€5,300 EPT Main Event | 2019 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo®Casino EPT

2019-05-04 01:30 UTC+2

Seat 3: Nicola Grieco, 38, Cerignola/Italy - 7,160,000

KaleGozer

It has been five years since an Italian player won an EPT Main Event. The last one to do so was Antonio Buonnano who hoisted the trophy here in Monaco. Nicola Grieco is now trying to end the drought, already guaranteed to pick up the biggest prize of his career. Grieco is an experienced player who had previously notched two EPT Main Event cashes; 23rd at EPT Sanremo 2011 and 173rd at EPT Prague 2018.

Grieco's résumé features cashes for over $217,000 combined. Grieco eliminated Aladin Reskallah and Conor Beresford on the final two tables to solidify his stack. Now with €152,800 already secured, Grieco is set to vault more than 100 places higher on the Italian all-time money list where he's currently in 292nd position.

Nicola Grieco's Main Event run:

Day	Chip Count	Position
Day 2	101,600	102 / 355
Day 3	409,000	21 / 107
Day 4	975,000	13 / 30
Day 5	7,160,000	1 / 6

Tags: Nicola Grieco

2019-05-04 01:27 UTC+2

Seat 4: Viktor Katzenberger, 27, Hungary - 6,070,000

KaleGozer

Viktor Katzenberger hails from Hungary but resides in Malta where he plays mostly online cash games. Katzenberger is at home in both Pot-Limit Omaha and No-Limit Hold'em, and he showed prowess in the latter here at EPT Monte Carlo.

Making the top six in the Main Event has already guaranteed Katzenberger to double his all-time live tournament earnings; a perfect present for his 27th birthday he celebrated earlier this week

Viktor Katzenberger's Main Event run:

Day	Chip Count	Position
Day 2	75,700	156 / 355
Day 3	352,000	29 / 107
Day 4	1,255,000	8 / 30
Day 5	6,070,000	2 / 6

Tags: Viktor Katzenberger

2019-05-04 01:26 UTC+2

Seat 5: Manig Loeser, 30, Bad Homburg/Germany - 4,005,000

KaleGozer

Having competed in live tournaments for a decade, Manig Loeser is one of the familiar faces on the European Poker Tour. And while his career-best payday of $2,162,644 came on the continent, the German professional poker player has been particularly prolific outside Europe. 30-year-old Loeser is now closing on $10 million in career earnings. He's #10-ranked player on the stacked German money list and keeps trending up.

Loeser racked up over $3 million in each of the last two calendar years, and he seems to be on his way to eclipse that mark again in 2019. While Loeser has been particularly active in the high roller scene, this is his debut appearance on an EPT Main Event final table. His previous deepest run came at PCA 2013 where he finished in 13th place.

Manig Loeser's Main Event run:

Day	Chip Count	Position
Day 2	128,600	53 / 355
Day 3	410,000	20 / 107
Day 4	1,635,000	4 / 30
Day 5	4,005,000	4 / 6

Tags: Manig Loeser

2019-05-04 01:24 UTC+2

Seat 6: Luis Medina, 56, Lisbon/Portugal - 1,105,000

KaleGozer

It may have seemed that Luis Medina's prime poker career had already passed, but the 56-year-old from Lisbon has proved wrong many by navigating his way to the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event final table. Medina, who's amassed just over $185,000 in live cashes, is now guaranteed to pick up the largest prize of his career.

While the last seven years saw Medina celebrate only a moderate success in small buy-in tournaments, he was able to outlast an incredibly talented field on the final few tables of this Main Event. Medina's previous best result dates back to 2012 when he topped a tournament in Estoril for €35,257.

Luis Medina's Main Event run:

Day	Chip Count	Position
Day 2	84,000	128 / 355
Day 3	128,000	81 / 107
Day 4	890,000	14. / 30
Day 5	1,105,000	6 / 6

Tags: Luis Medina