Mihai Pop is still a big chip leader in the room even during Level 8, but he has dropped a few chips after an all-in and call on the flop. Pre-flop saw Pop make it 2,700 from early position, called by two players, including Shane Rouine on the button.
The flop of saw Mihai Pop bet 6,000, and when Rouine raised all-in for 11,700 more, it was called off. Rouine had the nut flush draw with but he'd need to hit as Pop held . the turn of saw Rouine win the hand, and the river completed the board to see him leap up to 38,000. Pop still has a massive stack, the biggest in the 888Poker Poker Room here at Aspers, totalling 166,000.
Players are on a short 15-minute break to refresh themselves and pat themselves on the back for surviving half of the Day 1 field. We'll return for the next three levels when they do.
With 275 total entries, we currently have 155 players still in seats at the end of Level 7.
The average chips is 44,354, which neatly equates to 44 big blinds, a very good average stack for a £220 buy-in.
With 500 entries needed to make the £100,000 guarantee for this opening event of the 2016 888Poker London Live Festival, we already have 451 entries, meaning tomorrow will surely see the guarantee more than broken. Even if we were to get the same number of entries as today, that would still mean a whopping £145,000 prize-pool. It seems well worth coming down to Aspers Casino in Stratford tomorrow afternoon at 2pm for the final Day 1 flight!
Mario Nicolau checked the flop of with 9,000 chips in the pot. After a small aside to table-mate Tim Timotheu and a sly glance at his opponent betting 4,000, Nicolau casually put all of his chips over the line, 37,000 in total.
He carried on talking, before eventually getting a fold and decided to show his hand, .
"You're famous, now." says Timotheu, himself up to over 35,000. Nicolau smiled broadly and piled up over 50,000 chips. There is no more late registration and players will now be battling on for a Day 2 berth without the facility of re-entry, too.
Mihai Pop has the chip lead on Day 1b after making the most of his table to move to 103,000. He's followed fairly closely in the chip counts by Raheem Tadj-Saadat, who just eliminated a player to make it up to 96,800 chips.
After the initial three-bettor to 8,000 saw Tadj-Saadat shove all-in for around 65,000, a short-stacked player called the all-in for their 15,000 stack and they folded, claiming that they had pocket tens. Tadj-Saadat turned over and he was well ahead of the short stack's . He stayed there on the board of and hit the nut flush by the river, but you can imagine what the player who apparently folded pocket tens thought as first flop and then river would have given him quads.
"Maybe you should have called, young man." said Tadj-Saadat in his usual understated manner.
Glen Kiddle has momentum at his table, and has taken a few thousand chips from now-former chip leader Oscar Kirby at their table.
Pre-flop, Kiddle raised to 2,000 from the cut-off and was called in two spots, Kirby making it up from the big blind. The flop of saw Kiddle continue to 2600 and only Kirby followed him to a turn of . Kiddle continued for 3,000 and Kirby called. The river of saw both men check, and Kiddle's was good enough. The Braintree-based player is up to 48,800 and Kirby has dropped back a little this level to 72,100.
With players still taking tickets for an alternate seat, that puts pressure on those already in seats.
While some are thriving, such as Oscar Kirby (90,000 and our current chip leader), others such as Steven Game (6,500) have work to do to stay involved without a re-entry. Kirby shares his table with Daiva Baruskaite (33,000 and climbing) and Glen Kiddle, who just made the correct call on a tricky-looking 9-high board to scoop a decent pot. Kiddle is up to 40,000 and looking very comfortable.
Players only have six levels and the break which follows the next level to either re-enter or buy-in for the first time.
saw Mihai Pop bet 6,000, and when Rouine raised all-in for 11,700 more, it was called off. Rouine had the nut flush draw with 
but he'd need to hit as Pop held 
. the turn of 
saw Rouine win the hand, and the river 
completed the board to see him leap up to 38,000. Pop still has a massive stack, the biggest in the 888Poker Poker Room here at Aspers, totalling 166,000.
with 9,000 chips in the pot. After a small aside to table-mate Tim Timotheu and a sly glance at his opponent betting 4,000, Nicolau casually put all of his chips over the line, 37,000 in total. 
. He stayed there on the board of 
and hit the nut flush by the river, but you can imagine what the player who apparently folded pocket tens thought as first flop and then river would have given him quads. 
saw both men check, and Kiddle's 