Andrei Cherkashin bet 4,000 from under the gun on a flop of 7♥K♥J♥ and Dylan DeStefano called in the big blind.
The turn came the Q♣ and Cherkashin made sure that DeStefano had already checked before checking back. DeStefano then led out for 8,000 on the Q♦ river.
Cherkasin came back with a raise to 25,000 and DeStefano spent about a minute in the tank before mucking.
Dmitrii Levin three-bet to 18,000 in the big blind and Nikolay Baryshnikov called in early position. Tobias Peters then moved all in for 33,000 in the cutoff, Levin folded, but Baryshnikov quickly tossed in a chip to signify a call.
Tobias Peters: A♣A♠
Nikolay Baryshnikov: K♥K♠
Peters had woken up with aces and was a big favorite to double up as the board brought 6♠6♥10♦8♥. The river, though, came the K♦ and Baryshnikov spiked a full house.
Peters could only shrug as he handed over the rest of his chips and headed off to the rail.
From the hijack, Ehsan Amiri opened, then faced a decision when Atil Okay moved all in from the big blind for 67,000.
Both players talked to each other, smiling, and Amiri eventually called.
Atil Okay: A♠K♣
Ehsan Amiri: 10♥10♣
In this flip, Amiri kept the lead on 8♥6♠3♠3♥2♠ to eliminate Okay.
Level: 13
Blinds: 1,000/2,500
Ante: 2,500
Damian Rapanowicz and Michel Habib were heads-up blind versus blind on a flop of Q♣7♠3♠ when Rapanowicz bet 4,000. "Why so much?" Habib asked before slamming in his last 29,000.
"All right," Rapanowicz said as he called to put Habib at risk.
Michel Habib: 6♠4♠
Damian Rapanowicz: J♣J♠
Rapanowicz was ahead with his pair of jacks as the K♣ fell on the turn, but the river brought the 2♠ and Habib completed a flush to double up.
"Thank you for calling quickly and not asking for a count," tablemate Parker Talbot told Rapanowicz.
"My pleasure. I love to gamble," Rapanowicz replied.
Tournament officials have confirmed that play on Day 1a will conclude once 108 players remain, who will all be in the money for Day 2.
There are currently 225 players remaining out of a starting field of 717.
Evgenii Sboev three-bet to 14,500 in middle position before Mahmoud El Sayed, under the gun, four-bet to 30,000. Sboev called and they went heads-up to the 10♠J♠9♣ flop.
Both players checked to the 10♥ turn, where El Sayed led out for 35,000. Sboev called once more to see the 9♥ river.
El Sayed again slowed down and tapped the felt. Sboev spent a few moments twirling his chips between his fingers before announcing a check back.
El Sayed then turned over A♣4♣, playing his ace with the two pair on the board. "Split," Sboev said, showing A♠5♠ as they chopped the massive pot.
From middle position, Soraya Estrada opened to 4,000, and Sergei Lavrikov defended from the big blind.
On 5♥J♠9♥, the Spanish player made a continuation bet of 8,000, and was called again. When the turn 7♦ came, both players checked.
Finally, Lavrikov checked the river K♠. Estrada took this opportunity to bet 12,000. Lavrikov eventually called, but mucked his cards after Estrada showed Q♠10♠ for a straight hit on the river.
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