Look back some 50 years to a time when somebody stood in a little club in Hamburg and first saw John, Paul, George, and Ringo belt out a song. That person must have thought something akin to "Eureka!" (Although, being fair here, the words were probably a little more profane and beer-soaked).

Now, the people of Hamburg will be screaming Eureka again as the poker tour of the same name makes its maiden voyage to Germany's second-largest city.

Fresh off a successful Season 5 opening in Rozvadov, the Eureka tour has planned a huge festival of poker from May 22-31, 2015 at the Spielbank Schenefeld. Its €1,100 Main Event will run May 23-31. The 14-event schedule also boasts the popular €2,200 High Roller May 25-26. Hamburg will also host the inaugural €330 Hamburg Cup May 28-31. Cash game players will have a full slate of games waiting for them for the hours they aren't playing tournaments.

If it's a tournament in Germany, you can expect the country's most famous poker players. Team PokerStars Pros Jan Heitmann and George Danzer, and Friend of PokerStars, Natalie Hof are expected to play.

Satellites to the €1,100 Main Event kick off this weekend on PokerStars. You will find them listed under the 'Live Events' / 'EUROPE' tab in the game lobby.

For more information visit the Eureka Poker Tour homepage.

The €2,200 High Roller two-day event was halted at 3:30am CET yesterday with five players remaining and all were asked to return today to continue it from 4pm. It was hoped that it would be wrapped up in a couple of hours but it ended up taking another 5.5 hours and 120 hands to complete.

Tobias Peters, the overnight chip leader, defeated Timo Schneider heads-up to claim the title and first-place prize of €37,548.

When the players returned today the stacks were:

Tobias Peters - 838,000
Steven Abbey - 553,000
Fabian Petersen - 308,000
Ali Sameeian - 179,000
Timo Schneider - 147,000

For the first 40 hands of play the short stacks just seemed to trade chips, each hoping one of the others would go first. Eventually something had to give and on hand 41, with the big blind at 20,000, Ali Sameeian moved all in for 121,000 from the button with [kh][2s]. Timo Schneider made the call from the small blind with [as][tc] and the board ran [jc][7s][4s][qh][3d].

It only took another seven hands before the next exit. Fabian Petersen, who survived longs periods as the short stack on the bubble yesterday, moved his short stack all in from under the gun and was called by Steven Abbey on the button.

Petersen: [qc][ts]
Abbey: [as][ac]

The board ran [5h][kc][4c][2h][kh] to send Petersen on his way. He said it was a, "Good result" considering the predicament he was in yesterday. Abbey tripled-up with aces post-bubble yesterday and today they helped his secure a top-three spot.

The three remaining players decided to pause the clock and look the numbers. They came to ICM deal and left €6,000 to play for; €2,000 extra for the runner-up and €4,000 for the winner. They were guaranteed:

Peters €33,548
Schneider €27,419
Abbey €27,073

Three-handed play was a real ding-dong battle with chips passing between the players. Peters was best at keeping out of trouble, securing his chip lead as the other two traded blows.

Schneider was the first player to put himself at risk. With the big blind at 24,000, he raised to 48,000 with [7h][7s] from the button before Abbey three-bet to 200,000 with [ah][kh] from the big blind. Schneider shoved for 403,000 and Abbey called. The board ran a Schneider-flavoured [th][7c][5d][8d][ad] to make him a set.

Abbey managed to double back up with [ah][ks] versus the [as][5c] of Peters, but was crippled soon after when the biggest pot of the tournament played out between himself and Schneider. The two took to a [4h][5h][7d] flop before the chips went in.

Schneider: [qh][jh] for overs and a flush draw.
Abbey: [9h][6s] for an opened-ended straight draw.

The board ran out [ad][7c] meaning the near million-chip pot went the way of Schneider who held just queen high!

Abbey only had just over four big blinds when he shoved from the button with [kd][4c]. Peters didn't like it but called with [9s][7d] and hit on the [th][qd][5s][6c][7s] board.

Schneider had a slight advantage as the two remaining players entered their heads battle and for the first 20 hands, Schneider had the best of it and moved clear until a decisive hand gave Peters the initiative back.

He limped in for 30,000 and called after Schneider raised to 75,000 from the big blind. The flop fanned [2d][tc][8d] and Peters led out for 87,000. Call. On the [3h] turn, Peters jammed for his last 395,000 and after a few minutes Schneider called with [ah][kd]. Peters opened [qh][8s] and improved to trips on the [8c] river.

It was the boost that Peters needed as he went on a bit of a tear from then on and opened up a good lead before the final hand played out. He raised min raised to 80,000 and called after Schneider three-bet all in for around 500,000.

Peters: [ac][7d]
Schneider: [ah][4c]

The flop fell [qh][7h][3h] to give Peters a pair but it also offered flush out for his opponent. It wasn't to be for Schneider though as the [ks][qd] turn and river handed the title to Peters.

Here's a reminder of how much every got paid:

Day 1C of the Eureka Main Event played out today over another 12 40-minute levels. After some no-shows from players the final number for today rested at 163. A total of 42 remain with Marco Noll leading the way on 305,200. After three starting days of play, Noll is the current overall chip leader

Here some other counts from today:

Patrick Renkers - 300,200
Amir Pahlawani - 298,000
Nils Mallon - 254,000
Anton Morgenstern - 178,000
Bartosz Piesiwicz - 159,800
Alexander Lemme - 152,000
Joan Mihai Taisz - 141,000
Johannes Holstege - 121,800
Nils Maibaum - 110,900
Artem Lobus - 106,800
Malte Mönnig - 85,000
Moritz Kranich 62,200
Full Day 1C chip counts.

Former EPT Snowfest champion fell right at the death. He was down to 33,500 when he open shoved from the button with [ac][5d]. Bartosz Piesiwicz was in the small blind, called with [8s][8d] and went on to make a flush on the [qs][as][ts][9h][3s] board. No luck this week for Danish pro's first venture into the live arena for many years. Don't worry for him though, he's still crushing online on PokerStars.

Jamila von Perger aslo failed to make it through the day after a cooler late on cost her dear. She was on 37,000 when she committed her stack on the turn of a [A][K][J][2] board with pocket deuces. The flop had been checked through and her sneaky opponent called the shove and opened [Q][T] for a flopped straight. The river failed to pair.

They lasted a lot longer than Eureka4 Vienna champion Zoltan Gal. Denys Drobyna and he battled in two big hands mid-way through the afternoon. First up, Gal managed to double up when his pocket jacks stayed ahead of Drobyna's [ah][kh]. The latter didn't have to wait long before he came back for those chips though. The two players took a [qc][qd][5d] flop where some chips went in before the rest went in on the [4h] turn. Gal opened [kc][qh] but was crushed by his Ukranian opponent's [ac][qs]. Gal was left with 5,000 and busted soon after.

Those who joined them on the rail today included: Volker Karras, Sergej Barbarez, Stefan Kolosov, Abbas Saroughiye, Dimitrij Shteynfaer, Oliver Baude, Karsten Wolff, Krzysztof Kubejko, Wilhelm Klahn, Olga Yakovenko, Andre Siebert, Julian Märgner, Michael Ehrke, Pascal Scheipenpeter, Roman Glöck, Johann Roesnick, Benjamin Bauer, Antonio Karman and Ali Ayboz.

The final flight will take place tomorrow from 1pm CET. It promises to be the busiest and most stacked day seen so far so make sure you join us back here then.

Also, congratulations to Tobias Peters who was crowned the High Roller champion today. Read all about how he won in our report, here.

The final starting flight of the Eureka5 Hamburg Main Event is finally here. It feels like the tournament has been treading water, waiting for this moment where progress can now be made. The final numbers for the €1,100 buy in event will be in and the number of players left will start to shrink as the four-day journey to a winner commences.

Today, we are 100% sure that the 200-player hard cap has been reached, meaning there will be some disappointed players who will miss out, especially if no-shows from yesterday turn up expecting a seat. They'll be lots of big name players to savour today. For starters, representing PokerStars, are Jan Heitmann and Natalie Hof; Youtube stars André "CommanderKrieger" Krieger and T-Zone, along with Alexander "Elton" Duszat.

Men on the moment Ole Schemion and Dzmitry Urbanovich are in attendance, as are Jonas Lauck, Dara O'Kearney, Jannick Wrang, Ronny Voth, David Lappin and High Roller runner up Timo Schneider. All in all it promises to be an exciting day.

Cards will be in the air at 1pm CET and stay tuned to the blog for articles and major talking points throughout the day.

Eureka Hamburg Key Facts:
- Players begin with 25,000 chips (an increase from Season 4's 20,000)
- Blinds start at 25/50
- Twelve 45-minute levels make up Day 1D
- Day 1D is a sell 200-player out

Ole Schemion, the EPT 10 Player of the Season and two-time GPI Player of the Year, has held the unofficial title as the hottest young player on the planet for a good while now. Here's the thing though: his reign may be over.

There's a new kid on the block. Not even 20 years of age and tearing up the poker world just like Schemion did, and is still doing. The name's Urbanovich, Dzmitry Urbanovich. The young Pole's first cash was fewer than two years ago and he's already top of Poland's All Time Money List and is the current EPT Player of the Season (11).

Both are registered here today so we thought it'd be interesting to compare their first 22 months on the live circuit, the time since Urbanovich's first cash. (For those viewing on a mobile device, Urbanovich's stats are the first one in each category)

As you can see, their stats are remarkably similar, making it hard to choose who's been the best "Rookie" this decade. What is known is that Schemion has gone on to earn another $5.4 million in his third and fourth year on the circuit, and if Urbanovich can match that, he'll be following his German competitor on the road to poker greatness.

Urbanovich hasn't taken his seat yet today so is letting Schemion get a head start on him in the Main Event. The latter has already past the 60,000-mark through the first three levels.

In one hand, he min raised to 300 and picked up two callers en route to a [4d][6d][ah] flop. He made a continuation bet and both his opponents folded in flash. Maybe Schemion's aura is in a relatively small buy-in event for him.

Here are some chip counts after three levels:

Alan Lang holds even 67,000
Stefan Ragalie - 57,000
Timo Schneider - 39,000
Commander Warrior - 28,000
January Heitmann - 27,000
Ismail Kalkan - 26,000
Natalie Hof - 25,500
T-zone - 17,000
Claudio Celenza - 7,000
Ronny Voth - 6,500

Kevin Barkow, Oliver Neimann and Kai Hinrichs were the only three players to bust through the first three levels.

Eureka Hamburg Key Facts:
- Players begin with 25,000 chips (an increase from Season 4's 20,000)
- Blinds start at 25/50
- Twelve 45-minute levels make up Day 1D
- Day 1D is a sell 200-player out

While his teammate George Danzer is out in Las Vegas trying to defend his WSOP Player of the Year title, Team PokerStars Pro Jan Heitmann is here in Hamburg representing his employers.

The multi-talented (magician and piano player) father of three has been a fixture on the poker circuit for more than a decade and has earned close to a million dollars in live tournaments.

Heitmann's sat at table 15 and we decided to stick with his table for an orbit to see what went down. He had around 26,000 and began in the under-the-gun.

Hand 1. Heitmann raised to 500 from first position and Veit Eska was the only caller from the button. The flop came [6h][9c][6d] and Eska folded to Heitmann's 500 c-bet.

Hand 2. PokerStars qualifier Suleimann Jabour raised to 500 from early position and Heitmann defended his big blind to see a [3h][3d][jd] flop. He didn't care much for it once seen as he check-folded to an 800 c-bet.

Hand 3. Jabour opened to 500 again and was only called by Cihan Bicik two seats along. Jabour continued for 800 on the [qh][6s][5s] flop and Bicik called to the [7c] turn where he called another 2,000. The board completed with the [qs] and Jabour paused before betting 2,200. Bicik looked like he was going to fold but then he flicked in the call and mucked upon seeing his opponent's [ks][kh].

Hand 4. Bicik and Sakhra Khorshid limed in before Heitmann raised to 1,000 off the button. Jabour called in the big blind and so did the two limpers. All four saw a [qh][6s][5s] flop and the action was checked to Heitmann who bet 2,300. Jabour folded but his other two opponents called to the [8d] turn where Heitmann shook them both off with a 6,000 bet.

Hand 5. Timo Jobmann raised to 500 and was only called by Hannes Gerath in the big blind. Both players checked the [td][qc][as] flop before Gerath led out for 625 on the [th] turn. Jobmann raised to 1,800 and Gerath called to head to the [ac] river where he led out again, for 1,500. Once more, Jobmann came in with a raise - to 3,400 - and Gerath called with [ad][jd] for a full house. Geath mucked.

Hand 6. Veit Eska fumbled with his chips and raised to 500 from under the gun. He was called by Khorshid in the next seat but Gerath had other ideas and squeezed to 2,300 from the small blind. Bicik called from the big blind and so did Khorshid after Eska folded. The flop fanned [4h][kd][6s] and Gerath took the pot down with a 3,100 bet.

Hand 7. It was time for Rafael Martin to enter the fray with a hijack raise to 400. Jabour was the only caller from one seat along and the two viewed a [th][7d][ac] flop where Martin c-bet 700. Call. Martin checked the [jh] turn and called after Jabour bet 1,700. The board completed with the [4s] and Martin check-folded to a 3,300 bet from his opponent.

Hand 8. Khorshid limped in from early position and picked up Martin before Eska checked his option in the big blind. The action was checked to Martin on the [7h][3c][ts] flop and his 400 bet was only called by Eska. The [3d] landed on the turn and Eska checked to find Matin's 1,1025 bet too hot to handle.

Hand 9. The last hand of the orbit saw Martin limp in and call when Gerath raised to 1,100 from the hijack. The flop was [ks][4h][6h] and Martin check-folded to a 1,300 c-bet.

Heitmann had a profitable orbit and ended it on 36,350 chips and ended level 6 on 45,000.

Some chip counts:
Timo Schneider - 65,000
Ole Schemion - 53,000
Natalie Hof - 16,000
Rasmus Agerskov - 12,500
Martin Torper - 68,000
Sabina Hiatullah - 26,000
Jonas Lauck - 22,000
Ronny Voth - 5,000
David Lappin - 36,500
Elena Stover - 27,000
Dara O'Kearny - 3,850
Elton - 35,500

Dzmitry Urbanovich still hasn't arrived but his arrival is expected imminently

Main Event bustouts: Erik Scheidt, Sergej Schulz, Patrick BörnickeBenjamin Seigers, Siegmund Wessel, only Udo Sowitzki, Babak Pedram Manesh, Miguel Caballero and former EPT champ Yannick Wrang.

Eureka Hamburg Key Facts:
- Players begin with 25,000 chips (an increase from Season 4's 20,000)
- Blinds start at 25/50
- Twelve 45-minute levels make up Day 1D
- Day 1D is a sell 200-player out

No more players can enter the Eureka Main Event! The organisers counted up all the players from each starting flight, figured in all the people who won seats but didn't show up and are currently working out all the prize pool information. That will be announced later on but we can bring you a breakdown of all nationalities playing here in Hamburg via the visual medium of PokerStars' world famous pie chart:

Playing a short stack is a vital part of tournament poker. PokerStars tournaments are often filled with a big portion of online qualifiers and those who ply their trade online are generally better equipped at playing short stacks than those who concentrate on the live arena.

One player who knows how to play a short stack is Irishman, Dara O'Kearney. The serial online qualifier - usually for UKIPTs - but a package winner here for Hamburg, lost a big pot earlier on and had to rely on his short stack game. He picked his spots carefully and managed to get a three-bet shove through but sometimes a clash of big hands in inevitable.

He was sat in the cutoff with [ac][ks] and was facing a raise to 1,500 from Milen Ivanov a couple of seats to his right. He shoved and Ivanov called with [jc][jd] and survived a [ts][7s][td][ts][4d] board.

If only he could learn to play all ins as well as Natalie Hof. She was down to 7,200 chips when she found the hand she was looking for - pocket kings. She moved all in and her small-blinded opponent called with [ac][qc]. The Friend of PokerStars flopped a set but the small blind had big equity with a flush draw. The flush duly came in on the turn but Hof made quads on the river to stay alive. Since then, she's managed to increase her stack a lot more to 28,500.

Hof first made her name in Germany on a poker show connected to TV Total, a famous German entertainment show. There was a man called Elton playing as a PokerStars.de Sponsored player today and he also made his name on the TV Total show. He made a guest appearance and was so popular that they kept him on and ten years later he's still part of the show and has had his own show, as well as appearing on a Poker Night show with Hof, other celebrities and a PokerStars qualifier. His tournament has come to an end though after he ran ace-ten into an opponent's pocket aces for his last 35,000.

Dzmitry Urbanovich finally took his seat after the dinner break but he has something wrong with his neck, or so it seemed. He head was constantly titled down towards his lap and he barely looked up to follow the action, just doing so to muck his cards when needed. Closer inspection revealed that he was full engrossed in a strategy game on his iPad. His stack had shrunk to 17,300, not that far behind Ole Schemion as it turned out. The German's stack has dropped back to 25,000 when it was as high as 65,000 earlier on.

Selected chip counts:

Timo Schneider - 145,000
Steven pipe - 120,000
Martin Torper - 94,000
Teemu Kailasvou - 98,000
Ale Sameeian - 85,000
Mohamed Habhab - 95,000
January Heitmann - 51,000
Philipp Combatants - 22,000
David Lappin - 33,300
Elena Stover - 23,000
Milan Rabsz - 74,000
Jonas Lauck - 32,000
Ismail Kalkan - 47,000
Dzmitry Urbanovich - 16,500
Stefan Schill Habel - 26,000

Bustouts: Milan Cicka, Arne Ruge, Sebastian Benz, Suleiman Jabour, Marius Gierse, Gregor Walter husband, Tobias Berben Armin Vo, Paraschos Stavridis, Lucas Meyer, Jonas Jeschke, Marcus Rölz, Marco Hohmann, Lars Jürgens, Ingo Hackbarth, Sven Leu and Robert Heidorn.

Eureka Hamburg Key Facts:
- Players begin with 25,000 chips (an increase from Season 4's 20,000)
- Blinds start at 25/50
- Twelve 45-minute levels make up Day 1D
- Day 1D is a sell 200-player out

Day 1D of the Eureka5 Hamburg Main Event was a sell out (as expected), today meaning the total number of players for this event came to 581. This is the first time Eureka has visited Germany and it has proved very popular with the host country, as 76.2% of the field are German.

All four starting flights are now in the bag meaning all remaining players will, for the first time, join together for Day 2 tomorrow. They'll be 173 of them after 64 made it through today after 12 45-minute levels. They'll be no more split fields and no more 45-minute levels either as the structure moves to 60-minute levels from here on in.

Alon Lang ended today as chip leader with 286,200. Other players who made it through, include: Steven Rohr (199,800), Tom Holke (173,400), Niklas Warlich (133,500), Timo Schneider (120,300), Jonas Lauck (102,900), Ismail Kalkan (73,900), Jan Heitmann (39,000)
Sebastian Kolsberger (31,600).

The top ten counts heading into Day 2 are:

Click here for the full list. The Day 2 seat draw can be found here.

Dzmitry Urbanovich took his seat late and left his seat early after he busted to the old one-outer in the penultimate level of the day. Pokerstars qualifier Martynas Kukuciomis was all in with [6s][6d] and up against two larger stacked opponents in Urbanovich (pocket aces) and Robert Leszczynski ([qs][qc]). The flop came down [qh][8c][7c] and they built a side pot that meant Urbanovich was all in too.

The board ran out [5h][2d] before Kukuciomis and Urbanovich made their exit. As Leszczynski organised his 140,000-stack his neighbour, John Frost, told him he folded ace-queen, meaning the flopped queen was the case queen. "Wow, looks like I've already had my one time!" responded Leszczynski.

Ole Schemion lasted longer than his fellow starlet but busted in the last level of the night. He doubled up ([5s][5c] beating Umberto Vitagliano's [as][qc] all in preflop) while in the big blind but busted the very next hand. PokerStars qualifier Jeasper Meijer vab Putten raised to 4,500 from the hijack before Schemoion three-bet all in for 41,100 with [kd][9d]. The Dutchman called and survived the [6d][6h][4s][4c][jh] board.

Friend of PokerStars Natalie Hof also busted, and on the last hand of the night. She had nine big blinds left when she moved all in with queen-ten. An opponent called with ace-ten and Hof failed to catch up.

Yesterday's High Roller runner up, Timo Schneider, has had one of the bigger stacks for a lot of today but lost some back to David Lappin after a failed bluff attempt. Three players checked a [kd][6h][6d] flop before Schneider (SB) led out for 3,400 on the [qc] turn. Lappin (CO) was the only caller to the [7c] river where he snapped off another 8,700 with king-queen beating out Schneider's [ad][2d]. He finished strong on 120,600 though, whereas Lappin got through with 69,000.

Day 2 starts at 1pm CET tomorrow where eight one-hour levels are scheduled before everyone heads off to the player party at the Gubba restaurant just down the road.

Welcome one and all to Day 2 of the Eureka5 Hamburg Main Event. It's a big coming together day as all the survivors from the four starting flights join up for the first time, all 173 of them. It's also a big day today, as the players will reach the money later on (details below).

The Day 1C crowd come into the day with the most aggressive reputation as it was the only flight that produced two 300,000-plus stacks, in the shape of Marko Noll and Patrick Renkers. And wouldn't you know it, they've both been drawn at table six along with Day 1D chip leader Alon Lang, who's fourth over all. Check it out:

Other players still in the hunt include: Team PokerStars Pro Jan Heitmann, David Lappin, Denys Drobyna, Jonas Lauck, and EPT4 Copenhagen runner up, Soren Jensen and Eureka5 Hamburg High Roller champ, Tobias Peters.

Right, to the reason the players are all here, glory apart. Money! Finish 87th or better and you'll be guaranteed €1,750. Make the final table on Sunday and €11,670 is the least amount you'll take home. Win the whole thing and you'll have a shiny new trophy and €107,920 to play with. Click here for the all the details.

Cards are already in the air and eight one-hour levels are scheduled for today with a dinner break after level six.

It's not often that a start of Day 2 table has three of the top four stacks at it, so it's a table worth keeping an eye on. It was time to do, "An orbit with..." at table number six.

Naser Nawrozi, Jennifer Sabuel and Denys Drobyna had already busted and been replaced by Andrey Shubin, Hanno Offen and Frank Fechner respectively. The table was nine handed but short after the orbit of coverage, Tournament Director Thomas Lamatsch announced to the room that the tournament was going to be eight handed from there on in.

Hand 1. Shubin raised to 7,300 from the button and the characterful Along Lang defended his big blind to see s [3s][td][5h] flop where both players checked. The turn came as the [4h] and Lang led for 10,300. Shubin called and then bet 16,000 on the [jc] river when the action was checked to him. Call.

Shubin opened [as][8c] and Lang stared at the hand and then declared, "Nothing!" before he opened the winning [ah][4c].

Hand 2. Oscar Peleg raised his button to 7,100 and Hanno Offen peeled from the big blind. Both players checked the flop and an 11,200 delayed c-bet, when the board read [8d][2c][9h][js], was enough to win the pot.

Hand 3. Patrick Renkers opened to 8,000 from early position and picked up Peleg (HJ) and Fechner (BB) as callers en route to a [2c][8s][jh] flop. All three checked to the [6d] turn where a Renkers' 9,000-bet was enough to win the pot.

Hand 4. Land raised to 6,400 from the hijack but open-folded [9s][7s] after Fechner three-bet all in for 47,000 from the small blind.

Hand 5. Marco Noll raised to 7,200 from the cutoff and took the blinds and antes.

At that stage the button jumped two spots but no one noticed.

Hand 6. Lang raised to 6,000 from mid position and was called by Noll (HJ) before Andreas Bremer moved all in for 72,400 from the small blind. Both opponents folded.

Hand 7. An angry looking Lang raised to 10,000 and was called by Noll and Bremer once more. The flop came [qd][ks][8h] and Bremer took two in a row with a 23,000 bet.

Hand 8. Renkers raised to 7,000 from the cutoff and all folded.

Hand 9. Bremer raised to 7,200 from mid position and was called by Renkers in the next seat and Lang in the big blind. All three checked the [5d][ac][2s] flop before Lang led for 4,000 on the [ah] turn. The board completed with the [9s] and Bremer took another pot down with a 13,000 bet.

That wasn't the most action-filled orbit of all time but sometimes you get that with so many chips on a table. The three big stacks are all in a great position already to make the money and go deep but tangling with another big stack is a sure-way to potentially end that scenario, hence the cautious play.

Here's how their chips looked at the end of the orbit:

The tournament is into the third level of the day and the field has shrunk to 105 player already. Those who have departed already include: Saka Turtia, Torsten Reil, Marcel Schauenburg, Sebastian Langrock, Atrem Lobus, Milen Ivanov, Marcin Kreft, Daniel Effendy, Stefan Husemann, Amir Pahlawani, Vincent Wagner, Christian Staemmler, Sebastian Malec, Frank Debus, Milan Rabsz, Miri Hamza und Johan Eckberg Binder, David Lappin and the High Roller one-two of Tobias Peters and Timo Schneider.

Here are some selected chip counts from other tables:

Moritz Kranich - 200,000
Erkan Yildirim - 176,000
Niko Koop - 290,000
Armin Zoike - 130,000
Tom Holke - 320,000
Thomas Dietl - 270,000
Ale Sameeian - 130,000
Maria von Perger - 60,000
Markus Wirt - 200,000

Eureka Hamburg Key Facts:
- Players began with 25,000 chips (an increase from Season 4's 20,000)
- Eight one-hour levels make up Day 2
- Dinner break after level 6
- 581 entrants with the top 87 paid
- Min cash worth €1,750; top prize €107,920

10:45pm: Play ends for the night
That's all for Day 2. The colourful Tom Holke leads the way. Play will resume at 2pm CET tomorrow.

10:25pm: Last 6 hands
Each of the four remaining tables will play six more hans before bagging up for the night.

10:05pm: Leopizzi goes in 33rd
The tournament has slowed down considerably and it comes as no surprise.Today has been action-filled and ran at a fast pace. A lot of the players will have an eye on getting through this last level and making Day 3.

The tournament has made it down to a four-table affair though after Marco Leopizzi was eliminated in 33rd place.

He was in the big blind and three-bet all in for 138,000 after John Frost opened to 25,000 from the cutoff. Frost shrugged and made the call.

Leopizzi: [ad][jc]
Frost: [kc][qc]

The board ran [9h][8h][8s][td][kh]. A cruel river for Leopizzi seeing as he had the queen covered.

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 6,000-12,000, 2,000 ante

9:35pm: Seven-deuce game anyone?
Tom Holke in not messing around at the moment. If the colourful German is going to play a pot, he's going to play for everything, no matter his hand.

First up, he three-bet all in for around 750,000 and showed pocket queens after Alaettin Keles opened. He folded to the shove. A short while later, he did exactly the same, to the same player, and showed [7h][2h]!

The next time Keles opened a pot, he moved all in with [as][8s] but ran into Behzad Zarnegar's [jc][js] and busted.

9:20pm: Uzunoglu rockets up the counts
Kadir Uzunoglu, the Day 1A chip leader, has a stack approaching nearly a million chips after a cooler saw him eliminate Ioan Mihai Taisz.

After an early position open to 25,000, Uzunoglu three-bet to 100,000 and Taisz cold four-bet all in for 433,000 from the small blind. Taisz made an easy call after the original raiser folded.

Uzunoglu: [as][ks]
Taisz: [ac][ah]

The board ran [3h][5c][4d][7s][9c].

9:05pm: Four bust post dinner
Four players have already busted this level meaning the tournament is down to 39 players. Niko Koop, Marco Mattes, Bijan Sahebkar and Niklas Warlich have all departed.

9pm: Dinner break chip counts

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 5,000-10,000, 1,000 ante

7:50pm: Dinner break
The 44 remaining players are on a one-hour dinner break.

7:45pm: Spivack busts in battle of the blinds
Ariel Spivack wasn't a happy camper after he busted in a battle of the blinds versus Armin Eckl.

Eckl raised to 22,000 from the small blind and then called while saying, "Let's gamble!" when Spivack moved all in for 214,000 from the big blind.

Eckl: [ac][8s]
Spivack: [4s][4d]

The board ran [ts][7c][9c][ad][th].

Eckl had a little fist-pump celebration to himself and Spivack - who had got up to leave - though it had been directed at him. The two had a couple of words in German about it but it fixxled into nothing.

7:25pm: Jonas really out of Lauck
Former FPS High Roller champion Jonas Lauck got his chips in dominating his opponent but was soon stood in line at the payout desk.

He raised to 22,000 from the small with ace-queen and called all in for 220,000 after Tom Holke shoved on him from the big blind. Holke opened ace-nine and flopped a nine. Holke moved up to 900,000 after the win.

Also out is Alon Lang. He can be heard bemoaning his luck close to the press area.

7:10pm: Oscar bows out
Oscar Peleg busted his massage and had to end end his tournament. Sorry, wrong way round, he had to end his massage after busting the tournament.

The likeable Swede moved all in from the cutoff for his last 57,000 chips and was looked up by Yun-Ho Choi in the blinds.

Peleg: [jd][qc]
Choi: [ac][9d]

The board ran [9h][as][2h][9s][7h] meaning Peleg was drawing dead by the turn.

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante

7pm: Jakobsen doubles through Morgenstern
Anton Morgenstern doubled up David Jakobsen and then busted soon after.

Jakobsen raised to 12,000 from the cutoff and then called all in for 106,000 after Morgenstern shoved from the big blind.

Morgenstern: [ad][kc]
Jakobsen: [td][ts]

The board ran [tc][5s][ah][kh][5d] to make the Finn a full house.

Morgenstern - who went from massive chip leader with 27 left in the 2013 Main Event to out in 20th - busted soon after. He shoved with queen-eight and was called by an opponent holding queen-nine.

6:40pm: Various chips counts
Alexander Lemme - 980,000
Tom Holke - 660,000
Jonas Lauck - 400,000
Matthias Pickert - 320,000
Malte Mönnig - 400,000
Steffen Kessler 500,000
Ariel Spivack - 300,000
Nico Koop - 500,000
Andreas Bremer - 500,000
Moritz Kranich - 330,000
Kadir Uzunoglu - 400,000
Anton Morgenstern - 140,000
Marco Mattes - 130,000
Ale Sameeian - 105,000
Erkan Yildirim - 55,000

6:25pm: Good call!
Alon Lang's stack has dropped to around 100,000 after he failed to get Yun-Ho Choi off pocket queens on a dangerous board.

Lots of chips had already ventured into the middle by the time the turn was dealt to show a [6s][jc][4c][6c] board. Lang was in the big blind and led for 90,000. Choi took his time and called, leaving just 92,000 behind. The board completed with the [4s] and both players checked.

Lang opened [2c][2h] and lost out to Choi's [qd][qc].

"Good call!" said a sporting Lang.

6:10pm: Flood gates open
Those hanging on just to make the money have been going bananas since the bubble burst and the Main Event has shrunk from 87 players to 67 in around 20 minutes.

Those leaving with a min cash, or one jump higher include: Björn Boll, Krzystof Jacyk, Norbert Krull, Frank Fechner Michael Oswald, Marc Juchem, Micha Hoedemaker, Vasilos Ageloudis, Robert Leszczynski, Andrey Dimitrov, Marcel Buescher, Jan Peters, Eric was writing Grass, Andreas Giedt, Steven Abbey, Uwe slide, Ercan Atmaca, Hans Schmitz, Martin Törper, Veit Eska, Markus host and Patrice Brandt.

Their finishing positions will be conformed once the line at the payout desk is processed and the information passed on.

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 3,000/6,000, 1,000

5:50pm: Jan Heitmann bubbles Eureka5 Hamburg
Team PokerStars Pro Jan Heitmann must be wondering what he needs to do to get an over pair to hold against the under pair of an opponent. Twice during EPT Season 11 did he see his aces cracked by an opponent's pocket queens to wreck his tournament, and a similar situation has occurred here at Eureka5 Hamburg to make Heitmann the bubble boy.

The hand for hand bubble period took 40 minutes to play and ten round of hands. During that period six players managed to double up and there was also one split pot. On the bubble hand, there were two all ins at two separate tables meaning Heitmann, despite busting, had the chance to split the 87th place prize money.

Bijan Sahebkar opened to 12,800 from mid position and called after Heitmann three-bet all in for 62,800 from the button.

Sahebkar: [8c][8s]
Heitmann: [js][jh]

The board ran [8d][ah][6s][2h][7h] to moans and groans from the gathered crowd.

The crowd then moved over to table one to watch the other all in. Nils Maibaum was the player at risk after he three-bet all for 107,600 from the button after Marco Leopizzi had raised from the cutoff.

Maibaum: [jh][jd]
Leopizzi: [ah][as]

The board ran [8h][2h][2d][3d][td].

No luck for Heitmann and he could only smile at the predicament. Next time! The last few minutes of the level played out and the players went on a break.

What a busy, fast-paced, action-filled Day 2 that was on the Eureka Poker Tour! The remaining 173 players returned to the Spielbank Schenefeld Casino with two main aims: to make the money first of all and to make Day 3 after the first aim was achieved.

A total of 28 players achieved both and will return tomorrow with a new aim: to make the final table. The race to lead the way at the end of the day was very close , but it was Tom Holke who satched it after he bagged up 1,150,000. Kadir Uzunoglu finished just behind with 1,132,000 and seems to only knows one place finish at the end of a day's play - near the top of the counts!

He was on the right side of a couple of big pots, the most significant being versus Ioan Mihai Taisz. He three-bet with aces before Taisz cold four-bet all in for large amount with big-slick. The original raiser folded but Uzunoglu called and went on to win the biggest pot of the tournament.

Day 3 will feature three players who have done very well on the EPT in the past. Mortiz Kranich won EPT Deauville back in Season 5 and with 265,000, he must be one of the favourites for this event even if short. Soren Jensen lost an epic heads-up battle versus Tim Vance at EPT Copenhagen back in Season 4, and despite saying he was exhausted through the last couple of levels, made tomorrow with 377,000. Finally there is Malte Monning who, just over a year ago, won a massive € 547,000 when he came third at the EPT10 Grand Final and bagged up 190,000.

For full chip counts click here and for the Day 3 seat draw click here.

Some players who made the money but won't be seen tomorrow were: Steven Abbey (76th), Anton Morgenstern (55th), Oscar Peleg (51st), Ali Sameeian(50th), Jonas Lauck (49th), Alon Lang (47th), Marco Mattes (42nd) and Niko Koop (40th).

The tournament bubble only took fewer than five levels to burst and the unlucky last player to leave without a Euro was the only Team PokerStars Pro in the field. Jan Heitmann three-bet all in for 62,800 after Bijan Sahebkan opened to 12,800 with [8c][8s]. Heitmann opened [jh][js] and was crushed on the [8d][ah][6s][2h][7h] board.

Other players who left with nothing but pride to show were Tobias Peters, Timo Schneider, David Lappin and Jennifer Sabuel.

Play will resume at tomorrow at 2pm CET time and will continue until eight more levels have passed or six players remaining is reached. We're all off to the party hoping all the famous German beer hasn't all been drunk!

7:25pm: Jan Bloch eliminated in 7th place (€16,960)
It took exactly one hand of level 25 for the day to end with the elimination of Jan Bloch. Of course it had to be a three-way all in to finish off the day!

Jan Bloch was the short stack and he moved all in for 632,000. Tom Holke flat called and Nils Maibaum tried to raise but didn't say anything when he slammed some chips in and as he didn't do it with enough to raise it was deemed a call.

The flop came [6c][7d][8s] and Maibaum set Holke all in for his last million. Snap call!

Maiburn: [ad][kh]
Bloch: [as][9c]
Holke: [ah][ac]

The board ran out [jh][6h]. Bloch was out and Holke scooped a huge pot to leave Maiburn short.

Full counts and a wrap of the day's play will be up on the blog soon.

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 20,000-40,000, ante 5,000

7:20: Chip counts

7:10pm: Break time
The players are on a 15-minute break.

7:05pm: Holke Hogan
Tom Holke should be known as the German Hulk Hogan as he doesn't mind being in the limelight and wresting with opponents in the poker ring.

He lost another couple of pots and won one against a short stack.

He raised to 90,000 from the hijack and was called in two spots before Alexander Lemme squeezed to 535,000 from the big blind. Holke was the only caller to a [8c][4d][3s] flop where he folded to a 410,000 c-bet.

When he was in the big blind he defended to a 60,000 button raise from Jan Bloch. Both checked the [9h][7h][5d] flop before Holke set Bloch all in for his last 248,000 on the [6c] turn. Bloch tank-folded and was shown [3h][4s] by Holke for s straight!

The hand after that he called a 60,000 raise from Steffen Kessler while in the small blind. The board ran out [6c][td][kh][2d][as] and Holke check-called bets of 105,000, 180,000 and 325,000 on each street. Kessler opened [ac][kc] for two pair and Holke mucked.

6:45pm: Huge double for Kessler
Tom Holke has proven that it is possible for him to lose a hand after he doubled up Steffen Kessler.

He raised to 80,000 and was called by called by Kessler (cutoff) and Alexander Lemme (big blind). The flop fanned [js][9s][td] and Holke's 200,000 c-bet was only called by Kessler. He called another 300,000 on the [tc] turn and the board completed with the [8h]. Holke slowed to a check and then tank-called when Kessler shoved for 827,000.

Kessler opened [9h][9c] for a full house and Holke showed [th][2h] for trips. Both had around 3.2million after the hand.

Holke lost a few more the next hand when he raised John Forst's 60,000 bet up to 190,000 on a [4c][6c][qc] flop, only to fold to a shove.

6:20pm: Michael Diemke eliminated in 8th place (€ 11,670)
The first hand of the official final table and the first elimination has occurred. You didn't think it'd take longer than that, did you?

Michael Diemke raised to 75,000 and Tom Holke peeled from the big blind to see a [qd][7h][2d] appear. Diemke moved the rest of his chips in when the action was checked to him and Holke snap called.

Diemke: [9h][9s]
Holke: [qh][8h]

The board ran out [5d][5s].

One more player needs to be eliminated and the day will end.

6pm: Final table chip counts

5:45pm: Nick Krasniqi eliminated in 9th place (€9,190)
The official Eureka Main Event final table of eight has been reached after the elimination of Nick Krasniqi in ninth place.

Alexander Lemme raised and called after Krasniqi three-bet all in for 300,000.

Lemme: [ac][ts]
Krasniqi: [jc][jd]

The board ran [ah][6c][3s][3h][4s] for another three-outer bust out. The players are now on a break while the final table is arranged, photos taken etc.

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 15,000-30,000, 4,000 ante

5:35pm: Final nine redraw

5:30pm: Walid Abdi Ali eliminated in 10th place (€7,550)
The Main Event is a one-table affair after another cooler brought about one more exit to add to the pile.

Walid Abdi Ali three-bet all in for 250,000 with pocket queens after Steffen Kessler opened with kings. The latter called and the board ran all low.

The final nine are being redrawn for the very last time.

5:20pm: Umberto Vitagliano eliminated in 11th place (€7,550,00)
Another player has fallen to Tom Holke and it was the last Italian player in the field, Umberto Vitagliano.

He moved all in for 310,000 from the button and Holke called from the big blind.

Holke: [as][js]
Vitagliano: [jd][ts]

The board ran [6h][4h][qd][5h][7d].

Will this frantic pace ever stop?

5:10pm: Soren Jensen eliminated in 13th place; Elias Piloti eliminated in 12th place (both €6,310)
Back to back hands from table 2 brought about another two eliminations.

Soren Jensen raised 54,000 before Tom Holke three-bet to 175,000 from the big blind. Jensen four-bet shoved for 1.21million and was insta-called by Holke with [ac][ah]. Jensen opened [ks][kc] and the board ran [8h][th][5h][7s][6c]. "Nice hand!" said a sporting Jensen.

The very next hand, Elias Piloti three-bet all in for 300,000 after Nils Maibaum had opened to 50,000. Call.

Maibaum: [ah][7d]
Piloti: [7s][7h]

The board ran [9h][5s][3c][8h][as] to pair Maibaum's ace on the river.

4:55pm: Kadir Uzunoglu eliminated in 14th place (€5,520,00)
Kadir Uzunoglu's wild ride at the top of the counts has come to and end after he busted in a big pot versus Alexander Lemme.

A few minutes before the decisive hand, Lemme had raised and folded to Uzunoglu's massive three-bet shove. He decided to await for a better spot and it was soon in coming.

He raised from the button and Uzunoglu called from the small blind to see a [kd][6d][3c] flop. A c-bet was called before all the chips went in on the [4d] turn. Uzunoglu opened [4s][4c] for a turned set but Lemme opened [ad][5d] for the nut flush. The board failed to pair on the [7c] river.

4:45pm: Javad Hashemi eliminated in 15th place (€5,520)
Javad Hashemi was next to go after pocket fours couldn't come behind to beat the jacks of Alexander Lemme.

He raised from the cutoff and then four-bet shoved after Lemme three-bet him from the big blind.

Lemme: [jc][jh]
Hashemi: [4h][4c]

The board ran [qc][qd][jd][8h][9h] to see another winning full house.

4:30pm: Yun-Ho Choi eliminated in 16th place (€ 4,960,00)
Yun-Ho Choi was a brave man in shoving into the big blind of Tom Holke but he did have a big hand. He had 244,000 and made his move from the hijack and was snap called by Holke.

Choi: [ad][kc]
Holke: [2h][2s]

The board ran [2c][ks][7s][3c][3h] to make Holke a full house.

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 12,000-24,000, 3,000 ante

4:15pm: Seat draw and chip counts as play resumes

3:50pm: Mortiz downed; 16 remain
The tournament is down to the last two tables after former EPT champion Mortiz Kranich was eliminated by Jan Bloch.

Bloch raised to 40,000 off the button and took his time in calling after Kranich three-bet all in for 281,000 from the big blind.

Kranich: [ac][6c]
Bloch: [as][9d]

The board ran [2s][tc][3c][7s][kh].

The final 16 players have taken a short break while the redraw is seen to.

3:35pm: Renkers hits the rail
Young Dutchman, Patrick Renkers, had been ducking and diving all day, getting chips where he could but it finally caught up with him.

Tom Holke raised from the button and called after Renkers shoved for 270,000 from the small blind.

Holke: [js][ts]
Renkers: [ac][7h]

The board ran [jc][jh][5c][2h][5d] to hand Hole another pot and scalp.

3:20pm: Two more depart
Yet more exits. Dennis Schafer and David Jakobsen went one after the other and the tournament is down to 18 players.

Schafer three-bet all in for 260,000 after Nils Maibaum had opened to 40,00 with [ad][ks]. Schafer opened [tc][ts] but couldn't hold on the [6s][jd][9d][as][7h] board.

A few seconds later, Jakobsen opened with [ah][js] from early position and called all in after Javad Hashemi three-bet all in for 517,000 with [as][qd]. The board ran [ac][4s][6d][qh][4s] and the Finn was just covered by his German opponent.

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 10,000-20,000, 3,000

3pm: Holke way over two million after Monning exit
One of the danger men left in the field - Malte Monning - has fallen in 21st place. The EPT10 Grand Final third-pace finisher moved all in for 275,000 and was called Tom Holke.

Monning: [8s][8h]
Holke: [3c][3h]

Monning was in great shape but the [js][4d][3s][9c][7d] board showed that Holke is unstoppable right now. He moved up to a huge 2.4million.

2:50pm: Molchanov sucked out on to bust
The last Russian player in the field has busted and he was unlucky too.

Mikhail Molchanov was in the big blind and three-bet to 160,000 after Kadir Uzunoglu opened from early position. The latter four-bet shoved and Molchanov called all in for around 500,000.

Molchanov: [ah][kh]
Uzunoglu: [kd][jd]

Domination nation didn't stop Uzunoglu sucking out on the [jh][ks][9s][2s][9h] board. He's up to around 1.6million as a result.

2:42pm: Mallon busts in classic race
Nils Mallon was the next player out as the pace refuses to slow down. He busted to Patrick Renkers after shoving for 150,000 with [ah][jd]. Renkers called with [tc][td] and the board ran [8d][6s][2d][3s][2h].

2:35pm: Krasniqi eliminates Bremer
Nick Krasniqi managed to finish the job off the very next hand. He was in the big blind and called after Andreas Bremer moved all in for 120,000 from the small blind with [qd][3d]. Krasniqi opened [ad][ac] and the board ran [ah][7c][3c][qc][7h].

2:32pm: Piloti and Jensen High-Five
Elias Piloti and Soren Jensen were one card away from being eliminated in the same hand but an ace on the river saved them and they celebrated together.

Nick Krasniqi opened to 23,000 from under the gun before Piloti (226,00) and Jensen (378,00) both moved all in with ace-king. Krasniqi got the counts and the called with pocket queens. The board ran [4s][2d][6s][8d][as].

2:20pm: Zarnegar and Hanich depart
The players are not shy of getting their chips in today. Behzad Zarnegar busted and was quickly followed by Ilan Hanich.

Zarnegar raised from the button and Nils Maibaum called from the big blind to see an [as][tc][js] flop appear. Zarnegar commited the rest of his chips with [ks][8c] but ran into Maibaum's [ac][th] for two-pair. Zarnegar hit a straight on the [qs] turn by Maibuam hit back by filling up on the [ad] river.

Hanich was short and found a pair ([3d][3s]) that he was happy to go with but Armin Eckl had [9c][9s] behind and made the call. The board ran [4d][5h][as][qc][ad].

2:10pm: Falco follows soon after
Falco Tietjen would've entered today with high hopes due to a healthy 584,000 stack but flopping top pair just cost him his tournament life.

He was in the big blind and called an under-the-gun raise from Tom Holke to see a [9h][7s][js] flop. The chips went in and Tietjen opened [ah][jh]. He was soon swearing in German though after Holke opened [qd][qc]. The board ran out [2c][qh] to improve Holke's hand to a set. He's clear at the top with almost 1.7 million.

2:05pm: Jeasper Meijer van Putten first out
It took only moments for the first player to bust and the dubious honour went to Jeasper Meijer van Putten.

He got his stack in with [ah][8d] but ran into Steffen Kessler's [th][tc] who improved to a set on the [td][5c][9h][as][js] board.

Van Putten will take home €2,970 for his efforts.

2pm: Shuffle up and deal!
Cards are in the air.

1:45pm: Tom Holke heads the race to the final table
On the eighth day of the Eureka5 Hamburg festival just 28 players remain in €1,100 Main Event. It's the penultimate day where 20 players will miss out on the chance of being a finalist in Germany's first ever Eureka event.

The plan for today is to play down to six players or eight levels, whichever comes first. Tom Holke leads the way with 1,150,000, just ahead of Kadir Uzunoglu (1,131,000) and Armin Eckl (1,008,00). As you can see from all the chip counts though, it's very tight at the top and is anyone's game. Today's seat draw can also be found here.

Moritz Kranich is the last remaining EPT champion in the field but he has work to do with just 265,00 to his name. He was in positive spirits at the end of play yesterday saying he was short yesterday and manged to come back, so why couldn't he manange it again today.

Cards will be in the air at 2pm CET so join us back here then for hand-by-hand coverage.

Well that was a quick day! After four one-hour levels and five minutes of a fifth, 22 players were made to look like the final six. The action never slowed from the off and rarely did an all in player survive. Days like this rarely happen but they're fun to witness when they do. The variance of the situation is that the remaining six players will enter tomorrow with an average stack just over 60 big blinds, so it could still be a long day.

Alexander Lemme leads a final six looking like:

The undoubted star of the day was Tom Holke who started the day as chips leader, had a hand in more bust outs than any other player and survived a late wobble to enter the final day second in chips. He's one spot behind Lemme who won most of his chips in a huge pot with Day 1A chip leader, and second-placed player coming into today, Kadir Uzunoglu. The Turkish player turned a set of fours but it was also the card that gave Lemme the nut flush. The chips went in and the rest is history.

Moritz Kranich, Malte Monning and Patrick Renkers were the three best-known pros heading into Day 3 but all were short and all failed to make the final day. Monning got his chips in good, threes to Holke's eights, but the latter sucked out. Renkers also got his chips in good against Holke but he was sent to the rail as well. Kranich got his chips in dominated and failed to suck out. To see where everyone finished today, click here.

To relive every crazy elimination from today please check out the live blog post, found here. For now, it's goodnight from Hamburg. We'll be back at 2pm CET tomorrow where the first ever Eureka Main Event Champion will be crowned.

7:45pm: Tom Holke wins Eureka5 Hamburg (€107,920); Alexander Lemme eliminated in 2nd place (€67,100)
It took all of 12 hands for the heads up battle to play out; twelve hands where Tom Holke spent most of the time moving all in and showing a big hand. Alexander Lemme was down to 1.1million when he moved all in from the button and Holke snap called.

Holke: [ac][jd]
Lemme: [ad][7s]

The board ran [jc][8s][6d][2d][6h] meaning Lemme was drawing dead by the turn. Despite Lemme's frustrations he was sporting enough to congratulate his opponent with a handshake.

Stay tuned to the blog for a recap of the days events but for now, congratulations must go to Tom Holke.

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 60,000-120,000, ante 20,000

7:25pm: Heads up counts
Tom Holke - 12,360,000
Alexander Lemme - 2,020,000

The last hand was also the last hand of the level. The players have taken a break before their duel commences.

7:20pm: Steffen Kessler eliminated in 3rd place (€48,070)
The tournament is down to heads up after the elimination of Steffen Kessler in third place.

Tom Holke opened the pot with a raise to 300,000 from the button and he called after Kessler three-bet to 750,000 from the small blind. The flop came [8c][5c][tc] and Kessler took his time before continuing for 700,000, around half his remaining stack. Holke quickly shoved on him Kessler called.

Holke: [ah][jc]
Kessler: [kh][kd]

Kessler was looking to avoid clubs but running [qd][ks] made Holke a straight.

7pm: Lemme check-raise fail
Alexander Lemme tried a check-raise on Tom Holke but it failed to work out for him.

All three checked a [jc][kc][3c] flop after no raise preflop. The turn was the [8d] and Hoke bet 260,00 out of turn. Lemme was about to bet before that but checked so the bet stood and he went for a check-raise to 600,000 after Steffen Kessler folded. Holke called and both players checked the [6d] river.

Lemme opened [js][4s] but lost out to Holke's [kh][8c] for two pair.

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 50,000-100,000, ante 10,000

6:35pm: Straight over straight gives Holke 10 million
Tom Holke has padded the ten million mark after he made a straight higher that Alexander Lemme's.

Holke raised to 200,000 and both opponents called before all three checked a [7h][jc][kd] flop. All checked the [tc] turn as well before Lemme led out for 225,000 on the [9h] river. Holke called with [qh][7d] beating out Lemme's [6h][8h] for a smaller straight.

Holke now has both opponents down to 20 big blinds each as the levels goes up.

6:15pm: Holke versus Lemme
The play has slowed down since the players returned from their unscheduled break. Alexander Lemme had decided it's a good time to get on the beers, a liquid way of coping with Tom Holke's style of play.

The two of them played out a pot and Lemme was unlucky not to double through Holke. The latter has really valued any pocket pair highly this week but he decided to just call wit deuces after Lemme raised to 210 from the small blind.

Lemme continued for 210,000 on the [8s][ts][3d] but the [7h][jc] turn and river were checked down after Holke called. Lemme opened [as][js] which got there versus Holke's hand.

5:45pm: Impromptu break
The players' request for a ten-minute break was granted. Both Alexander Lemme and Steffen Kessler have look visibly frustrated the last while so the break might help them clear their heads a little.

Chips:

Tom Holke - 9,270,000
Steffen Kessler - 2,880,000
Alexander Lemme - 2,130,000

5:40pm: Holke back over nine million
Tom Holke made two big hands to move back over nine million. Both times he shoved into his opponent once he made his hand and showed after getting each shove through.

He and Alexander Lemme were heads up to the turn of a [7s][4d][jd][9d] board. Holke called a 350,000 bet before he shoved on the [qd] river. Lemme folded and was shown the [ad].

Kessler raised his button to 160,00 and Holke called to see a [3d][kh][as] flop. He check-called another 200,000 before both checked the [jh] turn. The river was the [2s] and Holke shoved and showed [4c][5c] when Kessler folded.

5:30pm: Kessler doubles again
Steffen Kessler hit quad eights versus Tom Holke to double once more.

Holke completed from the small blind and called Kessler's raise. The flop came [kh][8c][5s] and both players checked to the [4s] turn where Hole moved all in with [kc][9s]. Kessler called with [8d][8s] and improved to quads on the [8h] river.

5:20pm: Kessler doubles
Steffen Kessler was down to 825,000 on the button when he made his move - all in. Lemme folded but Tom Hoke asked for a count before calling.

Kessler: [ah][3s]
Lemme: [ks][6s]

The [5s][4s][ac] flop was good for both players but the [kd][jd] changed nothing and Kessler smiled as he raked in his chips.

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 40,000-80,000, 10,000 ante

5pm: Kessler's stack below 20 big blinds
Steffen Kessler won a pot off Tom Holke but immediately lost them, and a few more, to Alexander Lemme.

He raised his button and Holke called to a [qs][6d][8d] flop that was checked. The [9d] turn was also checked before Holke led for 100,000 on the [tc] river. Kessler raised to 300,000 and Holke called with [js][5d] for a straight but lost out to his opponent's [ks][jc] for a higher straight.

Holke raised to 130,000 and both players called before all three checked a [ks][8d][th] flop. The turn was the [2h] and Lemme led for 160,000. Both players called to the [3s] river where they faced another 450,000. Holke folded but Kessler called and mucked upon seeing Lemme's [kd][8h].

Lemme moved up to almost 3.5 million, whereas Kessler dropped to 1.15million

4:35pm: Holke streaking clear
Tom Holke won two sizeable pots to move further clear of his two opponents.

He was in the big blind and defended to a button raise from Steffen Kessler before leading for 200,000, 300,000 and 500,000 on a [ts][9d][qh][4c][kc] board. Kessler stayed with him all the way to the river where he bailed and was shown the [kc] by Holke.

Alexander Lemme raised to 120,000 from the button before Holke three-bet to 250,000 from the small blind. Lemme came back with a four-bet to 575,000 and Holke called. The flop came [3h][8d][qd] and Lemme led for 450,000. Holke called and then led for 1.2 million on the [5d] turn. Lemme tank-folded.

Tom Holke 9,500,000
Alexander Lemme 3,03,000
Steffen Kessler 2,000,000

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 30,000-60,000, 5,000 ante

4pm: Break Time
The players are on a 15-minute break. Chip counts for the three players:

Tom Holke 7,702,000
Alexander Lemme 3,839,000
Steffen Kessler 2,835,000

3:55pm: Two in a row for Holke
Tom Holke won back to back pots, one against each player.

He completed from the small blind and called when Steffen Kessler raised to 150,000 from the big blind. Both the checked the [6c][9c][4h] flop before Holke led for 150,000 on the [ts] turn. Kessler called and both went back to checking the [5c] river. Holke opened [7s][5h] and Kessler mucked.

The next hand saw Holke raise to 112,000 from the button and Alexander Lemme defend his big blind. The flop came [7c][9d][ks] and Lemme check-called a 200,000 c-bet before both players checked the [4h] turn. Lemmee led for 380,000 on the [9c] river and was quickly called.

Lemme could only muster [qc][jh] and lost out to Holke's [kh][2c].

The break will be coming up very shortly and we'll get accurate counts from the final three players.

3:40pm: Armin Eckl eliminated in 4th place (€37,200)
Armin Eckl was getting short and had to make a move. He did so from the button for his last 550,000 and Alexander Lemme re-shoved from the small blind to isolate.

Eckl: [5d][2c]
Lemme: [ad][qc]

The board ran [ac][7c][qs][3h][ah] to make Lemme a full house.

3:30pm:Lemme makes a move, gets caught
Alexander Lemme made a move against Steffen Kessler but the latter made a good call to move close to three million.

Kessler raised his button and Lemme called before an [8c][6d][jd][as][7s] board ran out. Kessler bet 145,000 on the river and tank called after Lemme check-raised up to 450,000. Lemme opened [qc][th] and lost out to Kessler's [ad][qs].

3:15pm: Eckl getting shorter
Armin Eckl's stack has shrunk to around 600,000 after Alexander Lemme took a small pot off him.

Lemme raised to 110,00o from under the gun and Eckl defended his big blind. The board ran out [3s][8s][td][2c][kh] with no more chips going in until the river where Lemme bet 100,000 with [kc][jh] and was check-called by Eckl and his [kd][9d].

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 25,000-60,000, 5,000 ante

2:50pm: Chips Ahoy
Here the approximate chip counts of the final four players:
Alexander Lemme - 5.4 million
Tom Holke - 5.4 million
Steffen Kessler - 2.9 million
Armin Eckl - 840,000

2:35pm: Nils Maibaum eliminated in 5th place(€29,310)
Then there were four. It didn't take much longer for the next player to leave; Nils Mainbaum busting with kicker problems.

He was in the big blind and defended with [qh][th] after a raise from Alexander Lemme. The flop fanned [qs][7c][3d] and Mainbaum check-raised all in. Lemme called with [qd][jd] and improved as the board ran out [jc][9d].

2:15pm: John Forst eliminated in 6th place (€22,940)
It took 15 minutes of play before the first player was eliminated and it was John Forst.

He was in the small blind and three-bet all in for around 800,000 after Nils Maibaum opened from early position. Tom Holke was in the big blind and immediately moved all in behind. Maibaum folded.

Forst: [9s][ts]
Holke: [2h][2d]

Forst stared at Holke's hand whilst shaking his head and his head was still shaking after the [5s][6h][3h][5d][8h] board ran out.

2pm: Shuffle up and deal
There arr 55 minutes left of level 25 and cards are in the air for the final day! Get to know the final players by looking at their profiles, here.

1:45pm: Welcome back to the Eureka5 Hamburg Final Day
After nine days the Eureka5 Hamburg poker festival has reached the final day. The Main Event will crown a champion today from one of the six players that remain.

Yesterday was a day to remember where 27 players down to the six we're left with now, took a little over four levels. There were coolers, suck outs and the odd bluff and by the time the dust settled, Alexander Lemme ended the day as chip leader.

Today's final will start off looking like:

Cards will be in the air around 2pm CET.

Sometimes it's just written in the stars. Despite everyone trying to take your destiny down another route, you stay on path until you reach your goal. Tom Holke came in today dressed in all the accessories he could find that matched the colours of the German flag- hats, scarfs, you name it - he had it on, and it was a signal that he already knew he was going to win. Come to think of it, he's been wearing the same gear since day one!

He's also played with the carefree style of a man who knew he was going to win. He had the look of a man who thoroughly enjoyed himself at every moment. If he lost a pot, no bother, he'd just go and win the next one.
Poker is a zero sum game though, and if he was feeling that elated, others were feeling the opposite. None more so than the second and third-pace finishers, Alexander Lemme and Steffen Kessler, who had the look of men who had been told they weren't going to win whatever they tried. Maybe Holke let them in on his secret.

Lemme should be happy with coming second for €67,100 - by far the biggest score of his career - but, as the start of day chip leader, he had eyes on top spot and nothing else. He busted after 12 hands of heads-up play when his ace-seven couldn't find a way back against Holke's dominating ace-jack. Kessler busted a short while before that when his pocket kings were beaten by Holke's ace-jack (again) that made a straight on the river.

Only six of the official final table of eight came back for the final day here inside the Spielbank Schenefeld casino, the tenth of ten days that filled up this inaugural poker festival. That number was quickly reduced to four after the elimination John Forst and Nils Maibaum.

Forst three-bet all in with nine-ten but was felled by Holke (who called behind) and his mighty pocket deuces. Nils Mainbaum lost most of his stack in the final three-way all in hand that concluded Day 3's play and wasn't in a position to fold to a flopped top pair. Unfortunately for him, Lemme had him out-kicked and he was on his way.

Armin Eckl was, by far, the shortest stack by that stage and struggled to find a spot to get his stack in. When he did - with five-deuce on the button- he ran into Lemme and his ace-queen.

Three-handed play was the only plateaux of the last couple of days - a three-level period without elimination. That doesn't mean nothing was going on though. Holke tormented his opponents with a style of play that his opponents weren't able to exploit, a style of play that big hands are the only ammunition that work. All you had to do was look at Lemme and Kessler's faces to realise their weapons were loaded with blanks.

Well done Holke, this is your time. Enjoy every single second of it.

To read back over how today's action went down, please click here.That concludes a hugely successful Eureka5 Hamburg festival. We'll be back for sure and keep a listen out for news about upcoming stops on the tour.

I'm not sure if Stephen Graner knows who Salvatore Bonavena is, nor if Salvatore Bonavena knows who Stephen Graner is. But even without what just happened at Eureka Prague, those two already have a lot of shared history.

Bonavena was the EPT Prague champion back in Season 5, when he became the first Italian champion on Europe's most prestigious tour and earned €774,000 in the process. Graner was the EPT Prague champion this time last year, beating a record-breaking turnout and winning €969,000.

There are only eight people in the world who can call themselves former EPT Prague champions, and two of them were on the same table in the Eureka Prague main event today. But that table, it turns out, wasn't big enough for the both of them: Graner has just sent Bonavena to the rail.

Graner opened to 12,000 from early position, from a stack of the high 300s. (Blinds in Level 16 are 2,500-5,000 with a 500 ante.) Bonavena had a stack of around 70,000 and moved it all in, standing up as the action folded back round to Graner.

Graner asked for a count, found out that he couldn't really fold, and called with [kd][qd]. Bonavena was a big favourite with his [ad][kh], but soon found himself well behind when the flop came [3h][qs][9c]. The turn paired both of their kings. It was the [kc]. And the [7h] river was a blank.

Bonavena winced. He knows that Prague has been good to him in the past, but this was a little ugly. Graner, meanwhile, remains unbeatable in the Czech capital.

*****

Tournament info

- There are 217 players left at the end of Level 16
- The plan is to take a dinner break at 9pm, the end of Level 20
- Play wraps at the end of Level 22
- Other big names still involved include: Kevin MacPhee, Niall Farrell, Pierre Neuville, Martin Staszko, Balasz Botond.
German language coverage is on PokerStarsBlog.de. All the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

The Eureka coverage is all handily organized on the Eureka Prague page.

Any parent or schoolteacher will likely know the feeling: You're in an adjacent room and are aware that it's absolute bedlam next door. Children are bouncing each other's heads off the furniture and and are one step away from demolishing the place entirely.

But the minute you open the door and stroll in to survey the carnage, it stops. Everyone is a quiet as a mouse in a cathedral library.

That seems to be the story here at Eureka Prague, where only 170 players remain in the tournament. Actually, the board said 170 when I first entered the room, but two people had just been eliminated from the first table I saw--the dealer shouted "Seat open" and raised two tickets above her head--so it's probably down to about 160 now.

I didn't see what happened in that coup, however, and the subsequent wander through the tables was highly uneventful too. It was enough to notice three players with more than a million chips: Vladas Tamasauskas (1.3 million), Idan Raviv (1.2 million) and Jonatan Hellman (1 million), but everywhere around the room was checks.

(That's "checks" not Czechs. Although there were a few of those too.)

Case in point: Andrea Dato limped (8,000) from UTG+1 and Frank Williams, one seat to his left, raised to 28,000. (A two bet?) Everyone else folded it back to Dato and he called.

The flop came [4c][8s][7s] and they both checked. The turn came [9c] and they both checked. The river came [6c] and Dato bet 18,000. Williams folded.

On to the next one. Keith Christie opened to 20,000 from the hijack and Pierre Neuville three-bet from the button to 60,000. Christie called. Those two saw a flop of [9s][2d][8c] and Christie checked. Neuvilled shoved for about 150,000 more. Christie folded.

Next!

Nusret Atmaca opened to 16,000 from under the gun and Maximos Pertsinidis called from the small blind. That tempted the aforementioned big stack Tamasauskas to call from the big blind and three players saw a flop.

It was [qd][qc][3s]. Check, check, check.

The turn was the [kd] and they went check, check, check.

The river was the [2c] and Pertsinidis bet 16,000. Tamasauskas folded, but Atmaca called. Pertsinidis flipped over [ks][4s] and won.

Surely Conv wouldn't let us down like this, would he. Not Conv! Sure enough, over we trudged and Conv was giving Ismael Bojang the needle. "Table just got softer," Conv "Marc" Convey said to Bojang.

Bojang chuckled, but Convey was soon putting his chips where his mouth was, open shoving when folded to him in the hijack. Bojang, in the cut off, folded and it passed through both blinds too.

There is still chaos afoot at the Eureka Prague Main Event, and players are still getting involved in big pots. But when a Conv steal of the blinds is the most significant action, you know you're not really seeing the most of it.

Stop press: Conv is out! No! He found ace-queen and stuck it in after Quentin Lecomte opened. Lecomte had eights and hit another on the flop. Conv finished in 143rd for €2,420. The sweat is over.

German language coverage is on PokerStarsBlog.de. All the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

The Eureka coverage is all handily organized on the Eureka Prague page.

Thomas Stacha is an observant guy. He may wear thick glasses, but he has an even thicker lens on the end of his camera(s) to compensate and has a keen eye for what's going on in a poker tournament. However, it appeared he had missed one of the star attractions still involved in this event.

"Kevin is still in?" he said.

I had handed Stacha a request for a picture of Kevin MacPhee, the WPT Berlin and WSOP-Europe champion, who has been lurking in this tournament from the outset. MacPhee was never the absolute brashest of folk, but as his results have got even better through the years, he has become even more unassuming. He buries himself behind a pair of mirrored shades and a blue hoodie and just gets on with things.

MacPhee has around 470,000 in chips, which going into Level 20, where blinds are 6,000-12,000, is right around the 40 BB mark. There are plenty of folk with more, and plenty of folk with far less. But there aren't many players in the field with more experience of situations like this than MacPhee.

Andrew Chen is another North American with heaps of experience still floating along in this tournament. Chen has slightly more chips than MacPhee, but not by a whole bunch. He has made an EPT final table in this room, however, and isn't going to be too concerned about missing out on the Super High Roller which is nearing the end of its opening day.

On the subject of hiding in plain sight, there was another former EPT champion still involved today in the Eureka. Jean Montury, who won in Malta in March, had about 280,000 in chips when I last noticed him, concealed beneath a green hoodie and staring at the screen of his phone.

Stacha went over to photograph Montury, but ended up watching him bust. We don't know when the money went in, but it could have been at any point after a flop of [6d][9s][jh] a turn of [qh] or a river of [qs]. Montury had kings, you see, and Mustafa Biz had [qc][9c] and the car crash happened.

As far as I can see, there are two other World Series bracelet winners still involved in this one.

Simeon Naydenov was the first Bulgarian to win a WSOP tournament and he's still plugging away in this event. Meanwhile Dietrich Fast, who picked up his jewellery in an early bracelet event in Berlin this year, has about 235,000 but is still in.

Tournament info:

- There are 87 players left
- It's a 75-minute dinner break, after which players will return to play two more levels

German language coverage is on PokerStarsBlog.de. All the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

The Eureka coverage is all handily organized on the Eureka Prague page.

During the dinner break, the tournament staff did me, you and everybody a big favour. They looked at all the stacks on their tables and counted the largest three.

There are 81 players left and here are the biggest stacks. These are not exhaustive, and some may have slipped the net. But the one thing we can be sure of is that the top ten or so will be as accurate as it gets at this stage in events.

As you can see, no one is running away with this one at the moment. There is no clear leader and the coming couple of levels will be pretty competitive. They are playing until about 12.30 a.m. local time before wrapping for the evening. Stick around.

Approximate stacks at dinner break:

Constantin Calea - 1,500,000
Rytis Praninskas - 1,440,000
Clemens Manzano - 1,350,000
Meir Ben Shimon - 1,280,000
Idan Raviv - 1,260,000
Mihaita Croitoru - 1,190,000
Vladas Tamasauskas - 1,150,000
Martin Staszko - 1,150,000
Andrew Chen - 1,000,000
Malte Mönnig - 1,000,000
Roman Nikulin- 960,000
Vladas Burneikis - 950,000
Mustafa Biz - 909,000
Simon Persson - 900,000
Diogo Cardoso - 900,000
Miltiadis Kyriakides - 850,000
Igor Untilov - 820,000
Javier Rojas Mederos - 804,000
Frank Williams - 765,000
Florin Ionut Ilies - 725,000
Gerret Van Lancker - 720,000
Mariano Martiradonna - 700,000
Steven Worr - 670,000
Torsti Kettula - 650,000
Ari Engel - 645,000
Michael Vainshtain - 595,000
Manuel Fernandes - 560,000
Andrea Dato - 528,000
Eliana Shapovalova - 365,000

Blinds are 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante).

German language coverage is on PokerStarsBlog.de. All the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

The Eureka coverage is all handily organized on the Eureka Prague page.