The 2023 European Poker Tour (EPT) Cyprus recently wrapped up. The PokerNews Live Reporting Team was on hand all series long to capture all the action, and during that time they documented some big hands, be they bad beats, sick coolers, or just game-changing in nature. Here’s a look at some of the biggest hands from the latter half of the EPT Cyprus festival.
Click here to see all the winners from the 2023 EPT Cyprus.
Estrada Catches a Miracle to Double, Take Out Smirnov
On Day 1a of the $1,100 Eureka Main Event, it was Level 16 (2,000/5,000/5,000) when reporter David Salituro witnessed Anton Smirnov move all in for 45,000 from the hijack, Soraya Estrada got her last 96,000 in from the small blind, and big blind Nikita Voznesensky had them both covered and at risk.
Anton Smirnov: K♣K♠
Soraya Estrada: A♣Q♥
Nikita Voznesensky: A♥K♦
Estrada found herself trailing the kings of Smirnov and dominated by Voznesensky until the flop brought Q♠10♣Q♦, giving her trip queens.
The board ran out 6♠A♦ and Smirnov was sent to the rail, while Estrada doubled up off Voznesensky.
"Well, you asked for them," a tablemate told a giddy Estrada after the hand.
Dusco Cracks Aces to Build Massive Lead
In the same level, Salituro caught another big hand just before the break. It happened when Stoyan Obreshkov bet 9,000 from the cutoff on a flop of K♣4♣J♦ before Alexandr Dusco raised to 37,000 in the big blind.
Obreshkov called to the 3♥ turn, where Dusco moved all in. Obreshkov quickly called for his last 80,000 and turned over A♣A♠, but Dusco had K♠4♠ for two pair.
The K♥ river improved Dusco to a full house and sent Obreshkov to the rail. "Sorry," Dusco told him on his way out.
"Don't worry. Good luck," Obreshkov replied.
Keating Shoves Into Aces
On Day 1c of the $1,100 Eureka Main Event, it was Level 15 (2,000/4,000/4,000) when reporter David Salituro saw Andre Marques raise to 8,000 in middle position before Alex Keating three-bet to 23,500 in the hijack. Anthony Kennedy then made it 62,000 in the small blind and Marques tanked for a moment before folding.
Keating also tanked before gathering up his last 110,000 and sliding them into the middle. Kennedy snap-called.
Alex Keating: Q♠Q♥
Anthony Kennedy: A♠A♣
"Why didn't you shove. I would've folded," Keating joked with Marques as the flop came A♥5♠6♦, giving Kennedy top set. The board ran out K♣A♦ and Kennedy finished with quads to send Keating to the rail.
Three-Way All-In Bursts the Bubble
In Level 17 (15,000/30,000/30,000) of $25,000 NL Hold'em V, reporter Frank Visser was trying to capture the bubble hand. That is when it folded to Leon Sturm in the big blind, and he covered both Juan Pardo in the small blind and Artur Martirosian in the big blind. He then jammed all in and Pardo made the call for 215,000.
This sent Martirosian deep into the tank.
"I have thirteen timebanks!" he joked, but he only used a few before calling off his last 120,000 as well.
Leon Sturm: A♦5♠
Artur Martirosian: A♥J♣
Juan Pardo: A♠J♠
"Oh good, I min-cash," Pardo noticed.
It was as if he could predict the future because Sturm would win the hand when he made trips on the 9♦10♥5♣Q♥2♦ runout, busting both players in the process. Pardo went to the cashier to pick up his cash, and Martrosian was the last to leave the tournament area without any money as the bubble boy.
Click here to see who won the $25,000 NL Hold'em V!
Late-Night Controversy Involving Julien Sitbon
On Day 2 of the $5,300 EPT Main Event, it was Level 15 when reporter Frank Visser caught a controversial hand. It all started when Julien Sitbon and Simeon Spasov were heads up on a board of 5♣9♥7♦8♠. The pot amounted to 35,000 when Julien Sitbon checked from the big blind and Simeon Spasov checked back from middle position. The 6♠ then put a straight on the board and Sitbon made a bet of 37,000, leaving himself just 2,000 behind.
Spasov then audibly announced "all in," and Sitbon tabled his Q♠8♦, after which Spasov tabled his 10♥10♣ for the higher straight. However, Sitbon claimed he had not heard the all-in and merely flipped his cards up under the impression that he was just called.
The floor was called over and ruled that Sitbon would have to commit the rest of his chips as well, but Sitbon did not agree and another floorperson came along to aid in the discussion. After a few minutes of talking, it was officially ruled that Sitbon could keep the 2,000 chips he had behind.
The table still had three more hands to go at that point, while the rest of the tournament area cleared out having bagged and tagged. The next hand played in a now mostly empty tournament room, and Spasov opened from under the gun and the rest of the table folded while Sitbon was automatically all-in from the small blind.
Julien Sitbon: 3♦3♣
Simeon Spasov: A♠5♦
Sitbon made a set on 4♥J♣8♣Q♥3♣ and increased his stack to 10,000 chips.
The next hand was uneventful, but the final hand on the table saw Michel Molenaar raise to 8,000 from middle position and Sitbon went all in once more from the cutoff. Michele Guerrini was then on the button and rejammed for 113,000 and Molenaar snap called once the action folded back to him, covering both players.
Julien Sitbon: K♥Q♥
Michele Guerrini: Q♦J♦
Michel Molenaar: A♦Q♠
Molenaar had the best hand, but it would become the second best once Guerrini paired his jack on the J♣4♥4♠ flop. The K♠ on the turn demoted Molenaar even further, as he was then in dead last, while Sitbon was in prime position for another triple-up. The 3♥ river changed nothing and Sitbon ended the night with ten big blinds, while Guerrini basically doubled up and Molenaar was left shaking his head in disbelief.
In between all this, Sitbon was told he would have to adhere to a 5-second shot clock for the rest of his tournament as a consequence of the shenanigans in the first hand.
Click here to see who won the inaugural EPT Cyprus Main Event!
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Executive Editor US, PokerNews Podcast co-host & 2013 WSOP Bracelet Winner.