€888 Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2023 888poker LIVE Bucharest
€888 Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1b
2023 888poker LIVE Bucharest
Buy-in
€888
Prize Pool
€138,898
Entries
191
Level
25
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
100,000
Entries
42
Players Left
15
Aces Over Kings Propels Alexandru Marcu to Overall Chip Lead on Day 1b of 888poker LIVE Bucharest Main Event
Level 11
: Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Alexandru Marcu didn’t make it through the opening flight yesterday. His second bullet today on Day 1b of the 888poker LIVE Bucharest Main Event went far better thanks to the ultimate cooler.
Marcu beat former chip leader “Tips4All” with aces over kings in a more than 400,000-chip pot to take the overall tournament chip lead with 486,000. Right behind him is Andrii Zaika, another who had to reenter today after busting yesterday, who won a massive pot with a straight against Frankie Chan on the last hand of the night to move into second place with 449,500.
888poker Ambassador Ian Simpson flew into Bucharest overnight from Newcastle and took his seat at the same table as fellow team member Nick Eastwood. Simpson dropped down to 50,000 at one point during the day but then won a three-way all in with kings before busting Eastwood with ace-king over tens, finishing with 312,000 and a top-five stack.
Day 1b Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexandru Marcu | Romania | 486,000 | 122 |
| 2 | Andrii Zaika | Ukraine | 449,500 | 112 |
| 3 | Sebastian Ionita | Romania | 327,000 | 82 |
| 4 | Ian Simpson | United Kingdom | 312,000 | 78 |
| 5 | Iulian Andrei Bleau | Romania | 294,500 | 74 |
| 6 | Sorin Flutur | Romania | 248,000 | 62 |
| 7 | Andrei Wauters | Romania | 245,000 | 61 |
| 8 | Valentin Cristea | Romania | 233,500 | 58 |
| 9 | Mert Tozlu | Turkey | 219,500 | 55 |
| 10 | Raoul Iancovici | Romania | 203,500 | 51 |
Valentin Cristea (233,500), Patrick Bueno (183,000), who finished third in this event last year, and Mihai Manole (97,000) were also among the 15 players who made it through Day 1b. Those who weren’t as fortunate include 2022 888poker LIVE Madrid champion Abel Aspas.
The 15 surviving players will join the 23 who made it through Day 1a for Day 2 on August 13. There is still a Day 1c flight tomorrow at 5 p.m. local time, and a turbo Day 1d flight. Unlimited reentries are still available until the start of Day 2. Day 1b drew 42 more entries into the event, creating a combined field of 94 players through the first two flights.
PokerNews will be back inside the Poker Room Bucharest tomorrow for Day 1c as another crop of hopefuls try to chase down Marcu’s chip lead and book their ticket for Day 2.
End-of-Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 11
: Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
486,000
46,000
|
46,000 |
|
||
|
449,500
29,500
|
29,500 |
|
327,000
107,000
|
107,000 |
|
312,000
-38,000
|
-38,000 |
|
||
|
294,500
-5,500
|
-5,500 |
|
248,000
78,000
|
78,000 |
|
245,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |
|
233,500
123,500
|
123,500 |
|
219,500
9,500
|
9,500 |
|
203,500
3,500
|
3,500 |
|
183,000
110,000
|
110,000 |
|
|
166,500
24,500
|
24,500 |
|
150,000
-65,000
|
-65,000 |
|
97,000
-33,000
|
-33,000 |
|
81,000
-29,000
|
-29,000 |
Play Concludes
Level 11
: Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Day 1b has come to an end with 15 players remaining out of 42 total entries.
Stay tuned for full chip counts and a recap of the day's action.
Zaika Puts a Big Hit on Chan
Level 11
: Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
On the last hand of the day, Frankie Chan three-bet to 26,000 from the big blind and Andrii Zaika called on the button.
The flop came 8♦3♠J♣ and Chan continued for 30,000. Zaika called to the Q♣ turn, where Chan slowed down and checked.
Zaika then fired out 60,000 and Chan quickly called. The river came the K♥ and Zaika slid forward a bet of 90,000.
Chan snap-called and Zaika turned over 10♠9♠ for a straight to end the night with a massive pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
420,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
|
|
215,000
-35,000
|
-35,000 |
Four More Hands
Level 11
: Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Mihai Manole drew a four from the pile tournament officials handed him, and players will see four more hands before bagging up for the night.
Wauters Fires At Simpson
Level 11
: Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Ian Simpson raised to 6,500 from the cutoff and Mihai Manole called in the small blind before Andrei Wauters three-bet to 27,000 out of the big blind.
Simpson called, while Manole got out of the way to leave them heads-up to the 7♥J♣6♥ flop. Wauters led out for another 12,000 and Simpson called.
As 888poker cameras began to surround the table, both Wauters and Simpson checked the 10♦ turn before the K♦ fell on the river. Wauters then bet another 50,000 and Simpson quickly folded.
"It's not even Day 2," Wauters joked about the attention the 888poker Ambassador got during the hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
350,000
-70,000
|
-70,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
250,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
"Tips4All" Can't Make It Through the Night
Level 11
: Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
The player known only as "Tips4All" spent most of the day near the top of the leaderboard, but he just had his night come to an early end with a few minutes left.
In a blind versus blind battle, "Tips4All" got his last 100,000 in the middle against Andrii Zaika.
"Tips4All": A♥8♥
Andrii Zaika: A♦J♠
"Tips4All" was dominated and stood up from his seat to await the 9♠Q♦J♥ flop, which gave Zaika a pair. Zaika improved to two pair on the A♠ turn, and "Tips4All" couldn't complete his straight draw on the K♥ river to hit the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
280,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Chan Cracks Baltateanu's Aces on the River
Level 11
: Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Elvis Baltateanu had his last 60,000 in the middle from the button and was up against Frankie Chan in the big blind.
Elvis Baltateanu: A♠A♦
Frankie Chan: 7♠7♥
Baltateanu was a big favorite to double up as the board came 5♥2♠3♦10♣, but Chan spiked the 7♦ on the river to make a set and send Baltateanu to the rail in cruel fashion.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
250,000
-50,000
|
-50,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Simpson in Contention For Chip Lead After Busting Heidelbacher
Level 11
: Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Christopher Heidelbacher moved all in for around 50,000 from the big blind and Ian Simpson called in the hijack.
Christopher Heidelbacher: A♣7♥
Ian Simpson: A♥J♥
Simpson had Heidelbacher dominated and took an even bigger lead in the hand on the 9♣J♦2♠ flop with top pair. The board ran out 6♥A♥ and Simpson finished with two pair to send Heidelbacher to the rail and his stack up over 400,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
420,000
110,000
|
110,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |