2024 PokerStars EPT Cyprus

Day: 1a
Event Info

2024 PokerStars EPT Cyprus

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
j3
Prize
$314,030
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,100
Prize Pool
$2,662,850
Entries
2,803
Level Info
Level
38
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
800,000
Players Info - Day 1a
Entries
220
Players Left
33

Macri Hangs on Against Vo

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante
Francesco Macri
Francesco Macri

Francesco Macri opened to 1,700 first to act and was called by Anatoly Korochenskiy in the hijack, Daniil Shalaev in the cutoff, Viet Van Vo on the button, and Anton Markov in the big blind for a five-way pot.

The flop came 101010 and it was checked around to Vo, who bet 1,700. Macri called and everyone else got out of the way.

Macri, check-called a 2,700 from Vo on the 5 turn and checked a final time after the 3 completed the board.

Vo wasn't done, however, and fired 11,200 into the middle. Macri wasn't a believer and stuck in a call and Vo could only turn over K6.

Macri revealed AJ for just an ace and collected the large pot.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Viet Van Vo us
Viet Van Vo
66,000
-11,000
-11,000
Profile photo of Daniil Shalaev ru
Daniil Shalaev
58,000
Profile photo of Francesco Macri it
Francesco Macri
57,000
Profile photo of Anton Markov bg
Anton Markov
56,000
29,300
29,300
Profile photo of Anatoly Korochenskiy ru
Anatoly Korochenskiy
22,000
-13,000
-13,000

Tags: Anatoly KorochenskiyAnton MarkovDaniil ShalaevFrancesco MacriViet Van Vo

Flush Clash: One Player Bows Out

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Piotr Wiecek
Piotr Wiecek

With around 22,000 already in the pot and the board displaying 510769, the action heated up between Elie Saade in the small blind and Piotr Wiecek under the gun. Both players engaged in a fierce raise-and-re-raise battle on the river, ending in Saade pushing all in. It was now up to Wiecek to decide whether to gamble for his tournament life.

After a moment of contemplation, Wiecek made the call, leading them to a showdown. Wiecek revealed K10 for a king-high flush, but Saade had the better hand with A10, giving him an ace-high flush. With that, Wiecek was eliminated from the tournament, while Saade happily added a significant boost to his chip stack.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Elie Saade lb
Elie Saade
77,000
77,000
77,000
Profile photo of Piotr Wiecek pl
Piotr Wiecek
Busted

Tags: Eli SaadePiotr Wiecek

James Eliminated After Big Pot Loss to a Full House

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante
Robert James
Robert James

In the opening hand, Giorgii Skhulukhiia kicked things off with a raise to 700. Kazi Bairamukov in the small blind and Bobby James in the big blind both called.

The flop came down 78J, and everyone checked.

On the turn, the 5 hit, and Bairamukov led out with a bet of 1,500, which both players called.

When the 5 landed on the river, Bairamukov checked again. James then took the initiative with a bet of 3,000. Skhulukhiia thought it over before raising to 10,300. Bairamukov folded, but James took his time before making the call. Skhulukhiia revealed 75 for a full house, leaving James with just 200 chips. James later told PokerNews he had J9, but he didn’t show.

In the next hand, James was in the small blind and effectively all in from the start with only 200 chips left. Mehmet Demirkol in the cutoff raised to 700, and Bairamukov, now on the button, called. James pushed all in for his last 100.

The flop brought 644, and Demirkol check-called Bairamukov’s 1,500 bet.

The turn was the K, and Demirkol again checked. Bairamukov bet 5,000, and Demirkol called.

On the river, 7, Demirkol checked once more, and Bairamukov went all in for 20,000. Demirkol went deep into the tank but ultimately folded. Since James was all in, they went to a showdown. James revealed A10 for ace-high, but Bairamukov showed AK for two pair, taking down the pot and eliminating James from the tournament.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kazi Bairamukov ru
Kazi Bairamukov
38,900
38,900
38,900
Profile photo of Giorgii Skhulukhiia ge
Giorgii Skhulukhiia
33,000
33,000
33,000
Profile photo of Mehmet Demirkol tr
Mehmet Demirkol
27,500
27,500
27,500
Profile photo of Bobby James gb
Bobby James
Busted

Tags: Bobby JamesGiorgii SkhulukhiiaKazi BairamukovMehmet Demirkol

Kickoff for Day 1a of the $1,100 Eureka Main Event

Ankit Ahuja
Ankit Ahuja

The PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus has landed in Northern Cyprus, with the series taking place at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa starting today, October 9.

Kicking off the live reporting schedule is the $1,100 Eureka Main Event, a four-day tournament offering players six starting flights to qualify for Day 2. Day 1a begins at noon local time, with 1b following at 7 p.m.

Players will have two entries per flight, and late registration will close at the end of Level 10, roughly around 8:30 p.m., just after a 65-minute dinner break.

2023 Eureka Main Event Final Table Results

 PlacePlayerCountryPrize (USD)
 1Ankit AhujaIndia$362,365
 2Eduard NorelRomania$226,550
 3Andrei TeodorescuRomania$161,800
 4Andrei VavilonskiiRussia$124,475
 5Roman GadzhievRussia$95,750
 6Mykhailo DemydenkoUkraine$73,650
 7Delrouz BabakIran$56,650
 8Michel AtallahLebanon$43,375

Last year, India's Ankit Ahuja claimed victory in this event, pocketing $362,365. The former tech consultant, Ahuja entered the final table as chip leader but faced several tough hands that knocked him back to the middle of the pack by Day 4. A crucial flip early on helped him regain the lead, ultimately defeating Romania’s Eduard Norel, who took home $226,550 for second place.

Eduard Norel
Eduard Norel

For today’s Day 1a, players start with 30,000 chips and will battle through 40-minute levels, beginning with Level 1 (100/100, 100 big blind ante). Play will continue until only 15% of the field remains, guaranteeing those players a spot in Day 2 and securing them a place in the money. The day includes a 15-minute break every three levels, and only those who bag chips will move on.

$1,100 Eureka Main Event Schedule

DateEvent DayLocal Time
Wed. Oct. 91a12:00 p.m.
Wed. Oct. 91b7:00 p.m.
Thu. Oct. 101c12:00 p.m.
Thu. Oct. 101d7:00 p.m.
Fri. Oct. 111e11:00 a.m.
Fri. Oct. 111f5:00 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 12212:00 p.m.
Sun. Oct. 13312:00 p.m.
Mon. Oct. 14412:00 p.m.

Stay tuned to PokerNews for the coverage of this event from the moment cards are in the air until a winner is crowned.

Tags: Andrei TeodorescuAndrei VavilonskiiAnkit AhujaEduard NorelMichel AtallahMykhailo DemydenkoRoman Gadzhiev