EPT11 Prague Main Event – Stephen Graner Storms the Final Table Claiming the Title

I planned and prepared for this tournament for several months, and now knows what it feels like when hard work pays off. Stephen Graner, PokerStars Blog;

Another curiosity of today’s final table was that it only lasted some five hours start to finish. It was helped by the fact that the play started with only seven players, but it was still way faster than expected.

The final table got to an explosive start, as Bjorn Wiesler 3-bet shoved over Mattson’s raise on the very first hand, and although the things ended without a showdown, it was an announcement of the action that was to follow.

Remi Castaignon, the only player coming in with the hope of capturing a second EPT title was, in fact, the first one eliminated. Coming back to a stack of only ten big blinds, he had his work cut out for him and was sent to the rail in seventh when his 76 failed to improve against Bertilsson’s Ace-Ten. We will have to wait some more for someone to match Vicky’s success, while Castaignon earned €129,390 for his efforts.

Bjron Weisler was one of the bigger stacks still in the tournament and was not looking to go anywhere anytime soon, but his confrontation with the menace that Graner was today saw him depart in sixth spot. His pocket nines fell against Graner’s ak in a blind vs blind confrontation. Unlucky, or very lucky, depending on where you sit at the table. Weisler picked up €172,340 for the great run through the tournament.

Simon Mattsson also made a mistake of trying to stand up to Graner. Of course, it was a correct play, and once again it was a flip, but the mistake part stems from the fact that Graner simply seemed untouchable today. His pocket Sevens easily held up against Mattson’s aj as he was sent to the rail earning €235,700.

When the play started yesterday, Fabio Sperling was the one to catch. Although he lost the chiplead in the proceedings leading up to the final table, he still returned with a respectable stack. He was able to cash in that stack for the fourth place finish worth €308,180 after running into Bertilsson’s pocket Aces.

These chips would help Bertilsson make it to the heads up stage, as Graner got the last remaining obstacle out of the way. Jonathan Wong (the obstacle) got his chips in the middle from the button holding pocket Trey, but found himself in dire straits against pocket Jacks of Graner. No, he did not find one of the two remaining treys to keep him alive and was sent packing with €410,190 to his name.

It was now down to the Swede Anton Bertilsson and the American Stephen Graner to answer the question of the winner – although on this particular occasion, it was almost a rhetorical one.

Graner came in with about 7 to 1 advantage and the Swede needed to pull a real miracle to get in the spot where he could even start thinking about winning. He was able to pull one double up, but that was about it. In the final skirmish of the tournament, Graner’s red Fours held up against k5 of Bertilsson and it was all over.

For his second place finish, the Swede will take home €582,720, which is certainly a tremendous prize, but it is Stephen Graner who walks away with the title and all the glory that accompanies it. He outlasted 1,106 players, survived the flips, pulled the bluffs and in the end, he picked up his bounty.

He earns €969,000, together with the beautiful EPT trophy and a fancy luxury Slyde watch.

The end (for now, at least).

I woke up with a lot of premium hands and won a lot of critical flips. It was as much the dealers' work as my own...It was tough competition but a dream in how it played out. I ran very pure. Stephen Graner, PokerStars Blog;

Image: PokerStars Blog

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