Main Event
Day 2 Started
2010 Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic
Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2010 Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic
Buy-in
$5,000
Entries
181
Level
28
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000
Get Ready for Day 2
Day 2 here at the 2010 Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic is upon us and things are setting up to be an exciting fun-filled day of poker.
Nicolas Chouity tops the two combined starting fields with 119,600 chips and will lead the charge into the second official day of action. These days are always some of the most interesting as the players from both starting flights join up in one field. Hot on his heels are Alexey Rybin, Roy Yaacoub and John Dolan.
Along with them, we’ve got some other big names still left to do battle. David Benyamine took a hit at the very end of the night, but he’s still alive along with short stack Carter Phillips. The Jetts, Chip and Karina, are both alive and well while Joe Cassidy, Antonio Esfandiari, Eric Liu and Van Marcus will also be returning to action today.
Jean-Robert Bellande didn’t play a single hand in the tournament, but bought in at the very end of night so that he could play today. Whether or not he’ll be able to pull himself away from the juicy side games is another question.
Play kicks off in a short bit with 141 players coming back. Be sure to stick right here on PokerNews for all the live coverage from the tournament floor in beautiful Cyprus. See you in a few.
Level: 6
Blinds: 200/400
Ante: 50
Shuffle Up and Deal!
The cards are in the air.
Phillips Begins with a Double
On the very first hand of the day, Carter Phillips was able to double up. That's a lot better than the very first hand he played on Day 3 of the $25,000 High Roller Freeze-Out where he took a massive beat.
The flop was 
this time and Phillips was all in with the 
. Alexey Rybin made the call and held the 
.
The turn was the 
and the river the 
to give Phillips the double and move him to about 20,000 chips.
David Benyamine Doubles Up
Michael Mizrachi raised to 1,200 from early position, Soren Kongsgaard called from the hijack, and Saltuk Soran called from the button. David Benyamine went all in from the small blind for a total of 19,175, getting folds from Mizrachi and Kongsgaard. Soran called and the hands were revealed.
Soran: 
Benyamine:
The board ran out 
, giving Benyamine a set. He is now up to about 42,000.
Yamin Shows the Bluff...To Us
We arrived at the table and found a bet of 2,650 on an 
flop from Kfir Yamin. Aineas Protopapas called and another opponent folded, landing the 
on the turn.
Yamin fired 8,525 and after a few moments Protopapas gave it up. Yamin called our reporter over to see his hand, happily showing 
for queen high. With that pot, Yamin moved to about 60,000.
Rybin Getting Some Back
After Antoine Abou Khalil limped under the gun, Alexey Rybin raised to 1,500 from middle position. Action folded back to Khalil and he made the call.
The flop came down 
and both players checked to see the fall on the turn. Khalil checked and Rybin fired 3,000 quickly. Khalil folded and Rybin picked up the pot.
Rybin came into the day second in chips behind Nicolas Chouity, but lost some when he doubled up Carter Phillips on the first hand of the day. He's now sitting on 97,000 after that pot and still in the top three counts.
Colclough Cracks Six Figures
A player in early position opened to 1,100 and Dave Colclough popped it 3,300 from middle position. The player in the cutoff four-bet all in for about 26,000 and the original raiser folded. Colclough called immediately.
Colclough: 
Opponent: 
The board ran out a safe 
for Colclough and he is up to about 101,000.
Interesting Table Pairings
Scanning the room, we've found some interesting table pairings with some of the players. Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi and Chino Rheem are seated right next to one another. Both are good friends, but that won't stop them from going at it. If you remember back to our coverage of the WSOP, Mizrachi busted his brother, Robert, from the $50,000 Player's Championship final table. If he did that to his own blood, who knows what he'll do to Rheem at the tables.
Carter Phillips and Dominik Nitsche are at the same starting table. They're rooming together on this trip, but will have no problem taking each other's chips. They battled on the same table yesterday and that didn't stop them from playing pots together.
Hulya Pehlivanlar and Kfir Yamin are right next to one another. These two played heads up last night in a side event. Pehlivanlar took home the title and defeated Yamin, hut he'll have plenty of time today to get her back. He also has direct position on her.
Also seated at the same table are Sam Trickett and Andrew Feldman. These two are good friends and travelled here together. They both final tabled the $25,000 High Roller Freeze-Out and here there are again playing with one another.