Main Event
Day 5 Completed
2017 PokerStars Championship presented by Monte-Carlo Casino®
Main Event
Day: 5
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2017 PokerStars Championship presented by Monte-Carlo Casino®
Buy-in
€5,300
Prize Pool
€3,525,950
Entries
727
Level
32
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
25,000
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
On a very swingy day that saw a number of players take the chip lead, end-of-Day-3 leader Michael Kolkowicz found himself back atop the counts when the final six competitors bagged up for the official final table of PokerStars Championship presented by Monte-Carlo Casino® €5,300 Main Event.
The French player spent most of his day in the middle of the counts, but a huge — and very lucky — hand just before the night ended allowed him to bag the lead. Kolkowicz got himself in a nasty spot after he saw a three-way flop of jack-six-queen out of the small blind and opted to check-raise with king-nine after a continuation-bet from start-of-day leader Romain Nardin. Nardin had aces and got his stack in, and a pot-committed Kolkowicz called and found a ten on the turn to bust his countryman.
Meanwhile, Day 5 headliners Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier and Davidi Kitai all fell short, the latter on the bubble in seventh place.
Kitai seemingly grinded the entire 10-hour day under 20 big blinds. He was lucky to be in after winning with ace-nine when an ace hit the river against pocket jacks, but his luck ran out when he executed a stop-and-go with bottom pair against Maxim Panyak. The Russian wasn't thrilled about calling but had two live overcards and paired one on the river.
Grospellier the last PokerStars Team Pro in the field, was seeking to break a long dry spell of big tournament results. The French legend hadn't made a major final table since the €100K Super High Roller right here in Monaco way back in 2012, when he finished third for over €800,000.
"ElkY" played tight with a short stack and ended up losing a flip to Panyak to go out 12th. It was clear how much he wanted this one, as he was visibly pained when the final card off the deck paired Panyak to change Grospellier's fortunes in an instant from doubling to busted.
Andreas Klatt also made his way to the final table, continuing what's been an outstanding series for him here at the PokerStars Championship. In the PokerStars National Championship here, Klatt navigated through a 1,252-player field to win the tournament for a career-best €151,445.
No matter what happens on the final day, Klatt is sure to go into the second leg of the MonteDam Swing with a huge points lead on all but assured of scoring one of the juicy prizes.
The final six players will reconvene for the final day of play at 1 p.m. on Friday with 43:36 left at 40,000/80,000/10,000. The cards-up live stream gets under way at 2 p.m. Here's a look at the seating chart and chip situation as it will stand when the first card flies off the deck:
| Seat | Player | Stack |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrey Bondar | 4,350,000 |
| 2 | Andreas Klatt | 3,580,000 |
| 3 | Diego Zeiter | 1,780,000 |
| 4 | Raffaele Sorrentino | 4,160,000 |
| 5 | Michael Kolkowicz | 4,600,000 |
| 6 | Maxim Panyak | 3,345,000 |
Come back to PokerNews for hand-for-hand coverage of the official final table.
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Maxim Panyak raised to 180,000 from the cutoff and action got to Davidi Kitai in the big blind. The Belgian EPT and WSOP champion, who started the hand with just 5 big blinds, called to see a flop.
With 
on the flop, Kitai shoved for 270,000. Panyak asked for a count prompting a smile by Kitai who seemed happy his opponent didn't snap call. Panyak did call eventually.
Davidi Kitai: 
Maxim Panyak: 
The 
on the turn was a blank but the 
on the river wasn't. Panyak paired up, beating Kitai's flopped pair of threes.
Down to 6 players, and that means the end of it for Day 5. The final 6 return tomorrow, an extensive recap of today's action is to follow.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
4,600,000
-30,000
|
-30,000 |
|
4,350,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
|
4,160,000
390,000
|
390,000 |
|
3,580,000
-460,000
|
-460,000 |
|
3,345,000
160,000
|
160,000 |
|
1,780,000
-30,000
|
-30,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Romain Nardin opened to 180,000 under the gun and got action from both blinds. They checked to him on 
, and he bet 260,000. Small blind Michael Kolkowicz made it 860,000, and Nardin shoved. It was only 510,000 more, but Kolkowicz thought awhile before deciding to call.
Kolkowicz: 
Nardin: 
Kolkowicz needed a ten and got one right away when the fell. Nardin needed a king, but the river was a 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,630,000
1,800,000
|
1,800,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Andreas Klatt opened the hijack for 185,000. Small blind Raffaele Sorrentino three-bet to 530,000 and Klatt folded.
For the last couple of orbits, no big action has been taking place. Hardly any flops were seen, let alone turns. Bondar leads, but Klatt is close on his heels. Kitai, with just 6 big blinds, is still the short stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,130,000
-10,000
|
-10,000 |
|
|
4,040,000
110,000
|
110,000 |
|
|
3,770,000
535,000
|
535,000 |
|
|
3,185,000
195,000
|
195,000 |
|
|
2,830,000
-90,000
|
-90,000 |
|
|
1,810,000
-315,000
|
-315,000 |
|
|
1,560,000
-215,000
|
-215,000 |
|
|
490,000
-210,000
|
-210,000 |
|
|
||
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Another 20-minute break for the players.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,140,000
455,000
|
455,000 |
|
|
3,930,000
-160,000
|
-160,000 |
|
|
3,235,000
-335,000
|
-335,000 |
|
|
2,990,000
-240,000
|
-240,000 |
|
|
2,920,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
|
|
2,125,000
310,000
|
310,000 |
|
|
1,775,000
-160,000
|
-160,000 |
|
|
700,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
||
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Michael Kolkowicz opened for 145,000 in the cutoff and came along when Maxim Panyak three-bet to 345,000 on the button. They saw a 
flop, and Kolkowicz check-called 290,000. Check-check on the , and likewise on the 
, and Kolkowicz tabled 
for top two. No good — Panyak had 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,230,000
685,000
|
685,000 |
|
|
2,790,000
-695,000
|
-695,000 |
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
From the small blind, Raffaele Sorrentino opened for 155,000. Big blind Michael Kolkowicz called to see a flop of 
. Sorrentino continued for 170,000, Kolkowicz called. The 
on the turn saw Sorrentino check, and then call a bet of 185,000. The river was checked by both and Sorrentino showed 
. That was no good, though, as Kolkowicz tabled 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,090,000
165,000
|
165,000 |
|
|
3,685,000
-80,000
|
-80,000 |
|
|
3,570,000
-450,000
|
-450,000 |
|
|
3,485,000
555,000
|
555,000 |
|
|
2,545,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
|
1,935,000
-185,000
|
-185,000 |
|
|
1,815,000
-140,000
|
-140,000 |
|
|
690,000
-60,000
|
-60,000 |
|
|
||
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
The Commerce Casino in LA has recently been running a social experiment to get players to chat more at the tables, by banning items such a phones and other electronics, as well as hoodies and sunglasses. We decided to find out what our poker players at the PokerStars Championship presented by Monte-Carlo thought about the idea.
Level 27
: 30,000/60,000, 10,000 ante
Michael Kolkowicz opened to 145,000 in middle position, and Davidi Kitai defended his big blind. Kolkowicz bet 165,000 on the 
flop, and Kitai called. On the turn, Kitai checked and saw his opponent immediately jam. Kitai thought about three minutes before letting his hand go.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,930,000
405,000
|
405,000 |
|
|
750,000
-330,000
|
-330,000 |
|
|
||