7.05pm: Liran Machluf wins Eureka Bulgaria (€93,000)
And it's all over here in Bulgaria and Liran Machluf is the champion.
The final hand started with Liran Machluf limping on the button, Alexander Moiseev raised to 275,000, Machluf made it 600,000 and Moiseev made the call. On the [2c][Ac][5d] flop it was checked to Machluf, he bet 500,000 and Moiseev made the call. On the [9h] turn Moiseev checked again, Machluf took a deep sigh then bet 1,150,000, Moiseev moved all-in for 2,000,000 and Machluf called.
Machluf: [Ad][5d]
Moiseev: [Ks][Kh]
The [9s] hit the river and Machluf's hand held, he won the pot and the tournament whilst Moiseev collected €62,500 for his second place finish. A full wrap of the day's play is on the way.
6.55pm: Machluf takes a 1.25m pot
I only saw the river action but with around 1.25m in the pot and a [10c][7h][Ac][Kh][4h] board on the felt Liran Machluf bet 500,000 and after a while Moiseev folded his hand.
That means Machluf has a 5m to 3.1m chip lead.
6.50pm: Right about even in chips
Alexander Moiseev has won the last few pots and is now right about even in chips with Liran Machluf, they both have around 4m in chips. The match has definitely swung Moiseev's way.
6.45pm: Alexander Moiseev doubles through Liran Machluf
And we have indeed seen the first all-in and call of this final table.
From the button Liran Machluf made it 200,000 to go, Alexander Moiseev moved all-in for 1,580,000 and Machluf snap called.
Machluf: [Ah][Js]
Moiseev: [As][3c]
The [4s][3s][7c] flop gave Moiseev the lead and his hand held on the [Qh][7d] turn and river to keep this tournament going. It was a real body blow to Machluf who couldn't quite believe that he hadn't won the tournament on that hand. It'll be interesting to see if he can bounce back. He's still got a 5,000,000 to 3,160,000 chip lead.
6.30pm: Will we get an all-in and call this level?
This heads-up battle has been going on for around two hours and fifteen minutes and in that time we're yet to have an all-in and call. You sense though that with Moiseev down to around 19 big blinds that we might get one this level.
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 50,000-100,000 ante 10,000
6.30pm: Machluf moves in
This tournament almost ended with a limped pot! Liran Machluf completed from the small blind and Alexander Moiseev checked his option. The [10s][3d][8d] flop was checked through and the [6s] fell on the turn. At this point Moiseev bet 100,000 and Machluf announced all-in, which was for an effective 1,850,000. After a shake of his head and a long think Moissev folded, showing the [8h] as he did so.
6.15pm: Machluf firmly in charge
Three mid-sized pots in a row have gone the way of Liran Machluf and he now has a 6.4m to 1.7m chip lead. The last of those three pots went to showdown.
From the button he made it 180,000 and then called when Alexander Moiseev three-bet to 420,000. The two players checked it all the way down on a [Js][6s][8s]2s][9c] board and Machluf's [Ah][6h] was ahead of Moiseev's [Ac][3c].
6.05pm: Moiseev moves in
Alexander Moiseev was all-in for the second time during heads-up play but again it went uncalled. In the hand in question he raised to 160,000 on the button, Liran Machluf made it 360,000 from the big blind and Moiseev called.
On the [4h][3h][Js] flop Machluf c-bet 325,000, Moiseev then shoved and Machluf folded pretty swiftly. We've yet to see any truly big pots during this heads-up battle with both players content to be patient and play small pots. As it stands the chip counts is 4.95m to 3.15m in Machluf's favour.
5.50pm: Moiseev gets some back
Alexander Moiseev is not going to go quietly and having lost some chips he just got some chips back to climb back to 2.4m, Liran Machluf still in front with 5.7m.
5.40pm: More for Machluf
The pendulum is definitely swinging towards Liran Machluf at the moment as he just won another sizeable pot to increase his lead further.
Pre-flop he made it 200,000 to go and Alexander Moiseev made the call. The [Kh][10h][5d] flop was checked through and the [3c] hit the turn. It was checked to Moiseev who bet 230,000, call from Machluf. The [7s] river was checked down, Moiseev showed [Qc][8s] for just queen high, but Machluf had [Ad][3c] for a pair of threes. He now has a 5.5m to 2.6m chip lead.
5.30pm: Chip counts
A bit of a swing back in the favour of Liran Machluf as he now has a 5m to 3.1m chip lead.
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 40,000-80,000 ante 10,000
5.25pm: Another big pot for Moiseev
The stacks are getting closer as Alexander Moiseev just won a chunky pot. He raised to 130,000 on the button and then called after Liran Machluf raised to 305,000. On the [2s][5s][4s] flop Machluf led for 250,000 but folded when Moiseev bumped the price of poker up to 625,000.
Roughly 4.5m plays 3.6m in Machluf's favour.
5.15pm: All-in and...
We've just had the first all-in of heads-up play, here's what happened...
Alexander Moiseev raised to 130,000 on the button and Liran Machluf called from the big blind. The flop came [6d][4c][4h], it checked to Moiseev, he bet 130,000, Machluf instantly re-raised to 550,000 and Moiseev announced all-in, it was for around two million total. After about 30 seconds thought Machluf mucked his hand, he still has a 5m to 3.1m chip lead.
5pm: Machluf winning the small pots, losing the big ones
This heads-up match is settling into a pattern, Liran Machluf is winning the majority of pots and then Alexander Moiseev is winning the ones that matter.
Machluf had grinded his opponent down to around 2,200,000 when the following hand occurred. From the button Moiseev made it 130,000 and Machluf made the call. The [3c][2s][7h] flop was checked through, Machluf then bet 230,000 on the [3s] turn and Moiseev made the call. The [8s] completed the board, both players checked, Machluf showed [5s][4h] for the missed draw and Moiseev showed [Qc][4c] for queen high which was good enough to take the pot.
After that hand Machluf still has the lead and has around 5.4m to Moiseev's 2.7m.
4.45pm: Back and forth
Liran Machluf had stretched out to a two-to-one chip lead, I say had because Alexander Moiseev just won a decent sized pot. He raised to 125,000 on the button and Machluf called from the big blind. The [10d][9d][9s] flop was checked though, then on the [7h] turn Machluf bet 210,000 and Moiseev called. The [5c] fell on the river, Machluf pushed out a bet of 400,000 and after a good old think Moiseev announced call, Machluf showed [Jd][2d] for a hand that missed both flush and straight draws, whilst Moiseev had [10c][3c] and took the pot.
Stacks back to roughly where they were at the break.
4.35pm: Chip counts
Here are the chip counts as play gets back underway.
Alexander Moiseev, Russia, PokerStars Qualifier, 3,300,000
Liran Machluf, Israel, PokerStars Qualifier, 4,700,000
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 30,000-60,000 ante 10,000
4.20pm: Break time
No big pots of note durign heads-up play so far and the two players are now taking a 15 minute breather.
4.15pm: Heads-up play underway
Heads-up play is underway and Liran Machluf has roughly a 4,400,000 to 3,700,000 chip lead.
4pm: Tane Tanevski eliminated in third place (€38,400)
On the button Alexander Moiseev raised to 100,000, Tane Tanevski moved all-in from the small blind for around 1,100,000 and Moiseev snap called.
Tanevski: [Jc][4c]
Moiseev: [Kc][Kh]
The start of final table chip leader was in big trouble, even more so when the flop came [9d][3s][6c], the [6d] turn card meant he was drawing dead and out in third. They'll now be a short delay before heads-up play begins.
3.45pm: Michal Vojtisek eliminated in fourth place (€29,800)
Down to just 485,000 Michal Vojtisek moved all-in from under-the-gun, it passed to Tane Tanevski who asked for a count, tanked and then folded. He's probably glad he did as Liran Machluf snap called with pocket jacks. He was well ahead of Vojtisek's [10h][8h] and stayed there on the [As][Qs][Qh] flop, the [Ah] turn made a chopped pot a possibility but Machluf was ahead with his jack kicker. The [2c] fell on the river and Machluf fist-pumped as his hand held up.
He's got around 5,000,000 of the 8,340,000 chips in play.
3.30pm: Stefan Ivanov eliminated in fifth place (€22,750)
There will not be a Bulgarian winner this time as Stefan Ivanov is out.
From the small blind he moved all-in for around 1,100,000 over the top of Liran Machluf's button open, after the big blind folded Machluf made the call.
Machluf: [Ks][9s]
Ivanov: [As][8d]
The [3d][3h][9d] flop gave Machluf the lead, the [3s] turn improved him to a full house and left Ivanov with just four outs, none of the quartet appeared as the [10h] completed the board to send the last remaining Bulgarian out in fifth. After that hand Machluf has roughly half the chips in play.
3.15pm: Even more for Machluf
Liran Machluf just won another pot against Stefan Ivanov and now has over 3,000,000. On the [10c][10d][4c] flop an in position Ivanov bet 140,000 and Machluf smooth called. The [2c] hit the turn, it was again checked to Ivanov, he bet 330,000 and Machluf snap called.
The [7d] completed the board, again Machluf checked and this time Ivanov did likewise, Machluf showed [Jd][10d] for trip tens, which bested Ivanov's [8h][8s].
After that hand the Bulgarian is down to around 1,300,000.
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 25,000-50,000 ante 5,000
3.05pm: More for Machluf
Liran Machluf just extended his chip lead by taking a small pot from Stefan Ivanov. It folded to Machluf in the small blind and he completed, Ivanov rapped the table and the two of them saw a [6s][6c][2c] flop. The Israeli checked, Ivanov bet 45,000, Machluf check-raised to 100,000 and Ivanov made the call.
The [9h] turn card checked through and the [Ac] completed the board, Machluf bet 100,000 and after some thought Ivanov made the call. Machluf showed [10s][6h] and Ivanov mucked.
2.55pm: Michal Vojtisek doubles through Stefan Ivanov
It folded all the way round to Stefan Ivanov in the small blind, he took a look at Michal Vojtisek's stack and announced he was all-in, Vojtisek then called all-in for his final 371,000.
Vojtisek: [Ah][Kh]
Ivanov: [Kd][Qd]
The [8s][3h][9h] flop all but gave Vojtisek a lock on the hand, the [Kc] turn meant Ivanov still had two outs to take the pot but the [10h] river gave Vojtisek the nut flush and a much needed double up.
2.45pm: Tanevski gets some back from Machluf
From under-the-gun Liran Machluf made it 80,000 to play and when it folded to Tane Tanevski in the big blind he seemed unsure of what to do, eventually he flat called. It was checked all the way to the river on a [9c][7d][6s][3c][6c] board at which point Tanevski bet 195,000, Machluf announced call but he mucked when Tanevski showed [10c][2c] for the rivered flush.
2.35pm: Final table profiles
Want to know a bit more about the eight players who made the final? Of course you do here's something I someone else made earlier...the chip counts are from the start of the final table.
Seat 1: Michal Vojtisek, Czech Republic, 838,000
21-year-old Czech pro Michal is playing in his first Eureka Poker Tour event, having qualified online at PokerStars. His best result until now was final tabling the Big $109 on PokerStars. He promises not to tell any bad beat stories today...unless it's a really good one.
Seat 2: Georgios Phiniotis, Cyprus, 218,000
One of two Cypriot players to have made it to the final table, 55-year old Georgios's is a Sunday Million winner. He has the smallest chip stack of the remaining players, but that won't worry him much as his greatest fear is having health problems.
Seat 3: Alexander Moiseev, PokerStars Qualifier, Russia, 1,043,000
Online qualifier Alexander is an accountant by trade and started playing poker five years ago. His biggest win to date was for $10,000 so he's well placed to improve upon that here at Golden Sands.
Seat 4: Tane Tanevski, Macedonia, 1,840,000
Chip leader going into the final table is 27-year old Macedonian pro player Tane, who usually prefers to play cash games. He has been playing the game for 10 years now and if he could be any other person apart from himself he would choose to be his cousin.
Seat 5: Papantoniou Stylianos, Cyprus, 775,000
The second Cypriot on the final table and another who plays poker for a living, 27-year-old Papantoniou was taught how to play the game by his cousin, a pro player from Greece. His biggest cash to date was for €11,000 and he intends to spend more time playing Eureka events in the future.
Seat 6: Liran Machluf, PokerStars Qualifier, Israel, 1,140,000
25-year old Israeli player Liran qualified online at PokerStars for this event and will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of countryman Idan Greenberg, who took down the Eureka Bulgaria main event in 2011. He has online pedigree as well, having finished in second place in the Sunday Million.
Seat 7: Ivo Donev, Austria/Bulgaria, 768,000
Ivo is an International Chess Master and also a WSOP bracelet winner, having won the $1,500 Limit Omaha event in the year 2000. He has a huge list of cashes to his name, including several other WSOP final tables. He is Bulgarian by birth but is now lives in Austria, where he is the all-time leading money winner, with more than $1m in cashes to his name. He has a cat called Chili, presumably named so because it also runs hot.
Seat 8: Stefan Ivanov, Bulgaria, 1,493,000
Entering the final table second in chips, Stefan is a 26-year old poker professional and hopes to be the one to retain the Eureka Main Event trophy for the host country.
2.25pm: Liran Machluf doubles through Tane Tanevski
We have a new chip leader after a huge pot just played out...
The action was started by Alexander Moiseev who raised to 80,000, Tane Tanevski smooth called on the button only for Liran Machluf to make it 230,000 from the small blind, Tanevski was the only caller.
On the [5h][7d][4c] flop Machluf led for 210,000, Tanevski moved all-in and Machluf called all-in for 1,118,000 total.
Tanevski: [As][5s]
Machluf: [Jd][Jc]
The Israeli had a grip on the hand and he held on to it on the [9h] turn and [8s] river. He's now up to around 2,900,000 whilst Tanevski is down to 1,100,000.
2.12pm: Chip counts
Here are the chip counts from the break, Tane Tanevski still leads.
Seat 1:Michal Vojtisek, Czech Republic, PokerStars Qualifier, 551,000
Seat 4: Alexander Moiseev, Russia, PokerStars Qualifier, 1,697,000
Seat 5: Tane Tanevski, Macedonia, 2,468,000
Seat 7: Liran Machluf, Israel, PokerStars Qualifier, 1,353,000
Seat 9: Stefan Ivanov, Bulgaria, 2,026,000
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 20,000-40,000 ante 5,000
1.54pm: Break
The five remaining players are now on a 15 minute break.
1.50pm: Papantoniou Stylianos eliminated in sixth place (€16,180)
Papantoniou Stylianos just got incredibly unlucky to exit the tournament in sixth place.
From a stack of 400,000 he min-raised from under-the-gun, next to act Liran Machluf moved all-in for around 600,000 and when it got back to Stylianos he made the call.
Stylianos: [As][Ac]
Machluf: [Ad][Qh]
The [4s][5s][Qc][Qd][Jd] meant Machluf made trips for a massive outdraw, Stylianos, who's an animated character, leapt out of his chair when he saw the turn card and his headphones and sunglasses were off before the river hit the table.
1.45pm: Ivanov takes one
The last remaining Bulgarian in the field is Stefan Ivanov, he's got around 1,900,000, is currently second in chips and just won a small pot against Liran Machluf.
Ivanov opened to 60,000 from under-the-gun, Alexander Moiseev flat called from middle position and Machluf did likewise from the big blind.
On the [As][3s][8d] flop Ivanov c-bet 105,000 and Machluf was the only caller. On the [Qc] turn Ivanov bet again, this time the price to continue was 220,000 and Machluf declined to do so, showing an ace as he folded.
1.30pm: Stylianos the short stack
With around 600,000 Papantoniou Stylianos is the shortest stack right now, that's still 20 big blinds of course so he's by no means in shove or fold mode. Indeed he just min-raised under-the-gun and took the blinds and antes.
1.15pm: Tane Tanevski turns up the heat
I didn't think Tane Tanevski would be the type to sit back and reflect on losing a big pot, instead he just went right ahead and played another big pot.
Pre-flop Michal Vojtisek opened to 65,000 from under-the-gun and an in position Tanevski was the only caller. On the [9d][10h][2h] flop Vojtisek c-bet 85,000 and Tanevski smooth called. The [3c] fell on the turn, this time Vojtisek checked Tanevski bet 151,000 and Vojtisek made the call.
The [8d] completed the board, Vojtisek checked again and Tanevski simply moved all-in, setting Vojtisek in for around 750,000. The Czech player looked pained by this, he looked back at his hand, counted his chips and after a minute or so of thinking time he elected to muck his hand and preserve his chips.
1pm: Alexander Moiseev doubles through Tane Tanevski
I only caught the action from the turn but with a board of [9s][3d][5s][Qs] on the felt Alexander Moiseev (big blind) moved all-in for 610,000 into a pot of roughly 500,000. After taking some time Tane Tanevski (under-the-gun) announced call. First to show was Moiseev and he rolled over [As][4s] for the nuts, Tanevski showed [Ad][Qc] and was drawing dead. The [6h] completed the board and Moiseev is up to around 1,750,000 whilst Tanevski slips to around 1,975,000.
12.50pm: Tanevski still in charge
Amazingly no ones been eliminated in the past 15 minutes! There's been no real action in truth, a pre-flop three-bet by Tane Tanevski over the top of a Alexander Moiseev open the only action of note.
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 15,000-30,000 ante 4,000
12.35pm: Georgios Phiniotis eliminated in seventh place (€12,160)
And another one has gone inside the first orbit...
From under-the-gun Georgios Phiniotis moved all-in for 204,000 and two seats along Tane Tanevski announced call and everyone else folded.
Tanevski: [7d][7c]
Phiniotis: [Ac][Kh]
Yet again the chip leader had pocket sevens and yet again they would prove to be the winning hand as the board came [8d][4s][6s][9c][8s]. Tanevski now has around 2,850,000 and a massive chip lead.
12.20pm: Ivo Donev eliminated in eighth place (€9,200)
It didn't take long to lose the first player from the final table and it's Ivo Donev who's gone.
He raised to 50,000 from under-the-gun+2 and Tane Tanevski called from the big blind. The flop fell [7d][Kh][3s], it was checked to Donev he bet 50,000, Tanevski check-raised to 128,000, Donev re-raised to 235,000 and Tanevski smooth called.
The [10h] fell on the turn, Tanesvski checked to Donev, he announced all-in for just under 500,000 and Tanevski snap called.
Donev: [Kc][Qs]
Tanevski: [7c][7h]
Donev was drawing dead and the inconsequential [5h] completed the board.
12.10pm: Welcome to the Eureka3 Bulgaria final table
We're down to just eight players here in Bulgaria and the final table is about to get underway. Here's how they'll line-up.
Seat 1:Michal Vojtisek, Czech Republic, PokerStars Qualifier, 838,000
Seat 2: Georgios Phiniotis, Cyprus, 218,000
Seat 4: Alexander Moiseev, Russia, PokerStars Qualifier, 1,043,000
Seat 5: Tane Tanevski, Macedonia, 1,840,000
Seat 6: Papantoniou Stylianos, Cyprus, 775,000
Seat 7: Liran Machluf, Israel, PokerStars Qualifier, 1,140,000
Seat 8: Ivo Donev, Bulgaria/Austria, 768,000
Seat 9: Stefan Ivanov, Bulgaria, 1,493,000
And here's what's up for grabs
1st. €93,000
2nd. €62,500
3rd. €38,400
4th. €29,800
5th. €22,750
6th. €16,180
7th. €12,160
8th. €9,200
Let's shuffle up and deal.
All photos are copyright of Tomas Stacha