As you might know, the LAPT will host the Season 4 Grand Final next week. The big event coincides with Brazil's biggest party of the year, Carnival. Today the LAPT revealed that it has invited and received RSVPs from every Season 4 champion.

The five previous winners from the season will be sponsored players when the LAPT Grand Final main event kicks off at the World Trade Center Sheraton in Sao Paulo. Alex Manzao (Sao Paulo champion), Murilo Figueredo (Vina del Mar), Kemal Ferri (Lima), Alex Komaromi (Punta del Este), and Julian Menendez (Medellin) will all be in their seats February 17 for the Grand Final kickoff.

The Carnival party is pulling people from far beyond the Latin American borders. The word from Brazil indicates Eugene Katchalov, ElkY, Daniel Negreanu, and Chris Moneymaker will all be showing up for the big event.

And, of course, we here the PokerStars Blog wouldn't miss the festival. Several of us are packing our Carnival clothes as we speak and planning a full week for in-depth reporting.

Be sure to join us next week from Sao Paulo as we hook up with Team Pro, all of the Season 4 champions, and the rest of the traveling LAPT circus.

Last week, in Melbourne, Australia, a few of the members of the media, myself included, ventured out to dinner with two Team PokerStars Pros, Daniel Negreanu and Jason Mercier. The venue of choice was Ichi Ni Izakaya, a Japanese restaurant down by the water in St. Kilda. The conversation was lively, the sake was flowing and everyone was feeling good -- maybe too good.

One of the members of the PokerNews team, Remko Rinkema, brought up the idea of challenging someone to a best-of-seven sports competition. Maybe it was the ego, maybe it was the sake or the vodka cranberries, maybe it was just something in the air; whatever it was, Rinkema decided to challenge Mercier.

Now, before we get into more specifics of the bet, let me give a little background on where the bet stemmed from. Rinkema made a bet last year against former Team PokerStars Pro Noah Boeken while at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. It was a weight-loss bet and at the time Rinkema weighed in at 128.5 kilograms. The details of the bet were that for every kilogram over 100, Rinkema had to pay $500 and for every kilogram under 100, Boeken owed him $500. Rinkema had just under one year before the final weigh-in took place during the 2012 PCA. When it was all said and done, Rinkema weighed 95.2 kilograms. Partial kilograms didn't count, which meant Rinkema lost four kilograms total and earned a payment of $2,000 from Boeken. That's quite the effort given that he had to drop 28.5 kilograms just to break even. Not too mention, Rinkema earned a nice little payday.

Given that background story, Rinkema would like to keep up his healthy, weight-losing ways and though this would be another reason for him to keep on the right track in getting in the best shape he's been in since his teenage years. Both he and Mercier discussed the terms of the bet and settled on a wager of $5,000. Yes, this was a little high for Rinkema's liking, but it was decided that it would ultimately give him the most drive to win. The amount also had to be enough that Mercier would actually want to try and win. After all, the guy has earned over $7.6 million in live tournament earnings and probably several million more in cash games.

After some debating and banter back and forth, it was decided that I would arbitrate the bet with Rinkema selecting four sports to Mercier's three. For each sport picked, I would decide the competition within that sport that the two would engage in. For example, if one of them selected basketball, I could decide that the competition would be a game of one-on-one with the first player to seven winning.

For the rest of the night, the two went back and forth a little bit about the bet. They even sought out the opinions of others in the party before taking to Twitter to get even more views. Right away, Mercier seemed pretty confident about the bet and tweeted the following.

@JasonMercier: "Booked a 5k prop bet last night against @happyfreaked we play best of 7 sports and he chooses 4 I choose 3 ... Think I'm -260 to win #mash"

Rinkema, though, didn't seem as confident in Mercier, even though he had the edge in sports to be picked, four to three. Here's what he first tweeted about the bet.

@happyfreaked: "So I made this silly prop bet with @JasonMercier tonight. Gotta think of 4 sports I can beat him at in 24 hours. Time to get some sleep now."

Mercier then went on to add even more words of confidence in the following tweet.

@JasonMercier: "@DWBenefield @happyfreaked pretty sure he's drawing dead in the 3 I'll pick, so I just gotta beat him in one of his 4"

In the details of the bet, Rinkema was supposed to pick his four sports first, but he seemed to have a bit of a hard time doing so.

@happyfreaked: "Having a hard time figuring out which 4 sports I will pick. Leaning towards tennis, cycling time trial, speed skating on ice and kickboxing."

After some back and forth banter on Twitter that included Mercier asking for my ruling on Rinkema's time frame for choosing his sports and plenty of players, fans and media members voicing their thoughts, Rinkema decided on his four sports as tug of war, cycling, snowboarding and speed skating on ice. But Mercier wasn't buying those and argued against a couple of them.

@JasonMercier: "@happyfreaked tug of war a sport? Also, assumed since we are supposed to do this in Vegas in the SUMMER snowboarding? @Donnie_Peters Plz"

I have to agree, tug of war was a bit of a stretch by Rinkema and I disallowed it. I also agreed with Mercier on the idea of snowboarding. This bet is supposed to take place during the summer and the World Series of Poker, preferably at the beginning. It's also supposed to be able to be completed within 24 hours. Having to trek up to a mountain and compete in snowboarding more than likely wouldn't be doable. I also disallowed speed skating on ice for the same reason as snowboarding. Speed skating in the summer in Las Vegas? Good luck with that. I also don't think it's overly fair to include a sport that each person much go out and buy some unique equipment for. Finding a basketball or some tennis racquets is one thing, but speed skates? Don't think that's going to happen.

Given all of that, the only sport that actually stood was cycling, leaving Rinkema to have to pick three more. Cue the Jeopardy theme song because this took some time for him to finally decide. Eventually, he chose shot put as another one of his four. Although Mercier tried to argue against shot put, as you can read in his following tweets, it's part of the Olympics, a sport involved in track and field competitions, so I allowed it.

@JasonMercier: "Shotput is just an event in track and field. If u can't make a living at it specifically... It's not a sport!! @happyfreaked @Donnie_Peters"

@JasonMercier: "That's like me picking half court basketball shots. Basketball is the sport. Donnie would choose what we do in the sport"

Sorry, Mercier, there are specific athletes who specialize in shot put and shot put only. It is a sport, although one more unique one, but it's still a qualifying sport.

Another day or so passed before Rinkema added his final two sports. It took him a lot of deliberating, Wikipedia research and consultation from friends, but he finally picked rowing and inline skating. He still wasn't that impressed about a couple of his first selections getting turned down, though.

@happyfreaked: "After long deliberation I pick Cycling, Shot pot, Rowing and inline speed skating. @JasonMercier @Donnie_Peters"

@happyfreaked: "Still not happy about getting turned down on the initial sports, but these are as legit as they get imo."

Then, it was Mercier's turn and he had to select the final three events of the competition. Shortly after Rinkema finalized his four picks, Mercier responded with his three to close out the drafting.

@JasonMercier: ".@Donnie_Peters @happyfreaked I choose basketball, racquetball, baseball guess I just gotta figure out which of Remko's sports I can win at"

With all seven sports now picked, it's up to me, as the arbitrator to decide what these two will compete at for the sports. After a little bit of thought, it's been decided.

For cycling, the two will compete in a 10-kilometer time trial. The person who competes the 10 kilometers the fastest wins this competition. For shot put, it was very simple -- distance. For rowing, I chose to have the two row for 15 minutes of elapsed time and whoever completes the most distance wins. For inline speed skating, the two will have a one-on-one race with the distance yet to be determined.

For the three sports that Mercier selected -- basketball, baseball and racquetball -- the following was chosen. For basketball, the two will play a one-on-one format with the first player to score 15 points winning. You must win by two in this event and all baskets will be worth one point. For racquetball, the two will play another one-on-one format and it will be best-of-three games. The first person to score 15 points wins each game. For baseball, the two will play home run derby with 10 outs allotted per side. A neutral pitcher will be used.

Those are the seven sports and the competitions that will be completed for each. With the event set to take place at the beginning of the WSOP, it's going to be something great to come out and watch if you're in the area. We'll be sure to keep everyone posted about the happenings of the bet and competition, so as always, stay tuned.

The final table of EPT Deauville promised so much. In the end it delivered on some of what we'd hoped for, but for much of the eleven-and-a-half-hours this day took it became a tactical duel, riddled with a mixture of caution and patience. For eventual winner Vadzim Kursevich it was patience that won through, but only just, making him the latest EPT champion and €875,000 richer.

Kursevich faced Paul Guichard heads-up, the two players who had led coming into the final. But that didn't go any way near far enough to account for the day; a marathon session which ultimately crowned one of the two best players on the day, for the reality was this title could have gone either way.

Vadzim Kursevich

Paul Guichard

Kursevich had held a massive lead going into the heads-up, 23 million to 3 million, which left Guichard looking for a dose of luck. He got it - twice - as good as levelling the scores to set up a dynamite last hand that seemed to run contrary to everything that had come before it for excitement, Kursevich's flush and double-gutshot draw, against Guichard's flopped set, filling on the river, sending the Belorussian's friends into rapture, and the strong French rail into silence.

Kursevich and friends

He must have thought he'd let it out of his grasp, but Vadzim Kursevich becomes the new EPT Deauville champion.

"I can't really believe it," said Kursevich. "It's like a dream. A lot of times, you finish 28th, fifth, even second - and you think 'What do I have to do to be the champion' but when you are, it's the best feeling in the world."

Champion Kursevich

The final result:

1st. Vadzim Kursevich, Belarus, €875,000
2nd. Paul Guichard, France, €557,000
3rd. Vuong Than Trong, France, €328,000
4th. Yorane Kerignard, France, €260,000
5th. Bruno Jais, France, €200,000
6th. Olivier Rogez, France, €155,000
7th. Luca Pagano, Italy, Team PokerStars Pro, €110,000
8th. Mick Graydon, Ireland, €67,200

For those who follow European poker closely the story at the start of today centred around Luca Pagano, whose result today takes him back to the top of the EPT Tournament Leader Board. The Team PokerStars Pro was playing his seventh EPT final table, recording his 20th cash. But once more the Italian would fall at the last hurdle.

Earlier in the week Pagano had been pragmatic. It wouldn't matter, he said, if that elusive first EPT win didn't happen this time round. He would simply try again at the one next and the one after that. And he will.

Luca Pagano

But the look on his face as he tried to escape through the elasticated rail which stubbornly got in his way as he tried to escape the scene, suggested that, at least in a small way, this mattered so much more, certainly more than to stop the now repetitive question "how long until Luca Pagano wins an EPT?"

Pagano's departure was the last for some time, following the exit of short stacked Irishman Mick Graydon. The sun had gone down and some suggested Pagano would have been back in Italy before Olivier Rogez busted in sixth more than three hours later.

Olivier Rogez

Rogez had counted his winning a seat to Deauville as his greatest achievement as a player, but he topped that by some way today. His departure may not have had the flash bang of his story, coming as it did with a muffled whimper - all in with only a big blind - but nonetheless his achievement should be read as inspiration to others.

Bruno Jais had his own backstory, miss-clicking on a €500 satellite when really he'd only wanted to play a €10 MTT. The mistake left him with only a Euro in his PokerStars account. He can use some of the €200,000 he collected for fifth place to top that up.

Bruno Jais

After the dinner break the final four returned. It had taken eight-and-a-half hours to reach this stage and just as spectators dug in for another long session they were brought to life by a clash of the big stacks, Kursevich doubling through Trong with pocket kings against the Frenchman's ace-queen. It left Trong with four big blinds while arming Kursevich with the firepower he needed to seal his first title.

Trong would double through Kerignard leaving the San Remo finalist crippled and soon on his way to the rail. Kerignard is an obviously talented player with the talent to prove he can perform at the highest level. He did so this week. This was his second EPT final. Expect more.

Yorane Kerignard

For Trong and Guichard the task was simple. Somehow get the better of Kursevich who's stack towered over the others. France always does things a little differently and the appearance of 100,000 plaques was a novelty not seen before. A novelty for Kursevich perhaps. By the time it was three-handed the Belorusian has possession of all of them.

Vuong Than Trong

Trong and Guichard's old fashioned disk-shaped chips were no match. Trong made his inevitable move, but fell in third. Trong had looked like a winner for much of the afternoon, fitting the photo-fit required - young, aggression, intelligent and talented. On another day this title would be his, just not today. Kursevich, a former WCOOP main event finalist, became the first Belorusian to win an event on the tour. As Guichard found out a few moments later, despite something of a comeback, he was simply unstoppable.

Read back through all the posts from today at the links below, while the live coverage can be found here.

Kursevich and his monster chip lead

That brings another leg of the European Poker Tour to a close, another champion to grace the record books. The tour now packs up its gear and sets a course for Denmark where Copenhagen hosts the next leg of Season 8. As usual you'll be able to follow all the action, on and off the tables, right here on the PokerStars Blog, starting 20 February.

Casino Deauville

Until then, thanks for following our coverage from Deauville. For now, it's goodnight.

All photography © Neil Stoddart

]]> Stephen Bartley http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/ept/2012/vadzim-kursevich-takes-ept-deauville-title-after-marathon-finale-090777.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/ept/2012/vadzim-kursevich-takes-ept-deauville-title-after-marathon-finale-090777.html European Poker Tour Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:46:17 -0800 Vadzim Kursevich now holds an enormous chip lead, staking his claim to the €875,000 EPT Deauville title. The Belarusian won a 17,540,000 pot crippling Vuong Than Trong in the process. Trong opened the button for 500,000 and Kursevich three-bet to 1,200,000 out of the small blind. Trong quickly moved all-in and the Belarusian made the call. Trong tabled [ah][qs] and Kursevich showed [ks][kd]. The board ran out [9h][9s][5c][4s][qh] giving Kursevich every single 100,000 blue plaque in play and putting the former chip leader in terrible shape with just 825,000 - less than four big blinds.

Yorane Kerignard, out in third (€260,000)

Two all-ins later, both times with queen-ten, both times with miracle rivers, Than Trong had got himself back up to 3,600,000. That put him in third above survivor Yorane Kerignard, the victim of his second double through, who was left with 1,725,000. Kerignard who had performed an incredible short stack display bust the next hand getting [qs][9s] in against Kursevich's [kc][js] leaving three just three players; Than Trong and Paul Guichard very short stacked. Kerignard pockets €260,000.

Vuong Than Trong, out in third (€328,000)

A few hands later and Trong shoved [kd][ts] for a little over three million and was called - and beaten - by Kursevich with [ac][jc] taking us heads up. Trong takes home €328,000

Kursevich - 23,145,000
Guichard - 3,365,000

This could be over very quickly. Follow the live updates as they happen.

]]> Rick Dacey http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/ept/2012/ept8-deauville-kursevich-monster-chip-le-090776.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/ept/2012/ept8-deauville-kursevich-monster-chip-le-090776.html European Poker Tour Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:50:13 -0800 Frenchman Bruno Jais has just been sent to the rail by Vuong Than Trong who reclaims the chip lead with a 11,700,000 stack. Jais, who has been playing an entertaining if not unorthodox game, opened the pot to 450,000 from the cut-off and was thee-bet to 1,050,000 by Than Trong on the button.

Vadzim Kursevich had a long think about coming over the top but eventually passed his hand. Jais made the call and quickly shoved the [6c][8h][9s] flop for his remaining 2,200,000. Than Trong was similarly expedient in making the call.

Than Trong: [kc][kd]
Jais: [ah][qs]

Jais caught a queen on the turn but failed to get any more help on the river. Four players remain as we go into the dinner break.

Bruno Jais, out in fifth for €200,000

The payouts
1. €875,000
2. €557,000
3. €328,000
4. €260,000
5. Bruno Jais, France, PokerStars.fr qualifier, €200,000
6. Olivier Rogez, France, €155,000
7. Luca Pagano, Italy, Team PokerStars Pro, €110,000
8. Mick Graydon, Ireland, PokerStars qualifier, €67,200

]]> Rick Dacey http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/ept/2012/ept-deauville-entertaining-jais-out-in-5-090775.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/ept/2012/ept-deauville-entertaining-jais-out-in-5-090775.html European Poker Tour Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:29:33 -0800 Vadzim Kursevich is sitting front and centre of the EPT Deauville final table, arms resting around his stack. Just a few yards away sits Russian Andrey Pateychuk, who won EPT San Remo earlier this season for €680,000, railing the Belarusian who has been the most active player at this final table.

After starting the day in second place with 5,670,000, Kursevich has been up and down more than the Belarusian Ruble (currently 8,372 to the dollar) and is currently languishing in third place out of five with 3,565,000 - but that's not a result of simply blinding out. Play started badly with a four million flip gone wrong to Vuong Than Trong and another big pot lost to Bruno Jais, but 'VadziMoney' pulled himself back into the action with a series of bluffs and value bets - notably stealing a chunky pot after barrelling queen-high into Than Trong across two streets. Then he doubled Yorane Kerignard calling the Frenchman's shove light with [ah][4h]. Kerignard's pocket sixes held up. Then he doubled him up again, this time calling with ace-queen into queens.

Than Trong (left) and Kursevich at the final table

At no point has Kursevich slowed, stalled or taken a rest. If we'd sat marking off the number of pots Kursevich had played (we haven't) we could tell you his VPIP (we can't). What we can say is that he's been playing. A lot. It's as if he thinks he's the best player at the table, which if he does he'd have good reason to.

Kursevich was part of a five-way chop in the WCOOP main event last year as well as claiming a third-place finish at EPT Berlin for €300,000. We saw a different Kursevich there; a tighter, more conservative performance where Kursevich was a fringe character hiding beneath a large hood in the shadow of the likes of Ben Wilinofsky, Max Heinzelman, Martin Jacobson and Joep van den Bijgaart. Here in Deauville the hood is down and Kursevich is carrying himself as if he feels he should win. Would it be fair to say the EPT Berlin final table was stronger than the final eight here in Deauville? I'd say so and I'm guessing that Kursevich would agree which may be why he's been pursing pots so aggressively. Should Kursevich have won any of those all-ins thing could be very different here. Than Trong, for one, wouldn't have his 9,320,000 chip lead, he'd be out.

Kursevich chipping up (yet again)

Moments after this post went up Kursevich opened to 525,000 from the small blind into Paul Guichard and snap-called when Guichard shoved his big blind. Kursevich held [ah][ks], Guichard [ac][qd]. That held to win Kursevich the 7,640,000 pot putting him back into second place and Guichard out of the top two for the first time today.

]]> Rick Dacey http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/ept/2012/ept8-deauville-vadzimoney-kursevich-cont-090774.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/ept/2012/ept8-deauville-vadzimoney-kursevich-cont-090774.html European Poker Tour Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:25:29 -0800

We've just seen a first for the European Poker Tour, perhaps even for poker itself. Never before has a player moved all-in by force, shoving in for his big blind because, well, that's all he had left.

It was as though Olivier Rogez felt better of himself than to submit himself to the misery of an academic departure; not for him the textbook shove with ten big blinds, nor with five, not even two. Rogez was happy to leave it to one.

The end had to come for Olivier Rogez

By now there was a lot of support (privately at least) for Rogez to fold one last time, a finger up at the established and traditional format for such occasions. Why not? A surrender with honour rather than the indignity of moving in with nothing for nothing and getting nothing. This was a way to go down in poker history as the man who cradled his stack to the grave, refusing to pay lip service to convention.

This is almost what Rogez did, his Jack-three worth nothing alongside Paul Guichard's Kings.

We may well forget who wins this event (work with me here) but the thing we might most remember is Rogez's departure, at least more than any other sixth place finisher.

Like Eric the Eel (Eric Moussambani), the swimmer from Equatorial Guinea, competing in the Olympic 100m freestyle event eight months after learning to swim; or like Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, the British Olympic ski jumper, properly useless (we have neither snow or ski jumps in the UK) but prepared to hurtle down a mountain regardless; Rogez may not have meant to go out with such a whimper, but he lost no face in doing so, walking away with €155,000 and becoming something of a folk hero.

That's a win in anyone's book, particular for Rogez's who counted his qualification for this event as the highlight of his poker career.

Your sixth place finisher, Olivier Rogez.

]]> Stephen Bartley http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/ept/2012/ept8-deauville-rogez-makes-it-a-memorabl-090773.html http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/ept/2012/ept8-deauville-rogez-makes-it-a-memorabl-090773.html European Poker Tour Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:04:44 -0800 Though most people outside of North America refer to it as American football, the game's championship game is a worldwide event. Tens of millions of people around the world tuned in last night for the National Football League's Super Bowl. While it was a big deal, it was just background noise for the thousands of people focused on winning big money on Sunday.

As the day kicked off with some big Sunday majors, more than 3,600 people showed up for the Sunday Warm-Up. When it was done, MarinaBalbes was rolling in some new cash. You can check out that final table report here: MarinaBalbes makes nearly $100K for Sunday Warm-Up victory.

A little bit later in the night, the Sunday Million final table popped up with a bunch of people looking to lock up some big cash. The final result was a six-way deal and a champion named MatejK992SLO. You can read the whole story right here: MatejK992SLO slowly but surely won $177K for Sunday Million success

For a full rundown of all the big winners from the weekend, check out the 2-5-12 PokerStars Sunday major results.

Good luck in the coming week.

It was probably the most dramatic moment of the final table so far, the double up of Yorane Kerignard in front of the home crowd.

Short stacked, Kerignard got his chips in with king-six, not the best of options but Kerignard was short of chips and time, moving in for 660,000. Bruno Jais called with ace-ten and tossed his cards into the middle for the dealer to display.

The flop came [qs][jh][4s] to force the abdication of his king, leaving only a six for survival, another king only serving Jais for a straight.

Yorane Kerignard

The turn came a deuce. Kerignard stood ready to leave, picking up his bottle of water as he did so, ready to take a long gulp.

Was this premeditated? A little theatre just in case his miracle card hit the river?

Kerignard took a gulp just as the six of diamonds hit the river. The Frenchman caught sight of it and nearly choked as his friends on the rail stood in unison to cheer, Kerignard pumping his fist as they did so, water going everywhere.

Casino staff, grouped together at the side of the stage looked on bewildered. This kind of thing doesn't usually happen at the slot machines or in the smoking cubicle. This is something different; this is the absurdity of a high stakes poker tournament.

Kerignard plays on.

The 15th installment of Asia's premiere poker series once again features the legendary HKD $11,000 buy-in Red Dragon main event which comes with a HKD $3,000,000 guarantee. In total, 9 Official Asia Player of the Year events will take place ranging from buy-ins of HKD $1,000 to $30,000.

The last MPC had a total of 1,652 players and awarded HKD $9,553,323 (USD $1,225,000) in prize money -- which are both records for MPC: Red Dragon -- over the 9-day poker festival.

Last August, Patrick Lee became the first player from Singapore to take home the coveted Red Dragon trophy after beating the 478-player field on his way to collecting the HKD $1,039,700 (USD $134,155) grand prize. The prize pool was a guarantee-smashing HKD $4,780,000 (USD $612,800) and Lee is expected to return in February to defend his title.
"The Red Dragon event went from 300 players in 2010 to an average of 478 players in 2011." said Fred Leung, PokerStars Country Manager for Macau. "February has traditionally been the largest MPC series each year and everything indicates that trend will continue."

For more information, visit PokerStars Macau.

The casino floor is not far away from the tournament room, just a short walk out the door and to the right where the main theme music to Jesus Christ Superstar blares out from somewhere. A Jesus Christ Superstar slot machine seems unlikely, even in secular France. But the sound carries to the door way of the tournament room, now dominated by the feature table as the main event once more assumes its status as the highlight of the day.

Right now it's enough for the spectators, more having arrived and assuming standing room spots technically beyond the limits of the rope line. All look like they'd accept a spare seat, but it may take the elimination of some of the French finalists to free up space.

The view from the rail

It's definitely gone quiet. It was quiet to begin with but the departure of Irishman Mick Graydon in eighth has done little to change the table dynamic. There's not a word spoken, a far cry from last year when Lucien Cohen often provided a running commentary to his friends on the rail, lobbing a stuffed rat around to boot.

Regardless the interest in these seven men is intense. The audience, although tired looking, stare at the TV screens as one, while a waiter, balding but with grey spikey hair above each ear, stops by to watch before heading back to the main tournament floors carrying bottles of water on a tray.

Luca Pagano departed next but elicited not more applause than the polite type that Graydon also got when he went, the main protagonists being either Paul Guichard or Olivier Rogez.

I ran really well in this tournament. I tried to pick my spots more in this one that I had in the past. I was lucky to win the big all in pots. The end of Day 2 felt good for me, because we were playing short-handed, which I am more comfortable with. This allowed me to play my game a bit more, and as the money approached, I was very comfortable.

The key hand for me was against Jonathan Duhamel: I called his opening raise with [Ah][Qh] from the small blind. The flop was J-5-7 with two hearts, and we got it all in on the flop after a series of raises. I knew he wouldn't make the last raise as quickly as he did with any kind of really big hand, so I felt I was in okay shape. I hit the heart on the turn, and it was the key hand that really helped me get the win.

I needed those chips because, of course, on the very next hand, I pick up [Kh][3h] on the button and face a three-bet from Galen Hall. I called, the flop came J-7-2 with 2 clubs and one heart. He lead out, I raised, and he quickly shoved. At that point, I thought "What the hell am I doing in this pot?"

I folded. Sometimes I can't hold on to my chips for very long.

I was so happy won, but I was so tired, and I had a feeling like I was ill. My whole body was aching. I really wanted to go out that night and celebrate. Maybe you saw my interview. I was so tired, during that interview. I don't even remember half the questions. I went back to my room and slept. I saved the celebration for later in the week.

When I woke up the next day, I started to feel really good, and the win started to sink in. The win feels great.

I hope it isn't my last.

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Follow Viktor on Twitter: @RealIsildur1

Pagano's demise came at the hands of Vuong Than Trong who opened under-the-gun for 220,000 with [9s][9h]. Pagano jammed for 1,660,000 from the cut-off with [ac][js] and was called finding himself slightly behind, 44.5% to 55.5%. The [qd][6d][qh] flop was no help but the [th] on the turn gave Pagano an additional seven outs; four kings for a straight and three tens to counterfeit Trong's pair and take the hand with his ace kicker. None of them arrived, nor an ace or jack.

Although he'll be disappointed not to make it further he can at least take some satisfaction in having reclaimed his number one spot at the top of the EPT Tournament Leaderboard.

I'm going to point out that this is not the official TLB points calculation but what I've roughly approximated. The Italian's final table finish puts Pagano up to around 5,545, some way ahead of Bertrand 'ElkY' Grospellier's 5,112. You can see the full European Poker Tour Tournament Leaderboard by clicking on the link.

The payouts
1. €875,000
2. €557,000
3. €328,000
4. €260,000
5. €200,000
6. €155,000
7. Luca Pagano, Italy, Team PokerStars Pro, €110,000
8. Mick Graydon, Ireland, PokerStars qualifier, €67,200

The Irish online qualifier had started the day as the short stack with just under one million and had managed to get pull himself up to 1,350,000 but then his progress stalled. When he found [ac][9h] in middle position in an unopened pot with just ten big blinds, 820,000 at the 40,000-80,000 level, the PokerStars Supernova moved it in and was unlucky to run into the [ad][kc] of chip leader Paul Guichard.

The board never offered much hope to Graydon, a poker buddy of Team PokerStars Pro Jude Ainsworth, as it ran out [3c][4s][ts][qd][7c]. The Irishman was on his after the turn hit having accepted his fate as the last player to cash for less than six figures. Graydon shook hands with Guichard, then with Luca Pagano. That's three EPT cashes for 'BIGMICKG' this season.

With Graydon gone the focus is on Luca Pagano in seat 7 (1,740,000) and Yorane Kerignard in seat 8 (1,460,000) as the primary candidates for the next elimination. While Guichard's performance has been the most effective, Vadzim Kursevich has been the most active but the Belarusian has so far given chips to both Bruno Jais and Vuong Than Trong. Keep on our http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/tournaments/ept/season-8/deauville-3/ live updates for live hand reporting.

The payouts
1. €875,000
2. €557,000
3. €328,000
4. €260,000
5. €200,000
6. €155,000
7. €110,000
8. Mick Graydon, Ireland, PokerStars qualifier, €67,200