£2,000 High Roller
Day 1 Completed
2016 888Live Poker Festival London
£2,000 High Roller
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2016 888Live Poker Festival London
Buy-in
£2,000
Entries
37
Level
15
Blinds
6,000 / 12,000
Ante
1,500
Le Goff Leads 888Poker London Live High Roller Day 1
Level 12
: 3,000/6,000, 500 ante
After 37 entries and 10 re-entries, Eric Le Goff leads the field after a fast and entertaining first day of High Roller action here at Aspers Casino in Stratford for the £2,000 High Roller event, part of the 888Poker London Live Festival.
Plenty of the field took advantage of the unlimited re-entry option until the end of Level 6. Michael Mizrachi and Tom Middleton got involved in a massive early pot as Mizrachi ended up with all of his opponent's chips with quad jacks to gasps from the watching rail.
Team 888Poker Pro Dominik Nitsche re-bought not once but twice, and still got unlucky when his pocket queens lost when all-in pre-flop against Elias Christodoulou's turned flush.
Mizrachi would eventually bust with queens too, all-in and at risk against Luke Hayward's pocket jacks, when a jack on the river sent the American to the rail. Other to fall late included Melanie Weisner and Kara Scott. Both Team 888Poker players got close to the final nine but couldn't find that little bit of luck when it was needed.
As it happened, Luke Hayward's stack of 436,000 was topped only be Le Goff, whose play on a table including such players as cash game pro Jamie Roberts, record tournament result winner Antonio 'The Magician' Esfandiari and EPT Main Event winner Tom Middleton.
Here are the full chip counts ahead of Day 2, which will resume at 3pm local time. Be sure to come back here before then, however, as Day 1a of the £880 888Poker London Live Main Event begins at 12 noon. We'll be back from the kick-off to bring you all the best action right here on Pokernews.
Overnight High Roller Day 1 Chip Counts:
| Player | Chips |
|---|---|
| Eric Le Goff | 444,000 |
| Luke Hayward | 436,000 |
| Robert Heidorn | 425,000 |
| Chris Moorman | 395,000 |
| Tom Middleton | 395,000 |
| Antonio Esfandiari | 287,000 |
| Jason Ross | 186,000 |
| Matas Cimbolas | 154000 |
| Jamie Roberts | 93,000 |
Elias Christodoulou Busted by Matas Cimbolas to End Day 1
Level 12
: 3,000/6,000, 500 ante
Matas Cimbolas moved all-in with 
and Elias Christodoulou called it off from th big blind after looking down at 
and declaring "I've seen an ace, I call."
the board of 
saw Cimbolas prevail and send play nine-handed, meaning the end of the Day had been reached. Play will reconvene tomorrow in the High Roller Day 2 at 3.00pm.
We'll have a full recap pf the action as soon as we can, but it looks though either Luke Hayward or Eric Le Goff have the overnight chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
154,000 | 154,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Ross Doubles Through Esfandiari
Level 12
: 3,000/6,000, 500 ante
Jason Ross shoved all-in with and it was an easy call for Antonio Esfandiari in the next seat with 
.
The board of 
doubled Ross up, however, and he lives to fight another hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
345,000 | -79,500 |
|
168,000 | 87,800 |
Heidorn Busts Scott to Make Top Ten
Level 12
: 3,000/6,000, 500 ante
There are just ten players remaining in the £2,000 High Roller here at Aspers Casino in Stratford. Kara Scott moved all-in for 96,000 from the button over the top of a standard raise in the cut-off from Chris Moorman. It was Robert Heidorn in the small blind who called her, however, and he was way ahead.
Kara Scott: 
Robert Heidorn:
The board of 
did nothing to help Scott's hand and she departed as the last level of the day was nearing its conclusion. Only six players will be paid, so we are not going to be near the money this evening.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
335,000 | 91,500 |
|
Busted |
Hayward and Esfandiari Stretch Their Leads (full)
Level 12
: 3,000/6,000, 500 ante
At separate tables, Luke Hayward and Antonio Esfandiari have each enjoyed the best evenings so far, with play now into the last level.
If play goes down to nine players, then it will stop for the evenings. Otherwise, we'll have around 30 minutes more action before players down tools for the night.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
435,000 | 189,400 |
|
|
424,500 | 48,600 |
|
403,800 | 65,700 |
|
401,600 | 197,500 |
|
341,000 | |
|
|
243,500 | |
|
141,000 | -64,600 |
|
|
135,700 | -58,900 |
|
|
104,600 | -74,400 |
|
|
90,100 | |
|
|
80,200 | 15,700 |
Level: 12
Blinds: 3,000/6,000
Ante: 500
Esfandiari and Roberts
Level 10
: 2,000/4,000, 500 ante
Antonio Esfandiari has been sat to the direct right of Jamie Roberts pretty much all tournament, and the two men have both been in fine form. As two of the top five stacks going into the hand, one man has leapt to the position of chip leader....but who?
Esfandiari made it 12,500 from the button and Roberts called from the small blind. The flop of saw 'The Magician' continue for 15,500 and get a call. The turn of prompted more fireworks. Esfandiari checked, Roberts bet 22,000, but Esfandiari raised to 54,000. Roberts called and one of the biggest pots of the day was forming.
The river of 
led to both men checking, with Roberts' hand of 
outdone by Esfandiari's 
. The Magician adds more tricks to his hat, taking the chip lead in the room. Roberts is still healthy, chip-wise.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
375,900 | 86,900 |
|
|
204,100 | -86,900 |
Scott Makes Straight Call
Level 10
: 2,000/4,000, 500 ante
On a flop of 
, Kara Scott bet 8,000 from the big blind and was called by her heads-up opponent in the hand, Matas Cimbolas.
The turn of 
led to both players checking, but Scott checked the river only to see Cimbolas fire bet of 25,000 into the middle. Scott looked him in the eye, considered the hand, and made a quick but measured call.
Scott was shown Cimbolas' hand 
("I muck" he quipped as he showed) and Scott tabled 
for the turned straight. On such a dangerous board containing a pair and a potential flushing river, that was a difficult call to make, but the Team 888Poker Pro did so with the best hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
179,000 | 59,000 |
|
|
118,500 | -2,500 |
Level: 11
Blinds: 2,500/5,000
Ante: 500