£140 Main Event - Road to PSPC
Day 1b Completed
Moneymaker's Road to PSPC 2020 - London
£140 Main Event - Road to PSPC
Day: 1b
Day 1b of the Main Event Concludes with Edgar Drozdov Taking Through Resounding Chip Lead
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Another set of hopefuls descended on Aspers Westfield Stratford City in order to take their shot at winning an illustrious Platinum Pass worth €26,000 today. In the end, it was Edgar Drozdov who went through as chip leader, finishing on a massive 620,000 (124 big blinds).
Today had a few elements in common with yesterday’s flight, aside from the structure that is. Firstly, when the clock was paused for the evening, there were six players left. Secondly, today’s chip leader took through almost a third of the chips, as did PokerStars Pro Chris Moneymaker, who finished top of the counts in Day 1a.
In total 71 (39 unique) entries generated £8,520 towards the prize pool, which when added to the £6,000 collected yesterday brings the running total to £14,520. Of the remaining six survivors, Nikolay Ponomarev (476,000) finished in second place despite holding the chip lead in the run up to the final table. Umberan Akhtar (378,000) goes through in third. Notably Akhtar climbed up the counts after hitting a lifetime-first royal flush in the last level of the day. Artan Dedusha (286,000), Chia Fu Hsu (282,000) and Ionut Dragomir (88,000) complete the final six.
Tomorrow sees it all happen again with the third of seven starting flights (with an additional one taking place in Milton Keynes on Thursday) getting underway. The structure will be an exact replica of today’s, with another set of hopefuls taking to the felt in order to try and be part of poker history in Barcelona at the PSPC 2020 next year.
PokerNews will be on hand for the duration, with live updates of all the action as it unfolds from the moment cards are in the air at 6pm, until the last chip has been bagged.
Chip Counts (Full)
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
620,000 | -30,000 |
|
476,000 | -4,000 |
|
378,000 | 38,000 |
|
286,000 | 16,000 |
|
|
282,000 | 45,000 |
|
88,000 | 8,000 |
That's a Wrap
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Players are bagging and tagging. Stay tuned for chip counts and a recap of the day's action, which will follow shortly.
Drozdov Huge Chip Leader After Eliminating El Qmache
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
The final table continues to deliver action and this time it was Rachid El Qmache who has been taken out by chip leader Edgar Drozdov. Drozdov had made a straight with 
on a board and El Qmache wasn't able to get away from 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
650,000 | 200,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Last Three Hands
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
The clock has been paused as the floor tells the last seven players just three hands stand in their way of bagging and tagging ahead of Day 2.
Royal Flush for Akhtar
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
"John! I've waited all my life for this hand!" said Umberan Akhtar as he, Rachid El Qmache and Artan Dedusha reached showdown. The two players had checked to him and he bet 45,000, which they both called.
The board read 
and Akhtar turned over 
for a flopped straight that had improved to the royal flush by the river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
340,000 | 150,000 |
|
|
270,000 | -15,000 |
|
|
170,000 | -100,000 |
Poulengeris Hits the Rail
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
After a tumultuous previous level, it is all over for Antonis Poulengeris' Day 1b campaign. He couldn't find help when he ran queen-seven suited into king-deuce suited with his last few chips, with the board running out 
. Edgar Drozdov was the player who eliminated him and he adds a little more to his chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
450,000 | 35,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 15
Blinds: 2,500/5,000
Ante: 5,000
El Qmache Triples Following Incredible Runout
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Edgar Drozdov opened 10,000 on the button and Rachid El Qmache three-bet all in on the small blind for 87,500. Antonis Poulengeris peeked at his cards and went over the top for 119,000 total. Back on Drozdov and he decided that the price was too good to pass.
Rachid El Qmache: 
Antonis Poulengeris: 
Edgar Drozdov: 
Drozdov was calling for hearts but instead, the flop fell 
, which gave him the straight. The turn was the 
though and now he was tying with Poulengeris for the side pot with the wheel straight. Worse still, El Qmache had hit a higher straight for the main pot. The river was an 
and El Qmache tripled, whilst Poulengeris and Drozdov chopped the small side pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
415,000 | 35,000 |
|
|
270,000 | 205,000 |
|
|
33,000 | -157,000 |