2023 PokerStars EPT Cyprus

$25,000 NL Hold'em V
Day: 1
Event Info

2023 PokerStars EPT Cyprus

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a3
Prize
$216,810
Event Info
Buy-in
$25,000
Prize Pool
$504,210
Entries
21
Level Info
Level
18
Blinds
20,000 / 40,000
Ante
40,000
Players Info - Day 1
Entries
21
Players Left
1

Chip Lead Changes Again as Smiljkovic Doubles Up

Level 17 : Blinds 15,000/30,000, 30,000 ante
Daniel Smiljkovic
Daniel Smiljkovic

Artur Martirosian open-jammed from the button, covering both blinds. Daniel Smiljkovic tanked for a bit from the big blind, but eventually put in the call, albeit reluctantly.

Artur Martirosian: J9
Daniel Smiljkovic: A10

Smiljkovic started gathering his belongings when the J510 flop rolled off. The 4 did not help his case, but the 10 river gave him trips and thus the best hand. He doubled up and took over the chip lead from Martirosian.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Daniel Smiljkovic de
Daniel Smiljkovic
685,000
335,000
335,000
Profile photo of Artur Martirosian ru
Artur Martirosian
350,000
-325,000
-325,000
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner

Tags: Artur MartirosianDaniel Smiljkovic

Level: 17

Blinds: 15,000/30,000

Ante: 30,000

Martirosian Grabs a Huge Double-Up

Level 16 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
Artur Martirosian
Artur Martirosian

Artur Martirosian raised to 41,000 from under the gun and the action folded to chipleader Leon Sturm in the small blind. Sturm confirmed the stack of his opponent before shoving all in, receiving a quick call from Martirosian.

Artur Martirosian: AQ
Leon Sturm 44

Martirosian flopped an ace on A26, and although the 3 turn made proceedings a tad exciting, the 8 river was a big blank, causing Martirosian to gain the chip lead on the ongoing bubble.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Artur Martirosian ru
Artur Martirosian
622,000
297,000
297,000
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Leon Sturm de
Leon Sturm
580,000
-200,000
-200,000

Tags: Artur MartirosianLeon Sturm

Pardo Takes From The Chipleader On the Bubble

Level 16 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

With his big stack, Leon Sturm applies pressure on his opponents during the bubble. For example, he moved all in from under the gun to make everybody fold.

On the next hand, Sturm called from the big blind an open to 45,000 by Juan Pardo. Both players checked the flop 773. But on the turn 2, Sturm bet 40,000, and Pardo called.

The K came on the river, and Sturm checked again. After a few seconds, Pardo bet 115,000, keeping only three blinds with him. Sturm went into the tank for a moment, but folded.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Leon Sturm de
Leon Sturm
780,000
Profile photo of Juan Pardo es
Juan Pardo
380,000

Tags: Juan PardoLeon Sturm

Sturm Goes For It All

Level 16 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante
Leon Sturm
Leon Sturm

In the final hand of the last level, Leon Sturm raised his button to 33,000 and Juan Pardo responded by three-betting to 90,000 from the button. Sturm made the call and called Pardo's 55,000 bet on the Q52 flop as well.

Pardo then slowed down and checked the A turn, after which Sturm took the initiative and bet out 85,000. Pardo now was the one that called and the pair saw the J river complete the board.

Pardo checked again and Sturm thought for a while before pushing his stack in the middle, leaving only a single T-1,000 chip behind. Pardo then spent a long time agonized in the tank, but eventually let his hand go, seeing Sturm obtain a strong chip lead over the rest of the field.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Leon Sturm de
Leon Sturm
635,000
135,000
135,000
Profile photo of Daniel Smiljkovic de
Daniel Smiljkovic
382,000
82,000
82,000
Profile photo of Juan Pardo es
Juan Pardo
380,000
-213,000
-213,000
Profile photo of Aleksejs Ponakovs lv
Aleksejs Ponakovs
355,000
-30,000
-30,000
Profile photo of Artur Martirosian ru
Artur Martirosian
325,000
-30,000
-30,000
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner

Tags: Juan PardoLeon Sturm

Level: 16

Blinds: 10,000/20,000

Ante: 20,000

Martirosian Makes Sturm Fold

Level 15 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Leon Sturm raised from the button, and Artur Martirosian defended from the big blind.

The dealer fanned a flop of AQ7, and Sturm made a continuation bet of 19,000. Martirosian called, then checked on the turn K. Sturm checked back.

The A landed on the river, and Martirosian decided to bet 105,000. Sturm went into the tank, but eventually folded.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Leon Sturm de
Leon Sturm
500,000
-230,000
-230,000
Profile photo of Artur Martirosian ru
Artur Martirosian
355,000
117,000
117,000
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner

Tags: Artur MartirosianLeon Sturm

Bubble Time Arrives As Iakobishvili Exits

Level 15 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante
Gha Iakobishvili
Gha Iakobishvili

Aleksejs Ponakovs raised to 32,000 from under the gun before Leon Sturm put out a three-bet of 95,000 from the cutoff. The action then folded to Gha Iakobishvili, who slammed in his 74,000 chips to call all-in.

Ponakovs deliberated for a while before deciding to muck his cards, leaving the other two players to show down.

Gha Iakobishvili: AQ
Leon Sturm: AK

Iakobishvili was in bad shape, and the 107933 board could not save him. He exited in sixth place, leaving the remaining five competitors on the bubble of the tournament.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Leon Sturm de
Leon Sturm
730,000
115,000
115,000
Profile photo of Aleksejs Ponakovs lv
Aleksejs Ponakovs
385,000
175,000
175,000
Profile photo of Gha Iakobishvili il
Gha Iakobishvili
Busted

Tags: Leon SturmGha IakobishviliAleksejs Ponakovs

Smiljkovic Finds A Double Up

Level 15 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Gha Iakobishvili took a pile from the hijack and threw it in front of him, for a total of 125,000. Then on the button, Daniel Smiljkovic moved all in for 146,000. The blinds folded, and Iakobishvili snap-called.

Daniel Smiljkovic: 99
Gha Iakobishvili: AJ

On 710362, Smiljkovic won the flip to double up.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Daniel Smiljkovic de
Daniel Smiljkovic
300,000
180,000
180,000
Profile photo of Gha Iakobishvili il
Gha Iakobishvili
90,000
-360,000
-360,000

Tags: Gha IakobishviliDaniel Smiljkovic