The 2013 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final

€100,000 Super High Roller
Day: 1
Event Info

The 2013 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
j9
Prize
€1,746,400
Event Info
Buy-in
€98,000
Prize Pool
€4,851,000
Entries
50
Level Info
Level
21
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000

Hansen Needling Ivey

Level 6 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante

Gus Hansen has been hanging around the tournament deciding whether or not to buy in. He's been battling with some rich Russians in an Open Face Chinese game and that may be too juicy for him to leave. Before he left the room he found time to have a little fun with Phil Ivey.

Mike McDonald had three-bet the button to 21,000 before Ivey four-bet all in for 69,800. The mobile cameras gathered round just in time to see McDonald fold.

"Ivey going for the double bullet!" mused Hansen.

"I'm already on my second one!" came Ivey's reply.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Phil Ivey us
Phil Ivey
98,000
-152,000
-152,000
Poker Hall of Famer

Tags: Gus HansenMike McDonaldPhil Ivey

Newey Doubles Through Mercier

Level 6 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante

Jason Mercier and Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier checked the {10-Clubs}{8-Spades}{7-Spades} flop before Paul Newey fired a bet of 45,000. Mercier check-raised a pile of red T25,000 chips, and Grospellier folded. Newey made the call for his tournament life and showed the {K-Diamonds}{K-Clubs}. Mercier had the {K-Spades}{Q-Spades}.

The turn was the {8-Clubs}, and the river was the {6-Clubs}. Both were black, but they weren't spades, and Newey's kings held up. Newey was all in on the flop for 165,400 and doubled to a little over 400,000. Mercier still has 790,000 in chips, which is currently the largest in the room.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jason Mercier us
Jason Mercier
790,000
-175,000
-175,000
Profile photo of Paul Newey gb
Paul Newey
405,000
160,000
160,000

Tags: Bertrand GrospellierElkYJason MercierPaul Newey

Mercier Skyrockets To the Top

Level 6 : 1,500/3,000, 400 ante
Jason Mercier
Jason Mercier

Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier has had quite an amazing last ten minutes that saw him shoot up to the top of the leader board. First, Mercier doubled through Justin Bonomo. Then, he won a big pot off Viktor Blom on the very next hand.

On the first hand of the two, Scott Seiver opened with a raise from the hijack seat to 7,000. Paul Newey flatted on the button, Bonomo called from the small blind, and Mercier called from the big blind.

The flop came down {A-Clubs}{4-Spades}{2-Clubs}, and Bonomo checked. Mercier bet 14,300, Seiver and Newey folded, then Bonomo called.

The turn was the {10-Spades}, and Bonomo check-called another bet from Mercier — this time for 37,500. Then, the river completed the board with the {7-Hearts}. Bonomo checked, and Mercier fired 81,000 with 260,000 behind. Bonomo check-raised all in, having Mercier covered, and Mercier went into the tank. He eventually called, and his {A-Hearts}{4-Hearts} was best against Bonomo's {5-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}.

On the very next hand, Bonomo opened to 6,500 from the button, Mercier reraised from the small blind to 18,200, and Blom reraised from the big blind to 46,800. Bonomo folded, and Mercier made the call.

The flop came down {A-}{8-}{8-}, and Mercier check-called a bet of 36,200 to see a {6-} on the turn. Mercier checked, and Blom fired 74,800. Mercier tanked, then called.

Another {8-} hit the board on the river, and Mercier checked. Blom quickly checked behind and showed {K-}{J-} offsuit. Mercier tabled {Q-}{Q-} for a full house and scooped in the pot.

Thanks to these two big hands, Mercier shot up to the top of the counts with 965,000 in chips. Bonomo was left with 310,000 and Blom slipped back to 730,000.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jason Mercier us
Jason Mercier
965,000
549,000
549,000
Profile photo of Viktor Blom se
Viktor Blom
730,000
-249,000
-249,000
Full Tilt
Profile photo of Justin Bonomo us
Justin Bonomo
310,000
-300,000
-300,000
Run It Once

Tags: Jason MercierJustin BonomoPaul NeweyScott SeiverViktor Blom

Level: 6

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 400

Enter, Heinecker

Level 5 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante

"Another fish," Tobias Reinkemeier said as Niklas Heinecker made his way up to the feature table. Heinecker sat down right in between PokerStars Team Online Isaac Haxton and Sam Trickett. These three players all participated in the €1,000/€2,000 cash game earlier this week with Paul Newey, Viktor Blom and Talal Shakerchi.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Niklas Heinecker de
Niklas Heinecker
250,000

Tags: Isaac HaxtonSam TrickettNiklas Heinecker

Gruissem Wins Some

Level 5 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante

The flop read {9-Spades}{6-Hearts}{7-Diamonds} when Philipp Gruissem check-called 7,500 from Dani Stern. The turn brought the {8-Hearts} and this time Gruissem lead out for 12,000 from the big blind. Stern tanked for a bit and called.

On the river the {2-Hearts} hit and Gruissem picked up the pot with a 26,000-chip bet.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Dani Stern us
Dani Stern
500,000
-30,000
-30,000
Profile photo of Philipp Gruissem de
Philipp Gruissem
292,000
42,000
42,000

Tags: Dani SternPhilipp Gruissem

Straight For Shakerchi

Level 5 : 1,200/2,400, 300 ante

Marvin Rettenmaier raised to 5,600 and Talal Shakerchi called from the small blind. The flop brought {A-Diamonds}{4-Hearts}{8-Spades} and Shakerchi check-called 6,200. On the turn the {J-Clubs} hit and both players checked.

On the river the {7-Spades} popped up and Shakerchi threw out one 25,000 chip. Rettenmaier tanked for a bit, but only to see that Shakerchi had rivered a straight with {6-Hearts}{5-Hearts}.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Talal Shakerchi gb
Talal Shakerchi
325,000
15,000
15,000
Profile photo of Marvin Rettenmaier de
Marvin Rettenmaier
285,000
-40,000
-40,000

Tags: Marvin RettenmaierTalal Shakerchi