$$ Cash 4 Seat $$

In June this year, PokerStars launched the Czech and Slovak Poker Tour, a gentle four-event series costing about $750 a pop, with the intention of bringing affordable poker to a whole region of inexperienced players.

The thing is, a young student from Prague named Jan Skampa has clearly been putting the hours in already.

Two weeks ago in Portugal, Skampa, 23, became the first Czech player ever to make the final table of an EPT event. This week he is a champion. Skampa rode a wave of home support through one of the toughest EPT final tables ever gathered to claim the winner’s trophy this evening - and a cheque for €682,000.

Jan Skampa

“Winning a large tournament like an EPT in my home town is one of the greatest achievements anyone can have,” Skampa said. Although he’s a student and lives within a couple of miles of this venue - the Hilton Hotel in the magnificent Czech capital - we’re assuming he won’t be taking the bus home. Either way, Pot Noodles and snakebite-blacks are on him.

Jan Skampa draped in the Czech flag

Skampa, simply, is a brilliant player - that much is already clear. His natural game seems to be precisely the kind that startles, confounds and bludgeons opponents, forces them into mistakes while he remains almost impossibly focused. Like the Cruyff turn or the Federer forehand, the Skampa stare-down is a thing of natural beauty. Often eschewing the option even to look at the community cards, he instead glares with eyes like a statue’s, laser beams reading minds and exploring souls in one glance.

“I used to stare at the table but now I stare at my opponents as I feel it helps me to pick up tells,” Skampa said.

The Skampa stare

It’s a measure of his opponents’ mettle that it took them more than 10 hours to melt. By the time Skampa willed the last of Eyal Avitan’s chips from the grasp of the obdurate Israeli player, the tournament clock had clicked into the 32nd level and it was beyond 10.30pm. The heads-up duel alone lasted three hours; Avitan too, on his first EPT appearance, earns much credit, alongside €454,000.

“Heads up was tough as it seemed we were both trying to avoid getting it in on a flip,” Skampa said. “But after a while I felt he was getting more tired than me and by then I had figured out his play.”

Eyal Avitan

At the start, the final table evoked memories of the lightening swiftness of San Remo in season four. That match was over in less than four hours, and when the two short-stacks Sven Eichelbaum and Gustav Ekerot busted eighth and seventh within the first level here, we thought we might be seeing a repeat.

Sven Eichelbaum, out first

It also didn’t take long to lose the next couple, and if the first two eliminations were to be expected, so, in the worse possible sense, was the third.

Luca Pagano is without a serious challenger at the top of the EPT tournament leaderboard. He has made six final tables from 13 deep runs at EPT events and seems to cruise into the latest stages without any problem at all. But the winner’s trophy remains elusive to the Team PokerStars Pro and here in Prague he hit the crossbar again.

Luca Pagano

Clearly going for the all-out victory rather than just to edge up the payout ladder, Pagano raised from the button and then shoved over the top of Mattsson’s big blind re-raise. One problem: he’d run into queens and his ace-jack could not catch up.

Despite another entry in the catalogue of near misses, Pagano remained philosophical. “If I look back at what I achieved here in Prague, the glass is not empty, it’s actually quite full,” Pagano said. “It’s frustrating to keep trying but I know myself and I know that to miss the title again will give me even more energy and concentration for the next tournament. This quest for the trophy is giving me more strength.”

Watch EPT 6 Prague Luca Pagano Exit on PokerStars.tv

Pagano’s exit left five players, but Larry Ryan, the PokerStars qualifier from Ireland, was out so soon after that he ended up sitting beside the Italian at the cash desk. Ryan was only playing in Prague as a warm up to the PCA, for which he has also qualified online, but his poker education could probably have done without the first-hand experience of running jacks into aces pre-flop. Mattsson had poker’s biggest hand to oust the Irishman, and he also had a huge advantage going into the four-handed scrap.

Larry Ryan warmed up for the PCA with fifth place in Prague

This is where the brakes went on. Anthony Roux, Skampa and Avitan all took small slivers out of Mattsson and the stacks evened out a good deal. When something gave, as it had to, it was the shortest of those four, Roux, who perished. His pocket tens were out-raced by Avitan’s ace-king, all in pre-flop, and all of a sudden, this was turning into the kind of final where playing with fire, in the spirit of the always aggressive Skampa and Mattsson, was less effective than playing with monster hands.

Stefan Mattson, background, and Anthony Roux

Avitan, Skampa and Mattsson were all deep stacked when they went three-handed, and they merrily exchanged chips through level 28, then level 29 and even into level 30. Mattsson had suddenly become the man under most pressure, though, while Avitan had inched past 10 million.

Lo and behold it was those two who clashed to send this to the heads up stage. All in pre-flop, Avitan flopped a straight with [jd][10h] to outdraw Mattsson’s [qd][10s]. Mattsson headed to the cage to collect more than a quarter of a million euros, leaving Skampa and Avitan to do battle for close to three times that.

Heads up play in Prague

The chips went this way and that, but eventually Skampa grabbed a stranglehold. His relentless raising, then glaring, then raising and then staring eventually forced a mistake from Avitan. Skampa was waiting with pocket jacks when Avitan moved all in with jack-nine. Only then did the Skampa visage crack. His smile, to raucous cheers, capped one of those performances. No one deserved it more.

A Skampa’s eye view of the heads up duel

Yet again, then, we crown a new EPT main event champion - and this time from a whole new country. Skampa was already the highest-ranked player from the Czech Republic in the EPT database after his final table in Vilamoura. Now he’s simply one of the most monied from the continent - and on the basis of what we’ve seen here, this will not be the last of his wins.

Review the final table with the level-by-level coverage, which pretty much equates to a hand-by-hand account of Skampa’s triumph.

Level 25 updates
Level 26 updates
Level 27 updates
Level 28 updates
Level 29 updates
Level 30 updates
Level 31 updates
Level 32 updates

Very similar, only with added Eichelbaum, at the German blog. And there’s a definite Ekerot/Mattsson bias over there with those crazy Swedes. Meanwhile they might as well rename the Italian blog Luca Pagano.com. But you can never get enough Luca.

Our next stop on PokerStars Blog is Galway, Ireland, next week, for the inaugural event on the UKIPT. Then the EPT rolls into the Bahamas for the PCA. I’m guessing we’ll see Jan Skampa there. How about you?

Good night.

Updates from the final table, level 31 of EPT Prague, brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc “The Conv” Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young.

Latest chip counts are on the chip count page. The EPT tournament structure can be found on the EPT tournament structure page. Full details of the payout structure and prizewinners so far are on the payout structure and prizewinners page.

Click through for full profiles of the final table players.
Previous coverage today: Level 25 | Level 26 | Level 27 | Level 28 | Level 29 | Level 30 updates

Blinds:
Level 31: 80,000-160,000 (20,000 ante)

9.40pm: Level end
That’s the end of level 31. That can only mean one thing - level 32 is next, but not until we have a ten-minute break.

9.30pm: It really happened
Eyal Avitan opened for 380,000 and Jan Skampa called for a flop of [qs][4c][2s]. Avitan then made it 475,000 before Skampa re-raised to 1,275,000. Chairs scraped the floor and most people stood up, all but the sceptics who’d decided they’d believe it when Thomas Kremser announced it. It was true, but Avitan folded.

“It’s hard, eh?” said Avitan, yawning and looking over at Skampa. “A long game.”
“Yes.” Was Skampa’s reply. He doesn’t seem tired at all.

Current approx chips:
Avitan, 8,425,000
Skampa, 9,150,000

9.25pm: Avitan turns aggressive
Jan Skampa raised to 360,000 from the button and Eyal Avitan called from the big blind to see a [jh][3d][th] flop. Check-check before the turn came [6d]. Avitan led out for 520,000 and Skampa folded.

Eyal Avitan

9.20pm: More goes to Avitan
Jan Skampa raised to 360,000 from the button and Avitan called. The familiar pattern. The flop came [7d][10c][2d] and Avitan check-called Skampa’s bet of 440,000. The [2s] turned, which impressed neither of them, so they went to the [3d] river. Avitan bet 750,000 and Skampa got out the way

9.15pm: Wishing on a star
As if caught in the same dream both players just abandoned caution for a hand, playing without the shackles of reality, and throwing chips all over the place.

Avitan started, making it 430,000 before Skampa took to the skies with a re-raise worth 1,160,000. “What’s this?” People began to ask as Avitan called. The crowds rushed in to watch these two warriors soar. A friend of Avitan put one leg over the rope line, keeping his left leg back in the civilian world, risking serious injury had the crowd surged forwards or back. Was this, as they say, it?

The flop came [qh][7d][4d]. The crowd inched even closer, anticipating these two free spirits were about to fight to the death here and now. Perhaps this was it! Skampa, his eyes on the shiny trophy alongside him moved 820,000 into the middle, a glorious tower of gold. It was up to Avitan. He looked at Skampa and… fold. He folded. Another 2.3 million to Skampa.

9.05pm: Tens for Avitan
Big hand for Eyal Avitan as he hits a flop in spectacular fashion and gets the maximum out of it. Jan Skampa opens for 360,000 and Avitan calls. The flop comes [10d][10h][qd] and Avitan leads for 550,000. Call. The turn is [js] and they both check, and the river comes [4c]. Avitan counts out 750,000 and Skampa calls, but mucks (presumably a queen or jack) when Avitan shows [ah][10c] for the flopped trips.

9pm: Huge numbers
A seven-figure pot develops. Skampa bet pre-flop and Avitan called for a flop of [7s][tc][6h]. Avitan checked to Skampa who made it 420,000. Avitan called by placing a stack of oranges into the pot and asking the dealer to count it, getting some change back. Now a [5h] on the turn which both players checked. An [ad] on the river checked by both again. Skampa showed pocket nines for a pot worth 1.5 million.

8.55pm: Small ball
Very little action to speak of in the last ten minutes. There is a surprising amount of limping going on for a heads-up match. When we did have a raise it was Jan Skampa’s doing and to the value of 360,000. Eyal Avitan called to see a [kc][6h][9c] flop where both players checked. After the turn came [7s] a 450 bet from Avitan was enough to make Skampa fold.

8.45pm: A little help from your friends
“Three oranges and one yellow chip.” This is Alen, one of the tournament officials explaining to Eyal Avitan the easiest way to assemble the small blind.

“Sorry, I’m so tired,” laughed Avitan who promptly took the next hand with a big raise on the [jd][6s][3h] flop.

On the next hand Skampa takes it down with a bet half the size on a flop of [6d][ad][6c]. Avitan still has chips left scattered around from hands won a while ago.

8.40pm: New level
It’s level 31, and off we go again. The chips? Well, they show Jan Skampa has edged into the lead:

Jan Skampa, Czech Republic, 9,810,000
Eyal Avitan, Israel, 7,760,000

Jan Skampa

Updates from the final table, level 30 of EPT Prague, brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc “The Conv” Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young.

Latest chip counts are on the chip count page. The EPT tournament structure can be found on the EPT tournament structure page. Full details of the payout structure and prizewinners so far are on the payout structure and prizewinners page.

Click through for full profiles of the final table players.
Previous coverage today: Level 25 | Level 26 | Level 27 | Level 28 | Level 29

Blinds:
Level 30: 60,000-120,000 (15,000 ante)

8.35pm: Heads up chips

Jan Skampa: 9,810,000
Eyal Avitan: 7,760,000

8.30pm: Last hand of the level
Eyal Avitan makes it 310,000 on the button and Jan Skampa called. The flop came [qs][5d][qh]. Skampa checked and Avitan made it another 325,000. Call. The turn, a [jh] was checked by both. On the [4d] river both checked again. Avitan showed [7s][7h]. Skampa was about to turn over his cards then saw he was beaten, grinned instead and mucked. That’s the level over.

8.25pm: Quick multiple choice
Three hands pass by, each featuring a raise by Jan Skampa. Does Eyal Avitan:
A) Fold face up
B) Fold face down
C) Move all in
The answer is C. No wait it’s A. I meant A.

8.20pm: Big pot for Skampa
A big chunk of Eyal Avitan’s chips go to Jan Skampa’s side of the table, and the stacks are more or less evening out. Avitan made it 310,000 from the small blind, but Skampa re-popped to 870,000. Avitan called.

On the [6s][8c][jd] flop, Skampa moved in 875,000, and again that was called. The [ad] turn did not slow Skampa down one bit. Oh no. Instead, he led for 1,525,000, and that was too much for Avitan, who folded.

Jan Skampa

8.10pm: Passive until the river
Eyal Avitan limped and Jan Skampa checked his option to see a [8h][6d][ah] flop. Check-check. [9s] came on the turn. Check-check. [6s] came on the river and Skampa led for 205,000. Avitan called. Skampa could only muster [5d][3d]. Avitan took the pot with [kd][7c] for king high.

A shout out to the tournament official Alen Babic who is so vain that he needs bribing by a mention in this blog to continue calling the action to the dwindling crowd. Babic is the urchin on the left.

Alen Babic, left, and Thomas Kremser

8.05pm: And on
This continues in a massively cagey fashion. Another few hands:

a) Eyal Avitan limps from the button/small blind and Skampa checks his option. The flop is [8h][jc][10d] which both players check. The turn is [9s]. Check, check. The river is [ac] and Skampa bets 130,000. Avitan folds.
b) Skampa raises to 270,000 from the small blind/button and Avitan calls. The flop comes [3d][qh][2c] and Avitan checks. Skampa bets 280,000. Fold.
c) Avitan limps from the button/small blind. Skampa checks. The flop comes [qh][kd][10s] and Skampa checks. Avitan bets and Skampa folds.

The most controversial aspects of that series is the use of alphabetical letters and brackets instead of numbers. More extravagance. But the way we sometimes described it as “button/small blind” and sometimes “small blind/button” was also quite bewitching.

7.55pm: More for Skampa
Nice pot for Skampa, this. He made it 270,000 pre-flop and got a call from Avitan. On the [jd][8c][5s] flop, Avitan checked and then called Skampa’s 280,000 bet. Both then checked the [7c] turn, but on the [3c] Avitan tried his luck with 375,000. Skampa was having none of that, however, and reached for a meaty re-raise to 1,175,000. Avitan let it go.

7.50pm: Deep thought
Eyal Avitan raised it to 360,000 from the button and Jan Skampa called from the big blind to see a [jd][qs][5s] flop. No slowing down for Avitan as he led for a hefty 825,000. Skampa thought for a bit but folded.

7.40pm: Cagey stuff
There’s absolutely nothing from the early stages of heads up play to suggest this one will be over anytime soon. Here are four hands as examples:

I - Jan Skampa raised to 270,000; Eyal Avitan re-raised to 945,000. Fold.
II - Avitan made up the big blind, Skampa checked and the flop came [9s][ks][kd]. Avitan checked, Skampa bet 200,000. Avitan folded.
III - Skampa called from the button, Avitan checked. The flop came [2c][7h][2d] and despite that being a wonderful hand for seven-deuce, a bet of 280,000 from Skampa took it.
IV - Again an unraised pot and a flop of [9s][4s][ah]. Avitan checked, Skampa bet 130,000. Fold.

The most controversial aspect of all that is the choice of Roman numerals in this write up. We’re nothing if not flamboyant.

7.35pm: Slow start to heads-up play
It’s all been a bit timid at the start of heads-up. On this one, Jan Skampa makes it 270,000 from the small blind, and Avitan calls. They see a [kc][ks][qs] flop and both check. They go on to check the [10c] turn and [7h] river as well. Skampa has [ad][3s], and ace high is good enough to take this one.

7.26pm: He’s got bluffs in him
The first heads-up hand of any significance: Jan Skampa raised it up to 220,000 from the button and Eyal Avitan called from the big blind. Both players checked the flop so the board read [jc][9h][ts][4d] at the turn. Avitan led for 325,000. Call. Avitan then led for 625,000 on the [2h] river and was called again. Avitan tabled [ah][8s] for ace-high but Skampa had two-pair with [jh][4h] and scooped the pot.

7.20pm: And we’re back again
After a short pause play resumes heads up between Eyal Avitan and Jan Skampa.

7.15pm: Stefan Mattson out in third, winning €255,000
First hand after the break and there was something distinctly pre-meditated about this. Eyal Avitan, on the button, raised to 375,000 and Stefan Mattsson couldn’t move his chips forward fast enough. He was all in for his last 1,475,000. Avitan took a couple of moments, but called and Mattsson’s tournament was in the balance - although he was in pretty good shape.

Avitan: [jd][10h]
Mattsson: [qd][10s]

The flop, though, changed things. It came [7s][9s][8s] and the flopped straight vaulted Avitan into the lead. But Mattsson had outs - he did have a straight flush draw after all - and any spade or any jack would send the pot his way.

However, the [3c][6c] turn and river meant only one thing: Avitan’s fingers pointed skyward in celebration. Mattsson out in third.

7.10pm: Back for more three-way action
After a quick ten-minute break, we’re back for level 30. The chips look like this:

Eyal Avitain, Israel, 9,830,000
Jan Skampa, Czech Republic, 6,265,000
Stefan Mattsson, Sweden, 1,475,000

Updates from the final table, level 29 of EPT Prague, brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc “The Conv” Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young.

Latest chip counts are on the chip count page. The EPT tournament structure can be found on the EPT tournament structure page. Full details of the payout structure and prizewinners so far are on the payout structure and prizewinners page.

Click through for full profiles of the final table players.
Previous coverage today: Level 25 | Level 26 | Level 27 | Level 28 updates

Blinds:
Level 29: 50,000-100,000 (10,000 ante)

7pm: Level over
That’s the end of another level, with the players finishing on these chips:

Eyal Avitan: 9,830,000
Jan Skampa: 6,265,000
Stefan Mattsson: 1,475,000

6.55pm: Continuing as normal
A Jan Skampa raise from the button to 240,000 gets called by Eyal Avitan in the small blind before the flop comes [5s][4c][3d]. Avitian checks and a good ploy against this player is to continuation bet. Skampa does just that with a 330,000 bet and it’s worked as Avitan folded.  

6.50pm: Have some of that
Jan Skampa looked like he was taking a stand against the increasingly aggressive Eyal Avitan. And it worked. Stefan Mattsson folded his button, and Skampa made it 270,000 from the small blind, Avitan called. On the [4s][3c][2c] flop Skampa made it 410,000 - called again. But on the [js] turn Skampa bet 1,000,010 (not sure why the extra 10,000 was necessary), and this time Avitan gave it up.

Avitan still has more than 10 million and is still in the chip lead.

6.40pm: Moving through the gears
Eyal Avitan is slowly becoming more aggressive in his approach and that is probably to do with the security that a big stack gives you. When Jan Skampa called from the button Avitan made it 700,000 to go from the small blind. Skampa called but folded to a 700,000 Avitan bet on the [jd][qc][3d] board.

6.35pm: Three to the river
A Jan Skampa raise from the button to 240,000 gets calls from both other players. All three checked to the river where the board read [ad][8c][6c][ts][2s]. Avitan took up the initiative at this stage with a 700,000 bet. Mattsson called pretty quickly but Skampa folded. Avitan tabled [as][8s] for two-pair and it was good as Mattsson mucked.

6.25pm: Avitan aggression
Eyal Avitan is getting the taste for big re-raises. On this hand Stefan Mattsson folded his button, and Jan Skampa raised to 320,000 from the small blind. Avitan called. On the [kd][6s][7s] flop, Skampa made it 400,000.

“How much are you playing behind?” asks the Israeli
“About six million behind,” Skampa responds.

Avitan has Skampa covered, and elects to re-reraise the local boy to 1.1 million straight. That elicits a sharpish fold from Skampa.

6.20pm: Mattsson picks up some more
Jan Skampa opened for 250,000 and Eyal Avitan called. Stefan Mattsson on the other hand raised, 825,000 in total. Skampa passed and Avitan asked how much Mattsson had left. The answer: around 1.5 million.
“I have the best hand,” said Avitan, folding [as][td].
“Bad fold,” replied Mattsson.

Three-handed action

6.10pm: Mmmmmmmattsson
Stefan Mattsson raised from the button and Eyal Avitan called from the big blind to see a [4c][5h][5c] flop. Both checked to the [4s] turn where a 135,000 Mattsson bet took it down.

6.05pm: Big fold from Mattsson
Stefan Mattsson has been on the wrong end of a few pots recently, but still had the discipline to make a big laydown. Things started quietly enough, with Jan Skampa folding his button, and Eyal Avitan calling from the small blind. Mattsson checked.

On the [9h][6h][4c] flop, Avitan check-called Mattsson’s 155,000. On the [10d] turn, Avitan checked again, Mattsson bet 340,000, but this time Avitan fired back with a raise to one million. That sent Mattsson deep into the tank - a call would not be for his tournament life, but it would leave him pot committed on the river. Instead, after a few minutes, he open folded [6s][4h], two pair.

5.55pm: River dance
We’ve not seen Eyal Avitan raise that much today but in this instance that’s exactly what he did. He made it 350,000 from the button and Jan Skampa called from the big blind before a [as][6c][jh] flop came down. Skampa check-called a bet of 425,000 before both checked the [js] turn. Then Skampa led out for 650,000 after the [2c] river and Avital folded.

5.45pm: Pot to Mattsson
Jan Skampa made it 240,000 from the button. Eyal Avitan called from the small blind, Mattson from the big. The flop came [8s][ts][jh]. All three checked for a [td] on the turn. Avitan checked again before Mattsson made it 480,000. Fold, fold. That’s that.

5.40pm: Three-handed, off we go again
And away we go again. Three players, these stacks:

Stefan Mattsson: 2,870,000
Jan Skampa: 6,150,000
Eyal Avitan: 8,550,000

This man is in the boss seat:

Eyal Avitan

Updates from the final table, level 28 of EPT Prague, brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc “The Conv” Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young.

Latest chip counts are on the chip count page. The EPT tournament structure can be found on the EPT tournament structure page. Full details of the payout structure and prizewinners so far are on the payout structure and prizewinners page.

Click through for full profiles of the final table players.
Previous coverage today: Level 25 | Level 26 | Level 27

Blinds:
Level 28: 40,000-80,000 (5,000 ante)

5.35pm: Another one in the books
That’s the end of the level, with the three-handed chip counts looking like this:

Stefan Mattsson: 2,870,000
Jan Skampa: 6,150,000
Eyal Avitan: 8,550,000

5.30pm: Skampa counter attack
The hand after doubling up Stefan Mattsson, Jan Skampa got a small chunk of it back. Eyal Avitan folded his button - a regular move, let me tell you - and Mattsson made it 220,000 from the small blind. But Skampa was having none of it, and made it 580,000. Mattsson thought for a short while, but then tossed his cards high into the air, and into the muck.

5.29pm: Mattsson not out of it yet
A bet of 180,000 from Jan Skampa to open the pot from the button. Stefan Mattsson then announced all-in from the big blind and Skampa called. [ah][kh] for Mattsson, [ad][9h] for Skampa. The board ran: [2s][3s][js][jd][4c]. Mattson doubles up to around three million.

5.25pm: Mattsson v Skampa
One pot to each of Stefan Mattsson and Jan Skampa when the two of them lock horns. On the first, Skampa limped from the button and Stefan Mattsson checked from the big blind to see a [2c][ks][5c] flop. Both players checked before a 205,000 Mattsson bet on the [3c] turn took it down.

On the second hand, Mattsson raised to 200,000 from the button only to lay down to a Skampa three-bet to 550,000.

5.22pm: Chunks of chips
On a flop of [kd][7s][ks] Jan Skampa bet 110,000 which Eyal Avitan called for a [2h] on the turn. Skampa then fired out 275,000 which Avitan called. Again on the [td] river card, Skampa bet 650,000 and Avitan called. Skampa showed [kc][8c]. Avitan showed nothing and just patted the table. Pot to Skampa.

5.21pm: Do you remember the last time?
Action has slowed a little in Prague, which has got our video bloggers (and Dario Minieri) remembering last year, where the action came thick, fast and Italian.

5.20pm: Avitan gets some
We see another flop! Avitan makes it 250,000 from the button. Mattsson passes but Skampa calls from the big blind. The flop is [5d][7c][3h], which Skampa checks, then folds when Avitan puts 325,000 over the line.

5.15pm: Small pot for Skampa
We see a flop! Stefan Mattsson folds his button, and Jan Skampa calls from the small blind. Avitan checks his option. Both check the [9s][ad][as] flop and also the [kc] turn. But on the [qc] river Skampa makes it a teasing 95,000, but Avitan will not bite.

5.10pm: The trophy
Here’s what they’re playing for:

EPT Prague trophy

5.07pm: Three in row for Mattsson
It was only the blinds and antes won but they all count. He pushed from the small blind and the button forcing folds and then he was given a walk by his two opponents.

5.05pm: Three way action
A limped pot with a flop of [td][js][tc]. Avitan made it 200,000 which was called by Mattsson and Skampa. A [6h] on the turn. It’s checked to Skampa who bet 435,000. Avitan called by Mattsson passed before the [4s] on the river. Avitan checked, Skampa made it 950,000 and Avitan thought for a while, going through a process of separating orange chips, counting them, re-stacking them before calling with [ts][7s]. Skampa showed [8h][9c]. A big pot for Avitan.

5pm: Team Pro Top Trumps
Just imagine poker Top Trumps, where “Horror Rating” and “Fear Factor” were replaced by “Number of Tables” or “Poker Endurance”. Hmmm. Just imagine…

4.55pm: Four hands - and some action on the fourth
Things are slowing down a bit, folks. We’re going through a spell of seeing no flops. Here are four hands in a row:

One - Stefan Mattsson bets 190,000 from the button, Jan Skampa and Eyal Avitan fold.
Two - Skampa makes it 190,000 from the button, the other two fold.
Three - Avitan folds his button and Mattsson folds from the small blind. A walk, then, for Skampa.
Four - Mattson makes it 190,000 from the button (standard) and this time Skampa calls. But Avitan seemingly wakes up with a hand from the big blind and makes it 780,000. That’s enough to chase off the other two.

4.50pm: Mattsson suffering
Stefan Mattsson and Jan Skampa saw a limped [tc][9d][2c] flop from the blinds. Mattsson led out for 110,000 and was called by his big blind neigbour. Both checked the [3c] turn before Mattsson check-folded to a 150,000 from Skampa on the [8s] river. Mattson is looking really downbeat about his chip stack downswing at the moment.

Stefan Mattsson

4.45pm: The Jan Skampa show
Jan Skampa made it 200,000 to go from the button - no takers. Then the other way around - no takers, a walk to Skampa. Then Skampa made it 215,000 pre-flop - no takers. Then another 190,000 from the button - no takers.

4.40pm: Skampa wounds Mattsson again
Jan Skampa is continuing to damage Stefan Mattsson, who now appears to be below two million in chips. Mattsson made it 190,000 from the button, and Skampa called in the small blind. Avitan folded.

The flop came [7c][qc][10h] and both checked. But on the [8c] turn Skampa bet 315,000. Call. Now on the [jh] river Skampa made it a hefty 815,000 - called again by the Swede who got the bad news soon enough. Skampa had [kc][jc] for a turned flush.

Jan Skampa

4.35pm: Skampa grabs another
Jan Skampa makes it 240,000 from the button, and he gets a call from Stefan Mattsson in the big blind. The flop comes [4d][js][9s], Mattsson checks, and then mucks before we even had time to count how many chips Skampa was about to move over the line.
Next hand, Skampa gets a walk in the big blind.

4.30pm: Two in a row for Avitan
Stefan Mattsson raised from the button to 190,000 and was called by Eyal Avital in the big blind to see a [tc][5s][2h] flop. Avital check-called a 235,000 bet before they both checked the [7c] turn. Avital then bet out for 355,000 on the [7c] river prompting Mattsson to fold. He extends his chip lead a little further with that pot.

4.20pm: Avitan assumes lead
Eyal Avitan came back from the break and was on the button. He raised to 235,000 and after Stefan Mattsson got out the way, Jan Skampa re-raised to 580,000 total, or 345,000 more. Avitan called. The flop came [5h][qc][ac] and Skampa bet 550,000 at it, which Avitan also called. The turn was [7c] and after Skampa checked, Avitan bet 895,000, which was too much for Skampa, who yielded both this pot and the chip lead.

4.16pm: Chip counts with cards in the air

Jan Skampa, Czech Republic - 6,710,000
Eyal Avitan, Israel - 6,545,000
Stefan Mattsson, Sweden - 4,315,000

4.15pm: Play resumes on the final table
Three left in EPT Prague.

Updates from the final table, level 27 of EPT Prague, brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc “The Conv” Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young.

Latest chip counts are on the chip count page. The EPT tournament structure can be found on the EPT tournament structure page. Full details of the payout structure and prizewinners so far are on the payout structure and prizewinners page.

Click through for full profiles of the final table players. And previous levels today: Level 25 | Level 26 |

Blinds:
Level 27: 30,000-60,000 (5,000 ante)

4.06pm: Level over, three handed
That was the last action of that level, leaving the three players to return to these stacks:

Jan Skampa: 6,710,000
Eyal Avitan: 6,545,000
Stefan Mattsson: 4,315,000

4.05pm: Anthony Roux out in fourth, winning €171,000
Anthony Roux has been rumbled and we are down to three. Eyal Avitan raised to 165,000 from the small blind, attacking Roux’s big. Roux defended it emphatically, re-raising to 460,000 at which point Avitan asked for a count. He was told that Roux had close to two million, which encouraged Avitan to move all in. Insta-call.

Roux: [10c][10h]
Avitan: [ac][ks]

Aha, the classic race situation™. This time it went in favour of the big slick. The board ran [kc][as][4c][2s][5c] and Roux is out.

Eyal Avitan celebrates

4pm: Czech checks on the end
Stefan Mattsson opened for 155,000 which Jan Skampa called for a flop of [4h][th][qd]. Mattsson checked and Skampa made it 240,000. Mattsson called for a a [9c] turn card. Mattsson checked again before Skampa made it 550,000. Skampa called. A [tc] on the river. Both check, Mattsson showing [9s][td] to win the pot.

3.55pm: Plot thickens with Roux double
Jan Skampa opened the pot with a raise to 140,000 from the button before Anthony Roux re-raised all in for 1,140,000. Skampa thought and then called with [ad][qs] to see he was in a race with Roux’s [jh][jc]. The board comes [ts][kd][6d][6s][9s] to double the Frenchman up.

3.50pm: Pagano philosophical
A little earlier we lost Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano in sixth place. But despite missing out on the title at his sixth EPT final table appearance, the Italian was still in positive mood…

Watch EPT 6 Prague Luca Pagano Exit on PokerStars.tv

3.45pm: Pre-flop
It’s all happening pre-flop at the moment, with Jan Skampa (surprise, surprise) the main aggressor. He’s typically making it 140,000 and picking up blinds and antes, although Eyal Avitan once re-raised him pre-flop from the small blind, making it 385,000, and Skampa gave it up.

3.40pm: Three-way flop
Anthony Roux calls on the button, so does Stefan Mattsson in the small blind. Jan Skampa checks on the big. They see a flop: [jd][5s][kd]. Mattsson makes it 110,000 and Skampa passes. Roux calls. On the [js] turn Mattsson makes it 270,000. Roux raises but before it’s counted Mattsson says all-in. Roux calls, showing [tc][jc]. Mattsson shows [jh][8c]. The river splits it though: [qd].

“Another cooler,” joked Mattsson to the dealer. “What are you doing to us?”

3.35pm: Chip leaders clash in monster pot
A nine million pot just played out between Stefan Mattsson and Jan Skampa. Mattsson raised to 135,000 from the button to face a three-bet to 405,000 from Skampa. Mattsson made it 1,000,000 to play and then said to Skampa: “This is my dealer remember,” referring to the dealer that gave him his rush of cards earlier.

This didn’t put Skampa off as he moved all in for 4,270,000 - and received an instant call from Mattsson. Bit of a cooler four-handed as Mattsson’s [qs][qd] was dominated by the local man’s [kc][kd]. Before the before the board came out Mattsson jested: “He isn’t my dealer anymore.” The board came [5d][7s][3c][7d][as].

After that huge clash, Skampa is up to around nine million, Mattsson is down to less than four million.

Jan Skampa

3.30pm: Avitan pinches small one from Roux
Eyal Avitan calls from the small blind and Anthony Roux raises to 125,000 from the big. Avitan calls. The flop is [4s][2c][ad] and after Avitan checks, Roux bets 230,000. Avitan calls again. The turn is [3s] and they both check. They also both check the [ah] river and Avitan’s [kc][4c] takes it.

3.25pm: From the blinds
On a flop of [ac][2h][9s] Anthony Roux and Stefan Mattsson check from the blinds. After the [ah] lands on the turn Roux bet out 85,000 forcing Mattsson to pass.

On the next hand, on a flop of [kh][7s][7d], Mattsson and Jan Skampa go at it from the blinds. Both check for a turn card [qd]. Mattsson checked and Skampa made it 85,000. Mattsson calls for a [ah] on the river. Both checked. Mattsson turned over [9s][qc] to take the pot.

3.20pm: C-bet works
Stefan Mattsson raised to 135,000 and was only called by Skampa on the button. The flop came [8c][qs][9h] and a 170,000 bet from Mattsson was enough to win the pot as Skampa folded.

3.15pm: A novel approach
Stefan Mattsson limps from the small blind and Jan Skampa checks. (It had seemed for the first two hours of this final table as if that sentence would never be written.) The flop came [jc][5s][8c] and Mattson bet 100,000, which Skampa called. The turn was [2h] and Mattsson bet 265,000, which was enough to get Skampa out of a peculiarly non-aggressive kind of pot.

3.10pm: These hands are made for walking
After walks for Stefan Mattsson and Jan Skampa, Skampa opened for 150,000 from under the gun. Mattsson then re-raised from the big blind, 465,000 in total, which forced Skampa to fold.

3.05pm: Roux rumbled by Skampa’s aggression
Jan Skampa is by far the most active player four-handed, as he has been since they were 586-handed on day one. There’s not much anyone can really do about it unless they find a hand. From the button, he makes it 145,000 and Anthony Roux called in the small blind. The flop came [qh][kd][8h] and Roux check-called Skampa’s 190,000 bet. The turn was [6c] and this time Roux finds Skampa asking too much. The French player check-folds to Skampa’s 500,000 bet.

3.02pm: Larry Ryan interview
Larry Ryan, a PokerStars qualifier from Ireland, was our fifth place finisher. The video blog team caught up with him soon after, and this is what he had to say…

Watch EPT 6 Prague Larry Ryan on PokerStars.tv

3pm: Tidbits
Anthony Roux and Stefan Mattsson play a flop from the blinds. [9h][4h][ad]. Roux checks to Mattsson who makes it 155,000, good for the pot.

The next hand goes to Jan Skampa uncontested and the one after that goes to Roux in the same way.

2.55pm: Don’t forget these two
Eyal Avitan raised to 180,000 under-the-gun, which is also the cut-off, four-handed. Everyone folds, including Anthony Roux in the big blind. Roux then attacks Avitan’s big blind with a raise of 150,000, but Avitan calls. The flop comes [6c][as][ac] and after Avitan checks, Roux bets 200,000. Avitan folds.

Eyal Avitan

2.50pm: Roux through Skampa
Jan Skampa opened for 135,000 before Anthony Roux moved all-in. Skampa called showing [ad][kc] to Roux’s [kh][ks]. The board ran: [3d][4c][3h][3s][9c].

2.45pm: We’re off again
After a short break, the four players are back for the start of level 27. The chips as they sat down again looked like this:

Anthony Roux, France, 1,165,000
Stefan Mattsson, Sweden, 6,775,000
Jan Skampa, Czech Republic, 5,545,000
Eyal Avitan, Israel, 4,085,000

Some happy dealers. Today.

Updates from the final table, level 26 of EPT Prague, brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc “The Conv” Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young.

Latest chip counts are on the chip count page. The EPT tournament structure can be found on the EPT tournament structure page. Full details of the payout structure and prizewinners so far are on the payout structure and prizewinners page.

Click through for full profiles of the final table players.

Blinds:
Level 26: 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)

2.35pm: Break time
That was the last action of that level and the players now take a 10-minute break. Their chips are:

Anthony Roux, France, 1,165,000
Stefan Mattsson, Sweden, 6,775,000
Jan Skampa, Czech Republic, 5,545,000
Eyal Avitan, Israel, 4,085,000

2.30pm: Roux moves Avitan
Folded to Avitan in the small blind, he raises to 155,000. Anthony Roux moves all in for 835,000 and that was too much for Avitan, who folded.

Anthony Roux

2.25pm: Avitan survives the Skampa stare
Jan Skampa’s stare can bore holes in your soul, so it’s fair to assume that Eyal Avitan is made of strong stuff. He just got Skampa to fold despite a long, blink-less stare-down at the end of a hand that went like this:

Folded to Skampa in the small blind, the Czech player raised to 130,000. Avitan called in the big blind. The flop came [jh][7d][qc] and Skampa bet 160,000. Avitan called. The river was [5h] and Skampa checked. Avitan bet 275,000 and then the death eyes came out. Skampa peered through Avitan’s hand, which was clutched over his cheek. He peered through his face and skull and deep into his mind. He peered through Avitan’s very being. And folded.

2.22pm: Scampering along
Jan Skampa raised from the button to 115,000 and was called by Anthony Roux in the big blind. The flop came down [js][5c][6c] and Roux check-folded to a 130,000 bet from Skampa. Roux wont be able to call too much longer as he has less than twenty big blinds now, and those blinds are about to go up.

2.17pm: Another one for Skampa
Jan Skampa raised to 120,000 from the button and was called by Anthony Roux in the big blind to see a [js][3s][9h] flop. Both players checked through to the [ad] turn where Skampa bet 150,000 when Roux checked to him. Roux called and then called off another 410,000 when he checked to Skampa on the [7s] river. Roux called but mucked upon seeing his opponent’s [ah][qd].

2.16pm: Avitan ‘avin some of Mattsson’s chips
Eyal Avitan raised to 150,000 on the button and Stefan Mattsson called from the big blind. The flop came [jc][5s][2s] and Mattsson checked. Avitan bet 250,000 and Mattsson called. They went through the same procedure on the turn of [ad]: check from Mattsson, bet to 400,000 from Avitan, call from Mattsson. The river was [qc] and they both checked. Avitan showed [ac][8d] and Mattsson mucked.

2.15pm: News from the side events
There has been a healthy number of side events throughout the week here in Prague. Dutch Team PokerStars Pro Thierry Van Den Berg came fifth out of 292 players in the €1,100 NLHE event for a €17,300 pay day. Meanwhile, PokerStars main event qualifier Melanie Weisner from the USA took down the €300 Ladies Event for €3,100.

Ladies champ Melanie Weisner

2.10pm: Skampa again
It’s all about two players right now. Stefan Mattsson opens with a raise again, this time 115,000 from the button. Jan Skampa calls from the small blind, and Eyal Avitan has no interest from the big.

The flop comes [5s][4h][as], Skampa checks and Mattsson makes it 155,000. Call. On the [qh] turn, Skampa checks again, then calls Mattsson’s 240,000. The [jd] is checked down, and Mattsson shows [3s][6s] for the busted flush and straight draw, while Skampa has [ah][7h] for a winning pair of aces.

2.05pm: Skampa II
Looking at the chip stacks and the style of these four players, it’s very difficult to bet against a Mattsson/Skampa heads up battle, which could be utterly fearsome. The two of them, however, aren’t exactly waiting for Eyal Avitan or Anthony Roux to be eliminated before they dust off the boxing gloves. They’re already getting deeply involved, as this hand will attest.

It was folded to Mattsson in the small blind and he raised to 165,000. Skampa defended his big blind with a re-raise to 425,000. Mattsson called. The flop came [ah][qh][2d] and they both checked. But Mattsson fired 440,000 at the [as] turn. Skampa called. The river was [5c] and Mattsson checked. Skampa also checked and Mattsson announced: “You win.” Mattsson mucked.

Skampa looked a little startled, but mucked behind as the chips were slid in his direction. Who knows what either of them had. Air versus air quite possibly.

2pm: Skampa I
Jan Skampa took three hands on the bounce, in remarkably differing circumstances. First up, he raised to 120,000 from the button and the blinds passed. Then he raised to 120,000 from the cut off (also under-the-gun four handed) and Anthony Roux called from the small blind, as did Stefan Mattsson from the big blind.

The flop came [5s][9d][qh] and after Roux and Mattsson both checked, Skampa bet 210,000. Both players folded.

(The third hand is coming up momentarily in the dastardly entitled “Skampa II”.)

1.55pm: Pressure poker
A Swedish player with a huge chip lead and four handed calling? I don’t think so! I thinking we’ll be seeing Stefan Mattson raising most pots he’ll be entering. The last hand was a perfect example of this. When Anthony Roux raised to 120,000 Mattsson re-raised to 290,000. Roux called to see a [9s][3c][4d] but check-folded to a 310,000 from the Swede.

Stefan Mattsson

1.52pm: Mattsson tangles with Skampa
Jan Skampa raised to 120,000 from the cut off. We’ve seen this before. Stefan Mattsson re-raised to 330,000 from the big blind. We’ve seen this before too. Skampa called. The flop came [3h][kc][10c] and Mattsson fired 440,000. Skampa folded.

In addition to this being quick in terms of eliminations, the actual play during the hands is exceptionally rapid, particularly Mattson and Skampa. That hand took about one minute, start to finish.

1.50pm: A moving picture introduction to the final day

Watch EPT 6 Prague: Final Table Intro on PokerStars.tv

1.45pm: Yes, I am lying
After busting two players in quick succession, Stefan Mattsson opens again, this time for 115,000.

“I am on a rush,” he said.
“Aces again?” asks Skampa.
“Just one ace,” responds the Swede.

Skampa gives no respect to that statement and, from the small blind, pushes out a mountain of orange 25,000 chips - around 400,000. Insta fold from Mattsson.

“So you were lying,” Skampa laughed.
“I was.”

1.40pm: Avitan’s pot
Jan Skampa opens on the button for 120,000 and only Eyal Avitan calls from the small blind. Both check the [ks][jc][js] flop, but Avitan wakes up on the [9h] turn and bets 225,000. Skampa loses interest and folds.

1.36pm: Larry Ryan out in fifth place winning €135,000
On the hand after Luca Pagano busted Stefan Mattsson was back into raising mode. He made it 145,000 to go from the small blind before Larry Ryan three-bet him to 390,000 from the big blind. Mattsson peered left at his opponent and announced “all-in”, getting an instant call from the Irishman. Yet another showdown:

Mattsson: [ad][ac]
Ryan: [jd][jc]

The board came [ks][8s][6d][5h][3s] to confirm that we lose Larry Ryan in 5th place for €135,000. Are we really four handed already?

Larry Ryan

1.35pm: Luca Pagano out in sixth winning €100,000
It’s all over for Luca Pagano for another EPT main event. Another cash, another final table, but another near miss when it comes to the title. Jan Skampa set the tone, raising two pots in succession from late position and picking up blinds and antes. When it was folded to Pagano on the button, he made it 125,000 and Stefan Mattson, in the big blind, asked for a count. “Three-point-five more,” said Pagano.

Mattsson re-raised to 320,000, and Pagano moved all in. “I call,” said Mattsson, in a heartbeat. On their backs:

Pagano: [ac][jd]
Mattsson: [qc][qh]

Pagano was in trouble and the board came [6d][kh][4c], which didn’t offer much help. The turn [qd] actually gave him more outs as he was drawing to a straight. But the [6c] on the end filled Mattsson’s boat and sent Pagano out.

Luca Pagano

1.30pm: Roux raising
Anthony Roux opened for 120,000 from the cut off. Jan Skampa called in the small blind for a flop of [kc][5d][3h]. Both checked for a [7c], then checked that for a [5s] river card. Skampa then fired out 170,000 and Roux called showing [ad][js] to Skampa’s [8s][9s].

1.26pm: Nice pot for Pagano
Luca Pagano opens for 125,000, and gets a call from Anthony Roux on his left. Stefan Mattson folds his button, but Larry Ryan also call from the small blind. The three of them see a [6d][5h][8s] flop, Ryan checks, Pagano bets 275,000 and gets a call from only Roux. The [10c] turn sees another bet from the Italian, this time for 425,000, and now Roux decides it’s best to let this one go. That hand puts Pagano up to 2.6million, And Roux down to 1.7million.

1.25pm: Nice value bet
Jan Skampa raised to 120,000 from under-the-gun and was called by Larry Ryan in the big blind. The flop came [3s][5s][ks] and Ryan check-called a 165,000 bet from Skampa to see the [2s] turn. Both players checked before Ryan led out for 245,000 on the [7c] river. Skampa called quickly and mucked even quicker when Ryan revealed [ac][7s] for a flush.

1.20pm: Counts
Approximate chip counts are available on the chip count page throughout the level. These are the official counts at the break:

Anthony Roux - 2,285,000
Stefan Mattsson - 3,485,000
Larry Ryan - 1,805,000
Jan Skampa - 4,425,000
Eyal Avitan - 3,445,000
Luca Pagano - 2,125,000

1.15pm: New level
With the 1,000 denomination chips now out of circulation, players are ante-ing 5,000. The full, official six-handed counts are on their way.

Here’s how the tournament area looks in Prague today:

Updates from the final table, level 25 of EPT Prague, brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc “The Conv” Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young.

Latest selected chip counts are on the chip count page. The EPT tournament structure can be found on the EPT tournament structure page. Full details of the payout structure and prizewinners is on the payout structure and prizewinners page.

Click through for full profiles of the final table players.

Blinds:
Level 25: 20,000-40,000 (4,000 ante)

1.05pm: Skampa gets involved
On the last hand of this level, Jan Skampa raised to 100,000 and Anthony Roux called from the big blind. The flop came [tc][9d]2h]. Roux check-called Skampa’s 140,000 bet before leading out for 300,000 on the [8h] turn. Skampa called and then bet 650,000 when Roux checked to him on the [th] river. Roux quickly folded and the players headed of for a five minute break while the 1,000 denomination chips are coloured-up.

1pm: Ekerot out in seventh, winning €71,000
Gustav Ekerot, the table short stack, moves all in for 550,000 from the cut-off. Jan Skampa on the button folds, but Eyal Avitan in the small blind sits up with interest, and re-raises all in himself. Luca Pagano is in the big blind but cannot find anything worth playing in this spot.
Ekerot: [qh][7h]
Avitan: [ah][as]
Ekerot is in a world of pain, and the board gave no help at all, running [4s][5s][4h][4c][10c], and the Swede leaves in seventh place for a €71,000 pay day.  We’re down to six already.

Everyone now is winning six figures. Full payout details are on the payout page.

12.55pm: Killing time
A few hands with no takers. Anthony Roux opened but was knocked off the hand by a re-raise by Stefan Mattsson. He took the next hand with an opening bet of 90,000 before Roux took the next by doing the same.

12.50pm: Sven Eichelbaum out in eighth, winning €55,500
Sven Eichelbaum opened for his first raise of the day from second position. He made it 90,000 before facing a three-bet to 365,000 from Larry Ryan in the big blind. It was also the first time the Irishman had raised and that might’ve been going through Eichelbaum’s mind as he thought for a few minutes, then shrugged his shoulders and moved all in. Ryan snap called with [ah][ac] and was in great shape against the German’s [ad][jd]. The board ran [6d][9c][qs][qd][5c] to eliminate Eichelbaum in eighth place for €55,500.

Sven Eichelbaum

12.40pm: Pot to Pagano
The first flop for a while. Luca Pagano opened for 100,000 from under the gun. Stefan Mattsson called from two seats along. The two went heads up to a flop of [jh][jc][4d]. Both checked for a [qh] on the turn. Pagano bet 175,000, getting a quick fold out of Mattsson.

12.30pm: Ekerot moves in
The short stack Gustav Ekerot moves all in when it’s folded to him. Larry Ryan is the only player who seems interested in calling and asks for a count. But eventually thinks better of it and folds. Ekerot takes blinds and antes.

12.25pm: First hand
When Priyian de Mel was eliminated on the final hand last night, he was in the big blind seat, meaning there was no small blind in play on today’s first hand. Stefan Mattsson raised to 90,000 from first position, attacking the solitary big blind. Eyal Avitan re-raised to 240,000, which Mattsson called. The aggression tailed off after that and every street was checked leaving us with a [5c][kh][8c][4h][2c] board. Avitan revealed [qh][qs] and took the first pot as Mattsson mucked

12.22pm: Shuffle up and deal
The formalities have been completed and the cards are in the air.

12.05pm: Twit-to-who?
It’s competition time on PokerStars twitter. Get your own piece of the action by selecting who you think will win EPT Prague today for a chance to win a bundle of Frequent Player Points. Simply tweet (twit?) your selection to @PokerStars_com before the first elimination and if your pick wins then you’re into the draw for the loot. If you lose, well, try next weekend’s competition instead. Get all the details on PokerStars Twitter.

Pick your man from this little lot

12pm: Ready for the off
The eight finalists are returning to the tournament room to begin the final stretch of their quest for the championship. There were 39 minutes of level 25 left when a final table was reached last night, and they will play the remainder of that level, then go straight into level 26, this afternoon.

A reminder of our finalists:

Seat one - Anthony Roux, France, 2,839,000
Seat two - Stefan Mattsson, Sweden, 3,553,000
Seat three - Laurence Ryan, Ireland, 1,338,000
Seat four - Gustav Ekerot, Sweden, 502,000
Seat five - Sven Eichelbaum, Germany, 658,000
Seat six - Jan Skampa, Czech Republic, 3,935,000
Seat seven - Eyal Avitan, Israel, 2,627,000
Seat eight - Luca Pagano, Italy, 2,119,000

And here’s what they are playing for:

1 - €682,000
2 - €454,000
3 - €255,000
4 - €171,000
5 - €135,000
6 - €100,000
7 - €71,000
8 - €55,500

The formalities of photographs, handshakes and nervous chatter are currently under way. We’ll be here with all the action imminently.

Eight players will contest the EPT Prague final table, starting at noon on Sunday at the Hilton hotel in the Czech capital. Details of the full prize-pool, and winners so far, is on the prizewinners page.

The chip leader is the only local player remaining in the field, the Prague-based student Jan Skampa.

The full line up is as follows (in seat order):

1 - Anthony Roux, 26, Provence, France - 2,839,000

Anthony Roux was studying accountancy when he first tried online poker. He used to spend his evenings playing the video game Quake 3 when a friend suggested he try Texas hold ‘em instead. He deposited $1 and has never looked back. He is now a well-respected high stakes online cash game player at the $10-$20 and $20-$50 limits and turned pro nearly three years ago. Although Roux has played numerous EPT events, this is his first cash on the tour. However, he came fifth at a WSOP $2,000 no limit hold ‘em event this summer for $120,311 and followed that up at the WSOPE in London a few months later with another fifth place finish in the £1,000 hold ‘em event, winning £28,181.

2 - Stefan Mattsson, 30, Stockholm, Sweden - 3,553,000

A professional player from Sweden, Stefan Mattsson is a familiar figure on the European Poker Tour circuit and has cashed three times - 41st in Barcelona on season four (€12,550), 35th in Prague last season (€9,700) and 37th in Vilamoura two weeks ago where he came 37th for €8,121. This is his first final table. Mattsson has played poker since he was a child and took up Texas hold ‘em seven years ago. Although he considers himself primarily a cash game player, Mattsson has notched up more than $800,000 in major tournaments winnings. He first came to international attention when he went deep in the 2006 World Series, finishing 57th for $123,699. The following year he bettered that with a 22nd finish for $333,490. In May 2008 he was runner-up at WPT Barcelona in for €220,000 and this summer came sixth at the pot-limit Omaha World Championship at the World Series. Mattsson grew up in Kiruna in Lappland, Sweden’s northernmost city, but now lives in Stockholm.

3 - Larry Ryan, 46, Tipperary, Ireland, PokerStars qualifier - 1,338,000
Laurence Ryan

Larry Ryan won his seat to Prague in a $22 rebuy satellite on PokerStars and is the last remaining PokerStars qualifier in the tournament. The 46-year-old grandfather, who runs his own employment agency in Tipperary, only came to Prague so that he could gain some experience before the PCA, for which he has also qualified. This is the first tournament he has ever played outside Ireland but he’s a familiar figure on the Irish Poker Tour. Ryan started playing draw poker as a teenager and took up no limit hold ‘em six years ago. This is his best live result to date although he came ninth at the Irish Poker Championships in Galway last year for €10,000. He has also won a seat to this year’s Irish Poker Championships which takes place next weekend and is now the launch event for the new PokerStars.com UK and Ireland Poker Tour.

4 - Gustav Ekerot, 22, Stockholm, Sweden - 502,000

Gustav Ekerot started playing poker with friends at school when he was 17. After watching the WPT on television, he started playing some free-rolls online and his success in these gave him the start of an online bankroll. He lives with his parents in Stockholm but is now a full time poker professional and makes his living by competing in online multi-table tournaments. He has also been successful in live events and came second in Master Classics of Poker in Amsterdam last year for €430,000. When not playing poker, Ekerot likes playing indoor hockey.

5 - Sven Eichelbaum, 32, Dresden, Germany - 658,000

Sven Eichelbaum is a painter and decorator who runs his own company in Dresden. He has played poker for three years, both online and live, but the EPT final table in Prague is by far his biggest success so far. Two years ago he finished third at the Baltic Poker Championship for €7,500. “It’s just amazing to make the final table here in Prague,” Eichelbaum said. “I had so many ups and downs.” His girlfriend Stefani has travelled to Prague to cheer him on at the final, and Eichelbaum said: “We’ll be celebrating tomorrow whatever happens in the tournament as it’s also Stefani’s birthday.”

6 - Jan Skampa, 23, Prague, Czech Republic - 3,985,000

Local hero Jan Skampa has made back-to-back final tables - a feat that has not been achieved since season one when Ram Vaswani and Julian Thew both made the finals in Dublin and Copenhagen. Skampa, an economics student in Prague, came fourth two weeks ago in Vilamoura and now has a good chance of bettering that result in Prague. He is already by far the most successful Czech player on the EPT circuit and is third in the Czech all-time money list. Skampa is currently studying at Charles’s University in Prague, his home city, but spends most of his time playing poker. He learned the game from friends and has been playing seriously for three years, scoring his first big result last August at WPT Slovakia, $24,508 for eighth place. He followed that with a win a month later, $24,881 at a WPT Cyprus side event, before eclipsing all previous results with a fourth place finish in Vilamoura worth €117,128.

7 - Eyal Avitan, 34, Ashkelon, Israel - 2,627,000

After finishing day 1b in Prague with only 34,000 chips, Eyal Avitan slipped across the room to enter a $300 turbo side event - and finished second for $13,500. Avitan took up poker six years ago on a Caribbean cruise and although he has only played three live tournaments so far, he has already had reasonable results. In June, he finished seventh in a WPT Barcelona side event and he also came sixth in a $500 WPT Cyprus side event in September. The Israeli estate agent came to Prague with his friend Ran Azor who was runner-up at the WPT Championship in April, winning nearly $1.5 million. Azor has now gone home and Avitan’s wife Karen is back in Israel caring for the couple’s 11-month-old twins Noam and Shani.

8 - Luca Pagano, 31, Treviso, Italy - Team PokerStars Pro - 2,119,000

Luca Pagano has extended his own EPT records in Prague this week by making his sixth final table and his 13th cash. The 31-year-old former computer programming student from Treviso, Italy, kicked off his poker career using play money on PokerStars but soon progressed to real money and turned a modest deposit into a monster online bankroll. He is also hugely successful in live events putting together a small fortune in winnings. He has played dozens of EPT events since the tour started in 2004 and currently leads the EPT Tournament Leader Board. Pagano was nominated EPT Player of the Year in September 2007.

At times it was fast, other times slow, but at the end of play on day four of EPT Prague few were left in any doubt that tomorrow’s final was likely to get a few pulses racing, be they Czech, Italian or neutral.

Jan Skampa, a student in Prague when not found at the poker table, makes his second consecutive EPT final table this weekend following his fourth place finish in Vilamoura just two weeks ago, a feat not achieved since season one. If his reputation hadn’t already been cemented in Portugal, this performance will.

Tournament leader Jan Skampa

Arriving today with nearly 1.3 million chips he was firing from the off, quickly adding to a three-tiered stack, peaking after a three-way Goliath of a hand against Anthony Roux and Stefan Mattsson that shipped more than three million his way. By the close that figure was 3,935,000, with daylight between him and second placed Mattsson.

Stefan Mattsson

Mattsson may sleep tonight dreaming of ace-queen, a hand that provided him relief not once but twice today, first against the ace-king of Juha Lauttamus, then again to bust Yann Brosolo, the latter’s elimination in 13th place bequeathing Mattsson the chip lead.

The Frenchman Anthony Roux, who started his day with a gutsy call to cripple Bastian Trachte, finished today in third place with 2,839,000 chips ahead of Eyal Avitan, the chip leader this morning. Avitan doesn’t smile much although he has reason to, bagging up 2,627,000 chips tonight.

Eyal Avitan

While the efforts of Skampa make the headlines the romantic sub plot belongs to an iconic Italian.

In conversations last night the Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano hinted at recent changes in his game, tweaks to a system that had already netted him record setting cash finishes but that now propel him to his record extending sixth EPT final table.

Luca Pagano

Pagano bags up 2,119,000 tonight. Two events ago he held the chip lead four handed in Warsaw before an outdraw ruined his title chances. It was a bitter defeat. This week he showed he is over that and more determined than ever to snatch that first title.

“This is going to be the sixth try,” said Pagano. “Let’s see if six is going to be the lucky number.”

Other notable performances included that of Juha Lauttamus, who recovered well from his earlier collision with Mattsson. He came close to a second Prague final, but was horse whipped by the poker gods when he least expected it.

Juha Lauttamus

Bad beats are plentiful but the Finn’s departure was worth recalling. All-in with jacks, Anthony Roux called him with ace-king. The flop brought a king and crucially a pair of threes to put Roux ahead but the turn came a jack, swinging things back in Lauttamus’s favour before a king landed on the river, poking Lauttamus in the eye and sending him to the rail in tenth.

What with that and the elimination of the last Englishman Priyan De Mel in ninth place the final table was set. When it starts at noon tomorrow it will look like this:

Seat 1 Anthony Roux - 2,839,000
Seat 2 Stefan Mattsson - 3,553,000
Seat 3 Laurence Ryan - 1,338,000
Seat 4 Gustav Ekerot - 502,000
Seat 5 Sven Eichelbaum - 658,000
Seat 6 Jan Skampa - 3,935,000
Seat 7 Eyal Avitan - 2,627,000
Seat 8 Luca Pagano - 2,119,000

An honourable mention goes to the heroics of one player not among those listed above. Antony Lellouche may feel a depressingly familiar sensation in his bones tonight after busting with three tables left for a third EPT event in succession. Earlier in the week we’d predicted a better score for the Frenchman. Apologies to Lellouche for this kiss of death.

As always, a good way to fill the time between now and noon tomorrow is to immerse yourself in today’s coverage. Find out who departed in 24th place for instance, how long we played 16 handed and who got a smile out of Eyal Avitan in the links below:

Day 4 table draw
Levels 20 & 21
Level 22
Level 23
Level 24
Level 25

That’s it for today then. Read all about day four on our foreign language blogs: German, Swedish and Italian. Our thanks to the video blog team and their tireless work getting Christmas videos up onto the internet. Find that and everything else over at PokerStars.tv. Thanks also for the photography of Neil Stoddart, who brought us this…

And this…

All being (c) him.

Until tomorrow. High noon. See you then.