It's all Julien Stuer now at the final table, as Dario Sammartino just found out. Stuer had opened to 85,000 on the button and Sammartino defended his big blind. Both players checked the flop. Sammartino bet 125,000 on the turn and Stuer called.
The river was the and Sammartino checked. Stuer bet 325,000 and Sammartino called it off.
"Straight," said Stuer as he showed . A head-shaking Sammartino flung his hand in the muck and had to fork over a decent portion of his stack.
Team PokerStars Pro Felipe Ramos had been coming close to a High Roller victory for some time. Then he found himself deep in the €25,000 PokerStars Championship presented by Monte-Carlo Casino® with a decent stack. There were 12 players left and Ramos got dealt Thomas Muehloecker, who had just moved all-in a couple of times, raised again. Ramos re-raised from the small blind and Julian Stuer threw in a four-bet from the big blind.
Muehloecker folded and Ramos jammed for about 800,000. Stuer had about double that and called with pocket jacks.
Julian Stuer raised to 90,000 and Thomas Muehloecker three-bet to 215,000 on the button to claim the pot.
Dario Sammartino then made it 90,000 to go and Muehloecker called in the big blind. The duo checked down the flop and turn before Muehloecker check-folded the river.
John Juanda defended his big blind against a raise to 85,000 by Stuer, but also quickly check-folded the flop.
Two hands after, Stuer opened to 85,000 in the small blind and Muehloecker shoved to force a fold.
Dario Sammartino raised to 90,000 under the gun, Julian Stuer three-bet to 325,000 from the small blind and Thomas Muehloecker cold four-bet shoved 1,100,000 from the big blind.
Sammartino looked at Muehloecker, then at Steur and then mucked his hand with a solemn look on his face. Stuer instantly called with and Muehloecker tabled . After the flop it was already a chopped pot and the players divided Sammartino's chips.
After the hand, Sammartino claimed to have folded which would have been the winner.
Julian Stuer tried to bully John Juanda off a pot on the board and Juanda check-called the bet of 225,000 on the river after both previous streets were checked. Juanda called and Stuer mucked.
Then, Stuer raised to 80,000 and Dario Sammartino three-bet to 260,000 in the small blind. Juanda folded the big blind and Stuer moved all in, Sammartino snap-called for 1,300,000.
Dario Sammartino:
Julian Stuer:
The flop changed nothing much, and Sammartino all but locked up the hand with the on the turn. However, there was that danger of a flush draw and Sammartino was not celebrating yet, as if he knew what lady luck was up to. Sure enough, the on the river gave Stuer a flush and Sammartino a brutal exit in 4th place for €384,340. Stuer increased his lead even further, and all three remaining players have €471,400 guaranteed.
After a few hands without any showdown, Thomas Muehloecker had built his stack to around 1,200,000 while Julian Stuer kept either raising or open-shoving into both short stacks. Then, Stuer raised to 100,000 and Muehloecker three-bet shoved out of the small blind for 24 big blinds. John Juanda folded and Stuer called.
Julian Stuer:
Thomas Muchloecker:
The flop of failed to improve Muehloecker, and he was in need of an eight after the turn, as Stuer had improved to a straight. Instead, it was the blank and Muehloecker was eliminated in 3rd place for €471,400. Juanda has at least €683,900 guaranteed and has to overcome a more than 6-1 lead of Stuer to claim the title.
John Juanda is now at 2,4 million after dragging one medium-sized pot. Juanda held pocket aces and checked back a low flop. Julian Stuer had and bet two streets with the worst hand after a queen hit the turn.