| Buy-In: | $6,542 + $427 |
|---|---|
| Prize Pool: | $5,149,100 |
| Entrants: | 837 |
Dimitar Danchev could easily have been crowed EPT San Remo champion tonight. He came within a river card of claiming it, with a 95 per cent advantage before an unlikely board snatched it away again.
With Danchev’s 10
9
looking locked in on a flop of 2
49 against Pateychuk 76 even a 8 turn left the Russian needing a miracle and Danchev eyeing the EPT trophy. But a miracle is what Pateychuk got; a 5 on the river to leave the Russian with an overwhelming advantage. Two hands later it was all over.
But the luck Andrey Pateychuk had in the hand – luck that had given him a 24,350,000 to 650,000 advantage – was hard earned after a long, perilous heads-up session in which the Russian had dominated, ceding the lead to Danchev twice but never letting the title slip away. The result tonight was fair and deserved.
Danchev underwent a swing of emotion you wouldn’t wish even the poorest of losers. From one moment being a card away from EPT glory to being dumped out in second place in the shadow of a player who himself had been ready to accept defeat. Even Pateychuk apologised for an impossible stroke of luck; “I thought you had a weak hand,” he said. “I misread you.”
But it would be inaccurate to think Pateychuk had been fortunate to win his first EPT title. When Danchev turned to Pateychuk after his king queen had been dethroned by the Russian’s pocket sevens, he told him he’d deserved it. It was an exit full of grace and dignity, and absolutely correct. Danchev himself worthy of his runner-up spot.
San Remo got the finale it deserved. A little longer than previous years but an incredible performance by a 22-year-old Russian worthy of the tour favourite. Pateychuk adds EPT gold to his 15th place finish in the World Series of Poker Main Event earlier this year. It adds a notional €800,000 to that amount, give or take for the deal agreed heads-up (actually €680,000).
When we’d arrived this afternoon it wasn’t Pateychuk who was the story, nor Daniel Nielson, the seemingly unstoppable chip leader from Australia who dominated and impressed until he was sent home in third. Instead it was the prospect that Kevin MacPhee could become the first player to win a second EPT title.
But MacPhee would always be cursed by a short stack, forced to play like the kind of player he hates, folding and hoping while sitting on an atrophied stack. When he shoved with six-five off suit, to his bewilderment Barny Boatman called with queen-seven of spades, to see off MacPhee and end double-winner hopes in eighth place. MacPhee was disappointed, his comments on Twitter likely to be a talking point for some time to come.
Rocco Palumbo’s departure barely caused a ripple, except among Italians demanding an unlikely Italian winner in the Casino theatre. Yorane Kerignard’s departure cause more of a stir. An obviously talented French pro caught between Nielson and Pateychuk, Kerignard played well and hard, departing in sixth.
Slovakian Jan Bendik went in fifth, beating his previous EPT best of sixth place. But by now Nielson was no longer chip leader. That was Pateychuk, who was being played like an online maniac, but was finding hands and using them well; ace-king twice, kings, queens, jacks, and only the kings didn’t double him up or send someone to the rail.
Barny Boatman would depart in fourth place, an epic performance from a man many people consider to be something of a legend. Despite the $1.8 million earned in tournament winnings over his career, the €225,000 he leaves with stands as his biggest career cash by far, hard for some to believe perhaps, but a sign of Boatman’s longevity and affability in what can be the toughest of worlds.
Nielson’s demise soon followed, the end of a tumultuous day that had started so well for the Australian, but had come crashing down in two hands; four-bet jamming with ace-seven and then five-bet jamming with ace-nine. Both times he ran into the ace-king of Pateychuk.
The rest, a close to three hour heads-up, could be summed up by Pateychuk dominance, Danchev grit and a stroke of luck that ironically produced a worthy winner.
The bits in between can be read about through the links below:
Level 27 to 29 updates
Level 30 to 31 updates
Level 32 updates
It brings to an end another thrilling EPT San Remo main event. No double winner but a champion to hail nonetheless. Will he be appearing at the next EPT event in Loutraki, Greece? Whether he will or not we shall, and you can talk about among yourselves until then.
Our thanks to our German, Italian and French bloggers, as well as to Neil Stoddart who provided all the photography from San Remo this week.
It’s now time for an EPT party.
For now, it’s goodnight from San Remo.
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.
10.40pm: Pateychuk wins EPT San Remo and €680,000
Andrey Pateychuk has won EPT San Remo after knocking out Dimitar Danchev with 7
7 holding against KQ. The board ran out 4JJA3 for Pateychuk to take the title. Full tournament wrap is on its way. Danchev, a valiant heads up opponent, was unlucky to lose out but few will begrudge Pateychuk’s victory. He’s played an absolute stormer. — RD
10.35pm: Pateychuk gets it in super bad for 24,000,000
Andrey Pateychuk hasn’t put a foot wrong all tournament which makes this hand all the more shocking.
Dimtar Danchev opened the button to 325,000 and Pateychuk three-bet to 900,000. Danchev made the call. Pateychuk c-bet 1,200,000 into the 249 flop and Danchev came back over the top for 2,600,000. Pateychuk shoved and Danchev snapped him off.
Pateychuk: 76
Danchev: 109
Pateychuk tipped his head back as the grim realtity hit home. He was a 4% dog to take the pot. The 8 gave him some hope on the turn before the miracle runner-runner landed on the 5 river giving Pateychuk the straight. Danchev with just 600,000 left to Pateychuk’s 24,000,000. Unbelievable. — RD
10.25pm: Hand 200 and it’s fifty-fifty
Dimitar Danchev opened the button and took the blinds. That win takes the players exactly level with 50% of the chips in play each. That means we could be here for some time… or it’s going to be one hell of big pot. — RD
10.15pm: Balanced on a knife’s edge
On a board of 92A54 Pateychuk bet 600,000 which Dimitar Danchev raised to 1,500,000. Pateychuk called with Q9 to take the hand, topping the 87 of Danchev.
The chips are now almost back to even again, with Danchev down to 13 million, with Pateychuk back up to 12 million. – SB
10.05pm: Danchev all-in and at risk… and doubles into the lead
Two big hands finally clash with Dimitar Danchev holding AK and Andrey Pateychuk 99 getting it all-in for 15,610,000.
Danchev binked the K43 flop but Pateychuk stood a chance to catch up with the A before the K hit the river.
Danchev, 15,610
Pateychuk, 9,490
Danchev has been ahead before but this is by the largest margin. How will the Russian respond? — RD
9.57pm: Three-bet and pause
There’s a small pause as the TV crew find out which wire has been kicked out. Minor technical pause in what has been otherwise been a seamless broadcast. — RD
9.50pm: Tense play
On a flop of 54Q Dimitar Danchev checked to Pateychuk who bet 440,000. Danchev raised to 1,100,000 which Pateychuk called. The turn came 6. Danchev bet 1,650,000 sending his opponent in to the tank. He emerged, but only to fold. — SB
9.45pm: Russia in front
Dimitar Danchev called two streets on a AJKJ2 board but couldn’t bring himself to call the river. In fact, he snap folded it. Andrey Pateychuk now up to 18,190,000 – the largest stack anyone has held this tournament. Danchev with around 6,500,000 still has a lot of big blinds but has even more catching up to do. — RD
9.40pm: Cheese burgers are for the swift
Don’t forget you can watch all the action as it happens on EPT Live where James Hartigan and Marc Convey, fresh from the swiftest three course meal in the history of the EPT San Remo buffet, will guide you every step of the way. — SB
9.35pm: Play about to resume
Play will continues shortly with blinds at 80,000-160,000 with a 20,000 ante.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in San Remo: 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.
7.28pm: Danchev playing catch up
Dimitar Danchev has taken a large chunk from Andrey Pateychuk after rivering a straight on a 498J10 board with AQ. Danchev fired 325,000 on the flop, 525,000 on the turn and 650,000 on the river. Pateychuk showed some emotion for the first time all day and looked a little gutted to lose the hand.
Andrey Pateychuk, 14,555,000
Dimitar Danchev, 8,900,000
Daniel Neilson, 1,500,000
Neilson the man that must make a move. — RD
7.20pm: We’re back
Three remain – let’s get going.
7.05pm: Danchev takes at the break
Dimitar Danchev has ground back to 7,885,000 after calling a Andrey Pataeychuk 600,000 three-bet on the button and betting the turn of a Q66Q board for 725,0000.
Andrey Pateychuk, 15,700,000
Dimitar Danchev, 7,885,000
Daniel Neilson, 1,545,000
Play will restart in 15 minutes. — RD
7pm: All-in, call
Daniel Nielson opened for 200,000 on the button and Andrey Pateychuk moved all-in. Nielson called showing A8 to Pateychuk’s K10.
The board ran J55J5 to deny Nielson a much needed double up, splitting the pot. — SB
6.50pm: Two, three, four betting
Andrey Pateychuk opened for 225,000 on the button, Daniel Nielson three-bet to 465,000 in the small blind and then Dimitar Danchev four-bet to a million in the big blind. Fold, fold. — SB
6.45pm: Pateychuk bossing it
Andrey Pateychuk has two thirds of the chips in play and is punishing both of his remaining opponents. Dimitar Danchev has tried to play back at Pateychuk and overall it hasn’t been working, he’s lost two million since Barny Boatman departed in fourth place.
Andrey Pateychuk, 16,680,000
Dimitar Danchev, 5,990,000
Daniel Neilson, 2,460,000
If Pateychuk takes out Danchev next the title surely must be his. — RD
6.35pm: Re-raising
Dimitar Danchev and Andrey Pateychuk have three-bet each other off pots pre-flop, Neilson the quiet man at the moment. — RD
6.30pm: Buck stops
Dimitar Danchev takes a stand against Andrey Pateychuk, drawing a line in the same, three-betting to force Pateychuk to fold. — SB
6.25pm: Pateychuk pushing it
Andrey Pateychuk is pushing his lead hard and has taken two of the last three pots, including a three-bet to 620,000 over the top of Dimitar Danchev putting the Bulgarian is in a very tough spot. Danchev has twice as many chips as Daniel Neilson and the next pay jump is a big one. Third pays €285,000, second an eye watering €480,000. — RD
6.20pm: Boatman sunk, out in 4th (€225,000)
Andrey Pateychuk looks to be cruising towards a first EPT title having just eliminated Barny Boatman in fourth place.
Boatman moved all-in for 1,480,000 and Pateychuk called at once in the big blind, showing QQ to Boatman’s 33
The flop of Q6A left the Englishman looking for running threes which failed to materialize, the turn J and river J ending his tournament. Boatman takes away €225,000 while Pateychuk moves up to an overwhelming lead with 15,000,000. – SB
6.15pm: Jan Bendik out in 5th (€170,000)
Jan Bendik moved all-in under the gun for 1,675,000 and was isolated by Andre Pateychuk who moved all-in to isolate.
Bendik: K10
Pateychuk: JJ
The Russian flopped top set but gave Bendik a straight draw on the J59 flop, the 6 turn and K river failed to save the Slovakian. Pateychuk up to 12,500,000 and now holds half the chips in play. — RD
6.10pm: Boatman on the ropes
Andrey Pateychuk opened from the small blind which was called by Barny Boatman on the big for a flop of 76Q.
Pateychuk bet 270,000 which Boatman called for a turn card 9. Pateychuk checked to Boatman who bet 500,000 before Pateychuk announced “all-in”. Boatman had 1,300,000 behind, with the other half of his stack in the middle. He passed. Pateychuk bags more chips. — SB
6.05pm: Boatman beats Bendik
A simple c-bet from Barny Boatman took a 500,000 pot from Jan Bendik who had defended his big blind and check-folded on a 10410 flop. —RD
5.58pm: Pateychuk takes on Bendik
Jan Bendik opened the button for 225,000 and passed to Andrey Pateychuk’s small blind three-bet of 500,000. Pateychuk showed down KK. Pateychuk’s shown down kings and ace-king twice yet seems to be treated as if he’s playing like a maniac. — RD
5.52pm: Back into it
The final five players play out for the championship.
1. Andrey Pateychuk, 9,430,000
2. Empty
3. Barny Boatman, 2,455,000
4. Daniel Neilson, 3,025,000
5. Empty
6. Empty
7. Dimitar Danchev, 7,995,000
8. Jan Bendik, 2,225,000
The first three hands back have been won by Danchev, Pateychuk and Boatman – all simple raise and takes. — RD
5.45pm: EPT Live
EPT Live is currently broadcasting all the action in English, Italian and Marc Convey.
5.40pm: Play continues
The new level gets under way with blinds at 50,000-100,000 with a 10,000 ante.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in San Remo: Stephen Bartley and Rick Dacey
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.
9.15pm: Short break
Players are taking a short break before the level increases.
9.10pm: Three in a row?
While Team PokerStars Pro Jude Ainsowrth has won a €1,000 side event worth €33,000, Philipp Gruissem is on course to win a third EPT High Roller event in a row. He has most of the chips with three players remaining. — SB
9pm: All change
Dimitar Danchev opened for 250,000 on the button. Andrey Pateychuk three-bet to 725,000 which Dancehv called for a flop of AQ5. Pateychuk checked to Danchev who bet 775,000. Pateychuk called for a 2 turn card. Pateychuk checked again.
Danchev bet a further 1,650,000 which Pateychuk called for a 8 river card. A last check from Pateychuk before Danchev bet 2,175,000. Pateychuk paused, then called. Danchev showed A5 to win the hand and take the lead. Roughly 13,000,000 to 11,000,000. — SB
8.55pm: Danchev looking battered
Even though Dimitar Danchev isn’t that far behind he is looking a bit bewildered at the moment. Things just aren’t going well for him. He tries to play back at Andrey Pateychuk, the Russian ships on him and flashes a rag. He leads the river and the Russian calls having caught that last card. It looks like Danchev needs a moment to rally, Pateychuk looking more than confident. — RD
8.50pm: Five-bet shove
Paleychuk continues to apply the pressure, opening up a two-to-one chip lead with a well timed shove pref-flop.
Dimitar Danchev opened for 250,000 on the button which Paleychuk three-bet to 725,000. Danchev then four-bet to 1,000,000 before Paleychuk, sensing something wasn’t right, five-bet shoved, promoting Danchev to snap fold. Paleychuk showed 5. — SB
8.45pm: Spinks’ man-love for Boatman
Jon Spinks has just admitted on EPT Live that he fell in love with Barny Boatman here in San Remo. We’re presuming in a platonic, man-crush kind of way but who knows.
You can listen to Spinks and James Hartigan on that EPT Live link now. Spinks’ debut performance on the live stream as solid as his 24th place finish in the main event. — RD
8.40pm: Pateychuk regaining momentum
Andrey Pateychuk is stretching ahead and up to 15,500,000 over 9,000,000 after winning the majority of these heads up pots. Pateychuk the more aggressive player at the moment barreling flops and three-betting pre-flop. — RD
8.35pm: Latest chip counts
Andrey Pateychuk — 15,820,000
Dimitar Danchev — 9,280,000
8.30pm: Check-raising the river
After a couple of hands reach the flop, one suddenly reaches the river to provide a littel drama.
On a flop of Q67 Andrey Pateychuk checked to Dimitar Danchev who bet 260,000. Called. On the 10 turn card Pateychuk checked again. Danchev bet 515,000. Called.
On the river card 9 Pateychuk checked a third time, leaving Danchev to bet 825,000. Suddenly Pateychek check-raised to 2,375,000. Danchev was forced to fold. — SB
8.18pm: The players are back
The two players are back in their seats with blinds at 60,000-120,000. — RD
8.10pm: Deal struck
Word has just filtered through that Andrey Pateychuk and Dimitar Danchev have made a deal giving each player €600,000 apiece with €80,000 set to one side for the winner. — RD
8.05pm: Still on break
The heads up players are still off set discussing terms of a deal, which presumably would be close to a straight chop with a chunk left to play for (as well as the title and Shamballa bracelet, of course). — RD
7.45pm: Heads-up chip counts
Andrey Pateychuk — 13,770,000
Dimitar Danchev — 11,360,000
7.40pm: Out goes Nielson
The EPT San Remo main event goes heads-up after the elimination of Daniel Nielson who got his chips in, 1,675,000 of them, with A5 but once again found himself dominated by the A9 of Dimitar Danchev.
The board came K8J710 to end Nielson’s tournament in third place, earning €285,000. — SB
7.28pm: Danchev playing catch up
Dimitar Danchev has taken a large chunk from Andrey Pateychuk after rivering a straight on a 498J10 board with AQ. Danchev fired 325,000 on the flop, 525,000 on the turn and 650,000 on the river. Pateychuk showed some emotion for the first time all day and looked a little gutted to lose the hand.
Andrey Pateychuk, 14,555,000
Dimitar Danchev, 8,900,000
Daniel Neilson, 1,500,000
Neilson the man that must make a move. — RD
7.20pm: We’re back
Three remain – let’s get going.
7.05pm: Danchev takes at the break
Dimitar Danchev has ground back to 7,885,000 after calling a Andrey Pataeychuk 600,000 three-bet on the button and betting the turn of a Q66Q board for 725,0000.
Andrey Pateychuk, 15,700,000
Dimitar Danchev, 7,885,000
Daniel Neilson, 1,545,000
Play will restart in 15 minutes. — RD
7.02pm: With three left…
Perhaps it’s time for a little EPT San Remo catch up. Particularly if you like sausage…
7pm: All-in, call
Daniel Nielson opened for 200,000 on the button and Andrey Pateychuk moved all-in. Nielson called showing A8 to Pateychuk’s K10.
The board ran J55J5 to deny Nielson a much needed double up, splitting the pot. — SB
6.50pm: Two, three, four betting
Andrey Pateychuk opened for 225,000 on the button, Daniel Nielson three-bet to 465,000 in the small blind and then Dimitar Danchev four-bet to a million in the big blind. Fold, fold. — SB
6.45pm: Pateychuk bossing it
Andrey Pateychuk has two thirds of the chips in play and is punishing both of his remaining opponents. Dimitar Danchev has tried to play back at Pateychuk and overall it hasn’t been working, he’s lost two million since Barny Boatman departed in fourth place.
Andrey Pateychuk, 16,680,000
Dimitar Danchev, 5,990,000
Daniel Neilson, 2,460,000
If Pateychuk takes out Danchev next the title surely must be his. — RD
6.35pm: Re-raising
Dimitar Danchev and Andrey Pateychuk have three-bet each other off pots pre-flop, Neilson the quiet man at the moment. — RD
6.30pm: Buck stops
Dimitar Danchev takes a stand against Andrey Pateychuk, drawing a line in the same, three-betting to force Pateychuk to fold. — SB
6.25pm: Pateychuk pushing it
Andrey Pateychuk is pushing his lead hard and has taken two of the last three pots, including a three-bet to 620,000 over the top of Dimitar Danchev putting the Bulgarian is in a very tough spot. Danchev has twice as many chips as Daniel Neilson and the next pay jump is a big one. Third pays €285,000, second an eye watering €480,000. — RD
6.20pm: Boatman sunk, out in 4th (€225,000)
Andrey Pateychuk looks to be cruising towards a first EPT title having just eliminated Barny Boatman in fourth place.
Boatman moved all-in for 1,480,000 and Pateychuk called at once in the big blind, showing QQ to Boatman’s 33
The flop of Q6A left the Englishman looking for running threes which failed to materialize, the turn J and river J ending his tournament. Boatman takes away €225,000 while Pateychuk moves up to an overwhelming lead with 15,000,000. – SB
6.15pm: Jan Bendik out in 5th (€170,000)
Jan Bendik moved all-in under the gun for 1,675,000 and was isolated by Andre Pateychuk who moved all-in to isolate.
Bendik: K10
Pateychuk: JJ
The Russian flopped top set but gave Bendik a straight draw on the J59 flop, the 6 turn and K river failed to save the Slovakian. Pateychuk up to 12,500,000 and now holds half the chips in play. — RD
6.10pm: Boatman on the ropes
Andrey Pateychuk opened from the small blind which was called by Barny Boatman on the big for a flop of 76Q.
Pateychuk bet 270,000 which Boatman called for a turn card 9. Pateychuk checked to Boatman who bet 500,000 before Pateychuk announced “all-in”. Boatman had 1,300,000 behind, with the other half of his stack in the middle. He passed. Pateychuk bags more chips. — SB
6.05pm: Boatman beats Bendik
A simple c-bet from Barny Boatman took a 500,000 pot from Jan Bendik who had defended his big blind and check-folded on a 10410 flop. —RD
5.58pm: Pateychuk takes on Bendik
Jan Bendik opened the button for 225,000 and passed to Andrey Pateychuk’s small blind three-bet of 500,000. Pateychuk showed down KK. Pateychuk’s shown down kings and ace-king twice yet seems to be treated as if he’s playing like a maniac. — RD
5.52pm: Back into it
The final five players play out for the championship.
1. Andrey Pateychuk, 9,430,000
2. Empty
3. Barny Boatman, 2,455,000
4. Daniel Neilson, 3,025,000
5. Empty
6. Empty
7. Dimitar Danchev, 7,995,000
8. Jan Bendik, 2,225,000
The first three hands back have been won by Danchev, Pateychuk and Boatman – all simple raise and takes. — RD
5.45pm: EPT Live
EPT Live is currently broadcasting all the action in English, Italian and Marc Convey.
5.40pm: Play continues
The new level gets under way with blinds at 50,000-100,000 with a 10,000 ante.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in San Remo: Stephen Bartley and Rick Dacey
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.
Cards in the air
Nielson raises the first hand. Wins it. — SB
2.28pm: Introducing the players
Seat 1: Andrey Pateychuk, 22, near Moscow, Russia – 3,105,000
Andrey Pateychuk celebrated his 22nd birthday yesterday by making the final of EPT San Remo. Currently studying Information Security at Bauman Moscow State Technical University, the Russian had virtually no live results until he suddenly grabbed the attention of the poker world by coming 15th at this year’s WSOP Main Event, earning $478,174. He took up poker three years ago, playing $1 Sit and Goes online and he still prefers online no-limit tournaments to live. He is good friends with Team PokerStars Pro Ivan Demidov.
Seat 2: Kevin “ImaLuckSac” MacPhee, 31, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – PokerStars qualifier – 1,115,000
MacPhee started playing poker with college friends in 2003 after seeing Chris Moneymaker win the World Series. The former “Magic: the Gathering” player has been a pro for about five years but first came to notice in April 2008 when he broke the PokerStars Tournament Leader Board record. He then started competing in live events, qualifying for PokerStars tournaments all over the globe including APPT Macau, LAPT San Jose, in Costa Rica, and at least 14 EPTs. In Season 6 he achieved his goal – winning EPT Berlin to earn €1 million, one of the biggest EPT pay-outs ever. He crowned Season 6 by cashing in the Grand Final and winning the EPT Players’ Choice Award. In July 2010, he cashed in four WSOP events; he also came ninth in the PokerStars.net NAPT Los Angeles $5k NL Bounty Shootout tourney in November 2010 and ninth at EPT Prague the following month.
Seat 3: Barny Boatman, 45, London, UK – 2,490,000
There are few in the poker world that haven’t played with Barny Boatman, and even fewer that haven’t shared a drink with him at the bar after play. Boatman has been an ever-present face of the game in the UK since ‘Late Night Poker’ hit television screens back in 1999. The Londoner, who has $1,757,882 in tournament winnings, has a string of live results longer than most players online cashes, but that one big score has always eluded him. This time round, however, he feels things may be different.
“I know I’m playing right so I’m pretty confident about the final table,” said Boatman, “I’ve got myself deep in many occasions but have always seemed to lose that big flip, but there’s not much you can do about that.”
The pressure of the final table and the glare of the spotlight is unlikely to trouble Boatman who will rate his chances of spinning up his fifth place stack. Not only is this Boatman’s first final table but in so reaching it he’s guaranteed himself his largest single tournament score, outweighing a 2002 WSOP runner-up spot (Erik Seidel came third, Johnny Chan fifth).
Seat 4: Daniel Nielson, 24, Sydney, Australia – PokerStars Player – 6,700,000
Nielson has been playing poker for five years, starting in home games but swiftly graduating to playing online where he now mainly plays cash games. He has also had numerous successes in live events with nearly 40 cashes in the last three years, totalling more than $700k. His wins include the ANZPT Sydney High Rollers Challenge two years ago and the ANZPT Perth High Stakes event in March. He has also won two other major Aussie Main Events and in 2010 was voted Australian Poker Player of the Year. “I turned up in San Remo with the same expectations as any poker tournament – I think I have a good chance but I don’t expect too much. I have a big reputation for shrugging my shoulders if I go out and not really caring. That said, I don’t think I’m going out in eighth place so yes, this would be my biggest live cash.”
Nielson came to Europe – his first visit here – with a bunch of poker friends to compete in a several Main Events. He came 45th at EPT London for £13,000 but was first out of the WSOPE Main Event in Cannes when he ran Aces into a flush draw in the first ten minutes. After San Remo, he is planning to head to Amsterdam for the Master Classics and then on to EPT Loutraki.
Seat 5: Rocco Palumbo, 23, Genova, Italy – 1,160,000
Like many poker players, Palumbo was an avid player of “Magic: The Gathering” but stopped playing when he was 16 and started working as an accountant. He started playing online poker at the age of 18 and, as soon as his bankroll was big enough, left his job and started playing professionally. He used to be a heads-up specialist (he won the Italian Poker Award for Best Online Heads-Up player in both 2009 and 2010) but now mostly plays online MTTs and cash games. He’s also an online poker coach on several websites. His best live result was 34th at EPT7 San Remo for €20,000. His most notable online result was winning a €100 SCOOP Six Max Event.
Known to the community as RoccoGe, Palumbo gained Supernova Elite status in 2009. His wife Giulia, who also plays online from time to time, will be here to support him for tomorrow’s final.
Seat 6: Yorane Kerignard, 26, Aix-en-Provence, France – PokerStars qualifier – 2,145,000
Kerignard started playing poker after watching a documentary on television in 2007 featuring French singer and film star Patrick Bruel playing against online qualifiers. The 26-year-old industrial design graduate plays on PokerStars under the username “viirusss”. Favouring MTT events, Kerignard proved his skills in the live arena when he made the final of the Season 6 EPT Copenhagen Main Event. His fourth place in that event is the best result of his career to date; if he finishes better than sixth here in San Remo, he’ll beat his Copenhagen achievement. Kerignard spends most of the year in Marrakech, Morocco, which allows him to play on PokerStars.com. He won his seat to San Remo online on PokerStars.
Seat 7: Dimitar Danchev, 26, from Plovdiv, Bulgaria – 4,435,000
Dimitar has been playing poker for four years and two of those as a professional. He normally doesn’t play too many tournaments and prefers to concentrate on cash games. His choice of game are no-limit hold’em cash games online at the $5-$10 to $10-$20 levels. He admits that he has been very lucky during this tournament but that is the nature of tournaments. He also feels like he has been playing very well and hopes that continues in the final.
He travelled here with two of his friends and they all played the main event. They weren’t as lucky as him but will show their full support as he tries to bring an EPT title home to Bulgaria for the firs time. Away from the tables Dimitar likes to go out with friends, play computer games and watch soccer.
Seat 8: Jan Bendik, 47, Poprad, Slovakia – 3,980,000
Bendik has been playing poker for seven years as a hobby. He owns an electricity company in his homeland but has been playing poker more and more over the years. He has very little time for any other hobbies as poker dominates any free time he has. Poker has been a very fruitful for him as he has amassed nearly $850k in tournament winnings including making the final of last season’s EPT Prague Main Event, where he finished sixth for €100,000. Before Prague, he had cashed in four side events including winning a €1,000 event at EPT7 Barcelona for €68,860. Since Prague, he has finished 49th in the EPT Season 7 Grand Final in Madrid (for €25,000) and made four other final tables including a side event in Madrid and a side event in Barcelona in August.
2.20pm: The standard late start
The players are at the table, chips are stacked and – bar the introductions – we’re set to start. — RD
1.50pm: Tweet of the hour
@barnyboatman: “If I win EPT San Remo they’d better make me Rookie of the Year, or there’s no flipping justice.”
1.45pm: If you prefer moving pictures…
The final table will also be broadcast on EPT Live today where James Hartigan and Marc Convey (yes that Marc Convey) will guide you through the day. You can follow all the action on EPTLive.com. — SB
1.40pm: Final table day
Welcome to the final table of the European Poker Tour main event in San Remo, the last eight of a field of 837 players competing for a first prize of €800,000.
From our position high above the set the final touches are being made to the feature table, on stage in the theatre at Casino San Remo. Only one player has arrived so far, chip leader Daniel Nielson, sporting a new Boggi shirt, waiting for the instruction to take his seat.
That should come at around 2pm when play is due to start, but as is standard in these situations that might be a rough rather than precise start time.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in San Remo: 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.
3.55pm: Break
Full chip counts to come shortly. Join us in a new post in 15 minutes. — RD
3.51pm: Pateychuk pins on back
Andrey Pateychuk opened his cut-off for 120,000 and Barny Boatman three-bet from the button to 275,000. The Russian calmly made the call.
Boatman c-bet 250,000 into the KK3 flop, Pateychuk made the call. Both players checked the 4 turn before Pateychuk led 500,000 into the Q river. Boatman passed. — RD
3.45pm: Neilson extends lead
Daniel Nielson moves up to around 9,000,000 chips after a big pot against Jan Bendik.
Nielson opened for 120,000 in middle position which Bendik called from the big blind. The flop came 538 which Bendik checked. Nielson bet 125,000 and was called for a 4 turn card. Bendik checked again before Nielson bet another 285,000. Bendik called again. On the K river card Bendik checked one last time before Nielson lumped in 675,000. Bendik paused, then called. Nielson took the hand showing A2 for the straight, beating Bendik’s pocket sixes. – SB
3.35pm: MacPhee out in 8th (€63,694)
Kevin MacPhee is the first player out at this final table, not the dream return to the big stage he’d been hoping for. MacPhee had cut a frustrated figure obviously unable to find a hand to get his stack in with. When the action passed to him in the small blind MacPhee shoved his final 535,000 over the line and into Barny Boatman’s big blind.
Boatman looked MacPhee up and down and made the call.
Boatman: Q7
MacPhee: 65
Despite turning a gutshot MacPhee failed to outrun Boatman on the 33K2J board and departs in 8th for €63,694. Boatman back up to 2,630,000, seven players remain. — RD
3.25pm: Pateychuck under pressure
After Barny Boatman wins a hand against Daniel Nielson, Dimitar Danchev wins one aginst Andrey Pateychuck, opening for 125,000 and they four-betting to 675,000 after Pateychuck raised to 330,000. The Russian passed. – SB
3,20pm: Chip counts
Daniel Nielson — 7,395,000
Dimitar Danchev — 5,195,000
Jan Bendik — 4,580,000
Andrey Pateychuck — 2,415,000
Yorane Kerignard — 2,010,000
Barny Boatman — 1,830,000
Rocco Palumbo — 1,035,000
Kevin MacPhee — 670,000
3.15pm: Neilson piling on the pressure, MacPhee looking frustrated
Daniel Neilson has won the last three pots and is driving his chip leader ahead of the pack.
1) Neilson shoved from the small blind into Rocco Palumbo’s big blind. The Italian, who cannot expect an easy ride today, passed.
2) Barny Boatman opened the cut-off for 125,000 and was three-bet by Neilson from the button to 275,000. Boatman called and check-called 250,000 on the 74K flop. The Londoner passed to a 400,000 bet on the 4 turn.
3) Neilson took on Dimitar Danchev the next hand winning the pot on a 9AJ flop.
While Neilson is chipping up – probably close to 7,600,000 – Kevin MacPhee is looking increasingly frustrated, unable to find a hand to play correctly. — RD
3.05pm: Watch all about it
Don’t forget you can watch all the action from the EPT San Remo final table on EPTLive.
3pm: Danchev in action
Dimitri Danchev opened for 135,000 which Daniel Nielson called in the big blind for a flop of 935. Nielson then checked to Danchev who bet another 155,000. Again Nielson called.
On the Q flop Nielson checked to Danchev who bet 340,000. This time it was good to win the pot. – SB
2.56pm: Palumbo all-in!
But no call. The last remaining Italian shoved all-in from late position into Jan Bendik’s big blind for 1,045,000 stole the blinds. It’s his second shove but still no takers. — RD
2.54pm: The Bendik-Danchev dance
Jan Bendik and Dimitar Danchev have been involved the last two hands. Bendik winning the first with a three-bet to 350,000 and Danchev the other in a small post-flop pot. Nothing major, no seismic shudders at this final table as of yet. — RD
2.50pm: First moves from Palumbo
The first all-in of the day is executed by Rocco Palumbo who found no takers for his shove of 1,030,000. Prior to that Jan Bendik and Andrey Pateychuck battled from the blinds, Bendik betting 250,000 on the 69A flop, then another 520,000 on the 10 turn to win the hand. – SB
2.40pm: The first few hands
Here’s a snapshot of the first few hands:
1) Barny Boatman three-bets his big blind to 275,000 after a 100,000 button-raise from Andrey Pateychuk. The Russian passes, Boatman takes the pot.
2) Dimitar Danchev opens to 110,000 and takes the blinds and antes.
3) Yorane Kerignard opens to the same amount and also takes the pot.
Two players started on little over 20 big blinds (Kevin MacPhee and Rocco Palumbo) so it can’t be too long until there’s an all-in. — RD
2.33pm: Talking of Neilson
The video blog team catch up with chip leader Daniel Neilson.
2.30pm: Cards in the air
Nielson raises the first hand. Wins it. — SB
2.28pm: Introducing the players
Seat 1: Andrey Pateychuk, 22, near Moscow, Russia – 3,105,000
Andrey Pateychuk celebrated his 22nd birthday yesterday by making the final of EPT San Remo. Currently studying Information Security at Bauman Moscow State Technical University, the Russian had virtually no live results until he suddenly grabbed the attention of the poker world by coming 15th at this year’s WSOP Main Event, earning $478,174. He took up poker three years ago, playing $1 Sit and Goes online and he still prefers online no-limit tournaments to live. He is good friends with Team PokerStars Pro Ivan Demidov.
Seat 2: Kevin “ImaLuckSac” MacPhee, 31, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – PokerStars qualifier – 1,115,000
MacPhee started playing poker with college friends in 2003 after seeing Chris Moneymaker win the World Series. The former “Magic: the Gathering” player has been a pro for about five years but first came to notice in April 2008 when he broke the PokerStars Tournament Leader Board record. He then started competing in live events, qualifying for PokerStars tournaments all over the globe including APPT Macau, LAPT San Jose, in Costa Rica, and at least 14 EPTs. In Season 6 he achieved his goal – winning EPT Berlin to earn €1 million, one of the biggest EPT pay-outs ever. He crowned Season 6 by cashing in the Grand Final and winning the EPT Players’ Choice Award. In July 2010, he cashed in four WSOP events; he also came ninth in the PokerStars.net NAPT Los Angeles $5k NL Bounty Shootout tourney in November 2010 and ninth at EPT Prague the following month.
Seat 3: Barny Boatman, 45, London, UK – 2,490,000
There are few in the poker world that haven’t played with Barny Boatman, and even fewer that haven’t shared a drink with him at the bar after play. Boatman has been an ever-present face of the game in the UK since ‘Late Night Poker’ hit television screens back in 1999. The Londoner, who has $1,757,882 in tournament winnings, has a string of live results longer than most players online cashes, but that one big score has always eluded him. This time round, however, he feels things may be different.
“I know I’m playing right so I’m pretty confident about the final table,” said Boatman, “I’ve got myself deep in many occasions but have always seemed to lose that big flip, but there’s not much you can do about that.”
The pressure of the final table and the glare of the spotlight is unlikely to trouble Boatman who will rate his chances of spinning up his fifth place stack. Not only is this Boatman’s first final table but in so reaching it he’s guaranteed himself his largest single tournament score, outweighing a 2002 WSOP runner-up spot (Erik Seidel came third, Johnny Chan fifth).
Seat 4: Daniel Nielson, 24, Sydney, Australia – PokerStars Player – 6,700,000
Nielson has been playing poker for five years, starting in home games but swiftly graduating to playing online where he now mainly plays cash games. He has also had numerous successes in live events with nearly 40 cashes in the last three years, totalling more than $700k. His wins include the ANZPT Sydney High Rollers Challenge two years ago and the ANZPT Perth High Stakes event in March. He has also won two other major Aussie Main Events and in 2010 was voted Australian Poker Player of the Year. “I turned up in San Remo with the same expectations as any poker tournament – I think I have a good chance but I don’t expect too much. I have a big reputation for shrugging my shoulders if I go out and not really caring. That said, I don’t think I’m going out in eighth place so yes, this would be my biggest live cash.”
Nielson came to Europe – his first visit here – with a bunch of poker friends to compete in a several Main Events. He came 45th at EPT London for £13,000 but was first out of the WSOPE Main Event in Cannes when he ran Aces into a flush draw in the first ten minutes. After San Remo, he is planning to head to Amsterdam for the Master Classics and then on to EPT Loutraki.
Seat 5: Rocco Palumbo, 23, Genova, Italy – 1,160,000
Like many poker players, Palumbo was an avid player of “Magic: The Gathering” but stopped playing when he was 16 and started working as an accountant. He started playing online poker at the age of 18 and, as soon as his bankroll was big enough, left his job and started playing professionally. He used to be a heads-up specialist (he won the Italian Poker Award for Best Online Heads-Up player in both 2009 and 2010) but now mostly plays online MTTs and cash games. He’s also an online poker coach on several websites. His best live result was 34th at EPT7 San Remo for €20,000. His most notable online result was winning a €100 SCOOP Six Max Event.
Known to the community as RoccoGe, Palumbo gained Supernova Elite status in 2009. His wife Giulia, who also plays online from time to time, will be here to support him for tomorrow’s final.
Seat 6: Yorane Kerignard, 26, Aix-en-Provence, France – PokerStars qualifier – 2,145,000
Kerignard started playing poker after watching a documentary on television in 2007 featuring French singer and film star Patrick Bruel playing against online qualifiers. The 26-year-old industrial design graduate plays on PokerStars under the username “viirusss”. Favouring MTT events, Kerignard proved his skills in the live arena when he made the final of the Season 6 EPT Copenhagen Main Event. His fourth place in that event is the best result of his career to date; if he finishes better than sixth here in San Remo, he’ll beat his Copenhagen achievement. Kerignard spends most of the year in Marrakech, Morocco, which allows him to play on PokerStars.com. He won his seat to San Remo online on PokerStars.
Seat 7: Dimitar Danchev, 26, from Plovdiv, Bulgaria – 4,435,000
Dimitar has been playing poker for four years and two of those as a professional. He normally doesn’t play too many tournaments and prefers to concentrate on cash games. His choice of game are no-limit hold’em cash games online at the $5-$10 to $10-$20 levels. He admits that he has been very lucky during this tournament but that is the nature of tournaments. He also feels like he has been playing very well and hopes that continues in the final.
He travelled here with two of his friends and they all played the main event. They weren’t as lucky as him but will show their full support as he tries to bring an EPT title home to Bulgaria for the firs time. Away from the tables Dimitar likes to go out with friends, play computer games and watch soccer.
Seat 8: Jan Bendik, 47, Poprad, Slovakia – 3,980,000
Bendik has been playing poker for seven years as a hobby. He owns an electricity company in his homeland but has been playing poker more and more over the years. He has very little time for any other hobbies as poker dominates any free time he has. Poker has been a very fruitful for him as he has amassed nearly $850k in tournament winnings including making the final of last season’s EPT Prague Main Event, where he finished sixth for €100,000. Before Prague, he had cashed in four side events including winning a €1,000 event at EPT7 Barcelona for €68,860. Since Prague, he has finished 49th in the EPT Season 7 Grand Final in Madrid (for €25,000) and made four other final tables including a side event in Madrid and a side event in Barcelona in August.
2.20pm: The standard late start
The players are at the table, chips are stacked and – bar the introductions – we’re set to start. — RD
1.50pm: Tweet of the hour
@barnyboatman: “If I win EPT San Remo they’d better make me Rookie of the Year, or there’s no flipping justice.”
1.45pm: If you prefer moving pictures…
The final table will also be broadcast on EPT Live today where James Hartigan and Marc Convey (yes that Marc Convey) will guide you through the day. You can follow all the action on EPTLive.com. — SB
1.40pm: Final table day
Welcome to the final table of the European Poker Tour main event in San Remo, the last eight of a field of 837 players competing for a first prize of €800,000.
From our position high above the set the final touches are being made to the feature table, on stage in the theatre at Casino San Remo. Only one player has arrived so far, chip leader Daniel Nielson, sporting a new Boggi shirt, waiting for the instruction to take his seat.
That should come at around 2pm when play is due to start, but as is standard in these situations that might be a rough rather than precise start time.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in San Remo: 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.
5.30pm: Break time
Join us in a new post in 15 minutes.
5.20pm: Pateychuk bursts into the lead
Andrey Pateychuk has taken the lead here at San Remo after crushing Daniel Neilson with ace-king for the second time.
Pateychuk opened for 160,000 from the hijack and Neilson three-bet to 380,000 from the button. The Russian four-bet to 1,120,000 and Neilson announced that he was all-in. Call.
Neilson: A9
Pateychuk: AK
Huge 9,595,000 pot with Pateychuk as a three-to-one favourite. The board ran out 476AQ to put Pateychuk out in front and Neilson, somewhat incredibly, down to 3,050,000. — RD
5.15pm: Danchev gets better of Nielson
Daniel Nielson opened for 160,000 from middle position which Dimitar Danchev three-bet from the button to 405,000. Nielson called for a flop: 1064. Nielson checked, then called Danchev’s bet of 625,000 for a 10 turn. Both checked that for a river card A.
Nielson checked again. Danchev went to his stack and bet 900,000. Nielson didn’t fold immediately but he did eventually. Pot to Danchev. – SB
5.07pm: Neilson backdoors Bendik
Daniel Neilson is up to 9,200,000 after rivering a flush on a 27475 board. Neilson had raised pre-flop and Bendik had made the call on the button. A 250,000 c-bet was made on the flop, the turn was checked and Neilson led 500,000 into the river. Call. Bendik now the short stack with 2,190,000.
Bendik, who showed a seven for trips, said: “Not possible.” — RD
5pm: Shock all-in leaves Kerignard out in cold (6th, €130,000)
Yorane Kerignard is out after a suddenly shove that no one seemed to expect. Kerignard limped in the small blind which Dimitar Danchev raised to 240,000, Kerignard then moved all-in, getting snap called by Danchev who turned over AJ to Kerignard’s 33.
The board made it easy for Danchev, coming AA967 to move Danchev up to 7,200,000 and send Kerignard to the rail in sixth place, earning €130,000. – SB
4.54pm: Loose shove from Neilson doubles Pateychuk
Andrey Patechuk had shoved from the button for 1,800,000 the hand prior. This time, however, he just min-raised from the cut-off for 160,000. Chip leader Daniel Neilson moved all-in from the small blind and the Russian snapped him off.
Neilson: A7
Pateychuk: AK
The A2KK10 board boated Pateychuk who doubled to 4,000,000. Neilson still ahead, but less so, with 8,000,000. — RD
4.50pm: Boatman moving up
Andrey Pateychuk opened for 180,000 in the small blind which Barny Boatman called in the big blind for a flop of 10Q5. Pateychuk made it 210,000 but Boatman came back with a raise to 420,000 to win the hand. He’s up to 2,600,000. — SB
4.45pm: Palumbo out in 7th (€95,000)
Rocco Palumbo finally got his chips into the middle, all in for 645,000 in middle position which KQ. Jan Bendik was in the small blind and called with 55.
With the whole of Italy on its feet the flop was dealt, landing 25J. Bendik now had a set which would prove unbeatable, with a 7 turn and 6 river card. Palumbo departs in seventh place earning €95,000. – SB
4.40pm: Kerignard and Neilson check-raise
Yorane Kerignard got the first check-raise in to take Jan Bendik off a 7Q8 flop after calling the Slovakian from the small blind. That put Bendik down to 2,665,000, Kerignard up to 3,360,000.
Next it was Daniel Neilson’s turn to take the check-raise option, and far more effectively. Neilson opened for 160,000 from the hijack and Kerignard made the call from the button. Neilson c-bet 250,000 into the A78 flop. Call. Both players checked the 7 turn before Neilson checked the 9 river over to Kerignard who bet 230,000.
Neilson then cut out a large check-raise to 1,100,000 and his oppoennet slowly made the call, unhappy when the Australian showed AQ for a great value check-raise. Neilson now up to 10,065,000 and romping it. — RD
4.30pm: Palumbo under seige
A period of all-ins but no takers. Daniel Nielson shoved in the small blind to force Rocco Palumbo to fold the big blind. This has been Nielson’s tactic all day, to take the fight to the short stack, who has been forced to step aside.
A few moments later Dimitar Danchev opened for 175,000 which Nielson raised to 450,000 from the button. Yorane Kerignard was in the big blind and immediately shoved for 2,150,000. Danchev passed and, after a few seconds to think, Nielson passed also. – SB
4.20pm: Final table chips
Rocco Palumbo the man in trouble.
1. Andrey Pateychuk, 2,605,000
2. Empty
3. Barny Boatman, 1,925,000
4. Daniel Neilson, 8,725,000
5. Rocco Palumbo, 805,000
6. Yorane Kerignard, 2,175,000
7. Dimitar Danchev, 5,760,000
8. Jan Bendik, 3,135,000
Neilson continues to stretch out his chip lead. — RD
4.15pm: Kerignard all-in
Yorane Kerignard pushes all in for just short of 2,000,000 after a cut-off raise from Daniel Nielson to 160,000. No takers. — SB
4.10pm: Back from the break
Rocco Palumbo shoved all-in for 700,000 into Yoran Kerignard. The Frenchman passed. — RD
3.55pm: Break
Full chip counts to come shortly. Join us in this post in 15 minutes. — RD
3.54pm: Final table preview
The video team have created this final table preview.
3.51pm: Pateychuk pins on back
Andrey Pateychuk opened his cut-off for 120,000 and Barny Boatman three-bet from the button to 275,000. The Russian calmly made the call.
Boatman c-bet 250,000 into the KK3 flop, Pateychuk made the call. Both players checked the 4 turn before Pateychuk led 500,000 into the Q river. Boatman passed. — RD
3.45pm: Neilson extends lead
Daniel Nielson moves up to around 9,000,000 chips after a big pot against Jan Bendik.
Nielson opened for 120,000 in middle position which Bendik called from the big blind. The flop came 538 which Bendik checked. Nielson bet 125,000 and was called for a 4 turn card. Bendik checked again before Nielson bet another 285,000. Bendik called again. On the K river card Bendik checked one last time before Nielson lumped in 675,000. Bendik paused, then called. Nielson took the hand showing A2 for the straight, beating Bendik’s pocket sixes. – SB
3.35pm: MacPhee out in 8th (€63,694)
Kevin MacPhee is the first player out at this final table, not the dream return to the big stage he’d been hoping for. MacPhee had cut a frustrated figure obviously unable to find a hand to get his stack in with. When the action passed to him in the small blind MacPhee shoved his final 535,000 over the line and into Barny Boatman’s big blind.
Boatman looked MacPhee up and down and made the call.
Boatman: Q7
MacPhee: 65
Despite turning a gutshot MacPhee failed to outrun Boatman on the 33K2J board and departs in 8th for €63,694. Boatman back up to 2,630,000, seven players remain. — RD
3.25pm: Pateychuck under pressure
After Barny Boatman wins a hand against Daniel Nielson, Dimitar Danchev wins one aginst Andrey Pateychuck, opening for 125,000 and they four-betting to 675,000 after Pateychuck raised to 330,000. The Russian passed. – SB
3,20pm: Chip counts
Daniel Nielson — 7,395,000
Dimitar Danchev — 5,195,000
Jan Bendik — 4,580,000
Andrey Pateychuck — 2,415,000
Yorane Kerignard — 2,010,000
Barny Boatman — 1,830,000
Rocco Palumbo — 1,035,000
Kevin MacPhee — 670,000
3.15pm: Neilson piling on the pressure, MacPhee looking frustrated
Daniel Neilson has won the last three pots and is driving his chip leader ahead of the pack.
1) Neilson shoved from the small blind into Rocco Palumbo’s big blind. The Italian, who cannot expect an easy ride today, passed.
2) Barny Boatman opened the cut-off for 125,000 and was three-bet by Neilson from the button to 275,000. Boatman called and check-called 250,000 on the 74K flop. The Londoner passed to a 400,000 bet on the 4 turn.
3) Neilson took on Dimitar Danchev the next hand winning the pot on a 9AJ flop.
While Neilson is chipping up – probably close to 7,600,000 – Kevin MacPhee is looking increasingly frustrated, unable to find a hand to play correctly. — RD
3.05pm: Watch all about it
Don’t forget you can watch all the action from the EPT San Remo final table on EPTLive.
3pm: Danchev in action
Dimitri Danchev opened for 135,000 which Daniel Nielson called in the big blind for a flop of 935. Nielson then checked to Danchev who bet another 155,000. Again Nielson called.
On the Q flop Nielson checked to Danchev who bet 340,000. This time it was good to win the pot. – SB
2.56pm: Palumbo all-in!
But no call. The last remaining Italian shoved all-in from late position into Jan Bendik’s big blind for 1,045,000 stole the blinds. It’s his second shove but still no takers. — RD
2.54pm: The Bendik-Danchev dance
Jan Bendik and Dimitar Danchev have been involved the last two hands. Bendik winning the first with a three-bet to 350,000 and Danchev the other in a small post-flop pot. Nothing major, no seismic shudders at this final table as of yet. — RD
2.50pm: First moves from Palumbo
The first all-in of the day is executed by Rocco Palumbo who found no takers for his shove of 1,030,000. Prior to that Jan Bendik and Andrey Pateychuck battled from the blinds, Bendik betting 250,000 on the 69A flop, then another 520,000 on the 10 turn to win the hand. – SB
2.40pm: The first few hands
Here’s a snapshot of the first few hands:
1) Barny Boatman three-bets his big blind to 275,000 after a 100,000 button-raise from Andrey Pateychuk. The Russian passes, Boatman takes the pot.
2) Dimitar Danchev opens to 110,000 and takes the blinds and antes.
3) Yorane Kerignard opens to the same amount and also takes the pot.
Two players started on little over 20 big blinds (Kevin MacPhee and Rocco Palumbo) so it can’t be too long until there’s an all-in. — RD
2.33pm: Talking of Neilson
The video blog team catch up with chip leader Daniel Neilson.
2.30pm: Cards in the air
Nielson raises the first hand. Wins it. — SB
2.28pm: Introducing the players
Seat 1: Andrey Pateychuk, 22, near Moscow, Russia – 3,105,000
Andrey Pateychuk celebrated his 22nd birthday yesterday by making the final of EPT San Remo. Currently studying Information Security at Bauman Moscow State Technical University, the Russian had virtually no live results until he suddenly grabbed the attention of the poker world by coming 15th at this year’s WSOP Main Event, earning $478,174. He took up poker three years ago, playing $1 Sit and Goes online and he still prefers online no-limit tournaments to live. He is good friends with Team PokerStars Pro Ivan Demidov.
Seat 2: Kevin “ImaLuckSac” MacPhee, 31, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – PokerStars qualifier – 1,115,000
MacPhee started playing poker with college friends in 2003 after seeing Chris Moneymaker win the World Series. The former “Magic: the Gathering” player has been a pro for about five years but first came to notice in April 2008 when he broke the PokerStars Tournament Leader Board record. He then started competing in live events, qualifying for PokerStars tournaments all over the globe including APPT Macau, LAPT San Jose, in Costa Rica, and at least 14 EPTs. In Season 6 he achieved his goal – winning EPT Berlin to earn €1 million, one of the biggest EPT pay-outs ever. He crowned Season 6 by cashing in the Grand Final and winning the EPT Players’ Choice Award. In July 2010, he cashed in four WSOP events; he also came ninth in the PokerStars.net NAPT Los Angeles $5k NL Bounty Shootout tourney in November 2010 and ninth at EPT Prague the following month.
Seat 3: Barny Boatman, 45, London, UK – 2,490,000
There are few in the poker world that haven’t played with Barny Boatman, and even fewer that haven’t shared a drink with him at the bar after play. Boatman has been an ever-present face of the game in the UK since ‘Late Night Poker’ hit television screens back in 1999. The Londoner, who has $1,757,882 in tournament winnings, has a string of live results longer than most players online cashes, but that one big score has always eluded him. This time round, however, he feels things may be different.
“I know I’m playing right so I’m pretty confident about the final table,” said Boatman, “I’ve got myself deep in many occasions but have always seemed to lose that big flip, but there’s not much you can do about that.”
The pressure of the final table and the glare of the spotlight is unlikely to trouble Boatman who will rate his chances of spinning up his fifth place stack. Not only is this Boatman’s first final table but in so reaching it he’s guaranteed himself his largest single tournament score, outweighing a 2002 WSOP runner-up spot (Erik Seidel came third, Johnny Chan fifth).
Seat 4: Daniel Nielson, 24, Sydney, Australia – PokerStars Player – 6,700,000
Nielson has been playing poker for five years, starting in home games but swiftly graduating to playing online where he now mainly plays cash games. He has also had numerous successes in live events with nearly 40 cashes in the last three years, totalling more than $700k. His wins include the ANZPT Sydney High Rollers Challenge two years ago and the ANZPT Perth High Stakes event in March. He has also won two other major Aussie Main Events and in 2010 was voted Australian Poker Player of the Year. “I turned up in San Remo with the same expectations as any poker tournament – I think I have a good chance but I don’t expect too much. I have a big reputation for shrugging my shoulders if I go out and not really caring. That said, I don’t think I’m going out in eighth place so yes, this would be my biggest live cash.”
Nielson came to Europe – his first visit here – with a bunch of poker friends to compete in a several Main Events. He came 45th at EPT London for £13,000 but was first out of the WSOPE Main Event in Cannes when he ran Aces into a flush draw in the first ten minutes. After San Remo, he is planning to head to Amsterdam for the Master Classics and then on to EPT Loutraki.
Seat 5: Rocco Palumbo, 23, Genova, Italy – 1,160,000
Like many poker players, Palumbo was an avid player of “Magic: The Gathering” but stopped playing when he was 16 and started working as an accountant. He started playing online poker at the age of 18 and, as soon as his bankroll was big enough, left his job and started playing professionally. He used to be a heads-up specialist (he won the Italian Poker Award for Best Online Heads-Up player in both 2009 and 2010) but now mostly plays online MTTs and cash games. He’s also an online poker coach on several websites. His best live result was 34th at EPT7 San Remo for €20,000. His most notable online result was winning a €100 SCOOP Six Max Event.
Known to the community as RoccoGe, Palumbo gained Supernova Elite status in 2009. His wife Giulia, who also plays online from time to time, will be here to support him for tomorrow’s final.
Seat 6: Yorane Kerignard, 26, Aix-en-Provence, France – PokerStars qualifier – 2,145,000
Kerignard started playing poker after watching a documentary on television in 2007 featuring French singer and film star Patrick Bruel playing against online qualifiers. The 26-year-old industrial design graduate plays on PokerStars under the username “viirusss”. Favouring MTT events, Kerignard proved his skills in the live arena when he made the final of the Season 6 EPT Copenhagen Main Event. His fourth place in that event is the best result of his career to date; if he finishes better than sixth here in San Remo, he’ll beat his Copenhagen achievement. Kerignard spends most of the year in Marrakech, Morocco, which allows him to play on PokerStars.com. He won his seat to San Remo online on PokerStars.
Seat 7: Dimitar Danchev, 26, from Plovdiv, Bulgaria – 4,435,000
Dimitar has been playing poker for four years and two of those as a professional. He normally doesn’t play too many tournaments and prefers to concentrate on cash games. His choice of game are no-limit hold’em cash games online at the $5-$10 to $10-$20 levels. He admits that he has been very lucky during this tournament but that is the nature of tournaments. He also feels like he has been playing very well and hopes that continues in the final.
He travelled here with two of his friends and they all played the main event. They weren’t as lucky as him but will show their full support as he tries to bring an EPT title home to Bulgaria for the firs time. Away from the tables Dimitar likes to go out with friends, play computer games and watch soccer.
Seat 8: Jan Bendik, 47, Poprad, Slovakia – 3,980,000
Bendik has been playing poker for seven years as a hobby. He owns an electricity company in his homeland but has been playing poker more and more over the years. He has very little time for any other hobbies as poker dominates any free time he has. Poker has been a very fruitful for him as he has amassed nearly $850k in tournament winnings including making the final of last season’s EPT Prague Main Event, where he finished sixth for €100,000. Before Prague, he had cashed in four side events including winning a €1,000 event at EPT7 Barcelona for €68,860. Since Prague, he has finished 49th in the EPT Season 7 Grand Final in Madrid (for €25,000) and made four other final tables including a side event in Madrid and a side event in Barcelona in August.
2.20pm: The standard late start
The players are at the table, chips are stacked and – bar the introductions – we’re set to start. — RD
1.50pm: Tweet of the hour
@barnyboatman: “If I win EPT San Remo they’d better make me Rookie of the Year, or there’s no flipping justice.”
1.45pm: If you prefer moving pictures…
The final table will also be broadcast on EPT Live today where James Hartigan and Marc Convey (yes that Marc Convey) will guide you through the day. You can follow all the action on EPTLive.com. — SB
1.40pm: Final table day
Welcome to the final table of the European Poker Tour main event in San Remo, the last eight of a field of 837 players competing for a first prize of €800,000.
From our position high above the set the final touches are being made to the feature table, on stage in the theatre at Casino San Remo. Only one player has arrived so far, chip leader Daniel Nielson, sporting a new Boggi shirt, waiting for the instruction to take his seat.
That should come at around 2pm when play is due to start, but as is standard in these situations that might be a rough rather than precise start time.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in San Remo: 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.
The European Poker Tour main event in San Remo reaches its final day with just eight players from a field of 837 remaining, returning to the theatre of Casino San Remo tomorrow to play to a winner, who will walk away with a first prize worth €800,000.
After an often frenetic day of play, which reduced the final 24 to eight in a little more than four levels, we lost the bulk of the local Italians, two Team PokerStars Pros, while a former champion fell to the rail, another stands poised to pull of an historic double.
Kevin MacPhee will take a seat at the final table tomorrow, the short stack with 1,115,000 chips with which to mount a campaign to earn a place in poker history. So long has the title of “first double winner” been bandied about by the travelling bandwagon that accompanies the tour, that it’s now like some old piece of furniture stored in the spare room, suitable only for propping up pianos or holding down loose papers. Tomorrow it will once more be dusted off, shined, and prepared for the possibility of proper home.
MacPhee’s task will be a tough one, not only for a big hand against Dimitar Danchev that reduced his stack by half (and will leave him on tilt for the rest of the night) but because of the quality of the final table field, represented by eight nationalities.
Joining MacPhee will be chip leader Daniel Nielson from Australia, who, saw off Johnny Lodden tonight to bring play to an end. “Good”, “solid” and “aggressive” were words used to describe the EPT newcomer.
Here’s how they’ll line up…
1. Andrey Pateychuk, Russia, 3,105,000
2. Kevin MacPhee, United States, 1,115,000
3. Barny Boatman, United Kingdom, 2,490,000
4. Daniel Nielson, Australia, 6,700,000
5. Rocco Palumbo, Italy, 1,160,000
6. Yorane Kerignard, France, 2,145,000
7. Dimitar Danchev, Bulgaria, 4,435,000
8. Jan Bendik, Slovakia, 3,980,000
It is perhaps not the line-up railbirds may have dreamed of as play started this afternoon, with an array of the game’s brightest falling at the penultimate hurdle.
Jon Spinks departed within minutes of the start, choosing to get his 700,000 chips into the middle in good health rather than wait, like others, for age to whither them. Spinks was followed by Elio Fox, the new World Series of Poker Europe champion who looked to be on his way to an unlikely double. While his day may have ended in 23rd place, it wasn’t a bad trip all things considered.
When a single former champion reaches the final of an EPT the talk fo first double winners is turned up to unbearable levels. So when two of them looked all set for the last eight the rhetoric was bulky and alas, premature.
Mike McDonald, who already has three EPT final tables to his name, narrowly missed out on another, busting in 18th place and leaving it to Kevin MacPhee to progress, hotly pursued by a geek carrying that record book.
Lex Veldhuis just missed out on his first EPT final table, busting in 15th (his best EPT yet) with the damage done by fellow Team PokerStars Pro Johnny Lodden. Following Veldhuis to the door was chip leader coming into the day Chris McClung, who endured a nightmare day in which the all-ins he called remained firm against his efforts to dominate.
On a day in which it all kicked off in the Italian parliament, it was all calm among Italians in the main event, reduced from seven to one. Rocco Palumbo will represent the home nation tomorrow after the departure of Cristiano Guerra, Mustapha Kanit, Daniele Vesco, Gianluca Cedolia, Alessio Isaia and Angelo Tarallo.
But it fell to the last remaining Team PokerStars Pro Johnny Lodden to bring the day to a close, falling in ninth place to miss what would have been his first ETP final table since Budapest in 2006. He shoved with ace-king only for Daniel Nielsen to find a pair of queens that dodged everything on the board.
In their place are the likes of Jan Bendik, from Spectacular Slovakia, reaching his second EPT final table after Prague in Season 7. He plays a stack of 3,980,000 tomorrow.
Andrey Pateychuk may have kept a low profile today but the Russian’s pedigree speaks of success on major tournaments, as his 15th place singing in the World Series main event this year is testament to. He’ll be back armed with 3,105,000. Yorane Kerignard, bagging up 2,145,000, does the same after a gritty performance that rewards him with his second EPT final table after EPT Copenhagen in Season 7.
Last night Barny Boatman joked that he had now won the “min-cash Triple Crown” with cash finishes at EPT London, the WSOPE and now here, something he could only ruin by making the final table.
That’s just what he did today, using aggression early on to reinforce his stack while playing solidly throughout. He returns with 2,490,000. Dimitar Danchev completes the line-up, playing a stack of 4,435,000.
To tally that up, that’s one former winner, three former finalists, an Italian, a Mobster and at least one player set to record their best live tournament finish. Read all about them, and those who departed today, at the links below…
Level 23 (cont.)-25 updates
Level 26-27 updates
Our thanks to our colleagues blogging in German, French and Italian, and to our photographer Neil Stoddart, whose copyright enforcement team once provoked a fist fight in the Italian parliament.
Tomorrow eight will become one as a new EPT San Remo champion, and perhaps even the first double winner, will lift the trophy and pocket a cheque for €800,000. Live coverage from the theatre in Casino San Remo, will resume at 2pm, with EPT Live coverage the action every step of the way. If your imagination needs moving pictures as well as words, that is.
Until then we’re off for ice cream. Goodnight from San Remo.
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: Lodden falls in 9th (€45,000)
Johnny Lodden has just bust out in a monster flip to Daniel Neilson. The Australian opened for 105,000 and was three-bet by Lodden for 275,000. Neilson looked like he was going nowhere. He plucked out a large stack of orange chips and moved them forward: a four-bet of 570,000. Lodden shoved for around 2,000,000 and Neilson instantly called.
Lodden: AK
Neilson: QQ
It wasn’t the flop Lodden wanted, nor the turn or river as the board ran out J5562. Eight players remain. — RD
8.58pm: Palumbo three-bet shove
Rocco Palumbo just three-bet shoved all-in from the bytton off a Daniel Neilson cut-off raise of 105,000. The 1,000,000 shove took the pot. Palumbo still short, as is MacPhee. — RD
8.53pm: Boatman defends strongly
Barny Boatman is up to around 2,300,000 after winning a pot out of position versus Andrey Pateychuk.
The action folded around to the Russian on the button and he raised to 100,000. Boatman peeled from the big blind to see a 1092 flop where he checked to face a 130,000 c-bet from Pateychuk. He check-raised to 350,000 and that was enough to win the pot as his opponent folded.. — MC
8.40pm: MacPhee loses a small one
Kevin MacPhee is down to 1,000,000 and is the shortest stack at the table after losing a small pot to Yorane Kerignard. MacPhee had opened from the cut-off and had been called by Kerignard in the big blind. The board was checked to the river 5Q6910 which Kerignard bet 140,000 into. MacPhee called and was shown 910.
MacPhee scored a chunk of that back three-betting Andrey Pateychuk the very next hand so is actually back to around 1,200,000. — RD
8.30pm: The final nine
We have our final nine players and one more will fall before the end of the day. The short stacks are Rocco Palumbo and Kevin MacPhee but both have just over 20 big blinds.
1. Andrey Pateychuk, 3,415,000
2. Kevin MacPhee, 1,295,000
3. Barny Boatman, 2,160,000
4. Daniel Neilson, 4,405,000
5. Rocco Palumbo, 1,125,000
6. Yorane Kerignard, 2,095,000
7. Johnny Lodden, 2,135,000
8. Dimitar Danchev, 4,415,000
9. Jan Bendik, 3,950,000
Play is set to restart shortly. — RD
8.20pm: Gastaldi falls to fellow Frenchman
Patrick Gastaldi’s deep run has come to an end after he lost a two million-chip race to fellow countryman Yorane Kerignard.
Gastaldi raised to 150,000 and then snap four-bet all-in for 990,000 when Kerignard three-bet to 310,000. Gastaldi normally takes a long time over decisions so Kerignard was taken by surprise at his opponent’s move. He called off his stack that stood at just 10,000 more.
Kerignard: 99
Gastaldi: AJ
The board ran KK4K8.
The remaining nine players will now be drawn onto one table and play will continue until we lose one more. — MC
8.10pm: Lodden moves into the spotlight
Johnny Lodden has been moved onto the TV table with just ten players remaining. One more player need to go before we move onto one table, then one more before we call an end to play. — RD
8pm: Tarallo tumbles out in 11th (€35,000)
Angelo Tarallo had to get it in with AQ and knew he’d have to win at showdown as he was almost certainly getting called by Andrey Pateychuk.
The Russian had opened the pot for a min-raise and Tarallo had shoved all-in for about 425,000. Call.
Tarallo: AQ
Pateychuk: K7
The board ran out 76578 to knock him out in 11th for €35,000 but he also collects €5,000 for winning the Skrill last longer bet. — RD
8pm: Boatman ducks out of Gastaldi’s way
Barny Boatman raised to 100,00 and was called by Patrick Gastaldi and Kevin MacPhee in the big blind.
The flop came JJA[ and Boatman’s 50,000 c-bet was only called by the Frenchman. The turn and river came K9 and both players checked it down. Boatman tabled 22, losing out to Gastaldi’s KQ.
The Brit dropped to 2,400,000 whereas Gastaldi is up to a still short 725,000. — MC
7.50pm: Danchev and MacPhee to the river
A key hand turns into a hammer blow for Kevin MacPhee against Dimitar Danchev.
MacPhee opened fro 110,000 in middle position which was called by Danchev in the cut off. The flop came JQ5. MacPhee bet another 125,000, called. Another 275,000 on the A turn. Called. A river card of Q completed the board.
MacPhee, moving very fast, pushed out 460,000. Danchev, acting much slower, and with about 2,000,000 behind, went for his chips, arranging some towers and pushing forward 1,200,000. MacPhee looked like he gulped, and braced himself to speak. “Call.”
AQ for Danchev.
MacPhee burst from his seat, slamming down his cards, which the dealer collected, revealing K10. MacPhee was devastated, upset, all things. More importantly he was suddenly down to 1,500,000 while Danchev moved up to 4,200,000.
Cap and glasses removed, MacPhee sat back down, tossing in his next ante with a clatter. The damage now done.
“I’m calling when I know exactly what you had,” he said, to nobody but himself. MacPhee has work to do. – SB
7.45pm: Bendik huge
Jan Bendik is pushing for the chip lead with close to 4,000,0000 after value betting 450,000 into the river of a 2QAQ5 board with 95 and getting a call from Angelo Tarallo. The Italian tapped the table and mucked. He’s now short with 350,000. Push or fold mode for him.
Bendik final tabled EPT Prague last season and looks likely to make his second here in Italy. — RD
7.38pm: Danchev catches, Lodden pays
Dimitar Danchev opened his button for 105,000 and Johnny Lodden defended his big blind. A standard 125,000 c-bet was checl-called by Lodden on a 9Q3 flop.
Both players checked the A turn before Lodden returned to check-call mode on the A river when Danchev bet 250,000. The Bulgarian showed A8 with an excitable flourish to take the pot.
Lodden down to 2,250,000, Danchev up to 2,500,000. — RD
7.35pm: Isaia given his marching orders (out in 12th)
Alessio Isaia was eliminated on the very first hand back on the feature table. He open shoved his last 700,000 and was called by Andrey Pateychuk.
Isaia: 75
Pateychuk: AJ
The board ran QK3A10 to make the Russian top pair and then a straight on the river. He’s up to 3,000,000 in chips now. The Italian home favourite leaves with €35,000 for his 12th place finish. — MC
7.15pm: Break time
The level winds down with some low key hands, including a tank pre-flop fold from Kevin MacPhee. Players are now on a 15 minute break. — SB
7.10pm: Andreas Samuelsson eliminated in 13th
Andreas Samuelsson was left with just an ante (5,000) after he doubled-up Angelo Tarallo to around 2,000,000 chips. Both players had moved all-in pre-flop to create the showdown:
Tarallo: AA
Samuelsson: KQ
The board ran an uneventful 44963 to send the pot to Tarallo.
Samuelsson managed to get up to 30,000 the next hand when his KJ bettered Daniel Neilson’s A5 but that was as far as the comeback went as he was eliminated the next hand. He collects €27,000 for his efforts. — MC
6.50pm: McClung out in 14th
A disappointing day comes to an end for Chris McClung. The Canadian had finished the last two days as chip leader and carried a dominating lead through to today’s final 24. He would have hoped to make the final table but it simply wasn’t to be. McClung got involved in two large pots – one against Kevin MacPhee, the other Jan Bendik – and both times he found himself dominated.
After one unanswered shove the short stack found himself all-in with 63 against Rocco Palumbo’s AK and failed to catch on a 92QAK board. Not the finish he would have looked for but largely an impressive performance nonetheless. McClung takes home €27,000. — RD
6.40pm: McClimbing
Chris McClung is trying to shove his way back into contention. He just managed to scoop the blinds moving all-in from the cut-off into Daniel Neilson’s big blind. The Australian didn’t have a calling hand and passed. McClung up to around 375,000. — RD
6.37pm; What’s happened to McClung?
Chris McClung came into today as chip leader and extended that chip lead after eliminating two players in one hand. Since then his day has gone terribly. The latest blow came when he doubled up Jan Bendik.
The two were heads-up to a 96K flop and all the chips went in. Bendik’s stack stood at a little more than 1,300,000, which Mclung covered by about 300,00.
Bendik: AK
McClung: KQ
The board ran out 39 to see the Slovakian’s hand hold. – MC
6.35pm: Lodden likes the cold four-bet
Andrey Pateychuk opened the action from the hijack with a raise to 80,000 and Barny Boatman three-bet from the cut-off to 205,000. The action folded to Johnny Lodden in the big blind who cold four-bet to 375,000 and took the pot. — RD
6.30pm: Three opens and three losses for MacPhee
Kevin MacPhee is trying to use his chip leading stack to bully opponents but his table mates aren’t letting him have it his own way. He just opened three pots and lost all three.
Hand 1.
He opened to 85,000 from the button and folded to a 215,000 three-bet from Andrey Pateychuk in the small blind.
Hand 2.
He opened to 80,000 from the button to see Barny Boatman three-bet to 210,000 from the small blind and Dimitar Danchev four-bet to 390,000 from the big blind. MacPhee and Boatman passed.
Hand 3.
He opened to 85,000 from the hijack and Patrick Gastaldi defended the bib blind. The action checked to the river where the board read 9Q610K. Gastaldi led for 75,000 and MacPhee folded. — MC
6.22pm: Folding
A period of calm with little more than raise and take hands to talk about.
Andrey Pateychuk was one beneficiary, as was Dimitar Danchev, raising behind a bet from Barny Boatman. Then it was Patrick Gastaldi’s turn to do the same. – SB
6.16pm: Neilson takes the lead, Bendik battered
Jan Bendik’s clenched his fist close to his face in celebration. It was too soon.
Daniel Neilson was all-in for his tournament life with 1,955,000 across the line and Bendik had him covered. Neilson held JJ to Bendik’s over cards AQ.
The flop delivered all kinds of permutations with K109. The J turn caused the clench as Bendik made his straight, but Neilson still had plenty of boat outs. And, of course, a single quad out. The J slid onto the river giving four-of-a-kind.* Neilson up to 4,000,000, Bendik still alive with 1,245,000. — RD
*Does anyone ever even say four-of-a-kind anymore?
6.10pm: Fresh chips
You can find the fresh chips counts by clicking here.
6.03pm: Veldhuis out in 15th as Lodden finds queens again
Johnny Lodden opened from the button and was called by the small blind, Yorane Kerignard, before Veldhuis jammed from the button for 170,000. Lodden re-raised to take the pot heads up and showed queens. Veldhuis let out a sorry laugh, Lodden had dismantled most of his stack just before the break with the same hand.
Lodden: QQ
Veldhuis: 95
The 7J1029 board provided plenty of outs but Veldhuis failed to catch the river. Lodden up to 2,100,000, Veldhuis out. — RD
5.55pm: MacPhee in command, 15 remain
Kevin MacPhee is leading the final 15 players here at EPT San Remo having swiped the chip lead away from Chris McClung in a 3,500,000 all-in pot. It’s the first time that McClung has been out of the top five in days. Will the Canadian rally?
Full chip counts of the final 15 players to come shortly. — RD
PokerStars Blog reporting team in San Remo (in order of knockouts reported): Stephen Bartley (lots), Marc Convey (many) and Rick Dacey (zero). Photos by Neil Stoddart.
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.
5.42pm: Level ends with Veldhuis on the brink
Lex Veldhuis’s tournament life hangs in the balance as we head into the second break of the day.
He opened for 60,000 in early position which Johnny Lodden raised to 135,000 from the big blind. Veldhuis announced all-in and Lodden called, his face showing reluctance and obligation as he turned over AK to Velduis’s QQ.
The board came KK4J8.
It sent the pot to Lodden but a count had to be made to see how much Veldhuis would have left, if anything. He was still alive but with only 37,000.
This went in on the next hand from early position. Dimitar Danchev raised to 95,000 and Patrick Gastaldi raised to 300,000. As Veldhuis waited with his arms crossed, Danchev announced “I’m all in”, pushing forward around a million chips.
Gastaldi tanked, then folded a pair of jacks. Danchev showed KK to Veldhuis’s A9.
The board ran A2725 to keep Veldhuis alive, heading into the break with 160,000. – SB
5.38pm: MacPhee bursts into the chip lead in 3,500,000 pot
Did I say that Kevin MacPhee’s attempt to win a second EPT was well on track? Scratch that, it’s now thundering down the line. How it all went in we can’t say (it’s on the TV table) but MacPhee did get all his 1,742,000 in pre-flop against Chris McClung.
McClung: AQ
MacPhee: AK
The board ran out a tantalizing 310JA2 rocketing MacPhee into the chip lead with 3,500,000. MClung is still more than alive with 1,800,000. — RD
5.35pm: More for Gastaldi
Patrick Gastaldi has added more chips to his recently doubled stack. He raised to 65,000 from early position and then tank-called when Andrey Pateychuk three-bet to 167,000 from the small blind. The flop came down 5A3 and the Russian led for 206,000. Call.
They were the last chips that ventured into the middle as the 85 turn and river were checked through by both players. Pateychuk tabled QQ but lost out to the Italian’s A9. — MC
5.30pm: MacPhee milks Isaia
Kevin MacPhee attempt to be the first double EPT winner is well on track after he milked Alessio Isaia for over 300,000 with top trips.
Isaia had opened from the cut-off for 60,000 and had been called by Andreas Samuelsson and MacPhee in the big blind.
Flop: JA6 – all three checked.
Turn: A MacPhee led for 85,000 and Isaia made the call
River: 6 MacPhee led out 250,000 and Isaia made the call again. MacPhee showed A7 for top trips.
MacPhee up to around 1,700,000 now. Another big pot brewing right now…. — RD
5.21pm: Neilson gets traappy, no taker
Daniel Neilson failed to get any action from Chris McClung after rivering a straight with 109 on a 10J748 board. Neilson checked the river over to his Canadian opponent who checked behind showing 105. — RD
5.20pm: Second time’s a charm for Gestaldi
Patrick Gastaldi just doubled up through Dimitar Danchev for a second time, taking his stack up to around 1,500,000 and leaving Danchev with 600,000.
Danchev had opened from under the gun, betting 65,000. Gestaldi raised to 200,000 in the seat next to him prompting Danchev to moved all-in Gestaldi called showing AK againsts Danchev’s QQ.
The board came 3A633, the ace doubling Gastaldi once more. – SB
5.16pm: Palumbo climbing back
Rocco Palumbo came back from the break as one of the shortest stacks with 592,000. He’s up to nearly a million after jamming the turn of a 9Q92 board forcing Aleesio Isaia to pass leaving a couple of hundred thousand in the middle. — RD
5.10pm: Pateychuk will settle for that
Andrey Pateychuk is up to around 2,500,000 after doubling-up through Yorane Kerignard.
Pateychuk raised to 60,000 from early position and Kerignard defended his big blind to see a 1086 flop. He check-called a 80,000 bet before checking to face a 187,000 bet on the J turn. His response was to click-raise it up to 374,000 and call when Pateychuk moved all-in for his remaining 1,118,000.
Pateychuk: 88 for a set.
Kerignard: J10 for top two-pair.
The river came 7 and sat as he watched half his stack slide over to the other side of the table. He has about 1,100,000 chips left. — MC
5pm: Double up for Tarallo
Angelo Tarallo has just doubled through Chris McClung in a battle of the blinds. McClung had set Tarallo in from the small blind and the Italian made the call (I believe that’s what happened – we’re following the TV table action from a small monitor).
McClung: K9
Tarallo: AK
Tarallo rivered an unneeded straight on a J432 5board to double up to 750,000. Tarallo has won an additional €5,000 thanks to being the last player alive in the Skrill last longer bet. Skrill are the official payment provider of EPT Season 8.— RD
4.50pm: Cedolia out
We’re down to 15 in the main event after the departure of Gianluca Cedolia.
On a flop of 4JA Cedolia checked to Lex Veldhuis who bet 75,000. Barny Boatman then raised to 175,000 prompting Cedolia to move all in for around 650,000. Veldhuis passed but Boatman called showing A4 against Cedolia’s K8 flush draw.
The turn came 2 and the river Q to send Cedolia to the rail and leave Boatman with around 2,400,000. – SB
4.47pm: Veldhuis heading for final table
Lex Veldhuis is well positioned to make his first EPT final table. The video blog team caught up with him earlier.
4.42pm: Gastaldi gets a needed double-up
Patrick Gastaldi was down to 234,000 when he snap three-bet all-in from the small blind. Dimitar Danchev had raised to 60,000 from the button and called the shove.
Danchev: A8
Gastaldi: 1010
The board ran J1047J. Gastaldi flopped a set but still had to sweat the river as Dachev picked up straight outs. — MC
4.35pm: Internet warning
In case we go silent for a prolonged period you can assume that it’s because of internet issues. We’re in the Casino San Remo theatre today and the connection here is sketchy to the say the least. Hold… — RD
4.30pm: Table Draw
Outer table
1. Andrey Pateychuk, 1,269,000
2. Barny Boatman, 2,079,000
3. Dimitar Danchev, 1,522,000
4. Patrick Gastaldi, 280,000
5. Johnny Lodden, 1,142,000
6. Yorane Kerignard, 2,352,000
7. Gianluca Cedolia, 811,000
8. Lex Veldhuis, 1,243,000
TV table
1. Daniel Nielsen, 1,823,000
2. Andreas Samuelsson, 912,000
3. Kevin MacPhee, 1,182,000
4. Jan Bendik, 3,345,000
5. Christopher McClung, 3,984,000
6. Angelo Tarallo, 492,000
7. Alessio Isaia, 1,864,000
8. Rocco Palumbo, 592,000
4.25pm: MacBoeree
EPT winners Liv Boeree and Kevin MacPhee go at it in a quiz battle (answers set by video blog team, not us – we can’t verify their research).
4.20pm: Chips ahoy
The chip count page has been fully updated so click here to see how the remaining 15 players stand. — MC
4pm: Another one bites the dust as the first break arrived
The rapid rate of eliminations is showing no sign of slowing down as Daniele Vesco leaves us in 17th spot.
Gianluca Cedolia raised to 55,000 from early position and Vesco called all-in for his last 45,000 from the small blind. Johnny Lodden was in the big blind and called also. The flop came 3A3 and both players checked to the 10 turn. Cedolia bet and that forced out Lodden.
Cedolia: AQ
Vesco: K6
Vesco was already drawing dead and was shaking his opponent’s hands as the J fell on the river.
That was the last hand of the level. The players have 15 minutes to cool off away from the stage lights. — MC
3.57pm: Kerignard getting the better of Boatman
Yorane Kerignard has won two significant pots from Barny Boatman in the last 15 minutes. First he took Boatman off a 117,000 three-bet out of the small blind with a cut-off four-bet to 312,000. Boatman passed.
A few hands later Boatman called a raise from the Frenchman and check-called 51,000 on a JA3 flop before both players checked the A turn. The Brit then led 100,000 into the 6 river and was raised to around 275,000 before snap folding. Boatman down to 1,450,000, Kerignard up to 2,000,000. — RD
3.55pm: Down to 17
The chances of a first double EPT winner just got cut by half with the departure of Mike McDonald.
Yorane Kerignard had opened the hand from under the gun for 50,000 which Barny Boatman had raised to 120,000 from the cut-off. McDonald then pushed all in for around half a million from the big blind. At the point at which Kerignard folded Boatman announced “call,” turning over KK. McDonald turned over 1010.
The board ran 86232.
McDonald was out, shaking hands with his opponents and wishing them good luck. Down to 17 players in the main event. – SB
3.40pm: MacPhee takes on Lodden
Kevin MacPhee opened for 52,000 under the gun which was called by Johnny Lodden on the button and Gianluca Cedolia in the big blind. The flop came 9AA. Cedolia checked to MacPhee who bet 82,000, which was called by Lodden only.
On the 5 turn both checked for a 6 river. MacPhee checked, then folded to a bet of 135,000 from Lodden. He’s up to 1,800,000 while MacPhee drops to 1,100,000. – SB
3.32pm: Shortie doubles
Daniele Vesco must have realised by now that he has to start moving all-in before he gets blinded into oblivion. He open shoved his last 76,000 and was isolated by Lex Velduis who three-bet to 130,000.
Vesco: 85
Veldhuis: AK
The board ran AQJ45 to make the Italian a flush. — MC
3.29pm: Boatman surprised by big pass from Pateychuk
Barny Boatman opened for 50,000 under-the-gun and was called by Andrey Pateychuk in the big blind. Boatman c-bet 26,000 into a high KAA flop and Pateychuk made the call. Both players checked the J turn before Pateychuk led 76,000 into the 9 river.
Boatman cut out calling chips, then cut out raising chips and tipped 301,000 into the middle. Pateychuk didn’t take long before passing. He showed the A as he did so. Boatman, in return, showed a flash of surprise then raked in the pot.
The Hendon Mob man is up to 1,700,000. Dimitar Danchev, who is on his direct left, is on 1,600,000 and the short stacked but dangerous Mike ‘Timex’ McDonald is a couple of seats further with 600,000. — RD
3.25pm: What no elimination?
Two chops in a row break with what is now the accepted form at this stage of elimination following elimination.
First Jan Bendik and Lex Veldhuis got their chips in, both of them showing ace-jack. Then, Daniele Vesco sparked to life after a period of hibernation. He showed 810 with his last 96,000 in the middle. Kevin MacPhee called with 33 and was good to the turn on a board of 6AAK but the 6 split the pot. – SB
3.20pm: Kanit canned by Danchev
Mustapha Kanit has been eliminated by the Bulgarian Dimitar Danchev. Danchev raised to 52,000 and Kanit was the only caller from the big blind. The flop came 3109 and Danchev led for 56,000 and was check-called.
The turn was the 5 and Kanit decided to lead for 125,000 out of a 400,000 stack. Danchev shoved and Kanit called quickly with a slow played AA. Danchev tabled a drawing QJ and shrugged his shoulders as eyes wondered towards him. His shrugs were soon replaced by smiles as the river fell the K to make his straight. The IPT Player of the Year left dejected, but to a round of applause. — MC
3.10pm: Two down as McClung strikes on river
Another elimination. Make that two, as Christopher McClung sends two players to the rail after a three-way all-in.
Eli Bohbot was in with KQ, Joni Mattila with A10 and McClung with 99.
The flop came 86K to help Bohbot, and the [d] on the turn more so. But the 9 on the river gave McClung a full house and left 19 players in the main event. – SB
3.05pm: Boatman motoring ahead
Barny Boatman is up to 1,350,000 after five-betting the aggression young Italian Mustapha Kanit out of the following pot.
Kanit, Italian Poker Tour player of the year, opened for 48,000 from middle position and Boatman three-bet to 100,000 from the hijack. Action back on Kanit and he stepped it up to 208,000. Boatman looked down at his stack, tilted his head one way then the other and pushed out a raise to 402,000 – leaving himself 700,000 behind. Kanit considered his options and eventually opted to pass. — RD
2.55pm: Two all-ins, two eliminations
The last hand of level 24 saw the two outer tables eliminate a player each.
WSOPE main event champ Elio Fox quest for the ridiculous came unstuck as he was eliminated by Mike McDonald. The Canadian open shoved with king-queen and Fox called all-in with pocket jacks. McDonald had to wait all the way to the river before he spiked a queen to nearly double-up and eliminate a dangerous opponent.
Meanwhile Jan Bendik was deep in the tank over whether to call Cristiano Guerra’s four-bet shove. Kevin MacPhee opened to 52,000 before Bendik three-bet to 155,000 and Guerra shoved for 724,000 from the big blind. MacPhee made a considered fold, Bendik just as considered in his call.
Bendik: AK
Guerra: QQ
The board ran K8679 to pair Bendik’s king. He’s up to around 3,000,000 chips, Guerra sent to the rail. — MC
2.45pm: Kerignard up
Yorane Kerignard just won a sizeable pot against Dimitar Danchev to move up to around 1,300,000.
Danchev opened for 55,000 from middle position which Kerignard called on the button for a flop of 9103. Danchev bet another 52,000 which Kreignard called for a 10 turn. Danchev checked this time, then called Kreignard’s bet of 80,000 for a river card 5. Check, check. Kerignard showed 66 to win the hand. – SB
2.40pm: Early skirmishes
No big hands on table three as of yet, just some minor dogfights:
1) Andrey Pateychuk opened his button to 40,000 and was called by Dimitar Danchev in the big blind, Barny Boatman passed in the small. Pateychuk c-bet 52,000 into a K52 flop and won the hand.
2) Boatman button-raised to 40,000 and was called by Patrick Gastaldi in the big blind. The Frenchman called Boatman’s 25,000 c-bet on the 929 flop flop but passed to further aggression on the K turn when 80,000 was leveled at him.
3) Third button raise in a row: Danchev opened to 40,000 and was three-bet by Gastaldi out of the small blind to 150,000 out of a 450,000 stack. The Frenchman fumbled with his chips and if he didn’t have a genuinely good hand he was certainly making a good act of having one. Mike McDonald passed in the big blind as did Danchev.
Spinks the only faller as of yet. — RD
2.30pm: Spinks out
Within minutes of the start we’ve lost the first player. Jon Spinks moved all-in with AQ and was called by Jan Bendick with QQ.
The board ran K6J93 to send Spinks to the rail in 24th place. – SB
2.20pm: Play begins
Cards are in the air.
2.02pm: Making their way to the tables
Barny Boatman, resplendent in a blue and white Hawaiian shirt, and Jon Spinks are talking excitedly about something, Kevin MacPhee is talking to his other half, Team PokerStars Pro Liv Boeree, who herself won this event two seasons ago. MacPhee and Mike McDonald are both on for that elusive double, both of whom would be worthy of becoming the first ever player to claim two EPT titles. This is the 74th main event and it’s been a long time in the coming.
The players have just been summoned to the tables and have started to saunter down to the stage. Except for McDonald who was already in his seat stacking his chips. — RD
2pm: The seat draw
Table 1
1 Eli Bohbot, PokerStars qualifier, 186,000
2 Andreas Samuelsson, PokerStars qualifier, 1,070,000
3 Joni Mattila, 470,000
4 Johnny Lodden, Team PokerStars Pro, 1,227,000
5 Chris McClung, 3,148,000
6 Angelo Tarallo, 798,000
7 Alessio Isaia, 1,524,000
8 Rocco Palumbo, 594,000
Table 2
1 Jan Bendik, 1,211,000
2 Daniel Neilson, PokerStars player, 2,011,000
3 Daniele Vesco, 248,000
4 Jon Spinks, 788,000
5 Cristiano Guerra, PokerStars qualifier, 824,000
6 Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Pro, 877,000
7 Gianluca Cedolia, 1,084,000
8 Kevin MacPhee, PokerStars qualifier, 1,441,000
Table 3
1 Andrey Pateychuk, 1,200,000
2 Barny Boatman, 1,257,000
3 Dimitar Danchev, 1,196,000
4 Patrick Gastaldi, 539,000
5 Mike McDonald, 292,000
6 Yorane Kerignard, PokerStars qualifier, 1,018,000
7 Elio Fox, PokerStars qualifier, 377,000
8 Mustapha Kanit, IPT Player of the Year, 1,761,000
1.50pm: Back for Day 5
Welcome back to Day 5 of the European Poker Tour main event in San Remo where a final 24 players, on three tables, will play on until just eight remain.
We’ve relocated to the circle of the Casino San Remo (I actually ordered box seats) where, from our vantage point in the oasis that is the engineer’s booth, the TV stage, being tested by engineers, have reduced visibility to just a few inches.
Leading the field through this retinal burn is Christopher McClung who, as the official chip count page shows, bagged up 3,148,000 last night.
The recap from yesterday will also detail which players remain and how they got this far, including the possibility of a first double winner, and success for Team PokerStars Pros.
Play is scheduled to begin at 2pm although I’m predicting a slight delay. – SB
PokerStars Blog reporting team in San Remo: Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey and Rick Dacey.
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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