$10,300 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2019 partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Vegas @ Aria
$10,300 Main Event
Day: 1a
Big Names and partypoker Pros Advance on partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Vegas @ Aria Day 1a
Level 8
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Day 1a of the inaugural $10,300 partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Vegas @ Aria attracted 222 entrants and after eight levels just 143 players have booked their place in Day 2 on Sunday.
A selection of big names headed over to the Aria to check out partypoker's first foray into the American market, and right in the midst of a packed Vegas summer schedule of poker.
partypoker Chairman Mike Sexton (221,500) as well as partypoker pros such as Mikita Badziakouski (203,500), Bertrand Grospellier (263,000), Kristen Bicknell (87,500), Anatoly Filatov (83,000), Ludovic Geilich (90,000), Joao Simao (239,000) and Team Online's Jeff Gross (116,500) all jumped in on Day 1a and made it through.
The only partypoker pro to bust on Day 1a was Roberto Romanello. His kings were flushed away by an opponent, and he has the opportunity to re-enter tomorrow, or until the start of Level 11 on Day 2.
Other players who will need to fire a second bullet if they are to make Day 2 include Niall Farrell, James Romero, Ben Heath, Dan Smith, Aymon Hata, Danny Tang and Andreas Eiler.
The chip leader looks like being Govert Metaal with 482,500 closely followed by Justin Liberto (413,000). Players over 300,000 were at a premium but Craig Varnell (355,500) managed it as he continues his recovery from a freak head injury earlier this summer.
Big names such as Joe Cada (267,500), Frank Crivello (250,000), Daniel Strelitz (244,500), Sergio Aido (236,000), John Cynn (231,500), Daniel Neilson (220,500) and Adrian Mateos (202,500) all bagged healthy stacks.
PokerNews will be keeping you up to date throughout the rest of the partypoker MILLIONS so stay tuned for updates of all the action.
End of Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 8
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
482,500
-9,500
|
-9,500 |
|
||
|
464,000
464,000
|
464,000 |
|
413,000
413,000
|
413,000 |
|
||
|
355,500
-19,500
|
-19,500 |
|
||
|
320,000
111,800
|
111,800 |
|
306,500
206,500
|
206,500 |
|
|
||
|
302,500
152,500
|
152,500 |
|
299,500
149,500
|
149,500 |
|
297,500
297,500
|
297,500 |
|
297,000
297,000
|
297,000 |
|
|
||
|
277,000
277,000
|
277,000 |
|
276,000
276,000
|
276,000 |
|
273,000
273,000
|
273,000 |
|
269,000
169,000
|
169,000 |
|
267,500
97,500
|
97,500 |
|
||
|
255,000
155,000
|
155,000 |
|
||
|
253,000
53,000
|
53,000 |
|
||
|
250,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
|
245,500
245,500
|
245,500 |
|
244,500
89,500
|
89,500 |
|
|
||
|
239,000
139,000
|
139,000 |
|
|
||
|
236,000
75,000
|
75,000 |
|
235,000
235,000
|
235,000 |
|
234,000
234,000
|
234,000 |
|
231,500
-28,500
|
-28,500 |
|
|
||
Last Four Hands of the Night
Level 8
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
The tournament clock has been paused with 10 minutes remaining in the last level. There will be four more hands at each table before the players bag and tag.
Big Slick Earns Lodge a Double Up
Level 8
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Harry Lodge was one of the last players to register on Day 1a and he made good use of his short time at the table. As the clock was winding down in the last level, Lodge and Gianluca Speranza got all of the chips in the middle after a couple of preflop raises. Lodge was the player at risk for 89,600 chips.
Harry Lodge: 
Gianluca Speranza: 
Lodge was in a dominating position preflop and the flop of 
kept things that way. The 
on the turn changed nothing and the 
on the river ensured Lodge of a full double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
182,000
82,000
|
82,000 |
|
|
||
|
28,300 | |
Metaal Continues to Pace the Field
Level 8
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
A completed board of 
was laid out on the felt and David Peters was heads-up in the pot with Govert Metaal. There was around 35,000 in the middle and Peters led out for a bet of 23,000. Metaal thought for a moment and then made the call.
Peters reluctantly turned over 
and Metaal took back his chips as he tabled 
for the best hand. Just moments later, Peters was seen leaving his seat after losing the remainder of his chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
492,000
22,000
|
22,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Cynn Takes From Varnell
Level 8
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
On a 
flop, John Cynn check-called 10,300 from Craig Varnell and the turn brought the
Both players checked and the river was the 
. Cynn bet 27,500 and Varnell thought a while before folding.
Varnell still sits on well over 350,000 chips as we start the last level of the night.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
375,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
260,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
|
||
Lynskey Doesn't Last Long After a Quick Cooler
Level 8
: 800/1,600, 1,600 ante
Alex Lynskey was one of the latest entries to take a seat at the felt just prior to the final level of the day getting underway. Unfortunately for him, his time at the felt didn't last very long as he was on the wrong side of a cold deck.
Lynskey opened from under the gun and the button three-bet to 10,000. The blinds folded and Lynskey just called to see a flop of 
. Lynskey check-called a bet of 15,000 from his opponent and the landed on the turn.
Lynskey checked again and his opponent fired out another 20,000. Lynskey still called and the completed the board. Lynskey checked for the third time and his opponent moved all in. Lynskey only had around 50,000 chips remaining and he thought for a minute before sticking them in.
His opponent rolled over 
for a set of aces while Lynskey tabled his 
before hitting the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Level: 8
Blinds: 800/1,600
Ante: 1,600
Quad Aces for Jaka
Level 7
: 700/1,400, 1,400 ante
A completed board of 
was spread across the table with around 75,000 in the middle. Thomas Muehloecker checked from the small blind and Faraz Jaka moved all in for around 55,000.
Muehloecker had just under 50,000 chips remaining and went into the tank with his tournament life on the line. Muehloecker struggled to come to a decision for a couple of minutes but finally dropped in some chips to call. Jaka flipped over 
for quad aces and Muehloecker sent his cards to the muck as he exited the tournament area.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
175,000
90,000
|
90,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |