel Dvoress claiming the last of Sam Chartier's stack to send the latter to the rail. Dvoress has about 245,000 now. Ben Heath was also standing with his backpack, having likewise lost the last of his starting stack.

    The big board is showing 54 total entries to this point, with 48 players in action. --MH

    1:42pm: Lebedev knocked out
    Level 3 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

    Sergey Lebedev has become the third player stacked so far after a confrontation with Georgios Zisimopoulos near the beginning of the day's third level.

    Lebedev was all in and at risk with [9c][9s] versus Zisimopoulos's [Ah][Kh], but the [3c][7s][Qh][7c][Kd] board had brought a better pair to Zisimopoulos, and Lebedev is out. Like the others felted early, he can re-enter up until the start of Level 9.

    Zisimopoulos is up to 175,000 now. --MH

    1:31pm: Level 3 begins
    Level 3 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

    They continue on into Level 3 without a break, with 40 total entries so far. --MH


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    1:27pm: Gieles grabs from Neuville
    Level 2 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

    We arrived on the river to see a provocative-looking board-and-hands combination in a hand between Luuk Gieles and Pierre Neuville.

    The board read [8h][Ks][8c][Ad][4s], and Neuville's [Jc][8d] meant he'd flopped trips. But Gieles's [Ac][Ah] meant he'd turned a full house, and the Dutchman profited well by doing so, earning a big pot off of the Belgian.

    Gieles is up around 215,000 now while Neuville slips back to 70,000. --MH

    1:20pm: Bleiker bounced
    Level 2 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

    Felix Bleiker has followed Senh Ung to the rail as the second knockout of the day after losing his stack to Kevin MacPhee in a set-over-set situation. --MH

    1:17pm: Ung felted; Kempe, Adams on the rise
    Level 2 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

    The day's first knockout has already occurred here in the middle of Level 2.

    A preflop raising war between Senh Ung and Rainer Kempe saw Ung all in and at risk with ace-king versus Kempe's pocket nines. The nines held, Ung is out (perhaps to re-enter), and Kempe is now sitting with about 200,000 or twice the starting stack.

    Meanwhile Timothy Adams took a decent-sized pot off of Charlie Carrel a short while ago, and he sits with about 160,000 in the early going. --MH

    1:01pm: Level 2 begins
    Level 2 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

    It's a new level already, but there's no increase in either the blinds or antes. --MH

    12:53pm: All-ins aplenty
    Level 1 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

    We've already seen a couple all-ins even in the first level of the tournament.

    In one instance, Mike McDonald raise-shoved over a river bet by Orpen Kisacikoglu to claim a decent-sized pot. McDonald is up around 130,000 at present.


    8G2A5208_EPT12DUB_Mike_McDonald_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Mike McDonald

    Meanwhile on the next table over, Christoph Vogelsang and Nicholas Palma got it all in on only to discover both had been dealt pocket kings. The board provided no four-flushes, and the pair chopped the pot. --MH

    12:46pm: More arrivals
    Level 1 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

    The empty seats are starting to fill and a fifth table has been opened as more than 30 players are in action now. Adrian Mateos, Jeffrey Rossiter, and Anthony Zinno are among the latest to claim seats. --MH

    12:39pm: The usual suspects
    Level 1 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

    A couple of minutes into today's event and the big board is showing 19 players registered so far, with 17 of them in their seats and playing short-handed at four tables. Late registration is open until the start of Level 9.

    At one table is Mike McDonald, Daniel Dvoress, Kyle Frey, and Demetrio Barreca. At another we find Sergey Lebedev, David Peters, Ryan Riess, Senh Ung, and Fernando Brito.

    Nearby at a third table are seated Pierre Neuville, Christoph Vogelsang, Laui Varonen, and Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier. And at the fourth we find Timothy Adams, Pratyush Buddiga, Ben Heath, and Charlie Carrel. --MH

    12:31pm: Shuffle up and deal!
    Level 1 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

    The first hands of the €10K Single-Day High Roller are being dealt. Play is eight-handed and players are starting with deep stacks 100,000 chips, but the blinds and antes will start increasing soon thanks to the short 30-minute levels. Also, players can re-enter once, which ought to inspire even more action from the start. --MH

    12:00pm: €10K Single-Day High Roller starting soon

    Welcome back to the Royal Dublin Society where among today's busy schedule the €10K Single-Day High Roller will be playing out starting at 12:30pm. With half-hour levels the pace promises to be a quick one, and many of poker's biggest names are expected to take part today.

    Back soon for the beginning... and the middle... and the end, as we bring you start-to-finish coverage of the "SDHR"! --MH


    Want to start your own EPT campaign? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin €10K Single-Day High Roller: Jack Stanton and Martin Harris. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter:@PokerStarsBlog


  • 15 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Main Event Day 1B live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS
    * Follow the UKIPT final table
    * Follow the single-day high roller
    * 367 of 434 (so far) players remaining


    7:30pm: Nuff respect
    Level 6 - Blinds: 200-400 (50 ante)

    Martin Jacobson is among the most respected men in poker: by all estimations, he is the World Champion who deserves the crown. He is in the EPT Dublin Main Event today, with a stack of 33,000, and just got moved to a new table.

    First hand: he raised to 1,000 and it folded to Shyam Srinivasan in the big blind. Srinivasan folded too. Next hand, Jacobson mucked. Hand after that, Jacobson opened to 1,000 and everybody folded again.

    There's a thing as too much respect, guys. -- HS

    7:21pm: QQ > KK
    Level 6 - Blinds: 200-400 (50 ante)

    Preflop back-and-forthing between Germany's Adrian Apmann and Andrea Dato of Italy concluded with Apmann five-bet jamming and Dato calling all in for about 22,000 total.

    Dato had [Qh][Qc] and appeared in dire straits versus Apmann's [Kd][Ks], but the [8c][Qs][Ad] flop suddenly brightened Dato's prospects. The turn was the [Jd] and river the [9c]. and Dato survived with a stack a little north of 45,000. Dato now is the one with about 22,000. --MH

    7:15pm: A sprint, not a marathon
    Level 6 - Blinds: 200-400 (50 ante)

    Johnny Lodden's race is run. He lived fast, he died young. Lodden made a king-high flush, but Richard Dubini made a full house. That's the end of that for Lodden. -- HS

    7:09pm: Level 6 begins
    Level 6 - Blinds: 200-400 (50 ante)

    Let's take this to a new level, shall we? Bigger blinds, bigger antes, and just 75 minutes removed from the dinner break now.

    The big board says there have been 434 entrants here on Day 1B, with 355 still with us. Late registration remains open until the start of Day 2 tomorrow. --MH

    7pm: In or out?
    Level 5 - Blinds: 150-300 (25 ante)

    A pretty tough table has developed over on the far side of the tournament room featuring players often seen in the High Roller events. Kim Wittendorff and Anton Bertilsson are there, as is Andrew Chen.

    I actually thought both Wittendorff and Bertilsson might have been out. Neither is in his original seat and, well, Scandis gonna Scandi. But they were simply moved earlier in the day and now command stacks of about 51,000 (Wittendorff) and 39,000 (Bertilsson). Chen has about 44,000.

    Wittendorff was the man involved in a recent pot, pushing Rafael Porzecanski to the brink of extinction.

    Porzecanski opened from under the gun, making it 700 to play. Wittendorff called on the button, Peter Murphy called in the small blind and Chen came along too from the big blind.

    Those four took a flop of [2c][8c][7s] and both Murphy and Chen checked. Porzecanski bet 1,500 but only Murphy let it go. The other two called.

    The turn was the [9c] and it went check, check, allowing Wittendorff to take over the betting lead. He bet 3,600. Chen folded, but Porzecanski called and they went the the river of [3h].

    After Porzecanski checked again, Wittendorff carefully calculated a bet of 13,000. That was just a bit less than the total sum of Porzecanski's remaining stack. The Uruguayan was playing for his tournament.

    After a requisite period of huffing and puffing, Porzecanski folded, preserving his life for now. Wittendorff, having already risen from the dead, battles on too. -- HS

    6:58pm: Petrov pushes, river sinks Reilly
    Level 5 - Blinds: 150-300 (25 ante)

    With the board showing [8s][2c][9d][Qs], Tim Reilly watched as Mikhail Petrov pushed all in, forcing Reilly to a decision whether or not to risk the last of his short stack. Finally he called, turning over [Qc][Jd] for top pair. Petrov meanwhile had [3s][2s] for a pair of deuces and a flush draw.

    Reilly might have been thinking "no spade," but the [2h] river was a bad card for him, too, giving Petrov trips and ending Reilly's day at the very end of Level 5. Petrov now has 115,000. --MH

    6:42pm: A Wrang turn
    Level 5 - Blinds: 150-300 (25 ante)

    With the board showing [Kd][3c][7d][Td] and about 12,000 in the middle, Team PokerStars Pro George Danzer was wondering whether or not to call the all-in shove for just under 10,000 by Jannick Wrang. He studied for more than a minute, then finally pushed his hand away.

    Danzer continued to sport an uncertain look as Wrang gathered the chips. Then from across the table, Iliodoros Kamatakis was able to make a declaration that was undoubtedly true.

    "If it was a bluff, it was a good one," he said.

    Danzer grinned and nodded, and he and Wrang continued to discuss Kamatakis's observation and the importance of that ten on the turn. Danzer is up around 65,000 now while Wrang has about 20,000. --MH


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    6:25pm: Gordillo trying, failing to get things going
    Level 5 - Blinds: 150-300 (25 ante)

    Pablo Gordillo continues to attack despite a tough table (he has Rhys Jones, Kenny Hallaert and Mickey Petersen for company) and not an enormous stack (a little less than the starting 30,000).

    It got a little shorter after this coup, where he ran into Fabrice Halleux, who hit a pretty good flop and only watched his hand get better.

    Gordillo opened to 900 from under the gun and Breixo Gonzales called from two seats to the left, as did Halleux on the button. All three of them checked a flop of [jc][5h][2h]. The turn was the [9d] and Gordillo and Gonzales both checked again, before Halleux bet 1,300. Gordillo alone called.

    The [js] came on the river and Gordillo checked again. Halleux bet 3,150 and Gordillo tank-called. Halleux turned over his [jh][kh] and Gordillo mucked. -- HS

    6:25pm: Farrell is a busted flush
    Level 5 - Blinds: 150-300 (25 ante)

    Say what you want about Niall Farrell, but he's not one to go out with a whimper. According to sources in the tournament room, he three-barrel bluffed [ts][js] and never had more than a flush draw (busted, of course). There were pocket sevens elsewhere and that did for the EPT Malta champion. -- HS

    6:19pm: How much?
    Level 5 - Blinds: 150-300 (25 ante)

    "Eight-fifty."

    "Eight-fifty?"

    "Eight-fifty."

    A statement from Slaven Popov. Then a question from Corey Hochman. A clarification from Popov. Then a third player piped up.

    "Is it eight-fifty?"

    "How much is it again?" added Ludovic Geilich.

    The table chucked in response. A poker hand had momentarily turned into a who's-on-first routine, but soon the focus was back on the cards.

    Speaking of, the three on the board were [9c][7c][Qs], and Popov had led with that bet of 850. Hochman called, then called again after the [3c] turn. That time the bet was 1,900, clearly made with repetition unneeded.

    The river brought the [8h] and a check from Popov, after which Hochman bet 4,000 and Popov folded. "Nice hand," he said to Hochman. "I like it."

    Hochman nodded and ordered what is now about 75,000-chip stack. Popov has liked a lot of hands so far today, as he currently has 125,000. --MH

    6:05pm: TV time for ElkY?
    Level 5 - Blinds: 150-300 (25 ante)

    During a spell in the EPT Live commentary booth yesterday, ElkY told viewers that he was looking forward to seeing them "on the other side of the stream" soon. He was meaning on the feature table, rather than with mic in hand. It's been a while for the Team PokerStars Pro.

    But with coverage starting tomorrow from the Main Event, ElkY has put himself in a good position to feature. He has about 68,000 in his stack now, even after the following hand.


    elky_cameras_eptdub_med1b.jpgElkY getting some attention

    Stefan Ivanov opened to 750 from UTG+1 and after action folded to ElkY's big blind, he called. The two saw a flop of [6d][kc][4h] and ElkY checked. Ivanov bet 600, which ElkY called, and they went to the [ks] on the turn. Check, check.

    ElkY then led 1,250 at the [7d] river, but Ivanov raised to 4,000. After pondering for a while, ElkY whipped his cards from beneath his Mau5 card protector like a party entertainer deals with a tablecloth beneath a tea service.

    He is still well stacked, however, as they play towards the dinner break. -- HS

    6:00pm: More red wedding than red carpet for Veldhuis
    Level 5 - Blinds: 150-300 (25 ante)

    It's been a while since Lex Veldhuis visited the European Poker Tour, but the welcome--at least in the case of a recent pot--is more red wedding than red carpet.

    There certainly was a lot of red. When I arrived, the board was out to the turn: [9h][as][5h][5c] and Fergal Cawley, who won a late satellite to play this event, bet 6,000 at it. Veldhuis called.


    lex_veldhuis_eptdub_med1b_22.jpgLex Veldhuis

    The river was the [6h] and Cawley moved all in for his last 13,600. Veldhuis pondered the call and seemed to sense something was amiss. But he did eventually call and was shown another splash of red: [7h][8h] for a straight flush.

    Veldhuis wanted to muck but the dealer told him he had to show. It's a called all-in bet and new-ish rules (probably brought in since Veldhuis was last with us) obliged the Team PokerStars Online to reveal his [7d][5d].

    Yep, lots of red. But it was Veldhuis's blood that was shed. He has about 13,000 left now. -- HS


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    6:01pm: Liv to fight again
    Level 5 - Blinds: 150-300 (25 ante)

    With the board showing [Jh][4c][8c][Jc][7h] and about 4,000 in the pot, Team PokerStars Pro Liv Boeree pushed out a bet of 2,500 in an effort to claim those chips in the middle. But when Peter Akery raised to 10,000 in response, Boeree released her hand, giving up that battle with eye toward later ones.


    liv_boeree_eptdub_med1b_22.jpgLiv Boeree

    Boeree has won more than she's lost so far today, however, having built her stack up to 64,000 during the first four-plus levels. Akery has about 20,000. --MH

    5:51pm: Gordillo grabs a few
    Level 5 - Blinds: 150-300 (25 ante)

    Spaniard Pablo Gordillo has made two EPT Main Event final tables before, taking fourth at EPT10 Vienna and eighth at EPT11 London. He's back here in Dublin trying to make a third.

    Just now Gordillo was raising (as usual) from early position, making it 700 to go, and got a call from the UK's Rhys Jones. The flop came [Jc][7c][Qh], and after Gordillo checked, Jones fired a bet of 1,000. Gordillo then check-raised to 2,600, and that was enough encouragement for Jones to let his hand go.

    Both Gordillo and Jones are hovering around the 25,000-chip mark at present. -- MH

    5:45pm: Welcome to Level 5
    Level 5 - Blinds: 150-300 (25 ante)

    They're off again. The latest list shows 439 registered for today.

    5:24pm: Break time

    Having reached the end of the level, players are now taking a 20-minute break. --MH

    5:20pm: In Celtics cap, Cody collects
    Level 4 - Blinds: 100-200 (25 ante)

    Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody is sporting an appropriate-seeming green Boston Celtics cap while playing the EPT Dublin Main Event today. Just now he looked out from under the brim of that cap at his hole cards, then tossed out a raise to 500.


    jake_cody_eptdub_med1b.jpgJake Cody

    Connor O'Driscoll then reraised to 1,300 from a couple of seats over, both blinds called as well -- including Ian Nelson in the SB -- and Cody called, too.

    The flop came [Kh][Qh][6h] (hearts!), and it checked all of the way around. The turn then brought the [2d] (blank!), and Nelson led for 2,500.

    It folded to Cody who studied the situation once more from under that green brim, and he decided to raise to 8,100. That was enough to scatter everyone, and Cody claimed the pot.

    Cody's up to about 50,000 now. --MH

    5:10pm: Not all big pots and showdowns
    Level 4 - Blinds: 100-200 (25 ante)

    Three small hands from neighbouring tables:

    1 - Jannick Wrang raised to 525 from mid-position and picked up three callers: Brian Reinert on the button, Antal Roth in the small blind and Alessandro Sarro in the big. The flop came [5s][as][6s] and after three quick checks, Reinert's bet of 1,500 took it down.

    2 - Pablo Gordillo raised to 525 from early position and Oliver Morelato called from his left. Breixo Gonzales (full name: Breixo Bastian Gonzales Pena, but I'm not sure which to pick) made it 2,300 from the button and it got back to Gordillo. Gordillo (full name: Pablo Gordillo Caballero but well-known enough that it's just Pablo Gordillo) five bet to 5,500 and both opponents folded.


    liv_boeree_eptdub_med1b.jpgLiv Boeree

    3 - Michael Howard, former leader of the Conservative Party*, raised to 500 from the cut-off and Liv Boeree called from the small blind. The flop came [5h][ks][6d] and the Team PokerStars Pro check-called a bet of 500 from the former politician**. Both players checked the [7c] on the turn, and then Boeree bet 1,000 at the [qs] river. Howard called but mucked after Boeree tabled [th][qh].

    *untrue
    **see above -- HS

    4.55pm: Persson back and back in style
    Level 4 - Blinds: 100-200 (25 ante)

    Ji Zhang still has a stack of about 70,000 and there was no surprise to see him raise to 550 from under the gun. Ezequiel Lebed called from two seats to his left and action passed to Simon Persson on the button.

    You might remember Persson from the Eureka Prague Main Event, when he was a dominant force at one of the most entertaining final tables we've seen for quite some time. Persson finished third there, but has reinvested some of the bankroll boost in this EPT Main Event.

    Persson raised to 1,700. That's the kind of thing he was doing a lot in Prague.

    Both Ji and Ezequiel called, which meant three layers saw the flop of [4c][kh][4d]. It went check, check, bet of 2,400 from Persson, and then fold, fold.

    Persson looks the part. He's wearing a similar dark polo-neck sweater to the one he modelled in Prague. Can the Milk Tray Man deliver again? -- HS


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    4.45pm: Set over set again
    Level 4 - Blinds: 100-200 (25 ante)

    David Lappin would certainly fall into the category of "Friend of PokerStars Blog". We don't have patches and there's no financial bonus to accompany the title, but we'll always have a chat when our paths cross and hear the latest from the Irish poker scene.

    Among other dubious benefits is an increased chance of having details of a mundane hand reported on the blog. We'll usually stop by tables of folk we know to see how they're getting on. It's why Lappin said recently, "I look forward to reliving it in ten minutes" having noticed the reporter lurking to watch the following horror show play out.

    Robert Heidorn opened from under the gun, making it 525 to play. Lappin was the only caller from the cutoff and that took the two of them to a flop of [jh][5h][qd]. If Lappin was excited by this, he didn't show it. He casually called Heidorn's continuation bet of 700.

    The turn came [2c] and Heidorn bet again. I think it was 1,900, for which he threw in two yellow 1,000-denomination chips. Lappin called and change was given to both of them quicker than I could register the precise amount.

    Anyway, the river brought the [ac].

    Heidorn bet 4,300 and Lappin called instantly, tossing only one chip over the line to indicate the call. Heidorn then turned over [as][ad], which was a rivered set. Lappin couldn't resist showing the [5d][5s] for a flopped set of fives, rendered redundant by the end.

    Hope you didn't read this far, David. You already knew the ending. -- HS

    4.05pm: Set over set boosts Madsen
    Level 3 - Blinds: 100-200

    Jeff Madsen was one of the early side-event winners this week, picking up a trophy in the €500 Quadruple Stud and €4,840, which is almost a buy in for the Main Event.

    His stack hadn't changed much from its 30,000 starting level by the time I wandered past his table a few minutes ago and watched it double in size.

    They were at the turn, with the four community cards showing [ks][qd][7c][5d]. Madsen bet 3,400, Mudasser Hussain made it 8,800 and Madsen shoved for something like 24,000. Hussain called.

    This made grim reading for Hussain. He had flopped a set with his [7d][7s]. Only problem: so had Madsen with his [kd][kh].

    Hussain counted out the double up and looked at the shrapnel left in front of him. Meanwhile Madsen is cooking with about 50,000 now. -- HS

    3:55pm: Scattered information
    Level 3 - Blinds: 100-200

    Some tournament tidbits:

    * There are now 413 players registered.
    * Ari Engel is out.
    * Joachim Gong has about 88,000. I've seen nobody with more than that.

    3:50pm: Cheated out of a showdown
    Level 3 - Blinds: 100-200

    Every so often you see one of those hands which, if it were pay per view, you'd want your money back.

    Not that it was anyone's fault.

    I caught up with it on a [qc][8h][2s] flop. Pierre Calamusa was in the cutoff and bet 600. Johan Verhagen meanwhile was on the button, and called for a [5c] turn card. Calamusa checked this time leaving it to Verhagen to bet 2,200. Calamusa called though, for the [3h] on the river.

    Again he checked leaving it to Verhagen to bet 4,200. Seeing this Calamusa recoiled slightly, then tanked for a few moments. It was a tense one, but when Calamusa called it meant we would at least get the answers.

    Actually we wouldn't. Calamusa did call, but Verhagen immediately mucked. With no reason to show Calamusa passed his cards to the dealer as well. - SB

    3:45pm: No room at the inn
    Level 3 - Blinds: 100-200

    Table 1 is an uncomfortable place to be this afternoon, with Steve Warburton, Simon Persson and Ji Zhang over there, all of whom have had significant success on at least one European Poker Tour stop over the past couple of years. Mick Graydon and Kim Wittendorff with both attest to that. They started on that table but have since departed.

    Ji, who made the final table in Barcelona a couple of seasons ago, seems to have been the man to profit most from the early exchanges. He has about 68,000 in chips.

    However uncomfortable the table already is, there was a threat to make it even more incommodious recently when Sylvain Loosli wandered over with a fresh rack of chips. Not only that, he had a ticket for the table--specifically for the seat already occupied by Ji.

    With nine men already there, there was no room at the inn and so this tough table denied access to another fierce competitor. A floorman came over to fix the problem and send Loosli on the lookout for a more spacious place to reside. -- HS


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    3:30pm: De Meulder v Ainsworth again
    Level 3 - Blinds: 100-200

    Jonathan Concepcion has Mattias de Meulder to his left. And Mattias de Meulder gives up the same positional advantage to Jude Ainsworth. Pity Concepcion.

    On a recent hand, he raised to 525 from mid-position and De Meulder called. So did Ainsworth. That took the three of them to a flop of [js][5s][6d] and both Concepcion and De Meulder checked.

    Ainsworth rarely checks. He bet 1,250 and Concepcion's participation was over. De Meulder, however, called and the saw a turn of [ad]. De Meulder checked. Ainsworth bet 1,250. De Meulder called.

    That meant a river of the [jd]. Both players now checked and De Meulder turned over his [as][9s] with the conviction of a man who thought he was good. He was right. Ainsworth folded. -- HS

    3:25pm: La dolce vita
    Level 3 - Blinds: 100-200

    It's been a good festival already for Italian players, especially after Mustapha Kanit's victory in the €25,000 yesterday. Rodrigo Portaleoni isn't quite the household name that Kanit is, but he has a stack closing in on 80,000 already, so he's enjoyed his first two levels today. -- HS

    3:20pm: Van Gent on Black list
    Level 3 - Blinds: 100-200

    A flop of [6c][5d][js] and a pot that Andy Black had his eye on. Cornelis Van Gent was in the big blind and checked to Black who bet 675. Craig McCorkell in the cut off called, as did Van Gent.


    andy_black_eptdub_med1b.jpgAndy Black

    The turn was the [5s]. Van Gent checked again and Black bet 1,200. That forced a fold from McCorkell but Van Gent stuck around for a [6d] river card. Check-check.

    Black waited for Van Gent who turned over [jh][kh]. That was enough. Black mucked. - SB

    3:10pm: Aces for Difelice
    Level 3 - Blinds: 100-200

    Andre Difelice, noticeable for a good sized stack and for a bright yellow hoodie, bet 700 in early position, getting a call from Julien Rouxel in the hijack. So far so good for the Canadian who had found pocket aces.

    They saw a flop: [tc][7s][4s]

    Difelice bet another 700, which Rouxel called for a [7d] turn card. Difelice had faith in his aces though and bet again, 1,600 this time. Rouxel called once more.

    The river was the [kc]. Difelice fired again, another 3,500. Rouxel tossed a single chip in to signify a call.

    Difelice showed his aces.

    At this point you can usually tell how good your hand is by the speed at which your opponent turns their cards over - if they show you at all. Rouxel didn't delay though, and he didn't muck. It meant trouble for Difelice's aces, which were beaten by Rouxel's [9c][7c]. He's up to 34,000, while Difelice drops to 40,000. - SB

    3:05pm: O'Rourke o'roaring
    Level 3 - Blinds: 100-200

    Of a strong Irish contingent on home soil, Gavin O'Rourke appears to be do the best so far. He is possibly the tournament chip leader in these admittedly very early days, with about 70,000.

    Some other counts:

    Dominik Panka - 34,000
    Niall Farrell - 20,500
    Theo Jorgensen - 28,100
    Dermot Blain - 23,000
    Lex Veldhuis - 30,200

    Plus those on the chip-count page.

    2:55pm: Level up
    Level 3 - Blinds: 100-200

    It's Level 3 now and you have to pay 200 if you're in the big blind. Outrageous.


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    2:35pm: Break time
    Level 2 - Blinds: 75-150

    That's the end of Level 2 and players will now go for their first 15-minute break of the day. We'll try to update those chip counts too. -- HS

    2:30pm: The only way to deal with Ainsworth
    Level 2 - Blinds: 75-150

    Jude Ainsworth has got himself up to around 60,000 chips, which is totally in keeping with his smash and grab approach to the game. Mattias de Meulder is the man in the unfortunate position of playing directly into Ainsworth, but is not overawed.

    On a recent hand, De Meulder opened from UTG+1 to 400. Ainsworth raised to 1,100. De Meulder came back over the top to 2,750 and Ainsworth reluctantly folded. That's how you do that. -- HS

    2:20pm: If we could just get to showdown
    Level 2 - Blinds: 100-200

    Sometimes you manage to catch the action, the hands that play to showdown. Other times you're left wondering what could have been. To be honest, this latter category vastly outnumbers the first.

    Take Felipe Ramos for instance. He just won a pot against David Maudlin by betting on a flop of [6h][4h][6c]. Excitement pre-flop quickly brought to an end.

    The same goes for a hand involving Matthias de Meulder. You hope to have more to report than "he folded to a bet on the flop," but most of the time there isn't. But at least you now know that De Meulder is here.

    Then there are those pots that somehow become bigger than expected, like that between Anton Bertilsson (the High Roller finalist from earlier this week) and Marcin Chmielewski.

    Chmielewski bet big on the turn and river (we knew they were big bets because they involved blue chips worth 5K). Bertilsson called the first time but not the second in a pot worth 25,000. That was close to what some players would pay just to see what each player had and satisfy their curiosity. Turns out we'll never know. - SB

    2pm: More Lodden
    Level 2 - Blinds: 75-150

    Sometimes it just happens that one player hogs all the early updates--and very often that player is Johnny Lodden. He simply plays a lot of hands at all stages of the tournament. Walk past his table, the chances are you'll find something to write about.


    johnny_lodden_eptdub_med1b.jpgJohnny Lodden

    This one was at the flop of [3h][kc][td] and Anton Bertilsson, who would have been in the big blind pre-flop, checked. Luc Greenwood, who would have been under the gun, bet 800 and that got John Haigh, in for the ride, to fold.

    Lodden, in the cutoff, called. Bertilsson folded.

    They both checked the [qh] on the turn, but Greenwood bet 1,750 on the river of [8s]. Lodden called pretty quickly and now had Greenwood's [as][ks] beaten with his [8h][th]. -- HS

    1:55pm: Abecassis with great call on the river
    Level 2 - Blinds: 100-200

    A great call by Michel Abecassis just took his stack up towards the 50,000 mark. It came against Istvan Pilhofer, who had led much of the betting.

    On a board of [2h][kh][7s][6d] Pilhofer had bet 4,100 after Abecassis checked. He eventually called and watched the [kc] land on the river. That put two kings on the board, which would ultimately play on the Frenchman's mind. Pilhofer bet another 8,500 to leave his opponent with a tricky decision.

    Abecassis, a veteran of the tour, took a moment. "Will you show me if I fold?" he asked Pilhofer, who was noncommittal. Did Pilhofer have a king? Finally Abecassis decided there was only one way to find out. He called.

    Pilhofer immediately conceded, showing [ah][jc]. Abecassis turned over [qs][qh], vindicated. - SB

    1:45pm: Up and down with Conor O'Driscoll
    Level 2 - Blinds: 100-200

    You win some, you lose some, and in the end it all balances out. That's about the size of Conor O'Driscoll's main event campaign so far. He just played three hands in a row, losing the first two, but wining the third to get back to where he started.

    In the first it was Jake Cody opening for 400 in the cutoff. O'Driscoll was in the small blind and called, as did Tomas MacNamara in the big.

    The flop came [ah][5c][kh] and the hand was put to an end immediately when Cody bet.

    It was Cody raising again in the next hand, another 400, which O'Driscoll called. The flop came [8d][5d][ts] this time. This time the hand was checked down, through the [8h] turn and [ah] river card. Cody showed [3s][3c] to win the pot.

    Then O'Driscoll finally got his chips back. After Evagoras Hadjispyrides bet 400 from the hijack, O'Driscoll raised to 1,200 from the cut off. Hadjispyrides called for a [6h][4d][8d], but when he checked to O'Driscoll, and he made it 1,200 to play, the hand was over.

    All square. - SB

    1:35pm: Getting shot of Lodden
    Level 2 - Blinds: 75-150

    I'm not at all certain how this one played out pre-flop, but somehow there were five players still involved and some heavy betting action. The board was there on the table -- [3c][ts][9d] -- and Marcin Chmielewski, who was under the gun pre-flop, bet 850.

    John Haigh, one seat to Chmielewski's left, called the 850 but then Johnny Lodden--yes, him--raised to 2,350. That persuaded Sandrine Zeitoun and Anton Bertilsson, who also had cards, to let their hands go.

    Back to Chmielewski, however, and he was still interested. He three-bet to 6,850. Haigh sigh-folded, but Lodden called without emotion.

    The turn came [tc] and both remaining players checked. The [qh] came on the river. Chmielewski bet 7,000 and that finally got shot of Lodden. -- HS

    1:25pm: The Scandinavian connection
    Level 2 - Blinds: 75-150

    Ireland's position in the EU accounts for a healthy contingent of Scandinavian players here in Dublin. Many of the tax issues they face when travelling the globe are not so complex inside this zone.

    It means that on a table only a short step from media row, Sweden's Simon Persson sits beside Kim Wittendorff, of Denmark. And a few tables over, Norway's Johnny Lodden is opposite another Swede, Anton Bertilsson, whose festival is already €176,640 to the good.

    anton_bertilsson_ept12_dublin_day1b.jpg

    Anton Bertilsson: On a roll

    Luc Greenwood and Casey Kastle are also on that table, but no one will be surprised to learn that it's Lodden making the early running.

    After Greenwood opened from early position, making it 300 to play, Lodden unloaded 1,025 from the small blind and took the small pot with a minimum of fuss. He had to work a little harder on the next hand, against Sandrine Zeitoun, but he won it nonetheless.

    This time action folded to Lodden on the button and he raised to 300. Zeitoun called from the big blind and the two took to the flop of [4d][qh][js]. Zeitoun checked, Lodden bet 400 and Zeitoun called.

    The turn came [kh] and Zeitoun checked again. Lodden bet again, this time 900, and Zeitoun called. That took them to the [qs] on the river. For a third time, Zeitoun checked. For a third time, Lodden bet. He made it 2,100 this time.

    For a first and only time, Zeitoun folded. -- HS

    1:15pm: Modest gains and modest losses
    Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

    You might think moving all-in would be rare with two minutes left on the first level of play, but it does happen. Such as in the case of Derek Chisholm, who with the board dealt, and a pot to be one, went nuclear. It worked. A modest gain that amused some players at the table. But a win is a win.

    Elsewhere Jen Shahade dropped to around 24,000 after a hand against Alberto Garcia of Spain.

    jennifer_shahade_ept12_dublin_day1b.jpg

    Jennifer Shahade: Sheepish

    With the board dealt [5c][tc][2h][8h][th] Garcia bet 1,400 which Shahade called. She mucked after Garcia showed [jh][td]. For his part Garcia is up to around 42,000. - SB

    1:05pm: Welcome Wigg
    Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

    The table that already features Ari Engel, Dietrich Fast, Steven Watts and Iliodoros Kamatakis now also seats Anton Wigg. It's not getting any easier.

    It's a conversation-filled table too, both among its participants and further afield. Fast was chatting away to a friend on the rail when action folded to Wigg in the hijack and he bet 300. It got to Fast in the big blind and he folded too, tossing his 100 big blind theatrically in Wigg's direction.

    "I take advantage when you are talking to a woman," Wigg said.

    The on-table conversation is being led by Engel. He seems to be discussing his recent huge score at the Aussie Millions, where he prevailed from a 732-strong field to win AUD $1.6 million.

    ari_engel_ept12_dublin_day1b.jpg

    Ari Engel: Aussie champion

    The specifics of the conversation seems to be the heads up duel he had with Tony Dunst, and Engel's attempts to make a deal. It's fascinating. You should hear it. (But you'll need to buy in and sit down at that tough table first.)
    -- HS

    12:55pm: Ivanov forced a Vamplew fold
    Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

    As you'd expect, there are no earth moving hands played in these early stages. Among those folding early hands of little note either before or on the flop are Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, Andy Black, Jen Shahade, Eugene Katchalov and Kitty Kuo.

    elky_ept12_dublin_day1b.jpg

    Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier

    Meanwhile David Vamplew did at least get to the river.

    Stefan Ivanov opened from under the gun for 300. The action was folded around to Vamplew in the big blind who called for a flop of [jc][ks][4s]. A check from Vamplew and another 550 from Ivanov, which Vamplew called.

    On the [6h] turn card both players checked for a [qc] on the river. Vamplew bet out his time, making it 1,000. Ivanov paused, much like a player about to fold. But he didn't. Instead he lumped in 4,200. Vamplew wasted little time folding. - SB

    12:45pm: Oops
    Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

    Serdar Demiroglu stood up, put his sweater on and seemed irked that the dealer would not allow him to leave. It seemed for all the world as though he was the first elimination of the day.

    Here's why: he opened from the button and ignited a raising war with Breixo Gonzales, one seat to his left. When I arrived, Demiroglu had 5,100 in front of him, Gonzales had 12,500 out and then Demiroglu shoved. Gonzales called.

    Demiroglu knew this was bad news as he turned over his [ac][kc]. Gonzales showed [as][ah]. The board didn't help. It came [4h][7d][jc][jh][9s].

    Demiroglu got up and prepared to leave, but the dealer wasn't convinced that this was terminal just yet. He counted down the stacks and Demiroglu actually had 150 more than his neighbour.

    So as Gonzales was stacking a chip-leading stack (early days, early days), Demiroglu was pondering what to do with his 1.5 big blinds. -- HS

    12:40pm: A taste of what is/might be to come
    Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

    Dara O'Kearney has Jennifer Shahade for company this afternoon. He's on the button when she's in the big blind and they may tangle plenty this afternoon. This hand is a small hors d'oeuvre: O'Kearney opened his button, making it 300 to play and Shahade defended.

    The flop fell [9d][jd][2s] and Shahade checked. O'Kearney continued, betting 400, and Shahade called. That took them to the [2h] turn. Check, check. And the checking continued after the [9c] river.

    O'Kearney opened [ad][kd] and Shahade mucked. -- HS

    12:20pm: A busier day
    Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

    A quick glance across the room finds Jake Cody, Antoine Saout, Andre Akkari and ElkY also already among today's crowd. Liv Boeree, Jen Shahade, Lex Veldhuis, Theo Jorgensen, George Danzer and Jaime Staples are also expected. -- HS

    12:10pm: No messing
    Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

    There's a tough-looking table only a matter of steps inside the main entrance to the tournament room today, around which we find Ari Engel, Dietrich Fast and Steven Watts.

    Iliodoros Kamatakis is also there. He's the man presently sitting eighth on the all-time Greek money list and a regular on the EPT. If Fast didn't know much about him before today, he has had an early introduction with what is likely the first five bet of the day.

    Fast opened to 250 from the cutoff and Kamatakis raised to 750 from the button. Fast was prepared to invest more, making a four-bet of 2,100, but it didn't get rid of Kamatakis. He five-bet to 6,000.

    Perhaps accepting this to be a possibility, Fast immediately put a contingency plan into action: snap folding and waiting for another hand. -- HS

    12pm: Among others...
    Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

    Our confirmed list of players today includes the following:

    Mickey Petersen, Johnny Lodden, Eugene Katchalov, Anton Bertilsson, Ari Engel, Fabian Ortiz, Dietrich Fast, Gavin O'Rouke, Dara O'Kearney, Per Linde, Alexander Ivarsson, Thomas Butzhammer, David Lappin, Dominik Panka, Felipe Ramos, Ognyan Dimov and Slaven Popov.

    When they actually turn up and start playing is anyone's guess, but they are among those on the early list expected to the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) headquarters this morning to get this show on the road. -- HS

    11:55am: Readying for the deluge
    Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

    Want to know what a busy day looks like on the European Poker Tour? Your answer is: today. Not only is it Day 1B of the €5,300 EPT Main Event, but also the final table of the UKIPT Main Event and the €10,000 Single-Day High Roller. We are stretched to breaking point.

    You're in the right place here for the beginning of the EPT Main Event, but click thorough the scattered links for all that other fun. And it should be a good one: eight 75-minute levels for us, taking us through beyond midnight. Find some coffee and stick with us. -- HS

    EPT12DUB_location_6016_JulesPochy.jpg


    Want to start your own EPT campaign? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin Main Event: Stephen Bartley and Howard Swains. Back together again. Lanky and ginger, as you'll maybe know us. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.

  • 15 February

    All You Can Eat: Mustapha “lasagnaaammm” Kanit Cooks Up €500K Victory at EPT Dublin

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56c/11b3a9cd8d.jpg

    Italy's leading all-time money earner Mustapha Kanit wins EPT Dublin €25,750 High Roller for €501,640.

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  • 15 February

    Climb through the Micro Stakes Dragonball Z style

    Learn about the various micro levels and sites who offer them with this new beginner webinar series from LemOn36.

  • 15 February

    26,000,000 | A new milestone for Erik Seidel

      Just under $600,000 in winnings sees poker icon Erik Seidel move past the $26,000,000 mark in winnings, pushing him to 2nd on the THM All-Time Money List, moving ahead of Antonio Esfandiari. Seidel is only the third player in poker history to cross the $26M mark. The aforementioned Esfandiari and Daniel Negreanu, who sits 1st on the All-Time Money List, are the two others to have accomplished the feat. Fab Five | THM All-Time Money...

    The post 26,000,000 | A new milestone for Erik Seidel appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 15 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Gilles Bernies leads to end Main Event Day 1A

    Love is in the air. There are flowers everywhere. It can only be Valentine's Day, so what did 147 romantics decide to do? Come and play Day 1A of the EPT Dublin Main Event of course!

    It's the first EPT stop in Dublin for 10 years, and plenty of big names have made the trip. While the UKIPT and High Roller tournaments have kept players busy so far, it seems many couldn't wait to get stuck into the €5,300 Main Event.

    After 8 levels of play, the man who had the biggest stack in front of him was PokerStars Qualifier Gilles Bernies from Germany, who'll take a whopping 189,600 charging into Day 2 on Tuesday.

    Gilles_Bernies_EPTDub_MED1A.jpg

    Gilles Bernies - your Day 1A chip leader

    The other biggest stacks going through to Day 2 belong to Mike McDonald (162,400), Ian Hunter (139,400), Artem Litvinov (138,900), Adrian Mateos (128,800), Anthony Zinno (124,800), Fabrice Soullier (123,400) and Kamran Aliyeu (114,200).

    79 players in total had chips to bag and tag at the end of the day, and now that they're sealed and the players have headed to the bar, here's a little run down of what went down on Day 1A.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    How romantic

    Like we said, love was in the air today and two players who knew all about it were Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier and esteemed pro Natasha Barbour (who happens to be Mercier's girlfriend). Both were in the field today and both survived, with Mercier bagging 83,200 and Barbour 37,400 when it was all said and done.


    Spending Valentine's Day with @natashabarbour doing what we both love to do.. Playing the #EPTDublin main! pic.twitter.com/rpwdo6HTsp

    — Jason Mercier (@JasonMercier) February 14, 2022

    Meanwhile, it was a lovely day for Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano, who had a steady rise to his 78,000 end-of-play stack.


    Luca_Pagano_EPTDub_MED1A.jpg

    Smooth sailing for Luca Pagano

    Charlie Carrel hopped straight into this event after placing 3rd in the €25K High Roller for
    €234,100. No rest for the wicked! He'll back in action on Tuesday with 49,900.


    Charlie_Carrel_EPTDub_MED1A.jpg

    High Roller to Main Event for Carrel

    And Fabrice Soulier had a swingy day - down to 20,000 then up to 125,000, then back down to 69,000 before finally finishing with 123,400.


    Fabrice_Soulier_EPTDub_MED1A.jpg

    Swingy for Soullier

    One player who ended the day in stunning form was Mike McDonald. He won an enormous pot from a player who had led the chip counts for a lot of the day, Artem Litvinov from Russia, and shot up to 162,400 - which he'd the day with. Litvinov wasn't happy - "Why, Michael?" he protested, jokingly. "I spend all day accumulating my chips while you were sleeping!"


    Mike_McDonald_EPTDub_MED1A2.jpg

    McDonald wins big pot

    Artem_Litvinvon_EPTDub_MED1A.jpg

    Litvinov moans...

    Artem_Litvinvon_EPTDub_MED1A2.jpg

    ...but he's only kidding really

    Sam Greenwood, Davidi Kitai, Pierre Neuville, Kevin MacPhee, Jeffrey Rossiter, Barny Boatman, Nick Petrangelo, Christoph Vogelsang, Ben Heath, Keith Johnson, and Darryll Fish are also through to Day 2.

    Of course, we had to have some casualties. Max Silver busted to Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano when both flopped two-pair; Mohsin Charania was knocked-out just a few hands after sitting down when his flopped set of fives lost to Artem Litvinov's rivered set of kings; and Mike 'SirWatts' Watson couldn't make it two Main Event titles in a row when he was felted in the last level of the day.


    Pagano_Silver_EPTDUB_MED1A.jpg

    Pagano busts Silver

    Other notables who couldn't survive the day included Dario Sammartino, Ryan Riess, Rocco Palumbo and Joao Vieira.

    You can catch up on all of today's action by checking the Day 1A Live Updates here.

    And while you're at it, you can check out the full Day 1A chip counts here.

    We'll be back with live updates for Day 1B at 12:00pm tomorrow, so make sure you can come back and check out what's sure to be a much larger field.

    Go get some rest and we'll see you tomorrow!


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin Main Event: Stephen Bartley, Nick Wright, Jack Stanton and Martin Harris. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

  • 14 February

    EPT Dublin 2016 High Roller Champion Mustapha Kanit

    Mustapha Kanit takes down the EPT Dublin $25k High Roller. He tells PokerNews the strategy that kept him chip leader the entire final table.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 14 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Mmmmmustapha Kanit chammmmmpion of €25,000 High Roller in Dublimmmm

    mustapha_kanit_winner_photo_dublin.jpg

    Mustapha Kanit: Champion!

    Close to the dinner break during yesterday's action in the €25,000 High Roller event at EPT Dublin, Mustapha Kanit seemed tired, frustrated and was nursing a short stack. It didn't suit him. Kanit is the most gregarious of players: he is a shaman around whom all others gather when they are looking for filip in a world of often stone-faced solitude.

    But although Kanit was down, crucially he was not out. He hit a couple of cards when he needed them and confided in Chance Kornuth, "I'm playing bad but getting lucky."

    By the end of yesterday, he was runaway chip leader heading to today's final. And now look at him:

    mustapha_kanit_ticker_tape.jpg

    Kanit is the champion of the biggest buy in event of this EPT Dublin festival, winning €501,640 for a dominant victory today. Kanit was back in brilliant form, both with his chips and with his quips.

    "I feel like I'm really good at talking and I'm Italian!" he said. "I love to trash talk and feel like I have an edge on talking because I've talked more than all the others in my life and, for me, it's fun and I enjoy my day way more like that."

    He continued: "I really love these EPT trophies, because when I start to play I watched EPTs, so this means so much to me. EPTs mean more than bracelets, this win really is for me."

    Kanit was never out of the lead until he got heads up with the same Kornuth he was confessing to yesterday evening. Kornuth, at his third €25,000 buy in final table of the year (a year that is not yet two months old), had to make do with second and €360,150.

    That too is a marvellous achievement. He started with only about 26 big blinds and marshalled a short stack brilliantly. Both these players deserve every penny of that prize money. They prevailed from a scintillating final and an action-packed heads up phase.

    chance_kornuth_ept12_dublin_kanit_foreground.jpg

    Chance Kornuth eyes Mustapha Kanit

    Play resumed at 12:30pm with a final table of superstars. So much so that even though Martin Jacobson was eliminated late last night, the absence of a world champion didn't massively reduce this final's quality. Here's how they looked at the start:

    Mustapha Kanit (Italy) -- 5,460,000
    Anton Bertilsson (Sweden) -- 3,850,000
    Charlie Carrel (United Kingdom) -- 2,755,000
    Chance Kornuth (United States) -- 1,310,000
    Ivan Luca (Argentina) -- 1,265,000
    Jeffrey Rossiter (Australia) -- 1,120,000
    Keith Johnson (United Kingdom) -- 1,150,000
    Nick Petrangelo (United States) -- 570,000

    ept12_dublin_25k_hr_finalists.jpg

    Final table players (l-r): Ivan Luca, Mustapha Kanit, Keith Johnson, Anton Bertilsson, Charlie Carrel, Chance Kornuth, Nick Petrangelo, Jeff Rossiter

    Two of world poker's form players -- Ivan Luca, from Argentina, and Nick Petrangelo, from the United States -- were among this glittering line-up, but their participation in total lasted only three hands today.

    ivan_luca_eliminated_ept12_dublin_final.jpg

    Ivan Luca: I'll get my coat

    The day's opening shuffle sent pocket jacks to Luca and he made what would have been a standard call after Keith Johnson moved all in for a stack of a little more than 1 million. Johnson was in trouble with [ac][js] but flopped an ace to leave Luca on the rack.

    Kornuth took care of Luca's shrapnel on the next hand, with Petrangelo, the overnight short stack, successfully laddering up as a result.

    It was only one rung, however. Petrangelo got his stack in on the next hand, with [ad][jh]. But although he was ahead against Jeff Rossiter's [qh][8s], Rossiter hit a queen on the flop to end Petrangelo's day.

    Luca earned €65,170 for eighth and Petrangelo €84,040 for seventh. Small fry compared with the riches both have amassed over the past 12 months, but a decent start to the festival.

    nick_petrangelo_frown_ept12_dublin_day3.jpg

    Nick Petrangelo: :(

    It would have been difficult for the rest of the final to keep up with the high-octane opening, but Charlie Carrel certainly tried. He was by far the most active player for the relatively brief period when all were deep.

    However Carrel got into trouble when he slow played kings against Kanit and the Italian made a straight. It kept Carrel a little more quiet for a while and let the others carry on their battles.

    Johnson had not played a great deal since his early double up and dwindled to be in possession of the tournament's shortest stack. Noticing that, he Johnson open-shoved for about a million -- 12 big blinds -- with [ad][th], which got folds all around. But the next time he got his chips over the line, he never got them back.

    Action folded to Anton Bertilsson in the small blind and, with a 3 million stack, he raised. Johnson found [as][5h] in the big blind and couldn't fold the ace. It was bad news for Johnson because Bertilsson had [6s][6d] and this time there was no ace on the board. Johnson was out in sixth.

    keith_johnson_eliminated_ept12_dublin_day3.jpg

    Keith Johnson reads it and weeps

    Rossiter was now the short stack and it got even shorter when he hit a flush with [jh][9h] at the same time that Carrel also had a flush with [ah][8h]. There was no getting away from it and Rossiter ended the hand with one big blind.

    Kanit picked it up with a couple of hands when he found [as][kc] and Rossiter committed his "stack" with [ks][jh]. No miracles and Rossiter headed out with €137,200 in his pocket.

    jeff_rossiter_ept12_dublin_day3_25k.jpg

    Jeff Rossiter bids farewell

    Four-handed play looked a lot like five-handed (and, for that matter, six, seven and eight handed). Kanit had heaps and the others had to make do with scraps. It didn't help that Kanit was now making moves too and one audacious bluff in particular, with [qd][9d] and a blank board, was spectacular. It got Bertilsson off pocket queens.

    Bertilsson had a brilliant tournament here -- leading at the end of Day 1 and for huge lengths of Day 2 too -- but he also had one bad level, which ended his tournament. That bluff cost him a chunk; he then doubled up Kornuth with [kc][js] against Kornuth's [ad][7s]; and Kornuth eventually took the last of his chips.

    The last hand Bertilsson saw was [kd][td] and Kornuth had [ad][6d]. Bertilsson won €176,640, a sizeable spin-up from a €3,000 satellite investment.

    anton_bertilsson_waves_goodbye_ept12_dublin_day3.jpg

    Fourth place for Anton Bertilsson

    Kanit had about 10 million chips more than his two opponents combined when they went three-handed, and when they briefly talked about a deal, Kornuth saw no point as his share would be so meagre.

    NEIL4415_EPT12DUB_Deal_Negotiations_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    A brief look at the numbers

    So they played on -- and Kornuth quickly found he had made the right decision. There was a three-way all in very quickly after a break and it could have ended it all. As it was, Kornuth came out smiling broadly.

    That hand is worth repeating in full, from our blow-by-blow coverage:

    Mustapha Kanit was on the button and raised to 325,000. Here's the reason: he had [kh][kc]. Charlie Carrel, with about 2.75 million shoved from the small blind. He had [5h][5c]. And then Chance Kornuth found [ad][9s] in the big blind and wanted a count. He called too!

    Kanit was a 65 percent favourite at this point to end the tournament. And his odds got even better through a flop of [qc][3h][4h]. Carrel loved the [5d] turn, though, as it gave him a set and seemed likely to triple him up. But then it got even weirder. The [2c] came on the river!

    Kornuth therefore tripled through with his straight. Carrel won the side pot against Kanit, but ended up losing chips, and Kanit lost loads.

    Carrel wouldn't last much longer. He got it in with [ah][4h] but had fallen into Kanit's trap with [js][jd]. There was no ace for Carrel and he went out in third, taking €234,100. Carrel, however, left an indelible mark on this tournament. He was excellent today.

    The heads up battle was always likely to be fun with the tournament's two most talkative players going mano-a-mano. There was plenty of chit-chat and some explosive hands too--again best relived via our hand-by hand coverage.

    Kornuth pulled ahead at one point, but Kanit quickly reined him in again. And then came a big heads up flip to end it all. Kanit shoved with threes; Kornuth called with ace-ten. Nobody hit anything and Kanit was champion.

    There are few more popular winners than Mustapha Kanit.

    "If I lose, I'm happy for you," Kornuth said. "But I wouldn't mind playing a bit longer." It was not to be.

    What a way to start a festival.

    €25,000 High Roller
    Players: 58
    Re-entries: 12
    Prize pool: €1,715,000

    1 - Mustapha Kanit, Italy, €501,640
    2 - Chance Kornuth, United States, €360,150
    3 - Charlie Carrel, United Kingdom, €234,100
    4 - Anton Bertilsson, Sweden, €176,640
    5 - Jeff Rossiter, Australia, €137,200
    6 - Keith Johnson, United Kingdom, €106,330
    7 - Nick Petrangelo, United States, €84,040
    8 - Ivan Luca, Argentina, €65,170
    9 - Martin Jacobson, Sweden, €49,730

  • 14 February

    Happy Valentine’s Day

    Dominik Nitsche, Kitty Kuo, Andre Akkari, Felipe Mojave, and Tim Reilly share the best Valentine's Day gifts they've given and received.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 14 February

    2016 EPT Dublin €25,750 High Roller Day 2: Mustapha Kanit Leads Final Eight

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56c/030dbda3d3.jpg

    Mustapha Kanit leads the final eight in the 2016 EPT Dublin €25,750 High Roller.

      Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 14 February

    EPT12 Dublin: €25K High Roller final table live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * LATEST CHIP COUNTS

    * Watch along on EPT Live

    1:40pm: Immediate action! Johnson cripples Luca
    Level 19 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

    The very first hand of the final table and a pivotal moment for Keith Johnson. He open shoved from the cutoff with [ac][js] and Ivan Luca called from the small blind. Johnson was in trouble. Luca revealed his [jd][jc]. But the fat lady lost her voice and spare Johnson when the board came [6d][as][3d].

    Luca now had one out, but neither the [ts] turn nor the [6h] river was it. Johnson doubles to 2.4 milion, while Luca has not even two big blinds. -- HS

    1:30pm: Of we go
    Level 19 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

    And away we go. Here are your finalists for today's jamboree:

    ept12_dublin_25k_hr_finalists.jpg

    Final table players (l-r): Ivan Luca, Mustapha Kanit, Keith Johnson, Anton Bertilsson, Charlie Carrel, Chance Kornuth, Nick Petrangelo, Jeff Rossiter

    They actually have also just begun Level 19 too, with blinds at 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante).

    1pm: Nearly there
    Level 18 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)

    Don't forget, action gets under way here at 1:30pm. A reminder of what they're playing for (and a reminder that Martin Jacobson has already cashed in ninth yesterday night).

    1 €501,640
    2 €360,150
    3 €234,100
    4 €176,640
    5 €137,200
    6 €106,330
    7 €84,040
    8 €65,170
    9 Martin Jacobson, Sweden, €49,730

    12:30pm: Real life gets under way
    Level 18 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)

    It's the final day of the EPT €25,000 High Roller event, with live streaming action available on EPT Live. That's on a one-hour security delay, with pictures starting at 1:30pm, but "in real life" proceedings are due to have started.

    A reminder of the start-of-day chip counts:

    Mustapha Kanit (Italy) -- 5,460,000
    Anton Bertilsson (Sweden) -- 3,850,000
    Charlie Carrel (United Kingdom) -- 2,755,000
    Chance Kornuth (United States) -- 1,310,000
    Ivan Luca (Argentina) -- 1,265,000
    Jeffrey Rossiter (Australia) -- 1,120,000
    Keith Johnson (United Kingdom) -- 1,150,000
    Nick Petrangelo (United States) -- 570,000

    And a reminder of how they got to the final, via last night's end-of-day wrap up.

    In case you hadn't heard, Mustapha Kanit is the chip leader. You will likely hear a bit more about that too.

    NEIL3360_EPT12DUB_Mustapha_Kanit_Neil Stoddartb.jpg

    Mustapha Kanit: Out in front

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin Main Event: Marc Convey and Howard Swains. In many ways, the Dream Team. In other ways, not so much. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.

  • 14 February

    Watch the EPT Live stream from Dublin

    Here's all the action from EPT Live, broadcasting from the Main Event at EPT Dublin. * CLICK FOR HAND-BY-HAND UPDATES * CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS

  • 14 February

    Watch the EPT Dublin High Roller final table

    Watch the EPT Dublin High Roller final table
    We have the live stream from the €25,000 High Roller live from 13:30 GMT today.

  • 14 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Main Event Day 1A live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES * The first EPT Dublin Main Event for eight years 12:10pm: Introductions complete Level 1 - Blinds 50/100 The welcomes have been made, and cards are in the air. As the introductory film showed a short while ag...

  • 14 February

    Poker players who don’t love each other

    For everyone not celebrating Valentine's Day, we bring together famous poker moments where the players certainly did not love each other.

  • 14 February

    9th | Michael Phelps final tables in Las Vegas

    It’s Celebrity Sunday on PokerStats! Michael Phelps, the most decorated athlete in the history of the Olympic Games, will be making a comeback this summer, in hopes on adding to his 22 medal count at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio. When he’s not in the pool, Phelps has also enjoyed spending time at the poker table. Back in 2008, he even final tabled a preliminary event at the Caesars Palace Classic in Las Vegas....

    The post 9th | Michael Phelps final tables in Las Vegas appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 14 February

    EPT12 Dublin: The one and only Mustapha Kanit takes €25K High Roller lead to final day

    As players bagged up to conclude Day 2 of the €25K High Roller at the EPT Dublin festival tonight, we recalled the scene about 24 hours before at the end of Day 1.

    Mustapha "lasagnaaammm" Kanit was in a bit of a hurry, and once the bags were produced he grabbed one and hastily began scribbling his name. The dealer called out to him, asking him please to write legibly, as he was soon to be tasked with the duty of transcribing the Italian's name and count. Kanit looked up.

    "There is only one Mustapha, and there is only one Kanit!" he said, and the table broke up in laughter.

    Kanit did more to distinguish himself during today's second day of play, grabbing the chip lead during the early evening and keeping it all of the way to tonight's bagging and tagging. With just eight players left, Kanit will carry the chip lead to tomorrow's final table after finishing with a healthy 5,460,000.


    NEIL3360_EPT12DUB_Mustapha_Kanit_Neil Stoddartb.jpg

    Mustapha Kanit

    Anton Bertilsson of Sweden will start tomorrow as Kanit's nearest challenger after finishing with 3,850,000.


    NEIL3492_EPT12DUB_Anton_Bertilsson_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Anton Bertilsson

    Meanwhile Charlie Carrel, Chance Kornuth, Ivan Luca, Jeffrey Rossiter, Keith Johnson, and Nick Petrangelo round out what will be a star-studded final table tomorrow.

    Late registration extended to the start of play today, and after the latest of the latecomers came (as well as the last to re-enter), the total settled at 70 entries with 58 uniques. That meant a total prize pool of €1,715,000 to be divided by the top nine finishers, with a cool €501,640 scheduled for the winner.

    Bertilsson began the day as the chip leader, and he continued to maintain a big stack throughout the afternoon as the field winnowed down to the final few tables. Others would eventually battle Bertilsson for the lead, with Nick Petrangelo the most significant challenger as he and Bertilsson traded the top spot back and forth until Petrangelo carried it to the dinner break.


    NEIL3367_EPT12DUB_Nick_Petrangelo_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Nick Petrangelo

    By then just 21 players remained, with Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier, Niall Farrell, Rocco Palumbo, Max Silver, Ariel Celestino, and Mike McDonald among the most recently eliminated.

    Post-dinner, the pace of eliminations kept steady as Mike Watson, Paul Newey, Ben Heath, Kevin MacPhee, and Daniel Dvoress were knocked out. Meanwhile Keith Johnson -- who only satellited into the event yesterday and began at the start of Day 2 -- surged into the chip lead with 16 left.

    Christoph Vogelsang was the next out, then came a big hand between Kanit and Anton Bertilsson in which the latter shoved with pocket eights and Kanit found a call with pocket queens. Kanit catapulted up over 3 million with that hand, grabbing the chip lead he'd carry all of the way to night's end.

    After the eliminations of Timothy Adams, Winfred Yu, Davidi Kitai, and Kim Wittendorff, Bertilsson would be involved in another dramatic hand on the money bubble with 10 left. Dario Sammartino check-shoved the turn with two pair and Bertilsson called with a flush draw and gutshot, and the straight draw came through for Bertilsson to knock Sammartino out in 10th.


    NEIL3301_EPT12DUB_Dario_Sammartino_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Dario Sammartino

    They played on another 40 minutes or so and into the start of Level 19, then finally Ivan Luca took the last of Martin Jacobson's stack to send the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event champion out in ninth for a €49,730 cash.


    NEIL3622_EPT12DUB_Martin_Jacobson_Neil Stoddart.jpg

    Martin Jacobson

    Here's how the stacks will look to start tomorrow's final day of play:

    Mustapha Kanit (Italy) -- 5,460,000
    Anton Bertilsson (Sweden) -- 3,850,000
    Charlie Carrel (United Kingdom) -- 2,755,000
    Chance Kornuth (United States) -- 1,310,000
    Ivan Luca (Argentina) -- 1,265,000
    Jeffrey Rossiter (Australia) -- 1,120,000
    Keith Johnson (United Kingdom) -- 1,150,000
    Nick Petrangelo (United States) -- 570,000

    And good news! You'll be able to watch the one and only Mustapha Kanit try to hold off this talented group tomorrow on the EPT Live stream. Play begins at 12:30pm local time on Sunday, and the stream will start at 1:30pm with start-to-finish coverage with hole cards. Meanwhile, check the Day 2 live updates to review the full story of what happened here today.


    EPT12DUB_Venue_7142_JulesPochy.jpg


    Want to compete for your own online championship? Click here to get a PokerStars account.
    Martin Harris is Freelance Contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

  • 13 February

    What Will Mustapha Wear Next?

    Mustapha Kanit may not have anything snazzy to wear if he makes a final table during EPT Dublin.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 13 February

    “Everyone should play live poker”

    "Everyone should play in a live PokerStars tournament!" exclaimed Donatas Vlasovas after his experience of playing in the PokerStars Cup in Dublin over the weekend. "It was an amazing experience and I would highly recommend it to everyone." Don won h...

  • 13 February

    Free Trip to EPT Dublin

    Donatas Vlasovas won a late Sunday Night freeroll to play at EPT Dublin. The excited Lithuanian shared his difficulties and excitement in playing his first live tournament.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 13 February

    203 | Poker players declare for GPL Draft Day

    The Global Poker League announced that a total of 203 poker pros declared themselves eligible for the inaugural GPL Draft Day, which is set to take place at the iconic SLS Hotel in Los Angeles on Thursday, February 25th, starting at 2pm PT. Byron Kaverman, Anthony Zinno, Jason Mercier, Mike McDonald, Phil Galfond and Vanessa Selbst are just a few of the superstar pros who will be available for selection at the SLS. You will be...

    The post 203 | Poker players declare for GPL Draft Day appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 13 February

    Jason Mercier and Timex Hit with Balls

    Jason Mercier, Mike McDonald, Mustapha Kanit, Natasha Barbour, Jeff Rossiter, and others head to the Dublin suburbs for a competitive trampoline dodgeball tournament. Things get heated between the four teams, as only one team can take home the mini sp...

  • 13 February

    2016 EPT Dublin €25,750 High Roller: Back with a Bang, Ireland’s Largest Buy-In Ever

    The European Poker Tour returned to Dublin and did so with a bang, holding the country's largest buy-in event ever.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 13 February

    EPT12 Dublin: €25K High Roller Day 2 live updates

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * LATEST CHIP COUNTS

    * Day 2 runs for ten one-hour levels, or until final table of eight is set
    * Registration closes at 12:15pm

    11:45am: Eyes on the prize

    Good morning everybody and welcome back to Ireland for Day 2 of the €25,000 High Roller event at EPT Dublin. Here are the important things to look out for today.

    * At the end of play last night, Anton Bertilsson led the field of 42 players, all of whose counts are on the chip-count page.
    * Registration closes shortly before the start of play today, at which point we'll have a seat draw and know the total number of entries.
    * This is a single re-entry event, meaning anyone knocked out yesterday, who did not re-enter, can try again today.
    * After 12:15pm, however, it's a freezeout.
    * Prize pool information will be published some time today.
    * They will play ten one-hour levels, or until a final table of eight is reached, whichever comes soonest.
    * There's a dinner break at the end of Level 16.

    Play will start at 12:30pm.

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin Main Event: Stephen Bartley, Martin Harris, Jack Stanton and Howard Swains. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.

    chip_pile_ept12_dublin_day1.jpg

  • 13 February

    Global Poker League Draft List Announced: 203 Players, More Than $550M in Earnings

    The 2016 GPL Draft list features over $500 million in live tournament winnings.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 13 February

    Max Silver Releases SnapShove App to Help Players Calculate Shove Ranges

    SnapShove, available now on Android and iOS platforms, was created by poker pro Max Silver to help players determine proper shove ranges.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 13 February

    Does poker need new rules?

    Barry Carter looks at whether the new game HoldemX is a sign that we need to change the rules of poker to make it more exciting.

  • 12 February

    EPT12 Dublin: Dream start for Anton Bertilsson in 25K High Roller

    It's not uncommon for a player to come out of nowhere, take the lead and stay there for a while, but at some point you expect the run to falter. Not so with Anton Bertilsson today in the €25K High Roller event in Dublin.

    It's not that Bertilsson is unknown to us - the Swede came second at EPT Prague in Season 11, missing out to Stephen Graner, and has since scored well in EPT side events. But today his attention was well and truly on bigger things, and the high roller, which he leads tonight with 1,375,000.


    anton_bertilson_eptdub_leader_12feb16.jpgChip leader Anton Bertilsson

    His day was one of those which as a player you sit back and enjoy. He'd played well to amass a big stack by the third break of the day, then promptly found aces as he sat back down, and someone to pay him off. Before long he was the first player to the million mark. Actually you can make that the only player.

    So he'll be the player to beat when play restarts tomorrow, the point where this event switches from an all-welcome jamboree to a freezeout.


    general_eptdub_12feb16.jpg

    With the (albeit quite expensive) safety net withdrawn it will be all or nothing for the remaining players as the money becomes the focus of the day. Joining Bertilsson for the trip will be a list of players with chips, which includes the following top ten:

    Nick Petrangelo 878,000
    Kim Wittendorf 852,000
    Timothy Adams 729,000
    Davidi Kitai 696,000
    Charlie Carrel 613,000
    Daniel Dvoress 565,000
    Jason Mercier 555,000
    Paul Newey 482,000
    Sam Chartier 469,000
    David Peters 461,000


    charlie_carrell_eptdub_12feb16.jpgA late but successful entry for Charlie Carrel

    If you're wondering what it looks like in the middle of a high roller event like this, "volatile" would be one half-good description. All but Bertilsson endured the high rolling swings from one extreme to another.

    Chance Kornuth, Andrew Lichtenberger, Mike McDonald, Daniel Dvoress, Max Silver, and Steve O'Dwyer could vouch for that. They were among those firing second bullets at this event having found the first one to be a dud. O'Dwyer also lost all that his second bullet could bring, and that's that for him.


    chance_kornuth_eptdub_12feb16_w.jpgChance Kornuth


    steve_odwyer_eptdub_12feb16_wr.jpgSteve O'Dwyer: Cannot win


    Others slipped away today, although we're reluctant to report them permanently gone until they decline a re-entry before tomorrow. That's when play, and our live updates from Dublin, resumes. But officially there are 42 players remaining from 66 entries (from 56 unique players).

    For now, get the complete chip count list on our chip count page, and update yourself on all the action from today with our live updates page.


    theroom_eptdub_12feb16.jpg

    If you're still looking for some action though you'd do well to check in on our UKIPT Main Event live updates. Coverage started on Wednesday, and the money bubble burst today. They play on until the small hours tonight, and you can follow updates here.

    High Rollers meanwhile will be back at 12 noon tomorrow. Join us then.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 12 February

    “Enjoy the moment!”

    "Enjoy the moment!" That was the number one piece of advice that Felipe Mojave bestowed upon Donatas Vlasovas before the start of Flight 1C of the PokerStars Cup event tonight, and solid advice it is. To the casual passer-by Don (as we now call him) m...

  • 12 February

    Poker Cartoon - One Outer

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 12 February

    Calling the Clock: Martin Jacobson

    Sasha Salinger gives Martin Jacobson 60 seconds to answer as many ridiculous questions as he can. Does he believe in haunted houses? Does he have a tattoo? Watch to find out!  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 12 February

    Duel by PokerStars launching for smartphones

    Innovative new one on one poker game by PokerStars designed to fit the mobile lifestyle rolling out soon.

  • 12 February

    Montreal Nationals Team Manager Marc-Andre Ladouceur Preparing for GPL Draft Day

    Team manager Marc-Andre Ladouceur says the Montreal Nationals are preparing for the Global Poker League Draft Day.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 12 February

    The History of Texas Hold’em: The Cadillac of Poker

    Texas Hold’em is the most popular poker variant played today, but that hasn’t always been the case. Games such as draw and stud once dominated card rooms of Las Vegas and beyond until Hold’em rose to prominence in the 1960s. Little is known about the exact time hold’em was invented, although Texas State Legislature officially […]

    The post The History of Texas Hold’em: The Cadillac of Poker appeared first on partypoker.com blog.

  • 12 February

    Norbert Teufelberger Sells £2.25m Worth of GVC Holdings Shares

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56b/cfaae7be16.png

    Shares in GVC Holdings fall from 490p to 444p after Norbert Teufelberger sells £2.25 million worth of shares.

      Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 12 February

    “Televised poker needs a rule change” Sofia Lövgren

    We chat to the 888poker Pro about her upcoming reality show Girl Got Game, which she is both starring in and producing.

  • 12 February

    EPT12 Dublin: €25,000 High Roller Level 1

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * Day 1 runs for eight one-hour levels
    * Registration open until start of Day 2

    11.45pm: Preparing for the start of the EPT

    Although the UKIPT is already well under way, it's today that the big boys of the EPT amble into town. They kick off with the €25,000 High Roller event--the biggest buy in event of the festival.

    Play begins at 12.30pm and, if previous experience tells us anything, the field will begin small. But it should grow considerably and they'll contest a mighty prize pool. We'll have blow-by-blow action from the outset. -- HS


    Want to start your own EPT campaign? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.

    ept12_dublin_grinder.jpg

    Starting the EPT grind

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin Main Event: Stephen Bartley, Martin Harris, Jack Stanton and Howard Swains. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.com.

  • 12 February

    EPT12 Dublin: €25,000 High Roller Level 1

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * Day 1 runs for eight one-hour levels
    * Registration open until start of Day 2

    11.45pm: Preparing for the start of the EPT

    Although the UKIPT is already well under way, it's today that the big boys of the EPT amble into town. They kick off with the €25,000 High Roller event--the biggest buy in event of the festival.

    Play begins at 12.30pm and, if previous experience tells us anything, the field will begin small. But it should grow considerably and they'll contest a mighty prize pool. We'll have blow-by-blow action from the outset. -- HS


    Want to start your own EPT campaign? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.

    ept12_dublin_grinder.jpg

    Starting the EPT grind

    Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

    Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

    PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin Main Event: Stephen Bartley, Martin Harris, Jack Stanton and Howard Swains. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.com.

  • 12 February

    Daniel Negreanu Lets You Into the High Stakes Poker World

    Daniel Negreanu speaks about high-stakes games in Las Vegas and the politics involved in them.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 12 February

    Global Poker Index: Five Weeks at Top for Steve O’Dwyer; Barry Hutter Makes a Move

    Following a quiet week, Steve O'Dwyer leads the overall Global Poker Index rankings for a fifth-straight week while Barry Hutter moves up to No. 11.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 12 February

    PokerNews Podcast Episode #360: Chad’s Final Show

    On Episode #360 of the PokerNews Podcast the gang recaps Aussie Millions and discusses the American Poker Awards, and Chad Holloway, who announced he s taking a full-time role with the Mid-States Poker Tour, shares his favorite memories as a member of ...

  • 12 February

    10,000 | Huck Seed backflips his way into some money

    It’s Friday Prop Bet Day – let’s have some fun! In a “that came out of left field” bet, Howard Lederer bet Huck Seed, a man who is known to take on any bet or challenge, $10,000 to perform a standing back flip. He would have two days to accomplish the task. In the end, the 1996 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion got the job done! Huckleberry reached out to his uncle for help in accomplishing...

    The post 10,000 | Huck Seed backflips his way into some money appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 11 February

    Remko Report Episode #32: Jason Somerville

    JCarver! Jason Somerville joins Remko in Australia to talk about the growth of Run it Up and much more.

  • 11 February

    San Francisco Rush Manager Faraz Jaka “Very Excited and Bullish” About GPL

    Excited and bullish, San Francisco Rush manager Faraz Jaka talks about the upcoming Global Poker League.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 11 February

    Last chance! Earn millions of Stars Coin in VIP Steps Challenge

    You can't say you weren't warned. We told you about this a couple of weeks ago. Now, it's almost too late to get in on millions in StarsCoin giveaways. As you might have heard (ahem), PokerStars is celebrating 100 million players by throwing a month-...

  • 11 February

    UKIPT5 Dublin Day 1B: Level 1-2 updates (75-150)

    2016_UKIPTDub_MickeyMay_86512.jpg

    * CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
    * Day 1B consists of twelve 45-minute levels - currently playing level two
    * Day 1B players (515 so far)
    * Late registration is open until the end of level 6 (approx 3:15pm)

    11:14am: Aces and faces
    Level 2: Blinds 75-150

    As you would expect plenty more known faces have joined the party and they include: Kevin MacPhee (fresh in from the other side of the planet), Joey Lovelady, Anton Wigg, Anton Saout, Seth Webber and Ian Simpson.

    Simpson had a few extra cups of coffee this morning hoping it would help him with the early start time, but he hasn't gotten off to the best of starts. Maybe the caffeine has made his calling hands a little twitchy.

    He and Robert Beer were heads up to the river of a [qd][7s][jd][5d][9d] board and around 4,500 lay in the centre of the table. Simpson checked from under the gun and tank called when Beer bet 5,000. He was shown [ad][ac] for a flush and mucked his hand to dropped to 15,300. -- MC

    11am: Keep 'em coming
    Level 2: Blinds 75-150

    Over 515 players have now taken their seats on this bumper Day 1b and the big names just keep on coming. Due to the bigger buy-in events on the schedule - there's a €25,000 event tomorrow for instance - there are some well known players here that you'd never normally see on this tour. Like Chance Kornuth and Andrew Chen. Regulars on the EPT yes, the UKIPT, not so much.

    A player who battles against them on the EPT regularly, but is a UKIPT regular, is Max Silver. He's also a Dublin native but due to a tram strike he drove to the venue today. He had to park someway from the venue though and was delighted to learn that the first break was 20 minutes long, rather than 15, as it gives him more time to move his car. If Silver has a Day 1 anything like he did last time the tour was in town, he'll likely be the chip leader.

    He ran up a stack of 311,700 in Season 4, slightly more than Vladimir Velikov (301,500) managed yesterday, but in four fewer levels, unbelievable! Silver went on to finish runner-up to Kevin Killeen, almost adding to the UKIPT title he won here in 2010. Another UKIPT champion who's come close to a double is Brett Angell, he's also playing today as are:

    Richard Hawes
    Ben Winsor
    Andrew Sweeney
    David Clarkson
    Neil Rawnsley
    Jon Wong

    10:40am: Earphones needed for Saxby?
    Level 1: Blinds 50-100

    Deborah Worley-Roberts and Kelly Saxby are great friends and hang out at many UKIPTs. The table they normally share is close to a bar but today, chips and cards have replaced the glasses and wine bottles as they have been drawn together.

    Worley-Roberts is known for her quiet and shy demeanour at the table.....not! Her vocal ability is already being tested to its limits and Saxby, looked up at the blog and said in jest, "All day. All day!" -- MC


    Want to start your own UKIPT campaign? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.

    10:25am: Who's about? Part two
    Level 1: Blinds 50-100

    Forgive us, but we're about to do some more name dropping. Those spotted in t'other half of the room include:

    Jamie Sykes
    James Akenhead
    Tom Hall
    David Hills
    Nick Newport
    Andrew Hulme
    Gareth Chantler
    Keith Johnson
    Mike Hill
    Ari Engel
    Alex Goulder

    10:15am: Who's about? Part one
    The tournament is growing minute by minute and smoke must be coming off the ticket machines at registration desk. The day has swelled to almost 500 entries players at the time of publishing.

    Confirmed sightings in one half of the tournament room: PokerStars' Filipe Ramos, Mickey Petersen and Jen Shahade; Dan Charlton, Dara O'Kearney (after he faked playing Day 1A), Chris Gordon, Dan Charlton, Fergal Nealon, Vojtech Ruzicka, Tim Reilly, Kerryjane Craigie and Balazs Botond. --MC

    Me and most of my fellow players at #UKIPTDublin today, gl all! https://t.co/gtBI6nCqym

    — Mickey Petersen (@mickeydp) February 11, 2022

    10am: Cards are in the air!
    Level 1: Blinds 50-100

    Day 1B has gotten underway.

    9:45am: Bumper Day 1B about to commence
    Day 1A attracted 214 players yesterday and today promises to be a lot bigger. The first ever champion here, back in Season 1, was Max Silver, and he'll be in attendance today. He tried to come and play yesterday but getting out of one's own bed (Silver lives in Dublin) tends to be a lot harder than a strange hotel bed. Back in 2010 Silver had a day job working for Full Tilt Poker, but the €72,000 he won was partially behind his decision to go pro, and what a good decision that's been - the Brit has more than £2.3 million in winnings on his poker resume now! Will another Silver-type case be born in Dublin this week?

    Team Online's Mickey Peterson has been spotted in the RDS over the last 24 hours and is expected to be in the field today. Social media had also been flooded with photos of players making - or trying - to make their way to Dublin. Many added holidays on to the PCA and a fair few have made/are making the long trip back from the Aussie Millions, including the champion Ari Engel.

    Cards will be in the air at 10am.

    ukipt dublin_day 4_max silver winner shot.jpg

    Silver looking for a double on home soil

    Key UKIPT5 Dublin Facts:

    - 25,000 starting stack
    - Blinds starting at 50/100 for 250 big blinds
    - Levels are 45 minutes on Day 1 and they'll be 12 of them. From Day 2 onwards levels increase to 60 minutes.
    - Day 1B takes place today, the field will then combine for the first time on Friday. We'll reach the money during the 10 levels of play on Day 2 and then play down to a final table on Saturday. Sunday is a rest day, and then on Monday the final table will play out on the TV table on EPTLive with cards-up coverage and bring Season 5 of the UKIPT to a close. Cue mad celebrations and swigging of champagne from the trophy (possibly).
    - Full UKIPT5 Dublin schedule here.
    - It's not all about the poker here in Dublin. There are plenty of #StarsFun activities including Dodgeball Trampolining. Yes, you read that right Dodgeball Trampolining.

    PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT5 Dublin: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

  • 11 February

    Three Bundesliga players planned a casino robbery

    Two bizarre stories from the darker side of the casino world, as three footballers admit a robbery and another casino patron is stoned to death.

  • 11 February

    2003 | #TBT Mike Sexton wins Euro Finals Heads-Up title

      Time flies when you’re having fun! We take you back 13 years in this #TBT where Mike Sexton was the man of the hour in beautiful Paris, France. Playing the 2003 Euro Finals of Poker at the historic Aviation Club de France, Sexton would defeat English legend John Duthie in the final match of the European Heads-Up Championship earning what was, at the time, the 24th tournament victory of his career. Fab Five Four...

    The post 2003 | #TBT Mike Sexton wins Euro Finals Heads-Up title appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 10 February

    Poker Cartoon - Sport

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 10 February

    Live Poker in February: The Best Low Buy-In Tournaments Throughout Europe

    From the North of Estonia down to sunny Greece - February promises to be a great month for live poker in Europe.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 10 February

    Steve O’Dwyer’s Clay Poker Dolls are Real and Here to Stay

    How do you measure a player's success? Some say it's the titles, some think it's the money won. Some other, however, are talking about clay dolls.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 10 February

    Marcel Luske’s FiDPA & MainEventTravel.com Join Forces to Launch FiDPA Travel

    The Federation Internationale de Poker Association (FiDPA) and MainEventTravel.com (MET) launch new site called FiDPA Travel.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 10 February

    Drug dealer learns poker in jail, wins WPT event

    First he played for Snickers Bars, now he has over $1.5 million in winnings.

  • 10 February

    Our most controversial hand discussions this month

    Join in some of our trickiest hand discussions from the last month and potentially win $50 for doing so.

  • 10 February

    456,789 | Luiz Duarte Ferreira Filho and his earnings

    We have one simple request for Luiz Duarte Ferreira Filho … never play another poker tournament in your life, we mean never, never ever, call it quits, hang ’em up, time to retire. The reason is a very selfish one. The Brazilian has collected a fun $456,789 in total lifetime earnings – he has basically created the 1,2,3’s of poker earnings. Earlier this year, he earned a 14th place finish in a Turbo event at the...

    The post 456,789 | Luiz Duarte Ferreira Filho and his earnings appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 9 February

    Jason’s Journey

    Greek mythology tells of a famous adventurer called Jason, who sailed the ship Argo, searching for the "golden fleece." Here in the poker world, we have a Jason who has experienced many adventures of his own - I thought this would be a good time to sto...

  • 9 February

    Live coverage from the EPT Dublin festival begins tomorrow

    The European Poker Tour returns to Dublin tomorrow after an eight year break. It should only take a hand or two to feel back at home.

    Dublin is a poker town, and while the EPT has been away the UKIPT has made it home, so in many ways the UKIPT Main Event, which gets the festival started, is a fitting way to mark our return to the Royal Dublin Society.

    The UKIPT Main Event will look a little different this time around, with three days of action before play takes a day off ahead of the final table on Monday. You only have to take a look at the schedule to see why.


    pokerstars_spade_9feb16.jpg

    There are 67 events planned over nine days, and while the UKIPT gets up to speed the €25K High Roller event will run alongside, starting on Friday and ending on Sunday.

    Sunday also happens to be when the EPT Main Event kicks off, something no player would wish to miss, including those at the UKIPT Main Event final table. The least we can do for them is pause the action while they join the festival's main feature. They then play down to a UKIPT champion on Monday.

    At which point the Single Day High Roller will have started, with a €10,000 buy-in for those with richer tastes. That should have its winner a few hours ahead of the closure of late registration in the EPT Main Event 15 minutes before Day 2 starts on Tuesday.

    The last marquee event of the festival is the €10,000 High Roller starting on Thursday February 18, which will race the Main Event to a winner. The three-day event ends on Saturday just as the Main Event does the same.

    So there you have it. The nine day, 67 event Dublin festival wrapped up in just over 300 words.

    Regardless of whether you're in Dublin to play any of these events, or indeed any of the side events designed to suit all tastes and bankrolls, be sure to follow everything on the PokerStars Blog. Our team will be covering all of the above with live updates from start to finish each day. You'll also find regular reminders on our Twitter account which you can follow: @PokerStarsBlog.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    Furthermore much of what takes place will be on EPT Live from Day 2 of the Main Event, a great way to stay up to speed on the general sense of what's going on, even if you just leave Joe and James talking to themselves while you get on with something else.

    Like I said, it all starts tomorrow at 10am, unusual given that's the middle of the night for some players. Nevertheless, that's when we'll be there, having stayed up all night giddy with excitement.

    And if you make the trip to Dublin, be sure to stop by and say hi.

    Find full details on the EPT Dublin homepage. Bookmark our Dublin coverage on the PokerStars Blog to ensure you don't miss a thing.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 9 February

    Eliot Hirn Wins 888Live Austria Main Event; Torelli Exits in 10th Place

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56b/875f3f0f8c.jpg

    After two days of intense action, France’s Eliot Hirn left the Innsbruck Casino as the champion of the first 888live Main Event of 2016.

      Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 9 February

    100% | Cate Hall remains perfect on the World Poker Tour

      Not many people can claim they have cashed in their first five events on the World Poker Tour, in fact, we’re not even sure if anyone other than Cate Hall can make the claim. Hall burst onto the live tournament poker scene early in 2015. After a few small scores, she went on to finish 33rd in the $777 event at the World Series of Poker. From there, her WPT career took off, earning...

    The post 100% | Cate Hall remains perfect on the World Poker Tour appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 8 February

    What Shaun Deeb Thinks About That?

    Sarah gets Shaun Deeb's opinion on a few topics to come up in and outside of poker lately including Alvarado vs Busquet fight, going vegan, and if poker is dead.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 8 February

    Poker Cartoon - Progress

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 8 February

    Top of the Tables for ‘Tsitsomitsos’

    PokerStars player 'Tsitsomitsos' from Greece is not a newcomer to the game. In fact he's been a PokerStars player since 2008 and joined our official poker school, PokerSchoolOnline, in 2011. It took those three tentative years playing recreationally fo...

  • 8 February

    Meet The People: Lubys Zanas Wins WPT National London

    Lubys Zanas is the latest person to win a World Poker Tour National Main Event after he outlasted a field of 576 players in the £100,000 guaranteed accumulator event at Aspers Casino, Stratford, London this weekend. Zanas enjoyed a deep run in the July 2014 edition of the WPT National London Main Event where he […]

    The post Meet The People: Lubys Zanas Wins WPT National London appeared first on partypoker.com blog.

  • 8 February

    Five Thoughts: One for the Good Guys, O’Dwyer and Kornuth Shine, Obrestad Sells Out

    In this edition of Five Thoughts, Mo Nuwwarah talks Ari Engel's win, a couple high rollers crushing, and Annette Obrestad selling out.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 8 February

    Dodgeball coming to EPT Dublin

    We round-up the stories you may have missed, including a big change for PKR and a great run of form for the World Champ.

  • 8 February

    4th | WSOP Champ Joe McKeehen still scoring

    Just months after raising the HUGE World Series of Poker Main Event bracelet in victory, Joe McKeehen was back in contention at a major event over the weekend. Although he was unable to reach the winner’s circle this time around, McKeehen finished 4th at the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open in Atlantic City. Earlier this month, McKeehen collected a pair of 2nd place finishes at the 2016 PCA, including a runner-up finish to Bryn Kenney...

    The post 4th | WSOP Champ Joe McKeehen still scoring appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 7 February

    Hold’em with Holloway: What Would Happen to a Chip Stack If a November Niner Died?

    In a new Hold'em with Holloway, Managing Editor Chad Holloway looks at a substitution controversy that happened during the 2016 Aussie Millions.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 7 February

    Anniversary Special: A glorious win for Jean Issa at the Main Event

    "I finally did it!" Those were UK Jean Issa's words after he defeated Norwegian poker pro Henrik Tollefsen to claim his first-ever trophy at PokerStars Live Manila. Issa overcame a field of 534 entries at the Anniversary Special Main Event to capture t...

  • 7 February

    Chris Leong Wins WPT Winter Poker Open at Borgata for $816,246

    Chris Leong topped a field of 1,171 entries to win the World Poker Tour Winter Poker Open Championship at Borgata for $816,246.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 7 February

    Do some people play better against professionals?

    Is it possible that some players can win more money playing against good opposition than they can against recreational players?

  • 7 February

    22nd | Sasha Barrese’s WPT Seminole success

    It’s Celebrity Sunday on #PokerStats! We’re approaching the second anniversary of Hollywood star Sasha Barrese’s Top 25 finish at the 2014 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open in Hollywood, Florida. Barrese, who’s best known for her role as Doug’s wife Tracey in ‘The Hangover’ trilogy, earned her second score on the World Poker Tour last August, earning a 51st place finish at the inaugural WPT Choctaw event in Durant, Oklahoma. Fab Five | 2014 WPT Seminole...

    The post 22nd | Sasha Barrese’s WPT Seminole success appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 7 February

    Anniversary Special: Final Day Updates

    We will be posting random updates right here on some of the action at the final day of the PokerStars Live Manila Anniversary Special Main Event. We kick off with 76 players returning to the felt, each one vying for that top cash prize of P461,600. The...

  • 7 February

    Anniversary Special: PS Live Manila Final Day

    From 534 entries down to the 76 players, the PokerStars Live Manila Anniversary Special resumes today in search of its first main event champion. What's up for grabs? A big piece of the P2,279,112 prize pool, a total of P461,600 in cold hard cash to th...

  • 6 February

    125,000 | It’s raining Jennifer Harman, cats and dogs!

      Jennifer Harman’s love for cats and dogs led her to start a charity poker event way back in 2007. The inaugural Jennifer Harman Celebrity Poker Tournament, benefiting the Nevada SPCA, was first held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in April 2007. 1998 World Series of Poker gold bracelet winner Kirk Morrison would end up winning the event, earning a free entry the 2007 WSOP Main Event. Morrison pledged to donate a portion of his...

    The post 125,000 | It’s raining Jennifer Harman, cats and dogs! appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 6 February

    Anniversary Special: Guiterrez leads day 1d and Dizon ships it in big at day 1e

    We have completed the last two flights of the PokerStars Live Manila Anniversary Special Main Event and what a big turnout it was with 99 entries for day 1d and 171 entries for day 1e. This easily surpassed the guarantee, bringing the prize pool to a h...

  • 6 February

    Anniversary Special: PS Live Manila Day 1e Updates

    We are down to the last day one flight of the PokerStars Live Manila Anniversary Special Main Event P2M Guarantee. Alike the previous flights, late registration is open until the end of level 12 and regulation play will conclude five minutes into level...

  • 6 February

    Micro Spin & Go Month with Moshman

    Micro Spin & Go Month with Moshman
    Join our SNG Guru as he tells you everything you need to know about the lower stakes Spin & Go tournaments.

  • 6 February

    Top 5 sickest slowrolls [Poll]

    Vote for the slowroll you thought was the biggest breach of poker etiquette, or at least the most entertaining.

  • 6 February

    Anniversary Special: PS Live Manila Day 1d Updates

    Here we go! Day 1d of the Anniversary Special Main Event is underway at the PokerStars Live Manila poker room. This event has a P2M Guarantee with buy-in fee of P5,000. Unlimited re-entries are available until the end of level 12. Action will conclude ...

  • 6 February

    Anniversary Special: PS Live Manila Day 1d and Day 1e

    With rain coming down outside, that only means lots of poker action to be expected this Saturday at the PokerStars Live Manila poker room with the Anniversary Special Main Event P2M Guarantee already underway. Today will see day 1d and day 1e heat up...

  • 5 February

    Poker Cartoon - Children

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 5 February

    Anniversary Special: Tollefsen skyrockets in Day 1b; Lo on top at Day 1c

    It was a big day at the felt with PokerStars Live Manila Anniversary Special Main Event running two day one flights, day 1b early in the afternoon and day 1c early evening. Day 1b was a big hit with many players in attendance for a total of 129 entries...

  • 5 February

    Listen to the latest #EPTNotLive podcast

    The latest edition of the #EPTNotLive podcast is now available. We'll let the good folks behind it all provide the detail... "James and Joe haven't been anywhere, and their TV shows aren't currently on the air, but they still have plenty to talk about...

  • 5 February

    $100NL Zoom Poker Strategy - Randy ‘Nanonoko’ Lew

  • 5 February

    PokerNews Launches New Mobile App Available for Free on Android and Apple Devices

    PokerNews is proud to announce the launch of our new mobile app, Version 2.01. Download today on both Android and Apple devices.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 5 February

    How to combine karma, trampolines and Steve O’Dwyer in one article

    This was another of those weeks where you look back and wonder where the time went. Often in our case we spend so much energy looking forward to a festival that it's hard to envisage it ever being over with. But time passes, events finish, but then new ones appear on the horizon.

    That's something of a theme this week. Last weekend we saw the end of two great festivals, one live and the other online.

    Death, Taxes and O'Dwyer

    Down under in Australia one of those festivals was coming to an end in the usual style. The standard pattern is simple: lots of players take part, lots of money is won, and at the end Steve O'Dwyer wins big. The Aussie Millions was no exception.


    steve_odwyer_7_5feb16.jpgLooks familiar? Steve O'Dwyer

    If you haven't read the story of Steve O'Dwyer's win in the LK Boutique $250,000 Challenge, it's worth catching up on. It was a typically tough field in Melbourne, which makes O'Dwyer's achievement even more compelling. For the record it was his seventh seven-figure cash of the past 12 months. It was also the 99th of his career. More on where he might reach 100 in a moment.

    Before O'Dwyer, American journeyman Ari Engel won the Aussie Millions Main Event. Engel is a regular on the European Poker Tour, and one of that small band of players who prefers a suitcase and the road, to mortgage payments and a front lawn to mow.


    ari_engel_aussiemillions_5feb16.jpgAussie Millions Main Event champion Ari Engel

    Last weekend he demonstrated why, defeating the likes of Kitty Kuo and Samantha Abernathy on his way to a heads-up contest against Tony Dunst. That lead to the Main Event title and a first prize of $1.6 million. The option of a mortgage is now available if he wants it. Something tells me he'll pass.


    The COOP de Grâce

    While all that was taking place at the Crown Casino TCOOP was coming to a close, notably event 49 of 50, the $700 buy-in Main Event. That's where Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt was putting the finishing touches to his TCOOP series, winning the first prize of $396,691 ahead of a field of more than 4,000.


    dinesh_alt_5feb16.jpgDinesh Alt

    Alt joked in an interview with the Blog that it was all about Karma and cows (read the full interview with Dinesh Alt to see what we mean), but it was more a case of the usual hard work and practice. At least that's what we like to think. Martin Harris had the final table report to shows why.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    Two is company, 100 million is a crowd

    Elsewhere on PokerStars Nacho Barbero won the Super Tuesday this week. This midweek contest is always one of the toughest events to play, having such a serious buy-in and serious field. So it's only right that the payoff is usually significant, in this case $92,720 for Barbero.

    Still online I hope you noticed something we mentioned last week that will take up much of this month, the PS100 Celebrations.

    That's the short way of saying that we're celebrating our 100 millionth player on PokerStars in February, and given that it is our players who have made PokerStars what it is the month is given over to them.

    You can find all the details of that on the PS100 Celebration homepage, which describes all the challenges, contests and tournaments we're running. In terms of our contribution on the PokerStars Blog we'll be running a series of articles celebrating certain player milestones over the past 15 years. Having been privy to discussions about what they are I can say that all of them will make for interested reading, but one or two surprised even us. Look forward to those later this month.


    ps100m_celebration_pic_5feb16.jpg


    That leads on to what is coming up over the next few days, and by that we mean EPT Dublin.


    Back to Dublin

    As we reported this week it's been eight years since the EPT last hosted a festival in Ireland (the UKIPT meanwhile has been doing just fine), with Reuben Peters and Annette Obrestad playing the last hand that year (Peters on the winning end of it). Back then it was a relatively small festival, but this time there will be 67 events at the Royal Dublin Society, starting on February 9, and running through to February 20. The EPT homepage has all the details.

    We mentioned Steve O'Dwyer earlier. He's now one short of his 100th career live cash, which could easily come in his adopted home of Dublin next week (should he make the trip from Australia to the Emerald Isle). It's a story we'll be keeping a close eye on when our coverage begins next week. He's also about $66,000 short of $15 million in career earnings. Surely he can reach that figure in Ireland?

    Still in Dublin, it's not all fun and games at the poker table, it's fun and games off it also. As we outlined this week on the Blog, EPT Dublin will suit Dodgeball enthusiasts. I thought it was a made up "sport", then I saw this picture...


    dodgeball_5feb16.jpg

    So however ridiculous (it's played on trampolines), it's definitely real.

    Players heading to Dublin have something else to bear in mind - the new registration process we're using for the festival. Essentially it allows you to register for an event online until the usual late registration deadline using your PokerStars account (.com and .eu only for now). There are a couple of important exceptions to note, but we hope it'll make the process easier and queues at the registration desk a lot shorter.


    queue_ept_5feb16.jpg

    Lastly that sound you heard earlier this week, a kind of boom sound, was Tom Middleton, the former EPT Barcelona champion, for whom this happened in the Super Tuesday. When you see the flop you understand why you can still hear the echo.



    That's everything for now. Good luck to everyone at the tables this weekend. Let us know how you get on, or send thoughts and comments to @PokerStarsBlog.


    Come join us on PokerStars. Click here to get an account.

    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 5 February

    Anniversary Special: PS Live Manila Day 1c Updates

    The third qualifying flight (day 1c) of the Anniversary Special Main Event has just begun. Late registration will be open until the end of level 12, that's just over 3 hours with the breaks. Players will be on the felt past the midnight hour until we r...

  • 5 February

    2016 888live Series Begins Today with a Weekend of Poker and Skiing

    The first 888poker-branded event of the year kicks off on Friday in the Alpine city of Innsbruck, Austria.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 5 February

    Analysing tournaments just got easier

    Join our coach as he explains the most important new features at pioneering MTT tool HoldemResources Calculator.

  • 5 February

    113,400 | More Gene Fisher stats!

    We’re sorry, but we just can’t seem to get enough Gene Fisher around here!!! Yesterday, we took you back 26 years to celebrate Fisher’s win at the 1990 Amarillo Slim’s Superbowl of Poker. Today, we analyze his two World Series of Poker victories – more precisely the fact that, despite bracelets 13 years apart, in two different disciplines, he won the EXACT same amount for each victory, despite two drastically different payout structures. 1980 – won...

    The post 113,400 | More Gene Fisher stats! appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 5 February

    HoldemX alpha released

    Long awaited new game HoldemX, which describes itself as "Poker, enhanced", made its play money debut this week.

  • 5 February

    Anniversary Special: PS Live Manila Day 1b and Day 1c Updates

    We are back at the PokerStars Live Manila poker room for the weeklong Anniversary Special. Today has Day 1b kicking off at 215PM and Day 1c at 7PM. Updates for both flights will be posted right here. Late registration is open until the end of level 12,...

  • 5 February

    Anniversary Special: Day 1b and Day 1c Today

    Day 1b of the PokerStars Live Manila Anniversary Special Main Event has just gotten underway here at the PokerStars Live Manila poker room in City of Dreams Manila, Philippines. This event has a P2M Guarantee for an affordable P5,000 buy-in fee. Unlimi...

  • 4 February

    Anniversary Special: Hassan Leads Day 1a with 8 Remaining

    After roughly around 5 hours of regulation play, day 1a of the PokerStars Live Manila Anniversary Special Main Event ended with 8 players out of 59 surviving the night. Sitting on top with the largest stack was Carlo Aziz Hassan from the United Kingdom...

  • 4 February

    PokerStars cash gamers pick up $1 million

    You don't have to be a high-roller to pick up some big money in PokerStars cash games. Just look at the people who collectively pocketed more than $1 million during the month of January in the PokerStars Cash Game Quests. The idea was simple. Players...

  • 4 February

    Tony Dunst Says Aussie Millions “Was Easier To Play” Having Only 15 Percent of Himself

    Tony Dunst discusses his Aussie Millions Main Event following his second-place finish for $1 million.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 4 February

    Anniversary Special: PS Live Manila Day 1a Updates

    The PokerStars Live Manila Anniversary Special Main Event has begun. We will have random live updates for you on the action at the felt. Players will begin with a 15,000 stack, 15-minute levels, and will play until the end of level 12, that's a total o...

  • 4 February

    Anniversary Special: PokerStars Live Manila

    One year ago, PokerStars opened up its newest hub in Asia, the PokerStars Live Manila poker room at the highly prestigious City Of Dreams Manila in Pasay City, Philippines. Since then, they have held several festivals such as the highly attended Manila...

  • 4 February

    Jump the queue with new online registration at EPT Dublin

    Sometimes the little things can make all the difference. That's why we're always trying to make the player experience better, whether it's better chips, better tables, or even the process each player goes through before that -- like registration.

    At EPT12 Dublin players will notice a few improvements in this department. Given that nobody really likes queueing players can now avoid it entirely by taking advantage of extended online registration.

    Players can register on the PokerStars client right up until an event's late registration period. Do that, and then make your way to the Ticket Collection desk from 5pm the day before the tournament starts to get the seat draw.


    blue_yellow_chips_4feb16.jpg

    Right now this applies only to .COM and .EU accounts, and if you need a PokerStars account you can download one here.

    To find the full schedule of every EPT Dublin event go to "Live Events"/ "Europe"/ "EPT Dublin" in the PokerStars Client, then the "Event Schedule" tab in the main lobby.

    Seats will be reserved for players who register online. Remember however, that you cannot unregister once a tournament has started. It's also worth noting that while online registration for events at EPT Dublin will be available up until the end of late registration, there are a few exceptions:

    Event #3, €1,100 UKIPT Dublin Main Event
    Event #8, €330 NL - PokerStars Cup
    Event #28, €5,300 EPT Main Event
    Event #53, €330 NL - Hold'em

    Otherwise you'll all set. Give it a try and let us know what you think in Dublin, which is now just a few days away. For all the details of the EPT Dublin festival, go to the EPT homepage.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 4 February

    BlogNews Weekly: Lind’s TCOOP Win, Robl vs. Antonius & Fix Seven Poker Mistakes

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56b/08a2f208d0.jpg

    Learn about George Lind's TCOOP win, Andrew Robl's very unlikely win & how to fix seven common poker mistakes in this week's edition of the BlogNews Weekly.

      Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 4 February

    1990 | #TBT Gene Fisher wins at Amarillo Slim’s Superbowl of Poker

    Amarillo Slim’s Superbowl of Poker used to be a fixture on the American poker circuit back in the day. The festival would play host to some of the best in the world, all meeting up in Las Vegas for some fun while enjoying “The Big Game”. It’s on this day 26 years ago where Gene Fisher, a two-time World Series of Poker Bracelet winner, would defeat four-time bracelet champ Artie Cobb heads-up for the 1K...

    The post 1990 | #TBT Gene Fisher wins at Amarillo Slim’s Superbowl of Poker appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 4 February

    Pornhub launches online strip poker

    In hindsight in seems remarkable that with the internet being around as long as it has been, that this has only just become a thing.

  • 3 February

    Poker Cartoon - 7 and 2

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 3 February

    Annette Obrestad accepts Adelson job offer

    Former online poker poster girl Annette Obrestad has accepted an ambassador's role with the Venetian casino in Las Vegas.

  • 3 February

    Ian Otobo Takes Down the WPT Deepstacks Malta

    http://pnimg.net/w/articles/1/56b/1d6446ae56.jpg

    Ian Otobo's last minute change of plans resulted in him winning the 2016 WPTDeepStacks Malta for €20,300.

      Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 3 February

    1,171 | Another big WPT field invades Borgata

    Another year, another amazing turnout at the WPT Borgata Winter Poker Open, currently taking place in Atlantic City. The second largest field in the Winter Poker Open’s history has assembled in hopes of becoming the next World Poker Tour Champions Club member. Best of luck to the whopping 1,171 of you who first entered the competition! 2013 WPT Borgata Poker Open 3rd place finisher Cong Pham (pictured) takes the chip lead into Day 2 which...

    The post 1,171 | Another big WPT field invades Borgata appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 3 February

    Mediarex Entertainment Launches HoldemX: Texas Hold’em on Steroids

    With HoldemX, Mediarex Entertainment aims to bring poker close to eSports by adding elements from Hearthstone and Magic to Texas hold'em  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 3 February

    Prepare For the Four-Tiered $5 Million Guaranteed Powerfest

    Remember how awesome Pokerfest was? Well, it is being given a Power Series makeover to make it even bigger and better than before. Introducing the $5,000,000 guaranteed, that’s correct, FIVE MILLION dollars guaranteed Powerfest, which is coming to partypoker from February 21 and stays on your screens until March 20. A staggering 98 Powerfest tournaments […]

    The post Prepare For the Four-Tiered $5 Million Guaranteed Powerfest appeared first on partypoker.com blog.

  • 2 February

    New Partner room: TigerGaming

    Welcome to our newest partner, TigerGaming who offer a cool first deposit bonus, plus we'll reward you with StrategyPoints when you sign up!

  • 2 February

    PokerStars named Best Online Poker Operator

    For the fourth consecutive year, the International Gaming Awards has awarded the 'Poker Operator of the Year' title to PokerStars, an Amaya Inc. (Nasdaq: AYA; TSX: AYA) brand.

    "We are proud that the independent judging panel named PokerStars as the 'Online Poker Operator of the Year'," said Eric Hollreiser, vice president of Corporate Communications, Amaya and PokerStars. "We are grateful to have earned the award, and dedicate this to the millions of players and thousands of staff who have contributed to PokerStars' ongoing success."

    2016 Online Poker Operator IGA by Michael Josem.jpg

    REASONS FOR THE AWARD

    There were three key themes behind PokerStars' success in 2015: the bigger, better, & richer online tournaments; and a comprehensive vision to grow the game of poker.

    The story that dominated headlines in 2015 at PokerStars was the massive popularity of Spin & Go's (approx. 150 million real money games played on the global, shared liquidity, player pool), which was driven by two key attractions:

    • The special $1 million Spin & Go tournaments, which cost as little as $0.50 to enter, and have resulted in 13 million-dollar winners to date.

    • Spin & Go's are perfect for mobile players. With most new players on PokerStars now joining through the mobile apps, mobile-friendly formats are likely to become even more popular in 2016 and beyond.

    Online tournament festivals and special one-off events also flourished with PokerStars hosting the biggest World Championship of Online Poker to date (70 events), which resulted in the richest WCOOP ever with more than $66 million awarded to players across three weeks. There was also the biggest online tournament buy-in ever - a $51,000 Super High Roller - that was won by Canadian player Ben 'Ben86' Tollerene for more than $600k.

    And if ever proof was needed that online poker is still incredibly popular around the world, PokerStars set a new Guinness World Record for Largest Online Poker Tournament in October, when 253,698 players registered for a $0.01 event, beating the previous record of 225,000 players set in June 2013.

    As part of PokerStars' comprehensive plan to introduce new audiences to poker, in May 2015, two of the world's most famous sportsmen - Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar Jr - joined PokerStars as brand ambassadors. The signings demonstrated a strong strategic move to introduce poker to mainstream audiences, Cristiano Ronaldo having the most popular Facebook page in the world with more than 100 million fans, and Neymar Jr also having over 50 million fans.

  • 2 February

    Do you know your poker Phils? [QUIZ]

    In celebration of Groundhog Day, we test your knowledge of the many Phils we've come to know and love.

  • 2 February

    Steve O’Dwyer wins another Super High Roller

    Steve O'Dwyer wins again and Ari Engel claims the Main Event as this year's Aussie Open in Melbourne draws to a close.

  • 2 February

    Looking ahead to EPT Dublin

    I don't know if you can remember what you were doing on November 7, 2007, but the EPT was wrapping up its last event in Dublin. Rueben Peters and Annette Obrestad put the finishing touches to the tournament and in fine style. Most had expected the unstoppable Obrestad to sweep across the finish line, but it was Peters who took the title, after a final that was talked about for months.

    But as the EPT expanded and new venues across Europe were tried, Dublin took a backseat. That is until now.

    The European Poker Tour makes a welcome return to the Irish capital this month, more than eight years since it crowned Peters a champ. A lot has changed in that time, as will be obvious when the festival kicks off at the Royal Dublin Society in exactly a week from today.


    peters_obrestad_2feb16.jpgReuben Peters and Annette Obrestad, heads up at EPT4 Dublin

    In addition to what will be a 67 tournament visit, the EPT will be putting on a whole range of activities for players away from the tables to fill those hours between action at them, all part of #STARSFUN.

    Let us introduce a few of the highlights.

    Right away on Thursday February 11, they'll be Dodgeball Trampolining. Yep, you read that right. #STARSUN is laying on Dodgeball for up to 32 players wishing to take part in a game that, to be honest, I thought was fictional. Turns out I was wrong. Instead it's a high energy, high velocity version of chicken, and a lot of fun.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    Contact [email protected] to register, or sign up at the PokerStars Information Desk directly. You'll need to read the rules and sign a waiver, but otherwise you meet at 12 noon at the RDS main entrance for a few hours of dodgeball heroics.

    Days later on Saturday February 13, PokerStars will be hosting the EPT Dublin player party at the Horse Show House in Dublin from 9pm. As always this is a great opportunity to get a break from action at the tables, meet fellow players, talk shop and/or enjoy the contents of a free bar.

    All of which should set you up nicely from the Right to Play Charity Event on Sunday February 14. It's an event that has proven increasingly popular at each EPT stop, both for the enjoyment factor, the prizes on offer, and of course the cause.

    Starting at 6pm, the Right to Play Charity Event has a €150 buy-in, with €50 unlimited re-buys, and all proceeds going to Right to Play. Prizes meanwhile are kindly donated by partners Helping Hands, the European Poker Tour and EPT travel.

    They include:

    €1,000 in Live Event Tournament Credits
    iPhone® 6 Plus
    €550 in Live Event Tournament Credits
    iPad Air 2
    Weekend away for two*
    Apple Watch
    €330 in Live Event Tournament Credits
    Dinner for two


    * Please Note: the two night stay is at the discretion of EPT Travel and depends on the availability of selected dates.


    That just leaves the festival itself, which gets underway next Tuesday with a satellite to the UKIPT Dublin Main Event. That's followed by the UKIPT Main Event itself on Wednesday February 10 with a $1,000 buy-in.


    The Royal Dublin Society

    On Friday the three day High Roller event begins with a buy-in of €25,000, with the EPT Main Event starting on Sunday. There's plenty more events in between, in variations to suit every taste. Check out the full schedule, and details on all of the #STARSFUN events taking place throughout the festival, on the Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 2 February

    Steve O’Dwyer Wins LK Boutique $250,000 Challenge

    Steve O'Dwyer won the LK Boutique $250,000 Challenge on the final day of the 2016 Aussie Millions.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 2 February

    David Baazov Announces All-Cash Offer to Take Over Amaya

    Amaya's CEO, David Baazov, intention to buy the company was confirmed on Monday.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 2 February

    80% | Steve O’Dwyer is breaking the bank in 2016

    Life’s good if you’re World #1 poker pro Steve O’Dwyer. Not only are you king of the rankings, but you’re also off to a monster start to 2016 with two wins and a remarkable $2,837,488 through the first month of play. That amount ranks seconds amongst O’Dwyer’s biggest earning years on the circuit … and we’ve only barely entered February. Even more impressive? Four of his five scores, 80%, have resulted in six-figure earnings – not a bad...

    The post 80% | Steve O’Dwyer is breaking the bank in 2016 appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 1 February

    Poker Cartoon - The Eye

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 1 February

    Aussie Millions 2016: Steve O’Dwyer wins the LK Boutique $250k Challenge!

    The final day of the 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship came to a close on Monday evening with Steve O'Dwyer adding yet another accolade to his blossoming poker career as he was crowned the champion of the LK Boutique $250,000 Challenge Event. A ...

  • 1 February

    David Baazov announces plan to acquire Amaya

    The CEO of the PokerStars parent company declares a non-binding proposal to acquire the company.

  • 1 February

    The craziest slowroll of 2016 (so far)

    Samantha Abernathy features in a very early contender for the most memorable hand of the year at the Aussie Millions.

  • 1 February

    Weekend Review: Business as usual while TCOOP ends in style

    A look at all the major stories from this past weekend on PokerStars.

    Weekend highlights

    * Another big weekend for TCOOP, with the Main Event won by Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt who won a first prize of $396,691
    * Damianos "damourinio" Aslanidis wins the Sunday Million, earning $155,457
    * LameR25 takes down the Sunday Warm-Up


    trophy_1feb16.jpg

    Round up of latest results

    I think it's fair to say that the weekend was dominated by events taking place in TCOOP 2016 this weekend, which came to a close yesterday. We'll get to that in a moment, but first let's pay traditional respects to the Sunday Major winners, specifically Damianos "damourinio" Aslanidis in the Sunday Million, and LameR25 in the Sunday Warm-Up.

    In the former there was a heads-up encounter that promised a fitting end. Damourinio himself has more than $1 million of winnings on PokerStars, but he was up against Vladimir "vovtroy" Troyanovskiy, a player with multiple scores online and some $4.2 million won in the live game. As Martin Harris it was something of a scrap, and well worth reading about, which you can do here.

    Meanwhile in the Warm-Up eventual winner LameR25 took his time winning the first prize of $84,420. As David Aydt reported for the Blog, he arrived at the final table some way off the lead, but set about reversing his position, doing so with aplomb. Read the report of that final table here.

    Here are those two results in full:


    Sunday Million ($215 No-Limit Hold'em, $5M Gtd) results
    Entrants: 6,105
    Prize pool: $1,221,000
    Places paid: 900

    1. Damianos "damourinio" Aslanidis (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) $155,457.64*
    2. Vladimir "vovtroy" Troyanovskiy (Russia) $152,777.59*
    3. jatekos22 (Hungary) $112,52.37*
    4. sydens (Brazil) $67,155.00
    5. TheRocket08 (Canada) $51,282.00
    6. szaaadi (Poland) $39,072.00
    7. øøøøøøø (Czech Republic) $26,862.00
    8. Pökergöt (Germany) $14,652.00
    9. KRab42 (Canada) $9,462.75
    * denotes a three-way deal leaving $20,000 for the winner


    PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up results
    Entrants: 2,680
    Total prize pool: $536,000.00
    Places paid: 396

    1. LameR25 (Ukraine) $84,420.00
    2. WICKED617 (Netherlands) $62,980.00
    3. TaBuLA_Ras4 (Greece) $45,024.00
    4. Miguel "inca7bar" Silva (Malta) $30,820.00
    5. OTT CANADA (Canada) $23,316.00
    6. TAPÎSpayé? (United Kingdom) $17,956.00
    7. Se7enTr3y (United Kingdom) $12,596.00
    8. dand63 (Canada) $7,246.72
    9. Drento18 (Canada) $4,556.00


    The weekend's top online tournament winners

    It's not every weekend that the Sunday Million pay-out looks small, but this was one of those weekends. Thanks to the back end of TCOOP, with Main Events and High Rollers filling the schedule, damourinio's $155,457 Sunday Million win was only the fourth biggest of the weekend, with TCOOP titles filling the top three spots.

    EVENTWINNERCOUNTRYPRIZEMONEY
    TCOOP-49: $700 NL Hold'em Main Event [Turbo] NastyMinderSwitzerland $396,691.43
    TCOOP-47: $2,100 NL Hold'em [Turbo, High-Roller] gray31Canada $213,867.23
    TCOOP-50: $215 NLHE Wrap-Up [Hyper-Turbo, Deep, 1R1A] Adi AgarwalIndia $160,000.00
    $215 Sunday Million damourinioMacedonia $155,457.64
    TCOOP-46: $215 NL Hold'em [Turbo, Ultra-Deep] Sick PastorrPoland $105,630.29
    $215 Sunday Warm-Up LameR25Ukraine $84,420.00
    $530 Sunday 500 dragonwariorGermany $64,617.00
    $109+R Sunday Rebuy cal42688Mexico $53,325.00
    TCOOP-45: $109 NL Hold'em [8-Max, Turbo, 1R1A] Large CoffeeUnited Kingdom $45,000.00
    TCOOP-42: $82 NL Hold'em [Turbo, Zoom] Sr.RouquinhoCzech Republic $41,638.31
    CLICK HERE for a complete list of major results on PokerStars for the weekend of January 30-31, 2016.


    TCOOP latest

    Talking of TCOOP, there were 15 TCOOP events completed over the weekend, another combined prize pool of nearly $8 million to be won. You'll find each of those results below, with links through to the final table report.


    TCOOP-36 ($82 NL Draw, Turbo, Optional Re-Entry) results
    Entrants: 498 (300 entries, 198 re-entries)
    Total prize pool: $37,350
    Places paid: 66

    1. Oscar "MendaLerenda" Serradell (United Kingdom) $7,096.70
    2. MaTitheone (Poland) $5,229.00
    3. risto155 (Estonia) $3,828.37
    4. schn4trick (Germany) $2,614.50
    5. Artur "ARTSchGamble" Scerbak (Germany) $1,867.50
    6. Bigboss300 (Germany) $1,195.20


    TCOOP-37 ($215+R No Limit Hold'em, 6-Max, Turbo) results
    Entrants: 659 (1,094 Rebuys, 449 Add-Ons)
    Total prize pool: $440,400
    Places paid: 84

    1. Rui "RuiNF" Ferreira (Czech Republic) $81,474.00
    2. uWannaLoan? (Ireland) $60,775.20
    3. felter1989 (India) $45,141.00
    4. mczhang (United Kingdom) $30,828.00
    5. oswald1987 (United Kingdom) $22,020.00
    6. Tankanza (Austria) $13,212.00


    Now is the perfect opportunity to get a PokerStars account. Open your account here.

    TCOOP-38 ($215 NL Hold'em, Turbo, Ante Up, Progressive Super-Knockout) results
    Entrants: 1,191
    Total prize pool: $238,200.00
    Places paid: 153

    1. chickensssss (Canada) $20,566.66 + $8,468.09 bounties
    2. philipgm (Denmark) $14,887.50 + $2,649.20
    3. MarcusG22 (Canada) $11,314.50 + $5,065.20
    4. RodRish (Chile) $8,289.36 + $781.25
    5. pcayobh (Brazil) $5,895.45 + $3,270.59
    6. Tankanza (Austria) $4,704.45 + $2,301.55
    7. FiatEruditio (Russia) $3,513.45 + $2,399.59
    8. The Carnadas (United Kingdom) $2,322.45 + $487.50
    9. marksfive (United Kingdom) $1,310.10 + 300.00


    TCOOP-39 ($82 FL Hold'em, 6-max, Turbo) results
    Entrants: 643
    Total prize pool: $48,225
    Places paid: 84

    1. duffm0n (United Kingdom) $8,921.95
    2. TaBuLA_Ras4 (Greece) $6,655.05
    3. RyderRock (Germany) $4,943.06
    4. _stel_23_ (Greece) $3,375.75
    5. Team PokerStars Pro's Kosei "K. Ichinose" Ichinose (Japan) $2,411.25
    6. BADEXTASY (United Kingdom) $1,446.75


    TCOOP-40 ($215 HORSE, Turbo) results
    Entrants: 337
    Total prize pool: $67,400.00
    Places paid: 48

    1. maggess88 (Netherlands) $12,974.50
    2. SharkBoy217 (United Kingdom) $9,604.50
    3. cladarth (Poland) $7,245.50
    4. RL1D (Norway) $5,223.50
    5. berserk64 (Russia) $3,538.50
    6. Anders "Donald" Berg (Norway) $2,527.50
    7. scrubbyz (Canada) $1,853.50
    8. Piipboy (Russia) $1,516.50


    TCOOP-41 ($215 PL Omaha, Heads-Up, Turbo) results
    Entrants: 497
    Total prize pool: $100,000
    Places paid: 64

    1. Zackattak13 (Canada) $20,000*
    2. flaszeczka (Poland) $18,000*
    3. JimmyDean (Finland) $7,000
    4. WTFOMFGOAO (Russia) $7,000
    * Reflects the results of a two-way deal that left $2,000 in play for the winner

    TCOOP-42 $82 NLHE [Turbo, Zoom]) results
    Entrants: 3,536
    Total prize pool: $265,200.00
    Places paid: 450

    1. Sr.Rouquinho (Czech Republic) $41,638.31
    2. InsaneShark (United Kingdom) $31,028.40
    3. patasss (Uruguay) $22,011.60
    4. mendozoQ (Russia) $15,249.00
    5. zinkAA (Russia) $11,353.21
    6. WrestUA (Ukraine) $8,619.00
    7. oChris77o (United Kingdom $5,967.00
    8. -BigChri$- (Norway) $3,315.00
    9. spydhysa (Norway) $2,121.60


    TCOOP-43 ($215 NL Omaha H/L, 6-Max, Hyper-Turbo) results
    Entrants: 641
    Total prize pool: $135,122.80
    Places paid: 84

    1. AntonKrasch (Switzerland) $24,998.15
    2. filfedra (Czech Republic) $18,646.94
    3. SHIPP ITT (Canada) $13,850.08
    4. OELoose (Norway) $9,458.59
    5. mabelstark (United Kingdom) $6,756.14
    6. duremar2001 (Russia) $4,053.68


    TCOOP-44 $82 NLHE [Turbo, Saturday Speedway SE]) results
    Entrants: 3,287
    Total prize pool: $250,000.00
    Places paid: 414

    1. mrswoodwork (Canada) $27,343.99*
    2. 4Bullè&Pupè9 (Malta) $18,043.56*
    3. CyrusSaissor (Canada) $23,924.68*
    4. monar31 (Russia) $23,304.59*
    5. Scrunter101 (Canada) $22,383.18*
    6. Outeiri (Germany) $8,375.00
    7. marksfive (United Kingdom) $5,875.00
    8. TakeOverCz (Czech Republic) $3,380.00
    9. DARKYMAK (South Africa) $2,125.00
    * reflects the results of a five-way deal that left $5,000 in play for the winner


    TCOOP-45 ($109 NL Hold'em, 8-Max, Turbo, 1R1A) results
    Entrants: 1,194 (710 Rebuys, 513 Add-Ons)
    Total prize pool: $250,000
    Places paid: 152

    1. Large Coffee (United Kingdom) $45,000.00
    2. Frederik "Fred_Brink" Jensen (Denmark) $32,500.00
    3. MikeyGG3 (Canada) $25,000.00
    4. LeoRai (Kazakhstan) $18,525.00
    5. shogunAA (Finland) $12,500.00
    6. MaTitheone (Poland) $7,500.00
    7. utvekklo2 (Sweden) $5,000.00
    8. irishkajungl (Russia) $3,125.00


    TCOOP-46 ($215 NL Hold'em, Turbo, Ultra-Deep) results
    Entrants: 3,364
    Total prize pool: $672,800.00
    Places paid: 432

    1. Sick Pastorr (Poland) $105,630.29
    2. cubanirris (Mexico) $78,717.60
    3. heavenwalker (Hungary) $55,855.85
    4. V.bl0m (Malta) $38,686.00
    5. JJ@mess (Czech Republic) $28,930.40
    6. 1mates1 (Slovakia) $22,202.40
    7. panda_zhang9 (China) $15,474.40
    8. guitarpiano (Peru) $8,746.40
    9. Senterpied (United Kingdom) $5,382.40


    TCOOP-47 ($2,100 NL Hold'em, Turbo, High-Roller) results
    Entrants: 805
    Total prize pool: $1,610,000.00
    Places paid: 108

    1. Grayson "gray31" Ramage (Canada) *$213,867.23
    2. Alex "steakaddict." Papazian (Romania) *213,052.03
    3. Mark "RenRad 01" Darner (Canada) *$180,925.29
    4. Rafael "GM_VALTER" Moraes (Brazil) *$167,370.45
    5. Pimmss (Netherlands) $82,915.00
    6. TMoney0209 (Canada) $66,815.00
    7. ex6tenceLV (Latvia) $50,715.00
    8. ILIOS72 (F.Y.R.O.M) $35,581.00
    9. PureCash25 (Canada) $20,608.00
    * Reflects the results of a four-way deal


    TCOOP-48 ($530 8-Game Turbo) results
    Entrants: 320
    Total prize pool: $160,000.00
    Places paid: 42

    1. bambelbi3510 (Switzerland) $33,600.00
    2. Sputnick_PT (United Kingdom) $24,480.00
    3. Julian "jutrack" Track (Germany) $18,400.00
    4. PokerStars Team Online Naoya "nkeyno" Kihara (Japan) $12,800.00
    5. aramesko (Russia) $9,600.00
    6. zzwwzzwwzz (China) $6,400.00


    TCOOP-49 ($700 NL Hold'em Main Event) results
    Entrants: 4,077
    Total prize pool: $2,711,205 

    Places paid: 540

    1. Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt (Switzerland) $396,691.43*
    2. KungKroon (Norway) $346,181.46*
    3. gringenkov (Brazil) $223,674.41
    4. marcasa (Netherlands) $155,894.28
    5. Makuherra (Finland) $115,226.21
    6. anthonyff (United Kingdom) $88,114.16
    7. IMFICKLE (Finland) $61,002.11
    8. RSRMCA (United Kingdom) $33,890.06
    9. Petr "Hurloon" Jaros (Czech Republic) $21,689.64
    * Reflects the results of a two-way deal that left $40,000 in play for the winner


    TCOOP-50 ($215 NLHE Wrap-Up [Hyper-Turbo, Deep, 1R1A]) results
    Entrants: 2,247 (1,041 rebuys, 1,295 add-ons)
    Total prize pool: $1,000,000.00
    Places paid: 288

    1. Team PokerStars Pro Aditya "Adi Agarwal" Agarwal (India) $160,000.00
    2. RamsGold (Costa Rica) $120,000.00
    3. Propheus7 (Switzerland) $90,000.00
    4. C. Darwin2 (Sweden) $62,000.00
    5. BlackCat-IL (Israel) $45,000.00
    6. AnyGameSir (Poland) $35,000.00
    7. Martin "M.nosbocaJ" Jacobson (United Kingdom) $25,000.00
    8. Lundisgsund (Austria) $17,000.00
    9. Pro1612 (Germany) $9,500.00


    TCOOP Player of the Series

    It came down to the wire on the Leader Board but it was British player ouchbadbeat who held on having recorded 16 cash finishes, the best being a fifth place finish in TCOOP-2. Ugritaly, one of two players to win two TCOOP events this series, finished in joint second place alongside Czech player Zagalo87, who reached two final tables among 12 cashes.

    For topping the leader board ouchbadbeat wins a Championship trophy along with a SCOOP 2016 Main Event ticket.

    Here's how the top ten finished. Check out the Leader Board page for all the scores.

    PLACENAMECOUNTRYPOINTS
    1ouchbadbeatUnited Kingdom340
    2ugritalyAustralia310
    2Zagalo87Czech Republic310
    4TedyKGB88United Kingdom275
    5DJeka[MD]Moldova270
    6buzzard1881Canada260
    6maggess88Netherlands260
    6nkeynoJapan260
    6NastyMinderSwitzerland260
    1010Badboy10Russia250


    That's all from another weekend on the PokerStars. Congratulations to all of this week's winners. As always send your questions and comments to us on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 1 February

    18th | Ari Engel wins a major Down Under

    Toronto’s Ari Engel has secured the second major title of the season for Canada on the live tournament poker circuit. After Mike Watson‘s victory at the PCA in the Bahamas, Engel earned his very first career major, winning the 2016 Aussie Millions in Melbourne. Engel, who’s literally played all over the world, earned his 18th career victory, defeating American Tony Dunst for the title. Fab Five | 2016 Aussie Millions 1. Ari Engel (CAN) 2. Tony...

    The post 18th | Ari Engel wins a major Down Under appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 1 February

    Aussie Millions 2016: LK Boutique $250,000 Challenge Live Updates

    Click to refresh for latest updates The LK Boutique $250,000 Challenge set to crown a champion! The final day of the 2016 Aussie Millions will bring the conclusion of the largest buy-in tournament of the series - the LK Boutique $250,000 Challenge. ...

  • 1 February

    TCOOP 2016: Dinesh “NastyMinder” Alt wins Main Event, $396K (Event #49, $700 NLHE)

    It's quite something to watch the final table of a turbo-fueled tournament with five-minute levels at which more than $1.4 million of prize money is still up for grabs and no final deal is being made. Such was the case for most of the 2016 Turbo Championship of Online Poker Main Event final table, a $700 buy-in tournament that saw no chop considered until they reached heads-up.

    That's when Switzerland's Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt and KungKroon of Norway finally did strike a deal, and shortly thereafter Alt would be the one to claim the last hand and the title. Alt -- who has chopped a Sunday Million and won the ANZPT Sydney Main Event in 2013 -- took away a huge prize of $396,691.43 for the win.


    2016-TCOOP-49-alt.jpg

    Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt

    Alt came close once before this series, taking runner-up in Event #11 ($215 NLHE Heads-Up), and with seven total cashes managed to finish sixth in the TCOOP Player of the Series race. Incidentally, it was the U.K.'s ouchbadbeat who with 16 total cashes was able to finish the last day atop the TCOOP series leaderboard.

    Alt's first prize just barely exceeds -- by less than two hundred bucks -- what 2015 TCOOP Main Event champion Nikki_Hefner took away last year, thus setting a new record for biggest TCOOP Main Event cash in the four-year history of the series. Here's the story of how Alt managed to outlast this year's huge field to turn $700 into nearly $400K in just over five-and-a-half hours.


    tcoop-card-capper.jpg

    There were already more than 2,000 players in their seats by the time the first hands were dealt Sunday afternoon, and after two hours of late registration more than twice that many had joined the fun for a total of 4,077 entries. That meant a $2,711,205 prize pool (easily besting the $2M guarantee for the tournament) with the top 540 places paid.

    At that point the field had already been cut in half, and after another dozen five-minute levels whizzed past the money bubble burst as Akash "funwheel" Majumdar of Thailand grabbed the chip lead as the first player to 1 million chips.

    Majumdar continued to lead as the field was carved down further, then others rushed ahead as many other big stacks quickly got bigger. Meanwhile among those hitting the rail during that stretch was Team PokerStars Pro Online's Jorge "Baalim" Limon (346th, $1,355.60), with Team PokerStars Pros George Danzer (205th, $2,033.40) and Aditya "Adi Agarwal" Agarwal (163rd, $2,440.08) also taking away small parts of the prize pool.

    With 100 left rookie1609x of Canada had taken over first position in the counts, but by the four-hour mark both rookie1609x (88th, $4,066.80) and Akash "funwheel" Majumdar (73rd, $4,337.92) had been sent to the rail.




    Want to compete for your own online championship? Click here to get a PokerStars account.

    As the tournament's fifth hour proceeded and they wound down to the last few tables, the U.K.'s RSRMCA began to pull away from the field, and with 30 left had moved up close to 10 million when no one else has as much as half that. A little while later they were down to 18, with IMFICKLE having briefly grabbed the top spot before marcasa edged into the chip lead with two tables left.

    Event #24 ($82 PLO H/L, 6-Max) winner Raabinator93 (18th), liran2788 (17th), and funchstar7 (16th) were the next three knockouts, with each player earning $8,133.61.

    eijseijs (15th), manyadecano (14th), and Oscar "MendaLerenda" Serradell (13th) were then eliminated, earning $12,200.42 apiece. For Serradell, the finish capped off an especially successful TCOOP that included a win in Event #36 ($82 NL Draw, Optional Re-Entry) and a runner-up finish in Event #19 ($215 NLHE).

    malekfatte (12th), garompon (11th), and rasta25 (10th) then became the last three players eliminated before the final table, with those three each taking away $16,267.23 apiece. With KungKroon having moved up into the lead, the final table was underway.


    2016-TCOOP-49-finaltable.jpg

    Seat 1: anthonyff (United Kingdom) -- 9,047,944
    Seat 2: Petr "Hurloon" Jaros (Czech Republic) -- 8,631,717
    Seat 3: Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt (Switzerland) -- 7,646,928
    Seat 4: RSRMCA (United Kingdom) -- 8,072,527
    Seat 5: IMFICKLE (Finland) -- 4,400,715
    Seat 6: KungKroon (Sweden) -- 16,592,440
    Seat 7: gringenkov (Brazil) -- 6,147,653
    Seat 8: marcasa (Netherlands) -- 10,470,302
    Seat 9: Makuherra (Finland) -- 10,529,774

    Hurloon hits rail in ninth

    With the blinds a whopping 500K/1M with a 125K ante, the idea of a chop was brought up immediately in the chat box as the final table began. But as noted above, not everyone was interested, and so the all-ins continued soon thereafter.

    It was less than orbit before gringenkov open-shoved from early position and Petr "Hurloon" Jaros called all in from the cutoff for 1,934,064 (less than two big blinds). gringenkov had [Ac][Kd] and Jaros [8h][7h], and after the board came [Tc][6c][Jh][3d][3c], Jaros was out ninth.

    RSRMCA run out in eighth

    The blinds moved up to 600K/1.2M with a 150K ante, then RSRMCA shoved for 5,122,527 from the button and got called by KungKroon in the big blind.

    RSRMCA was hoping [4s][4h] would hold against KungKroon's [As][Kc], and the [5h][Ac][4c] flop was promising for RSRMCA, making a set of fours versus KungKroon's top pair of aces. But the turn was the [Jc] and the river the [7c], completing a club flush for KungKroon and knocking RSRMCA out in eighth.

    IMFICKLE finished in seventh

    Just three hands after that, the blinds were already 700K/1.4M (with a 175K ante) when IMFICKLE shoved for 6,425,715 from middle position and Makuherra called from the big blind.

    IMFICKLE turned over [Ac][4s] and needed to improve versus Makuherra's [9h][9s]. But the [Ks][9d][6c] flop gave Makuherra a set, the [Kd] turn a full house, and the pair-making [4h] river meant nothing for IMFICKLE who was out in seventh.

    anthonyff sunk in sixth

    The final six marched onward, with deal talk continuing to be suggested by some. But gringenkov -- a former Sunday Million winner who had chipped up over 27 million and into the chip lead -- typed "sry i dont deal" and so they continued to play it out.

    Just like that the blinds were 800K/1.6M (with a 200K ante), and it was marcasa open-shoving from UTG for 2,393,496, anthonyff reraise-pushing for 5,497,944 from the cutoff, and gringenkov caling both from the big blind.

    gringenkov: [Jc][9h]
    anthonyff: [As][Qd]
    marcasa: [Qh][3h]

    The community cards came [2h][8c][8h], then [9c], then [Kh], missing anthonyff, giving gringenkov nines and eights, and making a heart flush for marcasa. gringenkov collected the side pot while marcasa survived, and anthonyff departed in sixth.

    Makuherra makes it to fifth

    The torrid pace continued with Makuherra soon open-pushing all in from the small blind for 8,980,489 (about 4.5 BBs) and Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt calling from the big blind.

    Makuherra had [Ad][5d] while Alt turned over [Jd][Js], and five cards later -- [4h][Ts][9h][Qh][7c] -- Makuherra's run ended in fifth.

    marcasa moves on after finishing fourth

    With four left, Alt brought up the deal topic again.

    NastyMinder: still no deal guys?
    marcasa: I checked
    gringenkov: no, sry
    NastyMinder: ok
    NastyMinder: gl :)
    gringenkov: glgl

    It would only take three more hands for the field to be reduced by one more.

    With the blinds an even 1M/2M (with a 250K ante), the table folded to marcasa who pushed in 6,930,488 over the small blind and Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt called from the big blind. Alt had but [8d][3d] but was ahead of marcasa's [7c][3c], and after a [Qh][2h][6s][3s][Td] runout both had a small pair but the kickers played, and marcasa had been eliminated in fourth.

    That matched marcasa's fourth-place finish in Event #34, another $700 buy-in NLHE event.

    gringenkov grounded in third

    Before long Alt was the one pushing out ahead with more than 45 million while both KungKroon and gringenkov hovered around 17-18 million. That's when gringenkov open-shoved a stack of 16,949,570 (not quite seven big blinds) from the button and got called by KungKroon from the big blind who had that barely covered.

    gringenkov had [Ac][Qd] and the edge over Kungroon's [Ad][9s]. But the flop came [9c][Js][2h] to pair KungKroon's nine. The turn was the [2d] and river the [7d], and gringenkov was out in third for a cash of more than $223K.

    A deal, then a short duel as NastyMinder KOs KungKroon

    Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt had a slight lead over KungKroon to start heads-up play, and after one hand they managed to pause the tournament at last for some deal talk with Alt sitting on 47,029,833 versus KungKroon's 34,510,167.

    Numbers were produced -- $356,691.43 for Alt, $346,181.46 for KungKroon, and $40,000 set aside for which to play. The discussion that followed was a short one:

    KungKroon: agreedio!
    KungKroon: no use trying to get more, nasty ;)
    KungKroon: this or we play for the lot
    NastyMinder: I agree
    KungKroon: I agree

    Once play resumed, the heads-up match was short as well, lasting just eight hands total.

    The last hand began with Alt up to just over 50 million and watching KungKroon shoving all in for 31,072,667 from the button. Alt called, and the players' hands were turned over:

    NastyMinder: [Ah][Jh]
    KungKroon: [Qs][5s]

    The board came [Kd][2d][4c][8d][6h], hitting neither player's hand. KungKroon had come one spot shy of the win, while Alt had collected all of the chips to earn the extra $40K, the special TCOOP card capper, and a coveted Main Event title.


    2016-TCOOP-49-nastyminder.jpg

    NastyMinder collects the last of the chips

    Congratulations to Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt for outlasting more than 4,000 opponents to win this year's TCOOP Main Event and over $396K!


    2016-TCOOP-49-alt2.jpg

    Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt

    Kudos to KungKroon as well for surviving to make that heads-up deal and take away a nice $346K-plus prize.

    TCOOP-49 ($700 NL Hold'em Main Event) results
    Entrants: 4,077
    Total prize pool: $2,711,205 

    Places paid: 540

    1. Dinesh "NastyMinder" Alt (Switzerland) $396,691.43*
    2. KungKroon (Norway) $346,181.46*
    3. gringenkov (Brazil) $223,674.41
    4. marcasa (Netherlands) $155,894.28
    5. Makuherra (Finland) $115,226.21
    6. anthonyff (United Kingdom) $88,114.16
    7. IMFICKLE (Finland) $61,002.11
    8. RSRMCA (United Kingdom) $33,890.06
    9. Petr "Hurloon" Jaros (Czech Republic) $21,689.64
    *Reflects the results of a two-way deal that left $40,000 in play for the winner

    Thanks for following our start-to-finish coverage of all 50 events of the 2016 Turbo Championship of Online Poker here on the PokerStars Blog. You can check results and other stats from the series on the TCOOP page as well.


    Want to compete for your own online championship? Click here to get a PokerStars account.
    Martin Harris is Freelance Contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

  • 1 February

    Elliott Panyi powers to UKIPT Series win and £16,590

    UKIPT5_Series3_day2_elliot_panyi5.jpg

    Elliott Panyi - UKIPT5 Series Champion

    There's a quote that's displayed prominently on Elliott Panyi's twitter page from UFC champion Conor McGregor that says: "Doubt is removed by action. If you're not working then that's where doubt comes in."

    The 24-year-old professional poker player wasn't a UFC guy until he discovered McGregor, but he definitely shares a trait with him. He's also a work your socks off kind of guy and tonight that paid off handsomely as he won the UKIPT5 Series 3 and £16,590. "I'm playing seven days a week at the moment," he told us after his victory. In fact he was off to play in a cash game shortly after he'd posed for the winner's photo.

    UKIPT5_Series3_day2_elliot_panyi4.jpgPanyi - working 5-9

    It'd be a disservice to Panyi's opponent's that victory was never in doubt but with 17 players left he picked up aces at the same time as opponents found kings and jacks. The result was a double knockout that left him with over 25% of the chips in play and a stack of 1,800,000. To give you some idea of how dominant that was, only two players - other than Panyi - would surpass that mark during the tournament.

    By the time the final table was reached he had 2.3x the chips of his nearest rival and he only briefly lost the chip lead throughout the final table. When heads-up play began normal service had been resume as Panyi had an eight to one advantage over Azarya Levy.

    UKIPT5_Series3_day2_azarya_levy.jpgAzarya Levy

    His Israeli opponent had just a handful of big blinds and you sensed this wasn't going to be a marathon heads-up. The short stack had tried - unsuccessfully - to convince his opponent's this was his first live tournament so you knew he had some moves. But, although Levy scored one double up on the next occasion he was all in his [Jh][6c] lost out to Panyi's [Kd][4c].

    UKIPT5_Series3_day2_poker_room.jpgThe Matcham Room at The Hippodrome Casino

    When play began at noon there were 106 hopefuls all hoping to fill one of the top 47 places to secure a return on their investment. It took just over two hours to reach the bubble by which time Dominic Wells, Jeff Barron, Daniel Bland and Tim Wright, amongst others, had been sent home empty handed.

    UKIPT5_Series3_day2_shane_d'moriah.jpgShane D'Moirah (standing left) watches on

    We had two all ins on different tables on the stone bubble. After Robbie O'Brien - who had been forced all in blind - survived it was time to see what would become of Shane D'Moirah. He was all-in on the turn of a [9s][Ad][7d][8h] board with [9c][8c] and in good shape against Jay Samani's [Ac][Th]. That is until the [Td] fell on the river. That left the 47 remaining players in the money.

    That hand propelled Samani to the chip lead, a spot he'd hold until he lost a big pot to Samuel Hunt, who became the first player to cross the million chip mark. Samani then busted in 23rd and was followed out the door shortly afterwards by Chris Gordon, who finished 20th. It was a fine performance by the Team PokerStars LIVE at The Hippodrome Casino sponsored player. A standard lost race with [As][Td] against pocket eights his downfall.

    UKIPT5_Series3_day2_chris_gordon2.jpgAnother good game by Gordon

    The likes of Vincent Moses (19th), Day 1 chip leader Andrew King (18th) and Samuel Hunt (12th) all made deep runs but missed out on the final table. With just over 7,000,000 in play and a big blind of 50,000 by the time the final nine was reached this was never likely to be a drawn out war of attrition.
    UKIPT5_Series3_day2_final_table.jpgThe elite eight

    Nine were cut down to four in 80 minutes as Marco Erasmo (9th), Dean Perry (8th), Nicholas Case (7th), Michael Matar (6th) and Gerald Candy (5th) were sent packing. Panyi had almost half the chips in play at this point but with each pot causing a big swing the field began to close with William Funnell even overtaking Panyi briefly. Then the two of them played a huge pot.

    UKIPT5_Series3_day2_william_funnell.jpgFunnell - more ladders than old tights

    It was total cooler with Panyi holding pocket queens to Funnell's [Ah][Qs] when both men had around 13 big blinds each. The pair held and when the stacks were counted down Panyi had Funnell covered by less than half a big blind. It was some performance by Funnell though as the youngster hadn't been over 15 big blinds at all on Day 2 until there were six players left.

    A couple of hands later Panyi won a race to eliminate Kwokwah Man in third spot to take that huge chip lead to heads-up.

    The rest is history.

    UKIPT5 Series 3:
    Buy-in: £250+£25
    Entrants: 351:
    Prize pool: £87,750
    Places paid: 47

    POSNAMECOUNTRYSTATUSPRIZE
    1Elliott PanyiUnited Kingdom £16,590
    2Azarya LevyIsrael £10,540
    3Kwokwah ManUnited Kingdom £7,900
    4William FunnellUnited Kingdom £6,390
    5Gerald CandyUnited Kingdom £5,040
    6Michael MatarUnited KingdomPokerStars Qualifier£3,850
    7Nicholas CaseUnited Kingdom £2,830
    8Dean PerryUnited Kingdom £2,088

    All photos are copyright of Mickey May

January, 2016

  • 31 January

    Ari Engel Wins 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event for $1,600,000

    Ari Engel won the Main Event on Day 19 of the 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship in Melbourne on Sunday.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 31 January

    Ari Engel is the Aussie Millions Main Event Champion!!

    Ari Engel bested a huge field and a stellar final table to capture the Aussie Millions title.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 31 January

    2016 Aussie Millions Day 18: Fabian Quoss Wins $100,000 Challenge for $1,446,480

    Fabian Quoss Won the $100,000 Challenge on Day 18 of the 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship on Saturday  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 31 January

    Highlights from Down Under

    Check out some of the best moments that made it in the videos, and of course, some that should have stayed on the cutting room floor.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 31 January

    The biggest poker addicts ever

    Meet the players who didn't let work, illness, pregnancy and even death get in the way of their favourite game.

  • 31 January

    Ari Engel wins 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event

    "An amazing feeling!" They were the words of our new Aussie Millions champion Ari Engel. "I'm kind of speechless." His supporters on the rail cheered and applauded as Engel was awarded his Aussie Millions gold bracelet and $1,600,000! Engel ove...

  • 31 January

    UKIPT5 Series 3 Day 2: Level 15 updates (2,000-4,000, 500 ante)

    65 players remain, 47 get paid. You can see the current chip counts right here.

    1:10pm: Lots of exits; 72 players left
    Level 15, Blinds 2,000-4,000(500 ante)

    Many exits to tell you about now. For fans of: Mirko Mostaccio, Leslie Lamnea, Tom Dickenson, Mark Jefferies, Onur Guven, Thomas Bloomfield, Rahim Tadj-Saadat, Rob Munro, Fernando Berlanga, Anthony Wickert, Karol Podsiadio, Chris Gilbert, Philip Marcu, Noel Broadbent, Stuart Bayford, Steven Mayne, Steve Goose, Justin Kyrakidas and Barry Warden as they're all out.

    65 players remain.

    1pm: Huge double for Stoupis
    Level 14, Blinds 1,500-3,000(300 ante)

    Day 1A chip leader Samuel Orledge just took a big hit that in the process doubled Fotis Stoupis to almost 200,000.

    Orledge opened to 6,600, Stoupis re-raised to 24,000, Orledge tanked and then moved all in and Stoupis snap called.

    Orledge: [Ad][Jc]
    Stoupis: [Ac][Ah]

    The Greek player was all in for 95,800 and the aces held on the [7h][2h][7d][Jd][9d] board. Orledge had gained some chips today but drops back to around 105,000 as a result of that hand.

    12:50pm: Funnell felts Taylor
    Level 14, Blinds 1,500-3,000(300 ante)

    Down to just 21,700 Simon Taylor moved all in from middle position for 21,700 and William Funnell - who was to his immediate left - re-raised all-in for about 50,000 and everyone else folded.

    Funnell: [Qd][Qh]
    Taylor: [8s][7s]

    Both players stood as the [Kh][9d][7c][3c][Td] board came down and they shook hands as Taylor departed.

    12:40pm: More fallers
    Level 14, Blinds 1,500-3,000(300 ante)

    There was no way back for Luke Cameron after he doubled up William Funnell (see 12:10pm post). He's one of the early fallers here on Day 2 and joins: Mark Williamson, David Barnes, Ricky Davies, John Lucarotti, Jamie Pugh, Andrea Scappazzoni, Chaminda Tennakoon, Rob Crawford and Joshua Varghese on the rail.

    12:30pm: Ace double for Rees
    Level 13, Blinds 1,200-2,400(300 ante)

    In level one of this tournament George Rees caught lightning in a bottle when he made a royal flush. In level 13 he found aces to double up.

    Shane D'Moriah opened from the hijack, Rees shoved for 38,500 from the cut-off and when it folded back to D'Moriah he called with pocket eights. The [3c][9h][Js][6d][Kc] board kept the aces in front and kept Rees in the tournament.

    UKIPT5_Series3_day2_george_rees.jpg

    Aces kept Rees in it

    12:20pm: Exits
    Level 13, Blinds 1,200-2,400(300 ante)

    The start of Day 2 is usually carnage and in the opening 20 minutes 10 players have been eliminated. They include: Jeff Barron, Line Olsen, Carl Davies, Philip Baker and Adriano Soares.

    12:10pm: Funnell gets chips
    Level 13, Blinds 1,200-2,400(300 ante)

    From early position John O'Donnell opened to 5,500, Luke Cameron then three-bet to 12,500 and action passed to William Funnell. He asked Cameron how much he was playing and then moved all-in for 28,800, That got rid of O'Donnell but Cameron thought for a bit before making the call.

    Funnell: [As][Ac]
    Cameron: [9h][9c]

    The board came [Kd][2d][Ks][7h][7c] and Funnell more than doubled up to around 65,000 whilst Cameron is down to about 17,000.

    "Were you thinking about folding?" asked Funnell.
    "I was, but I was priced in," replied Cameron.

    12:02pm: Action is go
    Level 13, Blinds 1,200-2,400(300 ante)

    Almost bang on time the action has started.

    11:50am: The Series is about to get serious
    The prelims are over, this is the real thing. Sure the 106 players who've made it to Day 2 can give themselves a pat on the back for outlasting the 245 players who've been eliminated but that's about it. 59 of those who're back today will suffer the same fate, that is they'll leave empty handed.

    For the other 47 they'll have some financial reward for their efforts, a minimum of £480, rising all the way to £16,590 should they be the last man or woman sitting. You can see the You can see the entire payout structure here.

    The man who's sitting in pole position right now is Andrew King. He won a 160,000 chip pot on the final hand of Day 1B to finish on 201,600. He was the only player to break the 200,000 chip mark, but others who'll be back today include: Sam Orledge (170,900), Chris Gordon (148,000) Elliot Panyi (139,300) and Daiva Barauskaite (78,700).

    UKIPT5_Series3_day2_chris_gordon.jpg

    Chris Gordon

    Cards are in the air at noon.

    Fancy playing a UKIPT? There are always plenty of online satellites, click here to get an account.

    PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT Series: Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May

  • 31 January

    Watch our Bankroll Challengers in action!

    Want to see how our most active members are crushing their goals? Several of them filmed their grinding sessions this week.

  • 31 January

    Phil Ivey Back & Ready to Crush

    Sarah talks to Phil Ivey about re-emergence at the Aussie Millions.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 31 January

    356,400 | Ben Affleck wins big in Los Angeles

      Ben Affleck’s appearance in “poker” film Runner, Runner may not have been a success, but his appearance at the California State Poker Championship in 2004 certainly was! It’s Celebrity Sunday on PokerStats and they don’t get any bigger than Batman himself! Affleck may only have on line on his THM profile, but it’s an impressive one. Affleck would defeat Stan Goldstein heads-up for the Championship title. He would take home $356,400 for his effort. Fab...

    The post 356,400 | Ben Affleck wins big in Los Angeles appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 31 January

    Day Trip to the Mornington Peninsula

    Sarah is joined by Jesse Silvia, Ashley Sleeth and Vincent Gregory for a trip to the Mornington Peninsula complete with hot springs, wine and a maze.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 31 January

    TCOOP 2016: mrswoodwork crawls to victory in Event #44 ($82 NLHE [Turbo, Saturday Speedway SE])

    This weekend, everyone's favorite Saturday night turbo, the Saturday Speedway, came with a $250,000 guarantee as the 2016 TCOOP sped into its final 24 hours. Following a flurry of early eliminations, the final five were clustered rather closely together in terms of stack size and sensibly made a five-way ICM chop to mitigate the massive (and rapidly rising) blinds. Although they were the two shortest stacks going into the deal negotiations, 4Bullè&Pupè9 and mrswoodwork hit their stride once cards went back in the air and took out the fifth, fourth, and third place finishers to get heads-up. Mrswoodwork started heads-up play at a 2 to 1 disadvantage, but following a clever river check-shove, she got back on top. It looked like 4Bullè&Pupè9 might pull out a comeback when he got the rest of his chips in with pocket eights vs. mrswoodwork's pocket threes, but a three on the flop locked up victory for mrswoodwork, as she captured her first TCOOP title and over $27k.

    3,287 players turned out for this special edition of the Saturday Speedway. 414 places were paid with first place set to earn $39,375.00.

    The blinds were up to 90,000/180,000 with ten players remaining when the action folded around to C.Dariwin2. He raised to 450,000, TakeOverCz shoved for 1.35 million from the small blind and C. Darwin2 called all-in. C. Darwin2's [Qd][9d] was up against [Ks][Td], but the [Kc][Jd][8s] flop made TakeOverCz top pair. C. Darwin2 needed running cards or a ten to make a straight, but the turn and river fell the [7c] and the [5c], sending him to the rail one spot short of the final table.

    2016_TCOOP_Ev44_FT.jpg


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    Final table chip counts

    Seat 1: Outeiri (1,805,724 in chips)
    Seat 2: monar31 (1,950,606 in chips)
    Seat 3: marksfive (740,062 in chips)
    Seat 4: 4Bullè&Pupè9 (2,171,497 in chips)
    Seat 5: Scrunter101 (2,342,634 in chips)
    Seat 6: mrswoodwork (3,070,901 in chips)
    Seat 7: TakeOverCz (2,150,122 in chips)
    Seat 8: DARKYMAK (171,278 in chips)
    Seat 9: CyrusSaissor (2,032,176 in chips)

    On the second hand of the final table, TakeOverCz open-shoved for 2.54 million from UTG+1, DARKYMAK called off his last 135,278 and Scrunter101 called all-in for 2.12 million from the big blind.

    TakeOverCz [4c][4h]
    DARKYMAK [Th][Tc]
    Scrunter101 [Qd][Qh]

    Scrunter101's queens flopped top set on the [Qc][8c][2d][3s][Js] board and he took down the 5 million pot. TakeOverCz was left with only 240,000 in chips and DARKYMAK hit the rail in ninth place. TakeOverCz managed to double up on the next hand when his [Ad][6h] caught a six on the flop vs. mrswoodwork's [Ah][9c], but he busted in eighth place on the following deal when his [Qh][Js] couldn't stand up to mrswoodwork's [Ah][Ts].

    Two hands later the blinds were up to 105,000/210,000 and marksfive open-shoved for 533,000 from UTG with [Ac][2h]. Monar31 called the additional 323,000 from the big blind with [3h][5h]. Fortunately for monar31, he paired up on the [Qd][6h][3s] flop. Although marksfive caught a deuce on the turn, the river blanked out with the [Ks] and makrsfive ended his run in seventh place. Later in the same level, SCOOP champion Outeiri found [Ah][Kh] and moved in for 1.29 million from UTG. CyrusSaissor called with [8s][8c] in the big blind and they were off to the races. This time, the pocket pair prevailed on the [9d][6c][3s][Jc][2d] board and Outeiri went out in sixth place.

    Shortly after play turned five-handed, the remaining players all agreed to pause the action and discuss a potential deal. Here's how they stacked up at the time:

    CyrusSaissor 4,123,900
    monar31 3,799,336
    Scrunter101 3,362,390
    mrswoodwork 3,344,877
    4Bullè&Pupè9 1,804,497

    With little fanfare, the players agreed to an ICM deal that awarded them shares ranging from $18k to nearly $24k. With $5k still on the table for the winner, cards went back in the air.

    4Bullè&Pupè9 had been relatively quiet until he found [Kc][8c] and open-shoved from UTG. Mrswoodwork called with [Qd][Jd]. 4Bullè&Pupè9's king-high prevailed on the [Ah][7s][3d][2c][5c] board and he doubled to 4.11 million. Mrswoodwork slipped to less than 2 million, but picked up [Qs][Qc] only a few hands later. Monar31 opened for 1.12 million, Scrunter101 shoved for 3.92 million and mrswoodwork snap-called her remaining 1 million. Monar31 got out of the way and much to mrswoodwork's dismay, Scrunter101 turned over [Kc][Kd]. However, mrswoodwork got the miracle she needed on the [Qd][9h][5s] flop and picked up top set. Scrunter101 didn't get any help from the [6h] turn or the [Jh] river and mrswoodwork nearly quadrupled to 3.83 million.

    A few hands later, 4Bullè&Pupè9 open-shoved for 5.33 million from the cutoff and Scrunter101 called all-in for 1.55 million on the button. Scrunter101 was in great shape with [Ts][Th] going up against [Kd][7d]. Scrunter101's tens held up through the turn on the [Jc][5h][4c][Ac] board, but the [Kc] spiked on the river to make 4Bullè&Pupè9 a pair of kings. Scrunter101 was suddenly on the rail in fifth place.

    Two hands later, mrswoodwork opened for 960,000 from the cutoff and monar31 shoved for 2.25 million from the small blind with [Ad][8h]. Mrswoodwork called with [Kh][Jd] and hit an open-ended straight draw on the [Qh][Tc][8c] flop. The [9h] turn made mrswoodwork a king-high straight and the [As] river improved her to Broadway, ending monar31's run in fourth place.

    On the next deal 4Bullè&Pupè9 made it 678,400 to go on the button with [Ks][Jc] and CyrusSaissor shoved for 3.33 million from the big blind. 4Bullè&Pupè9 called and CyrusSaissor revealed [Ah][Jh]. 4Bullè&Pupè9 caught another boffo flop when it came down [Kd][9s][6d], making him a pair of kings. CyrusSaissor was unable to catch up and went out in third place.

    Heads-up chip counts

    Seat 4: 4Bullè&Pupè9 (10,698,904 in chips)
    Seat 6: mrswoodwork (5,736,096 in chips)

    The two short stacks when the five-handed deal was made ended up duking it out for the title and the extra $5,000. Mrswoodwork closed the gap between their chip counts on the second hand heads-up when she picked up a 4.44 million pot. After both players checked the [Qh][Jc][Js] flop, mrswoodwork check-called 4Bullè&Pupè9's 497,280 bet when the [Jh] turned and checked again when the [6d] rivered. 4Bullè&Pupè9 bet 1,052,352, mrswoodwork raised all-in for 4.37 million and 4Bullè&Pupè9 gave up his hand.

    Mrswoodwork was up to 7.76 million after that hand and ground her way into the chip lead with 9.8 million. Then, with the blinds up to 180,000/360,000, 4Bullè&Pupè9 opened for 720,000 and mrswoodwork three-bet to 2,232,000. 4Bullè&Pupè9 shoved and mrswoodwork called.

    4Bullè&Pupè9 [8d][8h]
    mrswoodwork [3d][3c]

    Things were looking grim for mrswoodwork... until the flop came down a glorious [Ad][Tc][3h], giving her a set of threes. 4Bullè&Pupè9 needed to catch an eight to survive, but saw the [6s] and the [6d] fall instead, as mrswoodwork clinched her first TCOOP title.

    Congratulations to mrswoodwork on a brilliant come-from-behind victory! She banked $27,343.99 for the win, while runner-up 4Bullè&Pupè9 earned $18,043.56.

    TCOOP-44 $82 NLHE [Turbo, Saturday Speedway SE]) results
    Entrants: 3,287
    Total prize pool: $250,000.00
    Places paid: 414

    1. mrswoodwork (Canada) $27,343.99*
    2. 4Bullè&Pupè9 (Malta) $18,043.56*
    3. CyrusSaissor (Canada) $23,924.68*
    4. monar31 (Russia) $23,304.59*
    5. Scrunter101 (Canada) $22,383.18*
    6. Outeiri (Germany) $8,375.00
    7. marksfive (United Kingdom) $5,875.00
    8. TakeOverCz (Czech Republic) $3,380.00
    9. DARKYMAK (South Africa) $2,125.00

    *= reflects the results of a five-way deal that left $5,000 in play for the winner


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  • 31 January

    Aussie Millions 2016: Final Table Live Updates

    Click to refresh for latest updates | Prize pool & Payouts

    12:35pm: Delayed start

    As is usually the way with any televised final table production, there will be a slightly delayed start. The players are just fulfilling some media requirements with photos and interviews before things get under way.

    12:30pm: Welcome to the final table

    The 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event has come down to the final seven players. Before the day is through one of them will be crowned champion and take home AU$1.6 million in prize money.

    It's an exciting final table line up with a great mix of players. We have two female players in Kitty Kuo and Samantha Abernathy, a couple of Australian young guns with Alex Lynskey and Dylan Honeyman, seasoned pros Tony Dunst and chip leader Ari Engel, and the lone local hope John Apostolidis.

    2016 Aussie Millions Final Table
    Seat 1: Dylan Honeyman (Australia) - 885,000
    Seat 2: Alex Lynskey (Australia) - 2,390,000
    Seat 3: Tony Dunst (United States) - 5,990,000
    Seat 4: Samantha Abernathy (United States) - 2,485,000
    Seat 5: Ari Engel (Canada) - 8,155,000
    Seat 6: Kitty Kuo (Chinese Taipei) - 1,005,000
    Seat 7: John Apostolidis (Australia) - 960,000

    To compliment our coverage there will be a live stream of the final table hosted by Jason Somerville on Twitch at RunItUp.TV. The stream is free and with hole cards on a thirty-minute delay. In an attempt to help our readers avoid spoilers, we'll also be posting content on a thirty-minute delay.

    feature-table-bracelet-aussie-millions.jpg


    Want to be here next year? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.

    Take a look at the Aussie Millions official website for tournament schedules, structures, news and information from the Crown Poker Room in Melbourne.

    Live updates brought to you courtesy of Brad Kain and Heath Chick. Photos by Jonno Pittock and Christian Zetzsche.

  • 30 January

    PokerNews Podcast Episode #359: More Adventures Down Under

    Remko and Donnie are still Down Under for the 2016 Aussie Millions, where they recap the A$100,000 Challenge and preview the Main Event final table.

  • 30 January

    Former Full Tilt CEO Alive, Well, and Married, According to Report

    Former Full Tilt CEO Ray Bitar alive, well, and married, according to a report.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 30 January

    Moshman’s Complete Spin & Go Course

    Moshman's Complete Spin & Go Course
    Everything from the basics to advanced concepts are covered in our complete guide to Spin & Go

  • 30 January

    2016 Aussie Millions Day 17: Main Event Final Set with Ari Engel Leading

    The Main Event Final Table was set and two more titles were captured on Day 17 of the 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 30 January

    Jen Harman: a living legend

    We profile the first woman to win two WSOP bracelets in open events.

  • 30 January

    Global Poker Index: O’Dwyer in Front as Results Down Under Help Players Move Up

    Steve O'Dwyer remains the top-ranked tournament player in the world according to the Global Poker Index as players amass results at the Aussie Millions.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 30 January

    45,834 | Fedor Holz is always in a giving mood

    Fedor Holz is one of the best poker players on earth. The 2015 GPI European Poker Player of the Year has always started off 2016 with a bang, winning the inaugural Triton Super High Roller Series at WPT National Philippines in Manila – taking home the massive $3,463,500 first-place prize. Holz is always willing to give back. In 2013, he setup a challenge where he would play $500 buy-in Zoom Poker tournaments on PokerStars and donate...

    The post 45,834 | Fedor Holz is always in a giving mood appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 30 January

    Aussie Millions 2016: Fabian Quoss wins the $100k Challenge!

    The first seven figure pay day of the 2016 Aussie Millions has been won on Saturday with Fabian Quoss defeating a star-studded field to win Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge and top prize of AU$1,446,480. With the Aussie Millions Main Event enjoying ...

  • 30 January

    Aussie Millions 2016: Final Table Player Profiles

    The 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event has been reduced from a field of 732 entrants to a final table of seven. It's a fantastic mix of international and local, live and online as well as male and female players! Let's take a closer look at the seven rem...

  • 30 January

    Aussie Millions 2016: $100,000 Challenge live updates

    Click to refresh for latest updates 2:10pm: Cards in the air! Level 16: 10,000/20,000 (3,000) It's finally here. The $100,000 Challenge final table has been set for four days and now it's finally time to play down to a champion. Our remaining six wil...

  • 29 January

    Poker Cartoon - Straight Flush

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 29 January

    Championship weekend awaits for TCOOP, Aussie Millions, UKIPT

    Hold onto your hats, ladies and gentlemen, because this is a weekend for champions. Between now and the next working week (for, you know, those of you who do the whole Monday-Friday thing), we're going to see a lot of brand new champions around us. O...

  • 29 January

    TCOOP 2016: Oscar “MendaLerenda” Serradell quick draws way to Event #36 title ($82 NL Draw, Optional Re-Entry)

    Oscar "MendaLerenda" Serradell had already come close to earning a TCOOP title and special card capper this series, coming in second out of 2,505 in Event #19, a $215 NLHE Hyper-Turbo affair. Today the U.K. player did one better, taking down Event #36, an $82 no-limit five-card draw event with optional re-entries.

    Serradell -- who also has three Super Tuesday titles to his credit -- topped a 498-entry field (300 entries, 198 re-entries) to claim the top prize of $7,096.70. Here's the story of how he did it.




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    That 498-entry field meant a $37,350 prize pool in this one, well over the $25K guarantee. The tournament swiftly reached the bursting of the bubble just shy of the two-hour mark, at which point Artur "ARTSchGamble" Scerbak enjoyed the chip lead with 66 players left. Just over a half-hour later they were already down to 12 with Scerbak remaining in front and approaching the 500,000-chip mark.

    swoopey (12th), igoorgn (11th), and giyoung1123 (10th) next fell, earning $504.22 apiece, followed by JoeG121 (ninth), 7PRS (eighth), and DENV3UR (seventh) who each picked up $784.35.

    With Artur "ARTSchGamble" Scerbak still the chip leader as one of three Germans making the final table, they were down to six.


    2016-TCOOP-36-finaltable.jpg

    Seat 1: Artur "ARTSchGamble" Scerbak (Germany) -- 822,759
    Seat 2: Oscar "MendaLerenda" Serradell (United Kingdom) -- 490,636
    Seat 3: risto155 (Estonia) -- 223,502
    Seat 4: schn4trick (Germany) -- 414,709
    Seat 5: Bigboss300 (Germany) -- 108,346
    Seat 6: MaTitheone (Poland) -- 430,048

    They had just crossed the tournament's three-hour mark when risto155 limped from early position, Bigboss300 open-pushed from the button for just under 65,000 (a little more than two big blinds), then leader Artur "ARTSchGamble" Scerbak reraise-shoved from the big blind and risto155 called.

    Scerbak then drew three cards while both risto155 and Bigboss300 took just one. Scerbak turned over [Ah][Ad][Kc][Qd][2c] for a pair of aces, which wasn't as good as risto155's [Jd][Jh][5s][5d][3d] for two pair. Meanwhile Bigboss300 only had jack-high with [Jc][Ts][9c][8h][4c], and BigBoss300 was out in sixth.

    Nearly 15 minutes later the blinds were up to 25,000/50,000 when Scerbak open-pushed all in for just over 450,000 from the button, and Oscar "MendaLerenda" Serradell reraise-shoved from the small blind to isolate. Both players drew a single card, then Scerbak turned over [Ad][Ks][Qs][Ts][3s] having missed making either a flush or straight and ending with ace-high. Serradell had that easily beat with [Jh][6c][6h][4s][4s] for two pair, and Scerbak's run was suddenly over in fifth.

    Just two hands after that, schn4trick raised to 110,000 from the small blind, MaTitheone reraised all in for almost 335,000 from the big blind, and schn4trick called. Both then drew three cards, with MaTitheone's [9s][9h][8s][6s][2h] (pair of nines) proving best over schn4trick's [Kh][Jd][9c][5h][5c] (pair of fives), sending schn4trick railward in fourth.

    They battled three-handed for a few more hands, then it was risto155 limping for 50,000 from UTG, Oscar "MendaLerenda" Serradell raising to 100,000 from the big blind, and risto155 calling with the 24,200 left behind.

    Serradell drew just one and risto155 three, with the latter turning over [Qd][Qs][Tc][5c][3c] for a pair of queens. That wasn't enough against Serradell's trip sevens -- [Ah][9c][7c][7s][7d] -- and risto155 was eliminated in third.

    MaTitheone had a slight edge to begin heads-up play with 1,346,814 to Oscar "MendaLerenda" Serradell's 1,143,186. Serradell soon grabbed the lead away, then MaTitheone took it back for a short while before Serradell seized it once more, moving up over 1.57 millino to MaTitheone's not quite 920,000 when the final hand took place.

    The blinds were up to 40,000/80,000, and MaTitheone started things with a raise to 172,800 from the button. At that Serradell shoved all in, and MaTitheone called with the 725,714 behind.

    Both drew just one card, then came the showdown:

    MendaLerenda: [Qd][Qc][Th][3h][3c] -- two pair, queens and treys
    MaTitheone: [Tc][Ts][5c][4h][4c] -- two pair, tens and fours

    Both had made strong hands, but Serradell's two pair were better than MaTitheone's, knocking the latter out in second and giving the title to Serradell.

    Congratulations to Oscar "MendaLerenda" Serradell who adds a TCOOP title to his multiple Super Tuesday wins!

    TCOOP-36 ($82 NL Draw, Turbo, Optional Re-Entry) results
    Entrants: 498 (300 entries, 198 re-entries)
    Total prize pool: $37,350
    Places paid: 66

    1. Oscar "MendaLerenda" Serradell (United Kingdom) $7,096.70
    2. MaTitheone (Poland) $5,229.00
    3. risto155 (Estonia) $3,828.37
    4. schn4trick (Germany) $2,614.50
    5. Artur "ARTSchGamble" Scerbak (Germany) $1,867.50
    6. Bigboss300 (Germany) $1,195.20


    2016-TCOOP-36-chips.jpg

    There remains much action left to go in the 2016 Turbo Championship of Online Poker, highlighted by the $700 buy-in Main Event with a $2 million prize pool guarantee coming up Sunday. Check out the TCOOP page for complete details of what events remain.


    Want to compete for your own online championship? Click here to get a PokerStars account.
    Martin Harris is Freelance Contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

  • 29 January

    Aussie Millions 2016: The Final Table is set!

    After four days of blood, sweat and tears inside the Crown Poker Room, the Aussie Millions Main Event field has been reduced from 732 to just seven. Tony Dunst. Ari Engel. Samantha Abernathy. Kitty Kuo. Alex Lynskey. Dylan Honeyman. John Apostolidis. ...

  • 29 January

    Ray Bitar gets married

    We end the week rounding up more stories you have missed, including John Cena's love of poker and the new Phil Hellmuth.

  • 29 January

    UKIPT5 Series 3 Day 1A: Level 1 updates (25/50)

    1:55pm: The final Series event of Season 5
    Season 5 of the UKIPT is almost done, but before we head off on our holidays there are two more events to entertain you with. In less than a fortnight we'll all be heading over the Irish Sea to Dublin, but this weekend the action is coming to you from PokerStars LIVE! at The Hippodrome Casino.
    This is the fourth and final 'Series' event of the Season and after October's Super Series, which carried a £550 buy-in which Dale Garrard won - it's back to a plain old 'Series' event. The buy-in is a reasonable £250+£25 and if the qualifier numbers are anything to go on it's going to be big. There were 27 online qualifiers and 16 players earned seats in a live satellite last night.

    Dale_Garrad_super_series_winner.jpg

    Dale Garrard - UKIPT Super Series champion

    UKIPT5 Series 3 key facts:
    - 20,000 starting stack
    - Blinds starting at 25/50 for 400 big blinds
    - Levels are 30 minutes throughout and they'll be 12 of them on Day 1A, which is today and Day 1B, which is tomorrow.
    - The field then combines and plays to a winner from noon on Sunday.
    - No re-entry here, this is an old school straight freezeout.

    Fancy playing a UKIPT? There are always plenty of online satellites, click here to get an account.

    PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT Series: Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May

  • 29 January

    2016 Aussie Millions Day 16: Tony Dunst Leads the Main Event’s Final 40

    Tony Dunst grabbed the lead with 40 Players left in the Main Event on Day 16 of the 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 29 January

    Go Live with PokerSchoolOnline

    For every problem there's a solution, or so they say, and at PokerSchoolOnline we love to solve problems. Sometimes it's a trivial thing like helping a new player to learn the basic rules of the game. Sometimes it's a little more complex, like discussing in our poker forum if that four-bet bluff in a high-stakes cash game was really a good idea or not. As the stakes go up the competition gets tougher and hence the decisions are also harder to make. But that's what PokerSchoolOnline is all about - it is a poker school after all.

    As you can imagine with a poker school a lot of the members are relatively new to the game and they are eager to learn and improve their poker ability. It's at the poker school that new players can post hands for analysis and practice getting their feet wet at the micro-stakes before moving up in the World. It's a place where players can ask questions in a friendly environment without the fear of being ridiculed. That's what the school is there for, to help players to learn.


    GoLive_pso_28jan16.jpg

    Another problem that a new player might have is they might never have played any live poker, or might not even be able to afford the buy-in to a major live event. The majority of new players start-off with a small bankroll, and rightly so. Thankfully - at for least one lucky player - PokerSchoolOnline has the solution to that, with a chance to win a package to the UKIPT Dublin Cup this February.

    If you are a UK or Ireland player you can head over to PokerSchoolOnline to get your ticket to the UKIPT Dublin Cup Satellite on January 31 at 7.10pm UK time. (Tournament ID #1444666236). This is a winner-takes-all event and if you are lucky enough to win you'll earn a trip to the Irish capital Dublin with a package that includes:

    * Return flights to Dublin from the UK.*
    * 3 nights' accommodation at a luxurious four-star hotel.
    * Entry into the UKIPT Dublin Cup event taking place between February 12th - 14th.
    * Interviews and photos posted at PokerStarsBlog.
    * Regular updates on the PokerStars Social Media channels as you play in the event.

    It's an opportunity not to be missed so don't delay, head over to PokerSchoolOnline and get your satellite ticket.

    *This promotion is open to all UK & Ireland players only. Full Terms & Conditions can be found here.

  • 29 January

    Mikel Habb “Never Give Up”

    Mikel Habb entertains the table with his wild outbursts and joy. Sarah talks to him about one particular slogan he repeats.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 29 January

    Meet PokerStars’ longest-serving player of all time

    Don't miss your chance to win up to $100,000 in cash daily in the PokerStars 100M player celebration

    Choosing a suitable screen name for your poker account can be challenging, because all the best or most appropriate ones are taken. With PokerStars now celebrating 100 million customers, getting something close to your initial choice right now would be nigh-on impossible. But what if you were one of the very first players ever to register at PokerStars? Wind back to September 5, 2001, days before the site's official launch, and imagine that you signed up to this shiny new "internet poker room", and that you could therefore use just about any screen name in the world, one that would be envied for ever more. Frank Öberg was that player. But he didn't care about bagging a premium name that thousands of others would try unsuccessfully to register for years to come. He had been a massive fan of the British girl band, the Spice Girls - and so it was that SpicyF became one of the first players to grace the PokerStars tables.

    It wasn't just a fleeting flirtation by a poker "wannabe", either, because Frank still plays with us today, an extraordinary feat that officially makes him our most loyal, longest-serving customer of all time. In the 15 years since those dizzy days of 2001, he has seen it all - the pioneering early-adopter tournaments and cash games, the Moneymaker-effect explosion in online poker, the extraordinary growth in online tournament series like WCOOP, and the changing poker strategy and gaming landscape that has seen mobile poker and other innovations like Zoom and Spin and Go's become normality.

    frank-oberg-pokerstars.jpg

    Hooked: Frank Öberg catches fish on and away from the tables

    Frank, from Sweden, initially played our tournaments with a few dozen people, or grinded limit hold'em cash, which back then was the daddy of the cash tables. He saw tens, then hundreds of thousands and then millions of others signing up to PokerStars. The number of hands being played spun around in a blur and he played through our famous 100 Billionth Hand promotion in 2013, won by Greek player microulis69 for a handsome $103,800 payday. Our man Frank didn't win that one, but remarkably he had won our 20 Millionth Hand milestone promotion back in 2002, receiving $500 for his efforts!

    "I started playing poker with friends in around 1996," he said. "Then I found the internet newsgroup rec.gambling.poker which, in my mind, was the premier forum for poker at the time. I really enjoyed it and I learned a lot, and it was there that I found out about an online poker site (no real money) called irc.poker.net. I met many people there, including, if I remember correctly, a few future WSOP champs like Chris Ferguson.

    "After that I tried most other online sites when they opened up (including Full Tilt a few years later), but the first time I heard about PokerStars was in 2001 from rec.gambling.poker. If I am not mistaken they were looking for staff at launch, so this was before they had officially opened - and that's probably why I signed up pretty quickly as a player."

    Looking back at it now, those early days at PokerStars were surreal. The lobby showed only hundreds of people playing, and there was an excitable announcement on our formative website's 'Notice Board' that 836 people had played a $5,000 freeroll, making it the "biggest online poker tournament ever". The speed of player sign-ups was to become supersonic, of course, and many years later PokerStars was to set another tournament world record - with a spectacular 253,698 entering the launch event of the Common Cents promotion! "The numbers of players are the biggest changes I have seen over the years," Frank said. "Very few games were running when I started, and there were only a few types of games anyway!"

    old web.jpg

    Way back when: the original PokerStars website in 2001

    Frank thought he could make some profit in those early days as new customers flocked to the site. He explained: "My motivation for playing poker has always been to make money, and when I started at PokerStars I played only limit hold'em because, if I remember correctly, there were not many other games available. So I think I started playing $1/$2 or $2/$4 limit, and I lost my first deposits rapidly."

    He found initially that winning was easier on other sites which at that time had a large database of sports bettors who did not seem to mind trying and losing at poker. But his early impressions of PokerStars were so good that he kept coming back. "The good thing about PokerStars is that from day one it had pretty damn good software, and in my eyes they have had the best software ever since. Many other sites at that time used java applications which were slow and sluggish.

    "There is also excellent support. Like five to ten years ago you could send an email to support and get a reply within five minutes! Right now the response time is not quite as fast, but it is still miles ahead of other sites I've had contact with. To me this has always been important."

    Frank became a winning player, both live and online, and moved up the stakes quickly, playing $2/$4 up to $5/$10 no-limit hold'em, and $50/$100 and $100/$200 limit hold'em. But he soon learned the hard way that it could be easy come, easy go, and he might lose his roll. "But back then it was easier to start from scratch at the lower stakes and build up quickly. It took me a few attempts at the higher stakes before I started winning there regularly. For me, poker started out as a hobby. I had a real love for the game and winning money is always fun, in whatever shape or form of gambling. I'm definitely a winning player since I started, but there have been ups and downs along the way.

    "On PokerStars I think I played in the first $100/$200 limit game they ran, or it could have been $50/$100, but it was memorable because support and/or management would come in and chat in the chat box - and treat everyone who played to a pizza delivery! They actually ordered you pizza in real life. I don't think that happens much anymore, unfortunately!" The pizza "delivery boy" that day was Lee Jones, then the PokerStars poker room manager.

    2001-lobby.jpg

    Not too busy: the early days of the PokerStars tournament lobby

    Even in those early days of 2001, controlled aggression at the tables was the key to success. "I think from the beginning I played pretty aggressively which proved to be very successful. I would think that since then my game has adapted to changes, because over the years there have been many shifts in how online poker is played. Also, initially I played mostly limit and no-limit hold'em before finding my new love for pot-limit omaha."

    Frank concedes there is a luck element to poker, but that the cream always rises to the top. "It's obviously a skill game in the long run, but in the short run it's a luck game. If you are good at poker you take gambles where you have an edge - and it's that edge that gives you the long-term wins. But in any given night even the best players can lose their shirts if the cards go against them.

    "But over a year or two these best players will have won."


    Want to join Frank and millions of others at the tables? Sign up to PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.

    All his years of play have mostly been on his trusty desktop computer. "I always found laptops a bit too small to multi-table efficiently," he said. "But I don't have a new laptop which would probably work better for multi-tabling. Speaking of laptops, back in I think it was 2004, I had won a satellite to the WSOP main event on PokerStars, and while over in the United States I bought this really sweet Sony Vaio laptop. When I got home I wanted to use it to play on PokerStars. Literally the first day I got a massive bad beat playing pot-limit omaha and casually threw the mouse on the table. But the mouse cord got stuck on something and it took a swing at the laptop screen, which cracked! So I think PokerStars owes me a laptop!"

    Frank still plays for a few hours a week. But nowhere near the volume that he used to put in. And there's a very good reason for that - at 34 years old, he's gone back to school. "One of the downsides of getting into poker at a young age is that I didn't care to further my studies at university, because playing poker was just so much more fun and profitable. So recently I've gone back to school at the ripe old age of 34, something I never had imagined I would do!"

    He hopes to now get a job working online from Sweden, and is open to any employment offers that the community may have for him in areas such as content writing or support (anyone wishing to get in touch can do so via [email protected]).

    So that is the story of our longest-serving player, who has clearly enjoyed his poker, from the early-adopter days, to high-stakes cash and tournaments, to now taking a more leisurely approach, including the occasional Spin and Go on his mobile phone (something that would have seemed like science fiction back in 2001). The screen name SpicyF has been his companion at the PokerStars tables throughout, and his avatar has also remained the same since he signed up, making it absolutely the oldest avatar in PokerStars history because the few who signed up before him, and who no longer play the game, changed their image in the following years.

    It's somehow comforting to know that in an age where everything moves so fast, there are some things that never change.

    Thanks for being a PokerStars player, Frank!


    Simon Young is Editor-in-Chief at PokerStars.

  • 29 January

    200:1 | A big bet between Vanessa Selbst and Dzmitry Urbanovich

    Dzmitry Urbanovich will be making his WSOP debut at the 2016 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas later this summer. Urbanovich, who’s quickly become one of the top players in poker, seems to master all the games. Urbanovich will put his skills to the test this summer as he has entered into a bet with fellow poker superstar Vanessa Selbst. He put $10,000 on the line. If he wins three WSOP bracelets this summer,...

    The post 200:1 | A big bet between Vanessa Selbst and Dzmitry Urbanovich appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 29 January

    Who Would You Draft on Your GPL Team?

    Sarah asks players who would be on their GPL Team.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 29 January

    Sam Abernathy VS Jessica Dawley

    After seeing these two beauties seated next to each other, Sarah pits them against each other.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 29 January

    Remko Report Episode #31: Tony Dunst

    World Poker Tour Raw Deal analyst Tony Dunst joins Remko to talk about his path in poker, the importance of having good friends in the game, working for the WPT, and much more. 

  • 29 January

    Aussie Millions 2016: Day 4 Live Updates

    Click to refresh for latest updates

    Day 4 Seating Draw | Day 4 Chip Counts | Prize pool & Payouts

    12:30pm: Day 4 begins!

    It's time again for players to take their seats in this year's Aussie Millions Main Event. A field of 732 began here but now only 40 still have a shot at winning $1,600,000 and the prestigious title.

    Unlike previous days we don't have a set finishing time today. The action will come to a halt when we make our way to a seven-handed final table.

    Tournament Director Joel Williams has just taken to the microphone to remind players that when we reach 36 there will be redraw to six-handed tables. It looks like most of the players have taken their seats and things will begin momentarily.

    Who will navigate their way to the final seven here on Day 4? Stay with us to find out!

    aussie-millions-bracelet.jpg


    Want to be here next year? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.

    Take a look at the Aussie Millions official website for tournament schedules, structures, news and information from the Crown Poker Room in Melbourne.

    Live updates brought to you courtesy of Brad Kain and Heath Chick. Photos by Jonno Pittock and Christian Zetzsche.

  • 28 January

    2014 | #TBT Mustapha Kanit doubles Down Under

    It was on this day two years ago that poker superstar Mustapha Kanit would win a second event in 48 hours. Kanit, who clinched the victory for Italy at the 2015 GPI World Cup in Malta, would follow up a victory in the kickoff event at the 2014 Aussie Millions in Melbourne with a No-Limit Hold’em Six Max win, defeating Aussie Tam Trong heads-up for the title. *Photo courtesy of: GPI World Cup

    The post 2014 | #TBT Mustapha Kanit doubles Down Under appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 28 January

    Aussie Millions 2016: Tony Dunst dominates Day 3

    How would you feel if 39 people stood between you and $1,600,000? That's the situation our remaining players find themselves in after an exciting week of poker at this Aussie Millions Main Event. Today was full of ebbs and flows. Things slowed down ...

  • 28 January

    Pushing Through Times of Doubt with Terry Fan

    Sarah talks to Terry Fan about the time right before his biggest score.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 28 January

    4 days to join the challenge and win $50!

    You have just four days to sign up and start achieving your goals to win $50, gadgets and upgrades.

  • 28 January

    Nick Yunis is Riding the Wave

    Nick Yunis is trying to play different, which some might call spewy, but he is on a heater and riding the wave.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 28 January

    2016 Aussie Millions Day 15: Down to 150 in the Main Event

    The 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event drew 732 players this year, playing into Day 3 on Wednesday.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 28 January

    Why you should overbet in Zoom

    Find out why our new coach likes betting big on the turn and river, and why you should too!

  • 28 January

    Why Tony Dunst Nearly Missed the Main Event

    Sarah talks to Tony Dunst about the incident that almost kept him from playing the Aussie Millions. And, how it is going to keep costing him.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 28 January

    What A Bunch of Party Animals

    Just how do Australians party down under? They are a bunch of Party Animals.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 28 January

    Aussie Millions 2016: Day 3 Live Updates

    Click to refresh for latest updates | Day 3 Seating Draw | Day 3 Chip Counts 1:00pm: Abernathy flush with chips Level 13: Blinds 1,200-2,400 (400) Samantha Abernathy opened with a raise from the cutoff to 5,500. Her opponent was Joe Sandaev who raise...

  • 27 January

    Poker Cartoon - Happy New Year

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 27 January

    4 | Phil Ivey streak on the line at Aussie Millions

    Phil Ivey’s four-year streak is in danger of being snapped at the Aussie Millions in Melbourne. After collecting at least one score at the Aussie Millions since 2012, including three big victories in the $250,000 Challenge, Ivey is in danger of being shutout at this year’s event. Ivey is set to begin his $250,000 Challenge title defense on Sunday. *Photo courtesy of: Neil Stoddart/Global Poker Index

    The post 4 | Phil Ivey streak on the line at Aussie Millions appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 27 January

    The worst poker swap deal ever?

    We round-up some of the stories you may have missed, including a funny swap for Dominik Nitsche and could poker have its own Royal Rumble?

  • 27 January

    Unibet Open Announces Dates For Its 2016 Tour

    Unibet Poker announces the dates for its 2016 Unibet Open tour.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 27 January

    BlogNews Weekly: Poker Goals, PLO Tips, & Outrageous Prop Bets

    Learn poker goal tips, pot-limit Omaha fundamentals, and poker's craziest prop bets in this week's BlogNews Weekly.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 27 January

    Fishing at NL20 Speed Poker with oblioo

    Our coach moves to an unusually weak field at low stakes fast fold games and shows you how to crush there.

  • 27 January

    Somodi Balazs wins IPT Grand Final crown

    The Italian Poker Tour Grand wrapped up its seventh season in Saint Vincent this week, with a Grand Final event won by Hungarian Somodi Balazs. Balazs topped a field of 308 players to earn a first prize of €70,000 from a combined prize pool of €298,760.


    Somodi-Balazs52_ipt7_27jan16.jpgSomodi Balazs

    Balazs, who has earned more than $250,000 at the poker table over the past ten years, despite being a professional chess player by day, overcame Romanian Tudor Purice heads-up. Purice collected €40,000 as runner-up.


    Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

    The final hand at the Casino de la Vallée involved Purice moving all in with ace-six off-suit, which was called by Balazs who held king-ten off-suit. Purice flopped a six, but Balazs took the title when a ten hit the river.

    The full result from Saint Vincent is below.


    IPT7 St Vincent $1,000 Main Event
    Entrants:
    Total prize pool: €298,760
    Places paid: 39

    1. Balazs Somodi (Hungary) € 70,000
    2. Purice Tudor Lucian (Romania) € 40,000
    3. Mangano Fabio (Italy) € 29,500
    4. Pio Lorenzo (Italy) € 21,000
    5. Armanavicius Liutauras (Lithuania) € 16,500
    6. Shabalin Vladimir (Russia) € 13,000
    7. Lache Vlad Stefan (Romania) € 9,860
    8. Casabona Massimo (Italy) € 7,000
    9. Giannico Gianfranco (Italy) € 5,500


    For more details about the tour go to the IPT homepage.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 27 January

    Celina Lin Explains Hand Against John Juanda

    Sarah has Celina Lin Explain a hand where she bluffed John Juanda.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 27 January

    Aussie Millions 2016: Honeyman is the money man on Day 2

    With three opening day flights in the books, the surviving players came together in the Crown Poker Room for the first time on Wednesday for Day 2 of the 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event. A shorter day was enjoyed with just five levels of play but that...

  • 27 January

    Even Byron Kaverman Loves the Shot Clock

    Sarah talks to Byron Kaverman, who is generally regarded as a player who takes a long time to make decisions, feels he plays better with the Shot Clock.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 27 January

    Watch Jason Somerville stream the Aussie Millions

    Live via his Twitch stream 'JCarver' is commenting on the Aussie Millions Main Event.

  • 27 January

    Watch the Aussie Millions $100,000 Super High Roller final

    Live via his Twitch stream 'JCarver' is commenting on the Aussie Millions in Melbourne.

  • 27 January

    Watch the Aussie Millions Main Event final table

    Live via his Twitch stream 'JCarver' is commenting on the Aussie Millions in Melbourne.

  • 27 January

    Watch the Aussie Millions $250,000 Super High Roller

    Live via his Twitch stream 'JCarver' is commenting on the Aussie Millions in Melbourne.

  • 27 January

    Aussie Millions 2016: Day 2 Live Updates

    Click to refresh for latest updates | Day 2 Seating Draw | Day 2 Chip Counts 1:20pm: Two-outer hurts Chew Level 8: Blinds 400/800 (100) It looked like things went four-way to a paired [ac][ah][7d] flop. One player checked before a shortstack led fo...

  • 27 January

    PokerNews Podcast Episode #358: Australian Coffee Debate, Patriots Football, and the Aussie Millions

    Donnie and Remko are down under at Crown Casino for the 2016 Aussie Millions. They argue about coffee and sports, then fit in a little poker talk in between. 

  • 26 January

    2016 Aussie Millions Day 14: The Main Event Moves On But Phil Ivey Falls on Day 1c

    The final starting flight for the Main Event drew 337 on Day 14 of the 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 26 January

    2016 Aussie Millions: Lakemeier leaps ahead on Day 1c

    While most people in Melbourne were enjoying a drink and a barbecue for Australia Day, players in the Crown Poker Room were partaking in festivities of their own as they chased poker glory in this year's Aussie Millions. All in all 337 players took t...

  • 26 January

    Jason Mercier Explains the Metagame During Streaming $100K Challenge

    Sarah talks to Jason Mercier about the interesting dynamics that took hold during the $100K Challenge due to the live stream.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 26 January

    VIP Freerolls: Your chance to play the TCOOP Main Event

    It's time to start looking behind the cushions of the couch for any loose StarsCoin you might laying around, because this weekend they might just win you a seat into the TCOOP Main Event. This Saturday the VIP Bash and VIP Freerolls take place on ...

  • 26 January

    Do you have what it takes to join the best live poker team?

    There's a type of person to whom winning at poker isn't everything (can you believe that?) but to whom spotting the winner is. The same type of person cannot help but watch hands in great detail, but is ambivalent as to who wins or loses. What's more that same person makes money out of poker, and yet doesn't play a single hand, all while having arguably a better view of the game than the players themselves.

    Okay, so the picture in this post probably gave this little riddle away before you read all of that, but we're talking poker dealers, particularly EPT dealers, who are among the best dealers in the world. To be honest that's how we like them, and if you have experience of all of the above we'd like to give you an opportunity to join them.


    dealer_dealing_26jan16.jpg

    For the first time PokerStars is holding "auditions" for tournament staff, taking place on the final day of the EPT12 Dublin festival next month. If you're a dealer looking to join the best live poker team on the planet, then this opportunity is for you.

    Here's the, ahem, deal...

    It all takes place in Dublin next month at the end of the EPT12 Dublin festival (find details of that here) at the Royal Dublin Society. Simply come along, sign up at the EPT welcome desk any time before 1.30pm on February 20, 2022 (the desk opens on February 10), and then take your turn showing us what you can do.

    Auditions take place that day at 2pm. There's no limit to the number of people we want to see, but if the line stretches onto the street you can expect a bit of a wait. We want to make sure everyone who makes the effort to come along and wants a chance to impress us gets one.

    Naturally there are a few conditions, and a few things we need to emphasise.

    First of all this doesn't guarantee you a job. But if you impress us it puts you on our radar, and gives you a good reference for future freelance opportunities.


    Consider yourself more of a poker player than a poker dealer? Then click here to get a PokerStars account.

    And if you were thinking you could just drop in and see if you had what it takes to be a dealer, I'm afraid this isn't the slot for you. Dealing is a complicated skill, one that takes time to develop and be good at (it might look easy on EPT Live but that's because those guys are experts and make it look easy), so it's only open to experienced dealers.

    So there are a few criteria we have to insist on:

    * First, and probably most importantly, you'll need to have a minimum of two years of poker dealing experience
    * Then, make sure you've entered your data into GPTL.com and bring your CV to the audition
    * You'll need to be able to deal the three basic game forms of Hold'em, Omaha and Stud
    * You'll also need to be a European Union citizen with permission to work in all EU countries
    * You'll also need good English skills

    If you can't make it to Dublin we'll also be holding auditions on the final day of EPT12 Monaco, with the possibility of extending auditions at future EPT stops. So if you can't make it this time don't worry, you'll get another chance at some point in the future.

    Does any of this sound like you? Come to Dublin next month and impress us. We can't wait to meet you.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

  • 26 January

    Man plays poker at his own funeral

    Yes, you read that headline correctly. A poker fan has not let his own demise get in the way of his regular home game.

  • 26 January

    Jessica Dawley Always Gets the Last Word

    Sarah challenges Jessica Dawley to a game of "Last Word."

      Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 26 January

    1,522,000 | Ben Tollerene leads 100K Challenge in Australia

    Ben Tollerene will take the lead in the 100K Challenge at the Aussie Millions once play resumes on Saturday. The final six players will take a break from the event for a few days as play in the Aussie Millions Main Event continues in Melbourne. Former World #1 Jason Mercier and Fedor Holz, who won back-to-back high roller events in Las Vegas and Manila just a few weeks ago, are also still in the competition....

    The post 1,522,000 | Ben Tollerene leads 100K Challenge in Australia appeared first on pokerstats.

  • 26 January

    2016 Aussie Millions Poker Day 13: Ben Tollerene Leads the $100,000 Challenge Final Six

    The $100,000 Challenge played down to the final six and two more titles were captured on Day 13 of the 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 26 January

    Home Game Heroes: Upending Conventional Poker Wisdom About Home Games

    Ashley Adams discusses four commonly held beliefs about home poker games, setting up a multi-part discussion of why we shouldn't accept such "wisdom."  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 26 January

    Chance Kornuth Wins $25K Challenge & Gets Car Stolen

    Sarah talks to recent winner of the $25K Challenge Chance Kornuth about his road to victory and the recent notification he received about this stolen vehicle.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 26 January

    Randy “Nanonoko” Lew Hits Straight Flush

    Sarah talks to Nanonoko about breaking records, his 2016 streaming goals, and a recent crazy hand.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 26 January

    Aussie Millions 2016: Day 1c Live Updates

    Click to refresh for latest updates | Day 1c Chip Counts 1:20pm: So you're saying there's a Chance Fresh off his $25,000 Challenge victory for $790,560 this week, Chance Kornuth is back in the Crown Poker Room and raking pots. The board read [qs][8...

  • 25 January

    Poker Cartoon - Resolution

    Take a break from the daily grind with our cartoon of the day.

  • 25 January

    Statement on Montreal player meeting

    We've received many questions regarding the recent meeting between Amaya/PokerStars executives and three prominent, high-volume online poker players. Although many details of the meeting must remain confidential because we shared proprietary and non-p...

  • 25 January

    Aussie Millions 2016: Rocha rocks the big stack on Day 1b

    The second of three opening day flights of the 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event would see a field of 207 players come together in the Crown Poker Room all with dreams of Aussie Millions glory. After seven levels of play, those dreams would remain alive...

  • 25 January

    Ben Tollerene on Shot Clock and Stream

    Sarah talks to online boss Ben Tollerene to get his thoughts on the unique Aussie Millions $100K Challenge Shot Clock and the full event live stream.  Share: Facebook Twitter Google+ Linkedin   

  • 25 January

    Weekend Review: TCOOP and titles all round

    A look at all the major stories from this past weekend on PokerStars.

    Weekend highlights

    * A big weekend for TCOOP, with Team Online's George Jorj95 Lind III among the weekend's 15 winners
    * metis669 came out best in the Sunday Million, winning $112,764 as part of a four-way deal
    * ValterBr@nco did the same in the Sunday Warm-Up, collecting $82823
    * The Aussie Millions got underway at the Crown Casino in Melbourne


    b_nd_w_chips_25jan2016.jpg

    Round up of latest results

    We'll have a full TCOOP update later (see below), but it was business as usual in the Sundays Million and Warm-Up.

    In the formers metis669 of Russia emerged as the winner from a four-way deal, although his first prize of $112,764.71 was not the highest amount earned in the event. That figure was $139,126.29, going to PureRunnings of Mexico who finished in third place. Get the full story from our reporter Kristin Bihr.

    There were no deals in the Warm-Up, won plainly and simply by ValterBr@nco of Brazil who collected $82,823.86 in the process. ValterBr@nco started the final table towards the bottom of the chip counts; put previous final table experience (a WCOOP final table in 2015) to good use. As David Aydt reported, the Brazilian vetoed a deal on his way to the title.

    Here are those two results in full:

    Sunday Million
    Entrants: 5,799
    Total prize pool: $1,159,800.00
    Places paid: 855

    1. metis669 (Russia) $112,764.71*
    2. blazinchron (Canada) $129,684.17*
    3. PureRunnings (Mexico) $139,126.29*
    4. b2k-Snick (Ukraine) $90,640.10*
    5. lio10k (Switzerland) $48,711.60
    6. phenom11218 (Canada) $37,113.60
    7. Ravishka (Russia) $25,515.60
    8. max15183 (Germany) $14,497.50
    9. FoppTheFlop (Canada) $9,046.44
    * reflects the results of a four-way deal that left $20,000 in play for the winner


    Sunday Warm-Up
    Entrants: 2,621
    Total Prize pool: $524,200.00
    Places paid: 378

    1. ValterBr@nco (Brazil) $82,823.86
    2. airlewis (United Kingdom) $61,855.60
    3. Wh0AndBeni (United Kingdom) $44,032.80
    4. Danny "DannyN13" Noseworthy (Canada) $30,660.45
    5. jutrack (Germany) $22,802.70
    6. pm_marke (Czech Republic) $17,560.70
    7. Rafael "GM_VALTER" Moraes (Brazil) $12,318.70
    8. ViTaMoS (Ukraine) $7,600.90
    9. Mr oO12 (Germany) $4,455.70


    The weekend's top online tournament winners

    With TCOOP running alongside the usual weekend Majors it was a big weekend for pay-outs, as the list below shows. Seven of the top 15 prizes came from TCOOP, among them wins for Woody "woody1234321" Deck in TCOOP-17, and Team Online's George "Jorj95" Lind III in TCOOP-15.

    EVENTWINNERCOUNTRYPRIZE MONEY
    TCOOP-17: $215 NL Hold'em [Turbo, Optional Re-Entry]woody1234321Mexico $118,818.68
    $215 Sunday Millionmetis669Russian Federation $112,764.71
    TCOOP-16: $700 NL Hold'em [Turbo, Progressive Super-Knockout]pmahonoey22Mexico $109,486.76
    TCOOP-19: $215 NL Hold'em [Hyper-Turbo, Sunday Supersonic SE]FabazUnited Kingdom $84,490.25
    $215 Sunday Warm-UpValterBr@ncoBrazil $82,823.86
    TCOOP-15: $215 NL Hold'em [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo]Jorj95Canada $72,113.88
    TCOOP-09: $215 NL Hold'em [Turbo, Zoom, Optional Re-Entry]bagochLithuania $65,376.00
    $530 Sunday 500B3t LeECanada $62,940.50
    $109+R Sunday RebuyImn_7Brazil $45,138.80
    TCOOP-10: $7.50+R NL Hold'em [4x-Turbo]Sh4rk309Slovenia $42,349.14
    TCOOP-11: $215 NL Hold'em [Turbo, Heads-Up]PULGUITOUnited Kingdom $32,220.00
    $109 Sunday KickoffVlgnasPokerVLithuania $31,888.68
    $215 Sunday 2nd ChanceglissarioAustria $31,800.00
    $11 Sunday StormArsenn33United Kingdom $28,563.42
    $320 Saturday Super-KnockoutGratitdudeEstonia $28,097.58

    Click here for a complete list of major results on PokerStars for the weekend of January 23-24, 2016.


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    TCOOP latest

    There were 15 TCOOP events completed over the weekend adding up to more than $4.6 million in prize money earned. Here are those results, with links to each final table report:

    TCOOP-05 ($82, PL Omaha, 6-Max, Turbo, Progressive Super-Knockout)
    Entrants: 1,649
    Total prize pool: $123,675.00 ($61,837.50 regular prize pool; $61,837.50 bounty prize pool)

    Places paid: 216

    1. bokinjo (Serbia) $10,049.55 (+ $300 for 8 bounties)
    2. GiBobH/L (Poland) $7,513.25 (+ $375 for 10 bounties)
    3. treinen (Netherlands) $5,565.37 (+ $337.50 for 9 bounties)
    4. TedyKGB88 (United Kingdom) $3,710.25 (+ $562.50 for 15 bounties)
    5. LLCoolJ23 (Germany) $2,473.50 (+ $300 for 8 bounties)
    6. CMoosepower (Denmark) $1,545.93 (+ $150 for 4 bounties)


    TCOOP-06 ($82 NL Hold'em, 6-Max, Turbo, Shootout)
    Entrants: 1,672
    Total prize pool: $125,400.00
    Places paid: 216

    1. buzzard1881 (Canada) $17,539.45*
    2. Mrcaimann (United Kingdom) $14,018.13*
    3. caprioli (Brazil) $14,481.50*
    4. Avi Popo (Latvia) $7,524.00
    5. Knakworst93 (Netherlands) $5,016.00
    6. madnutscrazy (India) $3,109.92
    * Reflects the results of a three-way deal that left $2,000 in play for the winner


    TCOOP-07 ($27+R NL Hold'em, Turbo)
    Entrants: 4,084
    Rebuys: 6,224
    Add-ons: 2,590
    Total prize pool: $316,645.90
    Places paid: 540

    1. Bruno "bruno chato" Nunes (Brazil) $49,716.02
    2. Pixton154 (United Kingdom) $37,047.57
    3. Gusparo (Hungary) $25,123.28
    4. Gorvie (United Kingdom) $18,207.13
    5. MAMOHT_T (Russia) $13,457.45
    6. Ansgar2000 (Germany) $10,290.99
    7. PlayinWasted (Germany) $7,124.53
    8. AS Leshiy (Estonia) $4,958.07
    9. TONY MONT211 (Macedonia) $2,533.16


    TCOOP-08 ($82 NL Hold'em, Turbo, Big Antes, Optional Re-Entry)
    Entrants: 4,080 (3,075 entries, 1,055 re-entries)
    Total prize pool: $306,000
    Places paid: 540

    1. LuckboxStami (Finland) $48,042.00
    2. IvanHaldi (Russia) $35,802.00
    3. artmaxx_dk (Denmark) $25,245.00
    4. HochMeista (United Kingdom) $17,595.00
    5. IsseG (Sweden) $13,005.00
    6. plokker292 (Netherlands) $9,945.00
    7. blackaces93 (Poland) $6,885.00
    8. patasss (Uruguay) $3,825.00
    9. gio_pot7 (Greece) $2,448.00


    TCOOP-09 ($215 NL Hold'em, Turbo, Zoom, Optional Re-Entry)
    Entrants: 1,367 (676 Re-Entries)
    Total prize pool: $408,600
    Places paid: 270

    1. Mantas "bagoch" Bagočius (Lithuania) $65,376.00
    2. Joao Valli (Brazil) $49,032.00
    3. Zagalo87 (Czech Republic) $36,744.00
    4. kraftatze (Germany) $26,211.69
    5. girafganger7 (Belgium) $18,387.00
    6. hateblondies (Russia) $14,301.00
    7. Econometrist (Netherlands) $10,215.00
    8. DJeka[MD] (Moldova) $7,150.50
    9. TANGKETAN (China) $4,086.00


    TCOOP-10 ($7.50+R NL Hold'em, 4x-Turbo)
    Entrants: 8,766
    Rebuys: 43,967
    Add-ons: 3,220
    Total prize pool: $381,599.46
    Places paid: 1,170

    1. Sh4rK309 (Slovenia) $42,349.14*
    2. dermot 67 (Ireland) $39,262.40*
    3. nunovoelz (Brazil) $35,801.30*
    4. mecco (Germany) $29,662.91*
    5. Die Ventura (Peru) $15,263.97
    6. grogros (Germany) $11,447.98
    7. monoco1965 (Uruguay) $7,631.98
    8. Marc.GC (Argentina) $4,388.39
    9. schulze505 (Lithuania) $2,957.39
    * Reflects the results of a four-way deal that left $4,000 in play for the winner


    TCOOP-11 ($215 NL Hold'em, Turbo, Heads-up)
    Entrants: 1,024
    Prize pool: $204,800
    Places paid: 128

    1. PULGUITO (United Kingdom) $32,220.00*
    2. NastyMinder (Switzerland) $29,220.00*
    3. seboraptor (Poland) $12,288.00
    4. gabrielafave (Brazil) $12,288.00
    * Reflects the results of a two-way deal that left $3,000 in play for the winner


    TCOOP-12 ($82 NL 2-7 Single Draw, Turbo, Optional Re-Entry)
    Entrants: 649 (451 entries, 198 re-entries)
    Total prize pool: $48,675.00
    Places paid: 84

    1. Geraldo Cesar "GeraldoCesar" Neto (Brazil) $8,283,87*
    2. nikhil121 (Chile) $7,075.00*
    3. Shyam "G's zee" Srinivasan (Canada) $4,354.95
    4. sylby88 (Japan) $2,741.86
    5. nabulon (Germany) $1,864.73
    6. aabas (Lebanon) $1,426.17
    7. GeoManousos (Austria) $1,074.74
    * reflects the result of a heads-up deal that left $500 in play for the winner


    TCOOP-13 ($33 NL Hold'em, Turbo, Saturday Speedway SE)
    Entrants: 5,162
    Total prize pool: $154,860
    Places paid: 675

    1. MikeyGG3 (Canada) $24,297.72
    2. po82m (Ukraine) $18,041.19
    3. TheCorridor (Germany) $12,775.95
    4. Maestro_Bolt (Russia) $8,749.59
    5. sorakasa (Finland) $6,581.55
    6. da Ape (Germany) $5,032.95
    7. MrWhitie (Austria) $3,484.35
    8. allan sheik (Brazil) $1,935.75
    9. 3bila (Morocco) $1,238.88


    TCOOP-14 ($215, NL Omaha H/L, 6-Max, Turbo, Progressive Super-KO)
    Entrants: 722
    Total prize pool: $150,000.00 ($77,800.00 regular prize pool; $72,200.00 bounty prize pool)

    Places paid: 96

    1. KornmeisterX (Germany) $13,809.50 (+ $8,578.86 in bounties)
    2. RagVoen (Belarus) $10,230.70 (+ $2,348.43 in bounties)
    3. TedyKGB88 (United Kingdom) $7,780.00 (+ $1,095.31 in bounties)
    4. Jonathan "Poker Own U" Bardier (Canada) $5,446.00 (+ $1,481.24 in bounties)
    5. Edgy420 (Canada) $3,890.00 (+ $3,048.43 in bounties)
    6. mickyb88 (United Kingdom) $2,334.00 (+ $768.75 in bounties)


    TCOOP-15 ($215 NL Hold'em, 6-Max, Hyper-Turbo)
    Entrants: 2,172
    Total prize pool: $457,857.60
    Places paid: 276

    1. George "Jorj95" Lind (Canada) $72,113.88
    2. tycon87 (Norway) $53,798.26
    3. arman359 (Israel) $40,062.54
    4. pascualpro5 (Greece) $26,326.81
    5. PoluKalos (United Kingdom) $17,169.66
    6. WallXP (Russia) $9,660.79


    george_lind_tcoop_25jan16.jpgGeorge "Jorj95" Lind III

    TCOOP-16 ($700 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive Super-Knockout])
    Entrants: 2,058
    Total prize pool: $1,368,570.00
    Places paid: 270

    1. pmahoney22 (Mexico) $109,486.76 + $35,225.68 (bounties) = $144,712.44
    2. Canibus555 (Estonia) $82,114.20 + $22,242.54 (bounties) = $104,356,74
    3. rounder3989 (Germany) $61,585.65 + $16,915.12 (bounties) = $78,500.77
    4. FaNjkEEE (Ukraine) $43,896.88 + $19,653.69 (bounties) = $63,550.57
    5. NNNXX (Netherlands) $30,792.82 + $16,996.33 (bounties) = $47,789.15
    6. TedSTRETCH (Colombia) $23,949.97 + $872.81 (bounties) = $24,822.78
    7. GamblingPays (United Kingdom) $17,107.12 + $6,151.20 (bounties) = $23,258.32
    8. ICallYouAA (Hungary) $11,974,98 + $3,340.56 (bounties) = $15,315.54
    9. Will "molswi47" Molson (Canada) $6,842.85 + $5,073.82 (bounties) = $11,916.67


    TCOOP-17 ($215 NL Hold'em, Turbo, Optional Re-Entry)
    Entrants: 2,987
    Re-entries: 797
    Total prize pool: $756,800.00
    Place paid: 495

    1. woody1234321 [two re-entries] (Mexico) $118,818.68
    2. Iamapoopie [one re-entry] (United Kingdom) $88,545.60
    3. beigale777 (Israel) $62,436.00
    4. XXstardogXX [one re-entry] (Canada) $43,516.00
    5. wrawras (Brazil) $32,164.00
    6. iTSReTSaM (Sint Maarten (Dutch Part)) $24,596.00
    7. !!f1ghtback! (Austria) $17,028.00
    8. kolja31 (Germany) $9,460.00
    9. suarez_BG (Bulgaria) $6,054.40


    TCOOP-18 ($82 PL Omaha [6-Max, Progressive Super-Knockout])
    Entrants: 2,776
    Total prize pool: $208,200.00
    Places paid: 360

    1. NiCe1MF (Netherlands) $16,396.87 + $5,018.61 = $21,415.48
    2. MissRZ (Germany) $11,971.50 + $2,545.66 = $14,517.16
    3. capotinha (Brazil) $8,848.50 + $2,723.09 (bounties) = $11,571.59
    4. MachineGunMK (Canada) $5,725.50 + $4,199.61 (bounties) = $9,925.11
    5. Matthias "mattidm_uk" De Meulder (United Kingdom) $3,643.50 + $853.03 (bounties) = $4,496.53
    6. goofy bolado (Brazil) $1,860.26 + $713.64 (bounties) = $2,573.90


    TCOOP-19 ($215 NL Hold'em, Hyper-Turbo, Sunday Supersonic SE)
    Entrants: 2,505
    Total prize pool: $528,054
    Places paid: 324

    1. Ben "Fabaz" Farrell (United Kingdom) $84,490.25
    2. Oscar "MendaLerenda" Serradell (United Kingdom) $63,234.46
    3. NutsedAllTim (Switzerland) $44,884.59
    4. vladko425 (Slovakia) $31,683.24
    5. Artem "Artem205" Metalidi (Ukraine) $23,762.43
    6. 1mDonuts (Malta) $18,217.86
    7. bRe3za (Germany) $12,937.32
    8. styy3e (Switzerland) $7,656.78
    9. Rocco "Sephirot88" Palumbo (Slovenia) $4,752.48


    There are four more events taking place today, with a combined guarantee of $375,000. They are:

    TCOOP-20: $82+R PL 5 Card Omaha (6-max) $50K GTD - 08:00 ET
    TCOOP-21: $27 NL Hold'em (4-max, Zoom, Prog Super-KO) $100K GTD - 10:00 ET
    TCOOP-22: $82 FL Omaha H/L (8-max) $25K GTD - 12:00 ET
    TCOOP-23: $215 NL Hold'em (6-max, hyper-turbo, 10-stack) $200K GTD - 14:00 ET

    For details of these events, as well as results and the full schedule for this year's championship, check out the TCOOP homepage. You'll also find details of the TCOOP Player of the Year contest, with the top ten currently looking like this:

    PLACEUSER IDCOUNTRYPOINTS
    1KornmeisterXGermany190
    2TedyKGB88United Kingdom165
    3ouchbadbeatUnited Kingdom145
    4GeraldoCesarBrazil140
    4homasapiensPoland140
    6bagochLithuania135
    6ugritalyAustralia135
    8deepbluerCanada130
    9CMoosepowerDenmark125
    9G's zeeCanada125
    9hneves182Brazil125
    9maggess88Netherlands125
    9RagVoenBelarus125

    Aussie Millions

    While there's plenty to keep track of online, the live tournament world is in full swing, this time at the Aussie Millions in Melbourne. It's one of the flagship events of the southern hemisphere, never failing to send a few stories back north. The PokerStars Blog has it's reporting team down under, with live updates through to the end of the festival. Read all the latest reports here.


    crown-casino-flames_25jan16.jpgThe Crown Casino

    That's all from the weekend as we look forward to a great week of action, both live and online. As always send your questions and comments to us on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.


    Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

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