2023 PokerStars EPT Cyprus

$2,200 Eureka High Roller
Day: 1a
Event Info

2023 PokerStars EPT Cyprus

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
q6
Prize
$338,460
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,200
Prize Pool
$2,772,480
Entries
1,444
Level Info
Level
37
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
600,000
Players Info - Day 1a
Entries
1,011
Players Left
152

Silz Bags the Chip Lead on Day 1a of the $2,200 Eureka High Roller

Level 17 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Maximilian Silz
Maximilian Silz

The PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa continued today with the first of two Day 1 flights for the $2,200 Eureka High Roller.

A huge 1,011 entries were collected on Day 1a, and just 152 players made it to Day 2. The Day 1a entries contributed $1,941,120 to the prize pool, which stands at $2,772,480.

The bursting of the bubble marked the end of the Day 1a flight, and saw the surviving players make the money.

As the dust settled Maximilian Silz bagged the overall chip lead, taking through a total of 1,134,000 for the Day 2 restart. Silz’s astounding stack was emphasised by the fact he amassed almost double the amount of chips as his nearest competitor, Wooram Cho, who managed to bag 599,000.

PlacePlayerCountryChip CountBig Blinds
1Maximilian SilzGermany1,134,000142
2Wooram ChoSouth Korea599,00075
3Anton WiggSweden548,00069
4Marc FogginUnited Kingdom526,00066
5Konstantin VoroninRussia525,00066
6Sergey BaranskiBelarus520,00065
7Hwany LeeSouth Korea510,00064
8Aleksandr DenisovRussia509,00064
9Kubanychbek AbakirovKyrgyzstan482,00060
10Parham GhadamgahiIran459,00057

Day 1a welcomed many familiar faces, including PokerStars Team Pro members Benjamin Spragg, Parker Talbot and Alejandro Lococo. Although, it wasn’t to be for the trio as each found their way to the rail before the day’s end.

Those more fortunate to progress to Day 2 included Anton Wigg (548,000), Sergi Reixach (405,000), Jason Wheeler (280,000) and Antoine Labat (386,000).
Labat is already having an incredibly impressive year across all the EPTs having finished second in the Estrellas High Roller for €500,000 in Barcelona just two months ago. In addition, Labat most recently finished in third place in the EPT Cyprus $10,200 Mystery Bounty for $58,900.

Day 2 will restart at 12 p.m. on October 16 and will play down until just one player remains. Play is expected to resume on Level 18, as just a couple of minutes of Level 17 remained on the clock following extensive hand-for-hand play.

The PokerNews live reporting team will be back tomorrow to bring you more coverage of the Eureka Poker Tour High Roller here at EPT Cyprus, so stay tuned.

Tags: Alejandro LococoAleksandr DenisovAntoine LabatAnton WiggBenjamin SpraggHwany LeeJason WheelerKonstantin VoroninKubanychbek AbakirovMarc FogginMaximilian SilzParham GhadamgahiParker TalbotSergey BaranskiSergi ReixachWooram Cho

Baranski Sends Karaarslan Home on the Stone Bubble

Level 17 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Sergey Baranski
Sergey Baranski

The pot stood at approximately 110,000 with two players looking at a board that read 10710.

Feyzullah Karaarslan, in early position, checked the action to Sergey Baranski, on the button. Baranski bet enough to put Karaarslan all in for his effective stack of approximately 55,000, sending Karaarslan into the tank.

After several minutes of thinking, the clock was called and Karaarslan called off the bet for his tournament life.

Feyzullah Karaarslan: AJ
Sergey Baranski: 66

The turn and river fell the Q and 8 respectively and Karaarslan was eliminated on the stone bubble. That concludes Day 1a; full recap to follow.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Sergey Baranski by
Sergey Baranski
460,000
144,000
144,000
Profile photo of Feyzullah Karaarslan tr
Feyzullah Karaarslan
Busted

Tags: Feyzullah KaraarslanSergey Baranski

Mustafov Doubles on Bubble

Level 17 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Fahredin Mustafov
Fahredin Mustafov

Lars Kamphues raised in the small blind and Fahredin Mustafov called off his 9,000 stack in the big blind.

Fahredin Mustafov: A3
Lars Kamphues: QJ

The 745810 meant Mustafov's ace-high was good enough for the double up.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Lars Kamphues de
Lars Kamphues
140,000
Profile photo of Fahredin Mustafov bg
Fahredin Mustafov
26,000

Tags: Fahredin MustafovLars Kamphues

Adamszki Doubles Three Spots Away From the Money

Level 17 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Tamas Adamszki
Tamas Adamszki

Tamas Adamszki, who was under the gun, found himself all in and at risk against Anthony Stumbo, in the small blind, on a flop of 1099.

Tamas Adamszki: QQ
Anthony Stumbo: A10

The board completed with the 7 and the 6; Adamszki doubled up.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Tamas Adamszki hu
Tamas Adamszki
83,000
36,000
36,000
Profile photo of Anthony Stumbo be
Anthony Stumbo
70,000
70,000
70,000

Tags: Anthony StumboTamas Adamszki

Wiciak Sent to the Rail As Bubble Approaches

Level 16 : Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Simon Wiciak
Simon Wiciak

Simon Wiciak moved all in from the hijack for his last 54,500, Ion Silviu Scobai called in the cutoff and Mehmet Demirkol moved all in for 129,500, from the button. Scobai thought for some time before settling on a fold.

Simon Wiciak: A10
Mehmet Demirkol: KK

The board ran out 37687. Wiciak ran into kings and couldn't pull ahead to survive.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ion Silviu Scobai ro
Ion Silviu Scobai
154,000
154,000
154,000
Profile photo of Mehmet Demirkol tr
Mehmet Demirkol
138,500
138,500
138,500
Profile photo of Simon Wiciak fr
Simon Wiciak
Busted

Tags: Ion Silviu ScobaiMehmet DemirkolSimon Wiciak

Scafini Snap-Calls for Tournament Life

Level 15 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Hwany Lee
Hwany Lee

Lucas Scafini opened to 8,000 from under the gun and called when Hwany Lee made it 35,000 from the big blind.

Lee jammed as the big stack on the 1097 flop and Scafini, with around 240,000 behind, snap-called.

Lucas Scafini: A9
Hwany Lee: QQ

Scafini had connected with the board but was behind Lee's pair of queens. The 5 turn and Q river improved Lee to a set of queens and he became one of the biggest stacks in the room.

"He [Scafini] must not have wanted to play anymore," remarked a tablemate.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Hwany Lee kr
Hwany Lee
550,000
Profile photo of Lucas Scafini br
Lucas Scafini
Busted

Tags: Hwany LeeLucas Scafini

Coelho Makes a Huge Call

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Diogo Coelho
Diogo Coelho

The pot stood at 28,500 with two players looking at a board that read 35104.

Karen Nazarian, in early position, bet out 25,000. Diogo Coelho, on the button, called.

The 9 river saw Nazarian place a bet of 120,000, enough to put Coelho all in for his remaining 55,500. Coelho went deep into the tank, eventually choosing to place one chip in front of him to signify a call.

Nazarian tabled 64 for a pair of fours, while Coelho secured his double up having called with 88.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Diogo Coelho pt
Diogo Coelho
189,500
189,500
189,500
Profile photo of Karen Nazarian ru
Karen Nazarian
54,000
-238,500
-238,500

Tags: Diogo CoelhoKaren Nazarian

Van Rooij Four-Bet Jams

Level 12 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Merijn van Rooij
Merijn van Rooij

Merijn van Rooij, who was just involved in a controversial hand, open-raised from under the gun before compatriot Alexander van der Swaluw three-bet to 12,000 from the cutoff. Van Rooij responded with a four-bet jam and pushed his 92,500 stack into the middle.

Van Der Swaluw, who had his opponent covered, went into the tank but eventually made the call.

Merijn van Rooij: A5
Alexander van der Swaluw: QQ

Van Rooij needed an ace and failed to find one on the 93K flop. The 5 turn gave the at-risk player some more outs, but the 7 river confirmed his departure.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Alexander van der Swaluw nl
Alexander van der Swaluw
240,000
240,000
240,000
Profile photo of Merijn van Rooij nl
Merijn van Rooij
Busted

Tags: Alexander van der SwaluwMerijn van Rooij

Beresford Doesn't Take It Easy on Birthday Boy Drake

Level 11 : 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Ian Drake
Ian Drake

Conor Beresford opened to 3,000 from under the gun and was called by Ian Drake on his direct left, who coincidentally, was celebrating his birthday.

Both players checked the 763 flop to the J turn. Beresford fired out a pot-sized bet of 10,000 and was called.

On the Q river, Beresford sized up to 30,000, and after some thinking time, Drake conceded the pot.

Drake, from the Isle of Man, recently pulled off a stunning heads-up comeback against Rodrigo Selouan to win a $5,200 Titans Title on PokerStars for $87,003.

Drake spoke to PokerNews after the victory and broke down some of his hands from heads-up play.

Read the full article

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Conor Beresford gb
Conor Beresford
100,000
100,000
100,000
Profile photo of Ian Drake im
Ian Drake
60,000
60,000
60,000

Tags: Conor BeresfordIan Drake

Controversy on Table 17

Level 11 : Blinds 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Merijn van Rooij
Merijn van Rooij

A controversial hand on Table 17 captured the attention of most of the tournament room.

There was around 60,000 in the pot on the 3287J board. Merijn van Rooij announced all in from early position, and his opponent, Maan El Hachem, called off his remaining stack of 17,200.

Van Rooij tabled his KK for a pair of kings. El Hachem kept his cards face down and pushed them forward, thinking Van Rooij had KJ for a flush. The dealer then placed his cards on top of the muck, where they were still easily retrievable.

El Hachem then realised that Van Rooij had just a pair of kings, and he could beat that. El Hachem said he had deuces, which was good for a set, and the cards were taken from the top of the muck and turned over. It showed that El Hachem indeed had 2x2x.

The floor was then called over, and the initial ruling was that El Hachem's hand was dead due to going into the muck. El Hachem and a few players at the table then said his hand should still be alive because when there is an all-in and a call, the cards should go on their backs.

The floor went to EPT Tournament Director Toby Stone for a final say due to the grey area about hands going into the muck in this scenario. The decision was made during the tail end of the break, and the original decision had been overruled, and it was declared that El Hachem's hand was still in play. With that, he scooped in the pot.

"At all-in and call, it is the dealer's responsibility to protect the player's cards, so for this reason, the hand is still alive," said Stone.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Merijn van Rooij nl
Merijn van Rooij
150,000
-28,000
-28,000
Profile photo of Maan El Hachem lb
Maan El Hachem
95,000
95,000
95,000
Profile photo of Benjamin Spragg gb
Benjamin Spragg
85,000
38,000
38,000

Tags: Maan El HachemMerijn van Rooij