2019 PokerStars EPT Prague

€5,300 EPT Main Event
Day: 6
Event Info

2019 PokerStars EPT Prague

Final Results
Winner
Mikalai Pobal
Winning Hand
kk
Prize
€1,005,600
Event Info
Buy-in
€5,300
Prize Pool
€5,596,900
Entries
1,154
Level Info
Level
32
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Players Info - Day 6
Entries
5
Players Left
1

Paiva Doubles Through Livshitz

Level 29 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Tomas Paiva
Tomas Paiva

Tomas Paiva raised with the {k-Hearts}{j-Hearts} on the button and Gaby Livshitz jammed out of the big blind with the {a-Spades}{q-Clubs}.

Paiva mulled over his decision for a while, invested one time bank and made the call for his last 2,655,000.

The {a-Hearts}{9-Hearts}{7-Hearts} flop gave Paiva the nut flush and he locked up the double on the {5-Hearts} turn, the {7-Spades} river was a formality.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Gaby Livshitz il
Gaby Livshitz
9,130,000
-2,750,000
-2,750,000
Day 5 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Ricardo Da Rocha br
Ricardo Da Rocha
8,600,000
-300,000
-300,000
Profile photo of Norbert Szecsi hu
Norbert Szecsi
7,930,000
-350,000
-350,000
Day 4 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Tomas Paiva pt
Tomas Paiva
5,460,000
2,750,000
2,750,000
Profile photo of Mikalai Pobal by
Mikalai Pobal
3,490,000
350,000
350,000
EPT 2X Winner

Tags: Gaby LivshitzTomas Paiva

Three-Bet Pot to Szecsi

Level 29 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Tomas Paiva raised to 225,000 from the cutoff with the {8-Clubs}{7-Clubs} and Gaby Livshitz in the small blind jammed with the {a-Hearts}{9-Hearts} in the big blind. Mikalai Pobal folded and Paiva also snap-folded.

Norbert Szecsi raised to 225,000 with the {a-Clubs}{3-Clubs} in the cutoff and Pobal three-bet the small blind to 750,000 with {k-Diamonds}{q-Hearts}, which Szecsi called.

The flop brought {8-Clubs}{7-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds} and both players checked to the {5-Hearts} turn. The {6-Spades} came on the river

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Gaby Livshitz il
Gaby Livshitz
11,880,000
670,000
670,000
Day 5 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Norbert Szecsi hu
Norbert Szecsi
8,280,000
930,000
930,000
Day 4 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Mikalai Pobal by
Mikalai Pobal
3,140,000
-950,000
-950,000
EPT 2X Winner
Profile photo of Tomas Paiva pt
Tomas Paiva
2,710,000
-670,000
-670,000

Tags: Gaby LivshitzMikalai PobalNorbert SzecsiTomas Paiva

Livshitz Claims Some Chips Back

Level 29 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Mikalai Pobal raised to 200,000 from under the gun with {10-Clubs}{8-Clubs} and Gaby Livshitz made the call in the big blind with {7-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}.

The flop came {4-Hearts}{6-Hearts}{q-Clubs} to deliver an open-ended straight draw to Livshitz who check-called the 250,000 continuation-bet of Pobal.

The turn was the {2-Diamonds}, Livshitz used a time bank card and led out for 550,000. Pobal looked over at Livshitz and then opted to fold.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Gaby Livshitz il
Gaby Livshitz
11,210,000
980,000
980,000
Day 5 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Mikalai Pobal by
Mikalai Pobal
4,090,000
-650,000
-650,000
EPT 2X Winner

Tags: Gaby LivshitzMikalai Pobal

First Bigger Pot to Da Rocha

Level 29 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Gaby Livshitz raised to 225,000 with the {2-Diamonds}{2-Clubs} in the cutoff in the first hand of the day and Ricardo Da Rocha called in the big blind with the {a-Clubs}{10-Clubs}. The {10-Spades}{10-Diamonds}{4-Clubs} flop gave Da Rocha trips tens and he checked, Livshitz bet 200,000 and Da Rocha check-raised to 750,000.

Livshitz made the call and the {a-Diamonds} appeared on the turn, and both players opted to check. After the {j-Diamonds} river, Da Rocha used a time bank extension and bet 1,200,000. Livshitz double-checked his cards and folded.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Gaby Livshitz il
Gaby Livshitz
10,230,000
-975,000
-975,000
Day 5 Chip Leader
Profile photo of Ricardo Da Rocha br
Ricardo Da Rocha
8,900,000
975,000
975,000

Tags: Gaby LivshitzRicardo Da Rocha

Shuffle Up and Deal

Level 29 : 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

After a slight delay due to the 2-minute silence and the rite of passage that comes along with reaching an EPT final table, the dealer has now been instructed to shuffle up and deal.

Final Table
Final Table

Level: 29

Blinds: 50,000/100,000

Ante: 100,000

Five Players Return at Noon But Only One Will Win the EPT Prague Main Event & €1,005,600

Tournament Room
Tournament Room

A few days ago, 1,154 entries were collected to create the third-biggest ever PokerStars European Poker Tour Prague Main Event and a mere five players are left here at the Hilton Prague to challenge each other for the bulk of the €5,596,900 prize pool as the winner will walk away with €1,005,600. All five players are guaranteed to pocket at least €241,230 when they return to the table at noon local time.

As a matter of fact, a 2-minute silence will be observed first, at 12 p.m. exactly, to honor the victims of the hospital shooting a week ago. Once that has been observed, players will start with Level 29 which features a small blind of 50,000, big blind of 100,000, and a big blind ante of 100,000. Gaby Livshitz bagged 11,205,000 in chips last night for the chip lead, he is followed by Ricardo Da Rocha (7,925,000), Norbert Szecsi (7,350,000), EPT9 Barcelona Main Event champion Mikalai Pobal (4,740,000), and Tomas Paiva with 3,380,000.

With the shortest stack at 34 big blinds and the biggest at 112, there’s still loads of room to play so the players are all geared up for the battle. A 20-minute break will take place after each level which will last 90 minutes until there are three players left. The level duration will then be reduced to 45 minutes each. At the end of the day, one player will be left with all the glory.

This is what they are still playing for:

PlacePrize (in EUR)Prize (in USD)
1€1,005,600$1,118,277
2€598,880$665,985
3€421,450$468,673
4€316,780$352,275
5€241,230$268,260

The PokerNews live reporting team will be bringing you the updates on a 30-minute delay to be in line with the live stream so stick around to see who will be lifting up that trophy in the end.

PokerStars European Poker Tour Prague Main Event Final Table Seat Draw

SeatPlayerCountryChip CountsBig Blinds
1Mikalai PobalBelarus4,740,00047
2Ricardo Da RochaBrazil7,925,00079
3Tomas PaivaPortugal3,380,00034
4Norbert SzecsiHungary7,350,00074
5Gaby LivshitzIsrael11,205,000112

Tags: Gaby LivshitzMikalai PobalNorbert SzecsiRicardo Da RochaTomas Paiva

€5,300 EPT Main Event

Day 6 Started

Seat 1: Mikalai Pobal, 35, Belarus, PokerStars qualifier - 4,740,000

Mikalai Pobal
Mikalai Pobal

PokerStars qualifier Mikalai Pobal is one of three Belarusian players who have lifted an EPT Main Event trophy. Former International Economic Relations student Pobal won his title back in 2012 at EPT9 Barcelona, topping a field of 1,082 players for €1,007,550. Since then, Pobal hasn't been as active on the live scene as online, halting professional play for around four years, reappearing on the live circuit to cash in two consecutive EPT Barcelona Main Events following his triumph.

Pobal says that he’s now “just enjoying the game,” and originally planned this trip to Prague to be a family holiday, after he won a Sunday package to the EPT on PokerStars. Having spent six days at the felt instead, he says he feels comfortable on the final. “My experience in Barcelona helps,” he said, “I am much calmer.”

More than seven years after his victory, Pobal now has a shot at becoming the first two-time male champion. That would be an incredible legacy for the 35-year-old from Minsk who is set to claim only his 16th live cash tomorrow (five of them won in EPT Main Events).

Mikalai Pobal’s Main Event run:

DayChip CountPosition
Day 2192,60022 / 415
Day 3162,00093 / 141
Day 41,394,0008 / 41
Day 52,780,0008 / 12
Day 64,740,0004 / 5

Tags: Mikalai Pobal

Seat 2: Ricardo Da Rocha, 26, Brazil - 7,925,000

Ricardo Da Rocha
Ricardo Da Rocha

Ricardo Da Rocha has previously played at a few PokerStars BSOP stops, but this is his first poker trip to Europe. He's made his mark while on the adventure, having turned his EPT debut into a final table appearance and a career achievement. The 26-year-old from Rio Pardo, a small town in the south of Brazil, is a professional poker player. Da Rocha mainly competes in the online realm, being a member of the NeT Team led by Renan Carlos "internett93o" Bruschi.

While Da Rocha is now guaranteed his breakthrough result, he keeps his feet on the ground. "I'll aim for the maximum," he claimed, adding that he doesn't have any particular plans for the next year (although he admitted that a potential first-place prize here would provide him with a strong incentive to play the gigantic PSPC event in Barcelona).

When away from poker tables, Da Rocha, of course, enjoys football, "like every Brazilian does." He supports Gremio Porto Alegrense.

Ricardo Da Rocha's Main Event run:

DayChip CountPosition
Day 2110,700108 / 415
Day 3120,000104 / 141
Day 4735,00019 / 41
Day 52,830,0007 / 12
Day 67,925,0002 / 5

Tags: Ricardo Da Rocha