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€888 Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2026 888poker LIVE Madrid
€888 Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
2026 888poker LIVE Madrid
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1b
Buy-in
€888
Prize Pool
€273,600
Total Entries
360
Level
28
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
160,000
Entries
102
Players Left
39
Players Left 1 / 360
Filter
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
The 888poker team was out in full force today inside the Casino Gran Via on Day 1b of the 888poker Live Madrid Main Event, but they and the rest of the field were left looking up at Fernando Santa Maria at the end of the night.
Santa Maria won a massive pot on one of the last hands of the day when he rivered a set of sixes against Abraham Serrano. Santa Maria ended up with 375,000, putting him atop the overall chip leaderboard after two starting flights. Hassan Sey (275,000), David Santos (257,000), Fernando Gatto (195,000), and Jose Maria Sanchez (190,000) round out the top five.
Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fernando Santa Maria | Dominican Republic | 375,000 | 125 |
| 2 | Hassan Sey | Finland | 275,000 | 92 |
| 3 | David Santos | Portugal | 257,000 | 86 |
| 4 | Fernando Gatto | Argentina | 195,000 | 65 |
| 5 | Jose Maria Sanchez | Spain | 190,000 | 63 |
| 6 | Ahmed Abdella | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 187,000 | 62 |
| 7 | Hugo Benitez | Spain | 170,000 | 57 |
| 8 | Rafi Elharar | Israel | 164,000 | 55 |
| 9 | Javier Zarco | Spain | 156,000 | 52 |
| 10 | Robert Martinez | Spain | 153,000 | 51 |
A total of 39 players survived Day 1b, including three members of the 888poker team. Vivian Saliba leads the group with 114,000, while Aaron Barone (102,000) and Lucia Navarro (82,000) are also through to Day 2. Others to advance included Ahmed Abdella (187,000), Rafi Elharar (164,000), Javier Zarco (156,000), content creator Inaki Angulo (108,000), and David Algarra (48,000).
Those who will have to try again on tomorrow’s Day 1c included David McConachie, Jesus “el chur” Ramos, Abel Aspas, and 888poker Streamer Ricardo Mateus.
Day 1b drew 102 entries, bringing the total field up to 158 through the first two flights, with 59 securing their spot in Day 2. Tomorrow’s flight is expected to be the biggest yet, while there is also a turbo Day 1d flight on January 17 at noon local time. Late registration remains open for the first level of Day 2 beginning at 5 p.m. on the 17th.
PokerNews will be back tomorrow for what is expected to be a packed Day 1c here from the heart of the Spanish capital.
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
375,000
75,000
|
75,000 |
|
||
|
275,000
45,000
|
45,000 |
|
257,000
257,000
|
257,000 |
|
195,000
65,000
|
65,000 |
|
190,000
190,000
|
190,000 |
|
187,000
77,000
|
77,000 |
|
170,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
164,000
16,000
|
16,000 |
|
156,000
16,000
|
16,000 |
|
153,000
133,000
|
133,000 |
|
150,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
|
|
148,000
68,000
|
68,000 |
|
|
142,000
18,000
|
18,000 |
|
136,000
76,000
|
76,000 |
|
134,000
89,000
|
89,000 |
|
131,000
131,000
|
131,000 |
|
130,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
|
130,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
|
127,000
127,000
|
127,000 |
|
|
125,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
115,000
65,000
|
65,000 |
|
114,000
16,000
|
16,000 |
|
||
|
108,000
2,000
|
2,000 |
|
108,000
108,000
|
108,000 |
|
107,000
83,000
|
83,000 |
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Day 1b has ended with 39 players remaining out of 102 entries.
Stay tuned for chip counts and a recap of the day's action.
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Abraham Serrano bet 15,000 from the button on a flop of 10♣9♣4♦ and Fernando Santa Maria raised to 37,000 in the cutoff. Serrano called, and the A♦ fell on the turn.
Santa Maria then bet 22,000 and Serrano again called. The river was the 6♥ and Santa Maria fired out 60,000. Serrano took a few minutes to argue with a tournament director before slamming in the chips to call.
Santa Maria turned over 6♠6♣ for a rivered set, and Serrano slammed J♣10♥ onto the table before handing over the massive pot that boosted Santa Maria up close to 300,000 near the end of the night.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
300,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
|
||
|
20,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Javier Zarco raised to 5,500 in middle position, Abelardo Palomares moved all in for 55,000 in the small blind, and Zarco called.
Abelardo Palomares: 7♠7♣ 
Javier Zarco: A♦Q♦
Zarco took the lead on the A♥3♠J♥ flop with top pair, then improved to two pair on the Q♥ turn. The river was the 3♦ and Palomares was sent to the rail near the end of the night.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
140,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Jonatan Beltran bet 12,000 from the cutoff on a flop of K♣10♥4♣, Jimmy Zhang moved all in from the small blind, and Beltran called for 39,200.
Jonatan Beltran: K♦9♦
Jimmy Zhang: A♣J♣
Beltran had top pair, but he needed to dodge Zhang's straight and flush draws. The 3♥ turn was safe, while the K♠ fell on the river and Beltran improved to trips to secure the double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
140,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
|
|
80,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Rafi Elharar bet 5,000 from the button on a flop of J♥Q♥4♥ and the small blind called.
The turn was the 10♠ and Elharar bet 15,000. The small blind then raised to 30,000, and Elharar called.
The A♥ fell on the river and the small blind took so long to act that another player eventually called the clock. His opponent eventually bet 45,000, and Elharar quickly shoved for 50,200.
The small blind called and Elharar showed K♥9♠ for the rivered nut flush. His opponent slammed down A♣K♣ in frustration as he handed over the double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
180,000
125,000
|
125,000 |
Level: 13
Blinds: 1,000/2,500
Ante: 2,500
Level 12
: Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante
David Algarra moved all in for 20,000 from the hijack and Jon San Juan put him at risk in middle position.
David Algarra: A♥J♣
Jon San Juan: 7♠7♣
San Juan remained in the lead with his sevens and was poised for the knockout as the board came 8♠2♠3♦4♥, but Algarra spiked the J♦ on the river. San Juan buried his head on the rail after taking another cruel beat on the river, while Algarra doubled up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
50,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
40,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
