Even though this PokerStars.com EPT Season 13 festival is hastily coming to a close, the high rollers still haven't left the Mediterranean island of Malta. That has become evident after the last highlight of this series - the €10,300 High Roller - yesterday succeeded in attracting no less than 109 unique entries during the first day of play, and with 28 players making use of the one-time reentry the total tally now stands at 137 entries. Furthermore late registration is still open until 15 minutes before kickoff, so even more players might decide to join in on the fun at Portomaso Casino.
Leading the field of survivors is Swedish poker pro Alexander Ivarsson, who managed to turn his starting stack of 50,000 chips into 379,100, but many notable names will be gunning for the title of chipleader during the course of today’s play. The closest contender at this point in time with 258,300 is the former professional soccer player from Nicaragua, Armando Collado, but also still in the field are tons of notables like Stephen Chidwick (207,300), Theo Jorgensen (189,500), Stefan Jedlicka (146,300), Steve O'Dwyer (95,000), Charlie Carrel (92,100), Philipp Gruissem (75,700) and Pratyush Buddiga (70,100).
The action recommences with level 11 and blinds of 1,000-2,000 with a running ante of 300, Today’s menu for the remaining players consists of 10 levels of 60 minutes each or until a final table has been reached – whatever comes first. Thus there should be at least 12 hours of poker ahead of us today.
The cards will be back in the air at 12.30 p.m. CEST, and the PokerNews live reporting team will make sure to bring you all the action from the tables. Stay tuned!
Joris Ruijs opened to 5,000 and Benjamin Pollak pushed all in for little more, which Cristian Egues in the big blind called and Ruijs also came along. On the flop, Egues shoved and Ruijs called all in for less.
Benjamin Pollak:
Joris Ruijs:
Cristian Egues:
The on the turn improved Egues to trips, and the river even gave the Spaniard a full house to eliminate two opponents.
At one point on Day 1 Adrian Mateos was the chip leader in this tournament. Now he's out.
On a board of Mateos overbet it all in for 55,400 into a pot of 40,000, but Roman Korenev looked him up and made the call with . Mateos was holding for live cards and a straight draw, but the river was a brick, and Korenev dragged in the pot.
Shortly after Mikita Badziakouski left this €10,300 High Roller as well. On a board of the Belarusian bet 25,000 into Stephen Chidwick and left himself only 11,800 behind. Chidwick pushed a tower of chips over the betting line to put his opponent all in, but Badziakouski folded to live another day.
It was short-lived however, as he busted a few hands later all in with against the of Pierre Neuville. Disaster struck on the turn, and that was it for Badziakouski.
"Okay I call," Armando Collado announced after Simon Mattsson's stack of 120,000 was in the middle of the table and it was a big flip for the Swede.
Simon Mattsson:
Armando Collado:
The board ran out and Mattsson was eliminated, while Collado was all smiles with the words "the ladies like me."
Soon after, Freek Scholten open-shoved his last 25,000 from early position and Stephen Chidwick called in the big blind. Scholten had and Chidwick the . The board delivered a queen and a ten, but the on the river was the fourth heart and that completed a flush for Chidwick.
Davidi Kitai had previously shoved his short stack without getting called, but the second attempt to spin up the 13 big blinds failed. Stephen Chidwick looked him up and the Belgian had a flip for his tournament life.
Davidi Kitai:
Stephen Chidwick:
The flop came and nothing much changed, but Chidwick picked up a gutshot on top of his two over cards with the turn. The river indeed completed the straight and Kitai was gone.
Gleb Tremzin opened the action with a raise to 10,000 from the hijack and Connor Drinan, who had been four-betting previously to build his stack slightly, then three-bet to 27,500. Tremzin moved all in and Drinan called it off for more than 85,000.
Connor Drinan:
Gleb Tremzin:
The board came and the two overcards immediately hit for Tremzin to send Drinan to the rail.
After losing a big hand previously, Steve O'Dwyer was down to less than 10 big blinds and open-shoved the hijack for 38,000. Govert Metaal reshoved reshoved for 80,000 only for both to be called by Liviu Ignat in the small blind., Piotr Franczak folded his big blind.
Steve O'Dwyer:
Govert Metaal:
Liviu Ignat:
The board of let the kicker play and the ace-queen was good enough for Ignat to eliminate both opponents.
Theo Jorgensen just added a cool 200,000 to his stack after an encounter with Stefan Jedlicka.
Preflop Jedlicka opened to 10,500 from under the gun and called the raise of 27,000 from Jorgensen in the hijack. Flop came down , and Jedlicka check-called a bet of 25,000.
Turn was the and this time Jedlicka opted to check-raise the 50,000 bet of the Dane to 137,000. Jorgensen went into the tank, mulled the decision over in his head and ultimately announced all in for close to 300,000.
Jedlicka didn't even need a count as he instantly released his hand, and the Team PokerStars Pro could add a tower of chips to his already impressive stack.
Alexander Ivarsson raised from the cutoff and Sebastian Veghinas three-bet out of the small blind to pick up a call by Ivarsson. On the flop, Veghinas continued for 30,000 and Ivarsson moved all in. Veghinas asked to pull the bet in and had 94,000 left. Eventually, the Romanian called and was ahead.
Sebastian Veghinas:
Alexander Ivarsson:
"Ace of clubs please," Veghinas demanded but the on the turn was also in his favor. However, the on the river completed a straight for Ivarsson and he sent Veghinas to the rail.
![[user38873]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
flop, Egues shoved and Ruijs called all in for less.
on the turn improved Egues to trips, and the 
river even gave the Spaniard a full house to eliminate two opponents.
Mateos overbet it all in for 55,400 into a pot of 40,000, but Roman Korenev looked him up and made the call with 
. Mateos was holding 
the Belarusian bet 25,000 into Stephen Chidwick and left himself only 11,800 behind. Chidwick pushed a tower of chips over the betting line to put his opponent all in, but Badziakouski folded to live another day.
of Pierre Neuville. Disaster struck on the 
turn, and that was it for Badziakouski.
and Mattsson was eliminated, while Collado was all smiles with the words "the ladies like me."
and Chidwick the 
on the river was the fourth heart and that completed a flush for Chidwick.
and nothing much changed, but Chidwick picked up a gutshot on top of his two over cards with the 
