€1,100 EPT National
Jour 1a terminé
2019 PokerStars EPT Prague
€1,100 EPT National
Jours 1a
Niveau 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
It took nearly 17 full levels of play for Day 1a of the 2019 PokerStars EPT Prague €1,100 EPT National to reach its conclusion for the day. The first of three starting flights drew 624 entrants with play scheduled to go until the field reached 15 percent of its overall total, and that number of 94 was reached with 4:18 remaining in Level 17 (3,000/6,000/6,000).
Play was loaded with action all day long and well into the evening until the final hour of the night when the pace slowed down due to the pending money bubble. Several large stacks were visible throughout the room and it seemed as if there could be any one of a handful of players to emerge atop the counts when chips went into bags. However, it was Andrew Hulme who ultimately claimed that title after finishing the day with 551,000.
Hot on his heels were Andrej Desset (545,000), Alexiz Rozenblat (532,000), and Narcis Nedelcu (525,000), and they were the only other players to finish the day with more than a half-million in chips. Danilo Velasevic rounds out that top five having just missed that mark, finishing the day with 499,000.
Other notables to advance included Jose Quintas (432,000), Rifat Palevic (322,000), Davidi Kitai (170,000), and Gaelle Baumann (60,000).
Many others were many other players who were not as fortunate on the day, and with the tournament only allowing one entry per flight, those players found themselves on the rail for the event for the rest of the night. Among those who found themselves dry on chips before the day’s end included 2017 EPT National Prague champion Georgios Vrakas, Jason Gray, Michal Mrakes, Julien Martini, and Jean-René Fontaine. Czech WSOP Main Event Final Table participants Vojtech Ruzicka and Martin Staszko also found themselves among the list of players to not advance.
Two more flights remain, with Day 1b commencing at noon local time on Sunday and Day 1c following at 7 p.m. Sunday evening with a turbo format. All yet to advance may fire once into each remaining flight to try to earn their way into Day 2, where all returning players will find themselves in the money. However, larger expected fields on Sunday mean that there is still a lot of work left to be done when the field condenses as the tournament is not scheduled to play down to a winner until Day 4.
Make sure to come back to PokerNews for continuing coverage of the EPT National and all further marquee events.
Niveau 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
551,000
21,000
|
21,000 |
|
||
|
545,000
205,000
|
205,000 |
|
532,000
107,000
|
107,000 |
|
525,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
|
499,000
49,000
|
49,000 |
|
457,000
147,000
|
147,000 |
|
432,000
52,000
|
52,000 |
|
431,000
36,000
|
36,000 |
|
408,000
63,000
|
63,000 |
|
377,000
52,000
|
52,000 |
|
365,000
-45,000
|
-45,000 |
|
359,000
-6,000
|
-6,000 |
|
356,000 | |
|
351,000
61,000
|
61,000 |
|
341,000
341,000
|
341,000 |
|
333,000
333,000
|
333,000 |
|
324,000
89,000
|
89,000 |
|
322,000
-28,000
|
-28,000 |
|
312,000
117,000
|
117,000 |
|
306,000
306,000
|
306,000 |
|
291,000
291,000
|
291,000 |
|
290,000
-10,000
|
-10,000 |
|
287,000
287,000
|
287,000 |
|
|
284,000
79,000
|
79,000 |
|
280,000
280,000
|
280,000 |
Niveau 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
The money bubble has burst and it is David Foldy that has become the last player to bust. He was trying to sneak into the money but that, unfortunately, didn't work out as he was forced all-in for the last 6,000, having invested the other 6,000 as the big blind ante.
Narcis Nedelcu raised the button to 15,000 and the small blind folded.
"You are good," Nedelcu joked while they waited for the showdown as all other tables needed to finish their hands.
"Do I keep this if I lose?" Foldy inquired while he had the all-in triangle in the hand.
David Foldy: 
Narcis Nedelcu: 
Foldy spiked the superior flush draw on the 
flop and added an open-ender on the 
turn, but the 
river was a blank to let the bubble burst.
All remaining Day 1a survivors will now bag and tag for the night.
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
|
510,000
94,000
|
94,000 |
|
Eliminé |
Niveau 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
A player in early position opened the action with a raise to 13,000 and Grzegorz Wyraz called from middle position. The hijack then three-bet to 46,000 and all players yet to act folded, as did the original opener. Wyraz then went all in for what was counted to be 164,000 and the three-bettor called.
Grzegorz Wyraz: 
Hijack: 
The board ran out 
, giving Wyraz both a set of aces and a sweat to Broadway on the turn en route to finishing with the best hand and securing a double with less than 10 minutes now remaining in Level 17.
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
|
356,000
320,000
|
320,000 |
Niveau 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Erwann Pecheux three-bet jammed into a raise of 12,000 and forced a fold.
Pete Chen got through with a push for 87,000.
Jakob Madsen open-jammed the small blind into Gaelle Baumann in the big blind.
All these hands have one thing in common: There was no call and no showdown. Several hands on the bubble have passed without any major action and several new big stacks have emerged. Who will miss out on Day 2? The answer will hopefully be available shortly.
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
|
530,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
450,000 | |
|
|
410,000 | |
|
|
395,000 | |
|
|
380,000 | |
|
|
350,000 | |
|
|
345,000 | |
|
|
325,000 | |
|
100,000 | |
|
60,000 | |
Niveau 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
A player in the cutoff opened to 16,000 and received a call from Alexis Rozenblat, who was on the button. Milan Simko then went all in from the big blind for 183,000 and Rozenblat called after the cutoff folded.
Milan Simko: 
Alexiz Rozenblat: 
Simko was unable to get any help on the runout as it came 
to eliminate him and cause the tournament to pause while a table broke as the tournament reached 96 players. Before the clock started again, another player was eliminated to bring that number down to 95, meaning the tournament has officially reached the bubble and is now in hand-for-hand play until the final elimination of the night occurs.
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
|
425,000
425,000
|
425,000 |
|
Eliminé |
Niveau 17
: 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Several players were eliminated as of recent and that has been reduced to the last 97 hopefuls.
Valentin Cristea escaped from the same fate when he held up with 
against Egor Procop as the board came 
to keep Cristead in the lead, Procop's cards were mucked already.
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
|
365,000
-40,000
|
-40,000 |
|
|
195,000
-112,000
|
-112,000 |
|
|
Eliminé | |
|
Eliminé | |
|
Eliminé | |
|
Eliminé | |
|
Eliminé | |
|
Eliminé | |
|
Eliminé |
Niveau: 17
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 6,000
Niveau 16
: 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Vladas Burneikis three-bet shoved for 85,000 and Sergei Koliakov reshoved to isolate from two seats over.
Vladas Burneikis:
Sergei Koliakov: 
Burneikis had doubled twice with suited aces recently but the third time was no charm as the 
board provided no help.
| Joueur | Jetons | Progression |
|---|---|---|
|
275,000
275,000
|
275,000 |
|
Eliminé |