2015 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final

€10,600 Main Event
Day: 1b
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

Nothing Funner than Runner, Runner

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante

Novick shoved from middle position for roughly 10,000 and Yan quickly called on the button, and both blinds folded.

Yan: {Q-Clubs}{Q-Hearts}

Novick: {5-Spades}{5-Diamonds}

The flop was {J-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}{A-Hearts} and Novick swiftly rose from his chair and slung his backpack over his shoulders. The turn was the {3-Diamonds}, giving Novick more hope. He could now hit a four, a five or any of the remaining diamonds in the deck. The dealer burnt a card and dealt the {K-Diamonds} which ensured the double up for Noah Novick.

Player Chips Progress
[Removed:17] au
[Removed:17]
24,000
-16,000
-16,000
Noah Novick us
Noah Novick
20,000
20,000
20,000

Tags: Noah Novick

Long Hand Finally Concludes

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante

A hand that began "way" back in Level 5 just concluded a solid 10 minutes into Level 6.

It initially began when Ami Barer and Ismael Bojang each put in 1,900 preflop to see a flop of {3-Clubs}{2-Clubs}{j-Hearts}. Barer check-called a bet of 2,200 from the hijack, and then led out for 4,100 on the {J-Clubs} turn. Bojang thought for more than a minute before making the call from the cutoff, and the {A-Clubs} four-flushed the board.

Barer checked, and the opened the door for Bojang to move all in for a little over 10,000. Barer, who is prone to take his time, hit the tank hard. Minutes upon minutes ticked off the clock,and eventually he folded his hand.

"Oh man," said Barer when Bojang showed the {j-Diamonds}{k-Spades}.

Player Chips Progress
Ami Barer ca
Ami Barer
35,000
-15,000
-15,000
Ismael Bojang de
Ismael Bojang
29,000
14,000
14,000

Tags: Ismael BojangAmi Barer

An Orbit with Online Superstar Viktor "Isildur1" Blom

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante
Viktor Blom
Viktor Blom

Late last week, Viktor "Isildur1" Blom was busy winning himself a million dollars online in a single day, a feat documented in the latest edition of PokerNews' Online Railbird Report. Today, Blom's in action here in the EPT11 Grand Final Main Event, and we decided to spend an orbit with the Swede to see if his live game is as good as his online shenanigans.

The orbit happened at the tail end of Level 5, and Blom was sitting with 20,950.

Hand #1 (Under the Gun): Blom folded.

Hand #2 (Big Blind): The under-the-gun player raised to 1,000 and action folded to Blom, who also folded.

Hand #3 (Small Blind): The under-the-gun player raised to 650 and everyone folded, including Blom.

Hand #4 (Button): A player in early position raised to 700 and Blom folded after action had folded to him.

Hand #5 (Cutoff): A player in the under-the-gun raised to 700 and Blom folded after action had folded to him.

Hand #6 (Hijack): Action folds around to Blom, who also folds.

Hand #7 (Lowjack): Action folds to Blom, he raises to 1,000, and takes down the blinds and antes.

Hand #8 (Middle Position): Action folds to Blom and he releases. Level 5 expired, which seemed like a good place to stop.

Clearly Blom is content to play patiently, which is definitely a different gear than we're used to. We'll see if we can't catch the young superstar in a notable hand or two as the day progresses.

Player Chips Progress
Viktor Blom se
Viktor Blom
21,000

Tags: Viktor Blom

Trips No Good for Stadler

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante

We got to the table and Paul Hoefer had his head in his hands. The board was {Q-Diamonds}{Q-Spades}{2-Spades}{8-Spades}{4-Diamonds} with the all-in player Alexander Stadler having the pot pushed towards him after he had tabled {8-Clubs}{8-Diamonds} for a turned full house. The dealer had already flipped Hoefer's hand over but we were told that it was {Q-}{6-} - his trips were no good.

Player Chips Progress
Alexander Stadler de
Alexander Stadler
56,000
21,000
21,000
Paul Hoefer de
Paul Hoefer
29,000

Tags: Alexander StadlerPaul Hoefer

Two Shorties Double; Seidel Enters

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante

William Foxen got his last 4,775 in with {a-Hearts}{9-Hearts} preflop and got action from an opponent in the big blind who had {8-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}. The {2-Spades}{7-Diamonds}{10-Spades} flop brought a few outs for Foxen's opponent, but Foxen held a blocker and neither player improved.

At a neighboring table, Mikal Blomlie got his last 9,525 in with {k-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds} against an early-position opener who put Blomlie at risk with {a-Hearts}{k-Spades}. Blomlie had three outs but managed to flop a queen and survive.

At another table, mega-baller and EPT Monte Carlo Super High Roller winner Erik Seidel grabbed a seat.

Player Chips Progress
Erik Seidel us
Erik Seidel
30,000
$25K Fantasy
Poker Hall of Famer
Mikal Blomlie no
Mikal Blomlie
21,000
8,000
8,000
William Foxen us
William Foxen
10,000

Tags: Erik SeidelMikal BlomlieWilliam Foxen

Big Stack for Felix Stephensen

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante

With one of the largest stacks within the Salles des Etoiles, 2014 WSOP Main Event runner-up Felix Stephensen can afford to play aggressively. Artem Litvinov opened to 1050 from the hijack, and Stephensen, who was sat one seat to Litvinov's left 3-bet to 2700. Litvinov quickly folded but showed the {A-Clubs}.

"The problem," he explained to his opponent, "Is that if I call and I am bluffing against you, it's not good for me."

"I think you had kicker problems," came Stephensen's reply.

Player Chips Progress
Felix Stephensen no
Felix Stephensen
120,000
79,000
79,000

Tags: Felix StephensenArtem Litvinov