Check Out Some Bigsatka Hands From The 2025 EPT Monte Carlo

Table Of Contents

• Cirstea Comes Out on Top as Two Players Make Trips
• Montalban Pulls in Huge Pot After Schlueter Shoves Turn
• Kokhestani Picks Off La Boissonniere in the Biggest Pot of the Tournament
• Andres Goeller's Demise
• Kokhestani Plays Power Poker

The 2025 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo €5,300 Main Event attracted 1,195 entrants and awarded a €5,795,750 prize pool. The tournament was won by Russia’s Aleksandr Shevliakov for a smooth €1,000,000, though it came after some controversy at the final table when one hand left some alleging angle shooting, though Shevliakov later issued a statement to offer his side of the story.

While that hand dominated the headlines, it was far from the only one that had a big impact on the tournament. In fact, the PokerNewsLive Reporting Team was on-hand all tournament long, capturing the action, and we’ve compiled five of the biggest, most game-changing hands.

Check them out below.

'No Angles, No Tricks' – Poker Champ Denies Final Table Angle Shooting

Cirstea Comes Out on Top as Two Players Make Trips

On Day 3 in Level 17 (3,000/6,000/6,000), reporter Matt Warburton witnessed an open-raise to 12,000 from under the gun, Gianfranco Iaculli called, then Constantin Cirstea three-bet to 37,000. Jeremie Zouari called in the small blind, the original raiser folded, and Iaculli also made the call.

The flop came A♦4♣A♠and action checked to Cirstea, who continued with a bet of 65,000. Zouari used two time bank cards before making the call, further inflating the pot.

Iaculli then check-raised to 150,000, and Cirstea moved all in for 275,000. Zouari quickly folded, and the decision was back on Iaculli, who sighed and went into the tank himself before opting to call.

Iaculli had A♥10♣for trip aces, but Cirstea was ahead as he flipped over A♣K♥for trip aces with a higher kicker.

The turn came the 6♦and river the 7♠. Cirstea held to pull in a huge pot that brought his stack up to around 700,000.

Montalban Pulls in Huge Pot After Schlueter Shoves Turn

In another hand from Day 3, also from Level 17, Warburton saw Jamil Wakil open the pot with a raise to 12,000 from under the gun. Heinz Schlueter called in the hijack, and Manel Montalban called on the button.

On the 3♣6♣10♥flop, action checked to Montalban, who made a bet of 25,000. Wakil called before Schlueter check-raised to 77,000. Montalban called, and Wakil folded.

By the time the 9♥turn was dealt, the pot was already worth around 200,000, giving Schlueter a pot-sized shove. Schlueter pulled the trigger, pushing 192,000 into the middle and leaving Montalban with a game-changing decision to make.

Montalban called and Schlueter showed K♣Q♣for a flush draw with overcards. At this point, Schlueter probably thought he had a lot of outs, until Montalban flipped over A♣10♣for a higher flush draw and pair of tens.

Schlueter needed a king or queen to pull ahead, but couldn't find what he was looking for as the river came the 10♦to further improve Montalban's hand to trip tens.

Montalban scooped in a huge pot of around 400,000, and Schlueter was eliminated from the tournament.

Kokhestani Picks Off La Boissonniere in the Biggest Pot of the Tournament

On Day 3 in Level 20 (6,000/12,000/12,000), reporter David Salituro saw Charles La Boissonniere raise to 26,000 on the button and Georgios Karakousis and Khossein Kokhestani called in the blinds.

La Boissonniere continued for 28,000 on the Q♣8♥6♥flop and both opponents called. The turn was the A♦, and La Boissonniere bet another 130,000.

Only Kokhestani called this time,e and the 5♥fell on the river. La Boissonniere then moved all in, sending Kokhestani deep into the tank.

Kokhestani took several minutes and burned through most of his time banks before calling for 592,000. La Boissonniere could only show K♦9♥for a bluff as Kokhestani threw down A♠6♠for two pair and slammed the table in celebration.

"He had a flush or nothing," Kokhestani said, snapping a photo of the board before raking in the massive pot worth 1,600,000.

Andres Goeller's Demise

On Day 5, just 18 players remained in Level 26 (25,000/50,000/50,000) when reporter Matt Warburton captured a game-changing pot on the very first hand of the day. It happened when Diego De Martino open-raised to 110,000 from the cutoff, Enrico Coppola called on the button, and Andreas Goeller called in the big blind.

The flop came 7♣A♣A♠, and Goeller led out for 150,000, De Martino called, and Coppola raised it up to 550,000. Goeller then reraised to 1,100,000, De Martino folded, and Coppola called in what was now a very valuable pot.

On the 2♦turn, Goeller ripped in his stack for around 1,800,000, and Coppola used a couple of time bank cards before flicking in a chip to make the call.

Goeller had 10♦7♥for two pair, sevens, and aces. Coppola had A♦5♠for trip aces, leaving Goeller drawing dead as the river came the 3♠.

Coppola had his opponent covered and raked in a pot that brought his stack up to 6,400,000, putting him well out in first place. Goeller was eliminated from the tournament in 18th place for €34,600.

Kokhestani Plays Power Poker

On Day 6 in Level 32 (100,000/200,000/200,000), Salituro wrote that Boris Angelov raised to 450,000 on the button and Khossein Kokhestani three-bet to 1,500,000 in the big blind.

Angelov came back with a four-bet to 2,600,000, and Kokhestani used a time bank and eventually put in a five-bet to 4,000,000. Angelov also burned through a time bank and ended up folding A♦7♠.

Kokhestani showed 4♣2♠as he took the pot. It may not seem like a consequential hand, but it was indicative of Kokhestani's aggressive play that help guide him to a second-place finisher for €615,000.