The 2023 PokerStars European Poker Tour Monte Carlo is underway! The EPT has been visiting Monte Carlo for years, and this year's edition has the potential to be the most memorable yet, with a large number of participants expected. The exclusive principality on the Mediterranean Sea is sure to attract poker players from far and wide this spring.
However, as always, EPTs are not just about poker. The EPT will provide a full range of activities for players and their guests, ensuring that there is always something to do, whether you are at the poker table or not.
Mike Watson opened to 7,000 from the cutoff before Steve O'Dwyer reraised to 25,000 from the button. Mikita Badziakouski then made it 58,000 to go from the big blind. After using up his last time chip, Watson five-bet jammed for 206,000, which prompted O'Dwyer to move all in as the covering stack.
Badziakouski peeked at his cards once more and decided to fold.
Mike Watson: 10♣10♠
Steve O'Dwyer: Q♣Q♦
Watson was in trouble and drawing to two immediate outs. No help arrived on the K♣9♥4♦K♠4♣ runout and Watson was eliminated.
Badziakouski chatted with Orpen Kisacikoglu as the hand played out and he informed his table neighbour that he folded pocket jacks.
After the hand, the players were sent on their final 20-minute break of the day. However, Timothy Adams will not be returning to a stack as he was also eliminated just before the break began.
Isaac Haxton raised from late position and Kayhan Mokri reraised from the hijack. Haxton called.
The flop came 4♥8♥Q♣. Haxton checked and Mokri bet 21,000. Haxton put in the check-raise to 55,000 and Mokri called. The turn was the J♦ and Haxton led for 65,000. Mokri called again.
The river came the K♠. Haxton thought for a while, his hands visibly shaking as he pushed his chips into the middle. He was all in with just a few more than Mokri.
"I don't think this is foldable," said Mokri before quickly making the call. Haxton turned over A♥5♥ for a missed flush draw that he had turned into a bluff on the river. Mokri showed K♥Q♦ for top two pair and scooped the double up.
Haxton was down to just 1,500 chips. The next hand, he threw them in the middle from under the gun. Mokri raised it up to 7,500 and the rest of the table folded. Players flipped their cards.
Isaac Haxton: 9♠3♠
Kayhan Mokri: 4♥4♦
The board ran out J♦2♠J♥5♠10♠. The river completed Haxton's flush and he doubled his chips and added the blinds to his stack. He's still super short with just a couple of big blinds behind, but at least survives to make the break and give it a shot when he returns.
A few hands after doubling his short stack, Joao Vieira min-raised from under the gun and was called by Jean-Noel Thorel in the small blind and Nick Petrangelo in the big blind.
The flop came K♦J♥7♦. Action checked to Vieira, who continued for 7,000. Thorel folded and Petrangelo called. The turn was the 2♥. Petrangelo checked and Vieira made it 13,000 to go, which Petrangelo called.
The river was the A♦. Petrangelo moved all in and Vieira used two time banks before making the call.
Petrangelo showed 10♣9♦ for a missed straight and Vieira showed K♥J♦ for top two pair.
With that, Vieira doubled up once again, his stack no longer critically short.
Joao Vieira was under the gun and looking down at a short stack. He made the shove for around 22,000 chips. Seth Davies was the only player who made the call. The two players flipped their cards, with Viera at risk of elimination.
Joao Vieira: A♣3♣
Seth Davies: J♥J♣
Vieira was behind against Davies' pocket jacks. However, the board ran out 4♣5♥4♥A♠4♦ to give him a pair of aces on the turn and a full house on the river. He doubled up and survived to see another round.
The very next hand, Vieira was in the big blind. Action folded to Jean-Noel Thorel, who raised from the button. Vieira shoved all in for around 48,000 and Thorel made the fold.
Action folded around to Christoph Vogelsang on the button, who raised to 7,000. Stephen Chidwick three-bet to 30,000 from the small blind and Vogelsang called.
The flop fell 9♦6♦5♣. Chidwick checked and Vogelsang bet 23,000, which Chidwick called. The turn was the A♣ and Chidwick led out 35,000, which Vogelsang called.
The river was the 3♠ and both players checked their option. Chidwick showed K♣9♣ for a flopped pair of nines. Vogelsang made the fold and Chidwick continued to chip up. He is now one of the chip leaders with around 600,000.
Daniel Dvoress opened to 7,000 from under the gun and Joao Vieira called from the cutoff. Seth Davies three-bet to 26,000 from the small blind and only Dvoress called.
Dvoress called for 17,000 on the K♣9♦6♠ flop before action checked through on the 7♠ turn and 7♦ river to showdown.
Davies tabled his K♦J♦ for a kings and sevens and Dvoress mucked upon seeing Davies' holdings.