Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2013 PokerStars.com EPT Berlin
Main Event
Days: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2013 PokerStars.com EPT Berlin
Buy-in
€5,000
Prize Pool
€4,560,000
Players
912
Level
34
Blinds
120,000 / 240,000
Ante
30,000
Day 1a Concludes; Voth Leads the Field
Level 8
: 300-600, 75 ante
On Sunday, the first of two starting flights for the Season 9 European Poker Tour Berlin Main Event took place. A grand total of 347 runners came out to participate and after eight levels of action on the felt roughly 179 remained. Ronny Voth was the man sitting on the largest stack in the room with 196,100. Following closely on Voth's heels are Mike Kunze (188,000) and Thomas Richter (176,100).
While those players were the ones to accumulate the most chips during the opening levels, many others were able to navigate their way through the stacked field. Marc-Andre Ladouceur (98,000), Marcin Horecki (89,400), Barny Boatman (72,700), Scott Seiver (70,100), Matthias De Meulder (58,200), Fabrice Soulier (48,200), Zimnan Ziyard (33,500), Max Lykov (32,700), and Liv Boeree (18,100) are just a small sample size of the players who will be bringing stacks back for action on Day 2.
Building a stack to bring to Day 2 is the first step to adding the coveted title of EPT Main Event champion to one's résumé. Unfortunately, that dream was dashed for several notable players. The likes of Justin Bonomo, AP Phahurat, Konstantin Puchkov, Steve O'Dwyer, Jeffrey Rossiter, Rupert Elder, and Season 9 EPT London Main Event champion Ruben Visser all fell before the final hand of the day was dealt.
High-roller wizard Dan Smith was also in attendance for Day 1a. While Smith built a sizable stack early and seemed poised to continue his success throughout the day, he ran into a few hands that led to the ultimate destruction of his stack. First, at 150/300/25, we found Smith involved in a three-way pot where the board read 
. With well over 19,000 already in the middle, Smith pondered for about one full minute before moving out a bet of 12,800. Pietro Paolo Sibione flat called and the third player got out of the way. The 
completed the board and Smith went into the tank for about two minutes before the clock was called. However, Smith tapped the table before the floor staff arrived at the table and Sibione checked right back.
Smith showed 
but was saddened to find Sibione show 
for a better pocket pair. Smith found his final hand later in the level when he tangled with Dominik Nitsche. The board read 
when we arrived at the table and Smith moved in his last 28,000. Nitsche called only to find out that he was just slightly ahead.
Smith: 
Nitsche:
Despite not having a made hand, the PokerNews Odds Calculator tells us that Smith still had a 47.73% chance to double up. Fortune did not smile on Smith, however, as the 
on the river bricked out and sealed his fate. Nitsche, on the other hand, continued to build his stack throughout the day and will return for Day 2 with a stack of 137,500.
The second and final starting flight of players will return to the Grand Hyatt Berlin on Monday at 12:00 CET. These players will also play eight levels before both fields combine for Day 2 action. Be sure to stay tuned to our coverage as we bring you the latest from the felt here on PokerNews.
Official End-of-Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 8
: 300-600, 75 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
196,100 | 22,100 |
|
|
||
|
188,000 | 83,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
176,100 | 56,100 |
|
|
||
|
173,500 | 78,500 |
|
|
||
|
169,300 | 4,300 |
|
|
||
|
168,600 | 168,600 |
|
|
||
|
165,200 | 65,200 |
|
|
||
|
162,500 | 62,500 |
 |
||
|
155,800 | |
|
|
||
|
143,100 | 47,100 |
|
|
||
|
|
139,200 | |
|
|
||
|
138,000 | |
|
|
||
|
137,900 | 7,900 |
 |
||
|
128,100 | 128,100 |
|
|
||
|
118,600 | |
|
|
||
|
|
115,100 | 100 |
|
|
||
|
112,200 | 47,200 |
|
|
||
|
111,500 | -3,500 |
|
|
||
|
|
107,400 | -17,600 |
|
|
||
|
106,800 | -43,200 |
|
|
||
|
105,500 | -41,500 |
|
|
||
|
102,400 | |
|
|
||
|
101,600 | |
|
|
||
|
|
101,200 | -3,800 |
|
|
||
|
99,000 | 99,000 |
|
|
||
Three More Hands
Level 8
: 300-600, 75 ante
The clock is paused at 10:00, and the remaining players will play three more hands.
Choc-Ices, Albatross And Tasser Cafes – Introducing The Usherettes
Level 8
: 300-600, 75 ante
You thought they were the reserve of British cinemas in the 1950s. But tray usherettes are out in force at EPT Berlin and looking for convenient places to rest their trays. Find out more at the PokerStars Blog.
Evisserated
Level 8
: 300-600, 75 ante
EPT9 London Main Event winner Ruben Visser has been eliminated from the EPT Berlin Main Event.
According to Aku Joentausta, Visser opened in late position, and Joentausta three-bet shoved for effectively 15,000 or so. Visser called with 
suited, which trailed Joentausta's 
.
Joentausta's hand held, and the Dutchman was eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Neuville and Tureniec Bust Late On
Level 8
: 300-600, 75 ante
Michael Tureniec busted from the feature table whilst Pierre Neuville busted to Dominik Nitsche.
Neuville held ace-deuce to the German's pocket eights. The 
[x] board was only going to send the chips one way.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
130,000 | 5,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Haigh Cracks Kings
Level 8
: 300-600, 75 ante
In a six-way pot where all players had invested 1,500 chips the flop read 
. Alex Bilokur bet 2,500 after both blinds had checked and Martijn Ardon called. Robert Haigh made the call as well after which the other players folded.
On the turn the 
hit and Bilokur checked to Ardon who moved all in for 19,350. Haigh called all in for 11.850 and Bilokur turned over his 
as he folded. Ardon showed 
and Haigh had 
. On the river the hit and Ardon was left behind with very little chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
40,200 | |
|
|
||
|
7,500 | |
|
|
||
Ladouceur Wins a Small One
Level 8
: 300-600, 75 ante
Marc-Andre Ladouceur opened to 1,200 in the cutoff, Dominik Nitsche called on the button, and a player in the big blind defended. The dealer fanned 
, the player in the big blind checked, and Ladouceur continued for 1,700. Only Nitsche called.
The turn was the suicide king (
), Ladouceur checked, and Nitsche fired 3,300. Ladouceur tanked for a bit, then made the call.
The 
completed the board, and Ladouceur knuckled again. Nitsche unhappily checked behind. Ladouceur showed 
for a pair of aces, and Nitsche flashed two eights before mucking.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
125,000 | -5,000 |
|
|
||
|
48,500 | 36,500 |
|
|
||
Horecki's Kings Hold
Level 8
: 300-600, 75 ante
After a series of bets and raises, Ronni Meyer was all in and at risk preflop against Marcin Horecki.
Meyer: 
Horecki:
Meyer was far behind, but the 
flop gave him a heart flush draw. He added three more outs to make a straight when the 
turned, but Horecki held when the bricked on the river.
Meyer hit the rail, while Horecki now has 85,000 chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
85,000 | 50,100 |
|
|
||