EPT Prague 2018: Akin Tuna Wins €10,300 No-Limit Hold’em Opening Event For €125,330

Akin Tuna
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  • Namita Ghosh December 10, 2018
  • 4 Minutes Read

As the year closes in, poker aficionados are looking forward to the much-hyped PokerStars Players NLHE Championship (PSPC) that will take place in the Bahamas from January 6-9, 2019.

The just-started 2018 European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague offers players a chance to win two Platinum Passes to the PSPC. Currently underway at Casino Atrium Prague in the Czech capital and sponsored by PokerStars LIVE, the series kicked off on December 7 with its €10,300 No-Limit Hold’em Opening Event. Turkey’s Akin Tuna (cover image) was the last player standing in the event and pocketed €125,330, after outlasting a field of 38 runners.

Prior to the win, Tuna had lifetime earnings to the tune of $725,000 to his name that included two runner-up finishes. The first of them from the 2016 EPT €10,300 High Roller 8-Handed where he pocketed €290,000. Tuna’s other big score came in at the $10K NLHE-High Roller 8-Max at 2018 Merit Gangsters Poker Cup Kyrenia, in September that saw him pocketing $196,060 in prize money.

In the series-opener at EPT Prague, Tuna had to ward off strong competition from the likes of Steve O’Dwyer, Juha Helppi, Sam Greenwood, Sam Grafton and Ryan Reiss, all of who busted short of the money.

Tuna ended Day 1 as chip leader, a position he maintained when the five finalists bagged up for Day 3.

With only six final table survivors assured payouts, the bubble was reached with the elimination of Ivan Deyra in seventh place. Holding ,Deyra improved to a pair on the flop and to two pair on the turn but he still came up short against Daniel Dvoress’ who had already flopped a better two pair.

Final Table Recap

Thomas Boivin was the first casualty on the final table, and his elimination also halted play on Day 2. In the hand, Orpen Kisacikoglu opened for 16,000 from under the gun and was called by Ognyan Dimov on his left. Boivin then moved all in for 140,000 and the action folded to Dimov who quickly called with pocket aces. Boivin’s pocket queens couldn’t connect on the board and he was out in sixth place.

Tuna held a stack of 572,000 at this point, while Kitai had 490,000 and Dvoress held 396,000 respectively.

Final Day Chip Counts

1. Akin Tuna – 572,000

2. Davidi Kitai – 490,000

3. Daniel Dvoress – 396,000

4. Ognyan Dimov – 272,000

5. Orpen Kisacikoglu – 150,000

The very first hand of Day 3 saw Orpen Kisacikoglu bowing out in fifth place when his pocket fives were busted by Ognyan Dimov’s pocket tens.

Daniel Dvoress then crashed in fourth place in a 3-bet pot where three players saw the flop . Tuna bet 117,000 and Dvoress moved all in from the cutoff for 300,000, Dimov folded and Tuna quickly called. Tuna tabled against Dvoress’ . Already trailing, Dvoress didn`t get any help from the turn and the river and left for the rail.

Several hands later, David Kitai crashed out in third place after losing all his chips to Tuna in two consecutive hands. Tuna won the first hand with a queen-high straight that got the better of Kitai’s queen-nine. Left with crumbs, Kitai then moved all in from the button and Tuna called with . Kitai tabled and the flop was not the best for him since it gave Tuna a lot of outs. The turn and the river confirmed Kitai`s exit.

Tuna was in command all through the heads-up battle against Ognyan Dimov. He first won a hand with his quads defeating Dimov’s flopped straight. In the final hand, Dimov, who was left only with 35,000, moved all in with against Tuna’s . Though Dimov turned a straight on the rundown, the final card i.e. on the river gave Tuna a winning flush. “Good game,” said Dimov who finished runner-up and embracing Tuna he added, “Nice playing with you.”

Akin Tuna
Akin Tuna

Final Table Results (EURO)

1. Akin Tuna -€125,330

2. Ognyan Dimov – €86,620

3. Davidi Kitai – €55,290

4. Daniel Dvoress – €42,390

5. Orpen Kisacikoglu – €33,170

6. Thomas Boivin – €25,800

Meanwhile, the €1,100 buy-in EPT National Event that pulled in a record-breaking 2,486 players from three starting flights,is now down to just 373 runners, who will all be returning to the felts on Day 2.

The participation numbers crossed last’s year’s 2,117-strong field.Day 1B chip leader, Canada’s Harpeet Padda(994,500) is on top ahead of Day 1A chip leader Narcis-Gabriel Nedelcu (954,500) from Romania and Dutchman Jasper Meijer Van Putten (956,000) who topped the Day 1C survivors.

At the same time, €50,000 buy-in EPT Super High Roller begins today, while the €5,300 Main Event will be opening on December 12.The €10,300 buy-in EPT High Roller will also roll out exciting tournament action from December 16 and continue right till the series’ culmination on December 18.

Content & Images courtesy Pokernews.com/PokerStars.com

Keep following PokerGuru for more updates from the 2018 PokerStars EPT Prague!

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