MCOP Main Event Off to a Big Start in Holland Casino Amsterdam
After nine levels of 60 minutes, Day 1a of the €4,300 Main Event at the Master Classics of Poker in Holland Casino Amsterdam finished with 101 players making it through to Day 2 out of 258 entries.
The 2019 edition has changed the structure a bit, with Day 1a being the only starting flight that featured the full 60-minute levels. Compared to the 75 entries Day 1a attracted in 2018, today’s field crushed those attendance numbers. In 2018, the Main Event pulled in 293 entries total and this year’s edition is well on course to surpass those numbers.
Claiming the Day 1a chip lead is Shyngis Satubayev from Kazakhstan with 260,200 in chips. He is followed by Andrea Ricci (191,500), Jesse Liljegren (182,000), Paraskevas Tsokaridis (166,000), and Tommie Janssen with 161,000.
2019 MCOP Main Event - Top 5 Chip Counts After Day 1a
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shyngis Satubayev | Kazachstan | 260,200 |
| 2 | Andrea Ricci | Italy | 191,500 |
| 3 | Jesse Liljegren | Finland | 182,000 |
| 4 | Paraskevas Tsokaridis | Greece | 166,000 |
| 5 | Tommie Janssen | Netherlands | 161,000 |
Liljegren was responsible for the elimination of Ryan Riess when the latter pushed his last few chips in after Liljegren had raised. Riess held ace-ten but Liljegren was ahead with the rockets. Riess did pick up a Broadway draw on the turn but bricked the river to be sent home for today.
The Master Classics of Poker always attracts the crème-de-la-crème of the poker world to Amsterdam, resulting in one of the toughest field-sizes for the €4,300 prize tag. This year is no different, with standouts like Hossein Ensan, Paul Dando, Danilo Velasevic, Bart Lybaert, Gary Hasson, Sonny Franco, Igor Yaroshevskyy, Jan Bednar, Johan Storakers, Paul Tedeschi, Ole Schemion, all making their way to Amsterdam and finding a bag for Day 2.
Among those that busted out on the first starting day were Paul Hoefer, who lost his last chips just before the end of the day, Farid Chati, Tobias Peters, Luuk Gieles, Fabio Sperling, Bryan Paris, Steve O’Dwyer, Claas Segebrecht, Michal Mrakes, Javier Zarco, Ioannis Angelou-Konstas, Niklas Astedt, and Juha Helppi.
They'll all need to try again on Day 1b, which will take place on Thursday, November 28, at 12:30 p.m. local time. Nine levels of 20 minutes each are scheduled as this is the turbo version of the starting flight. Players who bust can reenter once during Day 1b or before the start of Day 2 at 7 p.m. local time on the same day.
The PokerNews live reporting team will be there from the start of Day 1b until the remaining players bag up their chips for a few hours, so stick around to see who else will make it through to Day 2!
