This past February Roberto Romanello came up just short of winning his first PokerStars European Poker Tour title when he finished in sixth place in the EPT Copenhagen main event. On Saturday he had another chance, as he sat down at the final table of the EPT Prague main event ranked fifth in chips. This time the pro from Wales stuck around until the end and hoisted the trophy as the newest EPT champion.
A total of 563 players entered the €5,300 main event, which began on December 13, creating a prize pool of €2,730,550. Eight players sat down at Saturday’s final table with Italy’s Marco Leonzio holding the initial chip lead. But the championship was still anyone’s to take, and after a long day of play Romanello found himself heads up with a chip lead over the red hot Emiliano Bono. On the final hand, Romanello flopped a full house to earn his first EPT crown and the largest cash of his career.
Here’s a look at the final results
1. Roberto Romanello, UK — €640,000
2. Emiliano Bono, Italy — €435,000
3. Marcin Horecki, Poland — €247,000
4. Peter Skripka, Russia — €163,000
5. Marco Leonzio, Italy — €130,000
6. Jan Bendik, Slovakia — €100,000
7. Manuel Bevand, France — €71,000
8. Roberto Nulli, Italy — €54,550
Here’s how it all played out
Roberto Nulli is the First Final Table Victim (€54,550)
Short-stacked Roberto Nulli open shoved for 700,000 from under the gun and Marcin Horecki called. Their hands:
Nulli: A
10
Horecki: Q
Q
The board ran Q
1034J, and Nulli was the first elimination of the day. He earned €54,550 for his eighth place finish.
Manuel Bevand Breaks Down in Seventh Place (€71,000)
With just 500,000 left in front of him, Manuel Bevand moved all in from early position and Roberto Romanello moved all in over the top from the small blind. Everyone else folded. Their hands:
Romanello: 1010
Bevand: K2
The board ran 873A7 and Bevand was the second elimination of the day, earning €71,000.
Jan Bendik Booted in Sixth Place (€100,000)
Jan Bendik raised to 150,000 from early position and Peter Skripka reraised enough to put Bendik all in. Bendik called, holding AK against Skripka’s 99.
The flop looked good for Bendik, running KJ10 to pair his king. But the 9 turn card left him in trouble, and the 4 river meant that he was the gone in sixth place, earning €100,000.
Marco Leonzio Gone in Fifth Place (€130,000)
Marco Leonzio started the day as chip leader, but he was unable to get anything going at the final table and was eliminated in fifth place. Low on chips, Leonzio moved all in with J3 and was up against the Q4 of Roberto Romanello. The board ran 84762, and Leonzio hit the rail in fifth place for €130,000.
Peter Skripka Finishes in Fourth Place (€163,000)
Russian Peter Skripka called the preflop all in bet of Marcin Horecki and saw that he was trailing. Their hands:
Horecki: K10
Skripka: K7
Horecki hit trip tens on a 10102 flop. Skripka was eliminated in fourth place, earning €163,000.
Marcin Horecki Busted in Third Place (€247,000)
Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki looked to be in position to double up, but a bad river card sent him to the rail in third place. Emiliano Bono raised to 385,000 from the button and Horecki moved all in for around 1.5 million. Bono called. Their hands:
Horecki: AK
Bono: AJ
Horecki was well ahead through the turn on a board of A1082 but the J landed on the river to give Bono two pair, busting Horecki in third place for €247,000. With that, Bono had 6.8 million in chips and was heads up with Roberto Romanello, who had 10.13.
Roberto Romanello Wins EPT Prague Main Event
Roberto Romanello raised to 575,000 from the button and Emiliano Bono reraised to 2.475 million. Romanello moved all in over the top and Bono called. Their hands:
Romanello: 1010
Bono: AJ
The flop was great for Romanello, running 1044 to give him a full house. The turn was the 5, leaving Bono drawing dead. The meaningless 4 fell on the river, and Romanello eliminated Bono to become the newest EPT champion and €640,000 richer.
