Andriy Lyubovetskiy raised to 240,000 under the gun and Mikhail Shalamov three-bet to 700,000 in the cutoff. Lyubovetskiy then moved all in for 1,160,000 and Shalamov called.
Andriy Lyubovetskiy: A♠A♦
Mikhail Shalamov: K♦K♣
Lyubovetskiy found himself on the right side of an aces-versus-kings cooler and was poised for a double up, but the J♣9♣2♣ flop meant he had to sweat Shalamov's flush draw. The 5♦ turn was safe, while the 5♠ on the river sealed his double up.
Oliver Weis raised to 250,000 from under the gun and called when Georgios Tsouloftas three-bet to 850,000 from the cutoff.
Weis called bets of 425,000 and 900,000 on the flop and turn for the final board to read A♣6♣3♣7♣10♦.
Weis checked for a third time, and went deep into the tank after Tsouloftas sized up to 2,200,000. Seven time banks later, Weis ditched his 9♦9♣, only to be shown A♠2♥ by Tsouloftas who windmilled the bluff onto the table.
Georgios Tsouloftas raised to 250,000 on the button and Mikhail Shalamov called in the big blind.
Both players checked the 10♣9♦8♥ flop and the 10♦ fell on the turn. Shalamov then led out for 325,000, Tsouloftas raised to 1,100,000, and Shalamov called.
Shalamov checked the 6♦ river and Tsouloftas then bet 525,000. Shalamov raised to 1,750,000 and Tsouloftas called with 7♥5♥ for a straight, but Shalamov had 10♠6♠ for a full house to win the big pot and stop Tsouloftas' momentum at the final table.
Mikhail Shalamov raised to 250,000 under the gun and Anton Wigg three-bet to 1,200,000 in the small blind. Shalamov then moved all in and Wigg called for 1,870,000.
Anton Wigg: 10♠10♦
Mikhail Shalamov: A♣K♥
Wigg was racing for his tournament life but fell behind on the A♦Q♣7♥ flop as Shalamov hit top pair. The rest of the board ran out 6♠8♦ and Wigg was sent to the rail in sixth place, ensuring that there will be a new EPT champion crowned today.
Anton Wigg raised to 350,000 in the cutoff, leaving himself 40,000 behind, and Bobby James moved all in from the big blind. Wigg called for his last chips.
Anton Wigg: A♥J♦
Bobby James: J♣9♣
The J♠8♠7♥ flop gave both players top pair, while Wigg remained in lead with his ace-kicker and James picked up a straight draw. The A♦ turn improved Wigg to two pair, while the A♣ river gave him a full house and a double up.
Oliver Weis raised to 250,000 in the cutoff and Georgios Tsouloftas three-bet to 650,000 on the button. Weis called and they went heads-up to the 8♠7♣6♠ flop.
Weis led out for 850,000 and Tsouloftas called. The turn was the 9♠ and Weis bet another 950,000. Tsouloftas again called and the 6♣ fell on the river.
Weis, assuming his usual position with his hoodie particially covering his face, paused for a moment before announcing all in. Tsouloftas shot back in his seat as he considered the call for his last 3,410,000. He burned through two time banks counting out his remaining stack and looking over at Weis, and eventually called.
Weis turned over Q♣J♣ for a bluff and Tsouloftas showed A♠A♣ to win the pot and double up for the second consecutive hand.
Georgios Tsouloftas limped in from the small blind before Anton Wigg made it 275,000 from the big blind. Tsouloftas moved all in 2,880,000 for and was snap-called by Wigg as the slightly bigger stack.
Georgios Tsouloftas: Q♦10♥
Anton Wigg: A♣J♥
Tsouloftas had two live cards and paired up on the Q♠6♣3♥ flop to leave Wigg drawing to three outs. The ace never arrived on the 7♠ turn or 8♦ river and the Swedish player was reduced to a sub three big blind stack.
A week ago, 1,284 players from 70 different countries descended on this island paradise at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa, all with one common goal: become the next European Poker Tour champion.
That dream is still alive for six players who will take their seats at the PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus final table at 12:30 p.m. local time as the Golden Shard EPT trophy and $1,030,000 top prize will be handed out at the end of the day.
Leading the way is Oliver Weis, who stormed his way into a massive chip lead with 18,505,000, more than three times his closest challenger. The German pro has already enjoyed a stellar year, winning the EPT Paris High Roller in February and earning more than $1.7 million even before his run here this week, but even all those accomplishments will be eclipsed if he lifts the trophy today.
Final Table chip counts
Rank
Player
Country
Chip Count
Big Blinds
1
Oliver Weis
Germany
18,505,000
185
2
Mikhail Shalamov
Russia
6,050,000
61
3
Bobby James
United Kingdom
5,215,000
52
4
Andriy Lyubovetskiy
Ukraine
3,295,000
33
5
Anton Wigg
Sweden
3,190,000
32
6
Georgios Tsouloftas
Cyprus
2,255,000
23
Weis’s closest challenger is the Russian-born, Slovenia-based poker streamer Mikhail Shalamov, who begins the final table with 6,050,000. Shalamov first rose to prominence 15 years ago when he set a world record by playing 40,000 hands in a single day. Once a Team PokerStars Online pro known as “innerpsy,” he’s still a prolific streamer with nearly 90,000 subscribers to his Twitch channel. He has EPT cashes dating back to 2010 but is making his first final table appearance today.
The UK’s Bobby James has enjoyed a rollercoaster ride to the final table over the last few days. He was chip leader at the end of Day 3, fell to a short stack by Day 4, and now finds himself in the middle of the pack at the final table with 5,215,000. James already won one Spadie trophy here in Cyprus, taking down the $1,000 8-Game event earlier in the series, but his run to the final table already surpasses all his previous career winnings combined.
Bobby James
Andriy Lyubovetskiy is no stranger to competing for big titles. The Ukrainian pro and itiernant poker circuit grinder has already won multiple WCOOP and SCOOP titles, plus two WSOP bracelets. He’ll be looking to add an EPT title to his resume when he begins the final table in fourth position with 3,295,000.
Anton Wigg has a chance to add his name to the EPT record books today. As a fresh-faced 23-year-old in 2010, Wigg won the EPT Copenhagen Main Event. Fast forward 14 years later, the now-37-year-old can become only the fourth player to win multiple EPT titles, joining Victoria Coren Mitchell, Mikalai Pobal, and Mike Watson. He’ll have to come from behind to do it as he sits in fifth place with 3,190,000.
Anton Wigg
Short-stack Georgios Tsouloftas rounds out the final table with 2,255,000. The only native Cypriot to make it this far, Tsouloftas has cashes in Merit Poker events dating back to 2017 and a win in June 2022 for more than $260,000. He also finished in fourth place in the Irish Open in March and is coming off a third-place finish in a WSOP Europe event last month.
Final Table payouts
Place
Player
Country
Prize
1
$1,030,000
2
$642,300
3
$459,000
4
$353,100
5
$271,400
6
$208,720
7
Anton Kraous
Bulgaria
$160,500
8
Andrea Dato
Italy
$123,400
The action at the final table picks up with 69:54 remaining in Level 29 with blinds of 50,000-100,000 and a 100,000 big blind ante. Everyone left is guaranteed $208,720, but they’ll all have their eye on the top prize and taking their turn under the poker spotlight by being the last man standing. The final table will be streamed on PokerStars’ YouTube and Twitch channels, with updates provided on a 30-minute delay beginning at 1 p.m. to match the stream.
Six remain, but at the end of the day there can only be one EPT champion. PokerNews will be following along and providing updates until a champion is crowned.
Andriy Lyubovetskiy is all too familiar with the feeling of taking down major titles.
Known as “Andre_Hansen” online, Lyubovetskiy has won a WCOOP title and three SCOOP titles. He also has two WSOP bracelets, including one in a €25,000 High Roller in Rozvadov in 2021 for a career-best €518,430 score.
Lyubovetskiy’s first EPT cash was more than a decade ago when he finished 94th in Deauville. He has five prior EPT cashes, his best result 65th place in EPT Sochi in 2019. The Ukrainian already has more than $2.5 million in live earnings as he spends most of his time traveling around the circuit with a group of friends.
Career Record
EPT cashes: 6 Best EPT result: 65th, 2019 EPT Sochi Career earnings: $2,481,072
Tournament Progression
Day 1: 119,500 (56/260, 1B) Day 2: 287,000 (55/144) Day 3: 765,000 (24/45) Day 4: 3,970,000 (3/16) Day 5: 3,295,000 (4/6)
Event Highlights
Lyubovetskiy was riding a short stack late on Day 4 when he was all in for 1,140,000 with ace-king against Arian Kashani's two sixes. Kashani remained in the lead until the river as Lyubovetskiy was a card away from elimination, but he spiked an ace to win the pot and double up.
Lyubovetskiy was responsible for the last bustout of that day. Yisha Chen moved all in for 1,695,000 with two sevens and Lyubovetskiy called with two nines. He flopped top set to secure the pot and send Chen to the rail in 17th place.
The only past EPT champion at the final table, Anton Wigg is trying to rewrite history and capture another title today.
Wigg was a fresh-faced 23-year-old when he won the EPT Copenhagen Main Event in 2010. He’s looking to become just the fourth player with multiple EPT titles, joining Victoria Coren Mitchell, Mikalai Pobal, and Mike Watson. He has 14 EPT cashes since his win but this is his first final table, his best result being 14th in Berlin in 2012. He also finished 18th in the inaugural EPT Cyprus last year.
Wigg is also a prolific online player known as “Bomber&Granater,” where he’s collected millions in cashes. He won the Sunday Million in 2009 for $213,000. He’s already guaranteed to move past $5 million in live earnings regardless of where he finishes at the final table.
Career Record
EPT cashes: 15 Best EPT result: 1st, 2010 EPT Copenhagen Career earnings: $4,797,335
Tournament Progression
Day 1: 235,000 (7/260, 1B) Day 2: 350,000 (38/144) Day 3: 1,195,000 (10/45) Day 4: 1,550,000 (10/16) Day 5: 3,190,000 (5/6)
Event Highlights
Wigg won a race with two nines against Adi Rajkovic's ace-king on Day 3, then spiked a set of tens on the turn to crack Iurii Okolovich's jacks for another bustout.
On Day 4, Wigg won a 2,000,000 pot off Andrea Dato when he showed down two pair, aces and tens, while Dato only had pocket fives. Wigg then eliminated last year's finalist Halil Tasyurek in 13th when Tasyurek shoved for 770,000 with ace-jack and Wigg called holding ace-queen.
