PokerStars' Colillas & Talbot Still in Contention for EPT Monte Carlo Main Event Glory
The 2023 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) presented by Monte-Carlo Casino® headline tournament, the EPT Monte Carlo €5,300 Main Event, is approaching its business end with just 126 players remaining from the record-matching 1,098 entries.
Those returning for Day 3, which begins at noon local time, are all duking it out for the lion's share of the €5,325,300 prize pool, where the winner will walk away with €890,000 and the prestigious EPT trophy.
Despite being a few days away from the champion being crowned, there is plenty to be excited about as the Main Event is littered with some of poker's biggest stars.
Among those still in contention is PokerStars' ambassador and inaugural PokerStars Players Championship winner Ramon Colillas, who is starting today's session as one of the big stacks. Also donning the PokerStars patch is Ambassador Parker Talbot, who finds himself sitting in the middle of the pack.
Talbot is no stranger to a deep run in an EPT Main Event, as he managed a fifth-placed finish at the EPT Prague Main Event last December for €278,450. The Canadian is still looking to book his first-ever live tournament win and is one of the players that poker fans worldwide will be rooting for.
Also looking to taste glory on the live felt once again is Mike Watson. The Canadian already has a collection of "spadie" trophies thanks to his €25,000 High Roller win at EPT Barcelona last year and his PCA Main Event win back in 2016.
While also being an absolute behemoth in live tournaments, Watson is also a formidable online player. He is one of the most successful players ever in PokerStars' Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), and with the 2023 edition around the corner, a big performance in Monte Carlo could put him in good shape to add to his seven SCOOP titles.
2023 EPT Monte Carlo €5,300 Main Event Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Name | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Markkos Ladev | Estonia | 881,000 | 176 |
| 2 | Pieter Aerts | Belgium | 876,000 | 175 |
| 3 | Artur Martirosian | Russia | 857,000 | 171 |
| 4 | Kenan Taylor | United Kingdom | 711,000 | 142 |
| 5 | Mike Watson | Canada | 675,000 | 135 |
| 6 | Oleg Vasylchenko | Ukraine | 657,000 | 131 |
| 7 | Ramon Colillas | Spain | 636,000 | 127 |
| 8 | Ryhor Karapanau | Latvia | 624,000 | 125 |
| 9 | Maduka Meragal | Canada | 620,000 | 124 |
| 10 | Juan Pardo | Spain | 570,000 | 114 |
The Day 2 survivors can take comfort in knowing that they've already locked up €9,850, with the payout increasing to €11,350 when 119 players remain. But of course, each player will do all they can to capture the winner's spoils.
Remaining Payouts
| Place | Prize (EUR) | Place | Prize (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | €890,000 | 14-15 | €45,900 |
| 2 | €556,600 | 16-17 | €39,950 |
| 3 | €397,450 | 18-20 | €34,700 |
| 4 | €305,750 | 21-23 | €30,200 |
| 5 | €235,150 | 24-27 | €26,250 |
| 6 | €180,900 | 28-31 | €22,850 |
| 7 | €139,150 | 32-39 | €19,850 |
| 8 | €107,050 | 40-55 | €17,250 |
| 9 | €82,350 | 56-71 | €15,000 |
| 10-11 | €63,300 | 72-95 | €13,050 |
| 12-13 | €52,750 | 96-119 | €11,350 |
| 120-143 | €9,850 |
As mentioned, Day 3 will kick off at 12 p.m. local time, with blinds resuming at 2,000/5,000 with a 5,000 big blind ante. A 20-minute break is scheduled at the end of each level, and the plan for today's proceedings is to play five levels.
And as always, all of the action can be seen on PokerStarsTV via YouTube and Twitch, with the Main Event broadcasting cards-up coverage on a 30-minute security delay.
Be sure to keep it with the PokerNews team throughout the rest of the week for live updates from the floor of the EPT Monte Carlo €5,300 Main Event at Monte Carlo Sporting Complex on the shores of the French Riviera.