PokerNews Cup
Day 1a Completed
2022 Mediterranean Poker Party
PokerNews Cup
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2022 Mediterranean Poker Party
Buy-in
$500
Prize Pool
$250,000
Entries
332
Level
31
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
108
Players Left
16
Vladislav Fedoseev Leads at End of Day 1a of the PokerNews Cup
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Vladislav Fedoseev ended Day 1a of the $500 PokerNews Cup as the chip leader as 16 players survived from the field of 108 entrants at the 2022 Luxon Pay Mediterranean Poker Party at the Merit Royal Hotel & Casino in North Cyprus. All surviving players have locked up a minimum cash and will return for Day 2 on Wednesday.
The Russian ended the day with 365,000 after over twelve hours of action. The other two big stacks were direct to the right of Fedoseev as him along with Ismail Kalkan (326,000) and Veselin Petrov (321,000) hoarded the chips. Also ending the day in the top five chip stacks was Viktor Utrobin (271,000) who enjoyed a late surge in the day as he went from small stack to big stack quickly after he scored a double knockout with pocket aces.
$500 PokerNews Cup Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vladislav Fedoseev | Russia | 365,000 |
| 2 | Ismail Kalkan | Germany | 326,000 |
| 3 | Veselin Petrov | Bulgaria | 321,000 |
| 4 | Viktor Utrobin | Russia | 271,000 |
| 5 | Konstantinos Nanos | Greece | 262,000 |
| 6 | Shakir Dadabaev | Uzbekistan | 226,000 |
| 7 | Gabriel Akiki | Lebanon | 215,000 |
| 8 | Gheorghe Butuc | Moldova | 199,000 |
| 9 | Elie Farah | Lebanon | 194,000 |
| 10 | Serge Noel | Canada | 182,000 |
Other notables who bagged included Konstantinos Nanos (262,000), Gabriel Akiki (215,000) and Bassel Moussa (120,000).
Gabriel Akiki was one of the big stacks throughout much of the day when his aces dominated Ismail Kalkan's ace-king in an 80 big blind pot which moved Akiki into the chip lead. However the tides turned and ultimately Kalkan ended the day with more chips.
Dimitrios Farmakoulis was the bubble boy as he lost a flip as his ace-nine couldn’t beat Ismail Kalkan’s pocket fives.
Those who didn’t make it to Day 2 will have more chances tomorrow where two more flights will be taking place. At 12 p.m. local time Day 1b will commence which will be a repeat of flight 1a with levels lasting 40-minutes in length. For those who would prefer a faster pacing Day 1c is a turbo flight with 20-minute levels which commences from 8 p.m. local time. Both flights start with 30,000 chips and blinds at 100/100.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all four days of action as the latest PokerNews Cup champion will be crowned on Thursday 1st September.
End of Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
365,000
126,000
|
126,000 |
|
||
|
326,000
26,000
|
26,000 |
|
321,000
41,000
|
41,000 |
|
271,000
-9,000
|
-9,000 |
|
262,000
202,000
|
202,000 |
|
||
|
226,000
16,000
|
16,000 |
|
215,000
-7,500
|
-7,500 |
|
199,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
194,000
-21,000
|
-21,000 |
|
182,000
-38,000
|
-38,000 |
|
172,000
172,000
|
172,000 |
|
144,000
-69,000
|
-69,000 |
|
120,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
115,000
-65,000
|
-65,000 |
|
88,000
88,000
|
88,000 |
|
61,000
23,000
|
23,000 |
|
|
||
Kalkan Eliminates Farmakoulis to Burst Bubble
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Dimitrios Farmakoulis moved all in on the button for 67,000 and was called by Ismail Kalkan in the small blind.
Dimitrios Farmakoulis: 
Ismail Kalkan: 
It was a flip to burst the bubble. The flop wasn't good for Farmakoulis as it came 
. The turn didn't change anything as it came the 
. The river burst the bubble and eliminated Farmakoulis as it came the 
to give Kalkan a full house and to conclude action for the day.
Stay tuned for end of day chip counts and a full recap.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
300,000
57,000
|
57,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Hand For Hand
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
The tournament director has announced that play will now be hand for hand as players are on the stone bubble. 17 players remain and only 16 will return for Day 2.
Kalkan Eliminates Beg
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Furkan Beg moved all in from the cutoff for around 90,000. Action folded around to Ismail Kalkan who asked for a count before he made the call.
Furkan Beg: 
Ismail Kalkan: 
It was a flip for Beg's tournament life. However he was way behind when the flop came 
which gave Kalkan middle set. The turn was a brick as it came the . The river ensured Beg's elimination as it came the 
to send him home.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
243,000
63,000
|
63,000 |
|
Busted |
Utrobin Goes from Small Stack to Big Stack in Three Hands
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Viktor Utrobin, Umut Yükselir, and the big blind were involved in a three-way all in between the short stacks at the table, with Utrobin barely covering.
Umut Yükselir: 
Big Blind: 
Viktor Utrobin: 
Utrobin's aces were far ahead and stayed massively ahead as the flop came 
, giving him the nut-flush draw in addition to the best hand.
The turn had both of his opponents drawing stone dead as he compiled his flush. The 
completed the board.
In just three hands, Utrobin has taken his stack from 63,000 to just under 300,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
280,000
141,000
|
141,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Utrobin Doubles Through Noel
Level 15
: Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Serge Noel raised to 10,000 from the cutoff before Viktor Utrobin moved all in from the button for 63,000. Noel went into the tank before saying "Someone's got to be eliminated eventually" before making the call.
Viktor Utrobin:
Serge Noel: 
Utrobin was ahead but Noel had two live cards. The flop was good for Utrobin as it came . The turn was the 
which didn't help Noel. The river secured the double up for Utrobin as it came the 
to give him the nut straight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
220,000
24,000
|
24,000 |
|
|
139,000
-33,000
|
-33,000 |
Level: 15
Blinds: 3,000/5,000
Ante: 5,000
Petrov Gets River Bet Through
Level 14
: Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Action was three ways to the flop of 
. There was around 11,000 in the middle.
Ismail Kalkan led out for 10,000 from the small blind. Only Veselin Petrov called from the big blind.
Action checked through on the turn.
The river was the and Kalkan checked to Petrov who bet 25,000. Kalkan slammed his hand on the tables before open folding 
to concede the pot to Petrov.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
280,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
180,000
-26,000
|
-26,000 |