Marc-Andre Ladouceur and Antonio Esfandiari battled in the blinds and it was the latter that came out on top.
On a flop Esfandiari led for 4,300 from the small blind and Ladouceur called to the turn where he bet 6,500 when the action was checked to him. Esfandiari check-raised to 20,000 and his Canadian opponent called.
The river fell and both players checked. Esfandiari opened and it was good as Ladouceur mucked.
The stakes are big so it's no wonder that Viktor Blom is in his element. Dan Smith is no stranger to winning big buy-in tournaments but he had to admit defeat in a hand with the Swede.
Smith opened to 3,000 from the hijack and called when Blom three-bet to 8,600 off the button. The flop fanned and Smith led for 14,000. Blom called to see the turn where he bet 28,000 when Smith checked to him.
Smith called and checked to Blom on the river. Smith gave up and folded after he was faced with a 58,500 bet.
We just caught Antonio Esfandiari check-calling a bet on the flop against Marc-Andre Ladouceur but didn't quite see the bet size. On the turn the hit and this time Esfandiari lead out for 19,300. Ladouceur, seated on the button, thought for a while and called.
On the river the hit and Esfandiari picked up some more chips and he fired out 36,300 this time. Ladouceur eventually made the call and mucked when Esfandiari turned over .
On the flop, Mikhail Smirnov fired a bet of 6,000, and Andrew Lichtenberger called. Mike Watson also called to close off the action, then the was added to the board on the turn. Smirnov bet 16,000, and Lichtenberger folded. Watson put in a raise to 46,000, and Smirnov called.
The river was the , and Smirnov checked. Watson bet 78,000, and Smirnov made the call. Watson tabled the for a set of eights, and Smirnov mucked his hand.
Tom Marchese's stack is into the black after he won a pot off Philipp Gruissem.
The two players took to a flop where Marchese check-called a 10,000 bet. Both players elected to check turn before Marchese led for 28,000 on the river. Gruissem called and mucked upon seeing his opponent's .
Talal Shakerchi is having a better day, so far, than he did playing in the big cash game two days ago. John Juanda tried to get him off a hand on the flop but ended up giving up on the turn.
Shakerchi opened to 2,500 from under the gun and was called by Juanda on the button and Jonathan Duhamel in the big blind.
Shakerchi continued for 5,100 on the flop only for Juanda to raise to 15,000. Duhamel folded before Shakerchi three-bet to 40,200. Junada called but folded to a 63,000 bet on the turn.
"Artem, are you playing?" Dan Smith yelled to Russian pro Artem Litvinov who was standing on the rail with Ilya Gorodetskiy.
"No I'm not playing, I'm doing commentary on the stream and say how good Dan Smith is!" Litvinov yelled back as the players in the room chuckled.
Smith kept asking Litvinov about why he wasn't in this tournament and the former EPT San Remo third place finisher and player of many high roller events started to explain.
"There are only best friends here! Jason Mercier, he's my best friend. Dan Smith is my best, best friend. Philipp, he's also my best, best friend and Viktor, he's my best, best, best friend! And Phil Ivey is the legend," Litvinov carried on as everyone in the tournament started laughing.
The €100,000 Super High Roller has a very friendly atmosphere and Litvinov could still enter all the way up until the start of Day 2.
Team PokerStars Pro Johnny Lodden has decided to play the €1,000 Monaco Cup instead of the €100,000 Super High Roller but plenty of players are stil on the fence about this one. Marvin Rettenmaier, Joseph Cheong and Scott Seiver were spotted in lingering around the tournament area but so far we haven't seen them sit down. The field seems tough this year and that might be a reason for some players to hold out on grabbing a seat in this prestigious event.
flop Esfandiari led for 4,300 from the small blind and Ladouceur called to the 
turn where he bet 6,500 when the action was checked to him. Esfandiari check-raised to 20,000 and his Canadian opponent called.
and both players checked. Esfandiari opened 
and it was good as Ladouceur mucked.
turn where he bet 28,000 when Smith checked to him.
flop against Marc-Andre Ladouceur but didn't quite see the bet size. On the turn the 
hit and this time Esfandiari lead out for 19,300. Ladouceur, seated on the button, thought for a while and called.
hit and Esfandiari picked up some more chips and he fired out 36,300 this time. Ladouceur eventually made the call and mucked when Esfandiari turned over 
.
flop, Mikhail Smirnov fired a bet of 6,000, and Andrew Lichtenberger called. Mike Watson also called to close off the action, then the 
, and Smirnov checked. Watson bet 78,000, and Smirnov made the call. Watson tabled the 
for a set of eights, and Smirnov mucked his hand.
flop where Marchese check-called a 10,000 bet. Both players elected to check 
turn before Marchese led for 28,000 on the 
river. Gruissem called and mucked upon seeing his opponent's 
.
