Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2016 Master Classics of Poker
Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2016 Master Classics of Poker
Buy-in
€4,000
Prize Pool
€1,409,760
Entries
356
Level
31
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
20,000
Nico Kuan Leads the MCOP Main Event After Day 1a, Boeken and Spijkers Bag Big
Level 8
: 300/600, 75 ante
The Master Classics of Poker in Holland's capital of Amsterdam kicked off it's Main Event today and a total of 121 entries were done. After 9 levels of play, just 50 remain which Dutchman Nico Kuan in the lead, having built his 30,000-starting stack into a chip castle worth 195,000. Former champion Noah Boeken, who lifted the trophy and €306,821-cheque back in 2013, finished the day fourth in chips. The Top 5 is as followed:
| Position | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nico Kuan | The Netherlands | 195,000 |
| 2 | Sergio Cabrera | Spain | 179,800 |
| 3 | Bart Spijkers | The Netherlands | 170,300 |
| 4 | Noah Boeken | The Netherlands | 170,200 |
| 5 | Henk Post | The Netherlands | 155,800 |
The biggest annual tournament on Dutch soil attracted the biggest poker stars from the country, alongside a slate of international poker celebs. November Niners Pierre Neuville, Jorryt van Hoof and Michiel Brummelhuis, EPT champions Noah Boeken, Steve O'Dwyer, Rob Hollink, Robin Ylitalo, Noah Boeken, Jan Bendik, Anton Wigg and Pieter de Korver, and WPT Champion of Champions Farid Yachou were amongst the players participating. They fought for chips alongside players like Jasper Wetemans, Steven van Zadelhoff, Govert Metaal, Jack Salter, Felix Stephensen and local hero Cor Janssen.
Bart Spijker, a Dutch player known for his love of high-stakes action, came back from live tournament retirement to play the Main Event. He got off to a great start, catapulting his 30,000-starting stack to a record high 165,000 before the dinner break had even begun. A set of tens all in against an overpair with two cards to come was all it took to skyrocket his stack. He dropped some chips, only to win them back not much later and end the day with 170,300.
Noah Boeken, the first ever Dutch EPT champion, started out great busting high stakes cash game specialist Floris van der Ven. Van der Ven was the first to depart as he couldn't part ways with kings against the unexpected seven-three suited Boeken was playing in a three-bet pot. Boeken had hit two pair on the turn and Van der Ven was drawing slim as the chips went in. In one of the last levels of the day, Boeken got it all in with tens against nines and eights and saw a board full of blanks to make his day. Boeken bagged 170,200.
One player that couldn't survive the first day, was Jussi Nevanlinna. The high stakes Fin won the event here in Amsterdam last year for €300,000, after already having made the final table back in 2014 (5th for €71,985) and 2011 (2nd for €227,850) as well. He busted in the last level after a big bluff on the river went sour against his countryman Samuli Sipila.
The Main Event Day 1b plays out on Tuesday, November 22nd. In the Main Event hiatus, players have the option to play multiple different events. The biggest one them being the €10,000 High Roller that's running on Sunday. PokerNews will again be reporting live from the floor of Holland Casino Amsterdam from the first flop till the last river on Tuesday. The four-day event culminates on Friday.
Ole Schemion Wins the €25,000 Super High Roller Champion
Besides the Main Event, the first ever €25,000 Super High Roller also played out today. The biggest ever buy-in poker tournament held in The Netherlands, attracted a field of 13 players, including Day 2 registrant Charlie Carrel. Ole Schemion triumphed, winning €160,875, a special MCOP plate and a giant Heineken mug.
| Position | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ole Schemion | Germany | €160,875 |
| 2 | Frank Williams | Germany | €96,525 |
| 3 | Charlie Carrel | United Kingdom | €64,350 |
The first exit of the day would also be the most brutal one. Juha Helppi got it in with ace-king of clubs against the ace-king of hearts of Ole Schemion. Schemion, who won the MCOP Main Event for €286,200 back in 2012, made a backdoor flush to send Helppi packing.
Schemion also took care off Ben Heath and Govert Metaal who both went out before the money stage of the tournament was reached. French high stakes regular Jean-Noël Thorel bubbled the event, running ten-nine into the ace-queen of Frank Williams.
Charlie Carrel, the late sign up entering Day 2, min cashed the event for €64,350 after being unable to win queen-ten against the king-nine of Schemion.
Frank Williams, a German high stakes cashgame player, finished runner-up to his countryman Schemion. In the final hand, he made the all-in move holding ace-jack but, again, Schemion had a real hand with pocket kings. No aces or any other cards that helped Williams on the flop, turn, or river, and he bowed out in 2nd place for €96,525.
Various End of Day Chip Counts
Level 8
: 300/600, 75 ante
An extensive recap on today's action is to follow.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
195,000 | 195,000 |
|
170,200 | 50,200 |
|
123,000 | 33,000 |
|
122,300 | -2,700 |
|
111,100 | 61,100 |
|
103,600 | 73,600 |
|
90,600 | 45,600 |
|
87,700 | 87,700 |
|
84,300 | 54,300 |
|
82,800 | 12,800 |
|
77,900 | 77,900 |
|
72,100 | 25,100 |
|
66,500 | 66,500 |
|
64,000 | 30,000 |
|
63,800 | 33,800 |
|
62,300 | 25,300 |
|
61,800 | 31,800 |
|
54,000 | 21,000 |
|
52,600 | 22,600 |
|
49,300 | 7,300 |
|
|
48,400 | -13,600 |
|
48,100 | -1,900 |
|
39,300 | -2,700 |
Three More Hands
Level 8
: 300/600, 75 ante
And the day is done. Chip counts from the big stacks and notables, and a recap of today's action are to follow.
Chatti Busts Van Hoof
Level 8
: 300/600, 75 ante
Former November Niner Jorryt van Hoof (3rd for $3,807,753 in 2014) has been eliminated.
He opened for 2,200 and saw Farid Chatti three-bet to 5,500. With 15 minutes left on the clock for the day, Van Hoof casually moved all in for about 36,000. Chatti called.
Farid Chatti: 
Jorryt van Hoof: 
The board ran out 
and Van Hoof made his exit.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
125,000 | 77,000 |
|
Busted |
Wetemans' Set Turned to Flush
Level 8
: 300/600, 75 ante
The flop was already out in a pot between Jasper Wetemans (big blind) and Samuli Sipila (cutoff). With 
on the table, Wetemans checked. Sipila bet 2,200 and called as Wetemans check-raised to 6,200.
The 
hit the turn and Wetemans checked. Sipila bet 7,500 and Wetemans called.
With the 
completing the board, Wetemans checked again. Sipila checked behind and mucked as Wetemans tabled 
for a set turned flush.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
90,000 | |
|
|
42,000 | 7,000 |
The Defending Champion Falls
Level 8
: 300/600, 75 ante
Jussi Nevanlinna, who won this event last year for €300,000, has just been eliminated.
A 1,500 raise was followed by Richard Milne calling in position. Small blind Samuli Sipila called and big blind Nevanlinna added the needed chips to see a flop as well.
The flop came 
and was checked around. The hit the turn and Sipila checked again. His countryman Nevanlinna bet 2,950 and action folded to Sipila. Sipila check-raised to 8,500 and Nevanlinna called.
The river saw Sipila check again. Nevanlinna shoved for about 17,000 and Sipila called. Nevanlinna showed 
, already knowing it wasn't enough. Sipila tabled 
and Nevanlinna headed for the exit.
Nevanlinna can still make his fourth MCOP final table, he has the option to reenter now or wait for Day 1b on Tuesday.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 |
Deinum and Janssen Eliminated By Boeken
Level 8
: 300/600, 75 ante
Rob Hollink was first to act and raised. Kees van Brugge called before Foeke Deinum over called from the button. Noah Boeken called from the small blind and big blind Cor Janssen shoved for 7,000.
Hollink and Van Brugge folded. Deinum wanted to move all in but put forward the wrong stack, making it 25,000 and not all of it. Boeken shoved all in and Deinum called for about 50,000 total.
Foeke Deinum: 
Noah Boeken: 
Cor Janssen: 
The board blanked out and Boeken send packing two of his opponents.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
120,000 | 67,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
Robin Ylitalo Eliminated
Level 8
: 300/600, 75 ante
We ran into EPT champion Robin Ylitalo as he was on his way to the bar. He told us how he had been eliminated from the Main Event just now.
Ylitalo called a raise with 
and the big blind came along as well. The flop came 
with two diamonds and the initial raiser bet 2,100. Ylitalo called and so did the big blind.
The big blind and initial raiser checked on the off suit turn and Ylitalo bet 5,500. The big blind folded, the initial raiser called.
With the completing the board, the initial raiser checked. Ylitalo shoved for 16,000 with his rivered flush but would soon depart as his opponent tabled for a full house.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Vranken Doubles Brummelhuis
Level 8
: 300/600, 75 ante
After the table had already seen some hefty action, things were going to get even more bombastic.
Action folded to Michiel Brummelhuis on the button and he raised to 1,500. Big blind Antoine Vranken called and checked on . Brummelhuis bet 2,000 and Vranken raised to 5,000. Brummelhuis three-bet to 12,500 and Vranken shoved. Brummelhuis called instantly for 32,000 total.
Michiel Brummelhuis: 
Antoine Vranken: 
The on the turn and on the river weren't cards Vranken was looking for and Brummelhuis doubled.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
70,000 | 34,000 |
|
|
37,000 | -33,000 |