Main Event
Day 5 Completed
2013 PokerStars.fr EPT Deauville
Main Event
Day: 5
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Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Remi Castaignon will go into tomorrow's EPT final table here in Deauville as the overwhelming chip leader after he tore through his opponents in the last couple of levels. Castaignon finished with 9,900,000 which is around 42% of the chips in play and no-one else has even half of this. As it stands, it's going to be a tough job for anyone to get close to the Frenchman. Castaignon knocked out eight of the 15 players eliminated today, including the last three.
Just 23 players started today after the elimination of Sam Grafton in the last hand yesterday and it wasn't long before we lost our first player, Eric Sfez, who went all in on the turn holding top pair against Castaignon's two pair and couldn't catch up. This exit was an all too rare example of a player heading to the payout desk as the day began very slowly, taking nearly five hours to eliminate just six players.
A late dinner break seemed to spice everything up with the rock-solid Pascal Aznar, former Irish Open winner James Mitchell and former chip leader Cyril Andre all departing in quick succession. Andre's exit was perhaps the most surprising but the high-stakes PLO professional came off worse in a tussle with Castaignon which left him with few chips and little room to maneuver.
Castaignon eliminated Jean Pierre Petroli in 10th place with 
holding against 
on 
board to reduce the event to just a single table and with the exit of Cymbaluk following quickly, the final table is set. His chip count dominance recalls Nicolas Chouity at the EPT Grand Final in Season 6, Chouity began the final table with a huge chip lead that he never looked like losing. Can Castaignon follow in his footsteps tomorrow?
| Seat | Name | Country | Chips |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joseph El Khoury | Lebanon | 1,710,000 |
| 2 | Jeffrey Hakim | Lebanon | 895,000 |
| 3 | [Removed:4] | Germany | 2,690,000 |
| 4 | Franck Kalfon | France | 1,195,000 |
| 5 | Robert Romeo | Belgium | 1,440,000 |
| 6 | Walid Bou Habib | Lebanon | 3,835,000 |
| 7 | Noel Gaens | Belgium | 1,720,000 |
| 8 | Remi Castaignon | France | 9,900,000 |
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
9,900,000 | |
|
||
|
3,835,000
260,000
|
260,000 |
|
||
|
2,690,000
-210,000
|
-210,000 |
|
1,720,000
-125,000
|
-125,000 |
|
1,710,000
-30,000
|
-30,000 |
|
1,440,000 | |
|
1,195,000
-210,000
|
-210,000 |
|
895,000
-210,000
|
-210,000 |
|
|
||
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Remi Castaignon raised to 160,000 preflop from early position before it was passed around to Glen Cymbaluk in late position - the Canadian moved all in for 1,120,000.
Castaignon asked for a count and had his raise pulled in. After a couple of minutes he made the call.
Castaignon: 
Cymbaluk: 
The flop came 
giving Castaignon the lead but Cymbaluk had a flush draw. The 
on the turn changed nothing and Cymbaluk was just one card away from bubbling the final table.
The river was the 
, right colour but wrong suit. Castaignon is going to be a huge chip leader at tomorrow's final table.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,900,000
1,300,000
|
1,300,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Remi Castaignon opened for 160,000 from the button, then Joseph El Khoury quickly reraised all in for 1.05 million from the small blind. Jeffrey Hakim tossed away his hand from the big blind, and after a pause Castaignon folded as well, showing the 
as he did.
On the very next hand, Castaignon was opening again for 160,000, this time from the cutoff, and El Khoury once more swiftly pushed all in over the top from a seat over. The blinds got out, and Castaignon looked over at El Khoury for a few seconds before pushing away his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,600,000
-80,000
|
-80,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,740,000
560,000
|
560,000 |
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Glen Cymbaluk opened to 160,000 from early position and Remi Castaignon flat-called in the small blind. The flop was 
and both players checked to see the turn. Castaignon led out for 225,000 and was met by a quick call from the Canadian.
The river was the 
and Castaignon bet bigger this time, to the tune of 475,000. Again Cymbaluk made a quick call but had to muck when Castaignon showed 
for top two pair.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
8,680,000
860,000
|
860,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,330,000
-860,000
|
-860,000 |
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
The nine-handed table folded around to Walid Bou Habib in the small blind who raised to 175,000. Noel Gaens turned to look at Habib, then looked back forward as he announced he was reraising all in for 1,565,000.
Habib then took a look at Gaens, and after contemplating the situation for about a half-minute let go of his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,575,000
-185,000
|
-185,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,845,000
260,000
|
260,000 |
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Seat 1: Joseph El Khoury, 1,180,000
Seat 2: Jeffrey Hakim, 1,105,000
Seat 3: [Removed:4], 2,900,000
Seat 4:Glen Cymbaluk, 2,190,000
Seat 5: Franck Kalfon, 1,405,000
Seat 6: Robert Romeo, 1,440,000
Seat 7: Walid Bou Habib, 3,760,000
Seat 8: Noel Gaens, 1,585,000
Seat 9: Remi Castaignon, 7,820,000
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,820,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
3,760,000
730,000
|
730,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,900,000
-330,000
|
-330,000 |
|
|
2,190,000
-10,000
|
-10,000 |
|
|
1,585,000
-70,000
|
-70,000 |
|
|
1,440,000
695,000
|
695,000 |
|
|
1,405,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
|
|
1,180,000
-75,000
|
-75,000 |
|
|
1,105,000
-715,000
|
-715,000 |
|
|
||
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
The table folded around to chip leader Remi Castaignon in the small blind who raised to 200,000, and Jean Pierre Petroli didn't waste too much time before pushing all in from the big blind for about 910,000.
Castaignon went into the tank for about a minute, then emerged to carve out the calling chips, setting the column apart from the rest of his massive stack. He rubbed his eyes and began to engage Petroli in some quiet banter, with both occasionally laughing as he did.
Finally with a nod Castaignon pushed the chips forward with his left hand while tabling his with his right. Petroli turned over his hand — — and the pair leaned back in their chairs to watch Daniela, the dealer, deliver the community cards.
The flop came to pair Castaignon, then the turn provided Petroli some hope in the form of a straight draw. But the river was the , eliminating Petroli and reducing the field to nine.
The remaining players are now redrawing to gather around a single not-quite-final final table, with the plan being to play until there is one more elimination before stopping tonight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,800,000
1,025,000
|
1,025,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 29
: 40,000/80,000, 10,000 ante
Hello darkness, my old friend.
We've not seen anyone four-bet for a while on the outer table but chip leader Remi Castaignon just used to it pick up a decent pot from Jean Pierre Petroli.
Castaignon made it 160,000 from the button before Petroli slid out a three bet to 400,000. A click back from Castaignon bumped it up to 800,000 and Petroli was left with two real options, push or fold. He chose the latter and Castaignon increased the chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,775,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,385,000
-400,000
|
-400,000 |