Pokerstars.com EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final -FINAL DAY - At A Glance

[Djinn]

Well, it's the end.  The beginning of the end.  Ten players remain.  They are:

Isaac Baron (USA) -- 2,365,000
Luca Pagano (Italy) -- 705,000   
Antonio Esfandiari (USA) -- 735,000
Maxime Villemure (Canada) -- 1,220,000
Glen Chorny (Canada) -- 3,370,000
Henrik Gwinner (Denmark) -- 466,000
Michael Martin (USA) -- 1,579,000
Valeriy Ilikyan (Russia) -- 650,000
Stig Top-Rasmussen (Denmark) -- 590,000
Denes Kalo (Hungary) -- 957,000

The occasion of the crowning of the Champion of EPT Monte Carlo deserves a certain solemnity.

Click to see full-size image.

[snoopy1239]

They often say that mistakes are made at the end of the day when eyes are weary and bodies fatigued, but for Danish player Stig Top-Rasmussen, that error occured this morning within the very first level, and what a monumental error it was too.

After conceding to an all-in over the top re-raise from Henrik Gwinner, Stig Top-Rasmussen found Michael Martin button raising his big blind the very next hand. Briefly re-checking his cards and glancing up at his opponent, Stig quickly announced all-in, much to the surprise of Valeriy Ilikyan in the small blind who had yet to play.

Tournament director Steve Frezer was called over and the decision was made that verbal goes, and that if Valeriy were to play his hand, then Stig's all-in would stand. On most occasions, the small blind would simply fold his raggy hand, Stig would push in his chips and play would continue, but in this instance, Valeriy looked deadly serious.

"I couldn't see his cards," pleaded Stig to the rail. But his complaints were in vain, as Valeriy announced call and rose from his seat. Turning over his Pocket Tens whilst simultaneously praying to the Gods, Stig was dismayed to see that he was dominated, an elated Valeriy revealing Pocket Knaves and glancing over at his fellow Russian on the rail in quiet celebration.

Stig appeared resigned to his fate, and seemed to sense that this mistake would be his last. And he wasn't wrong, the board providing no aid. Clearly jubilant in victory, Valeriy seemed to experience a minor epileptic fit before he suddenly composed himself enough to shake the hand of his fallen victim. In one giant yelp, Stig released all the tension of a week of poker and left the table whilst a jubilant Valeriy metaphorically patted himself on the back.

And then there were 9.

[danafish]

EXIT!!!

Mr Henrik Gwinner is our Final Table Bubbler.

Details to follow from the Snoopmeister.

[snoopy1239]

In the end, the bubble exit was a relatively simple affair, Henrik Gwinner pushing from the button and being looked up by Isaab Baron in the big blind.

Henrik Gwinner =

Isaac Baron =

Flop =

Turn =

River =

Henrik Gwinner shook the hand of all his opponents and did all those things gracious losers do before being escorted out of the playing are.

gg, nh, wp etc.

[danafish]

What's the remaining cash prizes on offer?

But seeing as it's you...

1    € 2,020,000
2    € 1,179,000
3    € 715,000
4    € 589,000
5    € 421,000
6    € 337,000
7    € 253,000
8    € 168,000

 

[snoopy1239]

Seat 1: Denes Kalo (Hungary) -- 1,119,000
Seat 2: Michael Martin (USA) -- 1,326,000
Seat 3: Luca Pagano (Italy) -- 688,000
Seat 4: Valeriy Ilikyan (Russia) -- 1,396,000
Seat 5: Antonio Esfandiari (USA) -- 501,000
Seat 6: Maxime Villemure (Canada) -- 1,206,000
Seat 7: Glen Chorny (Canada) -- 3,613,000
Seat 8: Isaac Baron (USA) -- 853,000

[snoopy1239]

And on the very first hand we witness action accompanied with more banter than an episode of Have I Got News For You. With Valeriy Ilikyan making a standard pre-flop raise, Antonio Esfandiari re-raises, thus virtually committing himself to the pot. As Valeriy dips into the tank that he has become so accustomed with, Antonio rises from his seat and shakes the hands of each of the remaining players, as if the American had already been eliminated. At this point, a flurry of amusing comments ensues:

"It's a looooooong journey home, a long journey"
"There's no shame in folding"
"If you call I'll show the nuts, if you fold, I'll show you the bluff"
"I might fold for the rest"
"Make sure you do the right thing whatever you do"

After a further pause, Valeriy releases his hand. As a result of this brief encounter, Valeriy drops to 1,320,000 whilst Antonio jumps to 631,000.

[Djinn]

While we wait for action interesting enough to transpose from the Live Feed to Written Perpetuity (or until our server goes down again), please enjoy these photos of Maxime Villemure.

1)  Maxime au naturel



2)  Maxime after being asked to smile by another photographer

[danafish]

Contrary to what the dude on the live feed just said, each of those lovely purple 25k chips is not worth two and a half buy-ins - they started with 15k, so each one represents one and two thirds buy-ins. 

[snoopy1239]

Glen Chorny raises for the third time (the announcer can't say that, but I can  ) and is re-raised by Valeriy. After a momentary dwell, Chorny calls.

Both players check a Flop only for Glen to bet 225,000 on the Turn. Valeriy instacalls.

The River is the and again, both players check, although Valeriy seemed tempted.

Although Glen has top pair with A-Q, Valeriy reveals A-K to take the pot.

In the aftermath, Lee Jones criticises Glen's check on the River, suggesting that Antonio, Isaac and Michael would all have made an extra half a million from the hand.

Personally, I think it's pretty academic. With that board and facing a pre-flop re-raiser, I don't think there are too many hands Glen would be beating. In that sense, I think he would have folded.

[Djinn]

Luca preflop raises to 70k.  Maxime Villemure opts for the re-raise:  to 225k.  Is it push/fold for the consistently cashing EPT-playing Italian (this is his third final table!)...?  Possibly, but it's fold.  Incidentally, Claudio Pagano, Luca's dad, is now railing having busted yesterday.
________________________________________

Unperturbed, Luca raises to 75k the next hand.  It seems like every time this happens, his tablemates ask how much he's playing...can't be a nice feeling, that...
Isaac Baron re-raises him this time (in the bb) - to 240k.  Luca makes the call this time. 
Flop:    All in insta, with a reciprocal instacall...

Luca Pagano shows:
Isaac Baron shows: 

Turn:
River:

DOUBLE UP FOR LUCA  (His Dad unexpectedly hi-fives someone on the rail).....

[danafish]

Chip counts after that Pagano double-up...

Glen Chorny - 3,233,000
Isaac Baron - 2.125,000
Valeriy Ilikyan - 1,896,000
Maxime Villemure - 1,276,000
Michael Martin - 1,260,000
Denes Kalo - 1,251,000
Luca Pagano - 1,152,000
Antonio Esfandiari - 574,000

[Djinn]

Antonio Esfandiari re-raises all in over the top of Luca Pagano's button raise from the big blind.
"I'm going to call," calmly states Luca, in spite of the ongoing countdown (480k).  I think this is actually pretty nice - if you know you're going to call, might as well put the poor all-in-shover out of their misery by letting them know, rather than letting them sweat through the countdown...

Antonio:   

Luca: 

Flop:   Well, that's pretty conclusive.  Only a Jack for a split can save the Magician now.
Turn:
River:

And the "impeccably turned-out" (according to Barry Martin) Italian, shows briefly his delight at his hand holding, and leaps to fourth in chips...

Antonio Esfandiari finishes in 8th place, winning € 168,000

[Djinn]

Isaac Baron re-raises Valeriy Ilikyan (called already by Maxime Villemure) and waits to see the reaction of the initial raiser.  Nope, no interest.

Successful

[danafish]

WOW-age on the live feed - Denes Kalo raises, only for Michael Martin to re-raise, only for Luca Pagano to go all in! Kalo folds so fast, and so does Michael, with an expression like Luca has just walked into his living room and started re-arranging the furniture. Luca now on over 2 MILLION!!!