Simon, Tasyurek Lead Into Final Day Of EPT Cyprus Main Event
The final day of the PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus $5,300 Main Event is upon as the seven remaining players return at 12:30 p.m. local time to battle for the $1,042,000 top prize.
Leading the seven hopefuls is Gilles Simon, a 24-year-old former streamer who has already locked up his biggest career cash. The same is true for Yannick Schumacher and Bjorn Kozenkai.
Jose Gonzalez Sanchez, who received a lease on life last night when he doubled with ace-jack to crack the queens of Halil Tasyurek, needs to finish fourth or better to best his victory in the 2022 Eureka High Roller in Prague for €343,750.
Tasyurek, a Turkish native who started playing poker in 2010, has also locked up his biggest score in what he calls a "dream spot" at the "best EPT I have ever attended."
Nikita Kuznetsov, meanwhile, will need to finish third or better to best his $445,892 score from 2021, while Italy's Andrea Dato will need to finish second or better to beat out his $481,299 score from a fourth-place finish in the 2014 EPT Barcelona Main Event.
EPT Cyprus Main Event Final Table Seat Draw
| Table | Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Halil Tasyurek | Turkey | 7,825,000 | 39 |
| 1 | 2 | Yannick Schumacher | Austria | 6,050,000 | 30 |
| 1 | 3 | Bjorn Kozenkai | Hungary | 2,575,000 | 13 |
| 1 | 4 | Nikita Kuznetsov | Russia | 7,475,000 | 37 |
| 1 | 5 | Gilles Simon | Netherlands | 8,075,000 | 40 |
| 1 | 6 | Jose Gonzalez Sanchez | Spain | 4,700,000 | 24 |
| 1 | 7 | Andrea Dato | Italy | 2,875,000 | 14 |
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1,042,000 | ||
| 2 | $652,200 | ||
| 3 | $465,425 | ||
| 4 | $358,075 | ||
| 5 | $275,425 | ||
| 6 | $211,850 | ||
| 7 | $162,925 | ||
| 8 | Victor Yugay | Uzbekistan | $125,350 |
| 9 | Priit Parmasto | Estonia | $96,425 |
Day 6 should be shorter than Day 5, which extended past 12 hours of play as the field shrunk from 16 to seven. A lengthy seven-handed battle as the night wound down means that players will return to shallower stacks on the final day.
Action will pick back up Level 32. The blinds will be 100,000/200,000/200,000. Levels will continue to last 90 minutes in duration with 20-minute breaks at the end of each level.
PokerNews will be live reporting on a 30-minute delay as to avoid any spoilers with the PokerStars stream.
Stay tuned as the PokerNews live reporting team is on-site here at Merit Royal Diamond Hotel and Spa and will continue to provide updates as the first-ever EPT Cyprus Main Event closes out.