| Buy-In: | $7,116 + $427 |
|---|---|
| Prize Pool: | $5,500,683 |
| Entrants: | 773 |
If there was a defining hand of the EPT Berlin main event final, it came just 20 minutes into the day’s play. With short stacks making up the bulk of the landscape the two big stacks, Ben Wilinofsky and Maximilian Heinzelmann, were expected to simply knock them aside. Instead, they put their chips on a collision course, the result changing the whole dynamic of the final. Suddenly one man had a monopoly, the fun-loving, cocksure firebrand, and new EPT Berlin winner, Ben Wilinofsky.
From that moment Wilinofsky never looked back, using his cavalier start to maintain, not only a control over the game, but of the conversation. The 22-year-old, who looks not unlike a Dog Day Afternoon Pacino, used cheek and expertise to put others on the back foot, never letting them alone with their thoughts long enough to re-organise, even greeting his heads-up opponent Maximilian Heinzelmann with a handshake and the good-natured throwaway line; “You’re so dead.”
Heinzelmann had been the David to Wilinofsky’s Goliath. His was a spirited heads-up fight back, going into the duel with a 70-30 disadvantage and sling-shotting his way to within a double-up of the lead.
But the task was simply too great. Wilinofsky had already proven himself in the online arena; this was his chance to prove himself, in front of his peers, in the live tournament world.
The result was a win for goliath; his first EPT title, his first EPT cash, his first live cash full stop, with his infamous empty Hendon Mob database page now updated to the tune of a single €825,000 cash, one of the biggest anywhere in the world.
The final result:
1st – Ben Wilanofsky, Canada, PokerStars qualifier, €825,000
2nd – Maximilian Heinzelmann, Germany, €500,000
3rd – Vadzim Kursevich, Belorussian, €300,000
4th – Martin Jacobson, Sweden, PokerStars qualifier, €230,000
5th – Armin Mette, Germany, €180,000
6th – Darren Kramer, South Africa, €140,000
7th – Joep van den Bijgaart, Holland, Team PokerStars Pro, €100,000
8th – Jonas Gutteck, Germany, €66,000
Given the terrain his opposition had to choose their moments carefully, jostling between themselves for the dubious honour of going first.
After a little more than an hour of play Jonas Gutteck got his chips in. Handicapped by the short stack, Gutteck had been treading water until the sight of J
9 became one he had no choice but to side with. Heinzelmann though had found kings, got another on the flop and a fourth on the turn, sending Gutteck out in eight place, earning €66,000.
Play then took on its previous shape, all-ins not called and short stacks growing increasingly desperate. Team PokerStars Pro Joep van den Bijgaart was all too familiar with this, moving in, pulling his sweater up to partially hide his face, and eventually getting a call from Wilinofsky.
Van Den Bijgaart showed ace-five, but the board turned Wilinofsky’s king-jack into two pairs, sending the Dutch pro out with €100,000. Five minutes later Darren Kramer joined him on the rail; Vadzim Kursevich dispatching the South African when he flopped a set with pocket sevens. Kramer gone with €140,000.
Armin Mette had done well to survive so long. Another short stack (only Wilinofsky had been able to claim otherwise), his move with pocket deuces ran into Wilinofsky’s ace-king, the ace pairing on the flop, tripping on the turn, and quading on the river; four bullets to dispatch Mette in fourth, earning €230,000.
It was then time for the Martin Jacobson saga to come to an end, at least its Berlin chapter.
Jacobson’s performances this season have been well documented, with EPT Berlin marking his third final table of the season, following his two second place finishes in Vilamoura and Deauville. The poker world tuned in to watch the young Swede take on his bridesmaid curse.
Martin Jacobson
It was a big ask, what with Wilinofsky in the way. But Jacobson’s efforts had been superlative, his instinct and timing near perfect; never careless or reckless, and his mouth unconsciously hanging open as he processed every decision.
Ultimately Vadzim Kursevich sent Jacobson to the rail, his pocket sixes toppling the Swede’s ace-king. “I’m not bummed by coming fourth,” he said. “It would have been worse to lose heads-up.”
The duty of losing heads-up would be left to Heinzelmann, when Kursevich, who was no pushover, fell in third. Exhausted looking, either through fatigue or genetics, he got his chips in on the flop with top pair, only for Wilinofsky show him a straight. The Belorussian was out in third place, earning €300,000.
The rest, well you can read about that at the links below:
26 (cont.), 27 & 28 updates
Level 29, 30 & 31 updates
Congratulations to Ben Wilinofsky for winning a first EPT title, a Shambala bracelet and entry not only into the EPT Grand Final, but a seat in the Champion of Champions event in Madrid next month.
That’s all from the European Poker Tour in Berlin. As always you can read the account of today in both German and Dutch, and find details of everyone who cashed in Berlin on the prizewinners and payout page. If you’re still looking for some live tournament poker, check out the coverage from Uncasville, where the NAPT Mohegan Sun event is in full Day 2 swing.
That’s all from us. The EPT takes a short break as it loads up its wagons for the journey south to San Remo, on the Italian Riviera. It’s one of the most picturesque places in the world to play poker, one not to be missed. Wilinofsky will be there, as will we, bringing live coverage of the main event starting on Wednesday 27th April.
Until then, it’s goodnight from Berlin.
This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.
4.42pm: Four-bet squeeze
Ben Wilinofsky has just has made a great move to pick up 840,000 after cold four-betting out of the big blind. Max Heinzelmann had opened for 200,000 and had been three-bet by Vadzim Kursevich to 440,000. Wilinofsky came over the top for 1,075,000 and both players passed. Wiliinofsky is up to 10,235,000.
The next hand Heinzelmann limped from the small blind and Martin Jacobson shoved from the big blind. Heinzelmann passed. Jacobson in third position with 3,300,000. — RD
4.34pm: Wilinofsky gets shoved on again
Martin Jacobson has shoved on Ben Wilinofsky for the second time in two orbits. Last time the shove got through and it worked again. Wilinofsky raised to 200,000 and folded when Jacobson moved all-in for 2,455,000 chips. — MC
4.28pm: Quick one
On a flop of 6
78 Martin Jacobson and Vadzim Kursevich checked for a turn card 4
where Jacobson took the pot with a bet of 285,000. — SB
4.22pm: No post flop confrontation
The play has nitted up after those two swift eliminations as the players get their heads around the new dynamic. And just as soon as I wrote that Martin Jacobson shoved for 1,905,000 over the top of Max Heinzelmann’s 200,000 small blind raise. — RD
4.13pm: Darren Kramer eliminated in sixth place (€140,000)
Darren Kramer was the second player to fall in a short space of time as the structure has really started to catch up with the short stacks.
Vadzim Kursevich raised to 210,000 from the button and called when the man from South Africa moved all-in for 1,330,000 chips.
Kursevich: 77
Kramer: A9
The board ran 271025 to make a full house for the Belorussian to boost him up to around 5,550,000. Kramer didn’t to anything wrong today, he just found himself on the wrong end of a couple of situations that played themselves. — MC
4.01pm: Joep van den Bijgaart out in seventh place (€100,000)
Joep van den Bijgaart becomes our seventh place finisher, moving in for 540,000, just five big blinds, with A5 form the small blind. Ben Wilinofsky was in the big blind and called with KJ.
The pair stood to watch the board come QJ3K2. A handshake and Van den Bijgaart was gone, earning €100,000. — SB
4pm: Jacobson pushes
PokerStars qualifier Martin Jacobson was just all-in but found no callers. The pot opened with a 200,000 raise from early position but was folded when the Swede shoved for 1,535,000 from the cut-off.
The shove looked strong as Joep van den Bijgaart is so short (about five big blinds) that Jacobson would have some laddering-ICM-(Independent Chip Model)-type thoughts among his calculations. — MC
3.57pm: You win
Darren Kramer opened under-the-gun for 210,000 and was shoved on by Martin Jacobson for an additional 1,175,000 from the small blind.
You’d expect a pretty instant decision in this spot but Kramer had to take some time before mucking his hand and telling Jacobson: “You win, you win.” Jacobson up to nearly 2,000,000. — RD
3.52pm: Kramer doubles
Darren Kramer is next to move in and next to double up, shoving after a Vadzim Kursevich bet under-the-gun. Kursevich called, making a 1,890,000 pot.
AQ for Kramer, 99 for Kursevich and a board of 610A3K. – SB
3.50pm: Another one for Kursevich
Vadzim Kursevich taken another pot, albeit a small one. He raised from second position and Maximilian Heinzelmann defended from the big blind. Both checked the flop before Heinzelmann check folded to a 300,000 bet when the board read 710JK. — MC
3.45pm: Kursevich all-in
Vadzim Kursevich is back to where he started at the start of the day, moving up to more than 4,000,000 after moving all-in against Ben Wilinofsky.
Kursevich opened for 210,000 which Wilinofsky raised to 465,000. Kursevich went for his chips and moved all-in for 2,270,000. Call.
Kursevich showed AK against Wilinofsky’s JJ. They braced for the board.
8106K9
The turn changed the tournament for Kursevich. He doubles. Wilinofsky still good for 8,375,000. – SB
3.42pm: Raise and take
The past three hands have all been won with preflop raises. Two of them went to Vadzim Kursevich after he raised from the small blind and then from the cut-off two hands later. The pot in between went to Maximilian Heinzelmann after his early position raise got through. — MC
3.40pm: First hand back
“It’s a handsome wager, my friend,” said Ben Wilinofsky to Max Heinzelmann.
Wilinofsky had opened to 200,000 from the cut-off and was shoved on by Heinzelmann from the button for 3,000,000. Wilinofsky thought that his hand wasn’t attractive enough and passed his hand. Heinzelmann is up to 3,300,000. — RD
3.35pm: Play restarts
Play continues with blinds at 50,000-100,000 with a 10,000 ante.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in Berlin (in order of whatever you want): Marc Convey, Rick Dacey and Stephen Bartley
This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.
6.41pm: Vadzim Kursevich eliminated in third place, earning €300,000
The EPT Berlin main event is heads-up after the elimination of Vadzim Kursevich in third place.
In a slow burner of a hand, Kursevich opened for 370,000 from the small blind which Ben Wilinofsky called for a flop of JKQ. Kursevich bet another 450,000 which Wilinofsky considered before raising to 1,125,000. Now it was Kursevich’s turn to think. He did. He moved all-in. Wilinofsky called, making it a 9,700,000 pot.
109 for Wilinofsky
AK for Kursevich.
Wilinofsky had flopped the straight while Kursevich needed a ten for the straight. The turn came 6, the river A.
Wilinofsky, looking remarkably more serious than he was earlier, now has more than 16,000,000 chips with which to take on Maximilian Heinzelmann for the EPT Berlin title. – SB
6.30pm: Kursevich wins huge flip
Vadzim Kursevich has just won a massive flip with A10 to Ben Wilinofsky’s KJ to stay alive and bring all three remaining players close to one another.
Kursevich open-shoved the button for 2,545,000 and put Wilinofsky to a tough decision. The Canadian moved all-in and Max Heinzelmann moved out the way. Kursevich banged top pair on the 1048 flop and Wilinofsky failed to catch up.
That brings Kursevich up to 5,240,000, Wilinofsky down to 10,340,000. Heinzelmann sits on 7,430,000. — RD
6.20pm: Martin Jacobson out in fourth place
The latest chapter of Martin Jacobson’s amazing year on the EPT has come to a close in fourth place.
Jacobson opened the pot before Maximilian Heinzelmann shoved. Jacobson called in a flash showing AK against the German’s 66.
The board ran 55327. Jacobson shook hands with Heinzelmann who just ended the Sweden’s quest to win a first title after finishing second twice this season alone. Heinzelmann up to around 7,480,000 chips. Jacobson out, earning €230,000. – SB
6.15pm: Jacobson shoving
Max Heinzelmann opened from the cut-off and was shoved on by Martin Jacobson from the button. The Swede took the pot and continued his run towards a third second place finish of this EPT season. — RD
6.05pm: Jacobson caught squeezing?
An interesting hand just played out that had all four players committing chips pre-flop. Ben Wilinofsky opened the pot with a raise and was flat called by Maximilian Heinzelmann before Martin Jacobson three-bet from the small blind. Vadzim Kursevich was in the big blind and stared down Jacobson before moving all-in.
The next hand Jacobson’s play couldn’t be exploited as he open shoved and got no takers. — MC
5.55pm: Mette out
Martin Jacobson opened for 240,000 in early position before Armin Metter moved all-in for 2,175,000 in the small blind. Ben Wilinofsky paused and after checking numbers announced that he was all-in too, eliciting an immediate fold form Jacobson.
Mette turned over 22, up against Wilinofsky’s AK.
The Canadian has paid off a few double ups today but this time finally got his turn, the board coming 54AAA.
Wilinofsky up to 12,945,000 chips. Mette out in fifth place, earning €180,000. — SB
5.45pm: State of play
That last double up by Max Heinzelmann has changed the dynamic.
Seat 1. Max Heinzelmann – 4,910,000
Seat 2. Martin Jacobson – 3,285,000
Seat 3. Vadzim Kursevich – 2,500,000
Seat 4. Armin Mette – 2,555,000
Seat 5. Ben Wilinofsky – 9,880,000
Had Wilinofsky won that pot he would have had close to 15,000,000, and would have stood ready to steamroll this final table. As it stands he is still some way ahead of his closest rival, Heinzelmann, who does have position on the Canadian. — RD
5.42pm: Heinzelmann will settle for a double-up
Maximilian Heinzelmann is up to nearly 5,000,000 chips after doubling through chip leader Ben Wilinofsky. Wilinofsky raised from the button and called when his German opponent shoved from the small blind.
Wilinofsky: KQ
Heinzelmann: 33
The board ran 34102K to make Heinzelmann a set on the flop. It’s game back on now as he jumps into second spot in the chip counts. — MC
5.38pm: Wilinofsky wins some more
Ben Wilinofsky just moved up to 12,260,000 in a hand against Vadzim Kursevich who had opened the pot fro 240,000 in early position. Wilinofsky called from the big blind, as did Maximilian Heinzelmann from the small blind for a flop of 284.
The action was checked to Kursevich who bet 375,000. Wilinofsky called while Heinzelmann stepped aside before the 4 turn. That was checked, as was the 6 river. Wilinofsky announced ace-high (he had ace-jack) which was enough to top Kursevich, who mucked.
Wilinofsky up to 12,260,000 while Kursevich drops to 2,500,000. – SB
5.30pm: To the flop but no more and then an all-in
PokerStars qualifier Ben Wilinofsky raised from the button and Martin Jacobson defended his big blind to see the K34 flop. It wasn’t the sort of flop he was looking for as he quickly check-folded to a c-bet from Wilinofsky.
The next hand Wilinofsky raised to 240,000 but folded to a Armin Mette shove. — MC
5.25pm: Heinzelmann shoves again
Ben Wilinofsky opened for 240,000 and Max Heinzelmann moved over the top all-in, and not for the first time. Heinzelmann has been up and down this final table, he’s certainly not afraid to get his chips in. Wilinofsky passed. — RD
5.15pm: Folding
A slow start to the level. Some pre-flop action but nothing beyond.
5.07pm: Cards in the air
Play restarts with blinds at 60,000-120,000 with a 15,000 ante.
4.52pm: Another big win for Wilinofsky
On the last hand before the break Ben Wilinofsky raked another big pot away from Vadzim Kursevich.
Kursevich had opened from the button and was called by Wilinofsky in the big blind who led 235,000 into the 10Q7 flop, 425,000 into the 10 turn and a huge 975,000 into the 3 river. Kursevich tank-folded to drop down to 3,375,000 while Wilinofsky surges ahead, yet again, with 11,500,000.
Fifteen minute break. — RD
4.42pm: Four-bet squeeze
Ben Wilinofsky has just has made a great move to pick up 840,000 after cold four-betting out of the big blind. Max Heinzelmann had opened for 200,000 and had been three-bet by Vadzim Kursevich to 440,000. Wilinofsky came over the top for 1,075,000 and both players passed. Wiliinofsky is up to 10,235,000.
The next hand Heinzelmann limped from the small blind and Martin Jacobson shoved from the big blind. Heinzelmann passed. Jacobson in third position with 3,300,000. — RD
4.34pm: Wilinofsky gets shoved on again
Martin Jacobson has shoved on Ben Wilinofsky for the second time in two orbits. Last time the shove got through and it worked again. Wilinofsky raised to 200,000 and folded when Jacobson moved all-in for 2,455,000 chips. — MC
4.28pm: Quick one
On a flop of 678 Martin Jacobson and Vadzim Kursevich checked for a turn card 4 where Jacobson took the pot with a bet of 285,000. — SB
4.22pm: No post flop confrontation
The play has nitted up after those two swift eliminations as the players get their heads around the new dynamic. And just as soon as I wrote that Martin Jacobson shoved for 1,905,000 over the top of Max Heinzelmann’s 200,000 small blind raise. — RD
4.13pm: Darren Kramer eliminated in sixth place (€140,000)
Darren Kramer was the second player to fall in a short space of time as the structure has really started to catch up with the short stacks.
Vadzim Kursevich raised to 210,000 from the button and called when the man from South Africa moved all-in for 1,330,000 chips.
Kursevich: 77
Kramer: A9
The board ran 271025 to make a full house for the Belorussian to boost him up to around 5,550,000. Kramer didn’t to anything wrong today, he just found himself on the wrong end of a couple of situations that played themselves. — MC
4.01pm: Joep van den Bijgaart out in seventh place (€100,000)
Joep van den Bijgaart becomes our seventh place finisher, moving in for 540,000, just five big blinds, with A5 form the small blind. Ben Wilinofsky was in the big blind and called with KJ.
The pair stood to watch the board come QJ3K2. A handshake and Van den Bijgaart was gone, earning €100,000. — SB
4pm: Jacobson pushes
PokerStars qualifier Martin Jacobson was just all-in but found no callers. The pot opened with a 200,000 raise from early position but was folded when the Swede shoved for 1,535,000 from the cut-off.
The shove looked strong as Joep van den Bijgaart is so short (about five big blinds) that Jacobson would have some laddering-ICM-(Independent Chip Model)-type thoughts among his calculations. — MC
3.57pm: You win
Darren Kramer opened under-the-gun for 210,000 and was shoved on by Martin Jacobson for an additional 1,175,000 from the small blind.
You’d expect a pretty instant decision in this spot but Kramer had to take some time before mucking his hand and telling Jacobson: “You win, you win.” Jacobson up to nearly 2,000,000. — RD
3.52pm: Kramer doubles
Darren Kramer is next to move in and next to double up, shoving after a Vadzim Kursevich bet under-the-gun. Kursevich called, making a 1,890,000 pot.
AQ for Kramer, 99 for Kursevich and a board of 610A3K. – SB
3.50pm: Another one for Kursevich
Vadzim Kursevich taken another pot, albeit a small one. He raised from second position and Maximilian Heinzelmann defended from the big blind. Both checked the flop before Heinzelmann check folded to a 300,000 bet when the board read 710JK. — MC
3.45pm: Kursevich all-in
Vadzim Kursevich is back to where he started at the start of the day, moving up to more than 4,000,000 after moving all-in against Ben Wilinofsky.
Kursevich opened for 210,000 which Wilinofsky raised to 465,000. Kursevich went for his chips and moved all-in for 2,270,000. Call.
Kursevich showed AK against Wilinofsky’s JJ. They braced for the board.
8106K9
The turn changed the tournament for Kursevich. He doubles. Wilinofsky still good for 8,375,000. – SB
3.42pm: Raise and take
The past three hands have all been won with preflop raises. Two of them went to Vadzim Kursevich after he raised from the small blind and then from the cut-off two hands later. The pot in between went to Maximilian Heinzelmann after his early position raise got through. — MC
3.40pm: First hand back
“It’s a handsome wager, my friend,” said Ben Wilinofsky to Max Heinzelmann.
Wilinofsky had opened to 200,000 from the cut-off and was shoved on by Heinzelmann from the button for 3,000,000. Wilinofsky thought that his hand wasn’t attractive enough and passed his hand. Heinzelmann is up to 3,300,000. — RD
3.35pm: Play restarts
Play continues with blinds at 50,000-100,000 with a 10,000 ante.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in Berlin (in order of whatever you want): Marc Convey, Rick Dacey and Stephen Bartley
This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.
9.05pm: Break time
The two players are on a break. Here’s how they stand:
Ben Wilinofsky — 17,885,000
Maximilian Heinzelmann — 5,275,000
9.02pm: Five-bet shove
Max Heinzelmann has four-bet twice this heads up and both times he’s been forced to fold to a five-bet shove. Heinzelmann opened to 320,000 and was three-bet to 860,000 by Ben Wilinofsky. Heinzelmann four-bet to 1,910,000 and quickly passed to a shove.
“When have you ever known that to work?” asked Wilinofsky. Well, neither time he’s tried it today anyway. — RD
9pm: Big pot ends in a chop
A pot worth 7,000,000 chips just played out but it ended in an anti climax as both players had the same hand. Ben Wilinofsky raised preflop and bet the flop, turn and river. Maximilian Heinzelmann called preflop and check-called every bet from his Canadian opponent. The final board read Q4952 and both players had ace-nine. — MC
8.50pm: Two streets of value enough for Heinzelmann
Maximilian Heinzelmann is back on the right track after winning a pot worth more than 2,000,000 chips. He raised to 320,000 from the button and Ben Wilinofsky called from the big blind. Heinzelmann bet 275,000 on the flop and 550,000 on the turn. Wilinofsky called the two bets before both checked the river when the board read KA510K and the German announced, “Ace-seven”. It was good as Wilinofsky folded. — MC
8.42pm: Heinzelmann keeps fighting
Max Heinzelmann has won some back after firing two streets into a JQ77 board; 400,000 on the flop and 785,000 on the turn. Wilinofsky gave up on the hand and Heinzelmann showed the 2. — RD
8.31pm: First all-in
All the hard work Maximilian Heinzelmann has done heads-up so far has been eradicated after he four-bet folded to Ben Wilinofsky. He raised to 320,000 from the button to face a three-bet tot 860,000 from Wilinofsky. The German wasn’t finished as he counted out and slid a 2,025,000 four-bet over the line. He was soon finished with the hand though as Wilinofsky moved all-in. He folded. — MC
8.26pm: The gap closes
Ben Wilinofsky leads by just 13,700,000 to 9,500,000 now. Max Heinzelmann check-called a 420,000 bet on a 635 flop. Both players checked the 8 turn before Heinzelmann led the 10 river for 1,200,000. Wilinofsky slowly made the call and was shown two-pair with 86. — RD
8.24pm: Action to the river
A first hand that made it to the river just played out but still no show down. Maximilian Heinzelmann raised to 320,000 and Ben Wilinofsky called to see 635 flop. The action went check-check and before Wilinofsky led for 270,00 on the 6 turn. Call. The river came 2 and it was Heinzelmann who bet this time, for 400,000, and he took the pot as Wilinofsky folded. — MC
8.20pm: One back for Max
Max Heinzelmann has won a three-bet pot back, but still has plenty of catching up to do. Heinzelmann three-bet out of the big blind to 845,000 and was called by Ben Wilinofosky. Both players checked to the 3J2K turn which the German bet 700,000 into. Pot won. — RD
8.16pm: First blood to Wilinofsky
Ben Wilinofsky has taken the first significant pot of the heads up. Max Heinzelmann opened for 320,000 from the button and was three-bet by the Canadian to 860,000. Heinzelmann made the call but Wilinofosky won the pot by c-betting 975,000 into the K54 flop.
Wilinofsky leads 17,000,000 to 6,100,000. — RD
8.12pm: The quiet concentration of Wilinofsky
Ben Wilinofsky had been talking non-stop since the heads-up duel started. He was just silent for a minute though as he had a hand to think about. Maximilian Heinzelmann raised to 320,000 and the now mute Canadian three-bet to 860,000. It did the job as Heinzelmann folded. — MC
8.05pm: Action’s started
The heads up has begun with someone somewhat surprising lack of action given how aggressive the pair have been throughout this final table. — RD
8pm: Back from break
The players are back in their seats. Ben Wilinofsky is approaching a three to one chip lead.
6.45pm: Dinner break
Off to dinner for one hour.
6.41pm: Vadzim Kursevich eliminated in third place, earning €300,000
The EPT Berlin main event is heads-up after the elimination of Vadzim Kursevich in third place.
In a slow burner of a hand, Kursevich opened for 370,000 from the small blind which Ben Wilinofsky called for a flop of JKQ. Kursevich bet another 450,000 which Wilinofsky considered before raising to 1,125,000. Now it was Kursevich’s turn to think. He did. He moved all-in. Wilinofsky called, making it a 9,700,000 pot.
109 for Wilinofsky
AK for Kursevich.
Wilinofsky had flopped the straight while Kursevich needed a ten for the straight. The turn came 6, the river A.
Wilinofsky, looking remarkably more serious than he was earlier, now has more than 16,000,000 chips with which to take on Maximilian Heinzelmann for the EPT Berlin title. – SB
6.30pm: Kursevich wins huge flip
Vadzim Kursevich has just won a massive flip with A10 to Ben Wilinofsky’s KJ to stay alive and bring all three remaining players close to one another.
Kursevich open-shoved the button for 2,545,000 and put Wilinofsky to a tough decision. The Canadian moved all-in and Max Heinzelmann moved out the way. Kursevich banged top pair on the 1048 flop and Wilinofsky failed to catch up.
That brings Kursevich up to 5,240,000, Wilinofsky down to 10,340,000. Heinzelmann sits on 7,430,000. — RD
6.20pm: Martin Jacobson out in fourth place
The latest chapter of Martin Jacobson’s amazing year on the EPT has come to a close in fourth place.
Jacobson opened the pot before Maximilian Heinzelmann shoved. Jacobson called in a flash showing AK against the German’s 66.
The board ran 55327. Jacobson shook hands with Heinzelmann who just ended the Sweden’s quest to win a first title after finishing second twice this season alone. Heinzelmann up to around 7,480,000 chips. Jacobson out, earning €230,000. – SB
6.15pm: Jacobson shoving
Max Heinzelmann opened from the cut-off and was shoved on by Martin Jacobson from the button. The Swede took the pot and continued his run towards a third second place finish of this EPT season. — RD
6.05pm: Jacobson caught squeezing?
An interesting hand just played out that had all four players committing chips pre-flop. Ben Wilinofsky opened the pot with a raise and was flat called by Maximilian Heinzelmann before Martin Jacobson three-bet from the small blind. Vadzim Kursevich was in the big blind and stared down Jacobson before moving all-in.
The next hand Jacobson’s play couldn’t be exploited as he open shoved and got no takers. — MC
5.55pm: Mette out
Martin Jacobson opened for 240,000 in early position before Armin Metter moved all-in for 2,175,000 in the small blind. Ben Wilinofsky paused and after checking numbers announced that he was all-in too, eliciting an immediate fold form Jacobson.
Mette turned over 22, up against Wilinofsky’s AK.
The Canadian has paid off a few double ups today but this time finally got his turn, the board coming 54AAA.
Wilinofsky up to 12,945,000 chips. Mette out in fifth place, earning €180,000. — SB
5.45pm: State of play
That last double up by Max Heinzelmann has changed the dynamic.
Seat 1. Max Heinzelmann – 4,910,000
Seat 2. Martin Jacobson – 3,285,000
Seat 3. Vadzim Kursevich – 2,500,000
Seat 4. Armin Mette – 2,555,000
Seat 5. Ben Wilinofsky – 9,880,000
Had Wilinofsky won that pot he would have had close to 15,000,000, and would have stood ready to steamroll this final table. As it stands he is still some way ahead of his closest rival, Heinzelmann, who does have position on the Canadian. — RD
5.42pm: Heinzelmann will settle for a double-up
Maximilian Heinzelmann is up to nearly 5,000,000 chips after doubling through chip leader Ben Wilinofsky. Wilinofsky raised from the button and called when his German opponent shoved from the small blind.
Wilinofsky: KQ
Heinzelmann: 33
The board ran 34102K to make Heinzelmann a set on the flop. It’s game back on now as he jumps into second spot in the chip counts. — MC
5.38pm: Wilinofsky wins some more
Ben Wilinofsky just moved up to 12,260,000 in a hand against Vadzim Kursevich who had opened the pot fro 240,000 in early position. Wilinofsky called from the big blind, as did Maximilian Heinzelmann from the small blind for a flop of 284.
The action was checked to Kursevich who bet 375,000. Wilinofsky called while Heinzelmann stepped aside before the 4 turn. That was checked, as was the 6 river. Wilinofsky announced ace-high (he had ace-jack) which was enough to top Kursevich, who mucked.
Wilinofsky up to 12,260,000 while Kursevich drops to 2,500,000. – SB
5.30pm: To the flop but no more and then an all-in
PokerStars qualifier Ben Wilinofsky raised from the button and Martin Jacobson defended his big blind to see the K34 flop. It wasn’t the sort of flop he was looking for as he quickly check-folded to a c-bet from Wilinofsky.
The next hand Wilinofsky raised to 240,000 but folded to a Armin Mette shove. — MC
5.25pm: Heinzelmann shoves again
Ben Wilinofsky opened for 240,000 and Max Heinzelmann moved over the top all-in, and not for the first time. Heinzelmann has been up and down this final table, he’s certainly not afraid to get his chips in. Wilinofsky passed. — RD
5.15pm: Folding
A slow start to the level. Some pre-flop action but nothing beyond.
5.07pm: Cards in the air
Play restarts with blinds at 60,000-120,000 with a 15,000 ante.
4.52pm: Another big win for Wilinofsky
On the last hand before the break Ben Wilinofsky raked another big pot away from Vadzim Kursevich.
Kursevich had opened from the button and was called by Wilinofsky in the big blind who led 235,000 into the 10Q7 flop, 425,000 into the 10 turn and a huge 975,000 into the 3 river. Kursevich tank-folded to drop down to 3,375,000 while Wilinofsky surges ahead, yet again, with 11,500,000.
Fifteen minute break. — RD
4.42pm: Four-bet squeeze
Ben Wilinofsky has just has made a great move to pick up 840,000 after cold four-betting out of the big blind. Max Heinzelmann had opened for 200,000 and had been three-bet by Vadzim Kursevich to 440,000. Wilinofsky came over the top for 1,075,000 and both players passed. Wiliinofsky is up to 10,235,000.
The next hand Heinzelmann limped from the small blind and Martin Jacobson shoved from the big blind. Heinzelmann passed. Jacobson in third position with 3,300,000. — RD
4.34pm: Wilinofsky gets shoved on again
Martin Jacobson has shoved on Ben Wilinofsky for the second time in two orbits. Last time the shove got through and it worked again. Wilinofsky raised to 200,000 and folded when Jacobson moved all-in for 2,455,000 chips. — MC
4.28pm: Quick one
On a flop of 678 Martin Jacobson and Vadzim Kursevich checked for a turn card 4 where Jacobson took the pot with a bet of 285,000. — SB
4.22pm: No post flop confrontation
The play has nitted up after those two swift eliminations as the players get their heads around the new dynamic. And just as soon as I wrote that Martin Jacobson shoved for 1,905,000 over the top of Max Heinzelmann’s 200,000 small blind raise. — RD
4.13pm: Darren Kramer eliminated in sixth place (€140,000)
Darren Kramer was the second player to fall in a short space of time as the structure has really started to catch up with the short stacks.
Vadzim Kursevich raised to 210,000 from the button and called when the man from South Africa moved all-in for 1,330,000 chips.
Kursevich: 77
Kramer: A9
The board ran 271025 to make a full house for the Belorussian to boost him up to around 5,550,000. Kramer didn’t to anything wrong today, he just found himself on the wrong end of a couple of situations that played themselves. — MC
4.01pm: Joep van den Bijgaart out in seventh place (€100,000)
Joep van den Bijgaart becomes our seventh place finisher, moving in for 540,000, just five big blinds, with A5 form the small blind. Ben Wilinofsky was in the big blind and called with KJ.
The pair stood to watch the board come QJ3K2. A handshake and Van den Bijgaart was gone, earning €100,000. — SB
4pm: Jacobson pushes
PokerStars qualifier Martin Jacobson was just all-in but found no callers. The pot opened with a 200,000 raise from early position but was folded when the Swede shoved for 1,535,000 from the cut-off.
The shove looked strong as Joep van den Bijgaart is so short (about five big blinds) that Jacobson would have some laddering-ICM-(Independent Chip Model)-type thoughts among his calculations. — MC
3.57pm: You win
Darren Kramer opened under-the-gun for 210,000 and was shoved on by Martin Jacobson for an additional 1,175,000 from the small blind.
You’d expect a pretty instant decision in this spot but Kramer had to take some time before mucking his hand and telling Jacobson: “You win, you win.” Jacobson up to nearly 2,000,000. — RD
3.52pm: Kramer doubles
Darren Kramer is next to move in and next to double up, shoving after a Vadzim Kursevich bet under-the-gun. Kursevich called, making a 1,890,000 pot.
AQ for Kramer, 99 for Kursevich and a board of 610A3K. – SB
3.50pm: Another one for Kursevich
Vadzim Kursevich taken another pot, albeit a small one. He raised from second position and Maximilian Heinzelmann defended from the big blind. Both checked the flop before Heinzelmann check folded to a 300,000 bet when the board read 710JK. — MC
3.45pm: Kursevich all-in
Vadzim Kursevich is back to where he started at the start of the day, moving up to more than 4,000,000 after moving all-in against Ben Wilinofsky.
Kursevich opened for 210,000 which Wilinofsky raised to 465,000. Kursevich went for his chips and moved all-in for 2,270,000. Call.
Kursevich showed AK against Wilinofsky’s JJ. They braced for the board.
8106K9
The turn changed the tournament for Kursevich. He doubles. Wilinofsky still good for 8,375,000. – SB
3.42pm: Raise and take
The past three hands have all been won with preflop raises. Two of them went to Vadzim Kursevich after he raised from the small blind and then from the cut-off two hands later. The pot in between went to Maximilian Heinzelmann after his early position raise got through. — MC
3.40pm: First hand back
“It’s a handsome wager, my friend,” said Ben Wilinofsky to Max Heinzelmann.
Wilinofsky had opened to 200,000 from the cut-off and was shoved on by Heinzelmann from the button for 3,000,000. Wilinofsky thought that his hand wasn’t attractive enough and passed his hand. Heinzelmann is up to 3,300,000. — RD
3.35pm: Play restarts
Play continues with blinds at 50,000-100,000 with a 10,000 ante.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in Berlin (in order of whatever you want): Marc Convey, Rick Dacey and Stephen Bartley
This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.
9.40pm: Ben Wilinofsky wins EPT Berlin (€825,000)
PokerStars online qualifier Ben Wilinofsky has finally converted that early and enormous chip lead into victory here in Berlin. On a flop of 853 Max Heinzelmann check-raised all-in for 4,250,000 and Wilinofsky was put to the test.
“It’s sick, because I’m ahead of some of the hands that you’d do this with,” said Wilinofsky before quietly announcing the call.
Heinzelmann: 98
Wilinofksy: 76
The 9 turn completed the draw for Wilinofksy but gave full house outs for Heinzelmann, but the J failed to compelete the re-suck. And that completes an epic final table and crowns Ben Wilinofksy as a much-deserved EPT Berlin champion. Huge plaudits also go to Max Heinzelmann who finishes runner-up for €500,000.
GG, WP, goodnight. Full wrap of the day’s action to come. — RD
9.30pm: Wilinofsky chipping away
Ben Wilinofsky is extending his lead after two pot wins. He raised to 400,000 preflop and c-bet on a 104A flop. Maximilian Heinzelmann called and check-folded on the flop. The next hand Heinzelmann folded after Wilinofsky three-bet him off his hand preflop. — MC
9.20pm: Final level
I’ve called it, this is the final level of the day. The players have taken their seats and the dealer is shuffling up for the first hand of level 32. — RD
9.05pm: Break time
The two players are on a break. Here’s how they stand:
Ben Wilinofsky — 17,885,000
Maximilian Heinzelmann — 5,275,000
9.02pm: Five-bet shove
Max Heinzelmann has four-bet twice this heads up and both times he’s been forced to fold to a five-bet shove. Heinzelmann opened to 320,000 and was three-bet to 860,000 by Ben Wilinofsky. Heinzelmann four-bet to 1,910,000 and quickly passed to a shove.
“When have you ever known that to work?” asked Wilinofsky. Well, neither time he’s tried it today anyway. — RD
9pm: Big pot ends in a chop
A pot worth 7,000,000 chips just played out but it ended in an anti climax as both players had the same hand. Ben Wilinofsky raised preflop and bet the flop, turn and river. Maximilian Heinzelmann called preflop and check-called every bet from his Canadian opponent. The final board read Q4952 and both players had ace-nine. — MC
8.50pm: Two streets of value enough for Heinzelmann
Maximilian Heinzelmann is back on the right track after winning a pot worth more than 2,000,000 chips. He raised to 320,000 from the button and Ben Wilinofsky called from the big blind. Heinzelmann bet 275,000 on the flop and 550,000 on the turn. Wilinofsky called the two bets before both checked the river when the board read KA510K and the German announced, “Ace-seven”. It was good as Wilinofsky folded. — MC
8.42pm: Heinzelmann keeps fighting
Max Heinzelmann has won some back after firing two streets into a JQ77 board; 400,000 on the flop and 785,000 on the turn. Wilinofsky gave up on the hand and Heinzelmann showed the 2. — RD
8.31pm: First all-in
All the hard work Maximilian Heinzelmann has done heads-up so far has been eradicated after he four-bet folded to Ben Wilinofsky. He raised to 320,000 from the button to face a three-bet tot 860,000 from Wilinofsky. The German wasn’t finished as he counted out and slid a 2,025,000 four-bet over the line. He was soon finished with the hand though as Wilinofsky moved all-in. He folded. — MC
8.26pm: The gap closes
Ben Wilinofsky leads by just 13,700,000 to 9,500,000 now. Max Heinzelmann check-called a 420,000 bet on a 635 flop. Both players checked the 8 turn before Heinzelmann led the 10 river for 1,200,000. Wilinofsky slowly made the call and was shown two-pair with 86. — RD
8.24pm: Action to the river
A first hand that made it to the river just played out but still no show down. Maximilian Heinzelmann raised to 320,000 and Ben Wilinofsky called to see 635 flop. The action went check-check and before Wilinofsky led for 270,00 on the 6 turn. Call. The river came 2 and it was Heinzelmann who bet this time, for 400,000, and he took the pot as Wilinofsky folded. — MC
8.20pm: One back for Max
Max Heinzelmann has won a three-bet pot back, but still has plenty of catching up to do. Heinzelmann three-bet out of the big blind to 845,000 and was called by Ben Wilinofosky. Both players checked to the 3J2K turn which the German bet 700,000 into. Pot won. — RD
8.16pm: First blood to Wilinofsky
Ben Wilinofsky has taken the first significant pot of the heads up. Max Heinzelmann opened for 320,000 from the button and was three-bet by the Canadian to 860,000. Heinzelmann made the call but Wilinofosky won the pot by c-betting 975,000 into the K54 flop.
Wilinofsky leads 17,000,000 to 6,100,000. — RD
8.12pm: The quiet concentration of Wilinofsky
Ben Wilinofsky had been talking non-stop since the heads-up duel started. He was just silent for a minute though as he had a hand to think about. Maximilian Heinzelmann raised to 320,000 and the now mute Canadian three-bet to 860,000. It did the job as Heinzelmann folded. — MC
8.05pm: Action’s started
The heads up has begun with someone somewhat surprising lack of action given how aggressive the pair have been throughout this final table. — RD
8pm: Back from break
The players are back in their seats. Ben Wilinofsky is approaching a three to one chip lead.
6.45pm: Dinner break
Off to dinner for one hour.
6.41pm: Vadzim Kursevich eliminated in third place, earning €300,000
The EPT Berlin main event is heads-up after the elimination of Vadzim Kursevich in third place.
In a slow burner of a hand, Kursevich opened for 370,000 from the small blind which Ben Wilinofsky called for a flop of JKQ. Kursevich bet another 450,000 which Wilinofsky considered before raising to 1,125,000. Now it was Kursevich’s turn to think. He did. He moved all-in. Wilinofsky called, making it a 9,700,000 pot.
109 for Wilinofsky
AK for Kursevich.
Wilinofsky had flopped the straight while Kursevich needed a ten for the straight. The turn came 6, the river A.
Wilinofsky, looking remarkably more serious than he was earlier, now has more than 16,000,000 chips with which to take on Maximilian Heinzelmann for the EPT Berlin title. – SB
6.30pm: Kursevich wins huge flip
Vadzim Kursevich has just won a massive flip with A10 to Ben Wilinofsky’s KJ to stay alive and bring all three remaining players close to one another.
Kursevich open-shoved the button for 2,545,000 and put Wilinofsky to a tough decision. The Canadian moved all-in and Max Heinzelmann moved out the way. Kursevich banged top pair on the 1048 flop and Wilinofsky failed to catch up.
That brings Kursevich up to 5,240,000, Wilinofsky down to 10,340,000. Heinzelmann sits on 7,430,000. — RD
6.20pm: Martin Jacobson out in fourth place
The latest chapter of Martin Jacobson’s amazing year on the EPT has come to a close in fourth place.
Jacobson opened the pot before Maximilian Heinzelmann shoved. Jacobson called in a flash showing AK against the German’s 66.
The board ran 55327. Jacobson shook hands with Heinzelmann who just ended the Sweden’s quest to win a first title after finishing second twice this season alone. Heinzelmann up to around 7,480,000 chips. Jacobson out, earning €230,000. – SB
6.15pm: Jacobson shoving
Max Heinzelmann opened from the cut-off and was shoved on by Martin Jacobson from the button. The Swede took the pot and continued his run towards a third second place finish of this EPT season. — RD
6.05pm: Jacobson caught squeezing?
An interesting hand just played out that had all four players committing chips pre-flop. Ben Wilinofsky opened the pot with a raise and was flat called by Maximilian Heinzelmann before Martin Jacobson three-bet from the small blind. Vadzim Kursevich was in the big blind and stared down Jacobson before moving all-in.
The next hand Jacobson’s play couldn’t be exploited as he open shoved and got no takers. — MC
5.55pm: Mette out
Martin Jacobson opened for 240,000 in early position before Armin Metter moved all-in for 2,175,000 in the small blind. Ben Wilinofsky paused and after checking numbers announced that he was all-in too, eliciting an immediate fold form Jacobson.
Mette turned over 22, up against Wilinofsky’s AK.
The Canadian has paid off a few double ups today but this time finally got his turn, the board coming 54AAA.
Wilinofsky up to 12,945,000 chips. Mette out in fifth place, earning €180,000. — SB
5.45pm: State of play
That last double up by Max Heinzelmann has changed the dynamic.
Seat 1. Max Heinzelmann – 4,910,000
Seat 2. Martin Jacobson – 3,285,000
Seat 3. Vadzim Kursevich – 2,500,000
Seat 4. Armin Mette – 2,555,000
Seat 5. Ben Wilinofsky – 9,880,000
Had Wilinofsky won that pot he would have had close to 15,000,000, and would have stood ready to steamroll this final table. As it stands he is still some way ahead of his closest rival, Heinzelmann, who does have position on the Canadian. — RD
5.42pm: Heinzelmann will settle for a double-up
Maximilian Heinzelmann is up to nearly 5,000,000 chips after doubling through chip leader Ben Wilinofsky. Wilinofsky raised from the button and called when his German opponent shoved from the small blind.
Wilinofsky: KQ
Heinzelmann: 33
The board ran 34102K to make Heinzelmann a set on the flop. It’s game back on now as he jumps into second spot in the chip counts. — MC
5.38pm: Wilinofsky wins some more
Ben Wilinofsky just moved up to 12,260,000 in a hand against Vadzim Kursevich who had opened the pot fro 240,000 in early position. Wilinofsky called from the big blind, as did Maximilian Heinzelmann from the small blind for a flop of 284.
The action was checked to Kursevich who bet 375,000. Wilinofsky called while Heinzelmann stepped aside before the 4 turn. That was checked, as was the 6 river. Wilinofsky announced ace-high (he had ace-jack) which was enough to top Kursevich, who mucked.
Wilinofsky up to 12,260,000 while Kursevich drops to 2,500,000. – SB
5.30pm: To the flop but no more and then an all-in
PokerStars qualifier Ben Wilinofsky raised from the button and Martin Jacobson defended his big blind to see the K34 flop. It wasn’t the sort of flop he was looking for as he quickly check-folded to a c-bet from Wilinofsky.
The next hand Wilinofsky raised to 240,000 but folded to a Armin Mette shove. — MC
5.25pm: Heinzelmann shoves again
Ben Wilinofsky opened for 240,000 and Max Heinzelmann moved over the top all-in, and not for the first time. Heinzelmann has been up and down this final table, he’s certainly not afraid to get his chips in. Wilinofsky passed. — RD
5.15pm: Folding
A slow start to the level. Some pre-flop action but nothing beyond.
5.07pm: Cards in the air
Play restarts with blinds at 60,000-120,000 with a 15,000 ante.
4.52pm: Another big win for Wilinofsky
On the last hand before the break Ben Wilinofsky raked another big pot away from Vadzim Kursevich.
Kursevich had opened from the button and was called by Wilinofsky in the big blind who led 235,000 into the 10Q7 flop, 425,000 into the 10 turn and a huge 975,000 into the 3 river. Kursevich tank-folded to drop down to 3,375,000 while Wilinofsky surges ahead, yet again, with 11,500,000.
Fifteen minute break. — RD
4.42pm: Four-bet squeeze
Ben Wilinofsky has just has made a great move to pick up 840,000 after cold four-betting out of the big blind. Max Heinzelmann had opened for 200,000 and had been three-bet by Vadzim Kursevich to 440,000. Wilinofsky came over the top for 1,075,000 and both players passed. Wiliinofsky is up to 10,235,000.
The next hand Heinzelmann limped from the small blind and Martin Jacobson shoved from the big blind. Heinzelmann passed. Jacobson in third position with 3,300,000. — RD
4.34pm: Wilinofsky gets shoved on again
Martin Jacobson has shoved on Ben Wilinofsky for the second time in two orbits. Last time the shove got through and it worked again. Wilinofsky raised to 200,000 and folded when Jacobson moved all-in for 2,455,000 chips. — MC
4.28pm: Quick one
On a flop of 678 Martin Jacobson and Vadzim Kursevich checked for a turn card 4 where Jacobson took the pot with a bet of 285,000. — SB
4.22pm: No post flop confrontation
The play has nitted up after those two swift eliminations as the players get their heads around the new dynamic. And just as soon as I wrote that Martin Jacobson shoved for 1,905,000 over the top of Max Heinzelmann’s 200,000 small blind raise. — RD
4.13pm: Darren Kramer eliminated in sixth place (€140,000)
Darren Kramer was the second player to fall in a short space of time as the structure has really started to catch up with the short stacks.
Vadzim Kursevich raised to 210,000 from the button and called when the man from South Africa moved all-in for 1,330,000 chips.
Kursevich: 77
Kramer: A9
The board ran 271025 to make a full house for the Belorussian to boost him up to around 5,550,000. Kramer didn’t to anything wrong today, he just found himself on the wrong end of a couple of situations that played themselves. — MC
4.01pm: Joep van den Bijgaart out in seventh place (€100,000)
Joep van den Bijgaart becomes our seventh place finisher, moving in for 540,000, just five big blinds, with A5 form the small blind. Ben Wilinofsky was in the big blind and called with KJ.
The pair stood to watch the board come QJ3K2. A handshake and Van den Bijgaart was gone, earning €100,000. — SB
4pm: Jacobson pushes
PokerStars qualifier Martin Jacobson was just all-in but found no callers. The pot opened with a 200,000 raise from early position but was folded when the Swede shoved for 1,535,000 from the cut-off.
The shove looked strong as Joep van den Bijgaart is so short (about five big blinds) that Jacobson would have some laddering-ICM-(Independent Chip Model)-type thoughts among his calculations. — MC
3.57pm: You win
Darren Kramer opened under-the-gun for 210,000 and was shoved on by Martin Jacobson for an additional 1,175,000 from the small blind.
You’d expect a pretty instant decision in this spot but Kramer had to take some time before mucking his hand and telling Jacobson: “You win, you win.” Jacobson up to nearly 2,000,000. — RD
3.52pm: Kramer doubles
Darren Kramer is next to move in and next to double up, shoving after a Vadzim Kursevich bet under-the-gun. Kursevich called, making a 1,890,000 pot.
AQ for Kramer, 99 for Kursevich and a board of 610A3K. – SB
3.50pm: Another one for Kursevich
Vadzim Kursevich taken another pot, albeit a small one. He raised from second position and Maximilian Heinzelmann defended from the big blind. Both checked the flop before Heinzelmann check folded to a 300,000 bet when the board read 710JK. — MC
3.45pm: Kursevich all-in
Vadzim Kursevich is back to where he started at the start of the day, moving up to more than 4,000,000 after moving all-in against Ben Wilinofsky.
Kursevich opened for 210,000 which Wilinofsky raised to 465,000. Kursevich went for his chips and moved all-in for 2,270,000. Call.
Kursevich showed AK against Wilinofsky’s JJ. They braced for the board.
8106K9
The turn changed the tournament for Kursevich. He doubles. Wilinofsky still good for 8,375,000. – SB
3.42pm: Raise and take
The past three hands have all been won with preflop raises. Two of them went to Vadzim Kursevich after he raised from the small blind and then from the cut-off two hands later. The pot in between went to Maximilian Heinzelmann after his early position raise got through. — MC
3.40pm: First hand back
“It’s a handsome wager, my friend,” said Ben Wilinofsky to Max Heinzelmann.
Wilinofsky had opened to 200,000 from the cut-off and was shoved on by Heinzelmann from the button for 3,000,000. Wilinofsky thought that his hand wasn’t attractive enough and passed his hand. Heinzelmann is up to 3,300,000. — RD
3.35pm: Play restarts
Play continues with blinds at 50,000-100,000 with a 10,000 ante.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in Berlin (in order of whatever you want): Marc Convey, Rick Dacey and Stephen Bartley
This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.
2.20pm: The fight back against Wilinofsky begins
Ben Wilinofsky has had almost everything his own way so far but the player fight back is beginning. The Canadian raised to 165,000 before Armin Mette three-bet all-in for 1,855,000 from the big blind. Wilinofsky said it was too much to call and let his hand go. — MC
2.15pm: Chop it up
Vadzim Kursevich made it 200,000 to go from the small blind and Darren Kramer made the call from the big blind. Kursevich bet 150,000 into the 99A flop and was called again by the South African. Both players checked the 8 turn before Kursevich pushed out a large 450,000 bet. Kramer slowly called for a chopped pot with A5 for the Belarusian and A7 for the South African. — RD
2.05pm: All-in call? Joep
Joep van den Bijgaart moved all-in on the button for 1,035,000 and was called by Maximilian Heinzelmann. Action turned to anti-climax as both players turned over ace-eight. The board did nothing. Absolutely nothing. Van den Bijgaart plays on. – SB
2pm: Play resumes
In the first hand back Martin Jacobson wins a pot uncontested after an opening bet of 160,000. Joep van den Bijgaart thought about it but passed. — SB
1.42pm: That’s the end of the level
Vadzim Kursevich brings the level to an end. After Martin Jacobson opened for 125,000 from the cut off, Kursevich raised to 295,000 to take the pot.
The level ends. Players are now on a 15 minute break. – SB
1.40pm: Kramer enters the fray
Darren Kramer has decided to get involved for the first time today. He called a Martin Jacobson button raise whilst sitting in the big blind. The flop came 63Q and he check-raised Jacobson’s 145,000 c-bet up to 350,00. It did the trick as the Swede quickly folded. — MC
1.38pm: Heinzelmann continuing to chip up
Max Heinzelmann is back up to 2,500,000 after firing three barrels into Vadzim Kursevich. Heinzelmann opened for 125,000 from the button and was called by Kursevich in the big blind.
Kursevich check-called 115,000 on the A102 flop and 245,000 on the J turn but couldn’t find a call once facing a 480,000 bet on the 7 river. — RD
1.35pm: Jonas Gutteck eliminated in 8th place (€66,000)
Jonas Gutteck’s day has come to a premature end after a miss-timed move. The action folded around to him in the small blind and he moved all-in for 670,000. Maximilian Heinzelmann was in the big blind and snap-called when he looked down at his hand.
Gutteck: J9
Heinzelmann: KK
The flop came down K102 giving Heinzelmann top set but Gutteck still had outs with a gutshot straight draw. It was all over on the K turn though as Heinzelmann had a lock on the hand with quads. The river came 6 and Gutteck said his goodbyes and left the stage. Heinzelmann is back to being happy now.— MC
1.28pm: Four to the flop
Four players saw a flop of Q7A. Armin Mette checked in the small blind, as did Ben Wilinofsky under the gun. Then Martin Jacobson bet 275,000 from the hijack, enough to force folds from Vadzim Kursevich and the others, to take the pot. – SB
1.26pm: Heinzelmann looking unhappy
Maximilian Heinzelmann entered today second in chips and is now down to 1.4 million. He’s not looking that happy about that situation and he’s just lost another important slice of his pie to Ben Wilinofsky.
Wilinofsky opened for 125,000 and was called by Heinzelmann in the cut-off. Wilinofsky decided not to take his usual c-bet line and checked the Q94 flop over to Heinzelmann who stabbed 130,000 at the pot. Wilinofsky then check-raised to 365,000 and Heinzelmann passed.
Wilinofsky has become super-chatty (yes, that is a real phrase) but no-one wants to engage with the young Canadian who is, as commentator Nick Wealthall pointed out, “brutalising” the table with 10.36 million chips, which is approaching half the chips in play. — RD
1.20pm: Jacobson takes Mette off a hand
Armin Mette has dropped below the 2,000,000 mark after Martin Jacobson did the old check-raise manoeuvre. Mette min-raised to 120,000 from early position and Jacobson was the only caller from the small blind. The flop came down 102[jc[ and Mette’s 150,000 c-bet was check-raised up to 425,000 by the Swedish PokerStars qualifier. It did the job as Mette folded. — MC
1.12pm: Lull
Martin Jacobson opened but took the blinds without opposition, something that Max Heinzelmann did a hand later by moving all-in, at the same time ignoring the Wilinofsky powered conversation about drinking habits.
In the next hand Heinzelmann clawed back a little more from the small blind, betting on a flop of 322 to force out big blind Jacobson. – SB
1.09pm: Enter Kramer
It’s the first hand Darren Kramer has played at the final table and he came in for a three-bet from the button for 320,000, over a 125,000 open raise from Maximilian Heinzelmann.
The German passed as the South African chipped back up to 2,300,000. Wilinofsky is still looking happy as Larry. Who can blame him? — RD
1.05pm: More for Wilinofsky
Ben Wilinofsky is up to a massive 10,200,000 chips after taking another pot, this time from Vadzim Kursevich.
The Canadian raised from early position and picked up Kursevich on the button, en route to a 10QK flop. Wilinofsky c-bet for 175,00 and Kursevich called to see the 4 turn.
There was no slowing down Wilinofsky who fired 800,000 in to the 730,000-chip pot. Kursevich was going nowhere and made the call. The river fell J and Wilinofsky bet 1,300,000. This sent Kursevich into the tank and he came out folding, dropping down to 2,700,000 chips.
Wilinofsky now has 44 per cent of the chips in play. “It’s an easy game when you always have it,” he said. — MC
12.50pm: Jacobson mucks, Mette moves up
Martin Jacobson stack has taken a dent after defending his big blind from an open raise of 125,000 from Armin Mette, who entered the pot from middle position.
Jacobson decided to lead both the K48 flop for 125,000 and the J turn for 300,000 before checking the K river. Mette showed pocket tens to take the pot. Jacobson down to 1,900,000. — RD
12.44pm: A tournament changer
A huge hand develops between the two chip leaders that will likely change the direction of the final.
On a flop of 657 Ben Wilinofsky bet 200,000 from the button which Max Heinzelmann check-raised form the big blind, making it 560,000. Wilinofsky called for a A on the turn. With 1,400,000 in the middle Heinzelmann bet another 725,000 which Wilinofsky called for a J on the river. Already a huge pot Heinzelmann checked before Wilinofsky bet another 1,700,000, having asked the German for a count. It put 4,500,000 in the pot – larger than any of the other stacks at the table.
Heinzelmann called, Wilinofsky showing pocket fives to win the hand. Heinzelmann, who now goes from second to sixth in chips, mucked his hand without showing.
Heinzelmann down to 1,700,000. Wilinofsky moves up 9,000,0000. — SB
12.35pm: All in? Joep
Joep van den Bijgaart shoves for 1,070,000 after an opener from Max Heinzelmann for 125,000 under the gun. No takers. — SB
12.30pm: Wilinofsky applies early pressure
Chip leader Ben Wilinofsky didn’t wait long to apply pressure to one of the other big stacks at this final table.
Vadzim Kursevich raised from the hijack and the Canadian defended to see the 53J flop. He led out for 175,000 and Kursevich called. The turn came Q and Wilinofsky fired again and for 375,000. Kursevich checked his cards once more before conceding defeat. — MC
12.25pm: Pot to Jacobson
Martin Jacobson wins the first pot played in anger against Armin Mette. On a flop of 108A Mette bet 130,000 which Jacobson called for a 6. Mette checked to Jacobson who bet 260,000 to win the pot. — SB
12.21pm: Cards in the…
… air. Ben Wilinofsky wins the first pot of the day uncontested. — SB
12.20pm: Any second now
A minute away. When play does restart we will have three minute remaining on the level before the blinds go up to 30,000-60,000, with a 5,000 ante.
Here’s how things look at the start.
Seat 1. Maximilian Heinzelmann – 4,970,000
Seat 2. Martin Jacobson – 2,085,000
Seat 3. Vadzim Kursevich – 4,345,000
Seat 4. Darren Kramer – 2,235,000
Seat 5. Armin Mette – 2,185,000
Seat 6. Joep van den Bijgaart – 1,060,000
Seat 7. Ben Wilinofsky – 5,225,000
Seat 8. Jonas Gutteck – 1,025,000
12.15pm: Dum de dum
You may have noticed play has not yet started. So now might be a good time to tell you that every hand of the final table will be broadcast live on EPTLive, which you can access on PokerStars.tv or by clicking on any of the red links you’ve just read through. — SB
12.10pm: Here’s to you Gloria Balding
Gloria Balding introduces the final day with a little help from Team PokerStars Pro Joep van den Bijgaart…
11.55pm: Almost under way
The players are here, currently undergoing the prerequisite wiring up. We expect play to begin soon. — SB
11.30am: Final day
Welcome back to the final day of the EPT Berlin main event, where the final eight players will battle it out for a first prize of €825,000 today.
We started with 773 players, reduced now to one table after four long days of play. Who are they? Well I’m glad you asked. Find out more about the finalists below…
Seat 1: Max Heinzelmann, 20, Heubach, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany – 4,970,000
Heinzelmann is a familiar sight on the European Poker Tour, having played what he thinks to be about 20 events. The German’s best result to date was 41st at EPT London, in Season 6, earning £12,800. He has also final tabled two side events, finishing runner-up in a €300 Turbo event in San Remo last season and sixth in the €1,000 NL event in Vilamoura, last September.
Heinzelmann has been playing poker roughly two years, starting when a friend sent him a few dollars to deposit online. Despite a few false starts, he’s been doing well ever since.
His main game used be Sit and Go Heads-Up tournaments but now he prefers a range of events, anything up to $1,000 or $100 re-buys. His best results online have included a win in the PokerStars Sunday 500 a few years ago, worth £91,000, as well as the $100 daily rebuy tournament, for another $86,000. His online winnings now total more than $450,000.
“I’m feeling pretty good about my game at the moment,” he said. “I’ve played well so far and I hope it’s going to continue.”
Seat 2: Martin Jacobson, 23, Sweden, PokerStars qualifier – 2,085,000
Martin Jacobson is having a phenomenal EPT Season 7, having already finished as runner-up at EPT Vilamoura in September, earning €297,985, and in EPT Deauville, in January, picking up another € 560,000. Jacobson has won more than $2,000,000 in live tournaments but to date has only ever won a single live event – a A$600 satellite in Adelaide, Australia.
Of his five EPT cashes four have been final table finishes, the first coming in Season 5 in Budapest, where he finished third. Elsewhere Jacobson was runner-up at WPT Venice last year, and came fourth in the World Series $1,500 side event last summer. He added a third place at the Nordic Masters of Poker, in Stockholm, to his tournament record last month and he currently leads the EPT Online Qualifier of the Year race.
Seat 3: Vadzim Kursevich, 24, Minsk, Belarus – 4,345,000
Vadzim Kursevich is a professional poker player from Belarus and has been playing for four years, mainly in live Pot Limit Omaha ring games. He occasionally takes breaks from these games to play live multi-table tournaments online, and major series like the upcoming SCOOP on PokerStars.
Kursevich’s biggest cash to date was for $65,000, winning a tournament in Ukraine. Kursevich became best friends with Team PokerStars Pro Vadim Markushevski after they met at university and the two travelled to Berlin together. He is looking forward to his friend commentating on him tomorrow on EPT Live. Away from poker Kursevich is an ice hockey fan who likes to sing karaoke.
Seat 4: Darren Kramer, 27, Cape Town, South Africa – 2,235,000
Kramer might not be that well-known in Europe but he has multiple results in South Africa and Swaziland, and is currently ranked third in Africa’s All Time Money list.
Over a poker career spanning seven years, five as a professional, Kramer’s wins include the 2008 PokerNews Cup, for $ 140,575, and the All Africa Poker Tournament in Swaziland, for another $ 134,710.
Being friends with British players Sam Trickett and James Akenhead, Kramer plans to spend a month in Europe, going on from Berlin to play in EPT San Remo and at the EPT Grand Final, as well as spending time in London, where earlier in the season at EPT London he won one of the nightly £300 Turbos.
“I only play Omaha cash games online but live events are just awesome,” he said. “You get to see the place, meet people. It’s a good vibe.”
Seat 5: Armin Mette, 25, Heidelberg, Germany – 2,125,000
Mette, an Economics student, is celebrating his biggest ever live cash here in Berlin, which is also his first EPT main event. Mette took up poker about five years ago but has only played a handful of live tournaments, in Vienna, Bratislava and the LAPT in Rio a few years ago.
Online, Mette favours multi-table tournaments, winning a big event last year and coming second in a SCOOP event. When EPT Berlin was down to 24 players, Mette’s friend David, and girlfriend Bettina, decided to jump in a car and drive 600 km to support him.
“I explained to them I could bust but they came anyway,” he said.
Seat 6: Joep van den Bijgaart, 24, Amsterdam, Netherlands – Team PokerStars Pro – 1,060,000
Van den Bijgaart – known as Pappe_ruk online – was a Facilities Management student before switching to poker, considered now to be one of the best new talents in Holland.
A regular of the PokerStars major tournaments , Van den Bijgaart won $69,234 as runner-up in the PokerStars Sunday 500 in January 2009. Meanwhile his best live result came in November that year, when he came third in a Master Classics side event, in Amsterdam.
His previous best results on the EPT include 34th in Deauville in Season 5, as well 39th place at this seasons London leg. He also finished seventh in a $1,500 limit hold’em shootout at the World Series in 2009.
Seat 7: Ben “NeverScaredB” Wilinofsky, 22, London, Ontario, Canada – PokerStars qualifier – 5,225,000
Coming into EPT Berlin, Canadian internet pro Ben Wilinofsky had never scored a live cash before. At the end of Day 2 this week, he wrote on his Facebook page “RIP legendary Hendon Mob page,” a reference to his totally blank page on the results database. Now he enters the final table as chip leader.
Online, Wilinofsky has earned more than a million dollars, winning the PokerStars Super Tuesday event in November last year and the PokerStars daily $100 rebuy event six times in the past two years, event that alone amount to more than $300,000.
Seat 8: Jonas Gutteck, 30, Berlin, Germany – 1,025,000
Economics student Jonas has been playing poker for three years, taking up the game as a hobby but recording impressive results nonetheless.
EPT Berlin is only the fourth EPT event he’s played but he has cashed in three. In Season 6 he finished 21st in Berlin, earning €23,500, and in Prague this season he finished in 70th place, worth €8,000.
Gutteck likes traveling with his girlfriend, Silke, who is railing him at the final. He also has a lot fo friends within the German poker community, many of whom, such as Nasr El Nasr and Sebastian Ruthenberg, played the main event and will be rooting for him from the side lines.
This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.
3.22pm: Cooler for Jacobson and Heinzelmann
Martin Jacobson opened under-the-gun for 160,000 and was called by Max Heinzelmann in the big blind. Jacobson c-bet 165,000 into the 5J10 flop and was check-raised to 470,000. Jacobson moved all-in and was instantly called.
Jacobson: J10
Heinzelmann: QJ
It was a huge flop and a massive flip with relatively balanced equity for the two players in the pot. The 6 turn all but finished the pot with the 2 river sealing it. Jacobson down to 1,500,000, Heinzelmann up to 3,000,000.
Darren Kramer moved all-in for 925,000 to take the blinds and bring the level to a close. — RD
3.14pm: The will of Wilinofsky
“How much do you have?” asked Martin Jacobson of Ben Wilinofsky after the chip leader three-bet to 420,000 from the big blind. Jacobson opened the pot with a raise to 160,000 and obviously knew well that his opponent had him covered. He elected to wait for a better spot and passed. — MC
3.10pm: What’s the Matte?
Armin Mette moved all-in without getting any takers then tried again on the next hand from the button for 620,000. It was folded around to Maximilian Heinzelmann who also folded. Matte lives. — SB
3.07pm: Heinzelmann fights back
Maximilian Heinzelmann has just shoved all-in for 1,500,00 from the button over the top of Ben Wilinofsky’s min-raise from the cut-off. Wilinofsky passed and said: “You win, Max.” Indeed he did, but with just 1,800,000 he’s still well behind Wilinofsky. — RD
3.03pm: Two barrels enough for Jacobson
Martin Jacobson has made up some ground on chip leader Ben Wilinofsky. He raised to 160,000 from under-the-gun and Wilinofsky called from the small blind. The flop came down a coordinated Q9J and he check-called a 185,000 c-bet for the Swede. The turn came A and Wilinofsky had enough, check-folding to a 550,000 from Jacobson. — MC
3pm: Wilinofsky still dropping the hammer
Despite conceding position to Maximilian Heinzelmann, Ben Wilinofsky has been smashing the German to pieces. Heinzelmann opened to 165,000 from under-the-gun and Wilinofsky three-bet from the button to 465,000. Heinzelmann quickly passed. — RD
2.54pm: Mette matters
On a flop of 6J9 with 405,000 in the middle, both Armin Mette in the big blind and Ben Wilinofsky in early position checked for a 4 turn. Mette checked to the Canadian who bet 225,000 which was called. On the 2 river Wilinofsky bet 750,000 to take the pot. – SB
2.51pm: Manoeuvring
There’s been a little bit of dancing around in the last few hands. Darren Kramer raise-folded to an Armin Mette three-bet and Maximilian Heinzelmann scooped the blinds with an open from the cut-off. All this side-stepping surely means that there’s a big pot brewing. — RD
2.47pm: Mette game
Armin Mette is up to second in chips, with around 4,000,000, after shoving on the river against Maximilian Heinzelmann. Heinzelmann raised to 165,000 from under-the-gun and Mette called from the button to go heads-up to the 4J9 flop.
Heinzelmann fired in 240,00 and a further 485,000 on the 10 turn. Mette called both bets and then shoved on the 9 river when Heinzelmann checked to him. Heinzelmann didn’t have the goods to call and mucked, dropping down to around 1,700,000. — MC
2.36pm: Jacobson double-up
Martin Jacobson just doubled up to around 3,000,000, shoving with AK. Darren Kramer called with A8 but failed to hit on a board of 6103Q9. Jacobson doubles. Kramer down to 1,400,000. – SB
2.32pm: Mette up to 3,000,000
Armin Mette is up to 3,000,000 after turning the nuts against Martin Jacobson.
Mette had opened from early position and was called by Jacobson in the small blind and Vadzim Kursevich in the big. All three checked through to the QJ610 turn before Jacobson led 225,000 which was called by Mette alone. The K river card gave Jacobson top two, and he led 425,000, which was quickly called by the German who tabled ace-king for the turned Broadway straight. Did he miss value on the turn? — RD
2.25pm: To the Maximilian
Maximilian Heinzelmann moves back up to 2,600,000 after three-betting from the small blind to 450,000 after an opening bet of 135,000 from Vadzim Kursevich under-the-gun. — SB
2.20pm: The fight back against Wilinofsky begins
Ben Wilinofsky has had almost everything his own way so far but the player fight-back is beginning. The Canadian raised to 165,000 before Armin Mette three-bet all-in for 1,855,000 from the big blind. Wilinofsky said it was too much to call and let his hand go. — MC
2.15pm: Chop it up
Vadzim Kursevich made it 200,000 to go from the small blind and Darren Kramer made the call from the big blind. Kursevich bet 150,000 into the 99A flop and was called again by the South African. Both players checked the 8 turn before Kursevich pushed out a large 450,000 bet. Kramer slowly called for a chopped pot with A5 for the Belorussian, and A7 for the South African. — RD
2.05pm: All-in call? Joep
Joep van den Bijgaart moved all-in on the button for 1,035,000 and was called by Maximilian Heinzelmann. Action turned to anti-climax as both players turned over ace-eight. The board did nothing. Absolutely nothing. Van den Bijgaart plays on. – SB
2pm: Play resumes
In the first hand back Martin Jacobson wins a pot uncontested after an opening bet of 160,000. Joep van den Bijgaart thought about it but passed. — SB
1.42pm: That’s the end of the level
Vadzim Kursevich brings the level to an end. After Martin Jacobson opened for 125,000 from the cut off, Kursevich raised to 295,000 to take the pot.
The level ends. Players are now on a 15 minute break. – SB
1.40pm: Kramer enters the fray
Darren Kramer has decided to get involved for the first time today. He called a Martin Jacobson button raise whilst sitting in the big blind. The flop came 63Q and he check-raised Jacobson’s 145,000 c-bet up to 350,00. It did the trick as the Swede quickly folded. — MC
1.38pm: Heinzelmann continuing to chip up
Max Heinzelmann is back up to 2,500,000 after firing three barrels into Vadzim Kursevich. Heinzelmann opened for 125,000 from the button and was called by Kursevich in the big blind.
Kursevich check-called 115,000 on the A102 flop and 245,000 on the J turn but couldn’t find a call once facing a 480,000 bet on the 7 river. — RD
1.35pm: Jonas Gutteck eliminated in 8th place (€66,000)
Jonas Gutteck’s day has come to a premature end after a miss-timed move. The action folded around to him in the small blind and he moved all-in for 670,000. Maximilian Heinzelmann was in the big blind and snap-called when he looked down at his hand.
Gutteck: J9
Heinzelmann: KK
The flop came down K102 giving Heinzelmann top set but Gutteck still had outs with a gutshot straight draw. It was all over on the K turn though as Heinzelmann had a lock on the hand with quads. The river came 6 and Gutteck said his goodbyes and left the stage. Heinzelmann is back to being happy now.— MC
1.28pm: Four to the flop
Four players saw a flop of Q7A. Armin Mette checked in the small blind, as did Ben Wilinofsky under the gun. Then Martin Jacobson bet 275,000 from the hijack, enough to force folds from Vadzim Kursevich and the others, to take the pot. – SB
1.26pm: Heinzelmann looking unhappy
Maximilian Heinzelmann entered today second in chips and is now down to 1.4 million. He’s not looking that happy about that situation and he’s just lost another important slice of his pie to Ben Wilinofsky.
Wilinofsky opened for 125,000 and was called by Heinzelmann in the cut-off. Wilinofsky decided not to take his usual c-bet line and checked the Q94 flop over to Heinzelmann who stabbed 130,000 at the pot. Wilinofsky then check-raised to 365,000 and Heinzelmann passed.
Wilinofsky has become super-chatty (yes, that is a real phrase) but no-one wants to engage with the young Canadian who is, as commentator Nick Wealthall pointed out, “brutalising” the table with 10.36 million chips, which is approaching half the chips in play. — RD
1.20pm: Jacobson takes Mette off a hand
Armin Mette has dropped below the 2,000,000 mark after Martin Jacobson did the old check-raise manoeuvre. Mette min-raised to 120,000 from early position and Jacobson was the only caller from the small blind. The flop came down 102[jc[ and Mette’s 150,000 c-bet was check-raised up to 425,000 by the Swedish PokerStars qualifier. It did the job as Mette folded. — MC
1.12pm: Lull
Martin Jacobson opened but took the blinds without opposition, something that Max Heinzelmann did a hand later by moving all-in, at the same time ignoring the Wilinofsky powered conversation about drinking habits.
In the next hand Heinzelmann clawed back a little more from the small blind, betting on a flop of 322 to force out big blind Jacobson. – SB
1.09pm: Enter Kramer
It’s the first hand Darren Kramer has played at the final table and he came in for a three-bet from the button for 320,000, over a 125,000 open raise from Maximilian Heinzelmann.
The German passed as the South African chipped back up to 2,300,000. Wilinofsky is still looking happy as Larry. Who can blame him? — RD
1.05pm: More for Wilinofsky
Ben Wilinofsky is up to a massive 10,200,000 chips after taking another pot, this time from Vadzim Kursevich.
The Canadian raised from early position and picked up Kursevich on the button, en route to a 10QK flop. Wilinofsky c-bet for 175,00 and Kursevich called to see the 4 turn.
There was no slowing down Wilinofsky who fired 800,000 in to the 730,000-chip pot. Kursevich was going nowhere and made the call. The river fell J and Wilinofsky bet 1,300,000. This sent Kursevich into the tank and he came out folding, dropping down to 2,700,000 chips.
Wilinofsky now has 44 per cent of the chips in play. “It’s an easy game when you always have it,” he said. — MC
12.50pm: Jacobson mucks, Mette moves up
Martin Jacobson stack has taken a dent after defending his big blind from an open raise of 125,000 from Armin Mette, who entered the pot from middle position.
Jacobson decided to lead both the K48 flop for 125,000 and the J turn for 300,000 before checking the K river. Mette showed pocket tens to take the pot. Jacobson down to 1,900,000. — RD
12.44pm: A tournament changer
A huge hand develops between the two chip leaders that will likely change the direction of the final.
On a flop of 657 Ben Wilinofsky bet 200,000 from the button which Max Heinzelmann check-raised form the big blind, making it 560,000. Wilinofsky called for a A on the turn. With 1,400,000 in the middle Heinzelmann bet another 725,000 which Wilinofsky called for a J on the river. Already a huge pot Heinzelmann checked before Wilinofsky bet another 1,700,000, having asked the German for a count. It put 4,500,000 in the pot – larger than any of the other stacks at the table.
Heinzelmann called, Wilinofsky showing pocket fives to win the hand. Heinzelmann, who now goes from second to sixth in chips, mucked his hand without showing.
Heinzelmann down to 1,700,000. Wilinofsky moves up 9,000,0000. — SB
12.35pm: All in? Joep
Joep van den Bijgaart shoves for 1,070,000 after an opener from Max Heinzelmann for 125,000 under the gun. No takers. — SB
12.30pm: Wilinofsky applies early pressure
Chip leader Ben Wilinofsky didn’t wait long to apply pressure to one of the other big stacks at this final table.
Vadzim Kursevich raised from the hijack and the Canadian defended to see the 53J flop. He led out for 175,000 and Kursevich called. The turn came Q and Wilinofsky fired again and for 375,000. Kursevich checked his cards once more before conceding defeat. — MC
12.25pm: Pot to Jacobson
Martin Jacobson wins the first pot played in anger against Armin Mette. On a flop of 108A Mette bet 130,000 which Jacobson called for a 6. Mette checked to Jacobson who bet 260,000 to win the pot. — SB
12.21pm: Cards in the…
… air. Ben Wilinofsky wins the first pot of the day uncontested. — SB
12.20pm: Any second now
A minute away. When play does restart we will have three minute remaining on the level before the blinds go up to 30,000-60,000, with a 5,000 ante.
Here’s how things look at the start.
Seat 1. Maximilian Heinzelmann – 4,970,000
Seat 2. Martin Jacobson – 2,085,000
Seat 3. Vadzim Kursevich – 4,345,000
Seat 4. Darren Kramer – 2,235,000
Seat 5. Armin Mette – 2,185,000
Seat 6. Joep van den Bijgaart – 1,060,000
Seat 7. Ben Wilinofsky – 5,225,000
Seat 8. Jonas Gutteck – 1,025,000
12.15pm: Dum de dum
You may have noticed play has not yet started. So now might be a good time to tell you that every hand of the final table will be broadcast live on EPTLive, which you can access on PokerStars.tv or by clicking on any of the red links you’ve just read through. — SB
12.10pm: Here’s to you Gloria Balding
Gloria Balding introduces the final day with a little help from Team PokerStars Pro Joep van den Bijgaart…
11.55pm: Almost under way
The players are here, currently undergoing the prerequisite wiring up. We expect play to begin soon. — SB
11.30am: Final day
Welcome back to the final day of the EPT Berlin main event, where the final eight players will battle it out for a first prize of €825,000 today.
We started with 773 players, reduced now to one table after four long days of play. Who are they? Well I’m glad you asked. Find out more about the finalists below…
Seat 1: Max Heinzelmann, 20, Heubach, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany – 4,970,000
Heinzelmann is a familiar sight on the European Poker Tour, having played what he thinks to be about 20 events. The German’s best result to date was 41st at EPT London, in Season 6, earning £12,800. He has also final tabled two side events, finishing runner-up in a €300 Turbo event in San Remo last season and sixth in the €1,000 NL event in Vilamoura, last September.
Heinzelmann has been playing poker roughly two years, starting when a friend sent him a few dollars to deposit online. Despite a few false starts, he’s been doing well ever since.
His main game used be Sit and Go Heads-Up tournaments but now he prefers a range of events, anything up to $1,000 or $100 re-buys. His best results online have included a win in the PokerStars Sunday 500 a few years ago, worth £91,000, as well as the $100 daily rebuy tournament, for another $86,000. His online winnings now total more than $450,000.
“I’m feeling pretty good about my game at the moment,” he said. “I’ve played well so far and I hope it’s going to continue.”
Seat 2: Martin Jacobson, 23, Sweden, PokerStars qualifier – 2,085,000
Martin Jacobson is having a phenomenal EPT Season 7, having already finished as runner-up at EPT Vilamoura in September, earning €297,985, and in EPT Deauville, in January, picking up another € 560,000. Jacobson has won more than $2,000,000 in live tournaments but to date has only ever won a single live event – a A$600 satellite in Adelaide, Australia.
Of his five EPT cashes four have been final table finishes, the first coming in Season 5 in Budapest, where he finished third. Elsewhere Jacobson was runner-up at WPT Venice last year, and came fourth in the World Series $1,500 side event last summer. He added a third place at the Nordic Masters of Poker, in Stockholm, to his tournament record last month and he currently leads the EPT Online Qualifier of the Year race.
Seat 3: Vadzim Kursevich, 24, Minsk, Belarus – 4,345,000
Vadzim Kursevich is a professional poker player from Belarus and has been playing for four years, mainly in live Pot Limit Omaha ring games. He occasionally takes breaks from these games to play live multi-table tournaments online, and major series like the upcoming SCOOP on PokerStars.
Kursevich’s biggest cash to date was for $65,000, winning a tournament in Ukraine. Kursevich became best friends with Team PokerStars Pro Vadim Markushevski after they met at university and the two travelled to Berlin together. He is looking forward to his friend commentating on him tomorrow on EPT Live. Away from poker Kursevich is an ice hockey fan who likes to sing karaoke.
Seat 4: Darren Kramer, 27, Cape Town, South Africa – 2,235,000
Kramer might not be that well-known in Europe but he has multiple results in South Africa and Swaziland, and is currently ranked third in Africa’s All Time Money list.
Over a poker career spanning seven years, five as a professional, Kramer’s wins include the 2008 PokerNews Cup, for $ 140,575, and the All Africa Poker Tournament in Swaziland, for another $ 134,710.
Being friends with British players Sam Trickett and James Akenhead, Kramer plans to spend a month in Europe, going on from Berlin to play in EPT San Remo and at the EPT Grand Final, as well as spending time in London, where earlier in the season at EPT London he won one of the nightly £300 Turbos.
“I only play Omaha cash games online but live events are just awesome,” he said. “You get to see the place, meet people. It’s a good vibe.”
Seat 5: Armin Mette, 25, Heidelberg, Germany – 2,125,000
Mette, an Economics student, is celebrating his biggest ever live cash here in Berlin, which is also his first EPT main event. Mette took up poker about five years ago but has only played a handful of live tournaments, in Vienna, Bratislava and the LAPT in Rio a few years ago.
Online, Mette favours multi-table tournaments, winning a big event last year and coming second in a SCOOP event. When EPT Berlin was down to 24 players, Mette’s friend David, and girlfriend Bettina, decided to jump in a car and drive 600 km to support him.
“I explained to them I could bust but they came anyway,” he said.
Seat 6: Joep van den Bijgaart, 24, Amsterdam, Netherlands – Team PokerStars Pro – 1,060,000
Van den Bijgaart – known as Pappe_ruk online – was a Facilities Management student before switching to poker, considered now to be one of the best new talents in Holland.
A regular of the PokerStars major tournaments , Van den Bijgaart won $69,234 as runner-up in the PokerStars Sunday 500 in January 2009. Meanwhile his best live result came in November that year, when he came third in a Master Classics side event, in Amsterdam.
His previous best results on the EPT include 34th in Deauville in Season 5, as well 39th place at this seasons London leg. He also finished seventh in a $1,500 limit hold’em shootout at the World Series in 2009.
Seat 7: Ben “NeverScaredB” Wilinofsky, 22, London, Ontario, Canada – PokerStars qualifier – 5,225,000
Coming into EPT Berlin, Canadian internet pro Ben Wilinofsky had never scored a live cash before. At the end of Day 2 this week, he wrote on his Facebook page “RIP legendary Hendon Mob page,” a reference to his totally blank page on the results database. Now he enters the final table as chip leader.
Online, Wilinofsky has earned more than a million dollars, winning the PokerStars Super Tuesday event in November last year and the PokerStars daily $100 rebuy event six times in the past two years, event that alone amount to more than $300,000.
Seat 8: Jonas Gutteck, 30, Berlin, Germany – 1,025,000
Economics student Jonas has been playing poker for three years, taking up the game as a hobby but recording impressive results nonetheless.
EPT Berlin is only the fourth EPT event he’s played but he has cashed in three. In Season 6 he finished 21st in Berlin, earning €23,500, and in Prague this season he finished in 70th place, worth €8,000.
Gutteck likes traveling with his girlfriend, Silke, who is railing him at the final. He also has a lot fo friends within the German poker community, many of whom, such as Nasr El Nasr and Sebastian Ruthenberg, played the main event and will be rooting for him from the side lines.
This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.
12.35pm: All in? Joep
Joep van den Bijgaart shoves for 1,070,000 after an opener from Max Heinzelmann for 125,000 under the gun. No takers. — SB
12.30pm: Wilinofsky applies early pressure
Chip leader Ben Wilinofsky didn’t wait long to apply pressure to one of the other big stacks at this final table.
Vadzim Kursevich raised from the hijack and the Canadian defended to see the 53J flop. He led out for 175,000 and Kursevich called. The turn came Q and Wilinofsky fired again and for 375,000. Kursevich checked his cards once more before conceding defeat. — MC
12.25pm: Pot to Jacobson
Martin Jacobson wins the first pot played in anger against Armin Mette. On a flop of 108A Mette bet 130,000 which Jacobson called for a 6. Mette checked to Jacobson who bet 260,000 to win the pot. — SB
12.21pm: Cards in the…
… air. Ben Wilinofsky wins the first pot of the day uncontested. — SB
12.20pm: Any second now
A minute away. When play does restart we will have three minute remaining on the level before the blinds go up to 30,000-60,000, with a 5,000 ante.
Here’s how things look at the start.
Seat 1. Maximilian Heinzelmann – 4,970,000
Seat 2. Martin Jacobson – 2,085,000
Seat 3. Vadzim Kursevich – 4,345,000
Seat 4. Darren Kramer – 2,235,000
Seat 5. Armin Mette – 2,185,000
Seat 6. Joep van den Bijgaart – 1,060,000
Seat 7. Ben Wilinofsky – 5,225,000
Seat 8. Jonas Gutteck – 1,025,000
12.15pm: Dum de dum
You may have noticed play has not yet started. So now might be a good time to tell you that every hand of the final table will be broadcast live on EPTLive, which you can access on PokerStars.tv or by clicking on any of the red links you’ve just read through. — SB
11.55pm: Almost under way
The players are here, currently undergoing the prerequisite wiring up. We expect play to begin soon. — SB
11.30am: Final day
Welcome back to the final day of the EPT Berlin main event, where the final eight players will battle it out for a first prize of €825,000 today.
We started with 773 players, reduced now to one table after four long days of play. Who are they? Well I’m glad you asked. Find out more about the finalists below…
Seat 1: Max Heinzelmann, 20, Heubach, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany – 4,970,000
Heinzelmann is a familiar sight on the European Poker Tour, having played what he thinks to be about 20 events. The German’s best result to date was 41st at EPT London, in Season 6, earning £12,800. He has also final tabled two side events, finishing runner-up in a €300 Turbo event in San Remo last season and sixth in the €1,000 NL event in Vilamoura, last September.
Heinzelmann has been playing poker roughly two years, starting when a friend sent him a few dollars to deposit online. Despite a few false starts, he’s been doing well ever since.
His main game used be Sit and Go Heads-Up tournaments but now he prefers a range of events, anything up to $1,000 or $100 re-buys. His best results online have included a win in the PokerStars Sunday 500 a few years ago, worth £91,000, as well as the $100 daily rebuy tournament, for another $86,000. His online winnings now total more than $450,000.
“I’m feeling pretty good about my game at the moment,” he said. “I’ve played well so far and I hope it’s going to continue.”
Seat 2: Martin Jacobson, 23, Sweden, PokerStars qualifier – 2,085,000
Martin Jacobson is having a phenomenal EPT Season 7, having already finished as runner-up at EPT Vilamoura in September, earning €297,985, and in EPT Deauville, in January, picking up another € 560,000. Jacobson has won more than $2,000,000 in live tournaments but to date has only ever won a single live event – a A$600 satellite in Adelaide, Australia.
Of his five EPT cashes four have been final table finishes, the first coming in Season 5 in Budapest, where he finished third. Elsewhere Jacobson was runner-up at WPT Venice last year, and came fourth in the World Series $1,500 side event last summer. He added a third place at the Nordic Masters of Poker, in Stockholm, to his tournament record last month and he currently leads the EPT Online Qualifier of the Year race.
Seat 3: Vadzim Kursevich, 24, Minsk, Belarus – 4,345,000
Vadzim Kursevich is a professional poker player from Belarus and has been playing for four years, mainly in live Pot Limit Omaha ring games. He occasionally takes breaks from these games to play live multi-table tournaments online, and major series like the upcoming SCOOP on PokerStars.
Kursevich’s biggest cash to date was for $65,000, winning a tournament in Ukraine. Kursevich became best friends with Team PokerStars Pro Vadim Markushevski after they met at university and the two travelled to Berlin together. He is looking forward to his friend commentating on him tomorrow on EPT Live. Away from poker Kursevich is an ice hockey fan who likes to sing karaoke.
Seat 4: Darren Kramer, 27, Cape Town, South Africa – 2,235,000
Kramer might not be that well-known in Europe but he has multiple results in South Africa and Swaziland, and is currently ranked third in Africa’s All Time Money list.
Over a poker career spanning seven years, five as a professional, Kramer’s wins include the 2008 PokerNews Cup, for $ 140,575, and the All Africa Poker Tournament in Swaziland, for another $ 134,710.
Being friends with British players Sam Trickett and James Akenhead, Kramer plans to spend a month in Europe, going on from Berlin to play in EPT San Remo and at the EPT Grand Final, as well as spending time in London, where earlier in the season at EPT London he won one of the nightly £300 Turbos.
“I only play Omaha cash games online but live events are just awesome,” he said. “You get to see the place, meet people. It’s a good vibe.”
Seat 5: Armin Mette, 25, Heidelberg, Germany – 2,125,000
Mette, an Economics student, is celebrating his biggest ever live cash here in Berlin, which is also his first EPT main event. Mette took up poker about five years ago but has only played a handful of live tournaments, in Vienna, Bratislava and the LAPT in Rio a few years ago.
Online, Mette favours multi-table tournaments, winning a big event last year and coming second in a SCOOP event. When EPT Berlin was down to 24 players, Mette’s friend David, and girlfriend Bettina, decided to jump in a car and drive 600 km to support him.
“I explained to them I could bust but they came anyway,” he said.
Seat 6: Joep van den Bijgaart, 24, Amsterdam, Netherlands – Team PokerStars Pro – 1,060,000
Van den Bijgaart – known as Pappe_ruk online – was a Facilities Management student before switching to poker, considered now to be one of the best new talents in Holland.
A regular of the PokerStars major tournaments , Van den Bijgaart won $69,234 as runner-up in the PokerStars Sunday 500 in January 2009. Meanwhile his best live result came in November that year, when he came third in a Master Classics side event, in Amsterdam.
His previous best results on the EPT include 34th in Deauville in Season 5, as well 39th place at this seasons London leg. He also finished seventh in a $1,500 limit hold’em shootout at the World Series in 2009.
Seat 7: Ben “NeverScaredB” Wilinofsky, 22, London, Ontario, Canada – PokerStars qualifier – 5,225,000
Coming into EPT Berlin, Canadian internet pro Ben Wilinofsky had never scored a live cash before. At the end of Day 2 this week, he wrote on his Facebook page “RIP legendary Hendon Mob page,” a reference to his totally blank page on the results database. Now he enters the final table as chip leader.
Online, Wilinofsky has earned more than a million dollars, winning the PokerStars Super Tuesday event in November last year and the PokerStars daily $100 rebuy event six times in the past two years, event that alone amount to more than $300,000.
Seat 8: Jonas Gutteck, 30, Berlin, Germany – 1,025,000
Economics student Jonas has been playing poker for three years, taking up the game as a hobby but recording impressive results nonetheless.
EPT Berlin is only the fourth EPT event he’s played but he has cashed in three. In Season 6 he finished 21st in Berlin, earning €23,500, and in Prague this season he finished in 70th place, worth €8,000.
Gutteck likes traveling with his girlfriend, Silke, who is railing him at the final. He also has a lot fo friends within the German poker community, many of whom, such as Nasr El Nasr and Sebastian Ruthenberg, played the main event and will be rooting for him from the side lines.
This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.
1.42pm: That’s the end of the level
Vadzim Kursevich brings the level to an end. After Martin Jacobson opened for 125,000 from the cut off, Kursevich raised to 295,000 to take the pot.
The level ends. Players are now on a 15 minute break. – SB
1.40pm: Kramer enters the fray
Darren Kramer has decided to get involved for the first time today. He called a Martin Jacobson button raise whilst sitting in the big blind. The flop came 63Q and he check-raised Jacobson’s 145,000 c-bet up to 350,00. It did the trick as the Swede quickly folded. — MC
1.38pm: Heinzelmann continuing to chip up
Max Heinzelmann is back up to 2,500,000 after firing three barrels into Vadzim Kursevich. Heinzelmann opened for 125,000 from the button and was called by Kursevich in the big blind.
Kursevich check-called 115,000 on the A102 flop and 245,000 on the J turn but couldn’t find a call once facing a 480,000 bet on the 7 river. — RD
1.35pm: Jonas Gutteck eliminated in 8th place (€66,000)
Jonas Gutteck’s day has come to a premature end after a miss-timed move. The action folded around to him in the small blind and he moved all-in for 670,000. Maximilian Heinzelmann was in the big blind and snap-called when he looked down at his hand.
Gutteck: J9
Heinzelmann: KK
The flop came down K102 giving Heinzelmann top set but Gutteck still had outs with a gutshot straight draw. It was all over on the K turn though as Heinzelmann had a lock on the hand with quads. The river came 6 and Gutteck said his goodbyes and left the stage. Heinzelmann is back to being happy now.— MC
1.28pm: Four to the flop
Four players saw a flop of Q7A. Armin Mette checked in the small blind, as did Ben Wilinofsky under the gun. Then Martin Jacobson bet 275,000 from the hijack, enough to force folds from Vadzim Kursevich and the others, to take the pot. – SB
1.26pm: Heinzelmann looking unhappy
Maximilian Heinzelmann entered today second in chips and is now down to 1.4 million. He’s not looking that happy about that situation and he’s just lost another important slice of his pie to Ben Wilinofsky.
Wilinofsky opened for 125,000 and was called by Heinzelmann in the cut-off. Wilinofsky decided not to take his usual c-bet line and checked the Q94 flop over to Heinzelmann who stabbed 130,000 at the pot. Wilinofsky then check-raised to 365,000 and Heinzelmann passed.
Wilinofsky has become super-chatty (yes, that is a real phrase) but no-one wants to engage with the young Canadian who is, as commentator Nick Wealthall pointed out, “brutalising” the table with 10.36 million chips, which is approaching half the chips in play. — RD
1.20pm: Jacobson takes Mette off a hand
Armin Mette has dropped below the 2,000,000 mark after Martin Jacobson did the old check-raise manoeuvre. Mette min-raised to 120,000 from early position and Jacobson was the only caller from the small blind. The flop came down 102[jc[ and Mette’s 150,000 c-bet was check-raised up to 425,000 by the Swedish PokerStars qualifier. It did the job as Mette folded. — MC
1.12pm: Lull
Martin Jacobson opened but took the blinds without opposition, something that Max Heinzelmann did a hand later by moving all-in, at the same time ignoring the Wilinofsky powered conversation about drinking habits.
In the next hand Heinzelmann clawed back a little more from the small blind, betting on a flop of 322 to force out big blind Jacobson. – SB
1.09pm: Enter Kramer
It’s the first hand Darren Kramer has played at the final table and he came in for a three-bet from the button for 320,000, over a 125,000 open raise from Maximilian Heinzelmann.
The German passed as the South African chipped back up to 2,300,000. Wilinofsky is still looking happy as Larry. Who can blame him? — RD
1.05pm: More for Wilinofsky
Ben Wilinofsky is up to a massive 10,200,000 chips after taking another pot, this time from Vadzim Kursevich.
The Canadian raised from early position and picked up Kursevich on the button, en route to a 10QK flop. Wilinofsky c-bet for 175,00 and Kursevich called to see the 4 turn.
There was no slowing down Wilinofsky who fired 800,000 in to the 730,000-chip pot. Kursevich was going nowhere and made the call. The river fell J and Wilinofsky bet 1,300,000. This sent Kursevich into the tank and he came out folding, dropping down to 2,700,000 chips.
Wilinofsky now has 44 per cent of the chips in play. “It’s an easy game when you always have it,” he said. — MC
12.50pm: Jacobson mucks, Mette moves up
Martin Jacobson stack has taken a dent after defending his big blind from an open raise of 125,000 from Armin Mette, who entered the pot from middle position.
Jacobson decided to lead both the K48 flop for 125,000 and the J turn for 300,000 before checking the K river. Mette showed pocket tens to take the pot. Jacobson down to 1,900,000. — RD
12.44pm: A tournament changer
A huge hand develops between the two chip leaders that will likely change the direction of the final.
On a flop of 657 Ben Wilinofsky bet 200,000 from the button which Max Heinzelmann check-raised form the big blind, making it 560,000. Wilinofsky called for a A on the turn. With 1,400,000 in the middle Heinzelmann bet another 725,000 which Wilinofsky called for a J on the river. Already a huge pot Heinzelmann checked before Wilinofsky bet another 1,700,000, having asked the German for a count. It put 4,500,000 in the pot – larger than any of the other stacks at the table.
Heinzelmann called, Wilinofsky showing pocket fives to win the hand. Heinzelmann, who now goes from second to sixth in chips, mucked his hand without showing.
Heinzelmann down to 1,700,000. Wilinofsky moves up 9,000,0000. — SB
12.35pm: All in? Joep
Joep van den Bijgaart shoves for 1,070,000 after an opener from Max Heinzelmann for 125,000 under the gun. No takers. — SB
12.30pm: Wilinofsky applies early pressure
Chip leader Ben Wilinofsky didn’t wait long to apply pressure to one of the other big stacks at this final table.
Vadzim Kursevich raised from the hijack and the Canadian defended to see the 53J flop. He led out for 175,000 and Kursevich called. The turn came Q and Wilinofsky fired again and for 375,000. Kursevich checked his cards once more before conceding defeat. — MC
12.25pm: Pot to Jacobson
Martin Jacobson wins the first pot played in anger against Armin Mette. On a flop of 108A Mette bet 130,000 which Jacobson called for a 6. Mette checked to Jacobson who bet 260,000 to win the pot. — SB
12.21pm: Cards in the…
… air. Ben Wilinofsky wins the first pot of the day uncontested. — SB
12.20pm: Any second now
A minute away. When play does restart we will have three minute remaining on the level before the blinds go up to 30,000-60,000, with a 5,000 ante.
Here’s how things look at the start.
Seat 1. Maximilian Heinzelmann – 4,970,000
Seat 2. Martin Jacobson – 2,085,000
Seat 3. Vadzim Kursevich – 4,345,000
Seat 4. Darren Kramer – 2,235,000
Seat 5. Armin Mette – 2,185,000
Seat 6. Joep van den Bijgaart – 1,060,000
Seat 7. Ben Wilinofsky – 5,225,000
Seat 8. Jonas Gutteck – 1,025,000
12.15pm: Dum de dum
You may have noticed play has not yet started. So now might be a good time to tell you that every hand of the final table will be broadcast live on EPTLive, which you can access on PokerStars.tv or by clicking on any of the red links you’ve just read through. — SB
12.10pm: Here’s to you Gloria Balding
Gloria Balding introduces the final day with a little help from Team PokerStars Pro Joep van den Bijgaart…
11.55pm: Almost under way
The players are here, currently undergoing the prerequisite wiring up. We expect play to begin soon. — SB
11.30am: Final day
Welcome back to the final day of the EPT Berlin main event, where the final eight players will battle it out for a first prize of €825,000 today.
We started with 773 players, reduced now to one table after four long days of play. Who are they? Well I’m glad you asked. Find out more about the finalists below…
Seat 1: Max Heinzelmann, 20, Heubach, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany – 4,970,000
Heinzelmann is a familiar sight on the European Poker Tour, having played what he thinks to be about 20 events. The German’s best result to date was 41st at EPT London, in Season 6, earning £12,800. He has also final tabled two side events, finishing runner-up in a €300 Turbo event in San Remo last season and sixth in the €1,000 NL event in Vilamoura, last September.
Heinzelmann has been playing poker roughly two years, starting when a friend sent him a few dollars to deposit online. Despite a few false starts, he’s been doing well ever since.
His main game used be Sit and Go Heads-Up tournaments but now he prefers a range of events, anything up to $1,000 or $100 re-buys. His best results online have included a win in the PokerStars Sunday 500 a few years ago, worth £91,000, as well as the $100 daily rebuy tournament, for another $86,000. His online winnings now total more than $450,000.
“I’m feeling pretty good about my game at the moment,” he said. “I’ve played well so far and I hope it’s going to continue.”
Seat 2: Martin Jacobson, 23, Sweden, PokerStars qualifier – 2,085,000
Martin Jacobson is having a phenomenal EPT Season 7, having already finished as runner-up at EPT Vilamoura in September, earning €297,985, and in EPT Deauville, in January, picking up another € 560,000. Jacobson has won more than $2,000,000 in live tournaments but to date has only ever won a single live event – a A$600 satellite in Adelaide, Australia.
Of his five EPT cashes four have been final table finishes, the first coming in Season 5 in Budapest, where he finished third. Elsewhere Jacobson was runner-up at WPT Venice last year, and came fourth in the World Series $1,500 side event last summer. He added a third place at the Nordic Masters of Poker, in Stockholm, to his tournament record last month and he currently leads the EPT Online Qualifier of the Year race.
Seat 3: Vadzim Kursevich, 24, Minsk, Belarus – 4,345,000
Vadzim Kursevich is a professional poker player from Belarus and has been playing for four years, mainly in live Pot Limit Omaha ring games. He occasionally takes breaks from these games to play live multi-table tournaments online, and major series like the upcoming SCOOP on PokerStars.
Kursevich’s biggest cash to date was for $65,000, winning a tournament in Ukraine. Kursevich became best friends with Team PokerStars Pro Vadim Markushevski after they met at university and the two travelled to Berlin together. He is looking forward to his friend commentating on him tomorrow on EPT Live. Away from poker Kursevich is an ice hockey fan who likes to sing karaoke.
Seat 4: Darren Kramer, 27, Cape Town, South Africa – 2,235,000
Kramer might not be that well-known in Europe but he has multiple results in South Africa and Swaziland, and is currently ranked third in Africa’s All Time Money list.
Over a poker career spanning seven years, five as a professional, Kramer’s wins include the 2008 PokerNews Cup, for $ 140,575, and the All Africa Poker Tournament in Swaziland, for another $ 134,710.
Being friends with British players Sam Trickett and James Akenhead, Kramer plans to spend a month in Europe, going on from Berlin to play in EPT San Remo and at the EPT Grand Final, as well as spending time in London, where earlier in the season at EPT London he won one of the nightly £300 Turbos.
“I only play Omaha cash games online but live events are just awesome,” he said. “You get to see the place, meet people. It’s a good vibe.”
Seat 5: Armin Mette, 25, Heidelberg, Germany – 2,125,000
Mette, an Economics student, is celebrating his biggest ever live cash here in Berlin, which is also his first EPT main event. Mette took up poker about five years ago but has only played a handful of live tournaments, in Vienna, Bratislava and the LAPT in Rio a few years ago.
Online, Mette favours multi-table tournaments, winning a big event last year and coming second in a SCOOP event. When EPT Berlin was down to 24 players, Mette’s friend David, and girlfriend Bettina, decided to jump in a car and drive 600 km to support him.
“I explained to them I could bust but they came anyway,” he said.
Seat 6: Joep van den Bijgaart, 24, Amsterdam, Netherlands – Team PokerStars Pro – 1,060,000
Van den Bijgaart – known as Pappe_ruk online – was a Facilities Management student before switching to poker, considered now to be one of the best new talents in Holland.
A regular of the PokerStars major tournaments , Van den Bijgaart won $69,234 as runner-up in the PokerStars Sunday 500 in January 2009. Meanwhile his best live result came in November that year, when he came third in a Master Classics side event, in Amsterdam.
His previous best results on the EPT include 34th in Deauville in Season 5, as well 39th place at this seasons London leg. He also finished seventh in a $1,500 limit hold’em shootout at the World Series in 2009.
Seat 7: Ben “NeverScaredB” Wilinofsky, 22, London, Ontario, Canada – PokerStars qualifier – 5,225,000
Coming into EPT Berlin, Canadian internet pro Ben Wilinofsky had never scored a live cash before. At the end of Day 2 this week, he wrote on his Facebook page “RIP legendary Hendon Mob page,” a reference to his totally blank page on the results database. Now he enters the final table as chip leader.
Online, Wilinofsky has earned more than a million dollars, winning the PokerStars Super Tuesday event in November last year and the PokerStars daily $100 rebuy event six times in the past two years, event that alone amount to more than $300,000.
Seat 8: Jonas Gutteck, 30, Berlin, Germany – 1,025,000
Economics student Jonas has been playing poker for three years, taking up the game as a hobby but recording impressive results nonetheless.
EPT Berlin is only the fourth EPT event he’s played but he has cashed in three. In Season 6 he finished 21st in Berlin, earning €23,500, and in Prague this season he finished in 70th place, worth €8,000.
Gutteck likes traveling with his girlfriend, Silke, who is railing him at the final. He also has a lot fo friends within the German poker community, many of whom, such as Nasr El Nasr and Sebastian Ruthenberg, played the main event and will be rooting for him from the side lines.
This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.
The Grand National was raced today, the longest, toughest steeplechase in the world; four-and-a-half miles of Aintree turf, over 30 jumps, including twice over the infamous Bechers Brook (four feet 10 inches on the way up, five feet six inches on the way down), and The Chair (six feet high with a five foot two inch ditch), with 40 thoroughbreds snorting their way to the front.
Obviously we couldn’t let an event like that pass by without digging up some analogy to Day 4 of the European Poker Tour main event in Berlin. With a day left to play in the German capital the many obstacles have been cleared, the leg work has been done and the mass field of riders, hell bent on magnificence, has faded away, leaving just eight finalists to compete in the final stretch.
It was a day for potential champions and for also-rans, divided by differences in form and ability.
To players like chip leader Ben Wilinofsky, who bags up 5,225,000 tonight, the acquisition of chips was merely a means to an end. To others, including several players eliminated today, chips were an end in themselves, fuel with which to burn time, hanging on for each money jump.
The purest may bemoan this drain on the fun-loving spirit of the game, but in the cold light of day the game is about money, and both Luis Jaikel (15th) and the eBook reading Thomas Traboulsi (14th), maximised their opportunities to win as much as they could today.
The effect was a waiting game for others, those eyeing a spot at the final without having to engage in obscene unpredictable fumbles with these tail-enders. But with them gone the game opened up. Here’s how the best of the bunch will line up tomorrow:
Seat 1. Maximilian Heinzelmann – 4,970,000
Seat 2. Martin Jacobson – 2,085,000
Seat 3. Vadzim Kursevich – 4,345,000
Seat 4. Darren Kramer – 2,235,000
Seat 5. Armin Mette – 2,185,000
Seat 6. Joep van den Bijgaart – 1,060,000
Seat 7. Ben Wilinofsky – 5,225,000
Seat 8. Jonas Gutteck – 1,025,000
If asked to predict chip counts for the likes of Wilinofsky, Jacobson or Heinzelmann today, the most accurate reply would be “anywhere between 400,000 and 4,000,000”. The exact size did not matter; it was all about what you did with it.
Wilinofsky put it to best use. Dominating, he made the feature table his manor, a lively place full of youth, fun and ultimately advantage Canada.
Heinzelmann played equally well, but contrast the feature table with his outer table, where, next to Martin Jacobson, the German survived a battle of attrition, with the bulk of eliminations emanating away from the TV spot lights, where the short stacks went to die.
Jacobson merits an end of day wrap to himself, reaching his third final table of the year (fourth in total), finishing second in both. Jacobson’s talent is unmistakable, his focus obvious, but his biggest challenge, if he is to add to the more than $1.1 million he’s won on the EPT this season alone, may be in avoiding the impossible-to-spot twists of fate and fortune, the pratfalls that every new champion must avoid.
Vadzim Kursevich played solidly. Rarely speaking, he used chips to clear every obstacle in his way. Joep van den Bijgaart built on the hard work of previous days, during which the Team PokerStars Pro flirted with elimination.
Darren Kramer was an actively chatty player, although perhaps less active with the cards, while Jonas Gutteck (who finished 21st here last year) was the finesse player with the short stack, spending the day doubling up. Armin Mette was happy to let the others bear the load but knocked out Daniel Pidun to end the day.
Pidun had led coming into the day, but like other chip leaders this week, was unable to turn that into a lasting advantage.
Others eliminated included Fabrice Soulier whose efforts came to an end in 11th place. Konstantin Puchkov nearly reached his second final table of the season, busting in 17th, while the other Team PokerStars Pro in today’s field, Henrique Pinho, departed in 20th.
The race is nearly over, just a furlong to go before the newest EPT champion walks away with a first prize of €825,000.
In the meantime you can read details of all of those eliminations, and more, at the links below.
Level 22 (cont.), 23 & 24 updates
Level 25 & 26 updates
Our thanks to them, to our Dutch and German language bloggers and to photographer Neil Stoddart, who may not realise it yet, but is about to spend his Grand National winnings at the hotel bar.
Meanwhile the part-timers over at Mohegan Sun are mid-way through opening day in Uncasville. Find out whether or not that’s a fictional place in the Mohegan Sun coverage section of the PokerStars Blog.
Until tomorrow, it’s goodnight from Berlin.
This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.
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