The EPT Main Event and High Roller winners today get more than just loads of money. Recognition, shiny things, confetti cannons and future reference as an 'EPT Champion' await them, as well as a swanky exclusive watch. Read more at the PokerStars Blog.
Kresten Nielsen opened for 435,000 on the button with the 
. Pasi Sormunen defended from the big blind with the 
and it was heads-up action to the 
. Both players hit a pair, but Nielsen's was best.
Sormunen ended up check-calling a bet of 400,000 and then both players checked the 
turn as well as the 
river. Nielsen took down the pot with the better two pair.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
9,900,000
1,200,000
|
1,200,000 |
|
4,900,000
-575,000
|
-575,000 |
![[user252447]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Tom Middleton raised under the gun with 
and got a raise from Pasi Sormunen in the big blind to 950,000. Middleton made the call and they saw a flop of 
. Both players checked and they saw a 
turn. Sormunen bet 565,000 and Middleton called. The river was the 
, they both checked it down and Middleton won a 3.3 million chip pot to go back up to third.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
8,540,000
1,800,000
|
1,800,000 |
|
||
|
|
5,475,000
-1,500,000
|
-1,500,000 |
The loneliest man in Spain, Benoit Gury, is sent to the rail in sixth place, crushed by The Killer Nielsen, as the PokerStars Blog reports.
New chip leader, Kimmo Kurko, raised from early position with 
and was three bet from the small blind by Tom Middleton holding 
to 1,050,000. Fiorini folded the blig blind and it was back to Kurko. Middleton had gotten out of line before but Kurko made a sensible laydown.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
9,360,000
-10,000
|
-10,000 |
|
|
6,740,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
|
||
After looking down at the 
, chip leader Kresten Nielsen opened for 435,000 in the cutoff and must have been loving it when Kimmo Kurko shoved from the small blind for 4.51 million. The big blind folded and Nielson quickly called. Needless to say, Kurko was in trouble with the .
Nielsen clapped his hands together and began to celebrate with his friends on the rail, but he got gravely serious when the 
flop gave Kurko a plethora of outs. A queen, jack and ten would give Kurko the lead, and while he didn't get it on the 
turn, he did when the 
rolled off on the river.
Kurko let a huge smile creep across his face while he momentarily took off his gold sparkly fedora. Meanwhile, Nielsen looked understandably frustrated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,370,000
3,950,000
|
3,950,000 |
|
|
8,700,000
-4,245,000
|
-4,245,000 |
Kresten Nielsen shoved from the small blind with and got called by Benoit Gury who was at risk but had the lead with 
. The board ran out 
. The six on the flop giving ��El Torro�� the lead which he kept to the end to send the short stack home.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
12,945,000
2,275,000
|
2,275,000 |
|
Busted |
Action folded to Tom Middleton on the button and he announced that he was all in for 2.98 million. Luca Fiorini squeezed out his cards in the small blind and then excitedly shot up and announced, "I'm all in." The big folded and the cards were turned up.
Middleton:
Fiorini: 
"Jack ball," Middleton's British rail began to yell. It was a flip, but not after the crowd got what they asked for when the dealer put out the 
on the flop. Needless to say, the boisterous Brits went wild for their man. Fiorini, who looked a bit annoyed by it all, watched helplessly as useless appeared on the turn followed by the 
on the river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,340,000
2,940,000
|
2,940,000 |
|
|
||
|
4,600,000
-3,730,000
|
-3,730,000 |
Pasi Sormunen, under the gun with 
, raised for 425,000. Benoit Gury made a speculative call in small blind with 
and the big blind folded. The speculation was rewarded when Gury hit top pair on a flop of 
but checked it over to Sormunen, who checked behind. on the turn and again they both checked. The river was the giving Sormunen a set and now Gury decided to bet out for 430,000. Sormunen raised him to 975,000 and Gury must have thought he sniffed a bluff as he made the call and saw the bad news. Gury was down to just 11 big blinds after that pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,670,000
920,000
|
920,000 |
|
|
8,330,000
-470,000
|
-470,000 |
|
|
6,975,000
1,780,000
|
1,780,000 |
|
|
5,420,000
-710,000
|
-710,000 |
|
|
3,400,000
-30,000
|
-30,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,115,000
-1,385,000
|
-1,385,000 |
Action folded around to Luca Fiorini on the button and he raised to 460,000 with the 
. The small blind folded and Benoit Gury shoved all in from the big for 2.805 million. Fiorini postured for over a minute and then released his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,800,000
-470,000
|
-470,000 |
|
|
3,500,000
695,000
|
695,000 |
