Ermanno Di Nicola raised to 1,600,000 under the gun holding J?4? and Angelo Marrone defended his big blind, sending them heads-up to the first flop the table had seen in quite some time.
The dealer turned over 3?6?J? and Di Nicola continued for 1,000,000 with top pair. Marrone snap-mucked K?4?.
Leon Tsoukernik is a man of many talents. To some, he is an astute businessman who built Europe's largest cardroom at King's Resort, Rozvadov. To others, Tsoukernik is an art dealer with an unrivaled eye for detail. But under his many layers, Tsoukernik is a poker player with a penchant for high-stakes cash games and tournaments.
The fact Tsoukernik has more than $5.3 million in recorded live cashes, placing him third in the Czech Republic's all-time money list (according to The Hendon Mob) is a testament to his ability at the poker table. The King's Resort supremo trails only Martin Staszko, who banked more than $5.4 million for his runner-up finish in the 2011 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, and the polarizing Martin Kabrhel, who has almost seven-times as many in the money finishes as Tsoukernik. Not bad for a poker-playing businessman.
Alessandro Predaroli opened to 1,200,000 from the hijack before Julien Loire three-bet to 5,000,000 from the cutoff. Predaroli moved all in for around 12,400,000 and, Loire committed his stack of 11,000,000 to set up the biggest pot of the tournament so far.
Julien Loire: 8?8?
Alessandro Predaroli: A?Q?
Loire remained ahead on the J?9?6? flop and improved to a set on the 8? turn. Predaroli wasn't drawing dead as he outs to the flush. The 4? peeled off on the river to give Predaroli the winner and Loire bowed out in 6th place.
Alain Saka raised to 1,200,000 in the cutoff and Alessandro Predaroli called from the big blind.
The flop came Q?4?2? and Saka continued for 700,000. Predaroli then moved all in for 4,500,000 and Saka tanked for a minute before calling.
Alessandro Predaroli: Q?10?
Alain Saka: K?4?
Predaroli was ahead with his pair of queens as they awaited the turn and river, which came 6?5? and kept Predaroli in the lead and earned him a double up.
Ermanno Di Nicola opened to 1,200,000 with K?5? first to act, and Angelo Marrone defended his big blind with Q?10?.
The Q?6?2? flop checked through to the 9? turn. Marrone checked once more, and Di Nicola bet 1,800,000, which was called.
Marrone checked for a third time on the J? river, and Di Nicola sized up to 4,200,000. Marrone, who had the best hand, jolted back into his chair and began to mull over his options. The bet was worth around half of his remaining chips. Marrone made the correct call and collected the massive pot as he celebrated with his rail.
Marrone has had quite the final day, as he entered bottom in chips and is now in the upper echelons of the counts.