Mike McDonald from Waterloo, Canada, wins the EPT Dortmund and € 933,600.
9.30pm — Andreas Gulunay — Germany — eliminated in second place for € 528,500.
After a series of pots going his way the crowd were getting behind their man Andreas. On a flop of K-7-J Andreas checked and Mike bet 120k. Andreas then made it 300k which was called and it was already a big pot when on the turn, a king, Andreas made it 300k, which again Mike called. A deuce on the river – a 1.4million pot – Andreas moved all-in and with little persuasion Mike called. It was quickly clear why he did so quickly – A-K for the Canadian – the winning hand at the EPT Dortmund.
9.20pm – A board of K-3-4-Q-A. Betting and calling to the river where Gulunay moves all-in. McDonald mucks making it the first significant pot for the German since the heads-up began. 2.7m vs 1.3m in favour of McDonald.
9.05pm — Mike McDonald and Andreas Gulunay shake hands. It’s just the two of them now…
Mike McDonald — 2,900,000
Andreas Gulunay — 1,200,000
8.45pm — Players are now in a short break as the table is re-arranged.
8.40pm – Torsten Haase – Germany – eliminated in third position for € 234,200.
We’re suddenly heads-up after another mammoth hand that edges Mike McDonald closer to an EPT crown. On a flop of Q-5-3 Torsten moved in getting the call from McDonald. A-5 for Torsten but McDonald had hit the flop better with K-Q. A three-four turn and river did nothing for the German, leaving McDonald and Andreas Gulunay.
Whilst catching up with events on the PokerStars blog you might also be following the excellent coverage on EPT Live. And if you wonder how the coverage is put together and just what Lee Jones looks like, then the following may be of interest…
8.25pm – Diego Perez – Spain – eliminated in fourth place for € 234,200
Mike McDonald could be on his way to an EPT title, thanks to Diego Perez’ chips. McDonald raised, Diego Perez moved in and McDonald tanked and called. An excellent read – Perez showed J-T to McDonald’s pocket deuces. The flop, turn and river each missed Perez with McDonald watching passive behind his chair. Three players remain.
8.10pm — Claudio Rinaldi – Switzerland – eliminated in fifth place for € 193,000
A few minutes in from the break Claudio Rinaldi pushes all-in against Andreas Gulunay. A-9 for Rinaldi and pocket sevens for Gulunay. The sevens hold and we’re down to just four players.
8pm — Back from the break and it’s Mike McDonald out ahead…
Mike McDonald – Canada – 1,109,000k
Torsten Haase – Germany — 998k
Diego Perez – Spain — 764k
Andreas Gulunay – Germany — 760k
Claudio Rinaldi – Switzerland — 475k
All the latest from John Duthie and the EPT Live team…
7pm — Play stops as players have an hour break for dinner.
6.50pm – Johannes Strassmann – Germany – PokerStars sponsored player — eliminated in 6th place and € 152,000
Johannes started the day close to the lead but now finds himself on the rail. Johannes Strassmann re-raised a Mike McDonald raise all-in only for McDonald to call. And why not, he had kings. A third king hit the flop sealing the deal. Most expected these players to face each other heads up, but not this early. Five left.
6.40pm – yet another hand with no cards shown – well not in play. Claudio Rinaldi moves in over the top of a bet from Andreas Gulunay. It’s a 466k pot that Gulunay can’t call. He mucks but the Swiss wants to show his winning hand – Q-6, to the delight of his fans on the rail.
6.35pm – A big pot without seeing any cards. A Perez raise, a Strassmann re-raise and a Perez move all-in. It made for a 665k pot which Strassmann could no longer afford to play, mucking his cards.
6.25pm – Chip counts
Torsten Haase – Germany — 962k
Andreas Gulunay – Germany — 947k
Mike McDonald – Canada — 710k
Johannes Strassmann – Germany — PokerStars sponsored player — 619k
Diego Perez – Spain — 480k
Claudio Rinaldi – Switzerland — 395k
6.15pm — ElkY Grospellier called it first. A board of 8-Q-9-5-2 and a bet from Mike McDonald of 140k. A few minutes of thinking followed allowing time for Team PokerStars pro ElkY Grospellier in the EPT Live commentary to call the hand as Q-9. Perez called, was shown Q-9. ElkY may have been pleased with himself but not as much as McDonald who smiled for the first time in a while.
6pm — Torsten Haase has worked himself to the front with over a million chips whilst Johannes Strassmann and Mike McDonald have fallen off the pace. Claudio Rinaldi brings up the rear. Still six left with blinds at 10k/20k with a 2k ante.
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