EPT Copenhagen: Chase begins for a seat in the final

When the 39 players that avoided the chop finally emerged from the smoke and debris of the last few minutes of day two there was one man amidst the confusion who you could say was quite used to the relief and exhaustion. That would be Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano, who yesterday recorded his eighth EPT cash – equalling the record number of cashes for any player on the EPT – held previously by Englishman Julian Thew.

EPT 1: Vienna – 14th
EPT1: Deauville – 8th
EPT1: Barcelona – 3rd
EPT2: Copenhagen – 24th
EPT2: Barcelona – 24th
EPT3: Dublin – 13th
EPT4: Dublin – 24th

And now EPT4 Copenhagen…

It adds up to € 83,553 in tournament winnings for Luca, one of the game’s most popular players who has no shortage of supporters who would love to see him beat his personal best 3rd from back in season one.

Several PokerStars qualifiers have also made the money – standing among the big winners today having qualified at the cut rate satellite fee.

Tim Vance, who on day two was a whisker away from an early finish, revived his prospects as he always intended to, starting today in eighth place with 154k. After chatting with him yesterday as he began he simply said “see you again tomorrow.” I see what he means.

Joseph Serock is ahead of him in fifth place. He finished yesterday with a huge slab of chips having been the first player to break the 200k barrier, whilst the ‘PokerStars qualifier who doesn’t know when to stop’ Danny Ryan (who seems to win at least 10 seats to each EPT) finished on 129k. Tommy Pavlicek will be looking to continue in the same fashion he’s used each day this week. The Canadian PokerStars qualifier sits with 87,500.

Former WPT winner Christian Grundtvig is one survior from a strong Danish field along with countryman Jan Sorensen. A former footballer in the UK and across Europe, Sorensen’s switch to poker has come with an equal measure of success, with two WSOP bracelet and various cashes across the world.

But it’s not all Scandinavia. The Czech Republic is represented by PokerStars qualifier Michael Marek on 111k whilst Iceland has PokerStars qualifier Runar Runarsson on 55k.

Soren Jensen, the vocal and active Dane who had several close shaves yesterday is also in the money, and Gino Alacqua of EPT Prague fame survived his heart stopping moment on the bubble yesterday. He makes a run on his second EPT final table today with 70k.

But it’s a Dane in front as we start. Rasmus Hede Nielsen on 295,500 is narrowly ahead of Dutchman Joris Jaspers on 294,800 who has made his first EPT cash after several close calls. And last placed Severin Hovde on 27,200 can take heart from the fact that yesterday Rolf Slotboom survived the seven hours 58 minutes of play despite starting with just 10k. You can’t count anyone out just yet.

For a recap of the chip counts going into day three click here.

Don’t forget you can also watch the feature table here on EPT Live. When play starts it will feature Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano, as well as PokerStars qualifier Michael Marek and Fino Alacqua. Click here for more details.