Paul Runcan delivered an impressive performance on Day 4 of the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague Main Event. Starting the day fourth in chips, Runcan now tops the leaderboard with 5,040,000, as only 16 players remain in contention for the coveted EPT trophy.
Runcan demonstrated his control over the table with well-timed aggression, winning significant pots without a showdown, including a notable hand where he forced Pascal Vos to fold with a four-bet. His ability to manage risks was evident, as he kept his losses in smaller pots minimal.
Eliminations were also part of Runcan's story. He sent three players to the rail, including Gianfranco Iaculli (52nd) with ace-king against pocket fives, Vos (25th) with jack-ten suited against pocket nines, and Adrian Mack (21st) with pocket aces overpowering pocket sevens.
With $270,910 in total live tournament earnings and a best cash of $75,600 this year, Runcan is on track to set a new career high with a deep run in this event.
Siarhei Alontsau (4,745,000) is in second place on the leaderboard, followed by Anton Bergstrom (4,570,000), Siegfried Kapeller (4,440,000), and Barak Oz (4,000,000).
End of Day 4 Chip Counts
Contenders to Watch
While Runcan leads, three other players stand out as key contenders heading into Day 5:
Anton Bergstrom: Last year, Bergstrom finished 24th in the EPT Main Event, but this year, he has already far surpassed that. Starting Day 4 as the chip leader, he grew his stack to secure third place in chips after winning a massive pot against Sylwia Studniarz with a straight versus trips.
Sylwia Studniarz: She has already secured the largest live cash of her career, according to The Hendon Mob. Following in the footsteps of Marle Spragg, who reached the final table of this event last year, Studniarz now has the chance to make history. A victory would see her become only the fifth woman to win an EPT Main Event, joining the elite company of Victoria Coren Mitchell, Liv Boeree, Maria Lampropulos, and Sandra Naujoks.
Umberto Ruggeri: A familiar face, Ruggeri finished third in this event last year. Despite being 12th in chips, he has the potential to repeat or even improve on last year’s result.
Day 4 Highlights
The day began with 53 players from a record-breaking field of 1,458 entries. Early eliminations included Alessandro Pichierri, who fell to Nikita Kuznetsov’s ace-queen. Ironically, Kuznetsov followed soon after, finishing 45th when his ace-queen lost to Conor Bergin’s jack-ten suited.
Other notable busts include Stanislaw Grodek (24th), Christian Rudolph (23rd), and Arjel Daci (22nd) once the field reached the final three tables. Mack fought his way through the tournament, finding opportunities to steal pots and double up his short stack multiple times. Despite his efforts, his run came to an end in 21st place, falling just short of a deeper finish.
Kapeller had a remarkable comeback, doubling through Tjenno Eskes and later eliminating Fabian Bartuschk (20th) while claiming a big chunk of Pawel Wojciechowski's stack. Wojciechowski managed to double back with pocket kings but ultimately fell in 17th place, with Kapeller’s straight ending his tournament run.
What’s Next
The final 16 players, representing 14 different countries, have locked up€47,250, but tomorrow, they’ll compete for a spot at the final table and a guaranteed payday of €137,900. Beyond that lies the ultimate goal: the EPT gold-plated trophy and a life-changing €1,146,500 top prize.
Action resumes at the luxurious Hilton Prague Saturday at noon with 47 minutes left in Level 26 (blinds 25,000/50,000, big blind ante 50,000).
The largest EPT Prague Main Event in history is set for an intense battle as the field narrows to the final table. PokerNews will be there to cover it every step of the way.
