Manig Loeser had to work for 14 hours to finish off the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event (PokerStars photo)

Final tables have no set end time. At times, Saturday’s European Poker Tour Main Event final table in Monaco felt like it might never end.

After playing for nearly 14 hours, Manig Loeser stood tall, having beaten a final table that included 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event champ Ryan Riess.

The early stages of the final table didn’t hint at any sort of upcoming marathon. It took less than an hour to go from six to five players. Down to just six big blinds, Luis Medina decide to move all-in for 485,000 with Ad3c after Loeser opened to 160,000 from UTG holding 7h7s. Loeser called and then avoided any real danger on the 9d8h2c4cTh board to send Medina out in sixth place.

That’s when the madness started. It took nine more hours of play for another player to hit the rail. During that time, four of the five remaining players each took a turn as the chip leader, including Loeser. Action folded to Nicola Grieco on the button and he moved all in for 1,475,000 with AsKh. Loeser called from the button with 8c7h. The 8h7s3c flop spelled doom for Grieco and he got no help on the JdAd runout to end his tournament with a fifth place finish.

Riess was only able to last another half hour. Left with just 4.5 big blinds, Riess moved all in from the small blind with Qc3s and Wei Huang called from the big with Jd6d. Riess got what he thought was an easy reprieve on the AdAhQs flop. But the Td turn followed by the Kh on the river gave Huang Broadway and ended Riess’ day in fourth place.

Loeser, Huang and Viktor Katzenberger played three-handed for an hour before beginning talks of a deal. After one hour of fine tuning the numbers, the final three players agreed to a chop that left just €78,061 and the trophy to play for.

  • Wei Huang – €552,056
  • Viktor Katzenberger – €529,707
  • Manig Loeser – €525,716

It took just 30 minutes of play to get heads-up. After dropping nearly all of his stack to Loeser one hand earlier, Katzenberger moved all in from the small blind with Ad8c after Huang limped from the button with AsKc. Riess folded the big blind and Huang called. The 6d5c4sQhJc runout sent Katzenberger out in third place.

Huang and Loeser played for 80 minutes before Loeser put the finishing touches on the win. Huang raised to 1,200,000 and Loeser called. Both players then checked through the Jd9c5s flop. The turn was the Tc and Loeser bet 1,400,000 and then called after Huang moved all in for 8,205,000. Huang tabled Ks8c and Loeser happily turned over Qh8h for a turned queen-high straight. The river was the Ad and Huang was eliminated, leaving Loeser to pose for winner photos and collect just over €600,000.

Final Table Payouts

  1. Manig Loeser – €603,777
  2. Wei Huang – €552,056
  3. Viktor Katzenberger – €529,707
  4. Ryan Riess – €265,620
  5. Nicola Grieco – €206,590
  6. Luis Medina – €152,800