EPT Warsaw: Day 5, level 24 updates

Live updates from day five, level 24 of the EPT Warsaw Main Event event brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Howard Swains and Simon Young.

Blinds: 15,000-30,000 (3,000 ante)

5.48pm: That's the end of level 24
Much as we loved it, level 24 must go. Instead, we look forward to level 25 in 15 minutes.

As the official counts at the end of level 24 reveal, we have a new chip leader. It's the French player Christophe Benzimra, who enjoyed a terrific last level.

Christophe Benzimra - 2,213,000
Oleksandr Vaserfirer - 2,140,000
Luca Pagano - 1,091,000
Alfio Battista - 671,000

Not so good for Italians, obviously.

5.47pm: Re-raising
Luca Pagano takes a pot from Benzimra, re-raising and showing [ad] after Benzimra folded [ah][5h]. "Maybe... I had the best hand," said Pagano. On the next hand there was more raising. This time Battisti re-raised all-in after Vaserfirer made it 110,000 from the button. It got no further than that though.

5.45pm: A few words here and there
Vaserfirer opens for 85,000 from the button. Benzimra calls for a flop of [6c][qd][qc]. Vaserfirer then bets 50,000 which is called. On the [kc] turn Benzimra checks to the Ukrainian who then bets 250,000. "Flush?" asks Benzimra, but Vaserfirer speaks no English.

"Queen," says Vaserfirer. So he knows a few words then. Benzimra announced raise, making it 500,000 total. That was enough for Vaserfirer to fold.

5.40pm: Battles of Battisti
Battisti opened for 75,000 which Vaserfirer called for a flop of [kh][jd][3d]. Vaserfirer checked before Battisti made it 115,000. Vaserfirer then raised himself, to 280,000 winning the hand.

5.32pm: Dario Minieri wins High Roller
While the main event continues on its merry way, the video team caught up with Team PokerStars Pro Dario Minieri, who last night won the €12,000 High Roller event, winning a handy €77,000...

5.30pm: All in, call, oh
Alfio Battisti raised from the button, making it 75,000. Christophe Benzimra reraised in the small blind, asking for 220,000 more. Battisti called. The flop came [qd][10s][8c] and suddenly all the chips were in the middle. Benzimra bet 270,000; Battisti shoved for 350,000 more and Benzimra called. Battisti was behind but he had outs. His [ac][jh] meant that any ace or any king would win it outright and any nine would chop it with Benzimra's [jc][js]. The turn was the blank [7s] but the river was the [9s] and that meant an awful lot of fuss about nothing. They chopped it, and we continue on.

5.25pm: Big pot brewing
Benzimra opened for 90,000 in the small blind. Luca Pagano wanted to see the Frenchman's stack, about 1.2 million which Pagano covered. He then made it 240,000 in the big blind which Benzimra called. The flop came [tc][4c][ah]. Benzimra checked to Pagano who made it 220,000. Now Benzimra shoved all in. Pagano passed - and Benzimra showed him pocket queens.

5.20pm: To the flop
A bet of 90,000 from Benzimra pre-flop was raised to 250,000 by Vaserfirer in the small blind. Benzimra called for a flop of [9s][jh][6c]. Vaserfirer made it another 300,000 to play, enough to make the Frenchman fold.

5.15pm: Battisti on the attack
Alfio Battisti raised to 75,000 under-the-gun and Luca Pagano called in the small blind, as did Oleksandr Vaserfirer in the big. The flop came [8d][6h][10d] and Pagano checked. Vaserfirer, however, wasn't so circumspect. He made it 110,000. That put Battisti on the offensive as he moved all in for about a million. Pagano passed as did Vaserfirer, probably well aware that he can't afford to double anyone up any more. Battisti took it down and now every player has gone somewhere between 1.4m and 1.6m or thereabouts.

5.10pm: Vaserfirer again
Vaserfirer opened for 80,000 from the button, raised by Battisti in the small blind to 210,000. Benzimra holds up pocket sevens and folds while Vaserfirer calls for a flop of [kc][jh][ad]. Battisti checked to Vaserfirer who made it 295,000 to go. Battisti didn't go, he passed.

5.05pm: Evening out
As the reeling in of Oleksandr Vaserfirer continues, the stacks have evened out to a remarkable degree. Here's what they're sitting with, approximately:

Oleksandr Vaserfirer: 1,800,000
Luca Pagano: 1,600,000
Christophe Benzimra: 1,400,000
Alfio Battisti: 1,100,000

5pm: Oleksandr firing
Vaserfirer opens for 80,000 which Benzimra called. The saw a flop of [5d][3c][6s]. Benzimra checked before Vaserfirer bet 105,000. That was enough for Benzimra to fold. The latest feeling is that Luca Pagano has taken over the chip lead, or is at least very close to it.

4.52pm: Blinds
There's a lot of blind stealing going on, and a good deal of blind defending too. The reason? That big blind is now 30,000, which equates to one player's starting stack from this tournament.

4.50pm: See two more in pain
Here's the latest two bust outs for you in glorious technicolor film - first Clayton Mozdzen, then Ruslan Prydryk in that three-way coup...

4.45pm: Power poker Pagano
This is getting very interesting now, especially the battle between Luca Pagano and Oleksandr Vaserfirer. Pagano makes up Vaserfirer's big blind and the Ukrainian player makes it 100,000 more. Pagano calls and the flop is: [jc][10c][qd]. They both check that, but it all goes off on the turn of [7d]. Pagano leads for 150,000, Vaserfirer raises to 350,000 and Pagano moves all in, for about 1,000,000. Vaserfirer eventually folds.

4.40pm: From the button
A bet of 75,000 from Battisti on the button, called by Luca Pagano in the big blind for a flop of [4d][js][tc]. Both players checked for a [9c]. Pagano now made it 120,000 which Battista called for a [4c] river card. Check check. Pagano showed [kd][jh] to take the pot.

4.35pm: Battisti's bluff becomes a straight
The first hand into the new level and Oleksandr Vaserfirer makes up Alfio Battisti's big blind. They see a flop of [7h][9s][2s] and after Vaserfirer checks, Battisti bets 45,000. Call. They check the turn of [8s] and the river is [10s]. Vaserfirer checks, Battisti bets 90,000 and Vaserfirer calls. Battisti shows [jd][2h] for the rivered straight and it is good.

4.30pm: Stacks at the start
The four players remaining have the following chips at the start of level 24:

Oleksandr Vaserfirer - 2,173,000
Christophe Benzimra - 1,779,000
Luca Pagano - 1,152,000
Alfio Battisti - 985,000