2017 PokerStars Championship Bahamas

$5,000 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2017 PokerStars Championship Bahamas

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aj
Prize
$429,664
Event Info
Buy-in
$5,000
Prize Pool
$3,376,712
Entries
738
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000

Vojtech Ruzicka Crashes Out

Level 6 : 250/500, 75 ante
Vojtech Ruzicka
Vojtech Ruzicka

Vojtech Ruzicka became one of the most well-known players ever to emerge from the Czech Republic following his appearance at the 2016 WSOP final table. He may well make more headlines here in the Bahamas but it won't be in the 2016 PokerStars Championships Main Event. We caught up with him as he made his way from the cardroom.

"I busted when I three-bet shoved with {A-}{Q-} and was called by a player with pocket kings," Ruzicka told us. "He'd opened to 1,100, so it was a pretty standard spot. I'm looking forward to coming back tomorrow to play the $50,000 tournament, though."

That $50,000 one-day event is sure to be populated by plenty of big names, with all of the luminaries you've already seen in action today having a free day to take part before Day 2 or another of the many side events here in the Bahamas.

Player Chips Progress
Vojtech Ruzicka cz
Vojtech Ruzicka
Busted

Tags: Vojtech Ruzicka

Peters Traps With Quads - Busquet Does Not Fall For It

Level 6 : 250/500, 75 ante

David Peters opened under the gun and Olivier Busquet in the hijack was the sole caller. Peters checked on {4-Diamonds}{10-Hearts}{J-Clubs} and Busquet bet 2,000. Peters called.

Both players checked the {J-Hearts} on the turn before the {4-Spades} completed the board. Peters checked again and after about a second or two, Busquet checked behind.

Peters showed {J-Spades}{J-Diamonds} for quads and Busquet silently mucked.

"Unbelievable trap," table mate Andrey Zaichennko said with a smile.

"I'm just glad I checked back pocket aces there," Busquet said with an even bigger smile.

Player Chips Progress
David Peters us
David Peters
WSOP 2X Winner
54,000 1,000
Olivier Busquet us
Olivier Busquet
WPT 1X Winner
21,825 -12,175

Tags: Andrey ZaichenkoDavid PetersOlivier Busquet

Level: 6

Blinds: 250/500

Ante: 75

Diamonds Lead to Demise of Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier

Level 5 : 200/400, 50 ante
Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier
Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier

We missed the elimination of Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, but Paul Newey was kind enough to fill us in on some details.

As he told it, the 2008 PCA champ shoved all in from the big blind for his last 4,500 after the under-the-gun player had raised. His opponent called and the hands were turned up.

Grospellier: {a-Hearts}{10-Hearts}
Opponent: {a-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds}

It looked like it was going to be a chop, but the {j-}{6-Diamonds}{2-} flop gave Grospellier's opponent a freeroll to running diamonds. Unfortunately for France's all-time money leader, that's exactly what happened when the turn and river came diamond-diamond.

Tags: Bertrand Grospellier

Super Serda Soars

Level 5 : 200/400, 50 ante

Action folded around to Patrick 'SuperSerda' Serda and he raised to 1,000 from the hijack.

The button called, as did the small blind. The flop came {k-Hearts}{10-}{8-Hearts}. The small blind checked, and Serda bet 2,200. Both the button and the small blind called.

The turn was the {a-Diamonds}. The small blind checked again and Serda bet 6,800. The button called and the small blind moved all in for his remaining 30,000. Serda called for his last 15,000 and the button also called for his last 10,000.

Serda tabled {a-Spades}{a-Clubs} for top set, while both of his opponents tabled queen-jack for Broadway.

Serda was at risk, but the {10-Diamonds} on the river saved him. He eliminated the player on the button and doubled through the small blind.

Player Chips Progress
Patrick Serda ca
Patrick Serda
WPT 1X Winner
72,000 42,000

Tags: Patrick Serda

Gaelle Baumann Doubles Through Ramin Hajiyev

Level 5 : 200/400, 50 ante

With a board reading {8-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}{4-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds}, Gaelle Baumann checked from the cutoff and then snap-called off for roughly 18,000 when Ramin Hajiyev moved all in.

Baumann: {q-Hearts}{q-Clubs}
Hajiyev: {a-Clubs}{j-Diamonds}

Baumann had the hand locked up with a full house, and she shipped the double after the {j-Hearts} was run out on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Gaelle Baumann fr
Gaelle Baumann
Winamax
52,000 22,000
Ramin Hajiyev az
Ramin Hajiyev
13,400

Tags: Gaelle BaumannRamin Hajiyev

Natasha Mercier Defends

Level 5 : 200/400, 50 ante
Natasha Mercier
Natasha Mercier

Action folded around to Natasha Mercier and she completed her small blind.

The player in the big blind did not want to check his option and raised to 1,200. Mercier called.

The flop came {9-Hearts}{7-Hearts}{8-Clubs}. Mercier checked, and the big blind thought about it for a while before checking back.

The turn is the {7-Spades}. Mercier checked again, and her opponent bet 1,300. Mercier wasted no time and check-raised to 3,500. The big blind thought about it for a moment and sent his cards into the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Natasha Mercier lb
Natasha Mercier
32,000 2,000

Tags: Natasha Mercier

News in Brief

Level 5 : 200/400, 50 ante
Daniel Negreanu and Igor Kurganov take in the news that Kevin Hart's out of Day 1a (possibly)
Daniel Negreanu and Igor Kurganov take in the news that Kevin Hart's out of Day 1a (possibly)

With so much happening on Day 1a of the PokerStars Championships Bahamas Main Event, we took a look at some of the biggest names in the field and how they're progressing.

Daniel Negreanu (pictured) has been building his stack steadily since sitting down amid Kevin Hart's hilarious bust-out hand. The Canadian poker legend, who is at the top of the All Time Money List for live tournament cashes, raised it up pre-flop then took down a hand with a c-bet of 1,500 into a pot of 4,000 on a flop of {K-Hearts}{Q-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}. Negreanu has around 37,000.

Ben Heath is down to 24,000 but is not concerned at all. He's online-railing his friend Charlie Carrel, who is heads-up for the $100,000 Super High Roller title against Jason Koon.

"I was following his progress, and it was going well. Then he busts out third and fourth place with {A-}{K-} against {K-}{J-} and kings in the next hand and he's heads-up."

While Heath has plenty of time to get back above average in the Main Event, French Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand 'Elky' Grospellier may not. He's down to just 5,500 chips at blinds of 200/400 and will need to 'Allez' very soon.

Mike 'Timex' McDonald is flying along, and that deserves a nod of appreciation given he's dominating a table stacked with ridiculous talent. McDonald just bet 1,000 in early position, garnering a call from two players, including Stephen Chidwick two seats to his left. The flop of {K-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{3-Spades} saw Timex make it 1,500 and he took that pot down to build his stack to just over 70,000 chips.

Tags: Ben HeathBertrand GrospellierCharlie CarrelDaniel NegreanuJason KoonKevin HartMike McDonaldStephen Chidwick

Morris Dadoun Over Six Figures

Level 5 : 200/400, 50 ante

Action has increased and so have quite a few stacks!

Morris Dadoun has been climbing the leaderboard and has added to his lead. He is now the first player over six figures in this tournament.

Dadoun is from Canada and won his package online. Stay locked in on PokerNews as we follow his story!

Sarah Herring caught up with Dadoun on break.

Player Chips Progress
Morris Dadoun ca
Morris Dadoun
108,000 28,000