Nico Kuan Leads the MCOP Main Event After Day 1a, Boeken and Spijkers Bag Big
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.
