Christmas season in Prague is once again enlivened by poker, with the EPT series marching towards its finale, set to award an iconic trophy and a seven-figure prize this Sunday. Yesterday marked a pivotal Day 3 for ITM players, offering thrilling action. After the bubble burst, Main Event participants played with the security of guaranteed payouts, aiming to advance to Day 4.
Among those who didn’t survive the onslaught were Dimitar Danchev and former EPT champion Anton Wigg. Later exits included Tomasz Brzezinski, Uri Gilboa, Davidi Kitai, Enrico Camosci, Roland Rokita, and Ole Schemion. Despite starting with a strong position, Schemion faced a crucial loss against Grzegorz Koziej, dropping to five blinds and eventually finishing in 55th place, scoring €16,800.
From Chipleader to Ultra Short Stack
The biggest story of the day belonged to Gianfranco Iaculli. His was not a whirlwind journey; rather, a patient wait until a decisive moment catapulted him into the lead. In a crucial pot with Aram Sargsyan, Iaculli’s pocket kings held up in an all-in battle against AK for 640,000. From that point on, Iaculli maintained control, ending the day with a stack of 2,450,000. Close behind was local player Vítězslav Čech (2,025,000) and Ukrainian contender Vasyl Pidhrusnyi (2,000,000).
On the opposite emotional spectrum, Dutch player Merijn van Rooij experienced what’s usually a terminal situation in MTT. He lost an all-in after a rivered two-outer, covering his opponent by only 2,000 chips. During the chip race before bagging, players couldn’t be eliminated. The outcome? Van Rooij returns to Day 4 with 5,000 chips (less than a small blind) for a classic “chip and a chair” scenario, potentially turning into an incredible comeback story.
Although the field is not “packed” with superstars, there are still notable names to watch: Jeff Sarwer, Leo Worthington-Leese, Maria Lampropulos, and Tobias Peters. These players know how to shift into championship mode during long levels.
Top 10 Chip Counts After Day 3:
| Rank | Player | Country | Stack |
| 1 | Gianfranco Iaculli | Italy | 2,450,000 |
| 2 | Vitezslav Cech | Czechia | 2,025,000 |
| 3 | Vasyl Pidhrusnyi | Ukraine | 2,000,000 |
| 4 | Ding Fan | United Kingdom | 1,925,000 |
| 5 | Eyal Maaravi | Israel | 1,570,000 |
| 6 | Filippo Ragone | Italy | 1,340,000 |
| 7 | Paawan Bansal | India | 1,315,000 |
| 8 | Roman Stoica | Moldova | 1,270,000 |
| 9 | Matan Krakow | Israel | 1,065,000 |
| 10 | Jeffrey Sarwer | Canada | 1,055,000 |
What to Expect in Day 4
Day 4 starts at 12:00 local time, entering Level 21 with blinds of 10,000/15,000 and a big blind ante of 15,000. Each level will last 90 minutes, featuring 15-minute breaks, and an extended 30-minute pause after Level 24. Each of the remaining 45 players is guaranteed at least €16,800. The next pay jump at 39th place brings €19,300, and the prizes only get steeper, culminating in a €1,019,300 reward for the champion. The action will also be streamed live, starting at 12:30.
Sources – PSlive, PokerNews, Flickr
