button in Safari€500 Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2026 Estoril Poker Fest
€500 Main Event
Day: 1b
Players Left 20 / 2,011
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
Level 20
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
While it took much longer than expected for the bubble to burst, Day 1b of the Estoril Poker Fest Main Event finally came to an end at Casino Estoril with 98 remaining players out of a field of 594 entries, more than double the number recorded on Day 1a. This brings the overall total to 878 entries ahead of Day 1c and Day 1d this Friday.
To find the chip leader, all eyes were initially on Andre Luis, who applied maximum pressure on the bubble. However, he doubled up Charles Pauly (97,000) several times and eventually ended the day with 905,000.
Yoann Surreau (573,000) also held a big stack during the final levels, but he found Gus Hansen on his way. "The Great Dan" hit a straight among other hands against Surreau and eventually surpassed him to bag the overall chip lead with 1,063,000.
The Winamax Team Pro is followed by Dylan Patanchon (970,000), an Expresso specialist who admitted he was “not used to playing this deep” but who embraced his role as chip leader throughout the end of the day.
Cedric Frantz (884,000) and Luis Paco complete the top five, with Paco bursting the bubble with pocket aces before bagging 857,000.
Day 1b Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gus Hansen | Denmark | 1,063,000 | 133 |
| 2 | Dylan Patanchon | France | 970,000 | 121 |
| 3 | Andre Luis | Portugal | 905,000 | 113 |
| 4 | Cedric Frantz | France | 884,000 | 111 |
| 5 | Luis Paco | Portugal | 857,000 | 107 |
| 6 | Felix Magneron | France | 705,000 | 88 |
| 7 | Omar Lakhdari | Algeria | 678,000 | 85 |
| 8 | Pedro Costa | Portugal | 615,000 | 77 |
| 9 | Yoann Surreau | France | 573,000 | 72 |
| 10 | Deividas Butnoras | Lithuania | 572,000 | 72 |
Alongside Hansen, his teammates Bruno Lopes (286,000), Romain Lewis (266,000), Pierre Calamusa (185,000), and Davidi Kitai (86,000) also advanced to Day 2 through Day 1b. That means only Leo Margets and local hero Joao Vieira will have to take another shot tomorrow after being eliminated today.
After finishing as the bubble boy on Day 1a, Omar Lakhdari came into Day 1b with an all-or-nothing approach. This time, it paid off, as he bagged 678,000 and remains in contention for yet another title after winning a €600 Main Event for €50,000 in France just a few weeks ago.
Marine Khamvongsa doubled up on the bubble with ace-queen before finishing with 468,000. Mikael Ifergan also found a crucial double-up with aces before the dinner break and bagged 459,000.
Other notable players advancing include Nolan Madene (193,000), Valentin Francois (115,000), Matthieu Rodriguez (36,000), and Lucia Navarro (67,000), while Julie Devin and Jose Ribeiro ended the day as the two shortest stacks with 26,000 each.
The Main Event continues this Friday, May 15, at noon local time with Day 1c, featuring 30-minute levels. It will be followed by the Day 1d Turbo at 7 p.m. local time with 15-minute levels. These two flights will be the final ones of the tournament before Saturday’s Day 2.
Once again today, the PokerNews live reporting team will be on the floor in Estoril to follow all the action!
Level 20
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,063,000
858,000
|
858,000 |
|
||
|
970,000
730,000
|
730,000 |
|
905,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
|
|
884,000
159,000
|
159,000 |
|
|
857,000 | |
|
|
705,000
215,000
|
215,000 |
|
678,000
308,000
|
308,000 |
|
615,000
615,000
|
615,000 |
|
|
573,000
407,000
|
407,000 |
|
572,000
572,000
|
572,000 |
|
|
559,000
41,000
|
41,000 |
|
554,000
554,000
|
554,000 |
|
547,000
547,000
|
547,000 |
|
|
541,000
541,000
|
541,000 |
|
|
535,000
535,000
|
535,000 |
|
525,000
225,000
|
225,000 |
|
518,000
518,000
|
518,000 |
|
|
498,000
498,000
|
498,000 |
|
|
484,000
484,000
|
484,000 |
|
|
478,000
58,000
|
58,000 |
|
|
477,000
297,000
|
297,000 |
|
|
475,000
475,000
|
475,000 |
|
468,000
7,000
|
7,000 |
|
|
459,000
119,000
|
119,000 |
|
|
455,000
455,000
|
455,000 |
Level 20
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Another player was eliminated on the bubble, so only 98 players bagged at the end of Day 1b, with all of them securing a spot in the money.
Stay tuned as PokerNews brings you the chip counts and a recap of today’s action!
Level 20
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
After Marco Polido doubled with aces through Carlos Duarte, Julen Gesalaga at the same table moved all-in for 228,000 from the button and was called by Luis Paco under the gun.
Julen Gesalaga: A♠K♣ 
Luis Paco: A♥A♦
Paco apologized but Gesalaga said "it was the game" and was eliminated on the bubble on 9♣10♠3♥7♠Q♠.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
857,000
857,000
|
857,000 |
|
|
172,000
172,000
|
172,000 |
|
153,000
87,000
|
87,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 20
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Charles Pauly in the cutoff was, once again, all-in and at risk against Andre Luis in the big blind.
Charles Pauly: A♦K♠
Andre Luis: 9♠5♥
Pauly has luck on his side once again tonight and doubled up again on 8♥J♦2♥K♣10♣.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
960,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
|
108,000
56,000
|
56,000 |
Level 20
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Bruno Dias in the cutoff jammed for 78,000 and was called by Christophe D'Angelo in the big blind.
Bruno Dias: Q♣10♣
Christophe D'Angelo: Q♠9♠
The board of 7♦K♦3♠J♥Q♥ changed nothing and Dias doubled up. "Split?" D'Angelo joked. "No split, it's for me," Dias answered.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
345,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
|
168,000
168,000
|
168,000 |
Level 20
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The first two all-in and call situation occurred at the same time, starting with Andre Luis who opened to 16,000 from the button. Charles Pauly in the big blind moved all-in for 20,000 and was called.
Charles Pauly: 6♥6♣
Andre Luis: 9♥3♣
Pauly's sixes held on 2♣Q♦Q♣A♦7♥ and he doubled up again.
At another table, Mathis Lebon opened from the Sutton, Benoit Abiven in the small blind three-bet all-in and Lebon called off his last 151,000.
Mathis Lebon: A♥K♣
Benoit Abiven: 4♣2♥
"Wtf?" Lebon said when he discovered Abiven's hand. While filming the action, he hit two pair on A♦5♦6♥8♣8♥ and secured a double up. “Woohoo!” he cheered surrounded by tens of players.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
920,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
330,000
330,000
|
330,000 |
|
310,000
310,000
|
310,000 |
|
|
52,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
Level 20
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
There are now 100 remaining players for 99 places in the money. The hand for hand procedure is about to start.
Level 20
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Victor Burel in the small blind didn't have to do anything as Charles Pauly was forced all-in for 6,000 in the big blind.
Charles Pauly: 4♦2♠
Victor Burel: K♣8♣
Pauly thought he was eliminated but was lucky enough to flop two pair on Q♦4♠2♦7♠J♣ to double up.
Moments later, he was at risk again for 20,000 from the small blind against Andre Luis in the cutoff.
Charles Pauly: 9♣8♠
Andre Luis: Q♦9♥
Once again, Pauly was saved by an amazing flop of 7♦6♦10♠. The 5♥8♥ runout however made him split the pot but he is still in contention.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
910,000
740,000
|
740,000 |
|
|
250,000
250,000
|
250,000 |
|
|
27,000
27,000
|
27,000 |
