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PokerStars Championship Prague Main Event Day 1a
Yesterday's day of play at the PokerStars Championship Prague was dominated by the news that the European Poker Tour is coming back, and the birth of the Poker Players No Limit Hold'em Championship, a $25,000 event at the 2019 PCA with 300 seats added and $1,000,000 extra in the prize pool.
But for the players still active in the tournament, yesterday was all about making it to the money first and then making it to Day 4 after. 49 of them did both and will return to duty today on Day 4 of the last-ever PokerStars Championship event.
Leading the way is German player Paul Michaelis who brings a massive 1,270,000 (106 big binds) today. He's followed by Michal Mrakes (1,032,000, 86 big blinds) and Jason Wheeler (931,000, 76 big blinds). The shortest player coming back is John Mooney (120,000, 10 big binds).
Action gets underway at noon with blinds of 6,000 and 12,000, and an ante of 2,000. Levels will once again be 90 minutes long and 5 of them are scheduled before the bagging and tagging starts again.
Level
Approximate Start Time
Duration
Small Blind
Big Blind
Ante
BB's in Play
20
12:00
90 minutes
6,000
12,000
2,000
2,138
Break
13:30
20 minutes
21
13:50
90 minutes
8,000
16,000
2,000
1,603
Break
15:20
20 minutes
22
15:40
90 minutes
10,000
20,000
3,000
1,283
Break
17:10
20 minutes
23
17:30
90 minutes
12,000
24,000
4,000
1,067
Break
19:00
30 minutes
24
19:30
90 minutes
15,000
30,000
5,000
855
End of Day
21:00
* This is an approximate starting time. Any sort of delay can distort this. Check the tournament clock for accurate times.
Marcin Horecki got his remaining chips in with and was racing against the of Thomas Lentrodt. The flop and turn were clean for the PokerStars Team Pro but a king on the river sent him to the rail.
Mikita Badziakouski bet 35,000 on a board of from the big blind and Kalidou Sow made it 100,000 to go on the button. Badziakouski called and they saw an fall. Badziakouski checked and Sow bet 115,000.
"This would be so brutal to lose to pocket fives," Badziakouski said with a mile after tanking for a bit. He then called a clock on himself.
"I just want to be a hero."
Apparently, Badziakouski couldn't resist the role of hero as he called but couldn't beat .
"I knew you were bluffing on the turn," Badziakouski said. "Nice hand."
PCA champion Dominik Panka has just been eliminated at the hands of Valentyn Shabelnyk. The latter opened for 45,000 and saw Panka three-bet to 165,000. Shabelnyk shoved all in and Panka called for 530,000 total.
Fatima Moreira de Melo opened early to 45,000 and called a three-bet to 150,000 from Anatolii Zyrin (cutoff). On the flop, Moreira de Melo check-called 120,000. The PokerStars Team Pro checked the turn and got set in for 680,000, just a bit over the size of the pot. She tanked a couple of minutes and called.
Moreira de Melo:
Zyrin:
Zyrin had tried pushing a draw but found himself drawing dead. Moreira de Melo collected a huge double.
From early position, Alex Foxen opened for 45,000. Action folded to Valentyn Shabelnyk in the small blind and he three-bet to 165,000. The big blind folded before Foxen fired back with a four-bet to 335,000. Shabelnyk called.
Both checked the flop of and the hit the turn. Shabelnyk checked again and Foxen bet 155,000 with 392,000 behind. After about a minute or so, Shabelnyk shoved all in. Foxen folded instantly.
Paul Michaelis raised to 51,000 under the gun and called the three-bet of 160,000 that came from Robert Heidorn in the cutoff. Both players checked to the turn on a board of . Michaelis bet 175,000 and Heidorn called. On the river, Michaelis shoved. It looked like about 580,000 but Heidorn didn't need to ask for a count, calling right away.
Michaelis showed for a bricked straight and Heidorn had made trips with . Michaelis reached out for a fist bump and then headed to payouts.
Michal Mrakes opened for 60,000 on the button and Anatolii Zyrin made it 212,000 in the small blind. Mrakes shipped it for 928,000 effective and Zyrin quickly called.
Zyrin:
Mrakes:
Mrakes had to be happy to see live cards when he got snap-called, and the flop was a huge boost for him since he hit top two. The brought a sweat but the river was a brick.
From the hijack, Michal Mrakes raised to 60,000 and Hon Cheong Lee three-bet to 180,000 from the button. Mrakes called to see a flop of . Mrakes checked and Lee bet 110,000. Mrakes was quick to call.
With the pot now at 648,000, the hit the turn and Mrakes checked again. Lee bet again, this time 225,000. Mrakes called.
The completed the board and Mrakes checked. Lee tanked for a bit before he shoved 856,000 into the 1,098,000 pot.
Mrakes pondered for a fair bit and eventually slammed a tower of chips in the middle to indicate the call. Lee's face said enough, and Mrakes now tabled his with some confidence. Lee showed and left with hanging shoulders.
of Thomas Lentrodt. The flop and turn were clean for the PokerStars Team Pro but a king on the river sent him to the rail.
flop gave Mrakes quads and instantly locked it up. 
from the big blind and Kalidou Sow made it 100,000 to go on the button. Badziakouski called and they saw an 
fall. Badziakouski checked and Sow bet 115,000. 
.
and Panka exited in 30th place.
turn and got set in for 680,000, just a bit over the size of the pot. She tanked a couple of minutes and called.
and the 
hit the turn. Shabelnyk checked again and Foxen bet 155,000 with 392,000 behind. After about a minute or so, Shabelnyk shoved all in. Foxen folded instantly.
. Michaelis bet 175,000 and Heidorn called. On the 
river, Michaelis shoved. It looked like about 580,000 but Heidorn didn't need to ask for a count, calling right away.
flop was a huge boost for him since he hit top two. The 
brought a sweat but the 
. Mrakes checked and Lee bet 110,000. Mrakes was quick to call.
