€10,600 Main Event Dia 1b | 2014 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final

2014-04-28 00:46 UTC+2

Latz Tops Day 1b of PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final Main Event

Nível 8 : 300/600, 75 ante

It was a packed tournament room here at the PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final Main Event in the Salles des Etoiles room at Le Sporting with numbers considerably exceeding the 214 from Day 1a. The day kicked off with 300 players registered and ready to go, but that grew as the day went on. At the end of four levels of play there were 406 registered, and by close of play that would reach 427.

Last year 531 players entered to compete for a €1,224,000 first place prize. This year’s Grand Final has surpassed that as the 427 from Day 1b added to the 214 we had yesterday makes 641, already 110 players more than last year! Registration is still open and will remain open until the start of play tomorrow, so anticipate that number to grow even more.

After eight 75 minute levels of play on Day 1b it is German PokerStars player Hendrik Latz who leads the way with 191,600. Latz is closely followed by Davidi Kitai from Belgium who has 173,100 and hot on his heels is the Russian Vladimir Troyanovskiy with 172,000.

There was the expected show of force from Team PokerStars Pros who were represented by Daniel Negreanu, Chris Moneymaker, Barry Greenstein, Eugene Katchalov, Ivan Demidov , Johnny Lodden, Liv Boeree, Christophe De Meulder, Nacho Barbero, Juan Manuel Pastor , Angel Guillen, Andre Akkari, Humberto Brenes and David Williams.

In addition to that stellar line up some of the other big names in poker turned up to play including Phil Ivey, John Juanda, Sam Trickett, Scott Seiver and online phenom and Full Tilt Professional Viktor “Isildur1” Blom. The Swede ended up sitting to the right of Lodden and Annette Obrestad so it was a tough table draw for the online pro at the Scandi-heavy table, though all three managed to make it through the night.

The appearance of Obrestad stirred a lot of media attention and she and fellow Norwegian Lodden got off to a great start. In Level 2, Obrestad eliminated a player and doubled up, and shortly thereafter by Lodden did the same.

Phil Ivey didn’t seem to get involved in any huge pots but remained active, picking up chips where he could playing the game as only he knows how. PokerNews Senior News Editor Chad Holloway watched the great man play an orbit to see just how he goes about his business. Ivey ended the day with 50,800.

Liv Boeree played some fearless poker but ended up with a disappointing 6,200, though that was still better than some other Team PokerStars Pros. Negreanu went out pretty early in a set-over-set cooler and Jason Mercier was eliminated from the tournament when he found his was no good all in on a flop of against the of Nikolay Baranov. The turn and river failed to come to his rescue. Other Team Pros who fell today included Leo Fernandez and Christophe de Meulder.

The surviving 241 players return tomorrow along with any last minute hopefuls who decide to buy in. When registration closes and the final entries have been confirmed, the prizepool will be announced and the players will know just how much money they are competing for alongside the fantastic trophy and the title.

Be sure to join the PokerNews Live Reporting team from Noon local time tomorrow when we will bring you up-to-the-minute coverage as they begin the second stage of the tournament. Join us then and throughout the week as we make our way to the final table and the crowning of the final champion of the season.

In the meantime check out this video where Scott Seiver, who fell on Day 1b, talks to Jennifer Robles about his win last night at the €5k PLO Tournament.

https://www.pokernews.com/video/ept10-grand-final-scott-seiver-wins-the-plo-for-57-000-euros-8623.htm

Tags: Hendrik Latz

2014-04-27 23:49 UTC+2

The Super High Roller Champ is Eliminated

Nível 8 : 300/600, 75 ante

Yesterday, Daniel Colman, a 23-year-old from the United States who plays online under the name “mrGR33N13,” topped a field of 62 entries (50 unique, 12 reentries) to win the €1,539,300 first-place prize in the 2014 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino European Poker Tour Grand Final €100,000 Super High Roller. Today, Colman was looking to make a run at the Main Event title, but those hopes were just crushed.

Colman was clinging to a short stack of around 8,000 when he decided to commit it from middle position. France's Apostolos Chantzis looked him up from the cutoff, and after the rest of the players folded, Colman discovered the bad news.

Chantzis:
Colman:

Colman had a kicker issue, but it was solved when the flop paired his nine. However, Chantzis did flop a flush draw. The dealer burned and turned the . It wasn't a diamond, but it was just as good as it gave Chantzis back the lead with kings.

Colman needed a nine on the river to stay alive, but it was not meant to be as the blanked on the river.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Daniel Colman	Eliminado

Tags: Apostolos Chantzis Daniel Colman

2014-04-27 23:31 UTC+2

An Orbit With Clements, Boeree and Katchalov

Webjoker

Nível 8 : 300/600, 75 ante

Of course, we're interested in all players in this tournament and want to report on all big bluffs, huge coolers and want to follow all players with insane fancy play syndrome. But we have to start somewhere in a huge field as this, and familiar faces is where we begin on starting days like todays.

Table 29 has three players who have our special interest. Team PokerStars Pro's Eugene Katchalov and Liv Boeree share that table with Scott Clements, a player who's known by insiders as one of the best. He doesn't come over to Europe for any small tournament though. Just the bigger buy ins get him on a plane over here, and that's why he's here today because the EPT Grand Final is one of the biggest.

We grabbed an entire orbit of play at this interesting table. Take a look with us:

Hand 1) Eugene Katchalov limped for 500 under the gun plus two. Liv Boeree over limped and the cutoff, button and small blind joined in as well. Scott Clements in the big blind squeezed to 3,100 and everyone but the cutoff folded.

Clements continued his aggression with a 3,800 on . The cutoff folded and Clements took it down.

Hand 2) Liv Boeree opened in middle position for 1,200 and the big blind made the call. The big blind checked on and Boeree fired a 1,200 continuation bet. The big blind folded and it they were on to the next hand.

Hand 3) Eugene Katchalov min raised under the gun for 1,000 and one player behind him called. on the flop and Katchalov check-folded to a 1,200 bet by his opponent.

Hand 4) With the blinds now going up, a player in middle position opened for 1,500 and another player three-bet to 2,600. Eugene katchaov in the big blind had not all that much left, but called anyway. The initial raiser called as well and they saw a three way flop. All three of them checked the -flop, the -turn and -river. Katchalov tabled and both opponents folded.

Hand 5) The player under the gun made it 1,200 and someone in middle position, and the cutoff called. Katchalov in the small blind did the same and the big blind came along as well. On Katcahlov and the big blind checked to the initial raiser who bet out 3,800. Everyone folded.

Hand 6) A player in middle position opened for 1,350 and the cutoff, small blind, and Boeree in the big blind called.

On both blinds checked to the initial raiser who made a c-bet. One player called and Boeree in the big blind made the call as well. The turn came the and Boeree and the player with the initiative checked. The third player bet out and both players folded.

Hand 7) The player under the gun made it 1,350 to go and Scott Clements right next to him made the call. They were heads up to the flop where appeared. The initial raiser bet 1,350 and Clements made the call. The fell on the turn and the initial raiser checked. Clements bet out 3,600 and the call followed. The pre flop aggressor check called another 9,300 on the river, but couldn't beat Clements' flopped trips with .

Hand 8) The player under the gun made it 1,500 and Daniel Engels in the cutoff and the player in the small blind made the call.

on the flop and the small blind checked. The initial raiser bet out 2,700 and Engels called, the small blind folded. The fell on the turn and the initial raiser checked to Engels who bet 3,800. The call followed and the initial raiser check called another 9,800 on the river. Engels had just to show for, the pot went to the initial raiser who tabled .

Hand 9) The player under the gun plus two raised it up to 1,300 and everyone folded.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Scott Clements	105,000	21,500
Eugene Katchalov	20,000	6,300
Liv Boeree	12,150	-3,850

Tags: Eugene Katchalov Liv Boeree Scott Clements

2014-04-27 22:58 UTC+2

Habernig Runs Into a Brickwell

Nível 8 : 300/600, 75 ante

Earlier in the day we told you about Matthis Habernig.

Back in 2010, the then 19-year-old Habernig from Klagenfurt, Austria made poker headlines when he topped a field of 364 players to win the Latin American Poker Tour Season III Florianopolis Main Event for $247,491. As if things couldn’t get any better, Habernig was back at a LAPT final table a month later. That’s when he navigated a field of 258 players to make the final table of the LAPT Season 3 Grand Finale in Rosario, Argentina. He ultimately took sixth place for $49,400.

Habernig has flown under the poker spotlight since as he finishes his university studies, but he decided to play a little poker in Monaco. Unfortunately, his time in the Grand Final came to an end in the penultimate level of Day 1b.

We missed his final hand, but Dermot Blain was kind enough to fill us in on the details. According to him, an under-the-gun player opened for 1,100 and Habernig called. Germany's Daniel Brickwell then three-bet to 3,500, the original raiser folded, and Habernig four-bet it to 9,000. Brickwell moved all in and Habernig called off for 22,000 total.

Habernig:
Brickwell:

Habernig was in dire straits, but he got lucky when the flop gave him a full house. A third on the turn meant Brickwell could catch either the case ten or one of the two remaining kings to win, and unfortunately for the young Austrian, a spiked on the river.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Matthias Habernig	Eliminado

Tags: Daniel Brickwell Matthias Habernig

2014-04-27 22:21 UTC+2

Geilich Primed to Continue His Stellar Year

Nível 7 : 250/500, 50 ante

Some big stacks are beginning to emerge here in the penultimate level of the night, and Ludovic Geilich is one of them. Earlier this month, Geilich, who plays online under "ludovi333," notched a Super Tuesday win for $101,325.13 following a four-handed deal at the final table. That online score came less than a year after Geilich won the PokerStars UKIPT Marbella Main Event for €130,000.

In a recent hand, four players each put in 1,100 preflop to see a flop of . All four checked, and then they did the same on the turn. When the completed the board on the river, Kirill Shugai checked from the small blind and Geilich bet 5,500 from the big. Team PokerStars Pro Christophe de Meulder called from the hijack, and then Hao Tian folded from the button followed by Shugai.

Geilich rolled over the for a rivered two pair, and it was good as de Meulder simply shook his head and then sent his cards to the muck.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Ludovic Geilich	200,000	15,000
Christophe de Meulder	15,500	-4,500

Tags: Ludovic Geilich

2014-04-27 22:07 UTC+2

Step One Completed

Webjoker

Nível 7 : 250/500, 50 ante

When we arrived at Farrell's table we were just in time to catch the cards and board, while [Removed:17] was counting out chips to hand them to his Scottish opponent.

Farrell later told us that he had shoved allin before the flop with from late position. Yan in the small blind made the call, while the big blind was sitting out. Yan had and had made the call. The board had ran out and Farrell doubled.

"Step One completed of my master plan" he said. "Of your master plan for world domination?" we asked. "For my master plan to take over the world" he added. Farrell, who won the FTOPS Main Event for $236,232 just a week ago, is still short, but on his way back.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
[Removed:17]	14,000	-18,500
Niall Farrell	13,200	-49,800

Tags: Niall Farrell

2014-04-27 21:54 UTC+2

Finger Eliminated

Webjoker

Nível 7 : 250/500, 50 ante

Martin Finger (in the €100,000 Super High Roller earlier this week)

EPT Prague Champion Martin Finger was just seen talking to some people who were still sitting at their tables playing the tournament. He was talking just a little bit too long with these gentlemen for him to be just sitting out a couple of hands. We asked him if he indeed was eliminated and he was kind enough to tell us the details of his bust out.

Finger had opened with pocket aces from early position and Ludovic Geilich on the button, who won one of the side events during the EPT in Vienna a couple of weeks ago, was the sole caller.

Finger made a continuation bet on -rainbow and Geilich, who had been playing just about every pot according to Finger, made the call. Finger, who had started the hand with 27,000, bet another 3,900 once the popped up on the turn giving him top set. Geilich instantly called.

The river was a and Finger checked. Geilich then snap shoved all in and Finger made the call, only to see him Geilich turn over for the straight.

We might see Finger, who played the €100,000 Super High Roller earlier this week as well, again in the €25,000 High Roller later this week.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Martin Finger	Eliminado

Tags: Ludovic Geilic Martin Finger

2014-04-27 21:39 UTC+2

An Orbit w/ the Best Poker Player in the World -- Phil Ivey

Nível 7 : 250/500, 50 ante

It's ironic that Phil Ivey is yawning in the picture. That's because we're accustomed to our orbits being rather boring, but the ten hands we just spent with Ivey were anything but.

Ivey is largely considered the best poker player in the world, so we thought it wise to spend some time observing him in the hopes of discovering what makes him so good. Well, when you win 40% of the hands we watch — and 100% of the hands you play — it helps explain a lot.

Here are the ten hands we spent with Ivey just before the dinner break on Day 1b of the 2014 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final €10,600 Main Event.

Hand #1 (Middle Position): Ivey opened for 900 when action folded to him and Vasili Firsau, who was in the big blind, decided to defend. The flop saw Firsau check-call a bet of 1,300, and then both players checked the turn. Action repeated itself on the river and Firsau showed he had missed a straight with the . Ivey then tabled the to win the pot.

Hand #2 (Middle Position): Once again Ivey opened for 900, and the player to his left called. Firsau came along from the small blind and three players took a flop of . Firsau checked, Ivey bet 1,500, and both his opponents folded. Back-to-back wins for the superstar.

Hand #3 (Early Position): Ivey folded.

Hand #4 (Early Position): Sam Cohen raised under the gun and Ivey folded.

Hand #5 (Under the Gun): Ivey folded.

Hand #6 (Big Blind): A player in early position limped, Oliver Price raised to 1,100, and Ivey folded when action reached him.

Hand #7 (Small Blind): Price opened for 900 under the gun and received two called. Ivey then three-bet to 5,000 from the small blind and inspired all his opponents to fold.

Hand #8 (Button): Ivey folded to a raise in front of him.

Hand #9 (Cutoff): Action folded to Ivey and he followed suit.

Hand #10 (Hijack): Action folded to Ivey and this time he raised to 900, which Team PokerStars Pro Ville Wahlbeck called from the big blind. The flop came down and Wahlbeck ended up check-folding to a bet of 1,000.

Ivey finished the orbit with right around 67,000.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Phil Ivey	67,500	21,500

Tags: Phil Ivey

2014-04-27 20:05 UTC+2

Ausmus Ousted

Nível 6 : 200/400, 50 ante

We saw World Series of Poker bracelet winner and former October Niner Jeremy Ausmus walking out of the tournament room with his backpack in tow, but before he left he was kind enough to inform us of some specifics.

According to him, an aggressive player opened for 1,000 under the gun and another player called. A third player then three-bet to 2,900, Ausmus four-bet to 5,000 with , and only the three-bettor called to see a flop of with two clubs. Both players checked and the dealer burned and turned the .

Ausmus' opponent moved all in, and Ausmus called off his last 10,000. Unfortunately for him, his opponent was head with and the river failed to produce another jack.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Jeremy Ausmus	Eliminado

Tags: Jeremy Ausmus

2014-04-27 17:38 UTC+2

Set-Over-Set Flop Puts an Early End to Negreanu's Day

Nível 4 : 100/200, 25 ante

Daniel Negreanu doesn't tend to bust from tournaments too early, but of course a set-over-set flop will throw a wrench in anyone's well-laid plans. Unfortunately Negreanu just found that out in one of the most prestigious events of the year.

We didn't catch the action, which transpired at the tail end of Level 4, until the river with about 7,000 in the pot and a board reading . The Team PokerStars Pro bet 3,600 from the big blind, and World Series of Poker Europe bracelet winner Roger Hairabedian put in a big raise from the under-the-gun position.

Negreanu, who had 5,375 back, called off and tabled the . Unfortunately for him, "Big Roger" had flopped a bigger set with the , which of course turned into quads.

Negreanu, who was receiving a massage, laughed at his misfortune and then said to the masseuse in a friendly tone, "Ok, finish it up."

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Roger Hairabedian	42,000	22,000
Daniel Negreanu	Eliminado

Tags: Roger Hairabedian