Main Event
Day 1a Started
2010 Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic
Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2010 Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic
Buy-in
$5,000
Entries
181
Level
28
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000
Welcome to the Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic Main Event!
It's almost time for the second annual 2010 Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic Main Event to begin here in stunning Cyprus. The buzz around the resort and in the tournament room is exciting as we await the start of play, which been kicked back to 2:30 pm local time. The event should be jam packed with plenty of big names judging by who we've seen so far lurking the area and that'll provide plenty of action.
This event has a twist to it in that each buy-in costs $5,000 + $400 for 20,000 in tournament chips, but each player may rebuy or add-on anytime during the first five levels for an additional 20,000 in tournament chips. Each level will be 75 minutes long with a break coming at the end of each level.
Who to we expect to be on hand? Well, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi and Phil Ivey both busted the High Roller Freeze-Out yesterday and may show up to the first of two starting days. John Racener, Filippo Candio, Jean-Robert Bellande, Karina and Chip Jett, Roy Winston, Van Marcus and Chino Rheem are also likely to be playing. There are two starting days and the tournament staff announced yesterday that the players had the chance to choose their day, so we'll just have to wait and see at start time for who shows up.
We're only a short while away from the kickoff of the event and it's going to be a great day of poker. We'll also have coverage of the $25,000 High Roller Freeze-Out final table today, for double the dose of poker. Stay tuned to PokerNews for all the action from the floor. See you in a few!
Level: 1
Blinds: 25/50
Ante: 0
Shuffle Up and Deal!
The cards are in the air and the Main Event is underway.
Jett Off To Nice Start
Chip Jett is off and running at the start of play. We caught up with the action on a 
flop and action was on Jett with a bet of 700 in front of him.
Jett had popped it to 3,725 and the original bettor called, landing the 
on the turn. Jett's opponent immediately bet 5,500 and Jett put the rest of his stack into the middle. His opponent beat him to the pot and the hands were revealed.
Jett: 
Opponent: 
The river was the 
as Jett dodged his opponent's outs to double up to about 40,000.
Notables
We have ve spotted a hefty handful of notables in the mix already today with a few more signed up who will probably show up a bit late. John Racener and Van Marcus are seated at the same table. Tommy Vedes (who cashed in this event last year), Tafyun Rodoplu (who played the High Roller Freeze-Out), Chip Jett, Cristian Dragomir, Bruno Stefanelli and Nicolas Chouity are also in the room playing Day 1a. There should be plenty more players who will show up throughout the day and we will let you know when they get here.
Marcus and Racener Lose Action
There was some controversy to kick off the day over at Van Marcus and John Racener\\\'s table. The was a player in seat eight who was all in on both the first and second hand of play. The player was really spicing up the action and looked to be just the type of players the sharks will eat up.
On the second hand, the player got involved in a multi-way pot and open-shoved the flop after having flopped a straight. Immediately after the hand, the tournament staff began stacking the chips for the player and then moved him to an adjacent table. The player was seated right next to Marcus and the table argued that it was Marcus who was supposed to move because he was to be the big blind on the next hand. The tournament staff responded by saying that it wasn\\\\\\\'t moving the player to balance the tables, but rather the player sat in the wrong starting seat.
The table argued that the player had to stay and it wasn\\\\\\\'t right that he was allowed to take chips off other players seated in the wrong seat, provide plenty of early action and then get moved to another table. Marcus was very adamant and against this, but the tournament staff went with their decision and moved the player anyway.
More Notables
Rami Shouman, Kfir Yamin, Chris Karagulleyan, and Rony Jazzar have all taken their seats in the Main Event.
Break
The players are on their first 10-minute break of the day.
Level: 2
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0