Many of the big names are taking part on Day 1a already in order to take a shot at tomorrow's €25,500 Single-Day High Roller and late entries include Ryan Riess, Parker Talbot and Steve O'Dwyer.
Several notables were eliminated in quick succession including Felix Stephensen, Jaromir Hanel and Jorma Nuutinen, while Paul Leckey and Andrei Boghean already bowed out before the break.
Nuutinen three-bet shoved for his last 9,725 out of the small blind and initial raiser Alin Grasu called from early position.
Jorma Nuutinen:
Alin Grasu:
While Nuutinen took the lead on the flop, that all changed with the turn and the blank river sent the Finn to the rail. Back in 2013, Nuutinen finished 8th in the EPT10 Prague Main Event for a career-best score of €84,600, but won't make a deep run this time around.
The tournament screens show 153 players out of 173 entries remaining and they have been sent into the second 20-minute break of the day as half time is reached for the first of two starting days.
Joining the action on the flop, Fabrice Maltez bet 3,500 in the hijack and Tomas Jozonis called on the button to see the on the turn. Maltez now made it 8,500 to go and Jozonis moved all in. The Frenchman asked for a count and Jozonis was at risk for 21,225, which proved to be too much for Maltez.
One hand later, Jozonis raised to 625 in the cutoff and Clement Richez defended the big blind. The flop fell and a check-raise from 800 to 3,200 did the trick for Richez.
At the same time one table over, Assaf Ben Yosef bet the turn for 3,200 and Helio Neves check-raised to 30,000 in order to force a fold from Ben Yosef.
Luca Stevanato raised to 700 in the hijack and got three-bet to 2,250 by John Juanda on the button. Stevanato put in 6,950 and Juanda responded by jamming for about 20,000 effective. Stevanato quickly called with and was a big favorite over . However, the board left him asking for a queen on the river. It was an instead.
We picked up the action on the flop as Danish EPT winner Jannick Wrang checked from the big blind on . A player in middle position checked as well and Fidan Zahiti bet 1,100 from the hijack. Wrang called, the middle position player folded.
The rolled off on the turn and Wrang checked again. Zahiti bet 2,200 and Wrang called once more.
With the completing the board, Wrang checked a third time. Zahiti checked behind this time. Wrang showed but it turned out the river had ruined his hand in 2 ways as Zahiti tabled for the rivered flush and took down the pot.
Askar Bekbayev limped in and Clement Richez raised to 1,400 from one seat over, which only Bekbayev called. The flop fell and both players checked. On the turn, Bekbayev bet 1,000 and was called by the Frenchman before the on the river brought another bet of 1,000 by Bebkayev. This time, Richez let go and dropped below the starting stack.
The best result of Richez came not long ago in the King's Casino in Rozvadov, as he finished 20th in the 2017 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event for a payday of €31,337.