PokerStars EPT London Main Event: Cody and MacPhee Reach Final Table, Eye Second Title
Day 5 of the 2014 PokerStars.com EPT Season 11 London £4,250 Main Event began with 16 players returning to the felt today with the goal of making the official final table of eight. After a dominant day, Sebastian Pauli holds a significant chip lead heading into the final table with 6.13 million.
While Pauli holds the biggest stack and is the player closest to becoming the next EPT champion, the buzz in the tournament room is all about the potential of a repeat champion. Two previous EPT champions are seated at the official final table and there's a strong chance that either of them may join Victoria Coren Mitchell as a two-time EPT winner. Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody (pictured) headlines the final table, bagging up 2.156 million which is good for sixth in chips. Cody won his EPT title back in Season 6 when he overcame the field in Deauville. Cody's fellow champion at the table is American Kevin MacPhee, who also won his title during the EPT's sixth season. MacPhee dominated EPT Berlin that season to pocket a cool €1,000,000. MacPhee will come into the final table with 2.43 million which is good for third overall in chips.
EPT London Final Table
| Rank | Name | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebastian Pauli | 6,130,000 |
| 2 | Kevin Killeen | 2,470,000 |
| 3 | Kevin MacPhee | 2,430,000 |
| 4 | Artur Koren | 2,420,000 |
| 5 | [Removed:119] | 2,340,000 |
| 6 | Jake Cody | 2,156,000 |
| 7 | Jakub Mroczek | 1,325,000 |
| 8 | Pablo Gordillo | 975,000 |
The day began when Simon Deadman clashed with eventual chip lead Pauli. Deadman was followed out the door by Yann Pineau who lost a race with 7♦7♥ against Raffaele Sorrentino's A♥K♣.
It was a bit of a stretch until the next elimination occurred as the field remained remarkably deep in terms of stacks to blinds. Ultimately, Gino Gabriel was the next player eliminated when his pocket jacks ran into MacPhee's pocket queens. The ladies held and Gabriel was sent packing in 14th place. Joao Vieira was left crippled after an all in confrontation with Jakub Mroczek and was eliminated from play shortly thereafter.
The next players to fall included Jonas Lauck (12th), Ognyan Dimov (11th), and Sorrentino (10th). Sorrentino's elimination prompted a total re-draw to the unofficial final table of nine.
It looked as if three past EPT champions may make the final table, but by the time the final hand of the evening was dealt that proved not to be the case. In the end, it was past EPT London champion Benny Spindler who became the official final table bubble boy. On Spindler's final hand, he four-bet shoved from the big blind with A♠K♦ only to be called by Kevin Killeen's K♣K♥. Spindler could not improve through a 3♠J♠5♦7♦7♠ run out and he was eliminated in ninth place.
Play resumes at 1 p.m. local time Saturday when the final eight will return to play to a champion. It should be noted that the final table will be broadcast cards up on a one hour delay, meaning our coverage will begin at 2 p.m. local time. PokerNews will be in attendance doing hand-for-hand coverage of the final table, be sure to keep your browsers locked here!
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