€10,300 The 10k Championship
Day 1 Completed
€10,300 The 10k Championship
Day 1 Completed
In a room full of the best Pot-Limit Omaha specialists across Europe, Filip Aleksic managed to stand out on Day 1 of the Diamond Poker Series PLO Grand Slam Tallinn €10,300 Championship.
Aleksic dominated the field on the opening day, building up a massive stack of 2,384,000 that puts him nearly 1,000,000 clear of his closest challenger. The Dutch pro and Run It Once poker coach began his ascent early when he made a straight to beat Joni Jouhkimainen’s trips and score the knockout. He then eliminated Pavel Izotov, showing down top pair with the nut flush draw. “That’s illegal,” tablemate Dario Alioto said, in awe of Aleksic’s run.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Filip Aleksic | Netherlands | 2,384,000 | 298 |
| 2 | Hans Thumann | Czech Republic | 1,422,000 | 178 |
| 3 | "Gypsy Baron" | 1,386,000 | 173 | |
| 4 | Anton Suarez | Sweden | 1,190,000 | 149 |
| 5 | Joni Jouhkimainen | Finland | 1,114,000 | 139 |
| 6 | Erik Bystrom | Sweden | 1,110,000 | 139 |
| 7 | Vivian Saliba | Austria | 1,096,000 | 137 |
| 8 | Aaron Pahlawani | Austria | 1,006,000 | 126 |
| 9 | Florian Kraft | Germany | 922,000 | 115 |
| 10 | Imad Derwiche | France | 907,000 | 113 |
Bullet No. 3 proved lucky for Jouhkimainen, who joined Aleksic in the top five with 1,114,000. Other top stacks include Hans Thumann (1,422,000), "Gypsy Baron" (1,386,000), Anton Suarez (1,190,000), Erik Bystrom (1,110,000), and Vivian Saliba (1,096,000). Aaron Pahlawani, who won the €5,200 Opener during the first Diamond Poker Series stop in Tirana in November, was the last member of the million-chip club by bagging 1,006,000.
Further down the leaderboard are Imad Derwiche (907,000), Farid Jattin (862,000), Jens Kyllonen (342,000), Lautaro Guerra (265,000), Alioto (207,000), €5,200 Million champion Youness Barakat (200,000), and Hossein Ensan (71,000). The award for most perseverant player goes to Alexander Petersen, who busted six times but finally made his seventh try count, finishing with 736,000. Fredrik Lindstrom, already with two final table appearances this series, is in position for another deep run as he takes 679,000 into Day 2.
Those who couldn't survive the day and will have to try again tomorrow include defending champion Tom-Aksel Bedell, German soccer star Max Kruse, Henry Kilbane, Amir Mozaffarian, and Damjan Radanov.
Day 1 attracted 108 total entries to the Chesterfield Poker Club, with 34 players advancing to Day 2. Late registration remains open for the first two levels of Day 2, so the field can potentially grow much larger on the way to matching the €1,500,000 guaranteed prize pool. All surviving players return tomorrow at 3 p.m. local time, with action picking up on Level 10 with blinds of 4,000-8,000 and an 8,000 big blind ante.
PokerNews will be back tomorrow as the search for the next PLO champion continues on Day 2.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,384,000
924,000
|
924,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,422,000
28,000
|
28,000 |
|
|
1,386,000 | |
|
|
1,190,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
1,114,000
186,000
|
186,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,110,000
900,000
|
900,000 |
|
|
1,096,000
44,000
|
44,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,006,000
401,000
|
401,000 |
|
|
922,000
223,000
|
223,000 |
|
|
907,000
93,000
|
93,000 |
|
|
862,000
88,000
|
88,000 |
|
|
736,000
536,000
|
536,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
720,000
160,000
|
160,000 |
|
|
679,000
21,000
|
21,000 |
|
|
665,000
185,000
|
185,000 |
|
|
647,000
97,000
|
97,000 |
|
|
588,000
12,000
|
12,000 |
|
|
554,000
479,000
|
479,000 |
|
|
540,000
179,000
|
179,000 |
|
|
515,000
265,000
|
265,000 |
|
|
496,000
24,000
|
24,000 |
|
|
420,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
|
|
342,000
192,000
|
192,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
319,000
319,000
|
319,000 |
|
|
298,000
78,000
|
78,000 |
Day 1 has ended with 34 players remaining out of 108 entries. Stay tuned for chip counts and a recap of the day's action.
Jorryt van Hoof moved all in for 31,000 in the small blind and Anton Suarez reraised to 110,000 in the big blind. Danyil Zaremba called to create a side pot as he and Suarez saw the A♦7♠2♠ flop.
Suarez then bet 150,000 and Zaremba called. The turn was the A♥ and Suarez bet 500,000. Zaremba quickly folded this time.
Van Hoof showed J♠10♣5♦4♥, while Suarez had A♣Q♣6♥5♥ for trip aces. The river was the J♥ and Van Hoof was sent to the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,200,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
|
550,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Tournament officials announced that play on Day 1 will conclude once each table plays three more hands.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
200,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
200,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
200,000 | |
|
|
200,000 | |
|
|
200,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
|
|
200,000 | |
Alexander Petersen fired his sixth bullet of the day and quickly opened to 70,000 in early position. Anton Suarez then potted to 225,000 in the hijack.
"I told you you were going to win this tournament, so I might as well give you chips," Petersen said as he called off his 200,000.
Alexander Petersen: A♦K♠10♠5♦
Anton Suarez: A♥A♣8♦6♥
The K♦9♣2♣ flop gave Petersen a pair, but Suarez found the last ace in the deck on the A♠ turn to make a set. The river was the 8♠ and Petersen headed for the rail once again.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
800,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Vivian Saliba bet 60,000 from early position on a flop of A♣10♦7♥ and Anton Suarez called in the small blind.
The turn was the 8♣ and Suarez led out for 140,000. Saliba called and the 7♣ fell on the river.
Suarez then checked over to Saliba who reached for chips to make a bet. Suarez didn't even wait to hear the amount before tossing his cards away as Saliba took the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,140,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
580,000
320,000
|
320,000 |
Alexander Petersen moved all in for 190,000 from the cutoff, Jonas Christensen reshoved for 250,000 in the big blind, and Curtis Muller put both players at risk in middle position.
Alexander Petersen: 7♥6♥4♦3♣
Jonas Christensen: A♣A♠Q♣5♥
Curtis Muller: A♥K♦K♠10♥
Christensen was ahead with his aces as the flop came 9♣6♣3♦ to give Petersen two pair and the lead. The J♣ fell on the turn, but Christensen made a better two pair on the 9♦ river to scoop the pot, doubling up off Muller and sending Petersen to the rail.
"Beautiful time for aces," Christensen said.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
850,000 | |
|
|
520,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||