€25,000 Super High Roller Second Chance
Day 1 Completed
2024 PokerStars EPT Prague
€25,000 Super High Roller Second Chance
Day: 1
Event Info
Top
Chip Counts
Chip Counts
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
The PokerStars European Poker Tour Prague at the Hilton Prague continued today with the third Super High Roller tournament of the series; the €25,000 Super High Roller Second Chance. A total field of nine was amassed by the end of the night, but with registration still open until the start of play on Day 2, this number is only expected to swell.
Markkos Ladev took pole position in this star-studded field, converting his starting stack of 250,000 into a final sum of 687,000. Ladev has fired bullets on the prior €25,000 and €50,000 Super Hig Rollers this series but has yet to find a cash in either five-figure buy-in tournament. However, Ladev took to the felt today with a vengeance and is looking to turn this early momentum into a big win here in Prague.
$25,000 Super High Roller Second Chance Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Markkos Ladev | Estonia | 687,000 | 115 |
| 2 | Teun Mulder | Netherlands | 435,000 | 73 |
| 3 | Derk Van Luijk | Netherlands | 340,000 | 57 |
| 4 | Viacheslav Buldygin | Russia | 318,000 | 53 |
| 5 | Thomas Santerne | France | 274,000 | 46 |
| 6 | Steve O'Dwyer | Ireland | 156,000 | 26 |
| 7 | Niklas Astedt | Sweden | 65,500 | 11 |
Action of the Day
Despite the delay to the start of play as the high rollers took their seats, the action was electric the moment chips hit the felt.
It only took a matter of hands until Derk Van Luijk's starting stack was devoured by a cooler that saw Ladev gain a steady chip lead from the first level; although Van Luijk believed he’d found the dream flop, having made trips, he was only two streets away from finding out Ladev’s pocket pair had also flopped a full house. The dealer had barely had a chance to move the button before Van Luijk had already coughed up an additional €25,000 and retaken his seat.
Ladev managed to retain this early momentum, ending the day exactly how he started it - the chip leader.
The only player to come close to taking Ladev’s crown was Teun Mulder. Level 6 saw Mulder put to the test, by Viacheslav Buldygin, for his tournament life. After a lengthy tank, Mulder sniffed out Buldygin’s bluff and doubled up right back into contention.
Mulder started to see real traction when a collision of premium hands saw Thomas Santerne become the second elimination of the day. Santerne and Mulder tangled on the flop in a four-bet pot, eventually seeing the entirety of the Frenchman’s stack engulfed by the pocket kings of Mulder. Santerne was back to the rebuy desk and into his seat before Mulder had even finished stacking his newly acquired chips.
The conclusion of play saw all seven players who originally started the day, bag stacks for tomorrow's restart.
The players will return to the felt tomorrow, December 12, at 12:30 p.m. local time. Play will recommence on Level 9 with blinds at 3,000/6,000 with a 6,000 big blind ante. Each level will remain 30 minutes long, and play will conclude once a winner is crowned.
Stick with PokerNews for live updates and chip counts straight from the tournament floor, here at EPT Prague.
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
687,000
122,000
|
122,000 |
|
||
|
435,000
-25,000
|
-25,000 |
|
340,000
-105,000
|
-105,000 |
|
||
|
318,000
63,000
|
63,000 |
|
274,000
-30,000
|
-30,000 |
|
156,000
11,000
|
11,000 |
|
|
||
|
65,000
-21,000
|
-21,000 |
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
With the remaining seven players bagging and tagging their chips, play has concluded for the night. Stay tuned for full chip counts and a recap of the day to follow.
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Viacheslav Buldygin limped in from the small blind and Steve O'Dwyer, in the big blind, checked his option.
The 4?4?8? flop saw Buldygin check and then call a bet of 5,000 from O'Dwyer.
The 9? turn checked through to the 6? on the river. Buldygin checked again and O'Dwyer fired once more, this time for 12,500. Buldygin tossed his cards into the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
255,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
|
145,000
37,000
|
37,000 |
|
|
||
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
The floor has announced five more hands will be played before Day 1 concludes.
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Niklas Astedt raised to 11,000 from under the gun, Markkos Ladev three-bet to 35,000, from the cutoff, and Derk van Luijk, in the big blind, cold-called. Astedt tanked for some time before moving all in for around 330,000. Ladev folded and Van Luijk called off the bet for his effective stack of 204,000.
Derk van Luijk: Q?Q? 
Niklas Astedt: A?K?
The board ran out 6?9?7?9?5?; Van Luijk's queens held to double him up on the last level of the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
445,000
155,000
|
155,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
86,000
-112,000
|
-112,000 |
Level 8
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Teun Mulder raised to 11,000 from under the gun and Thomas Santerne, in the big blind, defended.
The J?K?5? flop saw Santerne play in flow. Mulder continued for 9,000 and Santerne check-raised to 35,000. Mulder called.
The J? turn checked through to the Q? on the river. Santerne bet out a sizable wager of 100,000, sending Mulder into the tank. Mulder thought for some time before pitching his cards into the muck, admitting to Santerne that he'd folded a very strong hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
460,000
-50,000
|
-50,000 |
|
|
304,000
54,000
|
54,000 |
Level: 8
Blinds: 2,000/5,000
Ante: 5,000
Level 7
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Markkos Ladev raised to 9,000 from the button, Thomas Santerne three-bet to 36,000, from the small blind, and Teun Mulder, in the big blind, cold four-bet to 57,000. Ladev folded and Santerne called.
The 10?10?9? flop saw Santerne play in flow. Mulder continued for 30,000 and Santerne check-raised to 72,000. Mulder moved all in and Santerne called off the bet for his effective stack of approximately 170,000.
Thomas Santerne: A?Q?
Teun Mulder: K?K?
The 6? turn and Q? river failed to materialize any of Santerne's outs and he was sent to the rail. Santerne only missed one hand at the table before he sat down again with a fresh starting stack of 250,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
510,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
|
|
250,000
35,000
|
35,000 |