€5,300 EPT Main Event Day 4 | 2023 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo

05-04-2023 17:02 UTC+1

Jimmy Velasquez Eliminated in 18th Place (€34,700)

Adam Lamers

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Maduka Meragal opened to 55,000 in the cutoff and Jimmy Velasquez defended from the big blind. The flop fell 7♦6♠2♣ and Velasquez check-called a bet of 30,000 from Meragal.

The turn was the 9♠ and Velasquez checked again. Meragal bet 80,000 and Velasquez check-raised all in for around 600,000. Meragal stood up from his chair as he got a rough count and then called.

Jimmy Velasquez: A♠7♠
Maduka Meragal: 9♥9♣

Meragal turned a set of nines but Velasquez had outs with a flush draw. The river was the Q♥ and Velasquez was unable to improve as he was eliminated in 18th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maduka Meragal	1,760,000 760,000	760,000
Jimmy Velasquez	Busted

Tags: Jimmy Velasquez Maduka Meragal

05-04-2023 16:55 UTC+1

Red Aert: Meragal Doubles Up an Opponent

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Connor Richards

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Pieter Aerts opened to 355,000 from middle position with just 5,000 behind and Pieter Aerts three-bet jammed from the small blind before Aerts called off for his tournament life.

Maduka Meragal: 9♠9♣
Pieter Aerts: A♦K♠

A king in the window was good news for Aerts as the board ran out 3♦6♥K♣3♥Q♦ to earn him a double.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maduka Meragal	1,000,000 -530,000	-530,000
Pieter Aerts	750,000 380,000	380,000

Tags: Maduka Meragal Pieter Aerts

05-04-2023 16:51 UTC+1

No Longer World Chess Champion, Magnus Carlsen Sets Sights On Poker

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Connor Richards

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Five-time World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen shocked the public in July 2022 when he announced that he wouldn't be defending the title he had held for a decade. And while Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren were at St. Regis Hotel in Kazakhstan last month battling to take his place as supreme leader of the chess world, Carlsen was getting ready for a trip to the sunny Mediterranean coast.

Carlsen made a deep run extending into Day 3 in the EPT Monte Carlo €5,300 Main Event as part of 2023 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) presented by Monte-Carlo Casino® before falling in 63rd place €15,000.

In his first interview since giving up his World Chess Champion Title, Carlsen sat down with PokerNews and PokerStars for an exclusive look at what the future holds for the 32-year-old Norwegian chess prodigy.

READ ABOUT CARLSEN'S DEEP RUN AT EPT MONTE CARLO!

05-04-2023 16:20 UTC+1

Markkos Ladev Eliminated in 19th Place (€34,700)

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Adam Lamers

Level 23 : Blinds 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

The action folded around to Markkos Ladev in the small blind who limped in. Nicola Grieco checked his option and the dealer fanned the flop of 9♠9♥4♥. Ladev led out with a bet of 50,000 and Grieco just called.

The 6♥ landed on the turn and Ladev sized up a bet of 200,000. Grieco ripped all in and Ladev quickly called off his stack of 660,000. Grieco turned over J♥9♦ while Ladev revealed his 9♣7♠. The river was the 6♥ and Grieco's jack-kicker played to eliminate Ladev in 19th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nicola Grieco	1,850,000 1,350,000	1,350,000

Markkos Ladev	Busted

Tags: Markkos Ladev Nicola Grieco

05-04-2023 16:00 UTC+1

Pedro Neves Eliminated in 20th Place (€34,700)

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Matt Hansen

Level 23 : 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Jimmy Velasquez was on the short stack at the table and moved all in for 325,000 from under the gun. Pedro Neves asked for a count from the small blind and burned through multiple time extensions before making the call.

Jimmy Velasquez: K♦9♦
Pedro Neves: A♣J♦

The flop came 9♠7♣3♥ and Velasquez picked up a pair of nines to take the lead. The 10♥ on the turn gave Neves a straight draw but the K♥ on the river improved Velasquez to two pair.

On the next hand, Neves jammed all in for 300,000 on the button and Pieter Aerts reshoved all in from the small blind. Neves turned over A♣Q♥ and was dominating the A♦10♥ of Aerts.

However, the runout of K♠Q♣6♥J♦5♦ gave Aerts a straight and Neves was eliminated in 20th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Pieter Aerts	1,100,000 -65,000	-65,000
Jimmy Velasquez	700,000 200,000	200,000
Pedro Neves	Busted

Tags: Jimmy Velasquez Pedro Neves Pieter Aerts

05-04-2023 15:28 UTC+1

Hasson Doubles Through Delgado

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Matt Hansen

Level 23 : 10,000/25,000, 25,000 ante

Ori Hasson raised to 75,000 from the small blind and Vicente Delgado three-bet to 190,000 from the big blind before Hasson fired back with a shove for around 580,000. Delgado called quickly and the cards were turned up.

Vicente Delgado: J♦J♣
Ori Hasson: Q♦Q♥

The board ran out K♠10♠10♣10♦4♠ and Hasson held on with the pocket queens to pick up the double.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vicente Delgado	2,100,000 -300,000	-300,000
Ori Hasson	1,475,000 475,000	475,000

Tags: Ori Hasson Vicente Delgado

05-04-2023 14:32 UTC+1

Jose Astima Eliminated in 22nd Place (€30,200)

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Adam Lamers

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Jose Astima was the shortest stack in the tournament and moved all in for 185,000 under the gun. Jason Wheeler just called in the hijack and the rest of the table folded.

Jose Astima: A♥K♦
Jason Wheeler: A♠A♦

The flop fell 8♦5♥3♣ which gave Astima a slim hope of staying alive. The 9♣ on the turn sealed the deal and the J♥ on the river was just a formality.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jason Wheeler	1,570,000 170,000	170,000
Jose Astima	Busted

Tags: Jason Wheeler Jose Astima

05-04-2023 14:25 UTC+1

Elias Fisz Eliminated in 23rd Place (€30,200)

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Connor Richards

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Action was heads up with a big pot over 800,000 in the middle and a full board of 3♥6♠4♥J♥K♥ when Elias Fisz shoved into a quick call from Leonard Maue. Fisz turned over J♣10♣ for a pair of jacks, but Maue had A♥Q♣ for the nut flush.

Player	Chips	Progress
Leonard Maue	1,600,000 600,000	600,000
Elias Fisz	Busted

Tags: Elias Fisz Leonard Maue

05-04-2023 14:10 UTC+1

Milos Petakovic Eliminated in 24th Place (€26,250)

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Connor Richards

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Vicente Delgado opened to 45,000 from the hijack and Milos Petakovic three-bet to 180,000 from the big blind. Delgado four-bet jammed with Petakovic covered and the Serbian called off with a stack of around 825,000.

Milos Petakovic: Q♥Q♠
Vicente Delgado: A♥K♦

A king in the window was bad news for Petakovic and the full runout of K♠8x7♦2♣J♣ marked his elimination in 24th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vicente Delgado	2,400,000 850,000	850,000
Milos Petakovic	Busted

Tags: Milos Petakovic Vicente Delgado

05-04-2023 13:13 UTC+1

Cooler Ousts Landron

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Connor Richards

Level 22 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

Leo Worthington-Leese opened from middle position and Alexandre Landron defended out of the big blind.

The flop of 10♥9♥6♣ checked through and Landron check-called a bet from Worthington-Leese on the J♦ turn. Landron checked again on the J♥ river and Worthington-Leese bet. Landron check-jammed and Worthington-Leese called with a bigger stack.

Landron showed A♥Q♥ for an ace-high flush, but it was no good against the J♠9♠ of his opponent for a full house to send Landron to the rail in devastating fashion.

"This game is beautiful sometimes — for one of the players!" laughed Ori Hasson.