2015 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final

€10,600 Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

2015 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a8
Prize
€1,082,000
Event Info
Buy-in
€10,000
Prize Pool
€5,640,000
Entries
564
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
20,000

€10,600 Main Event

Day 2 Completed

Schemion Leads As 114 Players Advance to Day 3; €1,082,000 Up Top

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante
Ole Schemion
Ole Schemion

After Day 2 of the PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino European Poker Tour Grand Final €10,600 Main Event there are 114 players left. A total of 310 players started today, including those from both Days 1a and 1b and the nine players who registered before the start of play on Day 2 such as Daniel Negreanu, Dzmitry Urbanovich, Max Altergott and Igor Kurganov. Phil Ivey was rumored to play on Day 2, but failed to materialize.

The total number of 564 players in the Main Event this year is down 650 from last year when Antonio Buonanno took home the title, but there's still a nice prize pool of €5,640,000 to be had. A total of 79 players will be paid, with a min-cash worth €19,175 whilst first place is a shade over a million Euros at €1,082,000.

The chip leader is German High Roller and GPI Player of the Year Ole Schemion with 477,700, narrowly beating his compatriot Christopher Frank who is in second place with 465,200. Schemion bust his good friend Igor Kurganov late on Day 2 as his {4-Hearts}{4-Spades} beat Kurganov's {A-Hearts}{3-Hearts} on a board reading {5-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}{2-Spades}.

He also sniffed out a bluff from Artem Metalidi earlier in the day. On a flop of {A-Hearts}{3-Spades}{8-Diamonds}, Metalidi bet 4,000 and Schemion called. Check-check on the {5-Spades} turn, and the {K-Clubs} completed the board on the river. Metalidi shoved all in for 13,300, and Schemion called fairly fast. Metalidi flipped over {j-}{2-} for bottom pair, and Schemion showed {K-Spades}{q-Hearts} to take the pot.

Several big names fell early including Pokerstars Team Pros Joao Nunes, Liv Boeree, Fatima Moreira De Melo, Jake Cody, and the aforementioned Daniel Negreanu.

After registering late at the start of Day 2, "Kid Poker" ended up busting to Belarusian high roller Anton Astapau. On a {10-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}{2-Hearts} flop, Negreanu bet out 3,700 and Astapau called. Negreanu bet another 7,200 on the {J-Spades} turn and again Astapau called. The {A-Clubs} completed the board and Negreanu checked with about 26,500 behind. Astapau announced all in verbally, and slid a stack of 5,000 chips forward.

"Oh no! Anything but that card!" Negreanu exclaimed. "Or maybe you're bluffing; missed flush draw, missed straight draw." Negreanu wasn't so sure of what to do just yet; "I'm gonna need a minute on this guys."

Negreanu leaned over and asked, "You bluff right? Russians bluff right? Good spot to. Or you might have ace eight of diamonds. You wouldn't go all in with that right? Or maybe you would!"

Astapau didn't reply at all, and just sat there motionless while Negreanu tried to make up his mind. All of a sudden Negreanu tossed in some chips to indicate the call. Astapau quickly showed his {J-Clubs}{J-Diamonds} for a turned set.

"Oh! Nice, you win," Negreanu said with a smile, "I had kings."

Negreanu showed his {K-Clubs}{K-Diamonds} and made his way to the exit. Joining him over the next few levels were Martin Jacobson, Jean-Noel Thorel, and Patrick Bruel, just to name a few.

Despite several big names busting, a whole host of notables made it through to Day 3 including Pokerstars Team Pros Vanessa Selbst (285,000), Isaac Haxton (221,300), Jason Mercier (296,400), Andre Akkari (146,900), Johnny Lodden (109,000), and Eugene Katchalov (71,200). Joining them are players like Dario Sammartino (255,300), who finished fourth in the €100,000 Super High Roller; Mustapha Kanit (146,500), who is fresh off winning the €50,000 Super High Roller last night; and 2014 World Series of Poker runner-up Felix Stephensen (90,000).

These players are part of the remaining 121 who will return tomorrow at Noon local time to play five 90-minute levels. The money bubble is scheduled to burst so be sure to check back tomorrow as the PokerNews Live Reporting Team tracks every bust out and double up.

In the meantime, check out this video featuring the EPT Season 12 announcement:

Tags: Ole Schemion

Assorted End of Day Chip Counts

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante

An extensive recap of todays action and more chip counts will follow later tonight. Once we receive the official chip count list and the table draw for Day 3, those will be published as well.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ole Schemion de
Ole Schemion
477,700
27,700
27,700
Profile photo of Christopher Frank de
Christopher Frank
465,200
50,200
50,200
Profile photo of Jose Carlos Garcia pl
Jose Carlos Garcia
461,200
21,200
21,200
Profile photo of Thomas Popov ca
Thomas Popov
413,500
-36,500
-36,500
Profile photo of Jason Mercier us
Jason Mercier
296,400
76,400
76,400
Profile photo of Joao Simao br
Joao Simao
294,300
115,200
115,200
Profile photo of Frederik Pedersen dk
Frederik Pedersen
292,100
82,100
82,100
Profile photo of Anatoly Chen ru
Anatoly Chen
291,200
218,600
218,600
Profile photo of Vanessa Selbst us
Vanessa Selbst
285,000
-15,000
-15,000
Profile photo of Sergio Aido es
Sergio Aido
276,600
146,600
146,600
Profile photo of Quan Zhou cn
Quan Zhou
259,400
177,500
177,500
Profile photo of Victor Ilyukhin gb
Victor Ilyukhin
258,500
3,500
3,500
Profile photo of Dario Sammartino it
Dario Sammartino
255,300
-2,700
-2,700
Profile photo of Philippe Narboni fr
Philippe Narboni
241,400
205,500
205,500
Profile photo of Dmitry Ivanov ru
Dmitry Ivanov
237,600
2,600
2,600
Profile photo of Isaac Haxton us
Isaac Haxton
221,300
51,300
51,300
Profile photo of Jason Wheeler us
Jason Wheeler
210,700
10,700
10,700
Profile photo of Stephen Chidwick gb
Stephen Chidwick
205,300
115,300
115,300
Profile photo of Pierre Neuville be
Pierre Neuville
200,800
-44,200
-44,200
Profile photo of Josh Prager us
Josh Prager
198,000
141,200
141,200
Profile photo of Michel Abecassis fr
Michel Abecassis
195,700
144,400
144,400
Profile photo of Vicente Delgado es
Vicente Delgado
185,000
10,000
10,000
Profile photo of Alexander Timokhin cz
Alexander Timokhin
176,500
103,900
103,900
Profile photo of Joao Barbosa pt
Joao Barbosa
176,500
129,500
129,500
EPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Georgios Zisimopoulos gr
Georgios Zisimopoulos
160,900
14,900
14,900

Read full

Flowers Doesn't Call it Off

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante

Day 2 has proven to be a very profitable one for Dario Sammartino, as he's had more chips seemingly every time we've passed his table. He bet 5,800 in a recent pot with well-known pro Randal Flowers, who called after checking from the big blind on a {5-Hearts}{q-Hearts}{9-Spades} flop. Check-check went the turn, and Sammartino put Flowers all in after he checked the river. Flowers had 37,400 left and decided not to risk it.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Dario Sammartino it
Dario Sammartino
258,000
98,000
98,000
Profile photo of Randal Flowers us
Randal Flowers
37,400
-27,600
-27,600

Tags: Randal FlowersDario Sammartino

Big Fold from Kanit

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante

Jonathan Khalifa bet 13,500 on a {4-Spades}{9-Diamonds}{k-Spades}{5-Spades}{7-Clubs} board from the small blind, and Mustapha Kanit raised to 57,000. Khalifa shoved all in moments later, and Kanit asked for a count. It was more than 197,000, enough to cover Kanit.

"If you fold, I show you," Khalifa said, standing up. "If you call, I show you," he added with a smile.

"You have a set," Kanit said. "But I have a set, too."

He tanked for a couple more minutes before changing his tune.

"I'm kidding, I don't have a set. I have a flush."

He waved at the pot, indicating the dealer should send it to Khalifa.

"I'm a fish," Khalifa said with a smile, showing {a-Spades}{q-Spades} after Kanit mucked his {10-Spades}{9-Spades} face-up. "Good fold."

Kanit's neighbor bowed to him.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jonathan Khalifa fr
Jonathan Khalifa
270,000
232,900
232,900
Profile photo of Mustapha Kanit it
Mustapha Kanit
154,000
-116,000
-116,000
Winamax

Tags: Jonathan KhalifaMustapha Kanit

Five More Hands

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante

The tournament staff has just announced that the remaining players will play five more hands before bagging and tagging for the night. We're headed out to the field to capture any late action and to compile a list of chip counts. Stay tuned for those as well as a full recap of the Day 2 action.

Battle of the Felixes; Not Much Movement for Day 1b Chip Leader

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante
Romain Paon
Romain Paon

Felix Stephensen, the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event runner-up, opened for 5,500 under the gun and was met by a three-bet to 12,500 from Felix Bleiker in the hijack. Action folded back to Stephensen, and he four-bet all in, which prompted Bleiker to call off for 61,900.

Bleiker: {q-Diamonds}{q-Hearts}
Stephensen: {7-Clubs}{7-Diamonds}

Stephensen was dominated, and he sent over half his chips after the board ran out a dry {2-Spades}{2-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}{9-Spades}.

In the very next hand, Romain Paon, the Day 1b chip leader, raised to 5,000 from early position. Stephensen defended his big blind and then check-called a bet of 6,000 on the {k-Spades}{j-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds} flop. Stephensen checked the {5-Clubs} turn, and then folded to a bet of 11,000 from Paon. The Day 1b chip leader hasn't had much movement here in Day 2, but it looks like he's going to bag and tag.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Romain Paon fr
Romain Paon
190,000
28,100
28,100
Profile photo of Felix Bleiker ch
Felix Bleiker
127,000
86,600
86,600
Profile photo of Felix Stephensen no
Felix Stephensen
52,000
-98,000
-98,000

Tags: Felix StephensenRomain Paon

Nemeth Doesn't Dare

Level 14 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante

On a board of {2-Hearts}{8-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}{8-Clubs} Andras Nemeth checked from the big blind. Isaac Haxton bet 7,500 from middle position and Nemeth called.

The {6-Spades} on the river had Nemeth check again. Haxton hesitated for just a bit, before sliding a big stack of 5,000 chips forward to put Nemeth all in. Nemeth wasn't too happy seeing that and he tanked for quite some time, smiling at the situation he had gotten himself into.

"I almost folded, but now I'm talking myself into it again" Nemeth said with a smile on his face.

Nemeth asked if Haxton could say something that would help him, but when Haxton replied, we couldn't hear what exactly was said.

Eventually Nemeth folded, and he already kind of knew that Haxton wanted to show. "Just show it" Nemeth said with a wry smile. Haxton showed {Q-Spades}{J-Spades} for a bluff while receiving the chips in the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Isaac Haxton us
Isaac Haxton
170,000
50,000
50,000
Profile photo of Andras Nemeth hu
Andras Nemeth
33,000
-32,000
-32,000

Tags: Andras NemethIsaac Haxton