$20,000 NL Hold'em
Day 1 Completed
2024 PokerStars EPT Cyprus
$20,000 NL Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
2024 PokerStars EPT Cyprus
Buy-in
$20,000
Prize Pool
$902,776
Entries
47
Level
22
Blinds
30,000 / 60,000
Ante
60,000
Entries
47
Players Left
1
Level 22
: Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Nine years ago, Ognyan Dimov burst onto the poker scene when he won the European Poker Tour Deauville Main Event.
He had the big trophy that came with that spectacular accomplishment, but for nearly a decade and countless tournaments, another spadie had always eluded the Bulgarian. That changed today when Dimov emerged as the champion of the $20,000 No-Limit Hold’em event at EPT Cyprus.
“But I didn’t have the spadie, so now I’m pretty happy,” Dimov said after he and Kayhan Mokri agreed to an ICM chop at the start of heads-up play, Dimov taking $253,876 and Mokri $260,800.
EPT Cyprus $20,000 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ognyan Dimov | Bulgaria | $253,876 |
| 2 | Kayhan Mokri | Norway | $260,800 |
| 3 | Aleksejs Ponakovs | Latvia | $139,900 |
| 4 | Juan Pardo | Spain | $103,800 |
| 5 | Markkos Ladev | Estonia | $81,200 |
| 6 | Ren Lin | China | $63,200 |
Dimov had become a regular on the high roller circuit, taking down a $25,000 High Roller at the PCA in February 2023 and winning a $30,000 Triton Series event in Monaco last October for more than $1,000,000. He also has a WSOP bracelet on his resume. His win today pushes his live earnings up to $6.2 million as he sits fourth on his country’s all-time leaderboard.
“I enjoy the feeling of competing with the best and just grinding, Playing whatever is next on the schedule,” he said.
Tournament Recap
The first high buy-in event of EPT Cyprus drew 47 of the biggest names in poker, creating a prize pool of $902,776. Santhosh Suvarna fired four bullets but couldn’t find the money, while past EPT champions Adrian Mateos, Dimitar Danchev, and Artur Martirosian were also among those who fell short.
The wild and unpredictable Hassan Nashar seized the chip lead when he busted Roman Hrabec and Jamil Wakil in a three-way all in with five-three, hitting two pair on the river to crack Wakil’s queens. But as quick as Nashar’s ascent up the leaderboard was, his downfall was just as rapid. First, Dimov won a flip with two nines to double up. Nashar then ran ace-ten into Ren Lin’s ace-queen to hit the rail short of the money.
Mehdi Chaoui finished on the final table bubble as Konstantin Voronin woke up with jacks in a three-way all in to knock out Chaoui in 10th while earning a double up off Mokri. Markkos Ladev led at the start of the nine-handed final table with 740,000, with Lin in second with 690,000 and Dimov following behind in third with 670,000.
Juan Pardo, who was in for five bullets in this event, jumped atop the leaderboard when he moved all in with two sevens and Jelle Moene called for 412,000 with ace-queen. Pardo flopped a set, then improved to a full house on the turn to eliminate Moene in ninth.
Aleksejs Ponakovs picked up aces twice, first doubling up off Pardo’s jacks for 244,000 then against Pardo again with sevens for 608,000 as Ponakovs went from short stack to chip leader in two hands. Voronin, meanwhile, was eliminated in eighth when he moved all in for 370,000 from the small blind with two tens but Mokri woke up with kings in the big blind as the field reached the money bubble
Teun Mulder survived on the river once on the money bubble, but he couldn’t make it a second time as Mokri turned a flush to crack his jacks and eliminate Mulder in seventh as the bubble boy. Dimov then doubled up for 340,000 when he was all in from the small blind with two kings against Mokri’s ace-eight. Mokri had another chance to eliminate an opponent when Lin moved all in for 210,000 on the flop with two pair, but Mokri snapped him off with trips to bust Lin in sixth place.
Ladev was soon all in for 330,000 with two queens as Ponakovs had ace-eight. An ace on the flop spelled the end for the former chip leader as he finished in fifth. Ponakovs was then the one to run into aces, shoving from under the gun as Dimov called for 1,025,000 on the button. Dimov doubled up yet again to cross 2,000,000 and take the chip lead.
Pardo couldn’t connect with ace-eight against Mokri’s sevens to finish in fourth, while Ponakovs was soon all in for 670,000 with ten-seven against Dimov’s king-eight. Ponakovs missed the board and Dimov took the pot with king-high to eliminate Ponakovs in third place.
Mokri led 2,500,000 to 2,200,000 at the start of heads-up and they agreed to chop the prize pool and flip for the trophy. Mokri had just eight-high, while Dimov won the pot with ace-high to finally secure the trophy that had eluded him after so many years.
His EPT Deauville Main Event trophy finally has some company as Dimov, after nearly a decade of trying, is finally back in the EPT’s winner circle.
That concludes PokerNews' coverage of the $20,000 No-Limit Hold'em event at EPT Cyprus. Stay tuned for more updates from tournaments throughout the festival here at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel and Casino.
Level 22
: Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Kayhan Mokri and Ognyan Dimov agreed to chop the remaining prize pool, Mokri taking $260,800 and Dimov $253,876. They then flipped for the trophy.
"I've been playing everything for 10 years and still don't have one of these little ones," Dimov said as the dealer turned over a board of Q?2?7?4?7?. Mokri showed the 8? first, while Dimov flipped over 9?. Mokri's second card was the 5? and he knew he was already drawing dead as Dimov showed the A? to secure the trophy.
"I'm so happy," Dimov said.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
4,700,000
2,500,000
|
2,500,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level: 22
Blinds: 30,000/60,000
Ante: 60,000
Level 21
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Aleksejs Ponakovs moved all in for 670,000 in the small blind and Ognyan Dimov called in the big blind.
Aleksejs Ponakovs: 10?7? 
Ognyan Dimov: K?8?
Ponakovs needed to improve to stay alive, but he failed to connect with the A?Q?6?A?3? board and was sent to the rail in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,500,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
|
2,200,000
550,000
|
550,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 21
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
In a blind versus blind battle, Kayhan Mokri bet 125,000 on a flop of J?8?9? and Ognyan Dimov called.
The turn was the A? and Mokri bet 400,000. Dimov quickly folded.
The next hand, Dimov raised to 100,000 on the button, Mokri three-bet to 350,000 in the small blind, and Dimov called.
Mokri bet 225,000 on the 9?6?4? flop and Dimov quickly folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,350,000
700,000
|
700,000 |
|
|
1,650,000
-450,000
|
-450,000 |
|
|
||
Level 21
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Aleksejs Ponakovs raised to 100,000 under the gun and Kayhan Mokri called in the big blind.
Both players checked the 10?4?6? flop. Ponakovs then bet 90,000 on the 3? turn and Mokri called.
The 3? river was again checked down and Mokri showed J?4? for two pair to win the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,650,000
450,000
|
450,000 |
|
|
650,000
-350,000
|
-350,000 |
Level 21
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Kayhan Mokri raised to 115,000 under the gun and Juan Pardo called in the big blind.
The flop came J?6?4? and Mokri moved all in as Pardo quickly called for his last 150,000.
Juan Pardo: A?8?
Kayhan Mokri: 7?7?
Mokri was ahead with his pair of sevens and the rest of the board came 10?J? to seal Pardo's elimination in fourth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,400,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 21
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Aleksejs Ponakovs moved all in under the gun and Ognyan Dimov called for 1,025,000 on the button.
Ognyan Dimov: A?A?
Aleksejs Ponakovs: 3?3?
"I have a good hand against that one," Ponakovs said as he was the one up against aces this time. The board ran out 2?4?4?2?6? and Dimov's hand held up to earn him a double up into the chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,100,000
1,100,000
|
1,100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,000,000
-950,000
|
-950,000 |
Level 21
: Blinds 25,000/50,000, 50,000 ante
Aleksejs Ponakovs moved all in on the button and Markkos Ladev called for 330,000 in the big blind.
Markkos Ladev: Q?Q?
Aleksejs Ponakovs: A?8?
Ladev had woken up with queens and was poised for a double up, but the A?2?2? flop gave Ponakovs two pair. The rest of the board ran out 3?8? and Ladev was sent to the rail in fifth place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,950,000
550,000
|
550,000 |
|
Busted |