2018 888poker LIVE Festival Bucharest

Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2018 888poker LIVE Festival Bucharest

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a8
Prize
€71,042
Event Info
Buy-in
€888
Prize Pool
€360,192
Entries
469
Level Info
Level
27
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000

Welcome to Day 1a of the 2018 888Live Poker Festival Bucharest Main Event

Grand Ballroom
Grand Ballroom

The 888Live Poker Festival Bucharest festival in cooperation with Pokerfest Romania has kicked off two days ago on February 28th 2018 and the highlight of the schedule at the stunning JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel in the heart of the Romanian capital is the €888 Main Event. There are a total of three starting days and the tournament has a guaranteed prize pool of €288,000.

All players will receive 30,000 in chips and unlimited re-entries are available for the first seven levels. The blind levels on Day 1a and 1b last 45 minutes each, while the Turbo Heat 1c features a level duration of 22 minutes. Each starting day will play a total of 12 levels and the survivors of each Day 1 will then combine to one field for Day 2 as of 1 p.m. local time on Sunday March 4th 2018.

Furthermore, a 30 second Shot Clock will be featured in the Main Event. Each player has 30 seconds to make a decision, otherwise the hand is declared dead. All partcipants receive two time bank chips of 60 seconds each upon taking their seat.

€888 Main Event Day 1 Level Structure

LevelSmall BlindBig BlindAnte
1501000
210020025
315030025
420040050
530060075
6400800100
75001,000100
86001,200200
98001,600200
101,0002,000300
111,2002,400300
121,5003,000400

The festival in the Grand Ballroom is off to a great start as the €230 Opening Event eclipsed the guaranteed prize pool of €50,000 thanks to a total of 385 entries, creating a prize pool of €72,380. Leading the 76 survivors into Day 2 is local player Stefan Aurelian Gheorghe with 385,800, the 888poker ambassadors Martin Jacobson (92,900) and Sofia Lovgren (56,400), as well as Pasquale Grimaldi, are among the notables still in contention.

Special 888poker promotions during the festival:

· The winner of the ladies event will also win an 888poker LIVE package to 888poker live Barcelona.
· The winner of the Main Event will also win a Crazy 8’s package for the 2018 World Series of Poker.
· There will be a raffle amongst all the participants in the Main Event to win an iPhone X.

Day 1a of the €888 Main Event kicks off at 2 p.m. local time and the PokerNews live reporting team will be on the floor to cover all the action.

Tags: Martin JacobsonPasquale GrimaldiSofia LovgrenStefan Aurelian Gheorghe

Early Set-Over-Set Drama for Petleshkov

Level 2 : 100/200, 25 ante
Florian Costache
Florian Costache

Ion Alin Stanica limped from the cutoff and Viliyan Petleshkov, who had just taken a seat a few minutes ago, raised to 1,000 in the small blind. Florian Costache in the big blind three-bet to 3,200 and both opponents called. On the {J-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}{2-Clubs} flop, Petleshkov checked and Costache bet 3,000. Stanica called that and then Petleshkov check-raised to 8,000. Costache squeezed to 20,000 and that forced out Stanica, while Petleshkov's all in for 24,000 was snap-called.

Viliyan Petleshkov: {2-Diamonds}{2-Hearts}
Florian Costache: {J-Spades}{J-Hearts}

The miracle one outer for Petleshkov didn't come, as the {5-Spades} turn and {5-Clubs} river completed the board. "Fortunately it's a re-entry tournament," the Bulgarian added with a grin on his way out.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Florian Costache ro
Florian Costache
95,000
95,000
95,000
Profile photo of Ion Alin Stanica ro
Ion Alin Stanica
22,000
22,000
22,000
Profile photo of Viliyan Petleshkov bg
Viliyan Petleshkov
Busted

Tags: Florian CostacheIon Alin StanicaViliyan Petleshkov

Aces versus Kings in Favor of Teplitski

Level 3 : 150/300, 25 ante
Michael Teplitski
Michael Teplitski

A raising war before the flop broke out between Michael Teplitski and Ioannis Vogiatzoglou and the latter ended up five-bet shoving only for Teplitski to snap call.

Ioannis Vogiatzoglou: {K-Clubs}{K-Spades}
Michael Teplitski: {A-Diamonds}{A-Hearts}

The board came {J-Diamonds}{10-Clubs}{4-Diamonds}{A-Spades}{8-Spades} and the stacks were counted, Vogiatzoglou was covered by a few big blinds only. Also on the rail: danut Chisu, who had arrived a few minutes ago only.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Michael Teplitski de
Michael Teplitski
53,000
53,000
53,000
Profile photo of Danut Chisu ro
Danut Chisu
Busted
Profile photo of Ioannis Vogiatzoglou gr
Ioannis Vogiatzoglou
Busted

Tags: Ioannis VogiatzoglouMichael Teplitski

Saliba Busts Bobu

Level 3 : 150/300, 25 ante
Vivian Saliba
Vivian Saliba

At the very end of the third level a big pot was brewing over on table three and 888poker ambassador Vivian Saliba was involved in the action. On the heads-up turn of {J-Spades}{9-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}{10-Spades}, Alexandru Cristian Bobu checked and subsequently check-raised from 7,000 to 17,000 and Saliba called on the button.

The {7-Spades} river completed the board and Bobu checked once more, Saliba moved all in and the Romanian called. Saliba turned over {A-Spades}{K-Spades} for the nut flush and Bobu sent his cards into the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Vivian Saliba br
Vivian Saliba
72,000
39,000
39,000
Profile photo of Alexandru Cristian Bobu ro
Alexandru Cristian Bobu
Busted
Profile photo of Florin Tatu ro
Florin Tatu
Busted
Profile photo of Vladut Alexandru Paun ro
Vladut Alexandru Paun
Busted

Tags: Alexandru Cristian BobuVivian Saliba

Calea and Pandilica Among Casualties

Level 5 : 300/600, 75 ante
Florin Pandilica
Florin Pandilica

Cosmin Calea was all in and at risk for his last 10,000 before the flop with {A-Clubs}{9-Diamonds} and his sole opponent called with the {5-Clubs}{5-Spades}. The board came {K-Clubs}{4-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}{4-Spades}{8-Spades} and Calea was eliminated, then immediately headed to the registration desk in order to re-enter.

Another early casualty on Day 1a is Florin Pandilica. He bet the river of a completed board of {9-Hearts}{9-Spades}{3-Spades}{3-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds} for 7,500 and table big stack Ran Shahar from one seat over moved all in. Pandilica eventually called it off for his last 20,000 and mucked his cards when Shahar flashed {10-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds} for a full house. As per all in showdown role, the cards of Pandilica were revealed, he had the {A-Hearts}{A-Clubs}.

Also on the rail: Andrei Nodea. It seems likely that Pandilica and Nodea will give the first starting day another shot, though.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ran Shahar il
Ran Shahar
110,000
110,000
110,000
Profile photo of Cosmin Calea ro
Cosmin Calea
30,000
30,000
30,000
Profile photo of Florin Pandilica ro
Florin Pandilica
Busted
Profile photo of Andrei Nodea ro
Andrei Nodea
Busted

Tags: Andrei NodeaCosmin CaleaFlorin PandilicaRan Shahar

Tatu Steamrolls Into the Lead

Level 7 : 500/1,000, 100 ante
Florin Tatu
Florin Tatu

Ran Azor got his stack in preflop with the {A-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds} and former chip leader Florian Costache did so with the {Q-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds}. But there was also Florin Tatu with {A-Spades}{K-Clubs} and he had the biggest stack of the trio. The board ran out {K-Hearts}{4-Clubs}{2-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds} and Tatu paired his king on the flop to score a double knockout.

But Tatu didn't stop there just yet, as he also flopped a straight with {8-Spades}{7-Spades} to crack the {J-Hearts}{J-Clubs} of Fabio Lanzafame on a board of {10-Spades}{9-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}{3-Hearts}{2-Spades} to vault into a commanding lead.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Florin Tatu ro
Florin Tatu
220,000
105,000
105,000
Profile photo of Fabio Lanzafame ro
Fabio Lanzafame
Busted
Profile photo of Florian Costache ro
Florian Costache
Busted
Profile photo of Ran Azor il
Ran Azor
Busted

Tags: Fabio LanzafameFlorian CostacheFlorin TatuRan Azor

Hof Missing; Cornea Eliminated

Level 8 : 600/1,200, 200 ante
Natalie Hof
Natalie Hof

Natalie Hof is no longer in her seat and she took to social media to confirm the elimination. According to Hof she defended her big blind with king-eight suited and got it in with top pair on an eight-high turn against an opponent with {5-}{4-} for a pair and open-ended straight draw. The river brought two pair for her opponent and the 888poker ambassador was gone.

Sergiu Cornea shoved for his last 14,200 and was called by Costinel Pascu from one seat over.

Sergiu Cornea: {A-Spades}{9-Spades}
Costinel Pascu: {Q-Clubs}{Q-Diamonds}

The board of {J-Spades}{7-Clubs}{2-Hearts}{6-Hearts}{10-Hearts} failed to improve Cornea and he was also sent to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Costinel Pascu ro
Costinel Pascu
70,000
70,000
70,000
Profile photo of Natalie Hof de
Natalie Hof
Busted
Profile photo of Sergiu Cornea ro
Sergiu Cornea
Busted

Tags: Costinel PascuNatalie HofSergiu Cornea

Ozgur Arda Eliminated

Level 9 : 800/1,600, 200 ante
Ozgur Arda and Catalin Pop
Ozgur Arda and Catalin Pop

Down to around 30,000 in chips, Ozgur Arda moved all in from late position over the top of a limp by Ran Azor and Boaz Kolenbrener in the small blind reraised to force out the big blind and Azor.

Ozgur Arda: {8-Spades}{8-Diamonds}
Boaz Kolenbrener: {K-Clubs}{K-Diamonds}

The board of {10-Spades}{9-Hearts}{5-Spades}{A-Diamonds}{3-Hearts} provided no help for Arda and he joined the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Boaz Kolenbrener il
Boaz Kolenbrener
185,000
25,000
25,000
Profile photo of Ozgur Arda tr
Ozgur Arda
Busted

Tags: Boaz KolenbrenerOzgur ArdaRan Azor

Setup Hand Has Saliba See Off Pandilica

Level 10 : 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
Vivian Saliba
Vivian Saliba

The cards of Alin Petrisor Pandilica were all but rushed away while he headed to the rail and Vivian Saliba dragged in a big pot to boost her stack significantly with {A-Hearts}{8-Hearts}. Saliba had defended her big blind against Pandilica's button raise and turned the nut flush oin the board of {Q-Hearts}{J-Diamonds}{2-Hearts}{9-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}.

Pandilica had been unfortunate enough to improve to a king-high flush on the turn with {K-Hearts}{7-Hearts} and the hand played itself until that point. Marius Ene was also eliminated just prior to that.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Vivian Saliba br
Vivian Saliba
185,000
50,000
50,000
Profile photo of Marius Ene ro
Marius Ene
Busted
Profile photo of Alin Petrisor Pandilica ro
Alin Petrisor Pandilica
Busted

Tags: Alin Petrisor PandilicaVivian Saliba

Moschitta Cracks Aces; Alecu Wins a Flip

Level 11 : 1,200/2,400, 400 ante
Luca Moschitta
Luca Moschitta

Cornel Petrescu and Luca Moschitta clashed in a big preflop all in and both had very similar stacks with the former ending up as the player at risk.

Cornel Petrescu: {A-Spades}{A-Diamonds}
Luca Moschitta: {K-Spades}{K-Diamonds}

The {K-Clubs}{J-Clubs}{4-Spades} flop gave Moschitta top set, and the {7-Spades} turn and {6-Clubs} river failed to restore the preflop order.

One table over, Andrei Alecu had a big flip for his last 78,000 with the {J-Hearts}{J-Clubs} and Catalin Liviu Gheorghe looked him up with {A-Hearts}{K-Hearts} for two over cards. The board came {6-Spades}{3-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}{Q-Diamonds}{J-Diamonds} and Alecu doubled with a set.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Luca Moschitta it
Luca Moschitta
175,000
80,000
80,000
Profile photo of Andrei Alecu ro
Andrei Alecu
165,000
165,000
165,000
Profile photo of Catalin Liviu Gheorghe ro
Catalin Liviu Gheorghe
40,000
-125,000
-125,000
Profile photo of Cornel Petrescu ro
Cornel Petrescu
Busted

Tags: Andrei AlecuCatalin Liviu GheorgheCornel PetrescuLuca Moschitta