2008 PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final - Monte Carlo

PokerStars.com European Poker Tour Grand Final
Day: 3
Event Info

2008 PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final - Monte Carlo

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a5
Prize
$3,198,500
Event Info
Buy-in
$15,764
Prize Pool
$13,393,124
Entries
842
Level Info
Level
30
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
10,000

Esfandiari Claims Another

Brian Green decided to make a move with {5-Hearts}{6-Hearts}, pushing his short stack into the middle to try and steal the blinds, but Antonio Esfandiari, playing the rush, made the call with {A-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}.

The board ran out {J-Spades}{Q-Spades}{2-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds}{A-Spades} and Green was sent to the rail. "Sorry sir, I'm never folding an ace there," explained Esfandiari as he elevated his stack to even greater heights -- estimated to be in the vicinity of 650,000.

Tags: Antonio Esfandiari

Clayton Maguire Eliminated

With the board reading 7-Q-J in a raised pot, Clayton Maguire committed himself with {A-Hearts}{K-Hearts} but ran into the {Q-Hearts}{J-Hearts} of Csaba Toth who had flopped top two pair. With only a gutshot straight draw giving him hope, the turn and river both blanked and Maguire headed to the exit.

Tags: Clayton Maguire

Prevost Boukai'd

Ian Prevost
Ian Prevost
A short-stacked Ian Prevost shoved the last of his chips into the middle holding {K-Spades}{9-Spades} and was given action from Rami Boukai in the big blind, who invested an extra 24,600 to make the call with {A-Hearts}{5-Clubs}.

The board filled out {J-Hearts}{4-Diamonds}{8-Spades}{7-Clubs}{8-Hearts} and Boukai's ace-high held up to win the pot, sending Prevost home with $33,240 in prize money. The win propelled Boukai up to 470,000 in chips, moving him a couple spots closer to the top of the leaderboard.

Tags: Ian Prevost

Bigoni Eliminated by Baron

Giovanni Bigoni
Giovanni Bigoni
Giovanni Bigoni has just been eliminated from the tournament by online pro Isaac 'westmenloAA' Baron - the result of a classic race situation pitting Bigoni's pocket tens against Baron's A-K. The board ran out {4-Clubs}{7-Hearts}{A-Hearts}{4-Spades}{A-Clubs} and Baron's overkill full house was more than enough to take down the pot, bringing him up to 410,000 for the tournament.

Bigoni will take home $33,240 in prize money for his efforts.

Tags: Isaac Baron

The Magician Casts A Spell

AA vs KK = Chip Leader!
AA vs KK = Chip Leader!
Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari has just pulled in the biggest pot of the entire tournament to become our new chip leader!

Mark Keightley was the initial raiser making it 14,000 to go before Esfandiari raised it up to 40,000 in position. Keightley thought for a moment before coming over the top and declaring he was all in! Esfandiari instantly called and flashed {A-Hearts}{A-Spades} as he jumped up on the chair in delight to exclaim to the room that he was now in a pot worth over 600,000! Keightley was sick when he realised the situation that he was in with his holding of {K-Diamonds}{K-Clubs}.

The board ran out {8-Diamonds}{3-Hearts}{2-Spades}{8-Clubs}{4-Clubs} and Esfandiari doubles up to around 620,000 in chips! Keightley was gutted as his once-healthy stack is now down to around 60,000.

Tags: Antonio Esfandiari

Ed de Haas Eliminated

Ed de Haas Eliminated
Ed de Haas Eliminated
T6 Poker player Ed de Haas was eliminated shortly after the break when he pushed with J-9 and Raymond Rahme made the call with pocket eights. The big Dutchman needed some help but the board bricked out to eliminate de Haas from the event.

Tags: Ed de Haas

A Good Time To Double Up

A recent flurry of action has seen quite a few short stacks find double-ups to stay alive in the tournament.

Pierre Hall found a perfect time to pick up pocket aces when Kalil Rahal had pocket tens on a flop of {3-Diamonds}{8-Spades}{8-Hearts}. All the money went into the middle and the turn and river arrived {7-Spades}{J-Clubs} to jump Hall up to around 150,000 in chips.

A few hands later, Kalil found himself pushing all in pre-flop but ran into the pocket jacks of Brian Green. Kalil held {A-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds} and needed some help. It arrived on the flop, with the board of {A-Clubs}{K-Hearts}{10-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}{3-Hearts} doubling Kalil back to around 75,000.

Meanwhile, Giovanni Bigoni looked to be in trouble when his push with two red threes was called by Andrew Luetchford who held pocket tens. Amazingly the board ran out {4-Spades}{9-Spades}{6-Diamonds}{7-Clubs}{5-Hearts} to give Bigoni the bottom end of a straight to double back up to around 80,000 in chips.