2023 PokerStars EPT Cyprus

$25,000 NL Hold'em V
Day: 1
Event Info

2023 PokerStars EPT Cyprus

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a3
Prize
$216,810
Event Info
Buy-in
$25,000
Prize Pool
$504,210
Entries
21
Level Info
Level
18
Blinds
20,000 / 40,000
Ante
40,000
Players Info - Day 1
Entries
21
Players Left
1

Mateos And Iakobishvili Split

Level 6 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Aleksejs Ponakovs in the hijack opened to 5,000, then Adrian Mateos three-bet to 15,000 on the button. From the big blind, Gha Iakobishvili decided to raise all in for 90,000 chips. Ponakovs folded, but Mateos called.

Gha Iakobishvili: A?K?
Adrian Mateos:?A?K?

Mateos had a flush draw on the flop J?2?9? to try to avoid a split. But the turn 8? and the river A? didn't bring the third club needed, so the pot was split.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Adrian Mateos es
Adrian Mateos
122,000
14,000
14,000
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Gha Iakobishvili il
Gha Iakobishvili
121,000
31,000
31,000

Tags: Adrian MateosAleksejs PonakovsGha Iakobishvili

Ponakovs Comes Out Ahead in Four-Way Pot

Level 6 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

Gha Iakobishvili raised the minimum of 5,000 chips from the hijack, and calls followed from Artur Martirosian in the cutoff, Kayhan Mokri in the small blind, and Aleksejs Ponakovs in the big blind.

The quartet went off to a flop of 2?K?7?, which saw the action get checked to Iakobishvili, who continued for 7,500. Martirosian and Mokri then folded before Ponakovs made the call.

The 9? turn was checked by both remaining players before Ponakovs led for 27,000 on the 7? river. Iakobishvili spent one time bank extension before making the fold. Ponakovs raked in the pot and showed his 3?2? to the friendly table.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Artur Martirosian ru
Artur Martirosian
310,000
100,000
100,000
EPT Main Event Champion
EPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Aleksejs Ponakovs lv
Aleksejs Ponakovs
150,000
60,000
60,000
Profile photo of Kayhan Mokri no
Kayhan Mokri
125,000
25,000
25,000
Profile photo of Gha Iakobishvili il
Gha Iakobishvili
90,000
-10,000
-10,000

Tags: Aleksejs PonakovsArtur MartirosianGha IakobishviliKayhan Mokri

Iakobishvili Doubles Through Pardo

Level 6 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Gha Iakobishvili
Gha Iakobishvili

Down to 48,500, Gha Iakobishvili moved all in from the big blind after Juan Pardo opened to 5,500 in the cutoff. Pardo quickly called.

Gha Iakobishvili: 7?6?
Juan Pardo: A?10?

Iakobishvili hit a pair on the flop 8?4?6? to take the lead. He kept it on the turn 5? and the river K? to double up.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Juan Pardo es
Juan Pardo
160,000
-40,000
-40,000
Profile photo of Gha Iakobishvili il
Gha Iakobishvili
100,000

Tags: Gha IakobishviliJuan Pardo

Greenwood Plays the Hero

Level 6 : Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante

The action folded to Sam Greenwood on the button and he made a raise to 6,000 chips. Aleksejs Ponakovs sat in the big blind and defended with a call.

The flop then came Q?K?Q? and Ponakovs checked to Greenwood, after which the latter put forth a bet of 4,000 chips. Ponkavos responded with a raise to 13,500. Greenwood stared at his time bank extensions but made the call before using one of them.

The K? turn double-paired the board and Ponakovs saw reason to slow down and check, and Greenwood checked behind. On the 5? river, Ponakovs picked up the aggression again with a bet of 20,000 and Greenwood made a swift call.

Ponakovs showed that he was playing the board with his 2?2?, while Greenwood called with A?7? for the two pair on the board with an ace kicker.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Sam Greenwood ca
Sam Greenwood
154,500
-23,000
-23,000
Run It Once
Profile photo of Aleksejs Ponakovs lv
Aleksejs Ponakovs
90,000
30,000
30,000

Tags: Aleksejs PonakovsSam Greenwood

Level: 6

Blinds: 1,000/2,500

Ante: 2,500

Clock On Pause Waiting For Players

Level 5 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

There are five players remaining, but six are needed to keep playing. Waiting for players to enter or reenter the tournament, the clock is on pause.

Some eliminated players were hesitating to reenter. "Can I speak Russian at the table?" asked Gha Iakobishvili, for example. All the players agreed. "So, reentry!," he said, making everybody laugh.

Badziakouski Runs Into Pardo's Full

Level 5 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Mikita Badziakouski
Mikita Badziakouski

Mikita Badziakouski limped from the hijack with his small stack, then Juan Pardo in the big blind three-bet to 9,000.

Badziakouski called, and called a continuation bet to 5,500 on the flop K?Q?10?. There was no more action on the turn K?, as both players checked.

On the river J?, Pardo directly moved all in. Badziakouski went into the tank, and eventually called with his last 35,000 chips.

Mikita Badziakouski: A?7?
Juan Pardo:?Q?Q?

Badziakouski hit a straight on the river, but Pardo already had a full house on the turn, so Badziakouski was eliminated.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Juan Pardo es
Juan Pardo
200,000
30,000
30,000
Profile photo of Mikita Badziakouski by
Mikita Badziakouski
Busted

Tags: Juan PardoMikita Badziakouski

Pardo Doubles Up

Level 5 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
Juan Pardo
Juan Pardo

After Vicente Delgado's elimination, $50,000 EPT Super High Roller winner Juan Pardo in the small blind moved all in for 82,500, and found himself at risk against Mikita Badziakouski in early position.

Juan Pardo: Q?J?
Mikita Badziakouski: A?K?

On 8?10?Q?2?6?, Pardo hit a queen to double up.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Juan Pardo es
Juan Pardo
170,000
70,000
70,000
Profile photo of Mikita Badziakouski by
Mikita Badziakouski
27,000
-73,000
-73,000
Profile photo of Vicente Delgado es
Vicente Delgado
Busted

Tags: Juan PardoMikita Badziakouski

Level: 5

Blinds: 1,000/2,000

Ante: 2,000