€5,300 EPT Main Event | 2024 PokerStars EPT Paris

02-25-2024 15:10 UTC+1

Ponakovs Strikes Back Before Break

Frank Visser

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Aleksejs Ponakovs limped in with 4♠4♥ from the small blind before Barny Boatman raised to 650,000 in the big blind, with just the Q♠ being displayed. Ponakovs stuck in a call and the 6♦10♦3♥ flop and 9♣ turn were checked by both players.

Ponakovs then bet 875,000 on the 6♠ river and Boatman stuck in the call. Ponakov's fours were good at showdown and he raked in a small pot before the final three players went on a small break.

Player	Chips	Progress
Barny Boatman	25,900,000 -850,000	-850,000

David Kaufmann	13,350,000

Aleksejs Ponakovs	13,150,000 1,770,000	1,770,000

Tags: Aleksejs Ponakovs Barny Boatman

02-25-2024 15:06 UTC+1

Boatman's Surge Continues

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Frank Visser

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Barny Boatman limped in from the small blind with A♦8♠ and David Kaufmann checked his big blind with Q♦10♥. Boatman then continued for 300,000 on the 4♣K♥7♦ flop and a call followed from Kaufmann.

The 9♥ turn was checked by both players and so was the K♠ river, leading to Boatman's ace-high winning at showdown.

The next hand Boatman raised to 500,000 with 10♦5♦ on the button and received a call from Aleksejs Ponakovs in the big blind, playing 5♠3♠. Boatman flopped a flush on 7♦3♦4♦ and made a bet of 400,000 chips after Ponakovs had checked.

Ponakovs then raised to 850,000, seeing Boatman put in a quick call. Ponakovs slowed down and checked the 8♠ turn before folding when Boatman tossed in a bet of 1,200,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Barny Boatman	26,750,000 2,725,000	2,725,000

David Kaufmann	13,350,000 -1,050,000	-1,050,000

Aleksejs Ponakovs	11,380,000 -2,600,000	-2,600,000

Tags: Aleksejs Ponakovs Barny Boatman David Kaufmann

02-25-2024 14:58 UTC+1

Boatman Hits Boat to Grab Chip Lead

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Frank Visser

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Aleksejs Ponakovs looked down at K♥9♦ in the small blind and limped in. Barny Boatman checked his 3♦3♣ in the big blind and a flop of 5♥4♥J♥ was dealt. Ponakovs made a bet of 250,000 chips and Boatman quickly folded his underpair.

The next hand, Boatman limped in from the small blind with 10♠7♠ and David Kaufmann checked his Q♦8♣. Boatman flopped trips on 9♦7♥7♣ and bet 275,000. Kaufmann tossed in a call and the pair went off to the 10♥ turn.

Boatman checked his full house, seeing Kaufmann bet 1,000,000 chips. Boatman used one time bank extension before making the call and the 8♥ river completed the board.

Boatman decided to lead out of 1,200,000 chips and this sent Kaufmann into the tank. He came out with a raise to 5,000,000. Boatman then three-bet jammed for 15,725,000 chips and Kaufmann quickly let his hand go, resulting in Boatman gaining a huge chip lead.

Player	Chips	Progress
Barny Boatman	24,025,000 6,275,000	6,275,000

David Kaufmann	14,400,000 -6,780,000	-6,780,000

Aleksejs Ponakovs	13,980,000 500,000	500,000

Tags: Aleksejs Ponakovs Barny Boatman David Kaufmann

02-25-2024 14:49 UTC+1

Two for Kaufmann; Boatman Bluff-Catches

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Calum Grant

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

David Kaufmann raised to 500,000 on the button with 7♠5♠ and Barny Boatman defended the big blind with A♥2♥. Boatman picked up a flush draw on the Q♥10♥10♠ flop and check-called with the best hand for 350,000. The 3♠ turn gave Kaufmann a flush draw, and he raised to 2,200,000 after Boatman had led out for 500,000. Boatman conceded the pot.

Aleksejs Ponakovs made it 600,000 from the button with A♣8♥, and Kaufmann called in the big blind with A♦7♠. Kaufmann picked up another flush draw on the Q♦9♦5♦ flop, which came in on the 10♦ turn after both players initially checked. Kaufmann checked for a second time, and Ponakovs followed suit. The 7♣ river left Ponakovs with ace-high, which he folded after Kaufmann fired out 1,575,000.

It was now Boatman's turn to raise from the button, and he opened to 500,000 with K♦2♦. Ponakovs called from the big blind with 7♥5♠. Action checked through to the river for the final board to read J♥10♥2♣8♠3♥. Ponakovs, with seven-high, bet 1,000,000 and Boatman called with his pair of deuces to take in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Kaufmann	21,180,000 2,330,000	2,330,000

Barny Boatman	17,750,000 150,000	150,000

Aleksejs Ponakovs	13,480,000 -2,470,000	-2,470,000

Tags: Aleksejs Ponakovs Barny Boatman David Kaufmann

02-25-2024 14:39 UTC+1

Boatman Evens Playing Field With Thin Value-Bet

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Frank Visser

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Barny Boatman limped in from the small blind with A♠J♣ before David Kaufmann raised to 875,000 with 6♠3♣ in the big blind.

Boatman then stuck in a three-bet to 2,550,000 and Kaufmann tossed his cards into the muck.

The next hand, Boatman raised K♣Q♥ on the button to 500,000 and Aleksejs Ponakovs defended his K♦9♣ in the big blind. Both players checked the 7♣10♣6♣ flop before Boatman fired 400,000 chips on the A♥ turn after a second check from Ponakovs.

Ponakovs made the call with his straight flush draw, but the 7♠ river saw Boatman lock up the pot. He continued to bet, this time for 1,100,000 chips. Ponakovs made the call after giving it some thought but mucked his cards once he saw Boatman's superior king-high.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Kaufmann	18,850,000 -200,000	-200,000

Barny Boatman	17,600,000 3,320,000	3,320,000

Aleksejs Ponakovs	15,950,000 -3,130,000	-3,130,000

Tags: Aleksejs Ponakovs Barny Boatman David Kaufmann

02-25-2024 14:29 UTC+1

Ponakovs Ties With Kaufmann

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Frank Visser

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Barny Boatman raised his button to 500,000 with J♠2♠ and Aleksejs Ponakovs made the call in the big blind with the 9♠ and an unknown card. Boatman continued for 400,000 on the 7♣J♦10♣ flop and Ponakovs check-called.

Boatman sized up to 750,000 on the 5♠ turn after another check from Ponakovs, forcing the Latvian superstar to check-fold.

The next hand, David Kaufmann raised to 500,000 on the button with K♠10♠ and Aleksejs Ponakovs three-bet to 2,000,000 with K♦Q♠ from the small blind. Kaufmann made the call and a 2♣4♠3♠ flop was dealt.

Ponakovs spent one of his time bank cards before putting in a bet of 450,000. Kaufmann made the call and the 9♣ turn arrived. Ponakovs slowed down and checked, after which Kaufmann followed suit.

The 3♦ river then completed the board and Ponakovs fired a small bet of 1,000,000 chips. Kaufmann took some time but eventually folded, seeing Ponakovs take the chip lead with just 30,000 more than Kaufmann.

Player	Chips	Progress
Aleksejs Ponakovs	19,080,000 1,800,000	1,800,000
David Kaufmann	19,050,000 -2,580,000	-2,580,000

Barny Boatman	14,280,000 780,000	780,000

Tags: Aleksejs Ponakovs Barny Boatman David Kaufmann

02-25-2024 14:17 UTC+1

Ponakovs Narrowing the Gap

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Calum Grant

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

In a limped pot to the 8♣8♥6♦ flop, Aleksejs Ponakovs check-folded his 7♠2♣ from the small blind after Barny Boatman bet 300,000 with his 9♦6♥ from the big blind.

Ponakovs opened to 4575,000 from the button with 6♥6♦. Boatman and David Kaufmann called from the blinds with A♣5♥ and K♣7♠, respectively. Ponakovs remained ahead on the 9♥2♥2♠ flop and folded out both opponents with a bet of 500,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Kaufmann	21,630,000 -350,000	-350,000

Aleksejs Ponakovs	17,280,000 700,000	700,000
Barny Boatman	13,500,000 -350,000	-350,000

Tags: Aleksejs Ponakovs Barny Boatman David Kaufmann

02-25-2024 14:11 UTC+1

Boatman Stays Involved

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Frank Visser

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Barny Boatman raised to 500,000 on the button with A♦J♦ and David Kaufmann three-bet to 1,800,000 in the small blind with just the 5♠ showing up. Aleksejs Ponakovs folded the big blind and Boatman spent one time bank extension before following suit.

The next hand, Ponakovs limped in from the small blind with 3♠3♥ and Boatman checked 10♥6♠ in the big blind. The 10♣K♠5♥ flop saw Ponakovs put in a minimum bet of 250,000 and Boatman call. Ponakovs then checked the 2♣ turn and Boatman checked back.

The J♦ river fell and Boatman bet 500,000 chips after another check from Ponakovs. Ponakovs smiled at his opponent before letting his pair go.

Ponakovs then raised to 500,000 on the button, with just the 4♠ being picked up on the RFID reader. Boatman made it 2,000,000 to go from the small blind with A♣10♥ before Ponakovs four-bet to 3,300,000 to take down the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Kaufmann	21,980,000 505,000	505,000

Aleksejs Ponakovs	16,580,000 800,000	800,000
Barny Boatman	13,850,000 -1,300,000	-1,300,000

Tags: Aleksejs Ponakovs Barny Boatman David Kaufmann

02-25-2024 14:04 UTC+1

Remaining Payouts

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Calum Grant

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Place	Prize
1	€1,287,800
2	€804,750
3	€574,850

02-25-2024 14:01 UTC+1

Owen Dodd Eliminated in 4th Place (€442,150)

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Calum Grant

Level 33 : Blinds 125,000/250,000, 250,000 ante

Barny Boatman, with Q♠7♥, raised to put Owen Dodd all-in from the big blind. The latter decided to fold his 5♣2♠ to chip down to 1,325,000.

The following hand, Dodd jammed from the small blind and David Kaufmann called from the big blind.

Owen Dodd: 2♦2♣
David Kaufmann: A♦10♥

Dodd's ducks remained ahead following the K♣9♥6♥ flop and 7♣ turn but Kaufmann paired up on the A♥ river to seal the elimination and bring the EPT Paris Main Event to its final three players.