Jean-Noel Thorel opened the button to 7,500 and small blind Fedor Holz three bet to 13,000. When action was back on Thorel he announced raise and placed a chip in the middle. He was forced to make it a min raise to 20,500 and Holz made the call.
The flop came and Holz checked. Thorel bet out 25,100 and Holz announced all in. Thorel instantly called. Holz showed and Thorel said "Ai" with his nice French accent. The table including Holz, presumably thought the king queen was good, but that wasn't the case as Thorel showed .
The on the turn and on the river didn't improve Holz and he got up from the table. "I thought 'Ai' was good' he said with a wry smile, receiving some laughter from the table. "Good game guys" Holz said while making his exit.
David Peters raised from middle position to 5,200 and Neymar Jr. called from the hijack, after which Dani Stern called in the cutoff. Former EPT Berlin winner Davidi Kitai raised all in for 45,000 and Peters folded.
The action was now back on Neymar, and he decided to re-raise all in for 75,000 total. Stern folded and the showdown was as following.
Neymar turned over pocket aces, and he was well ahead against Kitai's sixes. Kitai did not manage to crack the Brazilian's aces and he was knocked out. Neymar meanwhile sits on 132,000 and looks very comfortable.
On a board of EPT Grand Final champion Antonio Buonanno had all of his chips in the middle from the big blind. PCA champion Dominik Panka on the button was the one in the tank. He eventually called, but had to muck as Buonanno tabled for the back door straight. Panka has his work cut out for him with just 46,000 left.
Gerard Pique sits just three tables away from his friend and teammate Neymar Jr., and the two have been checking up on each other constantly.
After writing up a hand with Neymar, Pique looked over at your reporter on the scene indicating he wanted to know what happened.
"He has about 190,000," yours truly said.
"Oh, I have 160,000," Piqué said, "But I have to beat him."
After a short pause Piqué laughed, "If not, in the dressing room I'll be dead."
Piqué has much more experience on the poker felt, and he even played in the World Series of Poker Main Event this year, and losing to Neymar today will for sure make for some great banter in the Barcelona F.C. dressing room.
As we walked up to Neymar Jr.'s table we saw Sergio Aido check on a flop of . His neighbor Neymar Jr. bet out 12,000 and a third player folded, Aido made the call. Aido check called another 12,000 on the turn and 15,000 on the river. Neymar Jr. showed and Aido mucked.
Not much later Neymar Jr. min raised under the gun and action folded to David Peters in the big blind. The American pro shoved for just under 45,000 and Neymar Jr. made the call. Peters showed the best hand with as Neymar Jr. had to do with .
The flop came and Peters was still in the lead. The on the turn changed things around though, and the on the river was just there to make things look even prettier for Neymar Jr. Peters busto, Neymar Jr. robusto.
Neymar Jr. just limped in after which David Andersson moved all in for 32,700 and the action folded back to Neymar. The Brazilian football pro made the call and the showdown went as following.
Neymar:
Andersson:
The board ran out and Andersson hit a straight on the river to double up through Neymar. Even though Neymar lost this pot, he's still sitting a huge stack worth 327,500 and he's near the top of the counts.
Picking up the action on the flop, Sergio Aido bet 12,000, and Neymar Jr. made the call. The turn paired the board with the , and Aido bet 25,000. Neymar Jr. min-raised to 50,000, and Aido made the call.
The river was the , and Aido checked. Neymar Jr. fired 55,000, and Aido folded. Neymar Jr. showed the and collected the pot to move to 375,000 in chips.
Antonio Buananno raised it up to 6,000 from late position and Luuk Gieles three bet from the small blind to 21,000. Buananno made the call and the flop came . Gieles checked and Buananno made a bet of 20,000. Gieles check raised all in for 92,600 and after some tanking Buananno made the call.
Gieles showed , which was the best hand against Buananno's . The on the turn gave Buananno a flush draw and the completed that draw. Gieles wished the table good luck and he made his way to the exit, just as calm as ever.
On the flop, Sergey Sergeev fired 8,700. Gerard Piqué made the call, and the turn brought the . Sergeev bet 17,000, and Piqué called again.
The river was the , and both players quickly checked before Piqué tabled the for trip aces. Sergeev mucked, and Piqué won the pot to move near 300,000.
and Holz checked. Thorel bet out 25,100 and Holz announced all in. Thorel instantly called. Holz showed 
and Thorel said "Ai" with his nice French accent. The table including Holz, presumably thought the king queen was good, but that wasn't the case as Thorel showed 
. 
on the turn and 
on the river didn't improve Holz and he got up from the table. "I thought 'Ai' was good' he said with a wry smile, receiving some laughter from the table. "Good game guys" Holz said while making his exit.
EPT Grand Final champion Antonio Buonanno had all of his chips in the middle from the big blind. PCA champion Dominik Panka on the button was the one in the tank. He eventually called, but had to muck as Buonanno tabled 
for the back door straight. Panka has his work cut out for him with just 46,000 left.
. His neighbor Neymar Jr. bet out 12,000 and a third player folded, Aido made the call. Aido check called another 12,000 on the 
turn and 15,000 on the 
as Neymar Jr. had to do with 
. 
, and Aido checked. Neymar Jr. fired 55,000, and Aido folded. Neymar Jr. showed the 
. Gieles checked and Buananno made a bet of 20,000. Gieles check raised all in for 92,600 and after some tanking Buananno made the call.
, which was the best hand against Buananno's 
completed that draw. Gieles wished the table good luck and he made his way to the exit, just as calm as ever.
flop, Sergey Sergeev fired 8,700. Gerard Piqué made the call, and the turn brought the 
