There are countless reasons why this week will live long in the memory of poker enthusiasts. This was the first EPT event to be hosted in Berlin and it was the first time there was a guaranteed €1m to the winner. And, of course, there was that incident. It happened, but no need to say more.

Today's final table, however, was the perfect tonic to end a week of highs and lows. It featured eight players who had each earned their place by playing the best poker of their lives, and they gave a terrific show of fearless deep-stack final table play. When we were down to three - Kevin MacPhee, Ilari Tahkokallio and Marc Inizan - any of them would have been a more than worthy winner. The other five weren't too shabby either.

In the event, our first EPT Berlin champion is that man MacPhee from Coeur d'Alene, in Idaho, USA. MacPhee, a serial qualifier to major tournaments on PokerStars, is better known as "ImaLuckSac" online, and his immediate reaction echoed the sentiments of that username.

"I am a luck-sack," MacPhee said. "What can I say? I ran extremely good and I had the nuts every time someone played back at me." Advised that he was now a millionaire, MacPhee said: "Yeah, that's nice. About time." MacPhee is 29-years-old.

Tahkokallio, from Finland, who finished second, emerged with immense credit too. "He's an amazing player and my hat's off to him," MacPhee said of his adversary. And MacPhee was in the best position to judge.

Early yesterday, MacPhee had turned to Tahkokallio and said: "Are we going to get heads up again?" It was a reference to a side event at EPT London earlier this season, when the same two players had gone mano-a-mano for that title. "Probably," Tahkokallio replied, and despite all the intervening disturbances, the two of them kept their date tonight.

Their heads-up battle this time lasted more than three hours, with more than one exchange of the chip lead. MacPhee eventually persuaded Tahkokallio to get all his money in on a low board with the Finn holding a couple of overcards. MacPhee had middle pair and rivered a straight. Cue hugs, handshakes and a new champion.

MacPhee had the dominant stack coming into the final, but he was gracious enough to allow two of the shorties to get involved early on, costing Nico Behling his shot at the million. Behling was out on the second hand of the day, sent packing by Marcel Koller's pocket tens.

MacPhee then came out firing, flopping a set with pocket sevens to out-run Marko Neumann's big slick, and busting Ketul Nathwani in fifth with [ad][9c] against the Englishman's [as][6d].

Tahkokallio stuck his head briefly above the parapet to knock out Marcel Koller in between. That was a standard queens (Tahkokallio) against [ac][qs] (Koller) cooler - a rare moment of normalcy amid all the fireworks.

The first slowdown came four-handed, but the most pressure was on the Polish player Artur Wasek. He had made a last-minute decision to play this event, wagering money made at the cash tables on the eve of day one, and so had already progressed further than he could have hoped.

He wouldn't be shifted without a fight - or another cooler. Wasek found queens when Inizan had kings, and Inizan had a bigger stack. It all went in, the board was dry, and out went Wasek.

Inizan's tournament didn't last much longer, but here was a man who had demonstrated beyond doubt that he is a shark patrolling the waters of the biggest tournament fields. He led almost from pillar to post in a recent 800-strong event in Belgium, making the final table but finishing ninth, and he had been in the top nine at the end of every day here.

The momentum took him further than ever before in Berlin, but he was halted in third, flopping top pair when MacPhee had hit the nut straight. All in. Gone.

So here it was, the second date MacPhee and Tahkokallio had arranged in October. And although this time it was MacPhee picking up the check, few would bet against this tete-a-tete prospering around the tables of major poker tournaments on many more romantic occasions from here.

That, then, is that. The full list of who won what here in the German capital is on the prizewinners page. And you can look back at all the video blogs from the tournament floor at PokerStars.tv.

Today's typos action can be relived in all their its glory at the following links:

EPT Berlin final table player profiles
Levels 27 through 29 live updates
Levels 30-33 live updates
Level 33 live update (one hand!)

And who knows if what they write in German, Swedish or Dutch is worth the strain on the frontal lobe, but there's a link nonetheless.

All the photography on PokerStars Blog comes from Neil Stoddart and the words are the combined magic of Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young. Hubble hubble, boil and bubble, etc.

We'll be back on the EPT at Snowfest in Austria in a couple of weeks time. We can safely assume that you'll be there too - without the compound fractures that us non-skiers will surely have suffered during our ill-advised attempts at cliff-hucking and indie grabs.

Until then, cheerio from Germany.

There are countless reasons why this week will live long in the memory of poker enthusiasts. This was the first EPT event to be hosted in Berlin and it was the first time there was a guaranteed €1m to the winner. And, of course, there was that incident. It happened, but no need to say more.

Today's final table, however, was the perfect tonic to end a week of highs and lows. It featured eight players who had each earned their place by playing the best poker of their lives, and they gave a terrific show of fearless deep-stack final table play. When we were down to three - Kevin MacPhee, Ilari Tahkokallio and Marc Inizan - any of them would have been a more than worthy winner. The other five weren't too shabby either.

In the event, our first EPT Berlin champion is that man MacPhee from Coeur d'Alene, in Idaho, USA. MacPhee, a serial qualifier to major tournaments on PokerStars, is better known as "ImaLuckSac" online, and his immediate reaction echoed the sentiments of that username.

"I am a luck-sack," MacPhee said. "What can I say? I ran extremely good and I had the nuts every time someone played back at me." Advised that he was now a millionaire, MacPhee said: "Yeah, that's nice. About time." MacPhee is 29-years-old.

Tahkokallio, from Finland, who finished second, emerged with immense credit too. "He's an amazing player and my hat's off to him," MacPhee said of his adversary. And MacPhee was in the best position to judge.

Early yesterday, MacPhee had turned to Tahkokallio and said: "Are we going to get heads up again?" It was a reference to a side event at EPT London earlier this season, when the same two players had gone mano-a-mano for that title. "Probably," Tahkokallio replied, and despite all the intervening disturbances, the two of them kept their date tonight.

Their heads-up battle this time lasted more than three hours, with more than one exchange of the chip lead. MacPhee eventually persuaded Tahkokallio to get all his money in on a low board with the Finn holding a couple of overcards. MacPhee had middle pair and rivered a straight. Cue hugs, handshakes and a new champion.

MacPhee had the dominant stack coming into the final, but he was gracious enough to allow two of the shorties to get involved early on, costing Nico Behling his shot at the million. Behling was out on the second hand of the day, sent packing by Marcel Koller's pocket tens.

MacPhee then came out firing, flopping a set with pocket sevens to out-run Marko Neumann's big slick, and busting Ketul Nathwani in fifth with [ad][9c] against the Englishman's [as][6d].

Tahkokallio stuck his head briefly above the parapet to knock out Marcel Koller in between. That was a standard queens (Tahkokallio) against [ac][qs] (Koller) cooler - a rare moment of normalcy amid all the fireworks.

The first slowdown came four-handed, but the most pressure was on the Polish player Artur Wasek. He had made a last-minute decision to play this event, wagering money made at the cash tables on the eve of day one, and so had already progressed further than he could have hoped.

He wouldn't be shifted without a fight - or another cooler. Wasek found queens when Inizan had kings, and Inizan had a bigger stack. It all went in, the board was dry, and out went Wasek.

Inizan's tournament didn't last much longer, but here was a man who had demonstrated beyond doubt that he is a shark patrolling the waters of the biggest tournament fields. He led almost from pillar to post in a recent 800-strong event in Belgium, making the final table but finishing ninth, and he had been in the top nine at the end of every day here.

The momentum took him further than ever before in Berlin, but he was halted in third, flopping top pair when MacPhee had hit the nut straight. All in. Gone.

So here it was, the second date MacPhee and Tahkokallio had arranged in October. And although this time it was MacPhee picking up the check, few would bet against this tete-a-tete prospering around the tables of major poker tournaments on many more romantic occasions from here.

That, then, is that. The full list of who won what here in the German capital is on the prizewinners page. And you can look back at all the video blogs from the tournament floor at PokerStars.tv.

Today's typos action can be relived in all their its glory at the following links:

EPT Berlin final table player profiles
Levels 27 through 29 live updates
Levels 30-33 live updates
Level 33 live update (one hand!)

And who knows if what they write in German, Swedish or Dutch is worth the strain on the frontal lobe, but there's a link nonetheless.

All the photography on PokerStars Blog comes from Neil Stoddart and the words are the combined magic of Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey, Howard Swains and Simon Young. Hubble hubble, boil and bubble, etc.

We'll be back on the EPT at Snowfest in Austria in a couple of weeks time. We can safely assume that you'll be there too - without the compound fractures that us non-skiers will surely have suffered during our ill-advised attempts at cliff-hucking and indie grabs.

Until then, cheerio from Germany.

10.42pm: Kevin MacPhee wins EPT Berlin and €1 million
Most thought this would be the level in which EPT Berlin would be won but few suspected it would be quite so soon. Kevin MacPhee raised to 700,000 and Ilari Tahkokallio called for a [4h][5c][2c] flop. The Finn led out for 760,000 and then moved all-in when MacPhee raised. MacPhee called to take then to the showdown:

MacPhee: [3s][4s] for a pair and straight draw.
Tahkokallio: [9h][6h] for an over card and gutshot draw.

The turn [jh] also gave Tahkokallio outs to the flush but the river came [6s], making MacPhee a straight and making him EPT Berlin Champion.

Stand by for the full wrap of the day's events - MC

10.35pm: Winner
Kevin MacPhee wins EPT Berlin and €1 million. Details of the winning hand and the wrap of the whole day coming up.

10.27pm: Play resumes
A new level, why not start a new post? Players are returning from their break. Here are the scores...

Kevin MacPhee -- 19, 225,000
Ilari Tahkokallio -- 9,400,000

PokerStars blog reporting team (in order of alertness): Simon Young (nicotine), Howard Swains (caffeine), Marc Convey (life), Stephen Bartley (kids).

10.42pm: Kevin MacPhee wins EPT Berlin and €1 million
Most thought this would be the level in which EPT Berlin would be won but few suspected it would be quite so soon. Kevin MacPhee raised to 700,000 and Ilari Tahkokallio called for a [4h][5c][2c] flop. The Finn led out for 760,000 and then moved all-in when MacPhee raised. MacPhee called to take then to the showdown:

MacPhee: [3s][4s] for a pair and straight draw.
Tahkokallio: [9h][6h] for an over card and gutshot draw.

The turn [jh] also gave Tahkokallio outs to the flush but the river came [6s], making MacPhee a straight and making him EPT Berlin Champion.

Stand by for the full wrap of the day's events - MC

10.35pm: Winner
Kevin MacPhee wins EPT Berlin and €1 million. Details of the winning hand and the wrap of the whole day coming up.

10.27pm: Play resumes
A new level, why not start a new post? Players are returning from their break. Here are the scores...

Kevin MacPhee -- 19, 225,000
Ilari Tahkokallio -- 9,400,000

PokerStars blog reporting team (in order of alertness): Simon Young (nicotine), Howard Swains (caffeine), Marc Convey (life), Stephen Bartley (kids).

The European Poker Tour has released a new statement following yesterday's armed robbery at the Grand Hyatt Hotel here in Berlin. This statement corrects some of the misreporting of the incident in the media...

"Yesterday at approximately 2.15pm, an armed robbery took place at the European Poker Tour (EPT) event in Berlin. Nobody was seriously injured. Four armed men were involved in the robbery which targeted the tournament registration desk outside the tournament area.

No shots were fired and the suspects quickly fled after a security guard intervened. The police investigation so far has shown that the suspects had a handgun and a machete. Contrary to tabloid reports, no Kalashnikov assault rifles or hand grenades were used. The suspects did not enter the tournament area and the money taken was substantially less than what has been reported.

The tournament resumed after a few hours and a police investigation is now under way. The tournament is taking place on the first floor of the Grand Hyatt Hotel at Marlene-Dietrich-Platz and is being held by SPIELBANK Berlin Casino.

The police are working closely with the EPT and SPIELBANK Berlin. Police are asking anyone who has information, video footage or photographs that might aid the investigation to contact them."

10.15pm: Break time, again
Another break for the players. Play restarts in 15 minutes.

10.10pm: Another hand
On a board of [qc][tc][js][6h][ah] Kevin MacPhee made it 1,220,000 and Ilari called. MacPhee took the pot showing [jc], another hand that almost passes like it was played in an empty room. MacPhee scooped the pot, Tahkokallio giggled a bit.

10.03pm: Tricky Ilari
Ilari Tahkokallio played a tricky hand that went in his favour. He limped in and then called Kevin MacPhee's raise to 625,000. The flop came [4c][ac][2h] and MacPhee led out for 750,000 but quickly laid it down when the Finn raised. --MC

9.55pm: Hand 232 of the final table
And it saw Ilari Tahkokallio fall below 10million for the first time in a while. He raised to 450,000 pre-flop and Kevin MacPhee called. Both checked the [4h][7d][10c] flop, but on the [2s] turn MacPhee made it 575,000. Call. On the [10h] river MacPhee made it 950,000 and again got a call. [j][7] for MacPhee, and that was good against the king from Tahkokallio.

9.45pm: Two monsters
This one was like the dinosaur fight scene in a Doug McClure movie. On a flop of [ks][qd][5d] both checked for a [9s] turn. Tahkokallio then made it 525,000 which MacPhee called for a [9h] on the river. Both checked. Tahkokallio confessed to six-high. MacPhee had that smashed with ten-high.

9.33pm: MacPhee emptied the clip
Kevin MacPhee has stretched his lead out once again. The players saw a [8c][8h][ts] flop where MacPhee bet 525,000. Ilari Tahkokallio made the call and then called MacPhee's 1,220,000 bet on the [jc] turn. The river came [7c] and MacPhee fired a third bullet with a 2 million bet. Tahkokallio called but mucked upon seeing MacPhee's [9][7] for a turned straight. --MC

9.25pm: Takhokallio gives back lead
On a flop of [7s][7c][6c] both checked for a [qh] on the turn. Tahkokallio checked and MacPhee bet 525,000 only to be check-raised to 1,450,000. MacPhee called for a [qh] and a pot that was now worth 3,800,000. The river came [js] and both checked, MacPhee taking the pot when Tahkokallio folded an open ended straight draw.

9.22pm: Tahkokallio takes lead
For the first time in heads-up play Ilari Tahkokallio has taken the chip lead. He called a 525,000 bet from the American on the turn before betting 990,000 on the river. The final board read [6c][4c][3h][6s][ac] and MacPhee made the call. Tahkokallio tabled [a][4] for two-pair and the pot as MacPhee mucked. Tahkokallio now on 15.5 million to MacPhee's 13million. --MC

9.17pm: Change of tactic
The first pre-flop three-bet in a long while just took place. It looked like a big pot was brewing but it didn't quite happen. Kevin MacPhee raised to 450,000 and was quickly three-bet to 1,375,000. It looked as if MacPhee was gearing up for something but no, he folded. --MC

9.11pm: Pfff
A hand fizzles out with Tahkokallio showing a five, matching another on the flop to take a small pot.

9.01pm: Ace high takes it
Kevin MacPhee raised to 450,000 and Ilari Tahkokallio called. He then check-called MacPhee's 525,000 bet on [3s][10d][6s] flop, then both checked the [kc] turn and [2h] river. "Queen high," announced MacPhee. "Ace high," responded Tahkokallio triumphantly.

8.56pm: They're back
Play restarts in the final of EPT Berlin. Two men enter, one will leave €1million richer. Here we go.

8.38pm: Break time
Well after a period of inactivity the level ends. Players now have a 15 minute break. Play resumes at 8.55pm.

8.34pm: Chips
Kevin MacPhee -- 18,500,000
Ilari Tahkokallio -- 9,900,00

8.25pm: Hold your fire lads
Nothing big, nothing to change the balance in favour of Kevin MacPhee. Small pots going both ways.

8.12pm: More for Tahkokallio
Ilari Tahkokallio takes down another pot when on a board of [8s][5d][9d][qh][4c] he bet 655,000 with 1,700,000 already in the middle. MacPhee folded.

8pm: Tahkokallio doubles
Ilari Tahkokallio is right back in this after doubling-up to 12 million. Kevin MacPhee raised to 360,000 and was called for a [3h][2d][6c] flop where both checked. No such checking on the [qc] turn as MacPhee moved all-in when his 380,000 bet was raised by the Finn. Tahkokallio snap-called with [2c][2h] for a set to MacPhee's drawing [kc][4c]. The river blanked with [8h] and it's game on.

7.50pm: Small pot
A small pot is taken by Ilari Tahkokallio after a board of [qd][9c][ts] is checked to the [ks] river. At this point Tahkokallio made it 450,000 and MacPhee passed.

7.45pm: Chip counts
Kevin MacPhee - 23,150,000
Ilari Tahkokallio - 5,320,000

7.40pm: Strangle hold for MacPhee
Kevin MacPhee has four times the chips of his opponent after the biggest pot of heads-up play so far. Ilari Tahkokallio led for 280,000 on the turn and was called. The board read [td][6d][3d][qs][5s] by the river and MacPhee bet 1,120,000 only to be raised to 2,670,000. He made the call and was happy to hear "Jack high" from the Finn. MacPhee tabled six-five for two-pair. --MC

7.35pm: More to MacPhee
Kevin MacPhee opened for 450,000 which Ilari Tahkokallio raised to 890,000. Not done, MacPhee made it 2,040,000 and Tahkokallio had to fold. MacPhee now up to 19,790,000.

7.35pm: Tahkokallio some back
Ilari Tahkokallio has got some of those chip back. He raised pre-flop and was called before a [6d][5s][5d] came down. His c-bet of was raised by MacPhee but he stood firm and called to create a 3 million pot going to the [2c] turn. MacPhee checked to face a 1.5 million pot. Fold. --MC

7.30pm: MacPhee takes one away
Ilari Tahkokallio raised to 360,000 and was called. The flop came [5d][4s][6h] and his 440,000 bet was called by MacPhee before they both checked the [4c]. MacPhee then led for 420,000 on the [ad] river. Job done as Tahkokallio folded.

7.20pm: Pot to MacPhee
On the flop of [kc][ah][7h] Kevin MacPhee made it 320,000, called. The turn came a [5c]. Both checked for a [ts] river. Tahkokallio bet 410,000 which was called. Tahkokallio mucked his hand immediately, leaving the pot for MacPhee.

7.05pm: Marc Inizan eliminated in third place for €350,000
We're heads-up. An action flop came down in a pot between Kevin MacPhee and Mark Inizan that resulted in Inizan being eliminated.

Marc Inizan

MacPhee raised from the button and was called by Inizan for a [7h][jh][8s] flop. The Frenchman check-raised MacPhee's 360,000 bet up to 890,000. MacPhee re-raised this to 1,760,000 and then snap-called Inizan's shove.

MacPhee: [9s][ts] for the nuts.
Inizan: [jc][tc] for top pair and gutshot to the same straight.

The turn [4h] and river [as] changed nothing and we're down to two players. -- MC.

6.55pm: Take it Tahkokallio
Marc Inizan opened for 255,000 which was called by Ilari Tahkokallio for a flop of [5c][2c][2h]. Tahkokallio checked to Inizan who bet 260,000, then folded when Tahkokallio raised to 680,000. -- SB

6.50pm: Raising the C-bet
In addition to the habit for pretzels and doughnuts developed this week, there have been some other patterns appearing around the poker tables. The fashion for raising continuation bets has been very obvious, and Marc Inziman just gave a textbook example.

Kevin MacPhee opened pre-flop, Inizan called and the flop was [10h][5s][2c]. Inizan checked, MacPhee bet 335,000 and Inizan made it 915,000. MacPheen folded.

6.45pm: MacPhee retakes leads after pre-flop fold
Kevin MacPhee is back in to the chip lead after folding pre-flop and letting Ilari Tahkokallio lose a chunk to Marc Inizan. A blind on blind limped pot brought a [4s][qd][7s] flop where the Finn led for 150,000. Call. He then led for 320,000 on the [qh] turn and 700,000 on the [jd] river. Inizan called both times and took the pot with jack-seven for two-pair. Tahkokallio could only show a king. --MC

5.31pm: Break
We've been taken completely by surprise by the announcement we are now on a one-hour dinner break, not least because we only just finished eating our fast-food. What are we going to do on a dinner break now?

Well, we could gaze at the chip stacks of the three players for starters...

Ilary Tahkokallio, 12,260,000
Kevin MacPhee, 10,850,000
Marc Inizan, 5,695,000

5.30pm: Artur Wasek eliminated in fourth place for €280,000
Artur Wasek is out in fourth place. Marc Inizan limped from under the gun and Artur Wasek moved all-in. Inizan called showing [kc][ks]. Wasek winced, turning over [qh][qd]. The flop brought some ooohs, [9c][td][jc]. The but the [2s] turn and [4c] river sent Wasek to the rail in fourth place.

5.20pm: Pot to Tahkotallio
Kevin MacPhee opened for 270,000 which Ilari Tahkotallio raised to 720,000, forcing MacPhee to fold.

5.15pm: We have....
... indigestion.

5.10pm: The high life
The blog team has taken timely delivery of a Big Mac meal each with side order of a cheeseburger. We know how to live. -- SY

5.05pm: Shoving
Tahkokallio bet before Marc Inizan moved all-in for a little more than 3,000,000. That's enough of that, Tahkokallio folded. -- SB

5pm: MacPhee takes back chip lead
MacPhee and Ilary Tahkokallio are trading the chip lead, and now it's MacPhee's turn to make the running. On this one raised to 270,000 and Tahkokallio called. On the [9h][kc][6d] flop Tahkokallio check-called MacPhee's 360,000 bet. Both checked the [5c] turn, and the on the river the man from Finland check-called MacPhee's 880,000 bet.

MacPhee showed [kh][4h] and that was good enough. He's now up to 11.7million, Tahkokallio is down to 10.9 million. -- SY

4.50pm: Back
Yes we are back. There are four players remaining and the chip leader is now Ilari Tahkokallio, who has chipped his way passed Kevin MacPhee.

The full counts are as follows:

Ilari Tahkokallio - 12,545
Artur Wasek - 2,675
Kevin MacPhee - 10,060
Marc Inizan - 3,430

and you can follow their fluctuations on the chip count page.

Picture? A picture. This is Kevin MacPhee through some mesh.

PokerStars blog reporting team (in order of something known only to us): Marc Convey, Simon Young, Howard Swains and Stephen Bartley.

4.30pm: Break time
I've no idea what the rationale is behind the break times today, but they're off on one now. It's going to be 15-minutes long - and we're gathering chip counts right now. -- HS

4.25pm: More three-handed fun
Ilari Tahkokallio raised from the button and picked up both the blinds: Artur Wasek in the big and Kevin MacPhee in the small. The flop came [ad][jd][js] and they checked to the raiser. Tahkokallio bet 360,000 but had walked into a MacPhee trap. The American bumped it up to 870,000 and the other two let it go. -- HS

4.20pm: Bit back for Inizan
Marc Inizan made it 230,000 and only Ilary Tahkokallio called from the big blind. They checked down the [9d][8s][kc] flop, and the [3s] turn, but on the [2s] river Inizan made it 225,000 and Tahkokallio folded. -- SY

4.15pm: Down, down
Marc Inizan moves down the chip list some more after being pushed out of a pot by Kevin MacPhee on a [kc][th][qs][7d][6c] board. Down to 3,200,000. -- SB

4.05pm: Tahkokallio on the end
On a flop of [5d][6s][jc] Kevin MacPhee bet 460,000 which was called by Ilari Tahkokallio and Marc Inizan in the big blind. The turn was [3d]. At this point Tahkokallio bet 725,000 and Inizan raised to 2,000,000 forcing MacPhee to fold. Tahkokallio then moved all-in. Inizan folded at once. -- SB

3.51pm: Calm
Few pots to stir the blood. Tahkokallio just took a small one, pushing Wasek and MacPhee off of a [2c][6c][5d] flop. -- SB.

3.40pm: Family pot gets unfriendly
Ilari Tahkokallio raised under the gun and all three other players called. On the [3d][2c][10h] flop, it was checked around to Kevin MacPhee who took a stab at the pot with a 420,000 bet. Tahkokallio then check-raised to 1,060,000 which was good enough to take the pot. - SY.

3.32pm: From the big blind
A bet of 235,000 from Marc Inizan which Kevin MacPhee called from the button. When the action reached Tahkokallio in the big blind he raised to 775,000 to take the pot.

3.25pm: To the river
Kevin MacPhee opened for 230,000 on the button which was called by Ilari Tahkokallio on the big blind for a flop of [8s][js][jc]. Both checked for a [qs] turn card when Tahkokallio bet 300,000. MacPhee called for a [7d] on the river. Tahkotallio then bet 600,000, good enough to take the pot. - SB.

3.20pm: Feel the power
Kevin MacPhee re-raised to 770,000, Marc Inizan then raised it up to 1,700,000 - and then insta folded when MacPhee pushed three million chips over the line. That meant MacPhee got a little back after doubling up Inizan a few hands ago. MacPhee now 12.7 million, Inizan 7 million. -- SY.

LEVEL UP. BLINDS NOW 50,000-100,000 (10,000 ANTE)

3.15pm: Can't win them all
Marc Inizan just moved in for 4,350,000, called by Kevin MacPhee. The Frenchman showed [ac][kd] to MacPhee's [9s][9c].

The board ran [4d][5s][kc][8h][jc], doubling Inizan to 8,700,000 while MacPhee drops to 10,700,000. -- SB.

3.10pm: A-K does it
Kevin MacPhee raised from the small blind and Artur Wasek called. On the [9c][kd][5s] flop MacPhee bet 235,000 and the man from Poland called. On the [5c] turn MacPhee checked and Wasek bet 305,000. Call. Both checked the [8c] river..

MacPhee: [as][kc]
Wasek: [10s][9s]

More for MacPhee, then. -- SB.

3.04pm: Big getting bigger
Kevin MacPhee eases over 14 million. Marc Inizan made it 205,000, MacPhee re-raised to 630,000n - and Inizan thought better of continuing any further. -- SY.

2.59pm: Wasek works it
Artur Wasek opened and opened big, 350,000. Ilari Tahkokallio then re-raised to 835,000 from the button which Wasek called, with 1,400,000 behind. The flop came [5s][qd][ad]. Wasek then moved all in, getting Tahkokallio to pass. -- SB.

2.50pm: Flying Finn
This was a battle of the blinds that turned pretty ugly. Artur Wasek was in the small blind and Ilari Tahkokallio in the big. There was only 815,000 in the pot by the turn, giving a board of [jc][3h][3d][3s]. Wasek bet 315,000, Tahkokallio called. The river was [jh] and Wasek now checked. Tahkokallio wasn't finished though and bet 780,000. Wasek called.

There was a delay until the reveal, but the chips were going in Tahkokallio's direction. His turned full house with his [kd][jd] had become an even bigger full house on the river. Wasek mucked. -- HS

2.35pm: Ketul Nathwani eliminated in fifth place for €210,000
Ketul Nathwani moved in from the button for 1.8 million behind Kevin MacPhee's bet of 190,000. MacPhee called showing [ad][9c] to Nathwani's [as][6d]. The board provided some tension before the river but ultimately the [3c][9h][4h][5s][qs] sent the Englishman to the rail in fifth place. MacPhee now sits with around 14,000,000. -- SB.

Ketul Nathwani

2.28pm: Nothing major
Kevin MacPhee opened for 230,000 which Artur Wasek re-raised, taking the pot. Wasek showed pocket jacks.

2.19pm: Wasek gets things started
First hand back and Artur Wasek raised to 250,000 with aces but gets no takers.

2.10pm: Break's over
Players are returning and we're about to re-start.

1.50pm: Break time
It's not the end of the level but players are taking a 20 minutes break.

1.48pm: Marcel Koller is eliminated in sixth place for €165,000
A period of relative inactivity is ended by the departure of Marcel Koller in sixth place. He opened for 170,000 which Ilari Tahkokallio raised to 430,000. Koller then shoved and Tahkokallio called at once, showing [qd][qc] to Koller's [ac][qs]. The Swiss would need help but didn't get any, the board running [jh][9d][6d][7d][2s]. We're down to five.

Marcel Koller

1.32pm: Koller move
MacPhee opened for 190,000 and Marcel Koller shoved for a little over two million, taking the pot.

LEVEL UP. BLINDS NOW 40,000-80,000 (5,000 ANTE)

1.28pm: Marko Neumann is eliminated in seventh place for €120,000
Marko Neumann is out, busted by chip leader Kevin MacPhee. A bet from Neumann, raised by MacPhee and then four bet all-in by Neumann. MacPhee called, showing [7c][7h] while Neumann showed [ah][kd].

The board favoured MacPhee, coming [8d][7s][6h][8c][9h].

Neumann, a PokerStars qualifier from Germany, becomes the seventh place finisher. -- SB.

1.15pm: Koller coolered by Inizan
This final table so far is one for the purists - with massive action happening post flop. This one is a huge hand, vaulting Marc Inizan into second position and taking a chunk from Marcel Koller.

It was a fairly standard raise and call pre-flop between Koller and Inizan. The flop came [3d][kh][qc], which they both checked, and there was still one 1,085,000 in the middle when the [ks] turned. Inizan bet 400,000, Koller made it one million, and Inizan moved all in for 2,370,000.

Koller called, and he'd been coolered. Koller had [kc][jh] but Inizan had [3s][3h]. Koller still had outs but the [4s] on the river wasn't one of them.

Inizan moved up beyond five million with that one, and into second place. Koller slid down. -- HS

1.10pm: MacPhee wins massive pot
Kevin MacPhee moves to nearly 8,500,000 after winning a hand against Ketul Nathwani who slips down to 2,500,000.

MacPhee opened for 140,000 which was called by Nathwani on the button and Marko Neumann in the big blind. The flop came [ad][9c][4s] and MacPhee bet 235,000. Neumann passed but Nathwani called for a [td] on the turn. MacPhee bet 485,000 before Nathwani raised to 1,550,000. MacPhee then went back to his stack, re-raising, 2,995,000. Nathwani folded fast, conceding a pot worth 5.4 million to the chip leader. -- SB.

1pm: MacPhee MacFlying
Ilari Tahkokallio opened for 140,000 which was called by Kevin MacPhee in the small blind and Artur Wasek in the big. The flop came [8s][ts][5s] which was checked all round for a [jh] turn. MacPhee then fired in 315,000 which was called for an [ad] river. Unfortunately the cameras didn't show the cards, only that MacPhee was stacking a new load of chips, winning the hand. -- SB.

12.55pm: Big flop; who had it?
Kevin MacPhee raised pre-flop and picked up Ilari Tahkokallio on the button and Marc Inizan in the big blind. The flop must have hit one of them, at least: [ad][kc][ks].

Inizan checked, but MacPhee wanted some information and bet 235,000. Tahkokallio called, setting up a squeeze from Inizan, who took the chance, making it 635,000. MacPhee folded.

Tahkokallio, however, was not done. He moved all in here - about 4.3 million - and that was decisive. Inizan got out the way and Tahkokallio took it. -- HS

12.46pm: Nathwani up
Koller opened for 140,000 from the small blind. Ketul Nathwani called in the big for a flop of [9c][3h][ah]. Koller bet 175,000 which Nathwani called for a [3s] on the turn. At this point Koller checked, Nathwani bet big with a tower of blues and oranges, and Koller folded. -- SB.

12.36pm: Nico Behling first out, winning €72,000
On the very next hand, Nico Behling was all in again. That's two all ins from two final table hands. Marcel Koller opened to 135,000 and Behling moved all in behind him, a total of 935,000. It was folded back to Koller and he called, meaning Behling was again facing possible elimination.

Behling: [as][qh]
Koller: [10c][10d]

This was a flip. The first three cards out were [2h][6s][4s], which didn't help Behling. Neither did the [4h] turn and the [8h] river was terminal. Behling departs in eighth; Koller takes his million-ish.

On we go. -- HS.

12.35pm: Jump to it
Bang on 35 minutes late we're off after some introductions and applause. For a flying start Nico Behling gets things rolling with an all-in. Marko Neumann called but showed the same ace-queen as Behling for a split pot. -- SB.

12pm: Final table due to begin
In poker, the difference between "due to begin" and "has begun" can be anything between five minutes and an hour. The tournament is due to begin right now, but check back in about 20 minutes to see if it has. We'll obviously have all the news here.

Take a look at the player profiles of the final eight, and follow their day's progress on the chip count page.

It's Kevin MacPhee they're all after. This is what he looks like:

PokerStars Blog reporting team (in order of hands written up in the first half hour): Stephen Bartley (3), Howard Swains (2), Simon Young (0) and Marc Convey (0).

The final table for EPT Berlin was decided at around about eleven o'clock last night, when simultaneous eliminations on each of the two tables in play took us from 10 players to the last eight.

Full details of those, as well as all the players making the money in Berlin, can be found on the prizewinners page. Recall how it all happened in the day four wrap.

Play is due to begin on day five at noon. We will play down from eight to a winner, who will walk away with one million euros from their week in Berlin.

Here are the eight final table players:

Seat 1 - Chips: 2,185,000
Marko Neumann, 23, PokerStars qualifier, Recklinghausen, Germany



Marko Neumann has been playing poker for five years, the last three as a professional. He is a successful online multi-table tournament and sit and go player, but has had a bad run in live events until now - playing numerous EPT events and at appearing twice at the World Series without cashing. EPT Berlin is his first major live tournament since summer 2009 and reaching the final table here represents a breakthrough on the live poker circuit. He has good supporters on the rail including his girlfriend Aga.

Seat 2 - Chips: 3,655,000
Marc Inizan, 23, Quimper, France



The young professional took up on poker in 2005 after stumbling upon a WSOP broadcast on French television. Seeing those 20-somethings winning millions playing cards inspired him to open an online account, and he gradually moved up in stakes until two years later, he qualified for a major live event in Canada and finished 24th, winning $52,000. Since then, Inizan has played several live events as well as cash games, culminating in this appearance at the final table of EPT Berlin, which will be his best career result to date. He has recently made two consecutive final tables - at the Belgian Championships last November and the Antibes Deepstack last week.

Seat 3 - Chips: 6,070,000
Kevin "ImaLuckSac" MacPhee, 29 from Coeur d'Alene, USA



Kevin MacPhee started playing poker with college friends in 2003 after seeing Chris Moneymaker win the World Series Main Event. He then made the transition from "Magic: the Gathering" to poker. He's been a professional player for three to four years, but made a huge breakthrough in April 2008 when he broke the PokerStars TLB record, amassing more than $100,000 profit. He's been on the road ever since playing live events and has already won more than $250,000. He continues to shine in online MTTs and won $218,750 for final tabling a $5,000 buy-in event. He's being supported in Berlin by fellow pros Richard Grace, Jonathan Weekes and Laurence Houghton - and by his father in Idaho, who is watching on EPT Live.

Seat 4 - Chips: 3,530,000
Artur "wesylaa" Wasek, 35, Plock, Poland



Artur Wasek has been playing poker for two years. His biggest online success was a fifth-place finish in the PokerStars Sunday Warm-up for $37,000 and his best live result was winning a tournament in Warsaw for $10,000. Wasek bought in direct to EPT Berlin, winning his entry fee in cash games at Spielbank Berlin casino over the road on Monday night. This is his fourth EPT event but first cash. He is being supported from home by his wife and six-year-old daughter Susanne.

Seat 5 - Chips: 3,590,000
Marcel Koller, 37, Switzerland



Marcel Koller is the only player at the EPT Berlin final table who is not a full-time professional. He's a computer programmer by trade and says he gives his work 100% - but he's no slouch when it comes to winning at poker either. He has been playing the Swiss form of seven Card Stud - involving a 36-card deck - for years but only took up Texas hold 'em four years ago. His best result to date was winning a daily $30,000 tournament on PokerStars, earning $8,000. He is being supported in Berlin by a large group of friends, including the three-time Swiss champion Daniel Walter.

Seat 6 - Chips: 960,000
Nico Behling, 24, Jena, Germany



One of the most successful young German players and a good friend of the Team PokerStars Pro Sebastian Ruthenberg, Nico Behling has already won nearly half a million dollars in live tournaments, including a second-placed finish at EPT Warsaw last season. Online, Behling grinds the short-handed cash games but he also sometimes plays multi-table tournaments on PokerStars. Last week, he came third in the PokerStars Sunday Million for $145,000. When he is not playing poker, Nico likes to watch and play soccer.

Seat 7 - Chips: 4,685,000
Ketul Nathwani, 25, London, UK



Despite describing himself as an online cash game specialist, Ketul Nathwani is no stranger to live poker and has put together a string of notable results during the four years he has played the game. He went deep in the 2007 World Series Main Event and then took down a £1,000 buy in tournament in his home city of London, outlasting 423 others to win £119,780 ($240,000 approx). He is a former computing student at Imperial College but is now a professional poker player.

Seat 8 - Chips: 3,940,000
Ilari Tahkokallio, 23, near Helsinki, Finland



Ilari Tahkokallio, who has been a professional poker player for two years, won the PLO/PLHE £1,000 side event at EPT London after beating today's final table adversary Kevin MacPhee heads-up. Whatever happens today, Tahkokallio has already earned credit for one of the classiest poker moments of the week. When the tournament was interrupted, Tahkokallio and Luca Cainelli were involved in a huge all-in pot. At the turn, Cainelli had AQ, Tahkokallio had AT and Cainelli was looking good to double up. Then the tournament was interrupted and all the players and the dealer left the area. When they returned, tournament director Thomas Kremser said that, if they wanted, the players could consider the hand dead and take their chips back. Although he was losing, Tahkokallio said the river card should be dealt - a sporting gesture greeted by applause. The river was a 5 and Cainelli doubled up. "I like to be fair and play in good spirit," Tahkokallio said. "It wasn't even really a choice for me." Later Tahkokallio ended up busting Cainelli and now sits on nearly four million in chips.

After an unusual day in the Berlin Grand Hyatt it sure was good to get back to the poker. The usually uncomplicated task of turning 24 players into eight may have been delayed midstream, but when play resumed it was the usual feast of tournament poker, frustrating and thrilling in equal dollops, finishing peacefully just after eleven o'clock.

With just eight remaining an extended day was put to bed. Tucked in nicely tonight is chip leader Kevin MacPhee from the USA, while behind him Ketul Nathwani of the UK and Ilari Tahkokallio of Finland are his main rivals to the Berlin crown.

Chip leader Kevin MacPhee

Ketul Nathwani

Ilari Tahkokallio

Their return tomorrow was locked in when Norman Kastner busted in ninth place a short time ago, his departure closing this particular chapter ahead of blank slate tomorrow, where a guaranteed €1 million will be won by one of these:

Kevin MacPhee, USA, PokerStars player, 6,070,000
Ketul Nathwani, UK, PokerStars player, 4,685,000
Ilari Tahkokallio, Finland, 3,940,000
Marc Inizan, France, 3,655,000
Marcel Koller, Switzerland, 3,590,000
Artur Wasek, Poland, 3,530,000
Marko Neumann, Germany, PokerStars qualifier, 2,185,000
Nico Behling, Germany, 960,000

The fortunes of Team PokerStars Pro today were carried by Johannes Strassmann and Jude Ainsworth. Strassmann, who made his eighth EPT cash, departed in 23rd place while Ainsworth, who seems to go deep whenever he plays cards, busted in 19th.

Jude Ainsworth

Johannes Strassmann

A complete record of the eliminations and payouts, including those of Theo Jorgensen, a dominant force yesterday, and Joao Barbosa, who chalked up another cash finish, can be found in full on the payouts page.

Theo Jorgensen

In the meantime there's nothing to beat an EPT at full speed to get the adrenaline whirring, and you can recap all of today's action at the tables by clicking the links below.
Introduction and seat draw
Level 23, 24 and 25
Levels 26 and 27

For our foreign readers, who may have struggled to read this far down the page, there's always the German, Swedish and Dutch blogs, but well done for getting this far anyway.

Thomas Kremser straightening things out after an interruption to play

Our thanks to Neil Stoddart for all of today's photography and to the EPT Live team who return in the usual fashion tomorrow broadcasting live action from start to finish, as well as a little Oscar news if we know James Hartigan. One last hat tip to the security guard Roman and all the staff of Grand Hyatt.

Right then. See you for the final table at noon tomorrow.

11.15pm: That's it for the night
With those two quick bust outs below we're down to our last eight who will come back to play in tomorrow's final - and the chance to win the €1 million first prize.

A full wrap of today's dramatic events will be with you soon, as will the official chip counts. What they'll show is that Kevin MacPhee is our overnight chip leader. -- SY

11.12pm: Kastner out in ninth, final table table set
Just after the exit hand below came to its conclusion, Norman Kastner went out in ninth, the final table bubble boy. He had raised to 140,000 and Marc Inizan made it 430,000. Kastner then moved all in - call!

Kastner: [ac][qd]
Inizan: [as][kd]

Kastner needed to hit, but the board ran [kh][7d][3h][8c][ad], and the man from Germany was out. -- SY

11.10pm: Cruel exit for Amendelo
Italian Alfonso Amendelo was primed for a timely double up when he got all in for his last 360,000 with [qs][qc] against Ketul Nathwani's [4s][4d]. Cue time for some usual Italian celebration - until the flop came [4c][10s][5c], giving the man from the UK the lead. The [2s] turn and the [5d] river kept him there, and Amendelo departed in tenth for €50,000. -- SY

11.05pm: Lucky double for Koller
Marcel Koller was looking likely to be our next victim, but the river had other ideas. Artur Wasek limped from mid position, Koller called from the small blind and Nico Behling checked his option in the big. On the [6h][2s][qs] flop, Koller checked, Behling bet 140,000, Wasek folded and then Koller called.

The turn was [kd] and Koller checked again. But when Behling bet 280,000, Koller moved all in for 1,275,000 on top. Call!

Koller: [qc][9d]
Behling: [qh][10h]

Koller was out-pipped and about to go bust, but the river was [9h] giving him two pair. He apologised to Behling, who was left with one million and a frown. -- SY

11pm: Blind battle ends in death
Luca Cainelli has been eliminated in 11th place for €40,000. The action folded around to him in the small blind and he moved all in for 535,000. Ilari Tahkokallio was sat in the big blind and called after he got a count of his opponent's stack.

Tahkokallio: [as][8h]
Cainelli: [ad][6s]

The board ran [7h][7s][ts][4h][5h]. A split pot was looking likely after the flop but somehow the Finn managed to dodge all the high cards to take the pot. --MC

LEVEL UP. BLINDS NOW 30,000-60,000 (5,000 ANTE)

The full counts have been updated on the chip count page.

10.40pm: Break time
Players are on a 15 minute break.

10.40pm: Micky Mouse and the bluff
In the last hand before the break Ketul Nathwani bluffed Alfonso Amendola off a pot. Nathwani raised pre-flop from the cut-off and was called by the Amendola from the big blind. Both checked the [8c][6h][6s] flop before Amendola check-called a 160,000 bet on the [qs] turn. The river came [4d] and Nathwani bet 460,000 when checked to him. Amendola took a long time to think and then asked his opponent "Will you show if I fold?"

"I'll tell you what I'll do," Nathwani replied. "I'll toss a coin and if you call it right I'll show."

The Italian duly folded and handed Nathwani a coin. "Do you want Micky Mouse or the 1?" asked Nathwani. He chose Micky Mouse and that's what fell when the coin was tossed. Nethwani opened [ks][jd] for king-high and headed off for break with a smile on his face.

10.30: Another double for Amendola
Alfonso Amendola's roller coaster continues. It was all in pre-flop between the Italian and Artur Wasek.

Amendola: [ah][6s] (and about 900,000)
Wasek: [ad][jc] (and about 5 million)

The board ran [9d][8c][9c][6c][6d] and Amendola doubled up to 1,900,000. Wasek is down to about 4,300,000. -- MC

10.25pm: Otto out
Artur Wasek increases his stack to a threatening 4.7million after busting Paul Thomas Otto, who had spent several levels turning his stack in to two artistic pyramids.

Wasek had raised to 110,000 pre-flop and Otto re-raised from the big blind to 275,000. Call. On the [3s][7d][3d] flop, Otto made it 150,000, Wasek re-raised to 400,000, Otto moved all in for around 1.7million and Wasek made the call.

Wasek: [kd][5d]
Otto: [ac][8s]

Wasek needed to hit a pair or make his flush - and there was no mucking about on the turn when the [2d] did just that. The [2h] river made no difference. We're down to 11. -- SY

10.20pm: Big hands on both tables
Norman Kastner raised to 125,000 from under-the-gun and Ilari Tahkokallio called in the big blind. The flop came [4h][6c][kh], which they both checked, and then the [7h] turned. Tahkokallio bet 140,000 and Kastner was amenable, sliding out the call. The [js] came on the river and Tahkokallio bet again, this time 245,000. Kastner again called, but mucked when Tahkokallio showed [ks][8c].

As all this was going on, there was a bigger pot playing out on the other table. Details of that one are on their way. -- HS

10.10pm: Same same but different
Marko Neumann and Luca Cainelli were both all in but both had pocket queens and the pot was chopped up. --MC

10.05pm: 12 left
Evgeniy Zaytsev soon found himself all in and then out of the tournament. Paul Thomas Otto min-raised from under-the-gun before Zaytsev moved all in from the button for a total of 910,000. Ketul Nathwani then moved all in as well from the big blind and this prompted Otto to fold. Zaytsev tabled [kh][qh] but was dominated by the Brit's [ad][qs]. The board offered no help for either player and the last remaining Russian leaves us.
-- MC

9.55pm:Pushing but no takers
One of our remaining tables has two short stacks in the shape of Luca
Cainelli and Alfonso Amendola. Both are trying to get the magical double up,
but there are so far no takers. --MC

Cainelli just tried two hands in a row. On the first it was folded around to
him in the small blind, he pushed for 400,000 and Amendola folded his big
blind. Cainelli showed [qd][qc] in disgust. Next hand he tried again, but no
one wanted to call. Then Amendola pushed his last 410,000 - and again he
picked up the blinds and antes for his trouble. -- SY

9.50pm: It's a bit like this at the moment
On table three, Artur Wasek raised to 175,000 from the cut off and Paul Otto moved all in from the big blind. It was about two million and Wasek folded.

On table two, Ilari Tahkokallio raised to 115,000 from the cut off and Marc Inizan moved all in from the big blind. Tahkokallio folded.

Yep, that's how they're rolling at the moment. -- HS

9.40pm: Lucky Behling
Nico Behling has doubled-up in lucky fashion through his neighbor Evgeniy Zaytsev to stay alive. All the chips went in pre-flop with Behling holding [ad][jd] to the Russian's [kd][kh]. The board came [4c][4s][as][5d][6s] to put Behling up to 2.8 million. Zaytsev down to 900,000. --MC

9.30pm: Go Joh
Carsten Joh was the first player out after dinner break. He raised from under-the-gun and then moved all in when Artur Wasek three-bet from the big blind. Wasek called with ace-queen and saw he was racing Joh's pocket jacks. The board ran [7c][td][ks][6h][jc], with Wasek making a straight on the river. Wassek is up to nearly 3 million --MC

9.20pm: Return to action
Well then. It's been a strange old day. But for fans of poker tournaments, here's the situation: we've just got back from the dinner break with 14 players still in the mix. Their full, updated, accurate counts are on the chip-count page and details of everyone busting so far in this event are on the prize-winners page.

The idea at noon today was to play to our final table of eight, and despite interruptions nothing have changed. Six more players will depart this evening until we have our last handful.

Kevin MacPhee? He's a lock for the final table, right? Hmmmm.