Preflop action saw Sami Shokry get his last 21,000 into the middle from the big blind with action from the three players to his left. Those players were the under-the-gun Max Deveson, Johann Zeitoun in early position, and Yehuda Cohen in middle position.
At this point, action was held up as Nazim Shala was all in against Krasimir Yankov on another table and that runout was slated to go first. Shala locked in the double and it was time to get back to action with a three-handed side pot as the flop dropped . Deveson and Zeitoun checked over to Cohen and he fired out 20,000, which Deveson called.
Once Zeitoun folded to bring action heads up for the side pot, the turn came and Deveson checked again. Cohen fired out another 25,000 and Deveson put out chips to match it.
"Whoa!" said Cohen after seeing Deveson call. The river came and Deveson checked again.
"I think I win," said Cohen, checking behind. Eventually, players were instructed to table their hands.
Sami Shokry:
Max Deveson:
Yehuda Cohen:
Cohen's aces were best all along, fading the flush draw and top pair that Deveson picked up along the way. Meanwhile, Shokry's pair of sixes on the flop became two pair by the river, but it was the worst hand of the three and he found himself eliminated from the tournament in 168th place.
"Thanks for the game guys," said Shokry with nothing but the utmost class. "Good luck," he added, putting on his jacket and making his way from the tournament area as the announcement came that play had reached the money.
There were two all-in and a call on separate tables and the first one to run was on table 20. Nazim Shala had raised from the cutoff and instantly called the shove of bigger stack Krasimir Yankov for the last 91,000.
Nazim Shala:
Krasimir Yankov:
The board came and Shala had the checkmark on the turn already.
Mustafa Jukovic was all in from the big blind for his last 4,000 while he only was able to pay 2,000 for the ante. Fidan Zahiti raised to 10,000 from middle position and another player called. A fourth player in the hand three-bet to 60,000 and Zahiti four-bet to 150,000. Both of the players involved folded and Jukovic was at risk of elimination against Zahiti.
Mustafa Jukovic:
Fidan Zahiti:
The flop gave the lead to Jukovic and the turn didn't change anything. Jukovic closed his eyes and put his arms in the air as the river was dealt and celebrated his victory, but when he opened up his eyes he saw the was dealt on the river to give Zahiti the best hand.
Online qualifiers who made Day 2 of the PokerStars EPT Prague Main Event were treated to a special opportunity as they got the chance to win a Platinum Pass via a crazy pineapple flip out.
On a completed board of , Bart Lybaert bet 85,000 which represented almost the entire remaining stack of Serhii Leonov. The Ukrainian made the call and Lybaert flashed for two pair, Leonov had that beat with for a rivered set of eights.
Once the all-in situation at Table 19 where Sorin Flutur doubled through Diego Zeiter had finished, it was time for the second of two runouts as Bruno Lopes was all in on the button, having received action from Paul Hong in the cutoff.
Bruno Lopes:
Paul Hong:
Lopes needed a safe runout to avoid being one of the two remaining eliminations left to not earn a payday and would get what he needed as the runout came , resulting in him finishing with a full house and scoring a double to keep hand-for-hand play going with 169 still remaining.
Sorin Flutur pushed his last 37,000 to the middle from the cutoff and he was called by Xia Lin from the button. Diego Zeiter three-bet all in, covering both, and Lin folded. They had to wait until the other tables finished their hands and they opened up.
Sorin Flutur:
Diego Zeiter:
The flop gave both a serious sweat after the dealer put on the table. The turn was a very safe and the secured a double up for Flutur.
Kimmo Kurko defended out of the blinds against a raise by Vitaly Karayvan and check-called a bet of 10,000 on the flop. Kurko also checked the turn and called when Karayvan fired a second bet worth 26,000.
The duo then checked the on the river and Kurko tabled the for top pair to win the pot.