EPT Prague Hands of the Week: Straight Flush vs Nut Flush on Stone Bubble, No One Busts
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The 2023 European Poker Tour (EPT) wrapped up on Sunday with Ireland's Padraig O'Neill emerging victorious in the €5,300 PMain Event for €1,030,000.
PokerNews was on-site for the duration of the festival, and during that time our live reporting team captured a number of interesting and game-changing hands, which are highlighted below in the latest edition of "Hands of the Week."
Remember, MyStack by PokerNews is a free-to-use tool built into the PokerNews website that puts you in control of your chip counts on our live reporting pages. MyStack directly connects you to PokerNews' live reporting pages, making you an even bigger part of the action in the events you play.
Novotny Rivers Double Knockout
On Day 1a of the €1,100 Eureka Main Event, it was Level 8 (500/1,000/1,000) when reporter Frank Visser caught things after some preflop action when Niculina Grasu went all in for her final 8,000 chips from the big blind and found no less than three callers in Safwane Bahri under the gun, Petr Novotny on the button, and Luca Moschitta in the small blind.
Moschitta then created a side pot when he bet 4,500 on the 9♠5♣9♥ flop. Bahri quickly folded but Novotny stuck around with a call.
On the Q♦ turn, Moschitta checked to Novotny, who made a bet of 5,000 in response. Moschitta then jammed all in for 18,800 and a swift call followed from Novotny, after which all three players revealed their holdings.
Niculina Grasu: 5♠5♦
Luca Moschitta: A♥A♣
Petr Novotny: Q♠J♠
Grasu flopped a full house and was looking to quadruple up, while Moschitta was a big favorite for the side pot. The Q♣ river, however, saw Novotny hit one of his two outs to scoop the pot.
His higher full house awarded him with a big stack of almost six figures, while both Grasu and Moschitta left the tournament in a state of disbelief.
Click here to see who won the €1,100 Eureka Main Event
Mokri Makes a Big Call
In Level 13 (4,000/8,000/8,000) of the €25,000 NL Hold'em II, reporter Calum Grant saw Kayhan Mokri, who PokerNews previously profiled in this feature article, opened to 17,000 from the cutoff and called when Paulius Plausinaitis three-bet to 50,000 from the big blind.
Plausinaitis continued for 30,000 on the K♠9♦3♦ flop and was called. Plausinaitis then check-called for 36,000 on the 6♦ turn.
The K♦ completed the board, and Plausinaitis jammed for 142,000. He covered Mokri by just 5,000.
Mokri went into the tank and used up a time bank card.
"I think you have aces, no diamond," said Mokri before another three time banks went to the dealer.
"I really dislike this. It's a very good play," he continued. "Now I'm starting to think you have it," Mokri added.
After another timebank, Mokri called for his tournament life.
Plausinaitis had turned his A♣6♠ into a bluff and was left on fumes after Mokri tabled his K♣Q♠ for trips.
Nizzardelli Scoops Huge Pot With Seven-Deuce
On Day 1a of the €2,200 Eureka High Roller, it was Level 1 (100/200/200) when Frank Visser saw Wouter Beltz raise to 600 from middle position and Michele Nizzardelli came along from the small blind. Abraham Serrano then raised the price to 3,000 from the big blind, and only Nizzardelli called.
He checked the K♥10♥3♣ flop for Serrano to make a bet of 4,500. Nizzardelli called and the 7♦ was turned. Another check followed from Nizzardelli before Serrano downsized to 2,600.
Nizzardelli was not deterred by that bet and stuck in another call for the 2♠ river to complete the board. The deuce caused Nizzardelli to lead out promptly, for 10,000 chips.
Serrano snap called and showed his A♥K♣ for top pair. However, Nizzardelli had him beat with his 7♥2♥, who flopped a flush draw but made runner-runner two pair to scoop a big pot in the early stages of Day 1a. Surprisingly, Nizzardelli was later disqualified from the tournament.
Player Booted from EPT Prague Main Event for Head-Butting Opponent
Bujtas Sinks O'Dwyer's Boat
In Level 13 (8,000/16,000/16,000) of the €50,000 EPT Super High Roller, Calum Grant reported that Laszlo Bujtas opened to 35,000 from early position and called when Steve O'Dwyer moved all in from the button for 281,000.
Steve O'Dwyer: 9♦9♥
Laszlo Bujtas: A♣J♠
O'Dwyer made a full house on the 8♦8♠8♥ flop but the 8♣ turn gave Bujtas quads with an ace-kicker. The 4♦ river completed the board and an exasperated O'Dwyer left the tournament room.
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Straight Flush vs Nut Flush On Stone Bubble, No One Busts
On Day 2 of €3,000 Mystery Bounty, it was Level 18 (3,000/6,000/6,000) when reporter Ollie Garland witnessed two players looking at a full board that read J♠8♠7♠A♦6♦.
The action was caught as Nikolaos Iliakis, in middle position, was facing a bet of 80,000 from Juan Carlos Vecino, in the hijack. Iliakis thought for some time, explaining out loud as he did so. Given it was the stone bubble and "anything is possible", Iliakis decided to just flat call the bet, leaving himself 60,000 behind.
Vecino tabled 10♠9♠ for a flopped straight flush, while Iliakis showed A♠Q♠ for a flopped nut flush. Much to the whole tournament floor's amazement, Iliakis' flat call saved him from being the stone bubble.
